Amy R. Anguish's Blog, page 25

Just What I Needed

Do you ever get in a funk? You know. Where you have a list of things that need doing, but all you want to do is sleep or read or just be lazy in general?
It doesn't even have to brought on by anything in particular, although it can be made worse by things like rejection letters or facing edits. Yes. I might know that from personal experience.
​Anyway, I was there. Last week. And it was fairly good timing for it. Because we had a retreat weekend scheduled.
When I say "writing retreat" please know that there isn't usually much writing accomplished. At least, not by my Once Upon a Page girls. Instead, we knocked out a ton of videos for our YouTube channel since it's hard for us to find time to get together and do it as much as we'd like.
But we did invited a few other authors to join us. And I think they wrote at least a few hundred words. ;-)
And we played games, ate food, and laughed ... A LOT. Oh, how I needed to laugh like that. We're talking ab workout style laughter. It was glorious.
So, now that I'm back to reality, am I in a better place and out of my funk?
Well, not completely. Because I wore myself out driving to Illinois and back. And didn't get nearly as much sleep as I normally do.
But I am in a good enough place to be able to get some stuff done today. And I can face the edits coming my way later this week. So, definitely worth it.
What do you do to pull out of a funk? If you had a chance to get away for a few days and surround yourself with others who are like-minded, would you take it?

Destination Romance Cover Reveal

Are you ready to finally see the cover for my June release?
This series (my first) has been several years in the making, and I'm thrilled to be able to see it coming true. This first book is called Destination: Romance, and includes cities like New Orleans, Gulf Shores, Atlanta, and Memphis. That's right. It's a roadtrip romance. And I think it's a lot of fun. Not that I'm biased or anything. ;-)
Because this series is a little different, we went with a different style cover from some of my others. This one has more cartoonish figures with one of the city scapes in the background. Are you ready to see what you think? See below!
It’s not every day you bring a boyfriend back as a souvenir.
 
Katie Wilhite is ready to settle into her new job as a librarian now that college is through, but friends Bree and Skye want one more girls’ trip, and when Bree insists this is her bachelorette fling, Katie agrees. What she didn’t agree to was allowing fun and flighty Skye to dictate the itinerary or for her anxiety to kick in harder than ever ... right in front of a cute guy.
 
Camden Malone had no idea when he agreed to be the voice of reason on his cousin Ryan’s vacation that the trip wouldn’t stay in New Orleans as planned. But when Ryan plots with Skye so that the guys can tag along with the girls all week, he isn’t nearly as upset as he should be. Not with Katie’s fiery temper and flashing eyes intriguing him more by the minute.
 
Can Katie relax enough to trust Camden and a possible future, or will she continue to push him away as only a vacation fling? And can Camden move past a rocky history of his own to be able to jump into a better future? For a trip that was supposed to be all about fun, there’s a lot of romance going around.
And there you have it. Are you excited? What do you think? Can you wait for June 14th?

Author Interview: Carolyn Miller

I first discovered Carolyn Miller through her regency romance novels. You all know I love me some regency romance! And I can vouch for the fact that every one of hers I've read is good. Recently, though, I've gotten to know her a little better through Inspy Romance, since we've both joined in the last year. She's definitely a lot of fun, lives in Australia, and her recently released book, The Breakup Project, has a Jane Austen lover in it! So you know I'm in. I can't wait to introduce her and her books more to you, too, so read on.

Carolyn, what first inspired you to be an author?

Ooh, what great timing to ask this question! As I’m writing this I’m watching the Winter Olympics, which is actually where my writing journey began. Back in 2010 I was watching the closing ceremony of the Vancouver Winter Olympics when I saw an Aussie female athlete holding hands with a US male athlete as they entered the stadium. I was struck by how two people from different countries and (presumably) different sports could meet, let alone sustain a relationship, especially given the gruelling nature of their elite athlete training schedules, and all those time zone differences. Despite my best efforts, I never found out who they were, so I made up 'their' story, which became Love on Ice, about an Aussie short track speed skater (because that’s such an awesome sport!), and an ice hockey player. I had SO much fun writing their story that I wrote another one (which also just so happened to feature an ice hockey player!), and realised that writing was what I wanted to do. And now, 12 years after having written that story, I’m thrilled to finally have (a much rewritten and edited) Love on Ice out in the world! Very nice!
I know you travel a lot, so tell us what is your favorite place you've visited so far? Least favorite?

