Amy R. Anguish's Blog, page 19

Author Interview: Danielle Grandinetti

Do you prefer historicals or contemporary? Or both? Today, we're chatting with author Danielle Grandinetti, who writes both Historical Suspense and Sweet Contemporary Romance. And all of her books sound so good. I hope you'll enjoy getting to know more about her and her stories. She has a new one releasing this month! Danielle, you write both Christian Historical Suspense and Sweet Contemporary Romance. What is your favorite part about each?

My favorite genres are historical, romance, and suspense, so combining them is awesome. I mean, what better way to have two characters fall in love but when they're running for their lives? However, all suspense, all the time, can be challenging, which is why I also love writing sweet romance. My first foray into this genre is A Father for Her Boy, which releases in August from Love Inspired.
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As you've done research for your historicals, what is one of the neatest facts you've discovered?

Oh there are so many fun facts I've learned! One interesting thing I learned in my research for Confessions to a Stranger is about Memorial Day. In 1930, the year the story is set, Memorial Day occurred on a date, not a day. So that year, Memorial Day landed on a Friday. It was originally a time to remember those who served and sacrificed during the Civil War. However after WWI, the holiday began to morph in name (from Decoration Day to Memorial Day) as well as to include those who fought in the Great War.
You've also done some teaching in the past. What is your favorite part of teaching? Do you ever weave that part of your life into your stories?

I worked for 20 years in various teaching roles before becoming a write-from-home mom. From providing private piano lessons to coaching writing online to middle schoolers to teaching Intercultural Communication and Group Dynamics as an adjunct professor at a university. I miss it. Now I teach the occasional writing workshop, combining my Intercultural Communication background with writing, which lets me share my two favorite topics with others.

As a matter of fact, I did weave a bit of my communication background into Confessions to a Stranger. The premise behind this story comes from how we often confide in strangers our deepest secrets. We share more than we might otherwise online, on airplanes, and in other places with people who we likely will never meet again. Yet we might have a hard time sharing with people we see on a more frequent basis. It’s a fascinating phenomenon. If you’d like to read more, I recommend the article by Lydia Denworth and Brian Waves, “The Paradox of Confiding in (near) Strangers,” Psychology Today, September 28, 2017.

What's the hardest thing about balancing motherhood and being an author?

Finding uninterrupted time to write. I snatch moments whenever I can, usually working from the living room sofa as my boys (5 & 3) play around me. I'm fortunate to be one of those people who work well with lots of distractions.

Finding uninterrupted time is a big deal for me too!
Want to give us a sneak peek into something you're working on for the future?

Sure! I'm in the brainstorming phase of what will be book 3 in my Harbored in Crow's Nest series. Winter in Wisconsin and the weather is the least of the problems facing Marian Ward and her two little girls. I'm aiming for this book to be released in early 2024!

Last but not least, what is something about you that very few people know?

I almost drowned as a kid in swim lessons. Fortunately my mom was watching and got me help before it became serious. It's made me passionate about sharing the true signs of drowning. It's not like in the movies with splashing and screams. It's quiet and still. I share this story, not just as a PSA, but also because it plays a role in Confessions to a Stranger. In the early 1900s, organizations like the YMCA took it upon themselves to teach life-saving techniques to women and in the first chapter, that knowledge might just save someone's life.

Wow! That sounds intense. Thanks so much for chatting with us today, and for sharing about your writing and life. I'm looking forward to diving into some of your stories now, too.
Readers, be sure to read all the way to the bottom for how to find out more about Danielle and her books.
Confessions to a Stranger

She’s lost her future. He’s sacrificed his. Now they have a chance to reclaim it—together.

​Wisconsin, 1930—While fleeing for her life, Adaleigh Sirland’s rescue of a child introduces her to a family who provides her safe harbor. When her identity comes under threat of exposure, she must choose between running once more or helping the man who teaches her to hope again.

