J.M. Downey's "A Time to Say Goodbye" interview & book giveaway

Hello, All! Please join me in welcoming J.M. Downey (Josie) to my blog. She's here to tell us a little about herself and her book, "A Time To Say Goodbye."
It's that time again, congrats goes to . . . 
CINDY W.

Tell us a little about yourself.

Besides my faith, husband and six-year-old daughter writing is my life. I have a Master’s degree in literature and have taught English at three small community colleges. I have also worked as a community affairs writer for two newspapers.  Currently I work with a test scoring firm, where I grade and evaluate the effectiveness of state sanctioned writing tests from throughout the country.

Why do you write the kind of books you do?                                                            

I really don’t know. Stories just appear in my mind, I fall in love with them and then start writing.

Besides writing, what are some of your favorite hobbies?  

My favorite guilty pleasure is video games. I play them more than my husband and my daughter combined. Whenever I get burnt out on reading and writing, I put in one of my favorite games, Super Mario’s Galaxy or Kirby and defeat the foes. I’m from the Nintendo generation of the 80s. I also love traveling, creating new recipes in the kitchen and of course reading.

Have you always wanted to be a writer?

Yes. Ever since I was a little girl, I would write stories. I wrote my first novel when I was 17. Twenty drafts later that novel became A time to Say Goodbye. Throughout the years, I would float between different dreams, but I always came back to writing.

What advice would you give to a beginning writer?

Don’t rush it. Learning to write takes years. I’m embarrassed to think about the drafts, I sent to agents and publishers before they were ready.

What book are you currently working on?

I am in the editing stages of a novella called Bonds of Tradition. The story is about a young woman raised in the US by parents from a former Eastern European bloc country. The story chronicles her struggles to adapt to an unfamiliar culture when her father forcibly brings her back to their home country and the young prince that falls in love with her.  I plan to release the novel in October.

Please tell us a little about your book.

A Time to Say Goodbye is the first book I ever wrote. Its back cover description sums things up best.

Cotton plantation daughter, May Lynn Whitley sees nothing wrong with owning others. After all how would they fend for themselves if it wasn't for gracious people like her family? But a handsome young preacher’s probing words and mesmerizing blue eyes unlock a new sense of justice and lead her on a journey that will change her life and soul. But she is betrothed and May Lynn’s controlling fiance’ will do anything to make sure they wed. Anything including destroying all that she holds dear. Set in Antebellum America, May Lynn’s adventure spans the Eastern Seaboard as she joins a movement she once scorned.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

A Time to Say Goodbye

http://amzn.to/12HEv6e
https://www.facebook.com/J.M.Downeysouthernrosepress

http://jmdowneysouthernrosepress.weebly.com/index.html

Thanks so much, Josie, for taking to time to visit with us!

As always, if you mention in with your comment, you're a new or old follower, your name will be added a second time to the drawing.

Drawing will be held August, 24