Amy R. Anguish's Blog, page 29

A Muse Vacation

I don't think I realized how burnt out I was getting. I mean, I wasn't completely frazzled, but I was close. From getting edits for my October release last year through the release of my January book this year and finishing a few other things, I hadn't stopped. Seriously. I'd written and/or edited something almost every day through all of that.
And that's good. Because it means forward momentum.
But it's also bad. Because it means I was tired.
When April rolled around, I honestly didn't mean to stop writing. I had great plans of everything I was going to accomplish this month.
And I haven't completely stopped working. I've written blogs. Done a few edits. Entered a contest.
But I have slowed WAY down on the writing side of life this month, and it's been so nice. Instead, I focused on other creative projects, like baby blankets for friends or sewing for my kids.
And, in the midst of not focusing so much on writing, my muse has decided to enjoy herself and keeps throwing me more ideas for the future. I've scribbled them down in a book to look at later. This year is full to the brim, but I seem to thrive (most of the time) on that.
I told my husband I set expectations for myself probably higher than I should. But I'm also learning to listen to my body and try and stop every now and then to read, craft, do other things, and recharge. Because as much as I like to think I'm a Wonder Woman, even she needs an occasional nap. ;-)
Have you ever discovered that taking a break helps make things work better when you come back to them? What are some ways you like to recharge?

Author Interview: C Kevin Thompson

Hello! This month, I'm interviewing a fellow Scrivenings Press author, and very interesting guy, C. Kevin Thompson. I've gotten to know Kevin a bit over the last year, despite not living anywhere near each other, and I'm thrilled to help you get to know him, too. So, without further ado, read on to find out more about him and his amazing story, The Letters, which I just read recently and enjoyed.

Kevin, your bio says your love of writing grew in middle school (mine, too). Is there a book or two you can think of that really stuck with you and made you want to write something like that? Or was it more the teacher?

I liked the creative aspect of writing, I guess, like many other kids in elementary and middle school. As I grew up, I was always thinking of scenarios and coming up with spoofs of stories or situations that I always thought would make great commercials. That’s why I appreciate so much the GEICO commercials. They are so creative. The Pinocchio as a motivational speaker one is my favorite. “You have potential! And you have potential. And you have—oh boy…” So good.

Although I liked the creative aspect of writing, I was not much a reader until I hit the age of 13 (So, there is hope out there, all you Moms with boys.) The book that got me interested in reading was Jaws. I wanted to be a marine biologist growing up, until I realized spending months at sea was part of the job description. I get deathly seasick, and when I attempted to take up scuba diving, I knew that was not something that would work for me. However, marine biology was what got me interested in Jaws. That book got me interested in reading. Reading got me interested in so many other things. Now look at me. Award-winning author. Two Masters Degrees. Former ELA teacher and now an administrator. You see? It can happen.

Congratulations on being a Finalist for the 2021 Selah awards. Can you tell us a little about The Letters and what inspired you to write it?

Thank you (He says with a smile). The Letters came from a heart and desire to deal with an issue that I didn’t feel was handled very much, if at all, and when it was, not very well (abortion). I also was working on a personal study at the time wherein passages like Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8, where it talks about a day to the Lord is like a thousand years, and vice versa. This coupled with a conversation about abortion and what happens to all the aborted children caused me to seek a Biblical perspective on how God views time and redemption. Other passages like, Jeremiah 1:5, made me realize that time to us and time to God are two entirely different things. We are tied to clocks and calendars. He isn’t. He can stand over time and see the past and into the future simultaneously. How else could he see Jeremiah in his mother’s womb and know he’s going to be a prophet? How else could He know to put two angels on the Ark of the Covenant, creating the Mercy Seat, and then hundreds of years later, recreate that same concept at the Resurrection when the two angels sat at the head and foot of the place where Jesus was laid (and no doubt sat when He rose from the dead), thus recreating the Mercy Seat all over again (cf. John 20:12)?

