Category: Birthday

2025 Birthday Celebration - The Curator's Secret by Denise Weimer

2/28/2025

It’s taken six years for Lacey Colbert to escape the heartbreak that caused her to disappear from Golden Isles Christian Camp and the life of her summer sweetheart, Trent Stevenson. Then a museum curator job at a Gilded Age resort lures her back to Georgia’s Jekyll Island. Lacey finds Trent no longer an employee in his dad’s lawn care business, but director of landscaping right in her historic district.

Winter Haven cottage’s century-old mystery of a vanished fiancé compels Lacey to settle her own past with Trent. Just one thing stands in the way … the fact that someone else likes uncovering secrets, too—Lacey’s. And her unknown foe won’t hesitate to use them against her.

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Character Interview with Lacey Colbert from The Curator’s Secret

#1. Tell us a little about yourself, your family, friends.
I recently finished grad school, and I’m about to start a new job as assistant curator in the historical district of Georgia’s Jekyll Island, where the nation’s tycoons vacationed in the late 1800s and early 1900s. I admit, I’m relieved not to be going back home to Atlanta. My father is a pastor there, very strict, and my mother…well, let’s just say our relationship is a bit strained. Then there’s my best friend, Kylie. She came from a rough background, so she’s strong, funny, and super protective. She was really there for me at the university when Harvey Jones got too persistent. But she’s about to get engaged to her dream guy. She deserves a fresh start in life.

#2. What is the ONE thing you just CAN'T do without?
Jesus, Nana, and coffee. Oops, that was three, but I need all of them to keep me going.

#3. What do you most fear?
That my grad-school stalker will figure out where I took my first job. You’d think that would be as bad as it gets. But I have another secret, one I don’t talk about with anyone except Nana. Not even Kylie knows…

#4. What is your greatest strength and your greatest flaw?
My greatest strength? Hm. I’d have to think about that for a while. Maybe the way I bring history to life for the public as I plan to do with Winter Haven Cottage, the winter retreat of the Lee family. My penchant for research, for finding the truth and learning lessons from it, whether it’s from history or in the modern day.
My greatest flaw…definitely the need to be perfect. I know I can’t, that I’m not. But I don’t know how to stop being good-girl Lacey Colbert like my parents wanted me to be. Even when I’m wearing a mask.

#5. If you could change one thing in your life, past or present, what would it be?
Oh…there would be two things. Two really big things. One of which my summer sweetheart from years ago, Trent Stevenson, must never learn.

#6. What do you hope that people will learn from your story?
That God has so much more grace than we think. Even when we’ve hopelessly botched our past, He gives us the blessing of a second chance for the future. Is that why Trent showed up in my historic district, the director of landscaping? Why I have to work with him now?

#7. What is the most important thing to you?
Right now? To not hurt Trent again. Ever.

Bonus. What one piece of advice would you like to give readers?
Be very careful what you promise. Even if you make promises with the best of intentions, we’re human. We can’t control everything in life. Unexpected circumstances can sweep away our most carefully laid plans.

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2025 Birthday Celebration - Love And Chocolate by Linda Shenton Matchett (Give.away)

2/23/2025

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She just needs a job. He wants a career. Is there room in their hearts for love?

Ilsa Krause and her siblings are stunned to discover their father left massive debt behind upon his death. To help pay off their creditors and save the farm, she takes a job at Beck’s Chocolates, the company her father despised and refused to supply with milk. Then she discovers her boss is Ernst Webber, her high school love who unceremoniously dumped her via letter from college. Could life get any more difficult?

A freshly minted university diploma in his hand, Ernst Webber lands his dream job at Beck’s Chocolates. His plans to work his way up the ladder don’t include romantic entanglements, then Ilsa Krause walks back into his life resurrecting feelings he thought long dead. However, her animosity makes it clear she has no interest in giving him a second chance. Can he get her to change her mind? Does he want to?

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Love And Chocolate

Linda Shenton Matchett

I’m pleased to be here to help Jasmine celebrate her birthday! And what goes together with birthdays better than chocolate?

I’m a sucker for second-chance stories, perhaps because I’ve been given so many. Love and Chocolate is partially inspired by chocolatier Milton Hershey whose own chance for love came at the “ripe old age” of 41. He met his future wife Catherine “Kitty” Sweeney at a confectionary shop that was on the sales route for his caramel business. After they married, they used their vast wealth to give back. First, to their employees when they built a town where people could rent or purchase affordable homes and have access to schools, medical professionals, shops, playgrounds, banks, and more. Then secondly, they founded an orphanage/industrial school to teach orphans a trade so they could support themselves when they came of age.

Another inspiration for the story is my own tale of romance. My husband, Wes, and I met when I was a junior in high school, my family having relocated to the area because of my father’s job. I was not happy with the move having left a boyfriend behind (spoiler alert: a guy my parents did not want me dating!). I eventually got over my snit, and Wes and I began dating. By the time I left for college we were somewhat serious, but I wanted the opportunity to spread my wings. And did I ever. I was having too good a time to be tied down, so I mailed a “Dear Wes” letter.

I came to my senses a year later, and Wes and I were once again an item. He proposed marriage on Christmas eve, and I said yes. Then no. Then yes. As the date for my graduation and the wedding approached, my feet got colder, and colder, and colder. To my parent’s dismay, I broke off the engagement in March. To my dismay, Wes said, “It’s all right. I love you, and I know you love me. I’ll be here when you’re ready.”

Graduation came, and I received my shiny new diploma ready to set the world on fire. I did to some extent. I got a great job, but coming home at the end of each day was empty. There was no one to share my ups and downs or my frustrations and joys. I soon realized that the first person I thought of when I awoke was Wes, and he was the last one I thought of at night.

Would he take me back? Did I want him to? The answer to both questions was a resounding yes, and we married in October of that year. From then on, second chances have been a thing for me, and I’ve rarely had one backfire.

How do you feel about second chances?
Were you given one?

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Linda Shenton Matchett

Linda Shenton Matchett writes happily-ever-after historical Christian fiction about second chances and women who overcome life’s challenges to be better versions of themselves. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry (of Star-Spangled Banner fame) and has lived in historical places all her life. She is a volunteer docent and archivist at the Wright Museum of WWII and a former trustee for her local public library. She now lives in central New Hampshire where she explores the history of this great state and immerses herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors.

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2025 Birthday Celebration - Finding Juniper by Cindy Thomson (Give.away)

2/18/2025

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For Patrick Doyle, the claim that time heals all wounds is a cruel lie.

In 1920, returning from WWI, Paddy finds Ireland creeping toward civil war. Invisible borders separate people, including Paddy and his pregnant girlfriend. With few prospects, Paddy sails to America. However, America is far from the land of opportunity he'd hoped for. And worse, his girl refuses to follow him because of her political involvement.

Thirty years later, Patrick has moved on with his life, building a new family. A letter arrives, suggesting the child he'd assumed died may be alive. Patrick's American daughter Mardell pushes him to find out what happened to her sister, named Juniper. Patrick anxiously sails to Ireland.

