Amy R. Anguish's Blog, page 13

Author Interview: Janet Ferguson

I discovered Janet Ferguson's books years ago and have followed her for several years since. She writes beautiful stories of love and hope, set in gorgeous places. If you haven't checked her out before now, you can try out one of her stories for free. Grab The Art of Rivers as her gift along with her newsletter.
Here's the link https://dl.bookfunnel.com/yt91p8u5qo
​And be sure to check out this fun interview to learn more about Janet and her stories.
​Janet, I've read most of your stories, and they're gorgeous. Where do you come up with your ideas?
​
Thank you so much for the kind words. I know without God, there’s no way I could write a novel. To Him be the glory.
My ideas usually just drop in on my mind. Again, I believe it’s a God thing. Someone might say something, or I’m in a certain setting (like the beach), and an idea pops up.
 
I know you have stories set in Mississippi where you're from, but also Georgia (loved visiting St. Simon's again through your book), and now Wyoming. How do you choose the best place to set a story?
 
Other than the first series that was set in Oxford, Mississippi, which I have been to many times, I was actually in the setting when the ideas came. I love to travel. I see God so clearly in nature away from my everyday busy life. In that quiet, the ideas have room to grow.

Do you think one of your characters is more like you than another? In what way?
 
If I had to pick, I would say Sarah Beth in my first novel Leaving Oxford. She is a little goofy like me, and says things wrong sometimes like me, plus she suffers from anxiety. I also have suffered from anxiety over the years, which was the initial reason I wanted to write a novel—to encourage others who deal with that.
 
What is one of the most fun things you've researched for a book?
 
Definitely, manatee migration in the Gulf of Mexico while researching my novel Healing Skye. I even traveled to Florida to swim with them. They are truly gentle giants.
 
What is one of the hardest topics you've tackled through story?
 
The legacy of child abuse. I don’t show it in the novel, but the adult characters have the background of it that they are dealing with. God helps them overcome their pasts though.
 
Can you give us a sneak peek of a story (or more) you’re working on now?
 
I’m working on my third novel set on Dauphin Island, Alabama, called Until April. The hero, Michael, is another character that is into marine biology. He makes appearances in earlier novels as a minor character. I can’t wait for readers to see another side of him. I hope to finish writing it in 2024. I had taken a sabbatical in 2023 when my daughter was getting married, so I’m a little behind schedule. 😊
 
Finally, please leave us with one fact about yourself that very few people already know.
 
A lot of people don’t know that I’ve been nerve deaf in my right ear since I was fourteen, when I just woke up that way one day. It was a strange thing to happen. Since I have no useable hearing in that ear, I never tried a hearing aid, but now I’m considering a cross hearing aid that would send sounds over to my good ear. They are more technical now with cell phones, and I will be able to turn it off when I want. It’s on order, so we’ll see how that goes.
 
Thank you so very much for inviting me to visit your readers!
Blessings in Him!
​People can’t be trusted.

Animals always made more sense than humans did to marine biologist Skye Youngblood. After her mother’s tragic death, she left Alabama and never looked back. These days, she pours her heart into protecting nature’s sea creatures. When she returns to Dauphin Island, Alabama, for a temporary manatee migration study, her dark past is much too close. She can’t let her guard down. But how can she keep her heart hidden when a kind man with a genuine smile makes her want a fresh start?

Charter fishing pays the bills for widower Pete Thompson and his little girl, but like his father, a pastor, Pete can’t help but fish for men. Only, after growing up under constant scrutiny as a preacher’s kid, Pete’s ways are a bit more unconventional. And the bulk of his life revolves around raising his precious daughter.

When he witnesses the car wreck of a new marine biologist on the island, it doesn’t take a genius to see that more than just her physical pain needs tending. Pete feels called to help Skye find true healing, but he’s navigating dangerous waters. And he’s not at all sure he’ll walk away unscathed.

Grab your copy of Healing Skye...a Southern Contemporary Christian Romance Novel from the Coastal Hearts Series. ​Janet W. Ferguson is a Christy Award finalist, Maggie Award and the FHL Readers Choice Award winning author of realistic inspirational fiction. An avid reader, she loved books so much she found a job as a librarian. Then she turned that love of story into writing faith-filled novels with characters who feel like best friends. You’ll laugh and cry as the quirky heroes and heroines chase their happily ever after.
Janet and her husband live in Mississippi where they say y’all a lot, and she forces him to visit the beach as often as possible. They have two grown children, one really smart dog, and a cat that allows them to share the space.

