Amy R. Anguish's Blog, page 31

Author Interview: Jennifer Chastain

One of the privileges I've discovered with being published by multiple houses is that I have multiple publishing families. I'm still getting to know the authors over at Anaiah Press, but I'm enjoying it, too. And I hope you'll enjoy getting to know brand new author Jennifer Chastain with me. Here's the fun interview about her and her new novel, which sounds like so much fun!

How does it feel to have your first book "birthed?" 

    How do I describe my first book being published? When I saw the email saying, "Congratulations! We'd like to offer you a book contract for "The Mistletoe Contract", I started crying. But these were happy tears of joy. It's surreal, exciting, scary, and all those other adjectives thrown in! It's been a long awaited dream coming to fruition with a lot of long nights of writing. I guess I can sum it up in one word - overwhelming. 

I completely agree with all those adjectives. :-)
When did you first decide to become a writer?

    Oh wow, this is another tough question. Over twenty-five years ago I felt this strong urge to write. However, I was unsure and scared and really had no idea where to start. I have loved to read since I was a young child and was always making up stories for my Barbie and Ken dolls. However, six years ago, I felt God's call again and I said "I should write a book. I think I could do that." Before this, I lacked confidence in myself and my abilities but God kept nudging my heart to do this. And to be honest, He wouldn't let me rest. So I did a Google search for "How to write a novel"  and up popped Novel Academy/My Book Therapy, with Susan May Warren teaching the StoryCrafter classes. I learned so much and am still learning.   I have heard so many good things about that course. I'm glad it helped you gain the confidence you needed. Okay, with one book releasing now, what are you working on for the future?

    I am working on a trilogy about three brothers - the Jamison family. And the stories are set in the same small town as The Mistletoe Contract. I just finished finished editing Preston's story. He is the youngest of the three brothers and has always felt like he was in the one who was unseen, in his older brother's shadows. Preston, is a CrossFit athlete. I'm hoping to send this to the acquisitions editor by the end of October. I have also written about the middle brother, Tanner, a former NFL quarterback, but since this was the first story I had written, it needs a serious overhaul. And finally, the oldest brother, Brennan's story is almost finished. I also have a couple of novella ideas that need to be developed as well. I'm planning on putting my nose to the grindstone during NaNoWriMo in November.

Nanowrimo is also my major writing time every year. It's a crazy challenge but so rewarding! Your website says you write Second-Chance romance. I love that trope. What made you decide to write that type of story versus another?

 I love the idea of second chances. And third. And fourth,  etc. From a personal perspective, we all make mistakes. I've  made a ton of mistakes over the years, but God will always forgive me if I only ask for His forgiveness. His forgiveness is not conditional, it's freely given. That's what I love about this trope. My main characters are flawed and have made a lot of mistakes. And as a result of those mistakes, they feel so guilty, so unworthy, and so unloved. But when the right person enters the main character's life, they want to be a better person, and they actively seek to make changes in their lives. Perhaps the main character hurt the other in the past through actions or their words. My characters have to work through their issues, and with a little help from their love interest, they learn to let go of the hurt and the pain. Their journeys are uncomfortable but they learn so much about themselves and are able to grow as a person. The same is true for me and my personal walk.  I can't allow the shame and guilt of the past to hold me back from God's purpose for my life.

I love that. Now, onto something personal. You're a Yankee transplant? What's the hardest thing you've had to adjust to since moving south?

   We moved South when I was a teenager. As you can imagine, it was very difficult to leave all my friends, and start over. There were two things that I had to learn to adjust to when we moved south: the southern accent and the food. Believe me, I've picked up a slight accent after all these years and now enjoy most southern dishes - well, I enjoy everything except grits, boiled okra and boiled squash! 

I can't do boiled okra, either, and I've lived in the south my whole life. :-) I ask the same question at the end of all my interviews: can you tell us one thing about you that very few people know?

     Let me see...I think most people don't know that I attended school to become a Paralegal. 

Nice! I'm so happy you've discovered your writing voice. I look forward to seeing how far you go. Thanks so much for stopping by today.

​If you want to know more about Jennifer and her new book, keep reading.
​Confirmed bachelor, Nathan Rutledge shut his heart to romance when he was forced to break the heart of the only woman he loved. Now, with his father’s retirement from the family conglomerate, the torch has been passed to him. But there are two problems—first, he needs a wife in order to take over the family business. Second, someone has been embezzling company funds. With the pressure mounting, and time expiring to find both a wife he can trust and the thief, Nate needs a Christmas miracle.
 