First mate David Martins is intrigued by the mysterious woman taken in by his grandmother, but she wrestles with a troubled past. When his estranged father is arrested for murder, can David put aside his own struggles in time to discern which secret threatens Adaleigh before it kills them both?

Find out more here. ​Inspirational romance author, Danielle Grandinetti, writes both historical romantic suspense and contemporary sweet romance. An avid reader, she became a book blogger in 2016 and has been reviewing books since. She also won the University of Northwestern Distinguished Faith in Writing Award.
Danielle’s educational background includes an M.A. in Communication and Culture from Trinity International University, a B.A. in Communication from Louisiana Baptist University, and an A.A. in Biblical Studies from New Tribes Bible Institute, as well the Apprentice, Journeyman, and Craftsman Level certifications from the Christian Writers Guild. She has taught college courses on intercultural communication and group dynamics at Trinity International University and worked for twelve years as a virtual middle school writing coach.
Originally from the Chicagoland area, she now lives along the Wisconsin shoreline of Lake Michigan with her husband, their two young sons, and Labrador puppy. Find her online at daniellegrandinetti.com.

Recognition Where Recognition's Due

Because author takeovers are fun, and because this month has been so busy for me, so I gladly offered up extra spots to my friends, you're blessed with another guest blogger today. Rachel Herod is one of my dearest friends, and she and I have been celebrating her first release. She's talking about the recognition her characters ... and she ... are both hoping for. Read on. ​One of the most exciting aspects of writing is creating characters. Not just the way they look, but other facets of their personalities, too: their beliefs, their tendencies, their nuances. Sometimes characters are born that resemble friends and loved ones, beloved personas in other works of fiction, celebrities, or the author herself.  And sometimes we create cast members who exhibit characteristics we wish we had. To write someone you want to emulate can be helpful in your spiritual journey and even cathartic at times.
In the town of Buskerton, there’s an annual awards ceremony. Votes from all the townspeople are tallied, and local businesses are awarded a flowing banner to hang outside and show everyone they are the winners and the very best in their categories. The winners of what, you ask? Well, the winners of the Buskie awards, of course. As everyone knows, a Buskie award banner proves you’re the very best at what you do. Doesn’t it? Everyone wants a Buskie banner outside their front door, right? ​The Mermaids, The Ex, and USSS is set during the voting phase of the Buskie awards. My main characters are tired of hearing about the awards, tired of encouraging their customers to vote for them in the awards, and tired of being told who to vote for in the awards. When Ella Morrison visits a new church, she hears a refreshing message that validates her disdain for the awards and convicts a congregation in a competition-obsessed town.
In my former profession, there was a highly coveted annual award, presented to only one person a year. I’ll confess, I wanted it. I wanted it so badly, and some years, I actually felt I deserved it. I was even convinced it was stolen from me a time or two, through some dishonorable means or another. Pardon me while I cringe remembering that I actually felt that way. In the weeks leading up to the voting for this award, a marked change of demeanor was observable with many, if not all, of us. Suddenly, we were getting smiled at by everyone, and “Good mornings!” were flying all the way down the hall. There were free snacks in the breakroom and encouraging emails in our inboxes daily. Then, after the voting and the announcement of the winner, everything went back to normal.
Did people change their behavior in an effort to obtain votes? There’s no way to know for sure. No tangible proof, but we were all suspect.
When I went through a career change in 2019, the last thing on my mind was this award. I was embarking on something brand new. Something that could lead me where God intended me to be, where I might be able to do some good according to His plan. It’s a place where awards are just as difficult to win and they matter about as much. Unfortunately, I still care. I would still like some recognition because, well, don’t we all? Isn’t that part of fighting the flesh and overcoming sin? One of the basic three is the pride of life, is it not?
But I want to be like Ella Morrison, motivated to live well and please God, with or without the recognition of man.  
I’m reminded of the song “Steal my Show” by Toby Mac, an artist who’s been performing in front of screaming, adoring fans for decades. Celebrity can and does go to a person’s head, and Toby Mac has written about it in a few of his songs. In this one, he’s singing to God when he says, “If you want to steal my show, I’ll sit back and watch you go. If you’ve got something to say, go on and take it away. Need you to steal my show. Can’t wait to watch you go… so take it away.”
Just like Ella Morrison, this is another example of the way I want to be. To quote the preacher from The Mermaids, The Ex, and USSS, “Is it more important to us to carry out the will of God the Father, or to be the best among our peers? What is your focus and what drives you? Is it recognition here on earth? Is it a prize that you’re striving to receive from man? Or is it that crown of life? Is it the hearing of the words well done, good and faithful servant as you stand before your Creator in the last day?”
Oh, how that preacher was preaching to me! If I write an award-winning novel, the talent, the inspiration, the experience, the drive to complete it will have all come from Him, and all the glory is due Him. If I never write an award-winning novel, I want to keep working anyway, focusing on carrying out God’s will, just like the preacher said. Just like Ella. Just like Toby Mac. Just like characters who have yet to be created.
Steal my show, God. Make it all about you, because you’re the one who deserves all praise, all recognition, all glory. It’s all yours anyway.
The Mermaids, the Ex and USSS  (Rachel Herod)