My favourite place to travel? What a hard question! As an Aussie I think we’re used to traveling, and I’ve been blessed with many opportunities to visit family and interesting places around the world. One of my absolute favourite places was Dunrobin Castle in Scotland, in one of the furthest places you can get from my home town, halfway between Sydney and Australia’s capital city, Canberra. I still remember sitting in my tiny office praying to one day have the opportunity to see this amazing place, then not a year later, sitting in the beautiful castle grounds next to the North Sea thanking God that I was sitting there in my answered prayer. God is so gracious! (That castle features on the cover of my Regency novel Misleading Miss Verity!) As for least favourite? Maybe Sihanoukville, Cambodia, which my husband and I later discovered is kind of seedy, and not exactly the place to take four children under ten. :)

Oh, goodness! Is there a place you've visited that you'd like to write about and haven't yet? Or a place you've visited and know you'll never write about?

I have half written a story set in Fiji that I’d love to publish one day, and I’d also like to write about our experience in Vietnam (which we visited when my sister-in-law was living there). While we enjoyed visiting Siem Reap in Cambodia I’m not sure I’d set a story there any time soon. But never say never, right?

Definitely! How hard is it for you to switch between writing regency romance (my favorite) and contemporary romance (what I write)?

Because I actually started by writing contemporary, and had written about five contemporary books before trying a Regency, I feel like writing contemporary is fitting back into my groove. And after writing so many Regencies (I’ve now had 11 release over five years, with another, Midnight’s Budding Morrow, coming out in May, and Dawn’s Untrodden Green releasing next year) I’m loving not having to do the same types of research that writing Regency demands (right down to looking up to see whether a word was in use in that era!). So while I still have some more historicals releasing and that I’m writing, I’m really happy to see readers have been enjoying the contemporary stories that actually kickstarted my writing all those years ago.

I can definitely appreciate the desire to not do intense research. How did you come to choose to write romances with characters who are athletes? Do you have a favorite sport that inspired it?

Ooh, as I mentioned before, my writing started because I loved the toughness and resilience of Winter Olympians, and the fact that anyone of that calibre would ‘have a story’ to tell, of challenges and overcoming obstacles in their professional life as well as their personal life. Mixed with that is the interesting element of being a Christian in such a results-oriented world, which has more potential for tension, especially in finding one’s identity in Christ rather than one’s performance. I think that’s a challenge we can all identify with at times! So I have my Original Six romance series, based on players from the original six hockey teams of the NHL, which I’ve loved writing about because hockey combines toughness and skills on ice. I’ve visited four of those cities (Boston, Toronto, Chicago and Montreal) and loved incorporating some of what I saw on my trip into these stories. I learned about a Boston Bruins online Bible study which inspired my series concept of an online Bible study group of Christian NHL players, and it’s the banter and support these guys offer each other that really helps create a sense of brotherhood and connection between the stories. It’s fun to get a glimpse of ‘what happens next’ as each story continues. And maybe we can blame Carrie Underwood’s husband, Mike Fisher, for part of my love for ice hockey – and my love for creating handsome, Christian hockey players!

You had me at handsome and Christian! Which one of your characters you've written do you think is most like yourself and why?

I think the character most like myself is probably Sarah Maguire who makes an appearance in Muskoka Blue (book 6 of the Original Six series, out July 28). I actually wrote that book almost like a form of therapy after my husband burned out from church ministry, so many of the things she’s going through are very similar to my own experiences and emotions. I don’t want to give too much away, but a few hints: music, clumsiness, food droppage, and a certain mouse encounter are all things I may or may not relate to! 

Interesting! And, to finish off, can you please tell us one thing about yourself that very few people know?

Something few people know is that I’ve written songs, and actually have helped produce a couple of albums. I play keyboard and songlead in church, and I’ve written dozens of songs in the past that we’ve sung in church in past years, so writing books feels like another aspect of my creativity and doing my best to honor God. I hope people can connect with the characters in my books and find them relatable and real, and through the stories (re)discover aspects of God’s grace and faithfulness, just like what I used to write about in my worship songs in church. That’s my goal: to write romance with hope, heart and humour, and reflect God’s grace along the way.

