Today is the release day for her latest novel, Downfall. This is the third book in Terri’s Intervention Series (Intervention is book #1 and Vicious Cycle is #2). LifeWay Christian Stores currently has it on sale for $10!
Emily Covington has turned her life around after the fallout of her drug addiction, but her family still has trouble trusting her. Though Emily completed a yearlong treatment program and has been sober almost a year beyond that, her mother walks on eggshells around her, fearing she’ll relapse. After her behavior during her drug years, Emily has a lot to prove.
When Emily and Lance discover a homemade bomb under Emily’s car, and learns the wife of one of her friends was murdered that same morning, she begins to connect the dots.
A conversation she had with two men, an Alfred Hitchcock movie, and a plan for a double murder all conspire for one explosive ride. Emily is the only one who can identify the killer and save the life of the next potential victim.
But will anyone believe her?
As she frantically works to solve this puzzle and convince authorities of the truth, Emily finds the focus of the investigation turned back on her. She’s played right into the killer’s hands… and he won’t stop until more lives are destroyed.
Here we are at the start of another week. Monday. Bah hum bug.
Let’s have some fun on this otherwise lack-luster day! Last Friday, I introduced you to the latest release from best-selling author Cindy Woodsmall. The Scent of Cherry Blossoms promises to be another fun journey into Amish life. Cindy has graciously sent us this beautiful quilted wall hanging that she picked up on a recent trip to an Amish community. All together now… Oooohhh! Ahhhhh!
We’ll have one grand prize winner that will receive the wall hanging plus a copy of The Scent of Cherry Blossoms. We’ll also have two other winners that will each receive a copy of the book.
For your chance to win one of the prizes, take a stab at this question:
What does the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington D.C. celebrate?
A.)Commemorates the March 27, 1912 gift of Japanese cherry trees from the mayor of Tokyo to the city of Washington D.C.
B.) Honors the love that Martha Washington had of the cherry blossom tree
C.)Celebrates the opening of the Major League Baseball season
D.)Memorializes the cherry tree that was reportedly chopped down by a young Abraham Lincoln.
Leave your answer in the comments section of today’s post no later than 6:00 p.m. central standard time. We’ll randomly select 3 winners from the correct answers.
Best-selling author Cindy Woodsmall has just released a new book, The Scent of Cherry Blossoms. Her ability to authentically portray her characters comes from her real-life connections with Amish Mennonite and Old Order Amish families.
If you’ve read enough Amish novels, you can kind of tell which authors have a better grasp of the Amish community than others. I admit… I don’t read many books in the Amish genre but Cindy is an author that I have enjoyed in the past because of her realistic depictions of Amish life.
Here’s what her new book is about… (and doesn’t it have a lovely cover?)
Annie Martin is a young Old Order Mennonite woman who has moved in with her grandfather after a disagreement with her mother. She helps out at Zook’s Diner, a place he co-owns with the Zooks, an Old Order Amish family. Annie grows to care for the widowed Ellen Zook and her adult sons. Roman is outgoing, well liked, and wheelchair bound, and Aden is gentle, considerate, and quiet, but when he does speak, he stutters. Each man fills the physical gap missing in the other one’s life – until Annie steals one’s heart.
Ellen, the young men’s mother, feels powerless as romance takes root. Marriage between a Mennonite and an Amish is forbidden, and one son is willing to lie to end the romance. Packing even more heartache for Ellen is watching the bond between her twin sons be torn apart. What will happen to the Zook family if this romance continues? Can love find a way?
I confess… I had plans to do a giveaway today. Cindy sent us a fun item to give away but I forgot to get her new book to go with it! So… The books are on their way and hopefully we’ll do the giveaway next week.
LifeWay Christian Stores is currently pre-selling The Fiddler by Beverly Lewis. The book will be available on April 10. If you pre-buy before April 9, you’ll get it at just $10 plus receive one free copy of Beverly’s book Amish Prayers (while supplies last).