Braig Sanborn is the most loyal employee the United States Shipping Service has ever seen, which is why he agreed to transfer across the country with only a few weeks’ notice. Ella Morrison is so busy planning a friend’s wedding, she didn’t expect to fall for the carrier who delivers packages to her house. When they both find themselves in too deep, will they agree the relationship was doomed from the start? Rachel Herod holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in education, which she put to good use for thirteen years as a public school teacher. When she isn’t writing, you can find her spending time with her husband, caring for their two kids and three cats, and volunteering as a crisis counselor for The Crisis Text Line.
You can connect with Rachel on her blog at http://daysixblog.blogspot.com

A Love-Hate Relationship

Ready for another author takeover? Today, Heather Greer is here to chat about a character too easy to hate. Do you like Love-Hate relationships? Have you ever had a love-hate relationship with a character? Maybe you see their potential, but their personality rubs you the wrong way?

Will Forrester was that character for me when I wrote Cake That!. He was rude and abrasive. Arrogance seeped from every pore. Will was a great baker, and he knew it. He also managed to alienate himself from every other competitor in the contest.

But as much as Will wasn’t the nice guy in the competition, just under the surface of what he allowed everyone else to see, I saw something more. Will wasn’t just a jerk. There were reasons he’d adopted those attitudes. And while I gave insight into those reasons in Cake That!, I wanted to give Will a chance at redeeming himself. 
That chance came in the Love Delivered novella collection. After all, a bakery makes the perfect backdrop for a story about deliveries. Who doesn’t like having fresh cupcakes or cookies delivered to their place of work? Sweet Delivery is Will’s redemption story.

Will’s spiritual redemption takes place outside the pages of Sweet Delivery, but readers get to see the difference a personal relationship with Jesus makes in his life. Not that Will is cuddly and soft now. God gave Will his personality, just like He gives us ours. There’s a reason for it.

God doesn’t want to undo what He gave Will to begin with. He wants to mold the negatives of Will’s personality into positives He can use. Will’s arrogance, when under the Holy Spirit’s guidance can become confidence to step out boldly in faith when others might shrink back in fear. Will’s tell-it-like-it-is attitude can be reshaped into a person who doesn’t skew truth to fit their current desires.
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As He does in our lives, God is taking Will on a journey. There are times of failure and times of growth. And I’m so excited to be able to share some of those times with you through Sweet Delivery. I hope the hate in your love-hate relationship with Will Forrester is erased by the end of his story. I hope you come away seeing Will as a hero-in-the-making, a work in progress you can understand and even relate to. Because after all, Will isn’t too different from the rest of us in that. 
Sweet Delivery  (Heather Greer)