Name my Book Hamster

I'm working on a Valentine's novella to release in 2025, and it includes a Kindergarten teacher, a little boy and his cute uncle, and a hamster. Sounds like the perfect combination for chaos, right?
Especially when they all come together the day of the Valentine's day party. Yep. This one is going to be fun.
Right now, my characters' names are Ms. Kimberly, Uncle Miles, and Jacob. But I can't come up with a super cute name for the hamster. And since he's sort of one of the stars of the show, I want a good one.
​Want to help?
First and foremost, let me say that I LOVE hamsters. I don't necessarily want to own another one right now, but I had two in high school (and a mouse, but that's another story). I had a fancy hamster named Princess. And a teddy bear hamster named, remarkably, Teddy.
See? Not a great hamster namer.
So, here's your chance to help write one of my stories. What would you name a hamster?
Leave a comment here or on the post on facebook or twitter. I'll pick my favorites and we'll do a poll to vote!

PS -- I'm also trying to come up with a name for this story too. The collection is going to be called Pets Amore!

Ever After Again?

You know that minute when you're sitting there, minding your own business, and suddenly your muse taps you on the shoulder?

Muse: Ooh, here's some ideas for that Snow White story you wanted to write.
Me: Thanks, but I don't have time right now. I really need to do two content edits for other people, am supposedly going to get content and line edits for my March release sometime before then, and need to write a Valentine's novella about a kindergarten teacher, and hamster, and a cute uncle.
Muse: So, here's the whole first chapter, complete with dialog and character names.
Me: But--
Muse: No, seriously, go write it down!
​Me: Sigh.
No? Just me? Okay, then.
In case you're wondering, I did go write that chapter down. And I love it. But I don't have time for more right now (hear that Muse?), so it's waiting. Hopefully later this year.
Do you love the idea of three fairy-tale retellings? I think it could be fun. But, as I told my muse, I have a few other things calling my attention and time right now.
Do you ever get distracted by a future project when you're neck-deep in something else? Or several other something elses? How do you keep from losing great ideas when they pop up during inconvenient times?

Book Spotlight: Yellow Roses

Today starts a fun new series on my blog that I think we're all going to enjoy--a monthly book spotlight! Each month, I'm going to let another author take over my blog for a day to share a fun story about one of her books. Today, Suzie Waltner, a fellow Tennessean and fellow Anaiah author, is sharing about a fun roadtrip story. This sounds like a great read. And make sure you go all the way to the bottom because she's doing a giveaway too! ​As a romance reader, the friends-to-more trope has always been my favorite. Since my Love in Color series features a group of friends who not only grew up together and hang out often, but also work together, I knew from the first book that two of them needed to become more than just friends.
But what would be the catalyst for them to realize their feelings for each other went beyond friendship? My solution? Send them on a road trip across the country in search of answers to questions each of them has about their families.
​ St. Louis Catsup Bottle ​Y’all, I love everything about planning road trips. Some many possibilities lie in finding places to stop and visit along the way, where to stay, and what to see, eat, and do once I arrive.
As I was writing Yellow Roses, I got to work out all the fun details for a trip that was longer than any I’ve ever taken. Because this series revolves around members of a country music band, I knew I could make their destination anywhere with the excuse of a concert performance. My final solution was a California leg of their tour with concerts in San Francisco, LA, and San Diego.
Now I just had to get them from Nashville to San Francisco with enough time for romance to bloom. The forced proximity during the driving legs of the trip and Mia’s insistence they stop and enjoy the sites (which they rarely did when touring on the bus) during their two-week break was just what they needed.
Next came the stops. The catalyst for the trip is Mia’s desire to find her birth family, which I decided to place in Boulder, Colorado. Because Boulder is a sixteen-hour drive from Nashville, Mia and Levi needed to make a couple of stops beforehand.
St. Louis first (because I’ve visited a couple of times and had some real-life research at hand), followed by Topeka, Kansas. While in St. Louis, Levi and Mia visit the world’s largest catsup bottle, the Gateway Arch, and the Missouri Botanical Garden. Topeka’s stop is the state capital.
When Mia and Levi reach Boulder, their time is mostly spent with Mia’s family, but Levi does go for a long hike, Mia goes shopping, and everyone visits Estes Park. On their way out of Colorado, the pair spends some time at the hot pools in Glenwood Springs before heading on to Salt Lake City.
Reno is the second-to-last stop on the road trip, but they don’t sight see here. This is where Levi meets up with his dad and gets more answers to questions that he’s held on to for years. And finally, Mia’s adoptive brother and new sister-in-law meet Levi and Mia in San Francisco (You can read Seth and Cassidy’s story in Red Velvet ).
Are you a road trip fan? Do you enjoy planning, or do you prefer to let someone else handle the details? What was your favorite vacation? About Yellow Roses