Juniper endured a childhood in institutions, and when she's released, she moves on without the parents who left her. Operating an apothecary out of an inherited cottage where villagers are slow to trust outsiders, Juniper finally finds a home when her grandmother arrives. Just as she feels comfortable and content, her father shows up at her door, bringing shocking news about her mother.

Finding Juniper invites readers on a journey of confronting the past, healing from old traumas, and redefining what family truly means.

ASIN: ‎B0DQBN1MRD
Publisher:‎ Emerald Path Press (January 2, 2025)
Publication date: January 2, 2025

Interview with Cindy about Finding Juniper

Q: What led you to write this book?
I answer this question in my author’s note, but with this novel hearing about how soldiers returning to Ireland after WWI were treated made me want to explore how someone might have coped. It was a tough time for them but it was also a tough time to be an Irish immigrant in America with no connections. Prohibition offered easy money so it was easy to imagine how someone like Paddy Doyle might have been drawn to work as a rumrunner. I was also interested in how a young girl left at an institution might have coped once she was released. Those two story ideas sparked the writing of Finding Juniper.

Q:What was the most unexpected challenge you encountered while writing a book?
I honestly had no idea it would take me so long to write this book. I mean years. It took me about two years initially and that was because my time to write is so limited right now. I watch my grandchildren full time. When I first thought it was ready, it was not. I got some good feedback and did a lot of re-writing. When I finally got the book to my editor I discovered that working sporadically had a cost. There were too many threads in the story that went no where, mostly because I lost track of the main story here and there. I tend to be a seat-of-the-pants writer rather than a plotter and when a lot of time passes between writing sessions I get lost. I do need some kind of outline rather than what I keep in my head. So to answer your question, finishing was the biggest challenge with this particular book.

Q: Can you share a moment from your personal life that inspired a scene or character in the book?
On my first trip to Ireland my father passed away back home. It happened toward the end of the vacation. When my husband and I were in Dublin the night before the flight home, we kind of wandered aimlessly. We stopped in at a pub to grab a light dinner. It was a quaint place with round tables scattered about. It was fairly early in the evening so not too crowded. I took a quick photo of our drinks and the menu. On our way out the door, the bartender handed us two small keychains bearing the name of the place. I didn’t realize until after we’d gotten home that we’d wandered into a famous place with a literary connection: Davy Byrnes. From the pub’s website: “The literary giant with which Davy Byrnes is synonymous, is of course, James Joyce. Joyce regularly visited the premises and developed a special relationship with the friendly but abstemious Davy Byrne. Joyce’s Dubliners has mention of Davy Byrnes, but the Joycean character with which the premises is most associated with is Leopold Bloom of Ulysses.” So when my characters Paddy and Mardell arrived in Dublin in 1950, I wanted them to visit the pub and to know, unlike me, where they were.

Q: How did you choose the title for your book, and what significance does it hold for you?
Choosing this title was very different from the process for my other books. The title popped into my head first. From there I imagined a journey where a father searches for a daughter he never knew. Later I contemplated changing it. There are a couple of other novels with the title. But I couldn’t. This was the story, finding Juniper. So I kept it.

Q: Were there any themes or messages you consciously set out to explore in this book?
Yes, the definition of family. The process of healing from past hurts, forgiveness, reconciliation.

Q: What research did you conduct for this book, and did you uncover anything surprising or fascinating?
Research is one of my favorite parts of the writing process. I love finding the lessons characters from the past learned and passing those on in fiction. As I mentioned, learning about Irish soldiers returning to an Ireland that was not the same as the one they left sent me researching for what I could find about this. As one fellow author who was born in Ireland told me, it was not talked about. The fact that Ireland was slower to recover from the Great Depression was another detail I wanted to include. Not everyone was poor but it was tough to make a living. Asylums in Ireland often held people who did not need to be there. Not everyone was mistreated but many were, their only offenses being too pretty, pregnant outside of marriage, or having no family to care for them. How someone heals from this was another thread I wanted to explore. And of course visiting Ireland is the best part of research, at least I think so!

Q: Can you describe a memorable interaction you've had with a reader about this book?
As I write this not many have had the chance to read Finding Juniper yet. Both my editor and my proofreader used the same word to describe the story, “lovely.” I treasure that!

Q: Are there any characters in the book that you relate to on a personal level?
There are bits and pieces in most of them but I would have to say Mardell. I was the youngest daughter with only half siblings. Some I was raised with and some I wasn’t. The circumstances are not the same as in the novel, but I think wanting to find out things about my parents’ lives before they had me has always interested me. I would have loved to take a trip of discovery with my father. Perhaps I was unknowingly aware of that while writing. And perhaps I actually did in a way since my father moved on to heaven while I was over there.

Q: What was the most rewarding moment you experienced during the writing process?
The editing phase always brings me the most rewarding moment. When the story I wanted to tell is actually there on the pages (with the help of an editor), when I know I’m close to the end, is so very exciting.

Q: How do you approach writing dialogue, and do you have any tips for crafting authentic conversations?
I hear the conversations as though they are actually happening. Sometimes that causes me to invent a word or a sound that doesn’t exist. Another reason I appreciate editors. Dialogue needs to feel natural and not like the author is dumping in information. What would the characters be thinking, feeling, questioning? It’s the time they come alive.

Q: What was the most challenging scene for you to write, and how did you overcome it?
When reading this question the first thing I thought of was the memories Paddy has of the traumatic events he experienced in WWI. Readers needed to know what Paddy went through so they’d understand why it affected him so much. It breaks my heart, though. Oh, what these men suffered. I tried not to re-read that scene any more than was necessarily. It’s not graphic violence but it is heart wrenching.

Q: Can you share a behind-the-scenes anecdote or interesting fact about the creation of this book?
I’ve already shared some, but here’s another. Postman Evans. I love him, and I hope readers will too. He’s helpful, cheerful, and takes his duties seriously. My dad was a postal worker. There’s a bit of him in Toby Evans. There is also a bit of the wonderful Irish people I’ve met wrapped up in this one character.

Q: What do you hope readers will take away from your book?
If you are dragging around past hurts you can’t run from them. Facing them is the only way through. Whether or not you can make amends is not as important as laying them to rest is. Also, family isn’t always about blood or about those you are close to. Family is about who is in your heart. In my view, only God creates a family and we are all his children.

Q: What projects are you currently working on, and can you offer any hints or teasers for your upcoming work?
I hope that my next novel is not so long in coming. I have started one but haven’t figured out what the main story is yet. I will say that I love the characters, though. But first I’m working on a devotional for creatives and a booklet for kids on St. Brigid. The last one won’t be published but just sold at my events. I’m also hoping to create a Christmas novella.

Cindy Thomson

dfKnown for the inspirational Celtic theme employed in most of her books, Cindy Thomson writes both fiction and nonfiction and has published more than a dozen books. She is co-founder of the Faith & Fellowship Book Festival, vice president of the Mordecai Brown Legacy Foundation, frequent creative writing teacher at Thurber House, and a genealogy researcher. Her love of history inspires everything she writes. When she’s not minding grandbabies, she writes from her home in central Ohio where she lives with her husband Tom. Visit her online at CindysWriting.com, on Facebook: Facebook.com/Cindyswriting, Twitter: @cindyswriting, Pinterest: @cindyswriting and Book Bub: @cindyswriting.