This study came on the heels of when The Shack came out and took the Church by storm. I personally had trouble with the theology of that book, and wanted to make sure I dealt Biblically with the theology of The Letters.

It also is written with a tinge of allegory sprinkled in for good measure, but instead of giving everything away, I’ll let the reader determine who plays the role of Satan and who plays the role of Jesus. I know you've worked as a pastor and now are an assistant principal. Do you ever put bits from your real life into your stories?
 
I do. However, I usually put little pieces in that do not play huge, plot-altering roles. Like, for example, the car Micah Gregson drives in The Serpent’s Grasp is a Ford Mustang. I used to have one of those back in the day. It was a 1971, fire engine red, Mach 1 with a 351 Cleveland engine. Man, do I miss that car.
 
I also have used my grandchildren’s names in my stories as well. Those characters always play supporting cast kind of roles, but I thought it would be cool for them to show to their children someday.
 
As far as using pastor-like things or assistant principal-like things, my first foray into middle grades fiction uses a great deal of experiences from my AP days. It’s titled Oliver Wendell Holmes and the Case of the Terrorists’ Cell. It’s set in middle school, specifically 6th grade. It’s done, and I’m in the process of trying to find a publisher. I truly think it’s one of the best things I’ve written so far. It’s funny, serious, fast-moving, and sets the stage for a long, lasting series of standalones that will be designed to “grow” with the characters into adult fiction. If you know of an agent or publisher who might be interested, let me know. 
 
That sounds amazing! I hope you can find a publisher soon.
What made you pick thrillers as your main type of book to write?
 
I like the fast-paced, mystery aspect of a thriller. Don’t get me wrong, I love mysteries too. But thrillers take mysteries to a higher-octane level and can do some things mysteries typically do not.
 
Can you tell us about any future projects you've got in the works right now?
 
Well, I mentioned my Oliver Wendell Holmes series. I plan to work more on that. I already have Book 2 kind of mapped out. It’s tentatively titled Oliver Wendell Holmes and the Case of the Framed Photograph. I’m trying to make all my titles in this series have or carry in them a double-entendre too. That’s not easy!
 
If you had to pick only five books to read for the rest of your life, could you do it? Ha! And what would they be?
 
Only five, huh? I could pick just one. The Bible. And that’s not cliché either. I could live with just this one. However, if you’re talking fiction, non-fiction, earthly writers, etc., etc., as well, then five gets a little harder to choose, but I’ll try to add four more:
 
1. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
2. Timeline by Michael Crichton (the movie did not do the book justice)
3. Jaws by Peter Benchley
4. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas
 
One last question, which I always throw out there for my authors. Can you tell us one interesting thing about yourself that very few people know?
 
As you can see by all the pictures of me out there in the web, I wear glasses. I do so because I have keratoconus. It developed when I was thirty years old, which I was told was rare because patients with this disease form it in their teens. It usually stops its spread by the age of thirty. I had 20/15 vision before it happened. Now, I see mostly out of one eye. The other one is pretty much useless (20/200 without glasses). It makes writing harder because of the strain it puts on my one good eye that is 20/30 with glasses. I often get headaches in my forehead because of the strain. When that happens, I have to shut everything down and call it a day. Of course, computer work makes it worse, and being an AP in a COVID-19 world, we’ve gone to computers more than ever. However, I don’t let it run my life or get me down. It could be worse.

Well, I'm impressed. Your vision is definitely worse than mine, and I have days when I have to stop and shut things down early, too, because of the headaches from staring at a screen. Thanks so much for joining us today.