Mia Mason has always strived to meet others’ expectations. Her adoptive family, her fans, even her friends in the band. She works hard at pleasing everyone because she’s never felt like she truly belongs. After connecting with a cousin through a DNA website, she plans a covert road trip, hoping to find her biological mother and the answers she desires.
During a music awards ceremony, Levi Sinclair receives two messages that ruin his night. One is a breakup text from his girlfriend of six weeks. The other is from the father who abandoned his family seventeen years ago and wants to reconnect. Then Levi discovers Mia’s secret mission and insists on going along to keep her safe.
As the two friends pass the miles and see the sights, Levi’s true feelings for Mia rise to the surface. And her journey to the past might open the door to their future. Family issues and a shared career are just two of the hurdles they’ll have to jump if they want a shot at love. Could the end of the road lead these friends to a new beginning?

Available January 23, 2024

Pre-order at Amazon or Anaiah Press
Release month giveaway
 
One (1) winner will receive a box of sunshine (includes a scented candle, 18” gold sunshine necklace, 20 oz insulated yellow cup with straw, cozy yellow blanket, two shower steamers, fuzzy pair of socks, claw hair clip, bath salts, and chap-stick) and a $50 Amazon gift card.
Physical prizes open to US mailing addresses only. Gift card open internationally where accepted. Giveaway ends 1/31/23 at 11:59 PM EST.
​
Enter here: https://bit.ly/48k2Si8 When Suzie Waltner is not at work, reading, or writing, you can find her cheering on the Nashville Predators (hockey) or dancing an hour away in Zumba class. Until her second year of college, her life’s goal was to become a veterinarian. A fainting spell while watching a surgery performed on a sheep changed that plan. Now she works in the corporate world during the day while creating stories in her free time. Suzie resides in a suburb of Nashville, TN and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Faith, Hope, and Love Christian Writers. Midnight Blue, book 1 in her Love in Color series, was a 2023 Holt Medallion and Maggie Award finalist as well as the winner of the Angel Book Award for contemporary fiction.
 
Website: https://suziewaltner.com
Newsletter Sign-up: https://suziewaltner.com/join-my-newsletter/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SuzieWaltnerWrites/
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/nashpredsfan
Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/SuzieWaltnerWrites/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8073072.Suzie_Waltner
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/suzie-waltner
​

Author Interview: Jennifer Arrington

Can you imagine turning what could be deemed a tragedy into something good? Guest author Jennifer Arrington did just that, and I am in awe of her ability to take a bad thing and turn it to good. You're going to love this interview! You grew up in South Africa, but now live here in the USA. What are some of the things you miss from being over there?
 
I miss the windows-open lifestyle!
In Johannesburg, South Africa, we didn't have extreme temperatures like August in Florida or February in Minnesota, so our windows were open most of the year. When I went to college in the US, I was constantly in trouble for opening my 7th-story dorm window! My favorite time of year in Florida is what I call "windows-open weather."
 
I also miss what I perceive was a simpler lifestyle. I'm unsure if this still applies since I was 18 when I left, but birthdays, Christmas decorations, house décor, table settings, weddings, outfits, even make-up – it was all minimalist. Someone living in South Africa will have to chime in and tell me if things are still like this. It seems so based on my friends' Facebook posts, but I may simply have minimalist friends.
 
What do you hope readers learn about South Africa from your book?
 
I want readers to experience the country's beauty – that's why there are descriptions of God's Window, the drive down Van Reenen's Pass, and the South Coast beaches. My good friend Gillian (if you've read The Counting Tree, you've met her namesake!) recently sent me pictures of their travels along the Garden Route, the coastal drive that includes Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, and the Storms River. The images call to me, and I need to return and experience it all again.
 
Conversely, I want readers to know the history of apartheid and how it stained the beautiful landscape with an evil perpetrated against millions of people. It's surprising to me when I encounter young people who don't know this history. 
You're actually the second author I've interviewed lately who used to teach Chemistry. Do you find ways to work your love for Chemistry into your books?
 