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2024 Birthday Celebration - Karen Grunst (Give.away)

2/29/2024

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A dream of belonging. A land seething with malice. Can this budding peacemaker stand strong in the face of darkness?
Sarah longs to make a new life for herself in the coveted holy city. When a mysterious widow offers her a job there, she’s certain it’s an answer to her prayers. But Sarah soon finds the city smoldering with ancient hatreds…some directed at her.

Jacob is proud of his priestly heritage. Though he steadfastly holds to his learned traditions, the young man yearns to escape an arranged marriage and take control of his destiny. And he believes his moment has come when he rescues a servant girl who wields a sacred language long forgotten.

After thwarting a murderous riot, Sarah is plagued by alarming visions of a demon terrorizing the city. And Jacob vows to protect his new friend, even as their leaders pay no heed to their dire warnings.

Can this determined teen and her defender banish a ruthless foe and prevent an unholy catastrophe?
Sacred Fire is the whirlwind first book in The Sacred Fire Saga YA fantasy series. If you like courageous characters, powerful destinies, and slow-burn romance, then you’ll love Karen Grunst’s sweeping epic.

A promised legacy. Looming darkness. Torn between duty and protecting their future, can a faithful young couple keep evil at bay?

Forced to conceal her identity, Sarah is stung by rejection from her new family. But her dreams of acceptance shatter after discovering the secret she carries makes her a target for bloodthirsty enemies.

Jacob wants nothing more than to fulfill his vows as a priest and loving husband. But when an assassin strikes in the heart of the holy city, his mystical talents fail and his loyalties are questioned.

Faced with escalating peril, Sarah fears standing her ground could doom everything she cherishes. While Jacob despairs he’s forever lost his gift and can’t prevent history repeating with deadly consequences.

Will an ancient scroll hold the answers they need to escape with their lives?

The Fourth Scroll is the breathtaking second book in The Sacred Fire Saga YA fantasy series. If you like spirited heroines, finding strength in love, and facing down impossible odds, then you’ll adore Karen Grunst’s transformative tale.

This Or That Interview with Karen Grunst

1. Pizza or Tacos? Pizza with a thin crust and lots of veggies.

2. Library or Bookstore? Bookstore because I love the smell of new books and all the pristine book covers.

3. Camping or Glamping? Glamping. I don’t mind roughing it on the hiking trail, but I prefer a comfy place to sleep. Bonus if it has a hot tub to sooth my aching muscles.

4. Sunrise or Sunset? Sunset. I’m so not a morning person!

5. Outgoing or Reserved? Definitely reserved.

6. Fiction or Non-Fiction? I read more fiction, but my husband is a non-fiction guy so that’s what we listen to on long car trips.

7. Turquoise or Coral? Coral

8. Pets or People? Pets, for the most part.

9. Plans or Surprises? Plans...that’s probably why I plot out my stories and don’t (or can’t) fly by the seat of my pants when writing.

A bible verse that has influenced my fantasy series, The Sacred Fire Saga, and my personal faith journey is Romans 11:5

“So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.”

While it may seem to many of us that our culture is turning against religious faith, this has happened throughout history. Yet, whatever the present time, God always preserves a faithful remnant.

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Karen is generously giving Winner's Choice of a print copy of The Sacred Fire OR
ebook copies of The Sacred Fire & The Fourth Scroll (USA ONLY)
or ebook copies of The Sacred Fire & The Fourth Scroll (INTERNATIONAL)

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2024 Birthday Celebration - Terri Reed (Give.away)

2/28/2024

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A child under his protection…
and a hit man in pursuit.

After witnessing her boss’s murder, Paige Walsh must trust Deputy US Marshal Lucas Cavendish to bring her to safety. But when a notorious assassin targets her and her son, Lucas’s short-term assignment turns into a dangerous cross-country mission. For Paige to identify her boss’s killer, Lucas must get the family into witness protection. Except the hit man knows their every move…and trusting the wrong person could get them killed.

ASIN: ‎B0CDLYQJD3

Interview with Paige & Lucas from
Shielding The Innocent Target by Terri Reed

Paige Walsh of Shielding the Innocent Target

1. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
I’m more of an introvert and prefer one-on-one interactions. It’s not that I can’t function in groups, but I become anxious with so much stimulation.

2. Chocolate or Strawberry? Ohhh, can I like both?
Chocolate-dipped strawberries are the best.

3. What single thing do you most like about Lucas and what single thing really drives you crazy?
I like that Lucas is so gentle, patient, and caring with my son. I don’t appreciate how stubborn the man is.

4. What is your favorite Bible verse?
Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalms 37:4 This verse reminds me to focus on God and to trust what He puts on my heart to want.

Lucas Cavendish of Shielding the Innocent Target

1. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
I can be extroverted; it’s sometimes required by my job to manage large groups but my preference is to be with close trust friends.

2. Chocolate or Strawberry?
Chocolate, the darker the better.

3. What single thing do you most like about Paige and what single thing really drives you crazy?
I like that Paige is gusty and speaks her mind but I also don’t care for her stubborn streak.

4. What is your favorite Bible verse?
So whether you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 When I find myself acting selfishly or wanting things to go my way, I’m reminded by this verse that everything I do, from the most mundane to the big things, are for God’s glory, not mine.

Together

1. What do you hope that people will learn from your story?
We hope people will learn that even two very stubborn people can learn to cooperate to make a great team.

2. Where do you hope to be 10 years from now?
Paige here: My hope is that Lucas and I are still a great team and that we’ve expanded our family. My son would love a sibling or two.
Lucas here: As long as I have Paige in my life, I will be content where ever we are.

3. What one piece of advice would you like to give readers?
Lucas here: My advice is to remember doing the right thing sometimes comes with a price but is worth the cost.
Paige here: My advice is to know that trust comes with risk and without risks life can become stagnant.

Author

Bonus. Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart as an author.
Terri here: I hope readers will enjoy this journey that Lucas, Paige, Kenny, and Aslan take. Keeping these three safe entailed more than Lucas anticipated. Paige never dreamed a man like Lucas would be exactly what she and her son needed.

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Terri is generously giving away one of her backlist titles and a $10 Barnes & Noble Gift Card

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2024 Birthday Celebration - Frost by Maegan M. Simpson

2/21/2024

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A princess in hiding.
A man who knows her name.
Can they escape the hunters who destroyed two kingdoms to keep them apart?

Four years have passed since Iyanka’s world fell apart in a nightmare of shadow and death. For four years, she’s lived unknown among the men who condemned her people as monsters. In a baron’s fortress, her once-prized hold over ice and frost is a deadly liability.

Until a man from her past arrives, bringing with him an arcane power that has Iyanka questioning everything she knows of wielders. He offers her escape. He offers her a chance of regaining her world.

But the barons won’t let Iyanka go so easily. Even with a way to defend themselves, Iyanka and her new companions aren’t safe. Hunters chase them across Elnar, and even the promised haven isn’t as safe as it once was. The wielders aren’t the only ones with arcane powers on their side, and the barons still seek the wielders’ annihilation.