After winning Cake That!, Will Forrester thinks his Pastry Perfect Baking Dreams have come true. The sweetness fades when a chain bakery moves to town, and Will must adjust his plans to keep his customers. Hiring Erica Gerard is one of those changes. As they work together, Erica challenges Will and offers new ideas to improve the bakery. Soon, Erica and Will start bringing out the best in each other. But Erica harbors a secret, and if it’s discovered, Will might never be the same. ​Born and raised in rural southern Illinois as a preacher’s kid, Heather was well acquainted with ministry life before her husband became a pastor fifteen years ago. She started serving in youth and children’s ministries when her daughter was still a child. Now, those ministries and wrangling the schedules of her three teenage boys takes a lot of her time and energy, but Heather still tries to carve out a little time for herself. Like many of you, her favorite way to relieve the stress of the day is spending time with a good book. Of course, if she wants the time to be really special, Heather will add a warm blanket and a mug of hot cocoa to her reading time. If she isn’t reading to relax, you can either find her baking in the kitchen or binge-watching her favorite television shows.
Heather has been active in youth ministry for several years. She has led children’s and youth groups for many years. She also directs a Christian youth camp for teenagers every summer. While most of her ministry work has involved children and teenagers, Heather has a heart to see women of faith encouraged and growing in their relationships with God. As believers grow closer to God and begin living out His truths in everyday life, others will see their need for the Savior and long for relationship with Him. It is Heather’s prayer that God will use her love of writing to foster this encouragement and growth in the lives of Christian women.
Heather’s book Grasping Hope is a 2020 Selah Awards in the Women’s Contemporary category.
You can learn more about Heather by visiting her website: https://heathergreer.com/

It's All in a Name

Today, you're in for a treat, because fellow author, Sarah Anne Crouch, is taking over my blog. She's giving you some insight into where she got her characters' names. See what you think. ​I truly love being an author, and it still feels a little surreal after publishing my third book. My favorite parts of the job are when I get in “the zone” and words and ideas just flow out of me, when readers tell me how much they love my stories, or when I get to collaborate and problem-solve with other writers.
 
One of my least favorite aspects of being a writer is coming up with names. I’m so bad at it. My husband and I picked names for our kids years in advance, so we’d have plenty of time to get it right. But I have to name my characters, their hometowns, their favorite musicians, the restaurant they visit on their first date, etc. It’s just part of the job. And if other authors are anything like me, they don’t want to help you come up with ideas. I once saw a popular Christian writer post on Facebook asking for name ideas. My immediate thought was “If I come up with a good name, I’m using it myself!”
 
So here’s how I did it for “Where Love is Planted.”
​How I named Trammel, Texas
My husband was born and raised in Texas, and I spent the first part of my life there. So together, we felt qualified to pick a town name that sounded truly Texan. We both got on Google Maps and started searching other states for names we liked. Then we searched to make sure those towns didn’t already exist in Texas. Of the names that were left, we both decided we liked the sound of Trammel best. I also tested it out on a few other Texans before I put it in print. Now I feel like it fits the tiny West Texas town perfectly.
 
How I named Ivy and her family
Back in the days of phone books, business owners would often pick names that would get them at the beginning of the list alphabetically. So I thought, what if the flower shop was named after the family and they happened to have an “A” name? Thus, Aaronson Flowers and Gifts was born. A double “A” gets them to the very top of the list of flower shops!
 
Daphne is a Greek name meaning “laurel.” In Greek mythology, Daphne was a water nymph who escaped Apollo by turning into a laurel tree. I thought maybe in the Aaronson family, Daphne named her daughter Ivy because it is a plant name, like laurel, that isn’t too on the nose, like “Rose” or “Lily” might have been (although then I could’ve named the character after my daughters!). I decided Daphne’s dad might name his son, Luke, after the apostle. I named Ivy’s dad Jonathan, Jon for short, but his name didn’t actually make it to the book, so I may reuse it later!
 