Thanks so much, Carolyn! I'm always impressed with people who can write songs. And books, too! 

To know more about Carolyn and her latest release, keep reading. New Year. New Resolution. New Romance?
What happens when the best-laid plans break a friendship?
As the twin sister of hockey’s hottest forward, romance-loving Bree Karlsson is used to being ignored, leading to a New Year’s resolution to not date any athlete in her attempt to find Mr. Right. But what happens when the man who might prove to be her personal Mr. Darcy is her brother’s hockey-playing best friend?
Mike Vaughan might be happy playing in Boston, but he’d be even happier if Bree could one day see him as more than a good friend. He agrees to help Bree with a special project in the hope she’ll finally see him as something more. But when a misunderstanding ends in a Valentine’s Day disaster, Bree realizes that her breakup project may have broken her friendship with Mike in two. Can she ever redeem her mistake?
This friends-to-more romance has plenty of heart, humor, and swoon-worthy kisses in this first book of the Original Six, a sweet, slightly sporty Christian contemporary romance series.
The Breakup Project is available from Amazon, Amazon.com.au, Apple, GooglePlay, Kobo
Carolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. Together with her husband she has pastored a church for ten years, and worked as a public high school English and Learning and Support teacher. 
A longtime lover of romance, especially that of Jane Austen, Georgette Heyer and LM Montgomery, Carolyn holds a BA in English Literature, and loves drawing readers into fictional worlds that show the truth of God’s grace in our lives. Her contemporary romance series includes the Original Six hockey romance series, and the Independence Islands series, and her historical series include the Regency Brides and Regency Wallflowers series.
Connect with her:        website | facebook | pinterest | twitter | instagram

Still Exciting

I have been published six times since 2017. And I've signed contracts for four more publications this year and next. Well, correction. Because now I've signed two more contracts!
And it never gets old.
Seriously, there is always a little thrill when the email comes through with the attached document to print and sign. Because it means someone else believes in my story and is willing to take a chance on it, too.
So, want to know what I signed?
First, I signed a contract, along with Heather Greer, Sarah Crouch, and Rachel Herod, for a novella collection to release next February. It's called Love Delivered, and I'm very excited about it. My story is about a grocery delivery service. Heather has cookie delivery, Sarah is flowers, and Rachel is a good old-fashioned regular delivery guy with all sorts of packages. Should be loads of fun. The only one of this group close enough for me to celebrate in person was Rachel, but we did it well, with cookies and warm drinks and some time together talking about writing and books.
The second contract is for my story called Window of the Heart, one of a four-part series I'm writing with Heather Greer, Regina Merrick, and Erin Howard. This series will follow a family and a chapel through about two hundred years or so, starting in the 1920s and even falling forward into a dystopian future by the end. Heather's story starts us off in the 20s, Regina's will be around the 1970s, mine is current day, and Erin's will start in current day, but fall forward into the future. Each story is stand-alone, but I think it's going to be fun to read them all together, too. My story will release August 2023.
Whew! You asked for more stories, and I'm doing my best to give them to you. What do you think? Are you excited?

Rereading for Research

Have you read all of Jane Austen's novels? There's only six of them, believe it or not. And only about three or four of them were published before she passed away.
At some point, I've read all six. I've read four of them multiple times, and usually reread at least one a year. But this year, I'm going back through all of them. And marking pages (with sticky notes--nothing permanent!).
​Why?
Well, one, because I love them. And two, because I'm going to try and write another book in the next few months. 
You see, that book I wrote last year about the girl who had booked the wedding chapel but didn't have a groom lined up? Well, turns out her sister is demanding a story now. Miss Lydia Smith. It's her turn to be a student at Southern Christian Tech, and come to find out, she's an English major. Who loves Jane Austen.
See where I'm going with this? I'm hoping to scatter a few of Jane's own lines through Lydia's story as she meets a football player named Will Bennett. A guy who has never heard of Jane Austen. Yep. Should be some fun conversations between these two, and I'm very excited to start writing.
But first, I have three more of Jane's books to reread. On to Northanger Abbey, which always makes me laugh. Then, to Mansfield Park and Persuasion.
​Do you have a favorite Jane Austen book? Do you have a favorite book about a Jane Austen-loving character? I'm always up for another read like that, too.

