A NOVEL
Two men, one woman, a rosebush …
… a terrible past, an uncertain future
Jennifer, a woman unexpectedly trapped in a path of love and passion against everything she believes.
Rodrigo, a man set to get what he wants at the cost of what matterss most.
Stefano, a man with a past, a story to tell and passion to offer.
Chidi, a friend in need, a friend indeed. Or not?
From a culture where good girls follow the norm and live as they’ve been told, Jennifer is no different from any other girl until by happenstance, she meets and falls in love with Rodrigo, a man who’s handsome, rich and foreign. Different. She has no idea who he is or what he does, and is swept into a world of romance and passion. It is not long before she discovers a shocking truth that shakes both her world and his.
Then he is gone.
Stefano shows up at a time when Jennifer has made up her mind about the rules of life. He thinks she’s beautiful and is in love with her. In a bid to convince her to give him a chance in her life, old memories once buried are brought to life. And the events that follow don’t leave anyone unaffected by the truth of the past that was left unsettled.
Meanwhile, Jennifer with her friend Chidi, find themselves on a self-discovery journey that has one of them raising questions.
Some just have to ask, where is God in all this?
… an inspirational romance, from Lagos to Italy.
Praise for To Die Once
"Miranda Uyeh has penned a novel full of heart. To Die Once is a story alternately thorny and tender that tackles the various forms of love - romance, friendship, and faith - in unique settings and situations. Often surprising, consistently intriguing, Uyeh's debut is a bold start to her blossoming writing career." — Amber Stokes, Author of "The Heart's Spring" Series
"A fun inspirational romance read" — Rektok Ross, Best selling YA Romance author of Prodigal
Author’s Note
This is a story centered on God’s healing power of grace and mercy. People like Jennifer, Rodrigo (and Stefano), and Chidi exist in our world today, hurting from the choices and the mistakes they’d made in the past, and seeking redemption/solace in any way possible, even from vices like alcohol. If you find yourself in such a position, or you know someone drowning in pain, please, let them know that God’s arms are wide-open to receive and heal anyone who will earnestly come to Him. He says in His Word in Heb. 4:16 that we can come boldly before the throne of grace to seek grace and mercy for when we need it. Do not lose hope that you can be healed and fully restored. There is no sin that God can’t forgive, and there’s no one He’ll turn away. Come to Him today and receive your healing!
Signed,
Miranda A. Uyeh,
A Child of Grace.
Welcome to Christian
Bookshelf Reviews, Miranda!! Will you tell us a little about
yourself?
A – Thank you, Melanie! So glad to
be here today! I’m a blogger, a judge for the INSPY Book Awards, a
book/entertainment reviewer for Christian works, a professional blurb
constructor, and an assistant lecturer at a college.
What is your debut novel, To
Die Once, about?
A – To Die Once centers on the grace of God and His healing power of
redemption, told through the story of characters who’d made bad decisions,
drawn wrong conclusions, and were facing the consequences. Of course, being a
romance it ended on a positive note!
When did you first realize you
wanted to be a writer?
A – When I was thirteen, after I’d
read my first soft Christian Romance by Norma Jean Lutz. I soon forgot about
it, though, because I delved into mainstream. God, however, lovingly reminded
me of who I am. I wrote all about it in this post, Why I
Believe In Christian Fiction.
What would you say is your most
interesting writing quirk?
A – For the life of me I really
can’t understand my procrastination. I suddenly have an idea; I feel so excited
and I’m anxious about it. I know I should sit down and get to work while it’s
still fresh in my head. But then, I suddenly remember I have to do the dishes,
or the laundry, or to eat, or even go to bank, and I’m sometimes silly enough
to believe that it’s better to get EVERYTHING done before I put down this one idea. The hours I spend putting it
off sometimes multiply into days. It could be so distressing! I’ve heard that a
lot of writers have this problem, too.
Thankfully, I’m learning to curb this behavior and organize my time better.
Where do you like to write?
A – I have a table in my bedroom.
It’s a space I, and everyone, know is private to me. And I love the idea of
sitting up straight to work on my laptop.
What do you like to do when you're
not writing?
A – Read, read, read, watch movies,
write, write, write, and then read some more! If only life would grant this
luxury every single moment! But there’s life outside books and movies, you know.
What is your favorite genre to read
and why?
A – Ah! Romance, of course! And when
it’s garnished with fantasy, history—kind of like Serena Chase’s books, or
MaryLu Tyndall’s—it’s even better! And why? Because it’s where a girl’s
favorite dreams come true! Could life get any better?
What is your least favorite
genre to read?
A – Sadly, memoirs,
biographies/autobiographies. I say sadly
because a lot of times, they contain such wisdom. I do try to read them a few
times, though, but not so much.
Is there a place you'd like to
visit, but haven’t yet?
A – Oh, yes! Paris and Barbados!
Switzerland is third on my list.
Do you have a favorite Bible
verse?
A – Not a favorite verse, but a variety
of them: Psalm 56:8; Heb 4:16; John 10:10 … the list could go on.
Do you have a favorite song and/or
movie?
A – My favorite song is You See Through Me by Chris Taylor. A
favorite movie? No. But I have a list of my personal classics.
What is your favorite holiday?
A – Without blinking, Christmas! It
is the one holiday that something in the air changes. The very season sings and
agrees with the holiday.
What is your favorite season and why
is it your fav?
A – I’m not particular about
seasons, but I love rain—when I’m indoors of course! The cool breeze during and
afterwards, and the freshness of the air just makes me giddy!
Some this-or-that questions:
Snowstorms or
Thunderstorms? A - Thunderstorms
Chocolate or Vanilla?
A – Vanilla. Unless it’s cake!
Tea or Coffee? A - Tea
Call or Text? A -
Text
Cats or Dogs? A - Dogs
Early-bird or
Night-owl? A – Night-owl
Introvert or
Extrovert? A - Extrovert
Facebook or
Twitter? A - Twitter
Mystery or Romance? A
- Romance
Sneakers or Sandals? A
– For goodness sake, do I have to choose?
Are you currently working on any new
novels? If so, could you give us a hint?
A – Oh,
yes. I’m working on book #2 of the Child of Grace Series, To Lie Once. This story is centered on Jennifer’s sister, Joyce.
It’s a “good girl gone bad” story.
I’m having a blast writing this one!
Thank you so much for being here! Is
there anything else you’d like to tell readers and where can we find you on the
web?
A – Readers, I hope you read and enjoy To Die Once, and the rest of the books
in the Child of Grace Series. If you
want to chat about it, or anything else, you can always find me on my blog
(mautobeaperson.wodpress.com), facebook (facebook.com/ToBeAPerson), twitter
(@Rini_MAU), google+ (+Miranda A. Uyeh), goodreads (Miranda Uyeh), Shelfari
(Miranda A. Uyeh), and Scripity (stargirl).
I would certainly love to hear from you! You can
also follow the twitter hashtag #ToDieOnce and join the bloggers having fun
with me via the conversation threads. You’re most welcome to do so. Also, To Die Once has a pinterest board
where the book comes alive in pictures. Of course, it makes better sense after
you’ve read the book. But do stop by and take a look!
Blog Tour Giveaway!
10 winners will be drawn every week via the rafflecopter ticket every week making a total of 70 ebook winners all together. The winners will be announced every week on Miranda's blog on Sundays, but they will be emailed their ebooks after the tour. The giveaway is International.
Enter via the Rafflecopter below:
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Melanie!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for hosting me today! Lovely post! :)