Yesterday I introduced you to Sweeter Than Birdsong, the new novel by Rosslyn Elliott. Be sure to check out the first chapter if you haven’t done so already. Rosslyn is stopping by today to give us a little bit of insight into why the story of the Hanby’s captivated her so much. I love reading novels that are based on true events and real people!
Welcome, Rosslyn!
Has heaven ever dropped a mission right in your hands, a mission so clear and unmistakable that it stunned you?
That’s the way I found the true story that became the Saddler’s Legacy series.
In 2006, I went to visit a small museum called Hanby House, in Westerville, Ohio. I had finally finished my graduate work and was free to try writing my first novel, so I wanted to do some nineteenth-century research at this local museum. But while I was there, the guide showed me a short video about the family who had lived in the home. I was struck by the faith, courage and romance of their story, and its power to encourage us today. As I walked away from the house, I marveled at the fact that no one had ever written an inspirational novel about this family before. The story demanded to be told. That day, I began my almost six-year journey of writing about the Hanbys.
Rosslyn visiting the historic Westerville home of the Hanby family
The first novel I wrote was the book now known as Sweeter than Birdsong. Chronologically, it’s the middle novel of the series, which is why my publisher chose to release it after Fairer than Morning. But I began in 2007 by writing Sweeter than Birdsong because it’s about the most famous member of the family, Benjamin Hanby, and his unusual romance with Kate Winter, one of the first female college graduates in America.
Ben Hanby is celebrated for composing “Darling Nelly Gray,” a song that became known as the ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin of song’ for its power to influence Americans against slavery before the Civil War. But my novel is the story of both Ben and Kate, and how their compassion and faith made their lives exceptional and moving.
I was drawn to their story because the Hanby family worked on the Underground Railroad, assisting fugitive slaves to escape to Canada in the turbulent decade before the war broke out. Working on the Railroad took courage because it was illegal, and if Railroaders were caught, they faced prison and fines. Through my research, I learned about abolitionists who were badly beaten or died in jail as a consequence of their aid to fugitive slaves.
The Railroad’s network included both white and black Americans, so I included another fascinating historical Railroader in Sweeter than Birdsong to complete the historical picture. His name was John Parker, and though he started his life in slavery, he eventually bought his own freedom and founded a business in Ripley, Ohio. He revealed his tough heroism as he helped fugitives get across the Ohio River time and again.
It’s important to remember the abolitionists and their willingness to risk their lives, because slavery is not just a problem of the past. In the twenty-first century, enslavement of women and children (often called human trafficking) is a tragedy both here and abroad. I hope that Sweeter than Birdsong’s true story of love triumphing over evil will encourage readers in their own efforts to help the poor and oppressed. The Hanby family’s legacy proves that ordinary people can change the world, with faith and perseverance.
One of my favorite novels from last year was the debut work of Rosslyn Elliott, Fairer Than Morning. Her second novel just released and I can’t wait to start it. Sweeter Than Birdsongis already receiving strong reviews so it promises to be an excellent read. Here’s a glimpse into Rosslyn’s new book:
In Westerville, Ohio, 1855, Kate Winter’s dreams are almost within reach. As the first woman to graduate from Otterbein College, she’ll be guaranteed her deepest wish: escape from the dark secret haunting her family. But with her mother determined to marry her off to a wealthy man, Kate must face reality. She has to run. Now. And she has the perfect plan. Join the upcoming musical performance – and use it to mask her flight.
Ben Hanby, Otterbein College’s musical genius, sees Kate Winter as an enigmatic creature, notable for her beauty, yet painfully shy. Then he hears her sing – and the glory of her voice moves him as never before. He determines to cast her in his musical and uncover the mystery that is Kate. Still, he must keep his own secret to himself. Not even this intriguing woman can know that his passionate faith is driving him to aid fugitives on the Underground Railroad.
A terrifying accident brings Kate and Ben together, but threatens to shatter both their secrets and their dreams. Kate can no longer deny the need to find her courage – and her voice – if she is to sing a new song for their future.
Check out the first chapter to Sweeter Than Birdsong.