Other names I had to invent
Grant Keller- I always envisioned Grant looking like Grant Ward, played by Brett Dalton, in Agents of SHIELD. No hidden meanings here, haha.
Packer, Hughes, and Price- I just Googled different combinations of last names until I didn't get any hits. It sounds real, though!
Trammel Coffee Co.- This one was very straightforward. I usually have a much harder time coming up with restaurant names.
Forest, River, and Road- The name of Ivy and Grant’s favorite bluegrass band. This was the most fun. Have you ever noticed that pretty much all bluegrass band names come from something in nature, like a forest or river?
Everyone else- The US Census is my favorite resource for character names. I just scroll the list of popular names from a given year until I find something I like.
 
Now you know my secret. Naming characters and places is an area I still have to work on. I’ve started putting together a spreadsheet to keep track of names I’ve used and new ones I like. Hopefully by the next book, it won’t be such a difficult process!
 
Do you have a favorite name from a book? Have any suggestions of a name I should use? I’m open to suggestions!
Where Love is Planted (Sarah Anne Crouch)

Ivy Aaronson is surrounded by family at their flower shop in West Texas-just the way she likes it. But she's given up hope on ever finding a man who understands her choices. When attorney Grant Keller orders flowers for his mother, Ivy wonders if maybe there are indeed some considerate men left in the world until she learns Grant's relationship with his parents is less than ideal. How can Ivy ever find love when every man she meets puts career over family? ​Sarah Anne Crouch lives in Arkansas with her husband, three children, and thousands of books. She always wanted to be an author, but spent some time as a teacher, earned a degree in library science, and makes feeble attempts to corral her small children as a stay-at-home mom. Sarah loves reading books, recipes, piano music, and emails from readers.

Website: SarahAnneCrouch.wordpress.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/SarahAnneCrouch
Instagram: Instagram.com/SarahAnneCrouch

Love Delivered

Love Delivered is the third novella collection I will be a part of. It releases tomorrow!
The last few weeks, I've introduced you to some of my characters, given some insight into the setting, and dropped a few other sneak peeks, but how about a few peeks into the other stories in this collection?
(If you need a little more of a sneak peek, scroll all the way down for a link to read the first chapter of each story ;) ) Where Love is Planted (Sarah Anne Crouch)

Ivy Aaronson is surrounded by family at their flower shop in West Texas-just the way she likes it. But she's given up hope on ever finding a man who understands her choices. When attorney Grant Keller orders flowers for his mother, Ivy wonders if maybe there are indeed some considerate men left in the world until she learns Grant's relationship with his parents is less than ideal. How can Ivy ever find love when every man she meets puts career over family? Sweet Delivery (Heather Greer)

After winning Cake That, Will Forrester thinks his Pastry Perfect Baking Dreams have come true. The sweetness fades when a chain bakery moves to town, and Will must adjust his plans to keep his customers. Hiring Erica Gerard is one of those changes. As they work together, Erica challenges Will and offers new ideas to improve the bakery. Soon, Erica and Will start bringing out the best in each other. But Erica harbors a secret, and if it's discovered, Will might never be the same. The Mermaids, the Ex and USSS (Rachel Herod)

​Braig Sanborn is the most loyal employee the United States Shipping Service has ever seen, which is why he agreed to transfer across the country with only a few weeks' notice. Ella Morrison is so busy planning a friend's wedding, she didn't expect to fall for the carrier who delivers packages to her house. When they both find themselves in too deep, will they agree the relationship was doomed from the start? Our publisher has generously posted the first chapter of each of our stories here. If you're a try-it-before-you-buy-it reader, this is perfect for you. We all hope you enjoy these sweet romances. 
Today is the last day to pre-order and save $1 on your e-copy. Or, pre-order a paperback, email proof of pre-order to heather@heathergreer.com and we'll see you a bookplate with all our signatures to put in the front of your copy. :)

Behind the Story: Why a Grocery Store?

