Amy R. Anguish's Blog, page 6
March 27, 2025
When the Names are all Wrong
When I started writing Rendersella, I had no idea it wasn't going to be a stand-alone book. The idea came to me fast and furious and all I knew was I was going to write it. Of course, my muse likes to trick me and suddenly have me realize there were two more books to go with it. Because why not?The further into Rendersella I wrote, the more I realized her friend Teresa was Snow White. And her stepsister was supposed to be the heroine in a Beauty and the Beast retelling. Right. So, two more books, it is.
Honestly, I was fine with writing two more books. I'm loving the fairytale retelling fun as I weave pieces of the original story into a totally new story with a whole different setting. The problem was, the further into Fairest Inn All, my Snow White retelling, I got, the more I realized I needed to change some of my names.
I had originally named Ella's stepsister Desiree. It's a fine name. Nothing wrong with it. But now that I knew she belonged in Beauty and the Beast, she was more of a Bellamy. Okay. Not a problem. Except if I change her name, that gives both the main girl characters in those stories names similar to the original characters' names. But not the one in the middle.
Teresa sounds nothing like Snow White. Well, I didn't want to name her Snow. And I didn't love a lot of the names that meant snow or white or winter. Until I found Kari. Okay. That's a fun name. And it means "Covered in snow." Ta da.
I'd already decided to change the names of the uncles, which are the character equivalent of the dwarves. I'd given them weird names, but the last name was Apple. So, I changed my plan and am naming them after apples. Still working to decide which goes with which.
Whew. I have the second story written now, and the third is coming together in big pieces in my head, so hopefully I can knock it out before the end of the year. But I am also hoping I have all the names in place now. Because changing the name of a character over halfway through a series is brutal. I kept trying to type the old name instead of the new.
Have you ever wondered where authors got the names for their characters? They probably don't all do it my way, but I'm sure there's a lot of thought going into them. If a name doesn't seem to fit a character, does it throw you off when reading a story? What do you think of my "princess" names?
March 24, 2025
Book Spotlight: A Homecoming in Shady Springs
It was a case of mistaken mail ...
I'm thrilled to have Sarah Anne Crouch on my blog today, chatting about her newest story, which is dear to both of our hearts. It's so exciting to see this book finally coming into the world and I know you're going to love it as much as I do. After all, how can you not love a story that starts with mistaken mail? Read on to see what I'm talking about.
On Tuesday, my new novel A Homecoming in Shady Springs will be released into the world! I’m so grateful to Amy for editing (multiple times over the course of multiple years) this novel and the whole series.
I thought I’d share with you the very first spark of an idea that inspired Henry and Catherine’s story.
Amy and I first met at church in Tennessee. At that same congregation is a sweet friend who went to Harding University and sent all three of her kids there too. It’s been fun to get to see their two youngest now that we’ve moved to Arkansas!
This friend once introduced me to a woman she went to college with but didn’t meet until they ran into each other at church years later. They shared a mailbox on campus at Harding as students and knew each other’s names but never saw each other’s faces.
Well.
As an author, I’ve developed the habit of collecting seeds of story ideas everywhere I go. And this story really got me thinking. What if two college students shared a mailbox but one was a boy and one a girl? And what if the boy accidentally picked up a package intended for the girl? And what if it made her extremely angry?
Years later, after I finished writing A Summer in Shady Springs, I came back to the story. That couple became Henry and Cate, Madeleine’s parents, meeting for the first time at Halloway University. I knew some details from the first book. They had a dramatic separation when Madeleine was young. There was a tragic accident in Shady Springs when Henry was in college. Henry had a difficult home life.
At some point, my husband and I watched the movie The Last Five Years. I was familiar with the premise of the play—five years of a couple’s relationship before it implodes, told forward and backward from opposing points of view. But what if I told a story like The Last Five Years, but with a happy ending?
So that’s A Homecoming in Shady Springs. It’s the story of Henry and Catherine coming together after every tragedy and obstacle life has thrown at them, learning that the journey of life is better with someone at your side. And it all starts with a mailbox mix-up.
Have you ever had a case of mistaken mail? I think my neighbors and I have gotten to know each other a lot better over the years thanks to misplaced letters and packages!
PS--If you pre-order Sarah's book today, you can save a dollar! Click on the link below to snag your copy now.
A Homecoming in Shady Springs
Catherine and Henry Mullins never thought they’d see each other again after their traumatic separation, but the engagement of their only daughter forces them together. As they spend time focusing on the wedding, Catherine realizes how much she still loves Henry. But is it too late for one more chance?
Twenty-five years earlier, Henry meets Cate on the campus of Halloway University. Although Cate makes it abundantly clear she isn’t interested in a romantic relationship, Henry can’t seem to resist her. Can he convince her to give him a shot? And will their love survive tragedy?