Rosslyn will be joining us tomorrow here on the blog to share a bit more on her new book. We'll see you then!
In 2008, I had only four girls in my AP English Language class at Citrus Park Christian School. Class sizes are small here, but this was exceptional, even for us. Four students! Because this class focuses on reading and analyzing complex works of non-fiction, I felt like Starbucks would be the perfect classroom. Thankfully, I have a great principal and she agreed. And so “Starbucks’ Fridays” was born.
We discussed great works of non-fiction on those Fridays, but we also discussed life and struggles and the difficulties these young women faced. Having worked in youth ministry for over a decade, I had led small groups before; and, though this wasn’t a typical small group, it became one. These girls were like little sisters to me. I taught them how to think through what we were studying, but I also felt God leading me to teach them to think through the Christian life. What does it mean to follow Christ? What does it look like? How are we to be different – in how we talk, how we act, how we date?
From the two years I had with these precious girls (they went on to take AP Literature the next year), I learned that teens today are overloaded with information. They are told what to buy, what to wear, how to talk, where to go, who to emulate. They are being pushed harder - and earlier - academically and in their extra-curricular pursuits. Their innocence is being stripped away, layer by layer, often by those whose job it is to protect them. And yet they still hunger for what is good. They yearn to make a difference. They crave authenticity.
And they need examples. They need to see that girls can live for Christ in a culture that promotes compromise, that they can maintain their purity and their character, even if everyone around them is forfeiting theirs.
And so the idea for my first book, First Date, was born. I wanted to show young women that the Christian life can be lived with passion and integrity. And fun. Because I believe that there is no greater joy than to know Christ and serve Him.
Esther is one of my favorite books of the bible. Her story exemplifies what God can accomplish through someone who is – even reluctantly – willing to step out and do something great for him. So I began to think of what that story might look like today. What is the 21st century equivalent to a king’s harem? A reality TV dating show, maybe? Hmmm….Teenage girl is a reluctant contestant on a reality TV show where the President’s son is picking his prom date. That could work! She goes, not because she really wants that date, but because it is what she feels like God wants her to do. In being forced out of her comfort zone, she learns to depend on God more and see him work in ways she never would have seen had she stayed at her little Christian school in Tampa.
My prayer for this book – and those that follow – is that girls all over America can have their own “Starbucks’ Fridays” with me, being encouraged in their Christian walks and determined to pursue the joy that is found in a wholehearted commitment to our Savior.
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Krista McGee writes for teens, teaches teens, and, more often than not, acts like a teen. Along with her husband and three kids, Krista has lived and ministered in Texas, Costa Rica, and Spain. First Date released in January 2012. USAToday.com says it’s “a great debut from an author who's sure to make a splash in the inspy YA market… sings with tender teen honesty.” Follow-up Starring Me will release in July.
I’ve had the privilege of meeting several authors over the years. Colleen Coble is one of the nicest and most joyful people you could ever meet. Don’t you love hearing that the authors you enjoy reading the most are also nice people?! Colleen is stopping by today to tell us a bit more about her new book that just released, Blue Moon Promise. Yesterday I posted the first chapter to the book so be sure to check it out if you haven’t already.
Welcome, Colleen!
It’s always exciting when the first book of a new series launches, but I’m especially excited about sharing Blue Moon Promise , the first book in the Under Texas Stars Series, with my readers. There’s quite a lot of me in Lucy. I’m the eldest also, and I share Lucy’s “fix-it” nature because of that. We firstborns are used to helping take care of our younger siblings, and we tend to worry too much about other people. Our bossiness can be downright annoying to other people. J
I ran across an article about proxy marriages. I love marriage of convenience stories in general, and I began to wonder what circumstances might make a woman willing to marry a man she’s never met. The reason would have to be pressing and dire. So I turned to my own personality. I would do almost anything for my loved ones, so I put Lucy in a situation where she’s responsible for her younger siblings. She has just lost her job and they’re about to be evicted from their home. A stalker is following her as well, and she fears her siblings are in danger. While the thought of marrying a stranger is distasteful, she can’t let her brother and sister end up on the street. I think many of us can relate to Lucy’s plight. Sacrificing our own happiness for those we love is something most of us could do it put to the test.