Iyanka is out of places to run. She has only one choice: stand with her people, fight for her right to live. But will the power she shares with Victorin be enough? Or will the promise of frosted fire fall to the barons with everything else?

ASIN: ‎B07G537SBT

Only 99¢ on Amazon

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Book Interview with Maegan

1. What was the inspiration for this book?
My first inspiration for Frosted Fire came early in my Freshman Year of college. I would walk to the public library as a break from homework, just to poke around the books and enjoy some peace. While I was there, I picked an interesting book involving people who control fire, but I ended up putting it back because it was clear the book had content that I didn’t want to read. Disappointed, I spent the walk back playing around with the concept of fire wielders in my head. It had rained, and as I was walking I absentmindedly brushed my fingers over the leaves, collecting rainwater on my fingertips. And a thought popped into my head: wouldn’t it be wonderous if I could freeze that water with my touch into glittering ice?
The two concepts melded into my mind, and I spent hours afterward playing with a story of an ice wielder and fire wielder, both hiding what they are. Can she trust the fire wielder? What are his intentions? How could fire and ice combine to do something other than destroy each other?
I had already thought of stories in a world where there are people who control fire, ice, plants, etc. Those stories were in the back of my mind, waiting to be written someday, but this story I couldn’t let go of. The more I thought of it, the more I wanted to write it, until I spent evenings after homework typing as much as I could before I had to go to bed.

2. How long did it take to finish writing this book?
Most of my Freshman year of college. I believe I finished it a little while after the school year ended…so between nine and ten months?

3. Do you have favorite character(s) in this book?
I love the main characters to pieces, but I think my favorite character is Henry. He’s a character that appeared in the story from nowhere and continued inserting himself until he became the central character of the entire series.

4. What do you hope your readers will take away with them when they read this book?
What I hope readers take from Frosted Fire is that standing up for what is true and good is not a task only for the Brave and Bold. It is the task given to each of us, regardless of how weak or afraid we are. And it is always valuable, no matter how your story on this earth ends.
Iyanka demonstrates throughout Frosted Fire that sometimes the declaration of truth in the face of lies comes in a choked whisper. Sometimes standing for what’s right means planting your feet even when every part of you begs to run. And sometimes refusing to bow to evil means locking your knees as your entire body trembles and tears drip off your chin. She shows through her story that it is okay to be frightened…what matters is that we don’t run away because of it. And, of course, she doesn’t stand alone.

5. What made you choose some of the specific locations in this book?
There’s one location specifically called Agera that is an ancient city in ruins, far enough from civilization that few remember it even exists. I can’t pinpoint my exact inspiration for it except that I love ruins. It’s always been a daydream of mine to explore ancient places that still bear marks from centuries before, especially if that place is a castle. I also needed a location for Iyanka’s people to hide from those trying to kill them, and an ancient, forgotten city makes a wonderful haven.

6. How did you name your characters?
It usually depends on the character. I think I made up Iyanka’s name just by playing around with it until I liked the sound. Most of the others I found on a baby names website, and I chose them based on their look and their meaning (For example, Iyanka’s brother is named Milek, which means “Victorious people,” because he rose up to guide and protect his people in their exile).

7. Tell us something funning, sad, embarrassing, whatever, that happened involving this book.
Goodness…usually there’s some embarrassing and hilarious typos that my mom finds when she reads my rough drafts, but I can’t say I remember any from Frosted Fire.
Oh! I have something! Several people have compared the powers in Iyanka’s world to those in Avatar: The Last Airbender. Which…fair, they both focus on the elements. But I had never seen ATLA when I wrote Frosted Fire. I knew the basic concept of the show, so I knew that the magic system in my world was similar. But I still had zero personal experience with it. Every time I’d describe my story to someone, they’d either compare it to Avatar or say I should watch it and I would be so confused.
I did eventually watch the show, but not until my Senior year of college. It turns out they were right: I do love it! And I watched most of the show while painting the scenes that are now on the covers of Frosted Fire and the rest of the Agonizomai Series!

Bonus: Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear,
but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7

This is the verse I put at the beginning of Frosted Fire, a bit like a capstone to the story. When Frosted Fire begins, fear rules Iyanka’s life. But as the story progresses, she learns how to truly live again, even when she’s in danger. It’s a lesson I’m not sure I’ve fully learned yet.

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2024 Birthday Celebration - MaryLu Tyndall (Give.away)

2/15/2024

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Pregnant, in prison, and about to be hanged for piracy, Lady Gabrielle Hyde has lost all faith in God, man, and life itself. Unlike her wildly adventurous family, all Gabrielle ever wanted was to settle down with a good man and have a bevy of wee ones. Then how did she end up about to take her last breath at the end of a rope?

Captain Cadan Hayes despises women of noble birth. Betrayed by his wife and her lover, he spent five long years as a prisoner-slave on Barbados. Now, as a fierce and successful pirate, he longs to enact revenge on the man who ruined his life.

When Cadan discovers that Gabrielle carries the son of his enemy, he captures her to use as bait. What he didn’t expect was that the lady would be the one to trap him! Ship battles, sword fights, kidnappings, and a hunt for lost pirate treasure send the couple on a wild adventure that could either grant them their hearts’ desire or end up in disaster for them both.

ISBN: 9798989604609

Guest Post from MaryLu Tyndall

What do Pirates and God have in common? Normally, one might say nothing at all! That’s exactly what I thought twenty years ago when I distinctly heard God tell me to write a novel about a Christian Pirate. What? I thought I was hearing things. What publisher in their right mind would publish a book like that? Nevertheless, I obeyed that heavenly voice, and I can honestly say it’s been an incredible adventure upon the high seas ever since!

A Christian publisher did pick up that first book, The Redemption, though I was a nobody with no writing experience whatsoever. It was unheard of and quite a miracle, which made me know I was on the right track…God’s track. I have since written close to thirty novels, but my pirate series, Legacy of the King’s Pirates, is by far my favorite.

But how do I write a Christian book about pirates? Easy. You might say I was a bit of a pirate myself before I came to my senses and turned to Jesus. Not in the sense that I was a thief upon the seas, but I was running away from God for many years and doing things I ought not do. Those lessons I learned from my past and even after I got saved are things I want to share with others so hopefully they won’t make the same mistakes. Hence, each of my now seven pirate books have a deep spiritual lesson embedded within the story.

The Redemption – A woman abused searches for her real father but discovers that God has always been the best Father of all.

The Reliance – What to do when the one person you love the most is taken away from you?

The Restitution – How do you forgive someone who brutally abused you?

The Ransom – God is in control of everything and there’s nothing to fear

The Reckoning – My Time Travel story. How does an insecure, anxiety-ridden, control freak let go and trust God?

The Reckless – The ungodly obsession with being young and beautiful

The Resolute – The Lord seeks an intimate and personal relationship with His children

Each book follows a descendant or relative of the couple who started it all in The Redemption, so if you like family sagas, you’ll love this series. Of course there are other themes besides these main ones, and all of them are intricately woven in very romantic and highly adventurous stories. I always add an element of the supernatural as well, things such as miracles, demons, and even angels. These are not your ordinary stories at all!