Follow Henry and Catherine as they journey through love over the years and discover that life is better with someone by your side.
Sarah Anne Crouch lives in Arkansas with her husband, three children, and thousands of books. She always wanted to be an author, but spent some time as a teacher, earned a degree in library science, and makes feeble attempts to corral her children as a stay-at-home mom. Sarah loves reading books, recipes, piano music, and emails from readers.
Follow along with her writing journey:
Newsletter- https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/694879/111814952436630870/share
Website- www.SarahAnneCrouch.wordpress.com
Facebook- http://Facebook.com/SarahAnneCrouch
Instagram- http://Instagram.com/SarahAnneCrouch
I'm thrilled to have Sarah Anne Crouch on my blog today, chatting about her newest story, which is dear to both of our hearts. It's so exciting to see this book finally coming into the world and I know you're going to love it as much as I do. After all, how can you not love a story that starts with mistaken mail? Read on to see what I'm talking about.
On Tuesday, my new novel A Homecoming in Shady Springs will be released into the world! I’m so grateful to Amy for editing (multiple times over the course of multiple years) this novel and the whole series.I thought I’d share with you the very first spark of an idea that inspired Henry and Catherine’s story.
Amy and I first met at church in Tennessee. At that same congregation is a sweet friend who went to Harding University and sent all three of her kids there too. It’s been fun to get to see their two youngest now that we’ve moved to Arkansas!
This friend once introduced me to a woman she went to college with but didn’t meet until they ran into each other at church years later. They shared a mailbox on campus at Harding as students and knew each other’s names but never saw each other’s faces.
Well.
As an author, I’ve developed the habit of collecting seeds of story ideas everywhere I go. And this story really got me thinking. What if two college students shared a mailbox but one was a boy and one a girl? And what if the boy accidentally picked up a package intended for the girl? And what if it made her extremely angry?
Years later, after I finished writing A Summer in Shady Springs, I came back to the story. That couple became Henry and Cate, Madeleine’s parents, meeting for the first time at Halloway University. I knew some details from the first book. They had a dramatic separation when Madeleine was young. There was a tragic accident in Shady Springs when Henry was in college. Henry had a difficult home life.
At some point, my husband and I watched the movie The Last Five Years. I was familiar with the premise of the play—five years of a couple’s relationship before it implodes, told forward and backward from opposing points of view. But what if I told a story like The Last Five Years, but with a happy ending?
So that’s A Homecoming in Shady Springs. It’s the story of Henry and Catherine coming together after every tragedy and obstacle life has thrown at them, learning that the journey of life is better with someone at your side. And it all starts with a mailbox mix-up.
Have you ever had a case of mistaken mail? I think my neighbors and I have gotten to know each other a lot better over the years thanks to misplaced letters and packages!
PS--If you pre-order Sarah's book today, you can save a dollar! Click on the link below to snag your copy now.
A Homecoming in Shady SpringsCatherine and Henry Mullins never thought they’d see each other again after their traumatic separation, but the engagement of their only daughter forces them together. As they spend time focusing on the wedding, Catherine realizes how much she still loves Henry. But is it too late for one more chance?
Twenty-five years earlier, Henry meets Cate on the campus of Halloway University. Although Cate makes it abundantly clear she isn’t interested in a romantic relationship, Henry can’t seem to resist her. Can he convince her to give him a shot? And will their love survive tragedy?
Follow Henry and Catherine as they journey through love over the years and discover that life is better with someone by your side.
Sarah Anne Crouch lives in Arkansas with her husband, three children, and thousands of books. She always wanted to be an author, but spent some time as a teacher, earned a degree in library science, and makes feeble attempts to corral her children as a stay-at-home mom. Sarah loves reading books, recipes, piano music, and emails from readers.Follow along with her writing journey:
Newsletter- https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/694879/111814952436630870/share
Website- www.SarahAnneCrouch.wordpress.com
Facebook- http://Facebook.com/SarahAnneCrouch
Instagram- http://Instagram.com/SarahAnneCrouch
March 17, 2025
Book Spotlight: No Leaves in Autumn
Do you have a bucket list place to visit? After reading two of Terri Wangard's novels, I'm leaning toward Brazil and Iceland! Maybe not, but she does make them sound amazing. She's my guest today to talk about some of the amazing landscapes in Iceland and how she used it to shape her newest book. I think you'll be as intrigued as I was. 
Where in the world would you like to go? Paris? Tahiti? Monaco? How about Iceland?
I like to set my World War II stories in unlikely places. Book One of my series, Seashells in My Pocket, is set in Brazil. Did you know Brazil played a role in the war? Brazil wasn’t completely foreign to me. I’d spent a day in Rio de Janeiro at the end of a South American cruise. Of course, the book was set farther north in Natal, but that’s beside the point.