Forensic Accountant, Meredith Mitchell’s life is in a shambles. Her mother needs a lifesaving transplant, Mom’s medical bills have bankrupted Meredith’s meager savings, and she’s sold everything of value, but it’s still not enough. Worse, she’s now tasked with discovering accounting errors for a new client—none other than Nathan Rutledge—the same man who gave her a broken heart for Christmas eight years ago.
 
Meredith wants to run. Nate wants the chance to right his wrongs. When he proposes a modern-day marriage of convenience, she balks at the idea. But he desperately needs a wife, and she really needs the money he offers. Is this the answer to her prayers? Or will this mutually beneficial arrangement re-open old wounds that can’t be healed? 


It sounds good, doesn't it? Here's where you can order it. More about Jennifer


Ever since she was a little girl, living in her small town in New York State, Jennifer has been a voracious reader. During the summer months, she would ride her bike to their library and return with a basketful of books. Her dad’s job moved them to Charlotte, NC in her teen years, but the memories of growing up in a small community have stayed with her. A Yankee transplant, she has grown to love the grace and charm of the South. In fact, she even married a native Charlottean.
For the past five years, she and her husband have been host parents to several
international high school students. They have experienced the joy of seeing these students blossom into young adulthood.
Jennifer is a member of ACFW, ACFW-NC, and My Book Therapy/Novel Academy. Several of her other stories were finalists in the Blue Ridge Mountains Foundations contest and she was a finalist in the Touched by Love contest, sponsored by the Faith, Hope, and Love chapter of RWA. Her contemporary romance stories contain the themes of redemption, grace, forgiveness, and second chances.
A hopeful romantic, Jennifer loves dark chocolate, Diet Coke, old movies, and a good romantic movie. She loves to experiment with new recipes in the kitchen, and when not cooking, she’s baking. Growing up in the snowy North, Christmas has always been her favorite holiday, with the scents of cinnamon, vanilla, and pine scenting the air.
She and her husband have been married for over 25 years, and they are permitted to coexist with their black rescue cat.
 
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www.jenniferchastain.com
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Gearing up for Nanowrimo 2020

Ready or not, here it is. Sunday begins what is called National Novel Writing Month, or Nanowrimo for short. I've participated and won at least nine years (I missed a few the years my children were born, for some reason). I had a few years early on when I didn't quite make it 50,000, the goal of the month. But the last few years, I've surpassed 75,000 words. It's a huge accomplishment.
And, it must be working, because of those nine Nanowrimo stories, three have been published, and two more will be next year! Wow!
So, for this year, my goal is to write book two of my Roadtrip Romance series I started last year. I meant to write this one earlier this year, but got sidetracked with a book that will hopefully end up being part of a trilogy written with Heather Greer and Erin Howard. Until then, I'm back to my original plan.
The first book in the series is about three college friends who go on one last roadtrip together after graduation before Bree gets married. Well, this second one is Bree's story. And it's her honeymoon, although I don't think it's going to end up being anything like she expected. Working title of the story right now is Honeymoon Mayhem.
How does that sound? Do you love reading stories where things go so wrong that you have to wonder how they characters will ever come out with a relationship intact? That's my goal for this one. If you don't hear much from me in November, now you know why. ;-)

A New Challenge

When I decided my word for 2020 was stretch, I had no idea how fitting that word would truly be. Sure, I meant to stretch myself to new things, to learn and grow and expand. But I had no idea when I started this year that I'd end up doubling how many stories I had published by the end of 2021!
What!?
​That's right.
I just signed two more contracts for books to release next year. That means that at the end of 2021, I'll have six books published, twice as many as I have right now.
​To say I'm slightly shocked and blown away is an understatement.
Here's what the two contracts were for. The first one was for a novel to be published in December 2021. It's one near and dear to me, about a preacher's daughter who has fallen away from the church after she grows up and how she finds her way back home.
The second contract was totally unexpected and unlooked for. My publisher offered me a spot in a novella collection with four other authors. Each story will be a Christmas tale set on a different beach, and the title is Candy Cane Wishes and Saltwater Dreams. My beach is going to be St. Simon's Island, Georgia, a place I've been wanting to set a story at anyway. The collection will release September 2021.
Whew!
So, why is this a new challenge?
Well, I've never had more than one book release in a year before, so that's new... and thrilling. I've never actually written a story with contract already in hand. All my previous ones were written before gaining the contract. We'll see if this makes it easier or harder. And, I've never written a novella. Instead of my normal 65-70,000 words, I'll be writing it in 18,000. Yikes. I hope I can do it.
Looks like I'm going to continue to stretch myself in 2021! Maybe my word for next year will be maintain or continue. ;-)
Have you taken on any new challenges this year (besides living through a pandemic)? Enjoy this picture from St. Simon's I took last year to get us all ready for my story next fall. :-)