Lucy’s story was special to me in another way. While I was writing it, my husband was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer. That same week, my dear friend Diann Hunt (Bittersweet Surrender, Hot Flashes and Cold Cream) found out her ovarian cancer was back. I immediately set to work trying to find answers, to “fix” things for them both. Just as Lucy had to learn to let go of her iron control and trust God for her life, I had to learn that lesson as well. Proverbs 16:9 reads, A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. Lucy and I both had to realize that no matter how much we might think we know the path we should take, only God knows the best journey for us. Sometimes it’s hard to let go and trust him. It’s something I struggle with, and so did Lucy.
It was so fun for me to return to a historical setting to explore these themes! I cut my writing teeth on historicals and when I moved on to contemporary romantic mysteries, I found that I missed the richness of a historical novel. With Blue Moon Promise, I get to indulge my love of history with my love of romantic mystery. I think readers will find the same tone and atmosphere in both my historicals and my contemporaries, but I hope they will enjoy learning a little about Texas homesteading as well!
Drop me a note and let me know what you think at colleen@colleencoble.com. I love hearing from my readers!
Colleen Coble is starting a new historical series called Under Texas Stars. The first book is now available at LifeWay Christian Stores. Here’s a glimpse at Blue Moon Promise (by the way, isn't that a beautiful cover?)...
Lucy Marsh’s worldly resources are running out, but she’s fiercely determined to care for her younger brother and sister. When she discovers that their father’s recent death was no accident, Lucy is eager to leave town. She accepts a proxy marriage she believes will provide safe refuge. But trouble follows her to Texas where her new husband is surprised to suddenly have a wife and children to provide for.
Nate Stanton always hoped he’d marry someday, but running the family ranch meant he had no time for romance. When his father deposits Lucy Marsh – a city girl – on his doorstep, with two siblings in the bargain, he expects ranch life will send her running on the first train out of town. But Lucy is made of tougher stuff than Nate imagined. When danger moves in, Nate finds he’d give anything to protect Lucy and the children he’s grown to love. Even if it means giving up his ranch.
Blue Moon Promise is a story of hope, romance, and suspense… immersing the reader in a rich historical tale set under Texas stars.
Colleen will be joining us tomorrow on the blog to share more about her new book. You can read the first chapter to Blue Moon Promiseshere.
Also, be sure to check out last week’s post that included Colleen and writing buddies Kirstin Billerbeck and Denise Hunter as they chatted about Smitten, a romantic novel set in Vermont that they just wrote together.
LifeWay Christian Stores – We post coupons, announce sales, and feature all kinds of info on new releases in books, music, DVD, gifts, and Bible studies.
Bethany House Publishers – This is the publishing house for a lot of today’s most popular authors like Tamera Alexander, Kim Vogel Sawyer, Tracie Peterson and more. One of their popular features is their “Book Banter” days where you can interact with an author on Facebook. Tracie Peterson will be on there on February 29 so go out and “Like” Bethany House to have a chance to chat with Tracie.
Thomas Nelson Fiction – As another leading publisher in Christian fiction, they are always hooking you up with author scoop, new novel info, and giveaways. Hurry out there today to check out what book they are giving away today.
It’s Day 2 of our Valentine’s Day Giveaways! Thanks to everyone for stopping by yesterday. Today we have two different sets of goodies to give away.
My Foolish Heart by Susan May Warren
A Wedding Invitation by Alice Wisler
Head in the Clouds by Karen Witemeyer
One Year Love Talk Devotional for Couples by Les & Leslie Parrott
Box of conversations hearts
Book of Days by James Rubart
The Guardian by Robbie Cheuvront & Erik Reed
The Mentor Leader by Tony Dungy
Love Dare Legacy Edition by Alex & Stephen Kendrick
Box of conversation hearts
For your chance to win one of the sets, take a stab at our trivia question:
According to the Greeting Card Association, what percentage of Valentine’s Day cards are purchased by women?