Valentine's day excerpt

Valentine's day is a day everyone thinks of as romantic. If you're in a relationship, you usually at least get a card, maybe some chocolate or flowers, and a hug or kiss. My husband and I tend to celebrate the week before Valentine's because it's when we originally started dating, but we still at least wish each other happy on the day itself. And my kids are all into giving and receiving cards and candy.
But what if you get a gift and don't know what to think about it? Has that ever happened to you? Did you ever have a secret--or not-so-secret admirer? Get a surprise bouquet? My character, Chris, in Writing Home , has that happen to her. I thought you might enjoy reliving this fun scene where she first gets flowers--and freaks out a little bit.
​"UM, CHRIS?”
Chris glanced up from her computer screen as Danielle’s voice pulled her from the struggle of rearranging all of one doctor’s appointments on a week he suddenly decided he needed a vacation. On the other side of the plexiglass, brightly colored flowers stared back at her. She tentatively pushed the window open and tried to see around the bouquet.
“Can I help you?”
A delivery guy held the floral arrangement out. “Christiana Jones?”
No way. Flowers for her? After she’d sat here all morning accepting deliveries for the other girls, fighting off jealousy, trying to not think about the fact that she didn’t have a Valentine of her own . . . again? “Yes . . . ”
“These are for you.” The guy tipped his hat. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
“Thanks.” She set the vase down in front of her, hands trembling. Who? Who on earth could have sent these? She stilled as Gregory ran through her mind. Or Garrett. “Who are they from?” Danielle asked.
“I’m afraid to look.” Chris pushed them toward her coworker. “You look for me.”
“Seriously?” Danielle searched through the foliage. “You don’t even know who would send such beautiful roses?”
Roses! Weren’t those flowers that declared love? Did she know anyone who she might consider in relation to that word? Her thoughts travelled westward, but then denied the possibility. They were just friends.
Finally, after a short eternity, toward the back, Danielle plucked a small white rectangle from behind a leaf.
“Happy Valentine’s Day. Jordan.”
Her heart added a couple extra thumps to its normal rhythm.
Jordan sent her flowers? Flowers that meant something? But that couldn’t be right. Jordan was her pen pal. Tina’s cousin. Did he think they were closer than she did?
“Who’s Jordan?” Danielle’s black hair tickled Chris’s cheek as the other girl handed
her the card.
“A friend.” Chris quickly tucked the card back in the vase and pushed the whole thing to the far side of the desk. She didn’t have time to analyze this right now even if she wanted to. This didn’t feel like disappointment. Or anger. Fear? Happiness?
“Those are very pretty.”
“Mm-hmm.” Maybe if she remained noncommittal with her answers, Danielle would let it go. Happiness, really? Why couldn’t these have been delivered at the end of the day instead of now? Now, she was supposed to be answering phones and filing insurance paperwork for Sandy who was out again for some unknown reason.
“Is he a friend or a boyfriend?” Danielle’s voice was very singsongy.
A family approached Danielle’s counter. Chris pointed them out, grateful for a minute out from under Danielle’s microscope. “I think they’re ready to check out.”
She turned back to her own window, the flowers catching her eye once more. He was just a friend, right? Wasn’t he? Had she misled him into believing something more existed between them? This had to be because she’d sent that stupid card! Or had she missed some indication in one of his last few letters that he thought this might be going somewhere beyond friendship? Was she okay with that?
Sure, somewhere in her imagination near the beginning of this letter-writing experience she’d wondered if it might play out more like her grandparents. End up as more than friends. But this was faster than she’d expected, maybe even faster than what she’d been trying to avoid when she suggested the plan.
Two hours until she could escape from here and have a moment to figure it out. It stretched out longer than Christmas Eve looked to an eight-year-old waiting for Santa. She took a deep breath before answering the phone. The light scent of the roses and other flowers wafted over to her, almost masking the normal smell of hand sanitizer and ink. That was nice, at least.
If only the beauty of the gesture didn’t come with so much confusion and uncertainty! Writing Home

Can letters from the past spur a couple on to the future of their dreams?
 