I just released the last book in the series, The Resolute. It’s all about revenge and greed and what it means to be a true Christian. The story has prison breaks, sea battles, sword fights, storms, a treasure hunt, and even a masquerade ball! Even if you’re not a believer in Jesus, you’ll find it a clean and wholesome adventurous romance. Even if you don’t like pirates, you’ll love these books, guaranteed. But my ultimate hope and prayer is that they won’t only entertain, but that they will impact your life for the better and bring you closer to God who loves you!

MaryLu Tyndall

Award winning and best-selling author MaryLu Tyndall describes herself as an introvert, tall ship enthusiast, friend of pirates and mermaids, control freak, history lover, hopeless romantic, and a sword wielding princess-warrior of the King of Kings. Her books are filled with adventure and romance guaranteed to touch your heart! Her hope is that readers will not only be entertained but will be brought closer to the Creator who loves them beyond measure. In a culture that accepts the occult, wizards, zombies, and vampires without batting an eye, MaryLu hopes to show the awesome present and powerful acts of God in a dying world. She has published over twenty novels and currently lives in California with her husband, 6 kids, 4 grandkids, and various stray cats. You can find her on her website https://www.marylutyndall.com/

It's Time For A Giveaway!

MaryLu is generously giving away a signed print copy of The Resolute (USA ONLY)
OR an ebook copy (INTERNATIONAL)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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2024 Birthday Celebration - Everly Haywood (Give.away)

2/8/2024

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Hi! My name is Everly Haywood, and I’m so excited to be here today. I write swoony-no spice romantic fantasy about strong leading ladies and brooding but huggable heroes. I’m also an advocate for my Goblin Princess with Down Syndrome, so I love to feature characters with disabilities. I enjoy gardening, canning, and drinking way too much coffee.

I also adore a good smooch in the middle of a magical battle.
You’ll find one of those in almost every book I write. It’s kind of become my thing. 😊

Currently I am drafting book 5 in my Between Shade and Flame series, set in a turbulent land filled with characters who lay everything on the line to save the people they love. Each book contains enchanting romance and a new set of characters, as well as clever nods to Norse and Greek mythology. The stories are interconnected standalones best enjoyed if read in order. If you love stories with found family, characters with disabilities, and unique magic systems...you'll love the Between Shade and Flame series!

You can join my newsletter and receive a free short novel about a dragon rider who has a difficult choice to make. Link: https://BookHip.com/NMCZBHD

However, my big project this spring is a multi-author series that releases in March and April. I teamed up with best-selling author Tara Grayce, Callie Thomas, Deborah Grace White, Mary Mecham, and CFE Black to put together a collection of short novels about the whole “girl sacrificed to the monster” trope. These no-spice romantasies all take a unique spin on the trope. All is not what it seems…in more ways than one.

Enemies to lovers or Grumpy Sunshine?

Witty Banter or One Bed?

Man in a Mask or Dude in Distress?

Dragon or kraken hoards?

Okay, that last one isn't on the list...but it's totally a choice in this series!
We have something for literally everyone. Whether you like Forced Proximity or Reluctant Brides... Hidden Identities or Escape Room vibes...you're sure to find your next romantasy in this collection!

Monsters, Maidens, and Mayhem

Sparks fly and hearts are tested in this collection of novellas about girls who rise to the occasion to overcome the difficult circumstances thrust upon them.

A village maiden sacrificed to a dragon shifter in a tale as old as myth.
A seafaring princess who must sacrifice her heart or lose her kingdom to a kraken.
A princess-in-hiding forced to save a masked man who is more than he seems.
A defiant peasant marked for death determined to outmaneuver a man branded a monster.
A decoy bride sent to assassinate a phoenix or die trying.
An unlucky bride-to-be sacrificed to a labyrinth and the madness within.

These fantasy romance tales inspired by monsters of legend provide a sweet and swoony take on the Sacrificed to the Monster trope. Experience their strength and healing as these leading ladies overcome abusive relationships and circumstances to find healthy love and true freedom. Embrace the magic today in the Sacrificed Hearts series, a collection of stand-alone novellas packed with enchanting romance, strong heroines, and sacrificial themes.

If you want to give these stories a try risk free, a few of the authors are offering their first chapters for free. Join my newsletter and download the excerpts today! Link: https://BookHip.com/VBABRTR

In the meantime, you can enjoy this snippet from my contribution to the collection, Pearls of Salt and Sacrifice.

Thanks for letting me hang out with you today!

Excerpt from
Pearls Of Salt And Sacrifice

“It’s our only hope, Reva,” he whispered, ever word laced with a desperation she knew all to well. He leaned closer. To peer into her eyes? Or…

Was he going to kiss her again?

She gasped and shied away, spinning so that her back was to the railing and she was facing the deck.

“Don’t touch me, Jareth,” she said, but her voice trembled, filling her with embarrassment. She hoped he couldn’t hear the furious pounding of her heart.

“Reva, please—”

“No.” She cut him off and swiped a hand. “You’ve had your fun with me, and now we must pay the price—whatever that price entails. I will leave the sea and return to my people, and you will return to yours. I’ll do what I can for your little ones and elderly. But, know this, Jareth Elesti. I will marry Prince Felix.”

She couldn’t allow her heart to lead her astray. She had to do what was best for her people. If sacrificing herself in marriage to preserve the best trade routes was what it took, that was what she would do. Because she was a princess, a daughter of kings. And no matter how she might wish to be a normal woman, who married a man for love rather than her kingdom’s future, that was not up to her.

“So you’ll turn me away, despite my promise to help your people, in favor of a man who neither knows nor cares for you.”

Reva rubbed her forearms to dissipate the cold shiver that had passed over her at the sad words. “Yes,” she whispered. “That’s about the sum of it.”

“I, too, must do what is best for my people,” Jareth said, spreading his hands. Fine hands, they were too. Large and strong, yet gentle enough to pet a baby kraken and tuck it away in a pocket for safekeeping.

Reva looked up, studying his face as the clouds shifted and cast cool white moonlight over his high cheekbones. Desperately, she wanted to find another solution, to listen to the whispers of her heart that said Jareth would make a more loyal husband than Felix, a better king.

Felix who stood on the beach and let his people drown.

But Jareth had tricked her once, and she couldn’t take the chance that there was more he hadn’t told her. Tears pricked her eyes.

“I’m sorry, Jareth,” she whispered. “But I cannot save your people and mine. It’s too great a burden for one girl. I’m sorry.”

His eyes rolled closed, and he heaved a painful sigh. Then, his eyelids flew open and caught her by both elbows once again. “I’m sorry too,” he whispered. “Hold your breath, Reva.”

Before she had time to scream for help, Jareth had swept her into his arms, leaped onto the railing, and plunged them both over the side of the ship.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

Everly is generously giving away a Swag Pack of Pearls Of Salt And Sacrifice

Giveaway

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2024 Birthday Celebration

2/1/2024

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How It Works

During the month of February we will be featuring some wonderful content from some great authors!
To find a celebration post just look for the phrase
"2024 Birthday Celebration"
at the beginning of the blog post title and the above graphic at the top of the post.
If there is a giveaway associated with that post you will see the word
"Giveaway" at the end of the blog post title.