The Power of Retreat

When Heather Greer, Erin Howard, and I started talking about how/when we were going to get together to shoot more videos for our YouTube channel in October, we decided to try our hand at another retreat. The one we did for just us in March was great, but this time, we opened it up to others, too. And let me tell you, even though our first official retreat was small, it was powerful.
What do I mean by powerful? Were there earth-shattering moments or majestic instances of insight? Probably not.
That being said, if you've never been on a retreat of any kind, let me tell you what happens.Not much sleep.Lots of laughter.Bonding.Eating.A little bit of work.Peace.I got to spend two full days and nights with people who understand at least part of what I'm going through. We got to encourage each other. Uplift. Build each other up. Help brainstorm. Rejoice in good and share the pain of the bad. Yes. It was a great weekend, despite not many words being written on my part (I'm saving mine for November).
We also recorded several more YouTube videos, so be watching for those, too.
Have you gone on a retreat? What's something you gained?

A Year of YouTube

When Erin Howard and Heather Greer and I started talking about doing a YouTube channel a year ago, I wondered what on earth we'd find to talk about. Since then, we've posted almost every Saturday. And grown closer to each other. And had so much fun.
Who knew? YouTube wasn't something I'd ever considered being on. I mean, I'm not a star or anyone, so why make videos that no one would watch? But you guys! At least a few people have watched our videos. And by doing this together, we've all grown and stretched outside the comfort zones we had set for ourselves.
So, what has a year of YouTube taught me?It's a good thing Heather figured out how to edit these videos, because we end up with tons of ridiculous footage of us being silly before we actually get started doing what we sat down to do.It's harder than you'd think to remember to say all the things in each video--you know, things like "welcome to Once Upon a Page."When you can't be with the ones who make the videos with you, Zoom works in a pinch, but it's not near as much fun.It's worth it to drive several hours to spend a day laughing and filming with these two girls.Just because I wasn't sure about it doesn't mean it wasn't worth it. It's been totally worth it.In a pinch, we can always find something to talk about.So, have you ever accomplished a year of doing something you'd never considered and weren't sure about when you started? What did you learn?

And, if you want to check out our YouTube channel, here's the link.

Three!

Did you know that Laura Ingalls Wilder was sixty-five years old before her first book was published? Sixty-five!
Let me tell you, I am nowhere near sixty-five. And that makes the fact that my third book released this week even sweeter. Just look at that beautiful picture. THREE books with my name on them. :-)
Sometimes, I can't even believe how all of this has worked out. To go from having stories in my head, to writing them down, to EDITING, to finding other people who saw the potential in the stories, too, and were willing to give them a shot. Wow. It's a lot. But to be able to hold these books in my hands and see my name on the covers ... and have other people tell me they loved them? Wow. Just wow. Thank you for being along for the ride and for helping this crazy author live her dream. Because without readers, there's no point in me writing these stories down (except to get my characters to hush, but that's another tale).
I hope you're enjoying these stories as much as I enjoyed writing them--or even more since you didn't have to go through the editing process with me. Ha!
And may I never wake up from this dream-come-true. Because it's lovely, in spite of all the crazy chaos that goes with it.
Have you ever had a dream come true? Are you still working towards making yours happen? You've got time! Laura Ingalls Wilder is proof of that. ;-)

Author Interview: Sally Ling

Today, I'm interviewing fellow Anaiah Press author, Sally Ling. The more I learn about this lady, the more fascinated I am. Read on and see if you feel the same.

What started you down the road of writing books about Florida history?

I was a special correspondent for the Sun Sentinel newspaper and my editor assigned me a story about some old World War II buildings on the campus of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida that used to be part of the Boca Raton Army Air Field (1942-1947). After I wrote my article, I realized this was a much bigger story than the 700 words I was assigned. I wrote a second article for a local magazine (2000 words), yet the story still wasn’t given adequate space. My first book on Florida history turned out to be the amazing story of how the Boca Raton Army Air Field played a pivotal role in winning WWII. The story was made into a feature documentary by our local PBS station.

What is your favorite part of living in Florida?
​
The weather. Although it’s hot in Florida in the summer, so is the rest of the country. Where I live (southeast coast), there is always a breeze, and the winter is beautiful. Typically, I go to North Carolina for the summer.