Keep reading below to find out more about his book, The Letters, and where you can follow him.
Rachel Hamar—a Manhattan bank teller—lives nothing close to a Manhattan lifestyle. Residing in Washington Heights, NY, the only thing keeping her in The Big Apple is her mother—a long-time patient in a local psychiatric hospital. It’s December 2014, and the twentieth anniversary of her high school sweetheart’s tragic death. She’s not sure how much more heartache she can endure, especially after being told earlier in the day she no longer has a job at the bank. A casualty of downsizing.
In the midst of spiraling depression, Rachel receives a mysterious letter in the mail. When she opens it, she becomes cautious and skeptical of its contents and discards it as a mistake, concluding it’s simply addressed incorrectly or a postal worker’s faux pas in the midst of a busy Christmas season. But another letter arrives the next day. And another the day after that. Before long, she is in possession of several letters. Each one more puzzling than the last.
Thinking that someone may be playing a cruel game, she contacts the police, and this propels Rachel and the two detectives into one of the most bizarre cases they’ve ever encountered. Is it a friend’s cruel joke? Is it some stalker’s perverse idea of manipulation? Or is it something more?

​Find out more here.

C. KEVIN THOMPSON is a husband, a father, a grandfather, and a kid at heart. Often referred to as “crazy” by his grandchildren, it’s only because he is. He’s a writer. Need he say more? Kevin is a huge fan of the TV series 24, The Blacklist, Blue Bloods, NCIS, Criminal Minds, BBC shows Broadchurch, Shetland, Hinterland, and Wallander, loves anything to do with Star Trek, and is a Sherlock Holmes fanatic too. But you will never catch him wearing a deerstalker. Ever.
Follow him at any of these places:​

Website:                                               www.ckevinthompson.com/
Kevin’s Writer’s Blog:                       www.ckevinthompson.blogspot.com/
Facebook:                                             C. Kevin Thompson – Author Fan Page
Twitter:                                                 @CKevinThompson
Instagram:                                             ckevinthompson
Pinterest:                                               ckevinthompsonauthor
ACFW Fiction Finder:                       https://www.fictionfinder.com/author/detail/595
Christian Authors Network:            https://christianauthorsnetwork.com/c-kevinthompson/
Goodreads:                                           C. Kevin Thompson
BookBub:                                              C. Kevin Thompson

A New Adventure

Do you ever have one of those moments when someone asks you to join their group and you're like, "Who, me?" And just like, you're on the ball field in elementary school once more, thrilled that you're not the last picked. And even more thrilled because you got on the team you were hoping for.
Well, I had no idea I even wanted to be on a team I'm joining this month. But when they asked me, I knew I had to say "Yes," despite wondering if they were sure they wanted me. Me? I'm not well-known or even all that amazing. But you know what? They asked me anyway.
Ready to know who I'm talking about?

InspyRomance!

This month I get to join the group of authors over there who chat all things Contemporary Christian Romance. And y'all, I'm fan-girling a bit. To be included among other authors I love to read and have been looking up to ... it's a pretty amazing feeling. So, that being said, come over and check it out. I'll be posting on that blog about once a month, getting to take over their social media every now and then, and participating in giveaways, among other things. I'm expecting lots of fun!
So, what about you? Have you ever been asked to participate in something you didn't even know was an option, but ended up being an honor and joy?

Change of Plans

Several of you have heard me talk over the last few years of my Roadtrip Romances I'm writing. A trilogy that follows three girls on different roadtrips where they also find romance, of course. Well, I had written the first one a while back, tackled the second one last November, and planned to write the third this summer (still hoping for that). With so much already done and figured out, I went ahead and sent a proposal in, hoping to line these up to start releasing next year.
​
I have good news and bad news.
The good news is, the publisher liked the idea for books 1 and 3.

Can you figure out the bad news?

Yep. No go on book 2.

I had set book 2 as a honeymoon trip gone wrong, wanting to show how hard it is to learn how to live with someone else, even if that someone is a person you're madly in love with. But, as she pointed out, that's not a romance. Because a romance novel by definition has the hero and heroine falling in love somewhere in the duration.

More good news, though. I've been working on rewriting the story enough to take it in a different direction--one more romantic. And I'm hoping to resubmit before the end of the month.