For Book Two, No Leaves in Autumn, Iceland won the honor. While researching my first series about B-17s based in England, I frequently found references to refueling stops in Iceland. Much more occurred there than the busy gas stations.
At the beginning of the war, Britain grabbed Iceland before the Germans got the idea, much to the Icelanders’ displeasure. When the English found themselves fighting for their lives all over the world, they plopped Iceland in the Americans’ lap.
The US Navy established bases in Iceland to provide air cover for merchant shipping traveling across the submarine-infested Atlantic. PBY seaplanes flew over the convoys, watching for subs. My main character, Stefan Dabrowski, is a PBY pilot.
The Icelanders were unhappy about the invaders and loathed to associate with the men. Morale plummeted among the servicemen stuck on the island with little to do but work.
Enter the Red Cross. A contingent of young women offered recreational activities. Among them is main character Marie Foubert, who worked with hospitalized wounded. While the women helped the men cope with life on military bases, Iceland has much more to offer.
What is the first thing you think of regarding Iceland? Land of the midnight sun in summer or, in winter, a land with no sun? Excellent views of the northern lights? Or how about the recent news―erupting volcanoes?
Iceland is a land of dramatic scenery, and I sent my characters on sightseeing opportunities. Geothermal pools, glaciers, lava fields, waterfalls, mountains, hot springs, black-sand beaches. Wildlife from puffins to whales. Ready to pack your bags?
I haven’t visited Iceland. The closest I came was flying from Europe back to the US. I caught a glimpse of land that more likely belonged to Greenland. All my knowledge came from travel books and DVDs, all of which were quite recent. A lot has changed since the war in the 1940s.
In the story, Stefan and Marie toured the Golden Circle, which includes the waterfall Gullfoss, the geothermal Geysir, and a historic national park. They also relaxed in the heated waters of the Blue Lagoon.
Jenny Erlingsson, author of Milk & Honey in the Land of Fire & Ice and Her Part to Play, served as a beta reader for me. She lived in Iceland for several years and informed me that the names “Golden Circle” and “Blue Lagoon” were not in use in the 40s. In the final version of No Leaves in Autumn, those places are generic.
A cousin visited Iceland years ago and brought back some horses. Strange souvenir? Icelandic horses are small, sturdy creatures known for their unique gait and strength. They arrived in Iceland with the first Norse Vikings one thousand years ago. They remain pure. No horses are allowed into Iceland and horses that leave are not welcome back.
Look through photos of Icelandic scenery and you will notice the lack of trees. There are none. The Vikings may have deforested the island to build houses and ships. Volcanic activity may have destroyed trees and covers the soil with lava and ash. Sheep contributed to soil erosion. The harsh weather and short growing season are factors. Today in Reykjavik, you will find trees. The Icelanders have been planting them.
The landscape of Iceland was especially of interest to Stefan, who in civilian life was a geologist. I had fun introducing him to Iceland’s jewel box of geological delights.
Have you visited Iceland? What made the biggest impression on you?
No Leaves in Autumn
The Germans aren’t the enemies who bedevil Marie and Stefan.
It’s their colleagues who thwart them at every turn.
Marie Foubert grew up in an orphanage and struggles with feelings of rejection. As a Red Cross recreation worker, she interacts with the American men based in Iceland during World War II. Her growing attraction to seaplane pilot Stefan Dabrowski excites and concerns her. Won’t he disappear from her life like everyone else?
Stefan hears his commanding officer describe him as exciting as last night’s bathwater. One of his colleagues constantly berates him because of his Polish heritage and his superior flying skill. Despite being the squadron’s most productive pilot, he is threatened with court martial. A showdown approaches to prove who’s the better pilot and the better man.
Marie’s cousin, passing through Iceland, tries to see her after spotting her photo in Life magazine. She declines to meet him, but Stefan encourages her to do so and learn why no one wanted her. She may gain a family after all.
Terri Wangard grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, during the Lombardi Glory Years. Her first Girl Scout badge was the Writer. Holder of a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in library science, she is back in Wisconsin after several years in Michigan, Utah, and California. Her WWII research included going for a ride in a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. Classic Boating Magazine, a family business since 1984, keeps her busy as an associate editor. She serves on the Genesis and First Impressions contest teams of the American Christian Fiction Writers and will begin as the Carol contest coordinator next year. In addition, she is secretary of the Wisconsin Southeast ACFW chapter.
Where in the world would you like to go? Paris? Tahiti? Monaco? How about Iceland?I like to set my World War II stories in unlikely places. Book One of my series, Seashells in My Pocket, is set in Brazil. Did you know Brazil played a role in the war? Brazil wasn’t completely foreign to me. I’d spent a day in Rio de Janeiro at the end of a South American cruise. Of course, the book was set farther north in Natal, but that’s beside the point.