What's romantic about a grocery store?
Well, right now, there's a whole aisle in my grocery store filled with chocolate. Soon, it will have flowers and balloons too. That's romantic, right?
No?
Okay, you're right. A grocery store isn't the most romantic place on earth. In fact, it may be one of the least romantic places. Let's face it. Most of us don't want to go to the grocery store most of the time. Though every now and then, I love getting away and just wandering aisles for a while. And I do adore getting a good bargain.
But that's beside the point. We're talking about the grocery store in my book. Why did I set my story there?
I love the idea of finding romance in the every day. And what's more "every day" or normal than a grocery store? Everyone has to eat. Everyone has to buy groceries.
So, I started playing with ideas. What if someone always went to the same register and had the same cashier? (I tend to do this when I can because it gives me a relationship and I make friends. I'm weird aka an extrovert.) But I needed something to keep them from a relationship too quickly. What could keep them apart?
The app. She shops for the Grocerease app and he doesn't like it. Because he's the manager. 
And the story grew from there.
Do you form relationships with people you see on repeat? Do you tend to use the same cashier each time you grocery shop? Do you know anyone who met at a grocery store?
Our novella collection is on pre-order now! Only a few more days until this beautiful collection releases. Are you ready to have some love delivered? ​Romance at Register Five (Amy R Anguish)—Mack McDonald isn’t happy about the Grocerease app coming to his grocery store. But he’s committed to the sixty-day trial period, and braces himself to lose money. Kaitlyn Daniels loves how the Grocerease app helps her make ends meet so she can assist her mom, the reason she moved to small Sassafras, AR. Mack and Kaitlyn struggle to overcome differing opinions on the perks of the app. But if they don’t, it could keep them from something even better.

Author Interview: Lydia MacClaren

We all know I love reading romance--historical and contemporary. But every now and then I get in the mood for a good fantasy adventure too. Which is why I'm so excited to interview this new-to-me author, Lydia MacClaren. She writes Inspirational Fantasy and her stories intrigue me. She's even including a way to get one of her stories for free, so be sure to read all the way to the bottom! Lydia, thanks for joining me today. Let's start off easy. What made you choose fantasy as your genre?
I love creating other worlds! Sure, I could write in ours, but I find it so much more interesting to write about a world where magic and fantastic creatures exist!​