I'm still learning and growing. Every now and then, God reminds me to not get too big in the head, despite all the praise you guys have been giving my last few books. This was a learning experience, and I'm hoping to grow from it. So, don't give up on getting to read these books. Just hang with me, because they're not going to be exactly how I first pictured them. They might even be better!

​Have you ever used a disappointment to grow and better yourself? What do you look for in a romance novel?

Another Story Written and more

As I posted back before February, I was given a challenge to basically do another Nanowrimo in February, when people weren't as busy. I accepted, but told myself I wouldn't be upset if I didn't "win" like I normally do (aka over 50,000 words in a month), especially since February has fewer days.
Well, I had an idea for a story set in college, and as of February 23rd, I finished the first draft at almost 68,000 words. It was even better than I expected.
I know it will need editing, but it was such a joy to write. As the words flowed out, I discovered even more depths and lessons that my characters needed to learn. I got to learn about different majors than I had myself in school. And I created a school that included quite a few things I love from several schools in real life.
But best of all? I got to plan a wedding. And imagine a future for my characters that they could dream about. I got to go back and relive some of my own college experience through theirs. And it was fun. Although it did leave me dreaming about being back in school, too, which was not as fun.
If you want a bit more of a sneak peek in some of my inspiration for this story, check out my pinterest board here.
So, what now?
Well, I need to finish up some of my own edits before I send my manuscripts in to my "real" editor so they can release later this year. I'm also working with three other girls on a possible novella collection for next year. Next month, I should hear back about a proposal for a three book series I've pitched. And I have a big dream up my sleeve I'm keeping quiet a little longer.
Lots of exciting things, but some can't be talked about ... yet. Soon, though, I plan to bombard you with all sorts of happy news.
​Have you accomplished anything big yet this year? Did you take advantage of the snow days and get extra work done?

Author Interview: Deborah Sprinkle

Today, we welcome my fellow Scrivenings author, Deborah Sprinkle. I've gotten to know her a bit over the last year through zoom calls, and she's a delight to chat with. I hope you enjoy getting to know her just as much.

Deborah, congratulations on the recent publication of your second novel. As someone who majored in Chemistry and taught for a long time, what made you decide to write murder mysteries?

I've been an avid reader of mysteries since I was young, beginning with Agatha Christie. So when I retired from teaching chemistry and felt the desire to write, I naturally gravitated to the mystery/suspense genre. What's ironic is that my very first book was a patriotic devotional that I co-wrote with a friend! It was published in 2013 and it was another six years before my debut romantic suspense novel came out. 

Are there any people in your past who have inspired or been a big help in your path to publication?

I started going to the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers' Conference in 2011. There I met so many great people who would later become friends. One in particular has mentored me for many years now. That's DiAnn Mills. She's an award winning romantic suspense author who's written over 40 books that have sold over one million copies. Yet she believes in helping other authors, like me, get started and be successful. That's what I love about the Christian writing world. 

I know you've lived several different places. Did you base the town in your books on any town from your past or bits and pieces of several?

Yes. For many years, we lived on a 30 acre lake in northern Indiana much like the one I describe in my first book. It was near a community that was smaller than Pleasant Valley, and not within an hour of a big city like Cincinnati, but the house and the lake are very similar to ours. I'm not sure why I chose southern Ohio as the location. I just knew I wanted Pleasant Valley close enough to a big city to give myself options for future stories. 
With two books in the series published, are you working on the third? Any hints of what's to come you can share?

I am working on the third book in the series. In fact, it's due out in November of this year. I'm bringing back Nate and Madison from the first book. Rafe, owner of the private investigation firm and Madison's boss, will play a big part, and Zoe from the second book is one of the main characters. A friend of Rafe's from the army comes to Pleasant Valley to ask for his help, and ends up putting them all in danger. 