I know you write both fiction and nonfiction. Do you have a preference or like each for different reasons?
​
I typically alternate my writing between nonfiction and fiction. Nonfiction involves a copious amount of research, so it typically takes me longer to write. I must say, however, that my fiction books also require lots of research as you’ll note in Women of the Ring. Regarding fiction, I’ve always had a vivid imagination, and for that reason I love writing fiction. The challenge of weaving a story together and not really knowing where I’m going until I get there is exciting to me. I’m a pantster writer (I write by the seat of my pants). Is there a historical fact you've discovered you want to write about, but haven't found the time yet?

Yes. Few know that when the colonies were established the British also had established two colonies in Florida: East Florida and West Florida. So in essence, there were fifteen colonies.
I love that your book includes the history of the first engagement ring. As a romance author, I always love learning tidbits like that. What was something that surprised you when you studied rings?

When writing Women of the Ring, I was looking for a way to weave the story of the contemporary engagement ring into historic significance when I chanced upon the story of Mary of Burgundy who is actually credited with wearing the first engagement ring in history. What a fascinating story she has! That story became the catalyst for the book and how her ring, though redesigned, became owned by a number of historically significant women. 
Would you describe your fiction as more romance, mystery, or something else? What made you want to write in that genre?
My fiction is typically more mystery, though my current cozy mysteries with Anaiah Press do have a thread of romance in them. I also have a series of biblical mysteries (The Cloak, The Spear of Destiny, The Twelfth Stone), and one of my books (Who Killed Leno and Louise) is a mystery based upon the cold case murders of an Italian sculptor and his wife who were murdered in 1948 in Boca Raton, Florida. This turned out to be one of those stranger than fiction stories.
I know you're working on something new right now. Can you give us a hint about what to expect from you down the road?
I’ve taken a break from historical nonfiction and am currently writing a series of cozy mysteries. If they do well, I may stick to this genre for a while, but I’m also finishing a fiction book (The Man in the Red Flannel Shirt) based upon a story relayed to me about a contemporary encounter with an angel.      
I always ask my authors to tell us one fact about themselves that very few people know. What ya got?

I didn’t start writing professionally until my mid-fifties. I’m now 72 and am hoping to get all the stories in my noggin down on paper before I kick the bucket.
​
Thanks for joining us today, Sally. Your stories sound fascinating and I bet a lot of us are looking forward to getting to read one.

Keep reading to find out more. Brooklyn jeweler Abel Moody thought cleaning and appraising longtime friend Julia Townsend’s heirloom engagement ring would be nothing short of routine. Instead, he discovers it matches a sketch of an ancient ring his deceased father left him. This remarkable coincidence prompts him to immediately close his shop and embark on a clandestine journey to Paris. 
At an ancient church in the heart of the city, a priest gives Abel a book–Women of the Ring. It reveals the long-hidden story of the world’s first engagement ring dating back to the late 1400s and the tragic death of its owner. The book also chronicles centuries of the ring’s ownership by women of historical importance from a reigning Queen of France to the world’s most beloved actress. 
The dangerous history of this ring prompts Abel to ponder the crucial question: If his friend Julia wears the ring, will she endure some heartbreak or catastrophe like the others did?  
Abel’s unconditional love for Julia proves the catalyst in wanting to protect her from the ring’s apparent past, no matter what the cost. 

A contemporary mystery bound to a historical past.  More here. ​Sally J. Ling, Florida’s History Detective, is an author, speaker, and historian. She writes historical nonfiction, specializing in obscure, unusual, or little known stories of Florida history, as well as historical fiction and mysteries with a Florida connection.
As a special correspondent, Sally wrote for the Sun Sentinel newspaper for four years and was a contributing journalist for several South Florida magazines.
Based upon her knowledge as well as excerpts from her books, Sally has appeared in three feature-length TV documentaries—“Gangsters,” the National Geographic Channel; “Boca Raton: The Secret Weapon that Won World War II” and “Prohibition and the South Florida Connection,” WLRN, Miami. She served as associate producer on the latter production. She has also appeared in and served as production consultant for several short documentaries on South Florida history produced by WLRN, Miami.
Sally has been a repeat guest on South Florida PBS TV and radio stations, guest presenter at the Lifelong Learning Society at Florida Atlantic University and guest speaker at numerous historical societies, libraries, organizations and schools. 
Sally lives with her husband, Chuck, and splits her time between South Florida and western North Carolina.

​Follow here online here.

Sneak Peek of Saving Grace

This book baby is releasing October 6th. But just to whet your appetite, here's a sneak peek of the first chapter. I can't wait to hear what you think.