A.) 90%
B.) 85%
C.) 80%
D.)75%
Leave your answer in the comments section of today’s post no later than 6:00 p.m. central standard time. We’ll randomly choose two winners from the correct answers.
Good luck!
P.S. Don’t forget… LifeWay Christian Stores is a great place to pick up your Valentine’s Day goodies for your significant other, kids, teachers, etc. Check out our catalog for some ideas.
Two winners have been randomly chosen from those who gave us the correct answer. What is the correct answer, you ask? Well…
Who wrote the oldest surviving Valentine?
C.) Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife in 1415
Evidently the love bird was locked up in the Tower of London after his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The poem is on display at the British Library in London.
Our two winners are:
Jeremy Mowery
Hannah
Congrats! I’ll be contacting you soon to get your information.
We’ve got two more sets of books to giveaway tomorrow. The trivia question will be posted bright and early so come back and see us!
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner I thought it would be fun to do a giveaway to honor the season. We'll spread the love across the next two days. Get it? Spread the love? I know... I know... I won't quit my day job.
Today we have two sets of gifts to share with two lucky readers. You can either give it to your sweetie or keep it for yourself (hey, I won't judge). There's a set geared for the gals and one geared for the guys. Here's what we have...
For the girls:
Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones
The Accidental Bride by Denise Hunter
An Amish Love by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, & Kelly Long
Forever in Love
Box of conversation hearts
For the guys:
The Oath by Frank Peretti
The Realms Thereunder by Ross Lawhead
66 Love Letters by Dr. Larry Crabb
Sanctuary by David Jeremiah
Box of conversation hearts
For your chance to win one of the sets, answer this trivia question:
Who wrote the oldest surviving Valentine?
A.)Adam who wrote his terms of endearments to Eve at the beginning of mankind
B.) Mark Antony who wrote verses to Cleopatra in 41 BC
C.)Charles, Duke of Orleans who wrote a poem to his wife in 1415
D.)Rhett Butler who sent a card to Scarlett O’Hara in 1864
Leave your answer in the comments section of today’s post no later than 6:00 p.m. central standard time. We’ll randomly choose two winners from the correct answers to be our winners.
Good luck!
Oh, and remember... we'll give away two other sets tomorrow!
Today we get to peek in on a recent chat between five women who love fiction. We have Colleen Coble, Diann Hunt, Denise Hunter, and Kristin Billerbeck who are the authors of the new romance novel Smittenalong with their editor at Thomas Nelson Publishers, Ami McConnell. Not only will you get to know these fun ladies a bit more but you’ll hear how the whole idea of Smitten came to be.
SMITTEN WITH FRIENDSHIP
How do four best-selling authors collaborate on a highly-interconnected novella collection? Very carefully. And it helps when you’re best friends.
Colleen Coble: The four of us are more than writing partners—we’re soul mates. Kristin and I met first. We were critique partners when we were first starting out . She lives in California—a thousand miles away—but we talked on the phone and via email all the time, connecting about fiction. It was amazing—somebody who loved writing and was dedicating her craft to God, just like I was! Then we met Denise who lives within an hour of me, which was such a blessing. To have her nearby was such a gift. Several years later I met Diann and knew she was the missing piece of our group. We are so close we can finish sentences for each other. Kristin and Di are the funny ones who have crazy things happen to them. Denise is the deep thinker who keeps us all organized. I’m the mom of the group and mother everyone within an inch of their lives. That first picture of us all together at the coffee shop is on my website: www.colleencoble.com. If you think we’ve aged, don’t tell us, okay?
Diann Hunt: I confess to pouting over the fact that the three of them had written a novella collection or two together before I came along. I mentioned it once—okay, maybe twice—I’ve never been good at math—that I wanted to do a collection with them. I never dreamed it would happen.