How has your background in chemistry come in to play with your writing?

Well, I always heard write what you know. So the protagonist in my first book, Madison Long, is a chemistry teacher. And, she and her co-workers are implicated through the way the victims are killed. In my second book, I throw in some chemistry using the M.E. to introduce it through evidence. It's fun to find a way to work it into the story. 

One last question I ask all my authors--can you please tell us one thing about you that very few people know?

Gosh, this is a tough one since I tend to be too open about my life. I had a brief career on the stage--very brief. When the school where I was teaching celebrated its 150th anniversary, we put on a play and I was part of the cast. And, even though I'm Presbyterian, for one scene I played a nun--in full habit! I felt like I was in The Sound of Music!

Thank you so much, Amy, for having me on your blog! 


And special thanks to Deborah for joining us today. I hope you keep reading so you can learn more about her and check out her books.
When Deborah Sprinkle retired from teaching chemistry, she wanted to do three things: attend women’s Bible study, join a book club, and write a mystery novel. 
After collaborating with Kendra Armstrong on her non-fiction book entitled Exploring the Faith of America’s Presidents, Deborah turned her hand to fiction. It took many years of honing her craft before Deborah realized her dream. Deadly Guardian debuted in May, 2019, with Mantle Rock Publishers. Deborah’s second book in the series, Death of an Imposter,  came out November 24th, 2020. And the third is under contract for November of 2021. She continues to win awards for her short stories, articles, flash fiction, and novels.
Deborah lives in Memphis with her greatest fan, her husband of 49 years, and describes herself as an ordinary woman serving an extraordinary God. 

Follow Deborah at any of the places listed here:
 
https://authordeborahsprinkle.com/
 
https://www.facebook.com/deborah.sprinkle.5/
 
https://twitter.com/debbiejsprinkle
 
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6860378.Deborah_Sprinkle
 
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/deborah-sprinkle
 
https://www.pinterest.com/deborahs4509/_saved/

After a year of hard work, Bernadette Santos has earned the rank of detective. Her second day on the job, Bernie finds herself investigating a murder, and attracted to Dr. Daniel O’Leary, the new coroner’s nephew—who appears to be involved in her case. But how?
 
Detective Bernadette Santos is the newest ranking detective on the Pleasant Valley Police Force, and she’s determined to do everything by the book. Which becomes her greatest struggle in this case. She’s paired with Detective Jeannie Jansen, who as a seasoned detective, tends to bend the rules at times.
 
And then there’s Daniel. She’s strongly attracted to him, but he’s become the target of some unknown assailant, and can’t—or won’t—tell her why.  He knows things—has skills—that most doctors don’t have. Where did he learn them?
 
Bernie must solve the murder while discovering if Daniel is a victim or a cold blooded killer. Her job demands it, and her heart requires it. 

Writing Home Discussion Questions

Since joining a book club, I've noticed how nice it is when authors have discussion questions posted SOMEWHERE, either in the back of the book, or on their website. So, for any of you who choose my novel to use as a book club read, here are some questions you can use to discuss afterwards. You're not limited to these, obviously. And I'd love to hear any you can come up with, too.
​1.  Not many people send real mail anymore. Do you think it would make it easier or harder to grow a relationship if you had to wait a week or so to receive the next missive?

2.  Christiana discovers that her lack of a social life isn’t only because of the shallowness of social media, but also because she hasn’t tried to make friends. Do you ever fall into a similar situation, wishing to be more involved but not actually taking the first step?

3.  Tina is determined that Christiana and Jordan should be more than friends. Even though her meddling eventually works, was it helpful or harmful as they developed their relationship?

4.  Jordan is considering selling his grandparents’ home, his inheritance, when the story begins. And then, towards the end, he suggests moving to Alabama to be close to Chris. Do you think their relationship could have made him happy with that decision or do you think it would have driven a wedge between them?