Fantasy books are fun to read because their worlds are different than our own. How hard was it for you to create a whole new world for your characters to live in?
Not hard at all! I write what’s called “soft worldbuilding,” and I think that has made creating intricate worlds less time-consuming for me. Soft worldbuilding only describes what is necessary for the plot without a lot of additional information. I have a rough idea of what my world is like, with some important details, then I start writing and allow the rest to fill in as I write! It’s a bit of a mix between discovery writing and plotting, and it works for me.
What is the favorite kind of creature or city you've created so far?
What I love creating the most in my stories are the magic systems. They are so fun to develop, probably because I can be as imaginative as I want and everyone just accepts it because… why not? We all like exploring what is not possible in our world.
You have listed some amazing authors as your inspiration (Lewis, Tolkien, etc). How do you think your story compares to theirs? Did you catch yourself borrowing from some of the themes/characters/lands they already created?
Lewis and Tolkien sparked my interest in fantasy, along with Donita K Paul, Gail Carson Levine, Shannon Hale, and Megan Whalen Turner. The influence these authors have had on my books is primarily in similar themes. One big difference between me and my influences, I use fewer fantasy creatures than most of them!
I love most of those authors as well. Okay, how hard was it to create a theology/religion for your fantasy world? How does it compare to Christianity?
Everything in my books is informed by the Bible. Though I don’t write allegories, I do use motifs and themes from the scriptures. In my first novel, Seven Lives Saved, there is only one god that has not abandoned the world. Obviously, this god is not a perfect one like the only true God, but in this story, he does represent the patient, long-suffering nature of our own Savior, and extends the offer of redemption to our main character. In my other books, the religious system may reflect how darkness is already defeated, how we pursue justice while waiting for true justice, or other such biblical themes. I firmly believe that all stories in some way ultimately point back to the greatest story: Jesus’ death for the forgiveness of sinners. What better story is there to tell?
You self-published. Is there anything you wish you had done differently when looking back? Any tips for those who might be considering it in the future?
What I love so much about self-publishing is that you are limited only by your imagination. Within my budget, I have been able to pursue so many exciting paths! I have some projects I am so excited to move forward on, and I am free to do so! Looking back, I probably would have organized my book rollout a little differently to be better marketable. But even then, one of the major hang-ups for writers is not having the confidence to finally press publish so I’m glad I moved forward with publishing as I was ready to. My biggest tip for any writer considering self-publishing is to really study the market and understand what niche their books fit into. Whether self-published or traditionally, a lot of marketing will fall on the author, so growing as an author also means growing in marketing.
What projects are you working on now for the future?
I just published a romantic fantasy novella, Bone Beads! This cozy fantasy is all about change and forgiveness, set in a wintery tundra with hate to love, warm bonfires, and late nights telling stories. Oh, and that novella is free on my website! I am also currently editing another novel I plan to release this November. The storytelling never stops!
As a mommy and an author, do you sharpen your story-telling skills by making up bedtime stories?
My girl is a little young to sit and listen to a story without pictures, but hopefully someday! I think I have more practice with my husband when I make up outrageous explanations for simple things. He says I have a “storytelling” voice that lets him know when I am not at all serious.
Last but not least, can you leave us with one fact about yourself that very few people know?
The stories I wrote during high school were the least romantic ones I have ever written, while the ones I am writing now have much more romance in them. Maybe it’s just me, but that feels rather backward!
Thanks so much for joining us today, Lydia!
And readers, I hope you enjoyed this sneak peek into Lydia's life and writing. See below for a link to grab her free novella. I may go grab it for myself as well!
Bone Beads 
Leiv has a deadline to meet. Sent to record the first census at the nomadic tribe’s annual gathering, he wants everything to go perfectly. But when a snowstorm delays his return to the capital, Leiv must face how foreign he feels in his own tribe.

Eirlin needs the census taker to leave. Frustrated by all his counting, Eirlin cannot focus on preparing for her sister’s coming-of-age ceremony. But when a snowstorm traps him there, Eirlin can no longer ignore her harsh attitude toward Leiv or why his presence makes her uneasy.

As the snow continues to fall, Leiv and Eirlin discover that late winter nights often lay bare the simplest things.



​Want to know how you can get this neat story for free? Click here. ​Lydia MacClaren has been writing stories since her earliest memories. She lives in rural Pennsylvania with her loving husband and sweet daughter. When she is not chasing around a never-sleeping baby, she writes. When she is not writing, she dreams about her fictional worlds.

Behind the Story: Mack

We're continuing on with our sneak peek behind the scenes of my newest novella, Romance at Register Five. Today, it's Mack's turn.
Mack McDonald is in charge of his family grocery store, McDonald's. The store has been a fixture in the town of Sassafras, Arkansas for decades. His goal in life is to keep it that way. He does so by making sure he knows his customers, giving great service, and making sure everything stays exactly as its always been.
But how can he give good customer service when some of his customers are no longer coming in the store? Not now that the Grocerease app has come to town. Instead, Kaitlyn is doing their shopping for them, and he can't chat and find out the best ways to serve them. Doesn't she see this is a problem?
Not only that, but his sales are down. Ridiculous considering he has the best meat and veggies in town--much better than Foodland. That's what happens when he orders local as much as possible. But it doesn't seem to matter.
Of course, it would be a lot easier to argue with Kaitlyn all the time if he wasn't so attracted to her as well ...
Mack definitely has problems, but you don't have to wait much longer to find out what they are. The Love Delivered novella collection releases 2/14/23 and is available for pre-order now. Grab your copy early and save a dollar! Romance at Register Five (Amy R Anguish)—Mack McDonald isn’t happy about the Grocerease app coming to his grocery store. But he’s committed to the sixty-day trial period, and braces himself to lose money. Kaitlyn Daniels loves how the Grocerease app helps her make ends meet so she can assist her mom, the reason she moved to small Sassafras, AR. Mack and Kaitlyn struggle to overcome differing opinions on the perks of the app. But if they don’t, it could keep them from something even better.