Denise Hunter: When we were approached about doing a collection, we were so excited. I mean, the chance to do what we love, with the people we love? What could be better?
Colleen: An editor we all knew asked us if we’d consider doing a historical collection. We had never worked together on a project before and Diann really wanted to try that. For Di’s sake, I asked Ami McConnell, my editor at Thomas Nelson, if we could do it (Denise and I had an exclusive contract and needed permission), but Ami wondered if we’d want to do something very different for Thomas Nelson instead. She went to Allen Arnold, our publisher and he was enthusiastic. I talked to the girls and we brainstormed several ideas that might make a novel in four parts, which is what this story really is.
Ami McConnell (Editor): I've worked with each of these authors on their individual, full-length novels, so I knew the wealth of talent they had for creating captivating, inspiring romances. That excited me. But I also knew firsthand about their dynamic as a friendship circle. I met Colleen, Kristin, Diann, and Denise at a writer's conference years ago in California. I wanted readers to experience the energy, the laughter, the intense feeling of knowing and being known that they share. If we could capture that feeling and let the reader feel it vicariously along with some terrific romances, I knew we'd have a hit.
Kristin Billerbeck: Writing can be such a lonely sport, and I missed the connection we’d had when working on earlier projects. We already work so well together brainstorming each other’s books, so to work together on one book, where the ideas are coming so fast and furious? It was simply pure joy. You can see us brainstorming and giggling at the SmittenVermont.com site.
Diann: Since we found one another, loneliness is no more! The first person I called when I found out I had lymphoma was Colleen, who then called the other girls. Did I mention that Colleen called me on my cell phone at the hospital—as I was being rolled down the hall on a gurney after a biopsy—to tell me one of my books had finaled in the ACFW Book of the Year Contest? Through the years we had laughed a lot together and when it was time to cry, we did that together too, especially when I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. But laughter always follows us.
Denise: Especially when we visited you in the hospital, Di! And Colleen punched your morphine button when she thought she was calling the nurse. I tried to stop her. Really I did. But it was like one of those slow motion things where you’re shouting n-o-o and nothing is coming out.
Colleen: It was an honest mistake! You girls will never let me live it down.
Denise: Well, what do you expect when you drug our friend?
Diann: I went to sleep happy.
Kristin: What would we do without one another? There are days when I don’t know how I will make it through everything I have to do with four kids. The girls help me keep my sanity.
Colleen: And when Dave was diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, I cried on your shoulders. But you know what? I wouldn’t trade walking the valleys with my friends for anything. Anyone can have a friend who laughs over coffee. But how many of us are blessed with friends who stick “closer than a brother,” as scripture says, when the going gets tough?
Denise: I have to take Justin to college in a few weeks. My first little chick out of the nest. The girls know how I like to know exactly what’s going to happen. And this is outside my comfort zone. So get the DeBrand truffles ready, okay? I like the raspberry.
Diann: DeBrands? Did someone say DeBrands? You can do it, D. We’ll pray you through it. And get you DeBrands.
Ami: And I’m the fifth wheel, always, but you’ve taken me in—and it’s been a bonding year for sure. I’ve prayed for each of you and felt your prayers this year as I’ve navigated a hard road, a tough divorce. Trials for all of us—and so much grace! You all have such different personalities and they complement one another. How does that work in real life?
Kristin: You mean that whole Winnie the Pooh thing? Colleen blogged about it here: http://girlswriteout.blogspot.com/2010/11/plotting-of-smitten.html. We all laughed but she might be a little right. Though I will say Colleen is totally Tigger. Her cheerfulness can be positively annoying.
Denise: You said it; I didn’t.
Ami: So you sent in your ideas for a novella collection. Several, if I recall correctly. I’m a sucker for a good romance, so that was a given. Key for me was the setting. What setting would entice readers to settle in for four great romance stories? The notion of a small town—of knowing the names of the folks you pass on the street—that just makes me smile. When you all said “Vermont” I was swooning!