5.  When Jordan’s mom finds out his brother suggested their problems would be easier to solve if they got married, she laughed. Do you agree with her that marriage doesn’t solve relationship problems? Or do you think Nick was right to suggest Jordan go ahead and make that next move?

6.  In the story, Christiana discovers that home isn’t just where you live—it’s where you share life. Do you agree? What makes home “home” to you?

7.  Christiana had always wanted to live in Huntsville because of the stories her dad told growing up about how much he’d enjoyed going to school there. Have you ever tried something that had been built up only to find it wasn’t everything you thought it would be?

8.  Christiana’s co-worker, Danielle, starts the story off shallower than she ends it. Do you think the age of social media we live in has caused us all to become more focused on only showing our perfections and hiding our flaws? Has it caused us to become more self-centered?

9.  Misunderstandings are easily blown out of proportion—like receiving unexpected flowers, or hearing someone tell another guy she didn’t want a long-distanced relationship. How could Jordan and Chris have settled those problems more easily than they did?

10.  Christiana’s brothers always told her she would never stay in Huntsville. Do you think they “won?” Or did Chris give too much credence to their taunts?

Author Interview: Karly Cross

I don't know about you, but I'm friends with my former English professors from college. We keep up on Facebook and they cheer me on with each book, which is amazing. So, when I saw one of them cheering on another Freed graduate, I knew exactly how that felt. And the more I read about her and her book, the more I wanted to know. So, I reached out to new author Karly Cross, and she agreed to do an interview. After all, if I want to know more, you probably will, too, right?

Hi Karly, welcome! I'm always excited to meet other alum from Freed-Hardeman who are also authors. When did you first decide you wanted to write?
 
            Hi!  Thank you so much for having me!  This is definitely a blessing to be able to answer these questions with you. I love that Freed has connected us and that we have that connection to each other here in the writing world.
 
As cliché as it may sound, I think I’ve always had the writer’s spirit in me.  I was writing silly songs and poems from the time I could read, and all my fantastical stories were my favorite way to express myself.  Creating and writing have always just been part of who I am.
 
Your first book looks great. I'm always excited to find more books for my children to read as they grow, especially ones that include the Bible. What inspired you to write a book about going back to Bible times?
 
             Thank you so much!  It was definitely a labor of love, and I hope your kids enjoy it, truly!
 
I think sometimes when we read the Bible, we forget the humanity of the people we’re told about.  It’s so easy to slip into the mindset of “these are stories” rather than “these are historical accounts.”  By having the characters, Riley and Gabe, go back into these accounts, in my opinion, it gives young people a chance to really explore the humanity of the biblical people.  It broadens the scope and shifts the perspective, which I think can be beneficial to all.
That's a great point. My husband and I both have a pet peeve about people in the Bible being referred to as "characters." They were real.
I know your first book is geared towards YA. What made you want to write for that age group?
 
            I’m actually a teacher by trade, and I love working with kids. With my home congregation, I teach Bible classes, plan youth lock-ins and youth rallies, work with Lads to Leaders and CYC, and I love working on VBS here in the states as well as in Costa Rica!  I have such a passion for our youth, and want to show them every bit of love they deserve. 
 
I think young people in the church need good examples now more than ever, and by creating this for them, hopefully some sort of positive impact can be made in their lives.  Also, books for young people are just so fun!  Their imagination is limitless, and it’s such a joy to delve into that unbounded sense of creativity.
 
What's next? As an author, I know it takes a while to get a book published, but I also know I always have a project I'm working on for down the road. Will there be more books in this series about traveling to Bible times? Can you give us any sneak peeks?
 
            Well, in regards to what’s next, I am currently working on the second book in the series!  I don’t want to give away too much, but I will say that it’s one of my favorite biblical accounts that Riley and Gabe get to experience.  I will say, too, that I always have at least 4 ideas swimming around in my head on what to write next, so you never know what may come out of those!
 