 
Christiana Jones dreamed her whole life of living in Huntsville, Alabama, so she can’t figure out why it doesn’t feel like home. Her relationships—on social media and in real life—seem shallow and empty. When she unearths a stack of her grandparents’ letters, it spurs an idea. Could she find something deeper with a pen pal?
Jordan White is taken aback when his cousin Tina suggests he become pen pals with her childhood best friend. What could a Louisiana boy have in common with a girl two states away? After all, he’s happily settled on his family’s property and working the job he always wanted. But every letter they exchange has him wishing for more.
As they grow closer through their written words, the miles between them seem to grow wider. Can love cross the distance and bring them home?

Author Interview: Delores Topliff

Today, I have the pleasure of introducing you to Delores Topliff. She's a sister author with Scrivenings Press, and has a fascinating history. And she finds the neatest stories to weave into her books. I think you're going to be just as intrigued as I am about her newest one. Read on!

Delores, your newest book, Wilderness Wife, is based on the story of a real-life woman, Marguerite McLoughlin. What was it about her that inspired you to tell her story?

I literally grew up in the shadow of Fort Vancouver, established by Marguerite and her second husband, Dr. John McLoughlin. Many know that the McLoughlins carved a vast empire out of a promising undeveloped wilderness. His accomplishments are well-known. Less is known about Marguerite. I researched her life and found solid gold.
Marguerite Wadin MacKay believed her seventeen-year frontier contract marriage to explorer, Alex MacKay was strong—until sudden fame destroyed it. He returned from accompanying Alexander Mackenzie across Canada to the Pacific telling Marguerite their frontier marriage was void in Montreal where he would now go to choose a society wife. Taking their only son, MacKay sent Marguerite and their three daughters to a North West Company fur trade outpost.
It wasn’t the first time she had been abandoned. Her Swiss fur-trader father was murdered before her eyes by a competitor when she was age seven. After abandonment Marguerite lived for her children but her courage carved out an unforgettable path and place in North American History. Together she and John are called the Mother and Father of the Pacific Northwest. She is known as "the kindest woman in Oregon."

What is one of the most interesting things you've come across when researching for your books? I know you've got lots of fun facts.

Marguerite's knowledge and use of natural plants was legendary. In college I worked summers for the US Forest Service and later in Canada identified noxious weeds for the Department of Agriculture protecting farm crops. I also did payroll and cost records at major forest fires. My lifelong interest in plants and remedies grew much larger from studying Marguerite.

You've traveled quite a bit in your life (including splitting your time between MN and MS each year). Is there a favorite place you've been? Any place you'd love to write about, but haven't yet?

This is a recording—because of Covid, little major travel has been possible. My two favorite international destinations are two choices: Eight trips I’ve organized through Israel totaling 120 days so far. (I've had to cancel a ninth trip but hope to reschedule.) I am writing a contemporary Romantic Suspense set there that I hope to finish soon. My other choice is places in Northern Ireland where area friends have taken me to including a terrifying and wonderful crossing of the choppy Irish Sea in a small boat!

I know you're also a college professor. Is there anything about teaching you've been able to incorporate into your writing? Has being a teacher helped with your writing in any way?

The best teachers are good storytellers. I love seeing students “picture situations” to gain understanding and that has helped hone my writing to make it more vivid and clear.

This is your first time to write split-time style, where you're partly in the past and party in the present. Is that a style you think you'll go back to again? What was the hardest part of writing that way? What was your favorite part?

Wilderness Wife, has morphed through many writing changes. First I wrote it as straight historical. Then it expanded into split-time with a contemporary young woman creating Fort Vancouver  dioramas of Marguerite being inspired by Marguerite’s courage and writings. Then my editors (rightly) judged that Marguerite’s story was stronger than the contemporary parallel, which diluted and weakened the story. The book and I survived major surgery. It was the correct decision.
My first historical published in January 2021 was Books Afloat, based on true WWII events in the Columbia River in 1942. I introduced an idealistic young woman operating a floating houseboat taking library books to residents up and down the river while also networking with undercover volunteers to safeguard the area against Japanese invasion. A Japanese submarine really did enter the river in the summer of 1942. I had fun researching, reliving, and writing this story.