Katherine of Trusting for Tomorrow is a math teacher, and Heidi of The Counting Tree works with children and teenagers. So, my books include my love of teaching, but I haven't yet figured out how to write chemistry into the books. I could write a fun novel about a chemistry teacher (imagine handing teenagers fire and chemicals), but it would be too close to my actual life, and I'm afraid I'd be running around getting people to sign off on the stories. I'll have to wait until a few years pass before attempting such a thing. Is there a statute of limitations on using others' stories in fiction?
 
Which character in your books is most like you and why?
 
In Trusting for Tomorrow, Katherine's daughter has celiac disease, and in The Counting Tree, Heidi gets breast cancer. So, both stories incorporate my medical experiences. But as far as the actual characters, I don't want my main characters to be too much like me. Yet people who know me say they see elements of me in both Katherine and Heidi, so I guess I've written what I know! Fun fact: I did pattern Johann of The Counting Tree after my husband, Albrey.
 
I am always in awe to chat with a cancer survivor. Can you tell us how going through that battle has blessed your life?
 
After I was diagnosed with breast cancer the second time, I got really down and prayed about what to do with all the sitting around recovering since I love to be active and outdoors. God heard my prayer and nudged me to get out a manuscript I'd started over ten years ago. That manuscript became my newest book, The Counting Tree. It centers around thankfulness, and the book became my personal therapy. I look at that book sometimes, hold it, and smile at how God works: it is a direct result of getting breast cancer! And now I write full time with some chemistry tutoring mixed in to help fund the writer lifestyle.
 
Right around that second diagnosis, two ladies I knew passed away. They each had ten years from first diagnosis until they died. This sounds morbid, but I told my husband we needed to focus on the next ten years and imagine how we would want our life to look if we only had ten years left. Then, we each made some drastic changes. I had taught full-time through all five surgeries and did the zoom-hybrid-wear-a-mask COVID teaching thing and was exhausted. So, my dear husband gave me a "coupon" two years ago at Christmas that told me to leave the classroom, tutor online, and write. And now, I wake up and think, "How can I make today count?" Life is short, and I say "no" to many things that used to drain my energy and joy. I also avoid chronically negative people (not those who need help, but those who constantly complain), and I don't engage in negative social media posts. We can't bury our heads in the sand and must be aware and sensitive towards others' needs, but unnecessary negativity robs joy.
 
Do you think you will ever include your experiences with cancer in a future story?
 
Full disclosure: Heidi's cancer story in The Counting Tree is mostly my first cancer story. I found writing breast cancer into the book therapeutic. But once I'd completed the rough draft of the book, I got cancer again and then went through a double mastectomy. So, all that valuable information is still waiting to be told in story form. When I was going through cancer, I searched for fiction books with breast cancer in the storyline and mostly came up empty. I found the online resources either too sugar-coated or too horrifying. There was nothing out there that remotely matched my experience. So, poor Heidi got breast cancer, and my hope is that anyone who reads the book finds comfort and gains helpful knowledge through her (my) experience. A friend told me that reading about Heidi's fears while waiting for her biopsy results was comforting as my friend awaited hers.
 
Want to give us a sneak peek into what you're working on next?
 
Yes! I'm all over the place – I blame my years of teaching three different preps (subjects and levels) in a day on my inability to work on only one book style at a time. I am working on a kids' adventure series, the brainchild of my husband. The first book is with beta readers. I have also written my friend's biography. That is also out for edits, and we hope to have it published the first half of 2024. And then there's the book I'm "not supposed to be writing," a sequel to The Counting Tree. My goal was to keep my contemporary romance novels as stand-alone books, but Heidi, Johann, and Darla just won't leave me alone. Heidi and Darla especially have things to say and obstacles to overcome, and the ideas keep coming. So, the book "that shouldn't be written" currently stands at 46,000 words.
It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out – which book is ready first. I'm assuming the biography, but you never know which characters will yell the loudest!
 
Last but not least, can you tell us one thing about yourself that very few people know?
 
