Amanda James is here for a good "time"....plus a book giveaway

**Giveaway is  now closed**

We have a "present" for you...Amanda James is here to take us on a trip through time. And the fact that she is a Quantum Leap fan makes her that much more lovable!

Amanda, a.k.a. Mandy, was born in Sheffield, UK and now lives in Bristol with her husband and two cats. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, singing, and spending lots of time with her grandson. She also admits to spending far too much time chatting on Twitter and Facebook! Mandy recently left her teaching role to follow her ambition to live her life writing, which is what she most enjoys doing.

Mandy's latest novel is A Stitch in Time, which is about Sarah, a teacher in her 30s, who is divorced and yearning for more excitement in her life. One evening, a handsome and mysterious man appears at her door, asking her to go back in time with him. Sarah is whisked from the Sheffield Blitz to the suffragette movement in London to the Old American West, trying to make sure people find their happy endings. The only question is, will she ever be able to find hers?

You can learn more about Mandy by visiting her on Facebook and Twitter and checking out her blog. Thanks to Choc Lit, we have one copy of A Stitch in Time for a lucky reader anywhere in the world!

What was the easiest thing about writing A Stitch in Time? Most difficult?
I think the easiest must have been Sarah. She had a mind of her own and I just followed in her wake. The hardest was wondering how to explain the time travel bit in the accepted terms. For example - if a person travels back in time, won't the future be altered because of their impact? In the end I decided to go my own way.

What motivates you when you're writing?
The plot I guess. I have a vague idea where it is going but I am dying to know what the characters are going to do next. That keeps me entertained and motivated.

What is one piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring authors?
I always say never give up and believe in yourself. I f you only half believe you can do it, then I don't think you will. Also if you let rejection beat you down you won't get up and try again. It's always good to ask for advice and/or appraisal too. Learn what you can and then come back stronger.

You've been published in anthologies for various genres. What has been your favorite genre to write for?
I loved all of them but I guess my favourite is the first story I ever had published. It was for Gentle Footprints, an anthology for 'The Born Free Foundation' to raise awareness about animals in captivity and those that are facing extinction My story is called All Things Under the Sky and is about a lion cub, Jubari, and from his point of view.

What is your favorite book from when you were a child?
I have many. But the one that had the most impact was The Lord of The Rings. It had a huge following at the time and I felt so grown up when I read it. I loved the idea of a different world, exciting journeys through strange lands and the ultimate triumph of good over evil.

You say that you have an odd sense of humor. What is the strangest thing you have found to be funny recently?
I can't think of a specific example, but I think my sense of humour is quite literal. For example if someone said take a seat - I might be tempted to say, where would you like me to take it? I do in fact say things like this at times and often people just look at me blankly or laugh uncomfortably. I can see you glazing over now - sorry!

In your "Next Best Thing" blog post, you reference Quantum Leap. What was your favorite episode of this fabulous show?
I can't remember a favourite one it was such a long time ago. But I just remember loving the whole thing. It was so fresh and new and it had humour too.

If you could personally time travel, which era or decade would you visit?
That's so mean just giving me one choice! I think it would have to be the era of WWII. In the book Sarah travels to 1940 and is caught in the Sheffield Blitz. My parents were both children during the war and they have told me lots of tales as did my nan. I would love to experience what it was like to see how close it was to the way I have written about it. I would like to be kept safe though while I was there!

Special thanks to Mandy for visiting with us and to Choc Lit for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win A Stitch in Time:
Please comment below with your e-mail address. (Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your Facebook page or blog if you can receive messages there.)

1. Please tell us: What is your favorite episode of Quantum Leap? (If you've never seen this show, just tell us what intrigues you most about time travel.)
2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
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Open worldwide.  Giveaway ends April 23rd at midnight EST.