What are you working on next? Can you give us any hints?

I’m past halfway through writing the Book 2 sequel to Books Afloat in the three-book Columbia River Undercurrents series. Strong Currents involves hero Johnny Hofer’s niece, Erica, joining river residents as a German Christian refugee. Pastor’s son, Navy Seaman, Josh Vengeance, MIA after Midway, is found and undergoes rehab until he recovers enough to return home. He and Erica face dangers and enough prejudice to land her in a POW camp while exploring the question, “What is an American?” Strong Currents will release Nov. 29, 2022.

And one final question. Can you please tell us one interesting fact about yourself that very few people know?

I’m an American who married a Canadian. I lived many years in Northwestern Canada enjoying learning many more outdoor skills. That included giving such convincing moose calls that one young bull moose responded by running right up to the car visitors and I were in. My friends were terrified.

Thank you for the opportunity to blog and chat with you today,
Delores Topliff   

​This has been so much fun, Delores. Thanks for stopping by.

To find out more about Delores and her writings, keep scrolling!
Wilderness Wife

How do you continue living when life collapses around you in a single day?
Marguerite Wadin MacKay believes her 17-year marriage to explorer Alex MacKay is strong—until his sudden fame destroys it. When he returns from a cross-Canada expedition, he announces their frontier marriage is void in Montréal where he plans to find a society wife—not one with native blood. Taking their son, MacKay sends Marguerite and their three daughters to a trading post where she lived as a child. Deeply shamed, she arrives in time to assist young Doctor John McLoughlin with a medical emergency.
Marguerite now lives only for her girls. When Fort William on Lake Superior opens a school, Marguerite moves there for her daughters’ sake and rekindles her friendship with Doctor McLoughlin. When he declares his love, she dissuades him from a match harmful to his career. She’s mixed blood and nine years older. But he will have no one else.
After abandonment, can a woman love again and fulfill a key role in North American History?
Delores Topliff grew up in Washington and Oregon but married a Canadian so enjoys US and Canadian citizenship. She taught college (still teaches college online), traveled, and published children’s books and non-fiction before writing novels. She brags on her two doctor sons and five grandchildren and divides her year between Minnesota and Northeastern Mississippi.

Follow her:
Website: https://delorestopliff.com
Blog: https://delorestopliff.com/blog/

Email delores@delorestopliff.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DETopliff
Twitter: @delorestopliff
Instagram: delorese.topliff

2022 Writing Plans

A writer's brain never stops. At least, mine doesn't.
I'm constantly coming up with new ideas for stories and blogs. And this is a good thing, most of the time.
Last year, I started out with a plan to write two stories and get at least one more contract. Instead, I wrote three novels, most of a novella, a couple proposals, and got contracts for a three-book series and two more novellas. Needless to say, I'm not upping my goals this year.
​That being said, want to know what I plan to work on writing-wise in 2022?
Books Being Published this year:

Obviously, I will be working on the books coming out this year, although they're mostly written and just need edits and marketing (except the novella, which only has two chapters so far). In fact, I'm going to be working on content edits for my June release ASAP. Here's what's coming out this year:June 14, 2022 -- Destination: Romance, the first of my Roadtrip Romance trilogy. This is Katie's story about how she gets a boyfriend as a souvenir on her girls' trip.September 27, 2022 -- Love in Any Season novella collection -- enjoy four stories encompassing each season as well as some very fun small-town festivals. Other authors collaborating on this collection are Heather Greer, Regina Rudd Merrick, and Sarah Anne Crouch. I'm super excited.December 13, 2022 -- Roadtrip for Two, the second in the Roadtrip Romance trilogy. After the wedding is canceled, Bree never expects to see her ex-fiancé again. Especially not on what was supposed to be their honeymoon trip.Those are the dates scheduled for this year. I don't plan to squeeze anything else in because I learned last year that two novels and a novella are about my limit right now. Still, it's very exciting to have that many.