So, come on over and check out the fun all month long!

You can get started

HERE

Don't forget to enjoy our regular reviews and posts during the month as well!

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2023 Birthday Celebration - A Love Most Precious by Anita Higman (Giveaway)

2/28/2023

3 Comments

What does true love look like?

The book of Ruth has all the makings of a great love story: a grief stricken past, a homecoming, the challenge to survive, a poor Cinderella who chooses to serve, and an upstanding man of status who notices her. He fights to save her future. This Old Testament Bible story is about a love story far more immense than that of Ruth and Boaz.

During this 90-day devotional by Anita Higman, you will be inspired by the heartwarming, true story of Ruth containing priceless gems: the power of an eternal love to redeem a bereaved mother, a foreign widow, a reformed prostitute's son, all God’s people, and yes, even you. God has the power redeem our broken spirits, broken hearts, and broken pasts. Come discover a precious, life-changing love hidden within four illuminating chapters of Scripture that will delight your heart and refresh your soul! It's also the perfect gift for a friend on any occasion.

ISBN-13: ‎978-1648708411

Interview with Anita Higman about
A Love Most Precious

#1. What was the inspiration for this book?
I was listening to some amazing and unique music, which was inspired by the Book of Ruth, and that work of art then inspired me to want to write a devotional book on Ruth. It amazes me how art can inspire other kinds of art. It’s fascinating how this whole process works in us and how it has the curious and wonderous potential to keep going like a never-ending ripple effect.

#2. How long did it take to finish writing this book?
Maybe around six weeks to two months. But once I begin, I try to not to take a lot of time off even with errands. I sometimes just keep going not bothering to change out of my PJs.

#3. What did you find the most difficult while writing this book?
Doing the research!

#4. What do you hope your readers will take away with them when they read this book?
That no matter our background, no what the world thinks of us, and no matter what we’ve done wrong, that the Lord treasures us and longs for a friendship with us—for all time. And amazingly, we can choose to have that through Christ’s gift of salvation!

#5. Tell us something funny, sad, embarrassing, whatever, that happened involving this book.
Well, one humbling thing I keep relearning as I write devotional books is that the more I read and study the Bible, the more I have to face my great lack of knowledge!

#6. Where did your research take you while writing this book?
While trying to research the culture back in Ruth’s time or really any part of Biblical history, one discovers that in some ways people are very different than in our society today, and yet there is a sameness to it that is remarkable. People back then had some of the same fears and doubts and joys and longings as we do today. And there will always be that profound craving in one’s soul—no matter what ancient people or modern folk we’re talking about—that cannot be filled by anything but God.

#7. How has writing about this particular topic changed your own life?
Because I had to get to know Ruth on a deeper level, I now have a greater interest in the Bible in general. I get excited to see what God might like to show me in His Living Word.

#8. What demographic do you think this book will appeal to the most?
I am hoping and praying that this book will bless women of all ages.

#9. What drew you to write non-fiction versus fiction?
I love writing short pieces, and so to concentrate on one devotion at a time is not only satisfying but easier for me to accomplish.

Bonus. Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart.
My life verse is Psalm 19:14...

Anita Higman

Anita Higman—an award-winning and bestselling author from Texas—has authored or coauthored fifty-plus books, and she has a BA in the combined fields of speech communication, psychology, and art. A few of Anita’s favorite things are fairytale castles, antiquing, exotic teas, gardening, and laughing with her family and friends! Her latest book, A Love Most Precious, is a collection of devotions inspired from the book of Ruth in the Bible. Please drop by Anita’s website at anitahigman.com. She would love to hear from you!

It's Time For A Giveaway!

(2) winners will each receive a print copy of A Love Most Precious

(USA ONLY)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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2023 Birthday Celebration - Interview with Jen Turano (Giveaway)

2/21/2023

7 Comments

Miss Gwendolyn Brinley accepted a temporary paid companion position for the Newport summer season, believing it would be a lark to spend the summer in America's most exclusive town. She suddenly finds her summer turning anything but amusing when her employer expects her to take over responsibilities as an assistant matchmaker. Tasked with the daunting prospect of attaining advantageous matches for her clients, Gwendolyn soon finds herself in the employ of Mr. Walter Townsend, the catch of the Season, but a gentleman Gwendolyn finds beyond irritating.

Walter Townsend is reluctantly in search of a wife for the sake of his unruly motherless children who cannot keep a governess for long. What he wasn't expecting was Miss Brinley, an amateur matchmaker who turns his quest for a new wife into a complete and utter debacle. Constantly besieged by society ladies on a mission to win his affection, Walter must find a way to overcome their inundating attention--and his unexpected attraction toward Gwendolyn.

The more time they spend together throughout the Newport Season, the harder it is for Gwendolyn to find Walter a wife when she realizes his perfect match might be . . . her.

ASIN: ‎B0B6Q4R5Y5

This Or That Interview with Jen Turano

Pizza or Tacos?
Hmmm. This is a tough one, but I’m going to say tacos, although…well, I really love pizza as well, but only thin crust.

Library or Bookstore?
Another difficult one. I’m going to go with library because my library is only a mile away from my house, and I spend a lot more time there than in the bookstores, although I can spend hours in a bookstore as well.

Time Travel – Past or Future?
Definitely past – I would love to see some of those grand mansions that once marched down Fifth Avenue.

Sunrise or Sunset?
Sunrise – I’m a morning person and I’m on the trail right at dawn almost every morning.

Outgoing or reserved?
I don’t think I have a reserved bone in my body.

Camping or Glamping?
Camping and, I know, you were probably expecting Glamping, but I was raised in a small town and spent my childhood covered in mud and sleeping out in a tent in the forest behind my house or in my treehouse with my gaggle of girlfriends.

Pets or People?
While I love animals, I enjoy people more, probably because I can hold an actual conversation with them.

Silly hats or silly socks?
I’m going to go with neither on this one.

Fiction or Non-fiction?
Fiction, although I read a ton of non-fiction for research purposes, a great deal of it rather dry with a few fascinating tidbits thrown in every once in a while.

Thanks for hosting me, Jasmine. Always fun to come over to your blog for a visit!

All the best,
~ Jen ~

Jen Turano

Named One of the Funniest Voices in Inspirational Romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today Best-Selling Author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publisher Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. She’s been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. When she’s not writing, she spends her time outside of Denver, CO.

She can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jenturanoauthor/ or visit her on the web at
www.jenturano.com. She is represented by the Natasha Kern Literary Agency.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

Jen is generously giving away a print copy of A Match In The Making

(USA ONLY)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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2023 Birthday Celebration - Forced To Hide by Terri Reed (Giveaway)

2/16/2023

5 Comments

A bomber is on the loose.
Will they be his next victims?