For all my book posts and book people, I don't think anyone realizes that I play the piano. I call the piano my weekend job, but now that I work for myself, it is becoming more of my days, and I am also teaching piano again. In high school, I wanted to be a concert pianist, and I dreamed of playing for an orchestra. I used to wake up, play scales before school, and then come home and practice for another hour and a half. I even completed my first year of UNISA, the South African university music degree. But when I moved to the US for college and enrolled as a music major, I had a bit of a crisis. I realized my love for the piano was more a hobby than a lifetime commitment. After being surrounded by true future concert pianists, I decided I could still be a school music teacher, which would've been great, except I can't sing. So, I switched my major to science, taught chemistry, and eventually did a research-based master's degree assessing how nutrition alters immunologic function. I took time off to raise my wonderful daughters and then returned to teaching chemistry.
The beautiful thing is that I now belong to a church that has a choir and orchestra, and I get to play for them. It doesn't escape me that God still gave me that dream, the dream to play with an orchestra, and I am continually grateful. 

Thanks so much for chatting with us today and sharing so much hope that comes through your stories!
Readers, keep going because you're going to want to know more about Jennifer's books and how to find her.
The Counting Tree

Are you ready for a breathtaking, cross-continental love story of faith and perseverance spanning nearly two decades? Connected by one poignant weeping willow, The Counting Tree takes you on a thrilling journey with Heidi, a young woman who defies her destiny and embarks on a life-changing adventure as a camp counselor in 1987 South Africa. But what she finds there isn't what she expected, and she must navigate cultural differences and the camp's enigmatic director, Johann, who challenges her at every turn. Desperate for success, Heidi works tirelessly to provide hope amidst the dark shadow of apartheid, betrayal, and hostility. But just as she finds a sense of belonging, her world is rocked by the devastating news of her mother's breast cancer diagnosis.

Fast forward fifteen years, and Heidi unexpectedly finds herself at another camp – this time in the United States. Surrounded by an eerie sense of familiarity, she's about to unravel why.

Filled with emotional twists, spiritual growth, inspiring characters, and humor, The Counting Tree is a heartwarming tale of love and loss, heartbreak and hope. Don't miss out on this unforgettable tale of a love that defies all odds. Order your copy today, and let the journey sweep you off your feet! Jennifer Arrington started her first novel as a 9-year-old, writing in messy cursive, filling pages of an empty notebook. Her book was set in a boarding school for girls and included a schematic of the school, the dorms, the grounds, and, of course, the netball courts.
Given that Jennifer has lived in four countries and five states within the United States, that manuscript is long gone. However, writing and journaling have always been her own personal therapy, and reading a reason to “get everything done” so she can focus on her TBR pile.
During her stay-at-home mom years, Jennifer used nap times to pen her first novel, Trusting for Tomorrow, inspired by her experiences with celiac disease. Ten years later, while recovering from multiple surgeries after recurrent breast cancer, she completed The Counting Tree, incorporating parts of her own breast cancer experiences into the story.
Jennifer self-publishes and spends her days on marketing, networking, and writing, determined to share God’s love through the art of story. She is currently working on a biography of a friend who has lived through five cancers and also a middle-grade children’s adventure series. Although the styles and genres are far apart, Jennifer maintains that bouncing between the two keeps her brain fresh and helps maximize her writing time.
With a master’s degree in nutrition from Texas A&M University, Jennifer spent much of her career as a high school chemistry teacher and still tutors chemistry via Zoom. She enjoys paddle boarding, snorkeling, and beach walking in her free time. Always reading, she often enjoys three concurrent books: an e-book, an audiobook, and a paper copy. That, she maintains, ensures a book is always on hand!