Diann: I remember when we heard from you that Smitten was your pick from the ideas list we’d sent in. There was a lot of whoohooo!-ing over email, and I’m certain a trip to DeBrand’s was mentioned.
Denise: That might’ve been me because I was pulling for Smitten. You can just see the joy in all our faces in that photo we took when we signed the contract (www.DeniseHunterBooks.com). The whole concept of Smitten excited us all. It’s about a town whose survival is threatened when their logging company closes. Then four friends devise a plan to turn Smitten, Vermont, into the country's premier honeymoon destination—and each finds a love of her own in the process.
Kristin: Why Vermont? We were looking for a setting that was highly romantic, but also remote enough where the idea of it being a “new” romantic destination spot worked. We also wanted to do a story for each season, so we needed a locale that had winter sports and summer recreation. Vermont just felt cozy and a fellow writer, Rick Acker, helped us brainstorm. His family owns a stand of trees in another state. So we liked the idea of a logging mill being abandoned and the townspeople rallying together to find new hope in their town. Community is so important to our book and to our friendship. Our image of an idyllic community naturally includes us together, something we can’t be with life going on around us. But when we are together, it’s like the image of community.
Denise: We knew these stories would be highly interconnected, with story threads running through the whole collection and with each of our heroines appearing in all four stories. I think it was Colleen who suggested we give our heroines our own basic personalities. We know each other well, so putting words in each others’ mouths would be a piece of cake.
Colleen: I knew I wanted to get to write about Kristin’s character, Julia, giving Natalie, my character, a pair of shoes. And how Diann’s character, Shelby, loves her small dog and dresses it up. And how Denise’s character, Reese, organizes her spices by alphabet. And okay, I admit I might have sprinkled a few other friends in there. Like Natalie was named for a certain editor friend at Thomas Nelson. And there is a certain Mrs. Deshler mentioned. . .
Denise: We’re not exactly like our characters though. My heroine Reese, for example, is an exercise nut. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a walker and all, but I don’t jog, and I sure don’t jog up mountains or play one-on-one basketball in the middle of winter.
Diann: Well, since we’re being honest here, I’m not exactly as elegant as my heroine, Shelby. I know that comes as a shock to you all. But I DO have a creampuff dog. Take a peek at Latte on my website at www.diannhunt.com. Isn’t she adorable?
Colleen: In real life I hate conflict, so if I were really my character, I'd have asked Kristin's character to confront my hero, Carson. But for the sake of the story, my "Natalie" had to do that hard work! It worked well for her in the end...
Kristin: This book was so easy to write because we know each other so well. though In fact, we even had Colleen’s character saying the same thing in two of the stories. We simply know how the others will react. Colleen is comfortable being bossy (or the mother, depending on if you agree with her at that moment). She’s also incredible with setting, so her taking the first story allowed the rest of us to follow that lead. Denise is the organizer, so she cleaned up all the loose ends by taking the last story in winter. Diann seems to find it appropriate to listen to Christmas carols in July and I do believe she starts decorating her tree around October, so she got to do that in the story. I got spring – because I’ve lived in California all my life and have no idea what a real winter looks like.
One way I’m significantly different from my character, Julia, though, is that I can only take nature in small doses, and the idea of small-town living gives me hives. So I’m glad to live in Smitten with my girls, but ultimately, I love being able to walk to Korean, Indian, or Japanese restaurants any time I feel like it.
Ami: We should’ve had you take winter so you would have to do some research!
Denise: Like a trip to Indiana in February!
Diann: I loved how the community came together to save the town, and the faith of a little girl led the way. Our Heavenly Father is so creative that way. He surprises us with answers to our prayers in ways we hadn’t considered.
Denise: That is so true. I was praying hard when we finished our stories, and it was time to send them to the other girls. Yikes. Was I the only one who was nervous? I mean, they knew what they were getting when they signed me up, but we were in this together, and I didn’t want to let my pals down, you know?
Colleen: I think we were all a little nervous! Would this idea even work? But when I read through the entire story, I was struck by how our unique voices brought a distinct flavor to the whole. Smitten is just plain fun to read!