When multiple bombs tear through a courtroom, deputy US marshal Brian Forrester must assume guard duty of Judge Adele Weston. Someone wants her dead. Is it the cartel leader whose case she’s presiding over or an unknown killer from her past? With danger trailing them through the Texas countryside, they’ll have to find a safe haven before the next explosion finishes them off.

ASIN:‎ B0B4B6JC2V

Book Interview with Terri Reed

#1. What was the inspiration for this book?
The inspiration for FORCED TO HIDE was from an experience I had where I testified in court. As I sat there, I thought, what if—a court room was attacked? What if—the judge was the target? From there I started playing with ideas until a story formed and Judge Adele Weston was born.

#2. How long did it take to finish writing this book?
I started the book in November of 2021 and turned in the book at the end of May 2022.

#3. Do you have favorite character(s) in this book?
Whoa! Hard question. I love both of the main characters and the dog, Scout! Each character has a unique personality, set of wounds and opportunities for growth. I love when characters grow in a story.

#4. What made you choose some of the specific locations in this book?
The location was set in the first book in the series. Forced to Hide is the second book of my US Marshal series set in San Antonio, Texas.

#5. How did you name your characters?
The judges name came from one of my favorite singers, Adele. LOL. Adele had just done a huge concert that was all over social media and I really love her work so I decided to name my character after her.

#6. Tell us something funny, sad, embarrassing, whatever, that happened involving this book.
When I started writing this book, I was on a team of decorators who were honored enough to decorate a room at the historic Pittock Mansion in Portland Oregon. Our theme for our room was 101 Dalmatians. So, I decided to give Adele a Dalmatian dog. It was so fun to add a dog to the story. I love to write stories with dogs.

Bonus. Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart.
The Bible verse for Forced to Hide is from --

This verse seemed appropriate for Adele, who was being threatened by unknown forces. I love how God’s word provides us all with advice and comfort.

Terri Reed

Award winning, multi-published author Terri Reed found solace from a chaotic childhood in the pages of books that took her far away to different realms and realities. When she discovered Christian fiction, she also discovered her own story telling voice. Now she writes books of heart-warming romance and heart-pounding suspense infused with faith. Her romance and romantic suspense novels have appeared on Publisher's Weekly top ten and Nielsen BookScan top hundred lists, and have been featured in USA Today. She's a member of the Honor Roll of Romance Writers of America. Her books have finaled in Romance Writers of America RITA contest, National Readers' Choice Award, Inspirational Reader's Choice Award, and the American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award. One of her romance novels was adapted into a Hallmark movie for Christmas 2019.

Terri resides in the Pacific Northwest with her college-sweetheart husband. When not writing, she enjoys
spending time with her family and friends and running the agility course with her Australian shepherd.
You can write to Terri at P.O. Box 19555 Portland, OR 97280 or visit her online at
www.terrireed.com or email her at [email protected]

It's Time For A Giveaway!

Terri is generously giving away
a signed print copy of one of her backlist books and some swag!

(USA ONLY)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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2023 Birthday Celebration - Guest Post by Elizabeth Camden (Giveaway)

2/11/2023

8 Comments

Maggie Molinaro survived a hardscrabble childhood in the downtrodden streets of Manhattan to become a successful businesswoman. After a decade of sacrifice, she now owns a celebrated ice cream company. But when she offends a corrupt banker, she unwittingly sets off a series of calamities that threaten to destroy her life’s work.

Liam Blackstone is a charismatic steel magnate committed to overhauling factory conditions for the steelworkers of America. Standing in his way is the same villain determined to ruin Maggie. What begins as a practical alliance to defeat a common enemy soon evolves into a romance between two wounded people determined to beat the odds.

A spiraling circle of treachery grows increasingly dangerous as Liam and Maggie risk their lives and fortunes for the good of the city. It will require all their wit and ingenuity to protect everything—and everyone—they hold dear.

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Publication Year: 2023
ISBN: 0764238450

Books in the Blackstone Legacy series.

Why I Wrote Hearts of Steel

by Elizabeth Camden

I’ve been addicted to romance novels since I picked up my first Kathleen Woodiwiss novel back in the early 1980s, and always wanted to write the sort of lush, wildly romantic stories she did so well. Over the years I read other writers who influenced me: Danielle Steel for her willingness to incorporate historical and business angles, and Charles Dickens for his heart-pounding characters who embody good versus evil.

I tried to incorporate those influences in Hearts of Steel, a romance set in early 20th century New York City. At that time, America was still a place where people could rise from rags to riches. My fictional heroine survived a hard-scrabble youth selling ice cream out of a pushcart to become a successful owner of an ice cream factory. When she offends a corrupt banker, he becomes determined to ruin her, setting up a Dickensian-like story as underdogs are forced to stand up against the power of Wall Street.

Who doesn’t love a story of good versus evil? Especially when the heroine joins forces with a smoldering hero who has his own reasons for resenting the villain of the story. Hearts of Steel is a whirlwind ride through the boardrooms and mansions of New York. It’s a story in which fortunes are gambled, lost, and sometimes found again. Although it is the final book of a trilogy, readers won’t need to read the earlier books to enjoy Hearts of Steel.

Although I love weaving real-life history into my novels, I am a romance novelist at heart. The love story between Maggie and Liam propels the momentum of the novel, and I hope readers will enjoy their love story as they risk everything to take on the corrupt world of Wall Street.

Elizabeth Camden

Elizabeth Camden is a research librarian at a small college in central Florida. Her novels have won the coveted RITA and Christy Awards. She has published several articles for academic publications and is the author of four nonfiction history books. Her ongoing fascination with history and love of literature have led her to write inspirational fiction. Elizabeth lives with her husband near Orlando, Florida.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

Elizabeth is generously giving away a print or e-book copy of Hearts Of Steel*
(USA ONLY)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Hearts Of Steel is the 3rd book in the series, the winner can choose either Carved In Stone
or Written On The Wind instead, if they prefer to start with one of the previous books.

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2023 Birthday Celebration - Interview with Jill Eileen Smith (Giveaway)

2/6/2023

4 Comments

The first time she opens her eyes, Eve gazes on One whose beauty nearly blinds her, whose breath is in her lungs. Her Creator takes her hand and gives her to one like her and yet different. Together, she and Adam experience pure joy as they explore Eden. But her favorite moments are when the Creator comes to walk with them, day after day.

Until everything changes. With one act of disobedience, Eve finds that her world is no longer a friendly place. With remorse in her heart, she must face the unknown future--the births, the deaths, the sacrifices, the loss of the one home she has ever known. Perhaps worst of all is the loss of trust, not only with her Creator but with the man who shares her life. How will they ever survive out of Eden?

Bestselling biblical fiction author Jill Eileen Smith imagines the life of the first woman to ever live, unspooling a story of love, loss, and the promise of redemption.

ISBN-13: ‎978-0800737641

5 Things I Never Expected About Becoming An Author

Jill Eileen Smith

I’m honestly not sure what I expected to follow my first book contract. Aspiring writers probably have all sorts of things that they hope will happen, and I’m sure I had some of those, but I can’t recall expecting much. I was too close to quitting when it happened to think about what came next.