Don't forget to join me on Facebook on the evening of the 6th to party and celebrate ... and maybe win a door prize. Click here to find out more. [image error] prologue___ch_1.pdfFile Size: 145 kbFile Type: pdfDownload File

What to Expect

My third book, Saving Grace, launches in one week and one day. I am pretty excited right now, and I wanted to share a bit with you of what to expect over the next few weeks as I launch this book baby. I have quite a bit planned. On all these blogs I'm mentioning, I'll be sharing links on my social media sites--and quite a few are going to be giveaways so be sure to check them out!Wednesday, September 30, I will be on Regina Merrick's blog, answering some questions as my character Michelle.Thursday, October 1st, I will share the first chapter on my blog, so be sure to watch for that. Want just a bit more? I'll share the first TWO chapters with my newsletter subscribers (look up in the top right corner of this screen if you haven't already signed up).Also on Thursday, I will be on Karin Beery's blog and InspyRomance.  Friday, October 2nd, I'll be the Fiction Friday on Snark and Sensibility, sharing another scene from my book.Saturday, October 3rd, we're celebrating my release on Once Upon a Page, our Youtube channel, and I'll read a scene.Tuesday, October 6th, Happy Birthday to Saving Grace! I'll be celebrating that evening with a come-and-go book launch on Facebook and would love to have you all join me. Here's the link. Swing by with a friend or two. I'll be doing games and giveaways.Wednesday, October 7th, I'm chatting on Hallee Bridgeman's blog answering some questions her readers have for authors.Thursday, October 8th, I'll be the guest on Journey to Joy, sharing more of the story before the story.Monday, October 12th, I'll be on Seekerville, talking about "When God says No."Tuesday, October 13th, I'm on Shannon Vannatter's blog, discussing Friends to Lovers in real life.Also on Tuesday, October 13th, I'm chatting on Reading is my Superpower.Wednesday, October 14th, I'm on Catherine Castle's blogAnd Friday, October 16th, I'm back on Shannon Vannatter's blog, talking more about friends to lovers in fiction.This is what I have planned for now. I'll let you know if I add any more. Thanks for being excited with me as I launch my third book. 

Saving Grace Deleted Scene

When I first wrote Saving Grace back in 2013, I started it in a slightly different spot than where it starts now. The scene was deleted during various editing stages, for various reasons. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to share it here, where you could see my original beginning, before you actually get to read the story itself.

**By the way, just two more weeks until it releases, and next week I'm planning to give some sneak peeks of chapters that are still in the book itself, just to give you a taste for it!     Leah’s breath came out in a whoosh. Her abdominal muscles tightened, starting from her back and then reaching around to her front. The baby gave a kick, as if to say she didn’t appreciate being squeezed that way.
   “Just a little bit longer and we’ll get you out of there.” Leah rubbed the spot where the foot had bumped. “Trust me. Neither one of us is comfortable right now.”
   John looked over at her and she gave him a smile of reassurance.
   “They’re getting closer together.” He looked more concerned than she was. It was so cute.
   “And that’s why we’re on the way to the hospital.” ​   He nodded and turned his attention back to the road. She took his hand and gave it a squeeze. He squeezed back and she knew that even though he was worried, he was just as excited as she was. They had been married for three years, and this baby seemed to be the one thing their life had been missing before. She gently massaged her belly as the small life inside her wiggled again.
   “I wish your Mama were still around to see this. She’d be thrilled to pieces to be a Grandma.” His voice cracked a bit.
   She nodded. “All of our parents would be excited to be grandparents. Your Dad would have loved it.”
   “They’re sure to be watching from Heaven right now. Just looking down and grinning.”
   She smiled at that thought. Pain wrapped around her middle again, squeezing and contracting. She shifted, arching her back away from the seat. There was no comfortable position. The seatbelt strap cut into her at an awkward angle. She popped it loose to readjust it.
   Ding. Ding. Ding.
   The car warned her that she wasn’t supposed to be out of her seatbelt.
   “What are you doing?”
   “I just need to get it adjusted.” She tugged the belt around her again, trying to reach around her large stomach to push it back in. Good thing this baby was coming now. If her belly had gotten any larger, she wouldn’t have been able to fit anywhere much longer.
   “We’ll be there in a few minutes. Please put it back on.” His hand hovered over her.
   “I’m working on it. Tell you what. Next time, you can carry the baby and I’ll be the one with a normal sized belly to have to fit into a seatbelt.” She tugged at the strap again. Almost had it. “Why do you think babies always choose to come in the middle of the night? Less traffic?”
   An intersection ahead. He slowed, but the light changed to green. Onward, as fast as they could go.
   “That’s definitely a theory.”
   A motorcycle zipped through the intersection, running his red light.
   No time to think.
   No time to slow again.
   John braced his arm across Leah as she struggled to get the buckle to lock back into position.
   Too late.
   He swerved to the left as hard as he could, and the world turned over.