Books being published next year:

That's right. I already have some novels and a novella on the schedule for 2023! How amazing is that?
This year, I'll be finishing those manuscripts up and turning them in so they can get into your hands next year. Here's what's on the schedule.
February 2023 -- Love Delivered novella collection. This is a four-story collection all about different delivery workers, from groceries to flowers, cookies and packages. Anything can be delivered nowadays--even romance! Collaborators are Sarah Anne Crouch, Heather Greer, and Rachel Herod.June 13, 2023 -- Operation: Get a Guy. This is the third in my Roadtrip Romance series. This time, it's Skye's turn. She's hanging out with her sister in Boulder, CO for the summer, working just enough to keep her car. But instead of finding the job she's looking for, she finds Benjamin.August 2023 -- Window of the Heart -- This is Lennox and Ty's story, and part of a four-part series I'm doing with Heather Greer, Regina Rudd Merrick, and Erin Howard. We're super excited about this coming out because it's been in the works for years. My story is set in current day, with each of the other stories about 50 years apart. They follow a chapel with a stained glass window and the family who helped bring the window over from Ireland in the first place.A few other things:

Even though that all sounds like it will keep me busy for the rest of the year, you know I'll be working on more, too. I just can't help myself. Too many stories in my head wanting to get out.
I'm in the middle of working on a proposal for a story I wrote back in 2018 about a couple on the brink of divorce. I'm calling it For Better or For Granted. I love this story, and I'm trying to polish it up with hopes of grabbing a 2024 publication date (so far out and yet so close!).
I'm also hoping to write at least one more book this year, if not two. Why? Because I have a fun idea for another series I'm calling my College Chapel series. I wrote what will be the first book last year, though it still needs some tweaking. And I have an amazing idea for a second book that includes a Jane Austen lover and a football player. ;) More details on that later.
Is that enough? Probably, but we'll see what my Muses decide I should add to it.

​So, what are you most excited about? Any of these stories sound good to you?

Author Interview: Kathy Cretsinger

Every now and then, you "meet" someone online and then have the blessing of getting to meet her in person, too. Kathy Cretsinger and I "met" through a Christian Writers' email group almost eighteen years ago. And back in 2018, we got to meet in person at KenTen Writers' Retreat. She's a blessing to many, and has helped quite a few authors see their dreams come true. I hope you enjoy getting to know her a bit more, too. Keep reading.


Kathy, I know macular degeneration has taken a lot of your eyesight over the last few years. What keeps you from getting discouraged and giving up on writing?
 
KC: Oh, I do get discouraged, but I have friends who have the same condition, and we talk. My father had Dry Macular Degeneration also, and I am encouraged that he didn’t stop. If I stopped doing any of the things I like to do, I’d die. You must keep going and going. I also have a device that helps me see. It’s IrisVision, and it enlarges things for me to read, watch tv, and a lot of other things. I’ve even taken it to football games to watch my grandson. Finding the IrisVision has made a big difference.
 
In the last couple of years, you've started a cozy mystery series. What made you switch from writing mostly romance to mysteries?
 
KC: I’ve read cozy mysteries for years. I love the shortness of the books and the quirky characters. I also like to write in first person. Most cozy mysteries are in first person. You don’t have to keep up with three other points of view.
 
When people "visit" Shady Valley in your books, what can they expect to find?
 
KC: First you will find mountains. The Appalachian Trail runs through the top of Holston Mountain, and it is beautiful in each season of the year. The people are friendly, and we’re related to most of them. The quiet of the mountains and the gurgling of the streams makes Shady Valley a peaceful place to spend some time listening. You will also find bears. There is only one restaurant, one country store, and a new Dollar General Store. At the restaurant and the country store, you pay with cash or check. I’m sure Dollar General Store uses credit cards, but nothing else does. I love it! 
What's up next in your writing life?
 
KC: I pray there are many more years of writing. Right now, I’m working on the second book in the series, Nothing Shady Ever Happens in Shady Valley. The title is Death by Doubloons. There are no sunken treasures in Shady Valley, but some happen to show up there. The main character is Liberty Garcia from Miami, FL. She is the recipe creator for Smart Living Enterprises. The book releases November 5, 2022.
 
Sounds fun. Okay, shifting gears now.
​I know you're one of the main people who plan the KenTen Writing Retreat each year. I've enjoyed it every time I've attended. What are you most excited about with this coming retreat in June?
 