I definitely have about that many swimming in my head at all times, too. :-)
If you, personally, could go back in time to when the Bible was happening, where would you want to go most?
 
            As simple as it sounds, I would love to be in the audience for the sermon on the mount.  To hear Jesus’ teachings from His own lips and see people just listening in wonder would be such a humbling experience.  Or I’d like to be on the boat when Jesus walked on water.  That would just be, for lack of a better phrase, super cool.
 
Okay, one last question I ask all my guests. Can you please tell us one unique thing about you that not many people know?
 
I am very much obsessed with coffee.  My best friend and I just completed the Coffee Trail here in Columbus, so that was fun! Going along with that,  I never order the same drink at Starbucks twice.  I usually ask the barista to make something of their choice, because if the drink is good enough for them, then I trust the barista’s taste! It’s definitely a fun part of the day and whoever makes the drink always seems really proud and like their day was made, too.

Well, that almost makes me want to drink coffee! ;-) Thanks so much for stopping by and chatting with us today, Karly. I can't wait to see what comes next.

If you want to know more about Karly and her book, keep reading.
​Karly Cross was born and raised in Ohio by a God-fearing family. She attended Freed-Hardeman University and graduated with her B.A. in English in 2017. Karly loves God, her families (birth and church), working with kids, and her dog, Laci. She still resides in Ohio today while pursuing her passion for writing.

​Follow Karly on Facebook.
Riley Carson is excited about her dad's return from a biblical expedition, but when he comes home with a slingshot from Bethlehem, the excitement is just beginning! Riley and her best friend, Gabe, grab the slingshot and it sends them back in time...all the way to the battle of David and Goliath! In order to return home, they must get the slingshot back, but will they get it? Or will they come face to face with a GIANT? Find out in "The Bible Time Travelers Book One: A Giant Problem!"

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February Writing Challenge

I finished writing my Christmas novella that's not due until May (it comes out in late September). And I meant to write the third book in my roadtrip romance series this Feb/Mar. But my muse evidently has other plans.
When I participated in Nanowrimo last November, several others participated, too, and we encouraged each other as we tried to get in our word counts. However, November is a hard month, and several fell short of where they wanted to be. So, someone suggested we try again in February.
You know I'm always up for a challenge. Or at least, always challenging myself. And since I'd been thinking of trying to write around then anyway, I jumped on board.
Now, more about what I'm hoping to write. I'm calling it Just Add Groom. It's going to be set the senior year of Hannah Malone's college career. What else is included? Sloan Miller, a barista at Hannah's favorite coffee shop on campus. Easton West, a handsome business major who needs help studying. Virginia Williams, Hannah's best friend and roomie. A chapel that's booked four years out for weddings. And a time crunch.
Sound good so far? I hope so. Because I'm hoping for at least 60,000 words next month. I'll update you soon!
And as for regular Nanowrimo this year? It's probably not going to happen for me with a novella collection releasing at the end of September and a novel releasing early December. And that's okay. My goal is to write this one now and another this summer (my third roadtrip romance book that keeps getting put off, of course). And we'll see how the rest of the year goes. It's still early. ;-)

Behind the Story: Floor plans

Have you ever been reading along and wished you could see exactly how a house or plot of land looked that the character lives in. Well, today is your lucky day.
In going through the edits for Writing Home, my editor couldn't picture exactly how everything looked the way I had described it. To make both our lives easier, I sketched out a rough (seriously, super rough with no measuring whatsoever) floor plan of the land Jordan's family lives on (see above) as well as his cabin (see below). Are you also curious about Chris's apartment? This link shows several apartments that are basically what I was thinking hers looked like-- especially 1A A. You walk in through the kitchen with the living room just beyond and her bedroom off of that. Very simple, but all she needed.
Does this help you picture things better? I love when books include maps and plans like this because it does help me see things the way the author sees them in her head. What do you think? Was this how you pictured Jordan and Chris's homes?