https://linktr.ee/jenniferarrington_author

2023 Reading Summary

For the last few years, I've set my Goodreads yearly reading challenge at 125 books. And passed it. For like three or four years in a row. Of course, those were years I wasn't releasing FOUR books of my own. And working four jobs. And probably a few other things.
Needless to say, this year, I probably won't make it to 125 books marked on Goodreads. Part of that is I read a few collections that had multiple stories in them, but Goodreads only marks them as one. Other factors are that some of the books I read this year haven't released yet. ;) (Benefit of being an editor.) And of course, I read my books several times too, but didn't count them on my tally. That would give me four more.
In hindsight, I'm really close. Like less than 10 away from my goal. Probably less than that by the time the year actually ends Sunday night. And I can't be upset about not meeting it. Because, regardless of numbers of books read, I still read some really great books this year.
So, here are a few of the books/authors I discovered this year and absolutely adored:Angela Ruth Strong's Husband Auditions. Absolutely hilarious and sweet. The second one in that series is definitely on my TBR.Pepper Basham never disappoints, but my favorite of hers that I read this year was Authentically Izzy. The second and third in that series are on my TBR. Seriously. It's so much fun.New-to-me author Nicole Deese was everything I didn't know I was looking for. I read All That Really Matters and All That it Takes and absolutely had all the feelings. So good. Looking forward to reading another of hers with my bookclub next year.The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara Brunsvold met my expectations and then lifted them higher. Such a sweet, sweet story that I expected to be sad, but it was more heartwarming than anything. I'm looking forward to her second book releasing in 2024.Jennifer Rodewald is a new favorite, even though I'd read some of hers in the past. Her characters are charming and her emotions run deep. I have enjoyed every single one I've read so far.Fairest of the Heart by Karen Witemeyer was super cute. I always love her books and adore fairy-tale retellings, so it was a perfect match.Meet me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson was really cute too.Dear Henry, Love Edith by Becca Kinzer had me rooting for the two main characters even before they knew who each other were.I'm not usually into steampunk fantasy, but Tabitha Bouldin pulled me in with Madness in Wonderland. So good!Yesterday's Tides by Roseanna M. White was perfect. Seriously. It pulled every single one of her other series into one book and I loved revisiting all the characters and plotlines in my head. Loved it.The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady by Sharon Mondragon was so much fun. It reminded me a bit of Jan Karon's Mitford series and I adored all the yarn and knit/crochet jokes. The second one releases in 2024.Needless to say, even though I had some books I wish I hadn't wasted my time on this year, I had a lot of really good ones too. What about you? Did you read any of the same books I mentioned? Do you have one to add to my list to read in 2024?

Writing in Bites

I like to write stories all at once. Not in one day or one sitting, obviously, but with continuity. Maybe that's why Nanowrimo works so well for me. After all, writing a book all in one month is a short enough time, right?
The problem I have faced this year is that I haven't been able to do that like I wanted. Instead, I've written a chapter or two here. And another there. And then it sits for a while as I work on something else. And then, when I go back to work on it again, I can't remember everything I actually wrote before so I have to read it all again before I can actually do any writing.
While this probably helps me polish things up as I go, it's not conducive to quickly getting words on the page. And it frustrates me to write in bites.
Right now, I'm talking about my Christmas novella for the collection releasing next October. I only need about three more chapters, but because I haven't worked on it in a few months, I need to go back and read the other seven chapters I already wrote here and there earlier this year. Even though I really just want to write.
It's not that I can't go back and re-read it. After all, novellas aren't terribly long. But it's frustrating to have to stop and go back to confirm you put something in particular in your story before being able to move ahead. At least for me. 
Other projects in my life, be they quilts or crochet or painting or something else, they don't have that issue. I can set them aside and finish them later (as long as the person I'm making the project for doesn't outgrow it in the meantime, of course). I don't have to go back and go through all the previous steps again before I can move on.
But writing ... I guess it's the only kind of marathon I like to do. I'd rather write the whole thing in a shorter time than having a sprint here or there to finish each section. My plan for next year is to take a bit more time to be able to finish writing projects all in one time period instead of spreading it across the whole year. Think I'll be able to?
What about you? Do you find yourself starting a project and then being interrupted and having to go back and finish it later?

Looking to 2024

It's that time of year. The time when we wrap things up for 2023 and start looking ahead to what 2024 holds.
I'm going to be honest. 2023 just about wore me out. When I first agreed to four different book releases this year, I wasn't thinking straight. Or wasn't remembering how much time that took on top of everything else I was doing in my life outside of being an author. Needless to say, I'm not ready to do that again for a while.
​That being said, I'm still going to be releasing books next year. Yay!
On March 26, 2024, my new novel, For Better or For Granted, will release. I already have the cover, but I'm not revealing it until January, so you're just going to have to wait a bit longer. To hold you over, here's the blurb. See what you think. Divorce was never in the plans for Genevieve Stewart. Only four years in to marriage, and everything has gone wrong. Why stay where she’s never going to be happy? If only she could find her way back to the way things were before Scott’s job took all his time and energy, leaving nothing for her.
Scott Stewart achieved his goal of becoming a high school principal younger than most in the state. Everything in life seems to be going exactly as planned until Genevieve threatens to leave. Suddenly, his dreams aren’t as clear as they once were. He desperately wants to stay married, but he can’t let down his school, either.
Their friends and family remind them of their lifetime promises, and urge them to not give up. But the way back to love isn’t easy when you’ve grown used to taking each other for granted.
 