Behind the Story: Kaitlyn

Ready to start meeting the characters for my new novella, Romance at Register Five? This collection of stories releases February 14th, and each story has a fun delivery theme. Today, I'm introducing you to Kaitlyn.
Kaitlyn Daniels is supposed to be working her grown-up job--teaching elementary school. But she moved after the beginning of the school year. She couldn't help it. Her mom's MS has flared up enough lately that she needs help. Now, Kaitlyn is living in Sassafras, Arkansas, subbing, and back to working for the Grocerease app. In fact, Kaitlyn is one of the reasons Grocerease is giving small-town Sassafras a chance. She saw the opportunity where people could use the service and advocated to get a trial period. Everything would be going great if local grocer, Mack McDonald, wasn't AGAINST this plan. But from the moment he discovered she was a Grocerease shopper, they've done nothing but butt heads. 
Kaitlyn sees the people who need an app like Grocerease. She sees the usefulness of it in her own life too, to help ends meet until she can get back to teaching full-time. But, will Mack put up too much of a fight and keep her plan from fruition?
Kaitlyn is determined to give him a fight.
What do you think? Does Kaitlyn sound like someone you can root for?
Love Delivered is on pre-order now. Save a dollar when you order your e-book before 2/14/23. Romance at Register Five (Amy R Anguish)—

​Mack McDonald isn’t happy about the Grocerease app coming to his grocery store. But he’s committed to the sixty-day trial period, and braces himself to lose money. Kaitlyn Daniels loves how the Grocerease app helps her make ends meet so she can assist her mom, the reason she moved to small Sassafras, AR. Mack and Kaitlyn struggle to overcome differing opinions on the perks of the app. But if they don’t, it could keep them from something even better.

It has to Start Somewhere

Every family begins somewhere, right? All the way back to Adam and Eve. Stories are no different. Characters all need a back story, a beginning, a place to come from.
Well, when Heather Greer, Regina Merrick, Erin Howard, and I all started planning out our stories, we realized this. Heather discovered a neat website where you can actually plug in names and dates and make a family tree. Since all of our stories are based on the same family, this was perfect. We could add and update as we wrote, and each could see the other's changes. Some of us even added pictures of our inspiration. Erin's the only one still needing to plug in her people, but hers are way in the future, so this could look interesting. ;) Heather's story, Window of Opportunity , just released last week. It's your introduction to the Dunnes. You get to meet Patrick, Sean, James, Evangeline, Brendan, and Connor. But I won't give you more details than that. After all, it's more fun to read it in the book.
The next time you'll see the Dunne's is in Regina's book, Window of Peace, which releases in April. It's set about fifty years later, so each book is around two generations apart, but you can still see some of your favorite characters from the previous book. Connor's son (Brendan's grandson), MC, is the hero of that one.
My book, Window of the Heart, releases in August, and it will be set in current day. It introduces you to Ty Dunne (Brendan's great-great-grandson), as well as his family, including a cousin or two and some aunts and uncles. Needless to say, by this time our tree has branched out quite a bit, just like any other tree.
I can't wait to see where it goes from there in Erin's book, Window of Time. With hers in a far off future, she's giving us some kings and princes and princesses to add in the mix. :)
​What do you think? Do you love following a family through the years? Does it help to have a diagram to see all the branches?