That said, I began writing because I wanted to read the book I was attempting to write. Somewhere along the way, the desire to see it published surfaced, and over time I pursued that new dream. I studied the craft, took classes, attended conferences, wrote, wrote, wrote, and rewrote for over twenty years. I had three agents and had completed eight novels and still…nothing.

That’s when I nearly quit. I have a file of rejections. I counted them once, but I’ve forgotten how many. Too many for too long. I decided that I must have read God’s leading wrong. So, I prayed and determined to wait one more year. Then I would move on to whatever else God had for me. Six months before that year would have ended, I had my first contract for The Wives of King David.

Friends and family were super supportive and positive about it all. I think they made that series a bestseller because they’d waited so long with me! I must have talked about writing way too much, but either way, when it finally happened, they rejoiced with me.

I used to write whenever I had the chance. I wrote in a little corner of our family room when I wasn’t homeschooling our boys. Because I write biblical fiction, my plot came straight from Scripture. That wasn’t hard to do when I was writing that first series. David’s life was colorful and covered a lot of pages. I had a lot of source material.

As my career has continued with more books and women in Scripture, I’ve come up against a lot less to work with, and at times I wondered if there was even a story to tell. I used to make “Idea Boards” out of poster board and pictures cut from magazines. Now I do everything on the computer. I work in Scrivener and Pages. I still search for pictures, but I look for actors or models whose heritage reflects my characters. I take more time now to come up with character traits and figure out at least a little bit of the main characters’ stories before I begin writing. But I still write a very long paragraph by paragraph summary of the story and then get to know the people as I write. I’m a combination writer – part plotter, part seat-of-the-pants.

The hardest part of publishing for me is when I’m writing my first draft of a new book and before I can finish, I have to edit the book I’ve turned in so that my publisher can keep to their schedule. This past year, I did both at the same time, because if I stop writing to edit, I’ll have to start the writing over, and that makes me lose time. It actually worked very well.

The easiest part and perhaps the most fun is right now - when I’m casually researching a new book, releasing a new book, and completing a current work-in-progress that is soon due. The reason this is easier is because editing at this point isn’t a lot of work. It’s more fine-tuning. New releases come with a lot of extra work, but most of it is fun. And when those two things are past, I get to dive into a new story, and I really enjoy the research.

I suppose it is that love of research that has grown over time and changed my reading habits. I used to read mostly fiction because I was trying to figure out how to write fiction. But I read nonfiction more often now, not only to give me fodder for my stories, but to help me in my personal life and faith. I still love a good story, and I hope my work produces them as well, but I don’t read fiction like I used to.

If you get the chance to read Daughter of Eden, I hope you find it helpful and entertaining. Eve’s conflicts are unique because she and Adam were the only people who knew what perfection looked and felt like. They alone had walked freely, innocently with the Creator. Until they lost it all. What did that look like? How did that feel? That’s what I explored in her story.

Jill Eileen Smith

Jill Eileen Smith is the bestselling, award-winning author of the Wives of King David series, Wives of the Patriarchs, Daughters of the Promised Land, The Heart of a King, Star of Persia, Miriam's Song, and the nonfiction When Life Doesn't Match Your Dreams, and She Walked Before Us. Her research has taken her from the Bible to Israel, and she particularly enjoys learning how women lived in Old Testament times.
When she isn’t writing, she loves to spend time with her family and friends, read stories that take her away, ride her bike to the park, snag date nights with her hubby, try out new restaurants, or play with her lovable, “helpful” cat Tiger. Jill lives with her family in southeast Michigan.

Contact Jill through email ([email protected]), her website (http://www.jilleileensmith.com),
Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/jilleileensmith), or Twitter (https://twitter.com/JillEileenSmith).

It's Time For A Giveaway!

1 print copy of Daughter Of Eden

(USA Only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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2023 Birthday Celebration - A Light In The Dark by Jessica R. Patch (Giveaway)

2/1/2023

2 Comments

Deep in the Kentucky hills, three women have been found brutalized and murdered.
But the folks in Night Holler have their own ways and their own laws.
And they’re not talking…

Led to an isolated Appalachian Mountain town by a trail of disturbing murders, FBI special agent Violet Rainwater’s determined to catch a serial killer with a twisted agenda. With locals refusing to reveal their secrets, Violet’s only ally is Detective John Orlando. But even John has an ulterior motive—he’s convinced this case is connected to his wife’s murder.
As they dig deeper, Violet uncovers a link to her own unresolved past. For years she’s worked the cold case of her mother’s abduction, which had led to her birth. The need to look into the eyes of the sinful man who fathered her consumes Violet. Until she can, she’ll never have peace. Because she’s terrified she might be exactly like him.
In this chilling novel, when the present collides with Violet’s mysterious past and John’s tragic loss, they must unravel the warped, sinuous connections before the killer strikes again. But solving the case might not be nearly as terrifying as the possibility that Violet’s finally found her roots…

PREORDER LINKS
https://jessicarpatch.com/book/a-cry-in-the-dark/

Interview with Violet & John from A Cry In The Dark

Heroine: Violet

Are you and introvert or extrovert?
I’m both. I like my privacy but I have no problem with conflict or dealing with people.

Chocolate or Strawberry?
Neither. I don’t eat sugar.

What single thing do you most like about John Orlando and what single thing really drives you crazy?
I like that he doesn’t push me or force me to talk. So far nothing drives me crazy, other than he’s rule follower and it’s going to take getting on these people’s level to get stuff done—and these people are criminals.

What is your favorite Bible verse?
I don’t know the Bible except for one verse when I was a kid. John 3:16.

Hero: John

Are you and introvert or extrovert?
Extrovert. I like people.

Chocolate or Strawberry?
Can I say both?

What single thing do you most like about Violet and what single thing really drives you crazy?
Same thing for both. Courage. It’s amazing but also it’s dangerous.

What is your favorite Bible verse?
Romans 8:28.

Author

What do you hope that people will learn from your story?
That there is no darkness too dark that God cannot, will not, reach down to rescue you from. And that he is always divinely guiding you for your good and his glory.

Where do you hope to be 10 years from now?
I never think that far ahead. I could be gone tomorrow. Hopefully, still writing and teaching the Bible.

What one piece of advice would you like to give readers?
Advice? Don’t waste precious reading time on a book you don’t enjoy. A DNF is okay. But do read all of mine! LOL ;)

Bonus. Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart as an author.
Single most important thing—be in the word. Know God’s story. Being Bible illiterate makes you susceptible to false teaching, enemy attacks and eventually falling away from teh faith. If you want to understand your bible and know the Big Picture story, email me: [email protected] I’ll help you get going!

Jessica R. Patch

Jessica R. Patch is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author known for her dry wit, signatures twists, and complex characters. She loves reading true crime books, discussing cold cases over chips and salsa with her girlfriends, and hunting down serial killers in her romantic suspense novels and psychological thrillers.
Jessica loves to encourage and inspire people to forward living through her Forward Friday Blog posts and through her monthly email newsletter. You can join the Patched In community at her website: www.jessicarpatch.com.
She resides in the Memphis area with her husband, two young adult children, and her spoiled tri-color Shetland Sheepdog. Jessica is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary Management.