KC: Yes, I am on the planning committee again this year. It is so much fun to plan a conference, and I’ve worked on each year’s event for KenTen Writers Conference. We are calling it a conference this year, and we’ve moved the event to Martin, TN. I am so excited about the whole conference. DiAnn Mills will again be our keynote speaker, and she is doing an Early Bird session on Marketing. I am very excited about that. DiAnn loves our conference. The conference will be held June 20-22, 2022. Please check out the conference at kentenwriters.org. It is going to be so much fun. We will have a writer’s contest again this year and you do not have to be present to enter. We will be judging both unpublished authors and published authors. Registration for the contest and the conference is open now. The contest closes March 15, 2022.
 
What would you say is the biggest benefit of getting together with other writers?
 
KC: Writers do not work in an office with several people. We are a lonely group. I learn so much from other authors. I love to listen to them. Writer’s groups and conferences help us to recharge. I love helping and working with authors.
 
I love getting together with other writers, too. Anything else you'd like to add about the retreat?
 
KC: The Early Bird is not included in the registration fee, but it is low enough for most people to attend. I know I do not have a large following and I need to learn more about getting people to know me. It is on June 20 from 1:00 to 5:00. We’ve always had a picnic, but this year we have a meal provided by a catering service. The winners of the Sandra Robbins Inspirational Award will be announced after dinner.
 
Okay, one last thing. Please leave us with a random fact about you that very few people know.
 
KC: I do not have a bellybutton. 

I can honestly say that may be one of the most interesting facts I've gotten so far! Thanks for stopping by and chatting today, Kathy!

Keep reading to find out more about her latest book as well as ways to keep up with her, too.
City girl Daisy McQueen inherits her grandmother’s farm in the mountains of East Tennessee–Shady Valley to be exact. Daisy owns a company, Smart Living, that teaches people how to live healthy, and she is used to city life. Shady Valley only has one small store and one restaurant.
Daisy finds a dead body in her cranberry bog, and she is the number one murder suspect. Harry Greer helps her with her investigation without realizing Daisy is one of the richest women in the world with her company, Smart Living.
Hunters are secretly entering her property from the Appalachian Trail at night. Harry wants to protect her, but Daisy wants to teach the people in Shady Valley how to eat and live healthy.
Someone wants her dead.

​Check it out here. 

Kathy Cretsinger and her husband migrated from the hills of East Tennessee to the flatlands of Kentucky several years ago to be close to their children and grandchildren. This brought another change in their lives. Kathy began publishing her books, and a few years later, she decided to help other authors who are having a hard time in the publishing industry by starting Mantle Rock Publishing LLC. Recently, Kathy sold most of her authors to Scrivenings Press.
Kathy loves being close to her family and enjoys growing orchids, which continue to multiply. She is now finding more time to write the books that have lived in her heart for the last few years. Visit her at kathycretsinger.com where she has a weekly blog.
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Writing Summary 2021

Are you worried about me after my last blog post? Don't worry. I'm okay. But also glad to have taken off a few weeks lately.
Want to know what all I actually accomplished, writing-wise this year? Well, the pictures above should show you part of it. I ended last year with three books published. I ended this year with six! Whew!
​But that's not all I did. ​Here's what I got done in my writing this year:Wrote the novella that released in September.Wrote a novel in February that may become a trilogy down the road--calling it my College Chapel series.Re-wrote a novel this spring/summer to be the second novel in my Roadtrip Romances (this one set to release next December).Got contracts for the Roadtrip Romance series.Got a contract for a novella in a series to release next September -- I've written two chapters and a synopsis.Wrote the third book in my Roadtrip Romance series this fall.Did tons of edits and marketing on the books that released this year.Joined InspyRomance and blogged even more than normal, as well as getting to be on a few podcasts and social media takeovers.Got a promise of two more contracts--one for my book in the Quadrilogy I'm doing with Heather Greer, Erin Howard, and Regina Merrick (set to release 2023), as well as another novella to also release 2023.Are you tired yet? Understand now why I am?
​Now, on to more polishing and edits so I can get everything turned in on time next year! ;-)