Then, in October 2024, I'm part of a Christmas novella collection called A Match Made at Christmas. This is such a fun group of stories from Heather Greer, Sarah Anne Crouch, and Lori DeJong. I know you're going to love the matchmaking shenanigans our characters get into at Christmas-time. I'm finishing up my story in the next few weeks to turn in so we can all polish them and get them out to you.  What else is on my 2024 agenda? Well, I'm up to edit quite a few books. And I'm hoping to write a few more. As well as polishing up at least one more manuscript to submit for publication in 2025. Even with only two books releasing, I'll still be busy.
How about you? Are you ready for the new year? Already making plans? Already adding to your plans? Do you like the sound of my books set to release next year?

Quadrilogy Complete

When Heather Greer, Regina Merrick, Erin Howard, and I started this idea of a multi-author book series all those years ago, we honestly had no idea what we were getting into. It sounded like a fun idea, but that's all it was. That being said, once we decided to actually do it, it took on a life of its own in some ways.
We each had our own story to tell, but they're all entwined. Not always easy to do when we communicate mostly through a group message we always have going. But we live in three different states and four different towns, so we made it work.
And next week, the final book of our series will release. And our quadrilogy will be complete.
Window of Opportunity starts us off in the 1920s, introducing the Dunne family as well as the chapel right outside of Park Haven, TN. It also introduces the faith the family carries through all the hardships life throws at them.
Window of Peace is in the 1970s. Same old chapel, but a new generation, this one a bit war-weary and tired. But the chapel provides a peace they can't find anywhere else. And the family grows as well as the faith.
Window of the Heart is several generations later, in present day. The chapel has seen better days, but Ty Dunne is ready to fix it up and restore it to the place of peace it once was. And the window helps him teach a few lessons along the way, as well as discovering his own plans aren't as bad as they've been treated.
And now we're to Window of Time. The heroine falls through the window at a magical moment into a future where faith is frowned upon and a prince is trying to save his kingdom from starving. She has no idea how to get back to her home time. Just as well, because she seems to be just what the prince needs to remember what matters most.
A series complete as of 12/19/23. It takes you from 1920s all the way through to 2175. Are you ready? Have you read any of these books? Do you think they flow together well? Have you ever read a series that took you from the past all the way to the dystopian future? What do you think? Did we pull it off well?
I love this series and I'm so glad all our books will be out just in time for Christmas! I hope you love it too!
​A kingdom in the future, a girl from the past, and a stained-glass window that can’t be found.
Mia Miller just needed a moment to breathe and admire the stained-glass window in the chapel before she had to plaster on a fake smile for her only sister’s wedding reception. Her artist’s eye drew her to the window but something else entirely made her fall through it. Now she’s stuck in a strange land, a different time, mistaken for a princess, and the stained-glass window nowhere to be found.
With Rebels stealing his Kingdom’s low food supplies, Prince Liam Dunne agrees to an Engagement to secure better trading routes. When the princess arrives without a shred of luggage or her entourage but plenty of anxiety, his heart has a hard time staying out of it. Princess Amelia challenges what he believes in—in a world where faith is eradicated. But when the truth comes out about her true identity, will he have the courage to live up to his family’s legacy?

My Other Book Babies

A lot of you know I started content editing in the fall of 2022. What is a content editor? I basically get to read stories before you and help the author polish up the overall story itself, little inconsistencies, sentences that don't sound quite right, or other little nitpicky things that keep the story from reaching its full potential. I don't have to worry about the grammar part, though I do tend to fix those mistakes if I notice them. 
When I first started, I really wasn't sure how it was going to go. After all, I still need someone else to do content edits for me. How was I going to be good enough to do this for someone else?
The thing is, I notice things while I'm reading, even if I'm not in editor mode. I've just been trained now to where all the little mistakes stick out to me. Especially if it's a story I didn't write.
Also, it's amazing to be able to reach into someone else's story and help them polish it up where it shines even brighter. Because these stories were already good. We're just helping them be better. And I've loved being able to work with other authors to do that. And now their books feel a little like my "other" book babies. :)
So, what have I helped edit? Here are the ones that have already released. And I highly recommend each and every one of them. If you want to check into them further, just click on the photo of the book. Lori's contemporary romance is SO GOOD!