Denise: Colleen, our fearless leader, compiled the stories into one document and hit Send. Then we waited patiently to hear from Ami. We did not email each other seeking reassurance. We did not bite our nails to the quick. And we never, not even once, turned to chocolate for comfort.
Ami: The manuscript was everything I’d hoped for: four individually compelling novellas that read together as if it were a cohesive experience. And the vicarious experience of friendship in a small town was just so lovely and so real! I never wanted to leave Smitten.
Kristin: The editorial process, which I thought would be a nightmare, was incredibly easy. Ami and LB each gave us feedback and we simply made sure all our facts were straight and the characters/setting consistent.
Denise: In many ways, Smitten is a celebration of our friendship, a celebration of enduring love, and a celebration of God’s unexpected blessings, all wrapped up in one book. We hope our readers will feel part of that as they join us on a journey to a very special place called Smitten.
Lynette Eason is starting a new series. The Deadly Reunion Series begins with When the Smoke Clearsand is available now!
As a member of the North Cascades Smokejumpers, Alexia Allen always takes care of the equipment that keeps her safe. So when she nearly dies in a fire due to equipment failure, she knows something is up. Ordered to take time off while the investigation continues, Alexia makes a last-minute decision to recuperate at her mother’s home and attend her high school reunion. Yet trouble seems to be following her, and within hours of arriving home she’s involved with murder, arson – and a handsome detective. But the conflicts ahead are nothing compared to the ghosts of her past. As she strives to remember and forgive her family history, she must also decide if the secret she’s been guarding for the last ten years must finally come to light.
Check out the first chapter to When the Smoke Clears.
What time in history is your favorite setting for a novel?
(for example: Civil War, early 20th century, modern day, etc.)
What era would you like to see more novels published in? Also, are there certain locations you would like to see more stories set in?
I’ll go first!
I really enjoy stories set in the time period around the Civil War (either during or right after it). The most recent book I've read from this time was A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander. Loved it! I've also become a fan of Regency novels (shout out to Julie Klassen!). I can’t get enough of it in both books and in movies. If there are any authors reading this post today… we need more Christian novels set in the Regency period, please!
Along with the Regency era, I would love to see more novels published at the start of the 20th century up until the end of World War I. There was something intriguing about that time of history when people's lives were happy and hopeful one minute and then facing the uncertainties of war the next.
The actual locales of books usually aren’t what make me want to read it… but it does help. I enjoy reading novels that are set in places I’ve been or have always wanted to go. I remember many years ago reading Tracie Peterson’s Desert Roses Series right after I had been to the Grand Canyon. It really made the story come alive for me and it became one of my favorite series that she has written.
I think it would be great to have more novels set in countries like Ireland, Scotland, and England at different points in history. Those countries have such rich histories that would serve as a dramatic backdrop for a novel. Liz Curtis Higgs' novels Here Burns My Candle and Mine is the Night were set in Scotland. The rolling Scottish highlands were just as much a part of the story as the main characters were!
Okay… your turn! Let me know what you think by leaving your thoughts in the comments section of today’s post.
Major news out of Bloomington, Minnesota late yesterday!
Bethany House Publishers has signed, wait for it… wait for it… Dee Henderson to write a new novel! Oh, how we’ve missed Dee for the last several years. With over 2.8 million books sold, she has scores of fans who have been patiently waiting for a new novel. Her O'Malley Series is still one of the most successful fiction series in the Christian market.
Dee's new romantic suspense novel will hit the shelves in early October 2012.
Did you know that LifeWay Christian Stores has expanded our Bargain Book section in all of our stores over the last year? Our shelves are overflowing with major savings on fiction and nonfiction titles from some of your favorite authors like Beverly Lewis, Deeanne Gist, Max Lucado, Ted Dekker, Beth Wiseman, and many more. Prices start at just $3.97! Selections vary by store but you’re bound to find some books that you’re sure to love.
Rosslyn visiting the historic Westerville home of the Hanby family