​After years of jumping through other people’s hoops to be all they thought she should be, and enduring a tragedy no mother should, self-described “newbie” Christian, Harper Townsend, has finally found her true calling … and her true love. Until it appears that to follow one may mean leaving the other behind.
Adolescent Psychologist, Wyatt McCowan, is beyond delighted to have the-girl-that-got-away back in his life, and his heart. But even as they fall more in love, he realizes that being obedient to God’s calling on each of their lives may pull them apart. She rejected him once in favor of another, which left him hurt and angry. But this time, he can’t fault her for following hard after the God she loves with all her heart, even if it means leaving him once again.

Christina's book brought me to tears several times, y'all. I absolutely loved it.

Running from her grief, interior designer Ava Stewart makes a hasty decision to join a missionary group heading to Uganda. She’s in the country only a few days before tragedy strikes and a mistaken identity leaves her with an uncertain outcome.
Special Operator Blake Martin is assigned to a humanitarian mission when he’s captured by a group of armed men. Wounded and miles away from his team, Blake’s brought to Ava, and she’s ordered to care for him.
Thrown together in chaos, with the threat of danger pressing in from all sides, Ava and Blake are forced to rely on each other—and God—to escape. An undeniable bond is formed during their flight to safety, but opening their hearts to love carries its own risk. A risk they aren’t sure they’re willing to take.
Now, miles apart and living separate lives, they need to decide if the connection they shared in the untamed, wilds of Uganda is strong enough to confront the future. A future where Ava’s fragile heart and Blake’s hazardous job collide, and only God knows the outcome.

I always enjoy Cynthia's books, so it was a huge honor to be her content editor this time. And I'm looking forward to working with her on the next one too!

​After suffering disabling burns during the fall of Richmond, Adelaide Hanover awakens in a hospital alone and destitute, escalating her already stanch hatred for Yankees. When the Union soldier who freed her from the rubble begins paying her visits, she wants nothing to do with him … or his faith. Yet, his persistent kindness penetrates her resolve and forges a much-needed friendship. But after a dangerous man threatens Addie, she flees Richmond, intent on finding her only remaining relative before he does.
Haunted by a tragic failure in his past, Corporal Luke Gallagher takes Adelaide’s plight on as his own. Though his strong beliefs collide with his growing feelings for her, he offers his family’s home as a place to convalesce. Adelaide’s initial rejection, followed by her unexpected willingness to accept his benevolence, hints there’s more to the decision than a mere change of heart. When trouble follows her, endangering her safety, as well as his family’s, Luke must lay his life and his convictions on the line to save them.

Jenny is a dear friend, and I loved her first book in this series. I've now been blessed to not only edit this one, but the next one as well, And a novella I'll mention in a minute that ties in. Sweet series!

John Kennedy (John K.) Billings has spent his whole life living up to his hero inspired name. Now, back from a traumatic incident in the military, he finds himself running from the fact that he is only human, with real-life struggles to overcome.
Faith Caldwell feels free to pursue her own dreams now that her family’s regularly scheduled rodeo has ended. After helping care for her cancer-stricken mother she is determined to bring big city medical expertise to small-town Arkansas. While trying to prove she can fulfill her dream on her own, a new admirer seems determined to pull her down.
Both enjoy the idea of seeing more of the world, but find their hearts are still tied to the mountains of Arkansas, and the people who live there.
Can these lifelong neighbors help each other face their weaknesses while following God’s plan for their lives?

This collection is so sweet, as are the authors who contributed to it. I enjoyed working with all three of them, and am proud of how these stories turned out.


A beautiful hand-carved nativity set travels from its original home in Germany to a riverboat in Van Buren, Arkansas, in the mid-1840s,  then to Mexico, Missouri, at the beginning of the American Civil War. More than a century later, it resurfaces in a tiny town in the Arkansas River Valley.
Three stories tell of the impact this treasure has on the families who own it. God’s love survives tragedy, turmoil, and even abandonment. His love is the gift for all, for all time.
I've already started editing some books releasing next year. Jenny Carlisle's final book in her series will release early next year. Terry Wangard's new book is releasing in the Spring and it was a joy to edit (set in WWII in Brazil, believe it or not). And Tonya Ashley's book releasing early next year is so good, y'all. I'm set to edit Lori DeJong's next book later this month or early January and am excited to read the next story in that series. And I'm scheduled for quite a few others that I'm looking forward to.
Even though I wasn't sure about this whole editing thing, I am loving it now. Gives me a greater appreciation for my own editors too. ;) I hope you'll take some time to check out some my other book babies, my editing babies. A couple of them were even up for awards this year.
Do you love discovering new authors? Which of these books intrigues you the most?