For Book Two, No Leaves in Autumn, Iceland won the honor. While researching my first series about B-17s based in England, I frequently found references to refueling stops in Iceland. Much more occurred there than the busy gas stations.
At the beginning of the war, Britain grabbed Iceland before the Germans got the idea, much to the Icelanders’ displeasure. When the English found themselves fighting for their lives all over the world, they plopped Iceland in the Americans’ lap.
The US Navy established bases in Iceland to provide air cover for merchant shipping traveling across the submarine-infested Atlantic. PBY seaplanes flew over the convoys, watching for subs. My main character, Stefan Dabrowski, is a PBY pilot.
The Icelanders were unhappy about the invaders and loathed to associate with the men. Morale plummeted among the servicemen stuck on the island with little to do but work.
Enter the Red Cross. A contingent of young women offered recreational activities. Among them is main character Marie Foubert, who worked with hospitalized wounded. While the women helped the men cope with life on military bases, Iceland has much more to offer.
What is the first thing you think of regarding Iceland? Land of the midnight sun in summer or, in winter, a land with no sun? Excellent views of the northern lights? Or how about the recent news―erupting volcanoes?
Iceland is a land of dramatic scenery, and I sent my characters on sightseeing opportunities. Geothermal pools, glaciers, lava fields, waterfalls, mountains, hot springs, black-sand beaches. Wildlife from puffins to whales. Ready to pack your bags?
I haven’t visited Iceland. The closest I came was flying from Europe back to the US. I caught a glimpse of land that more likely belonged to Greenland. All my knowledge came from travel books and DVDs, all of which were quite recent. A lot has changed since the war in the 1940s.
In the story, Stefan and Marie toured the Golden Circle, which includes the waterfall Gullfoss, the geothermal Geysir, and a historic national park. They also relaxed in the heated waters of the Blue Lagoon.
Jenny Erlingsson, author of Milk & Honey in the Land of Fire & Ice and Her Part to Play, served as a beta reader for me. She lived in Iceland for several years and informed me that the names “Golden Circle” and “Blue Lagoon” were not in use in the 40s. In the final version of No Leaves in Autumn, those places are generic.
A cousin visited Iceland years ago and brought back some horses. Strange souvenir? Icelandic horses are small, sturdy creatures known for their unique gait and strength. They arrived in Iceland with the first Norse Vikings one thousand years ago. They remain pure. No horses are allowed into Iceland and horses that leave are not welcome back.
Look through photos of Icelandic scenery and you will notice the lack of trees. There are none. The Vikings may have deforested the island to build houses and ships. Volcanic activity may have destroyed trees and covers the soil with lava and ash. Sheep contributed to soil erosion. The harsh weather and short growing season are factors. Today in Reykjavik, you will find trees. The Icelanders have been planting them.
The landscape of Iceland was especially of interest to Stefan, who in civilian life was a geologist. I had fun introducing him to Iceland’s jewel box of geological delights.
Have you visited Iceland? What made the biggest impression on you?
No Leaves in AutumnThe Germans aren’t the enemies who bedevil Marie and Stefan.
It’s their colleagues who thwart them at every turn.
Marie Foubert grew up in an orphanage and struggles with feelings of rejection. As a Red Cross recreation worker, she interacts with the American men based in Iceland during World War II. Her growing attraction to seaplane pilot Stefan Dabrowski excites and concerns her. Won’t he disappear from her life like everyone else?
Stefan hears his commanding officer describe him as exciting as last night’s bathwater. One of his colleagues constantly berates him because of his Polish heritage and his superior flying skill. Despite being the squadron’s most productive pilot, he is threatened with court martial. A showdown approaches to prove who’s the better pilot and the better man.
Marie’s cousin, passing through Iceland, tries to see her after spotting her photo in Life magazine. She declines to meet him, but Stefan encourages her to do so and learn why no one wanted her. She may gain a family after all.
Terri Wangard grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, during the Lombardi Glory Years. Her first Girl Scout badge was the Writer. Holder of a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in library science, she is back in Wisconsin after several years in Michigan, Utah, and California. Her WWII research included going for a ride in a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. Classic Boating Magazine, a family business since 1984, keeps her busy as an associate editor. She serves on the Genesis and First Impressions contest teams of the American Christian Fiction Writers and will begin as the Carol contest coordinator next year. In addition, she is secretary of the Wisconsin Southeast ACFW chapter.March 10, 2025
Book Spotlight: Where's the Quetzel?
Do you like birds? How about books with empty-nesters as the main characters? well, Jen Dodrill has some stories for you! Read on to find out why she chose to use a quetzel in her latest cozy mystery. 
I often get told – “You must love birds!” since my cozy mystery series is about a woman who starts a birding group. But really, I don’t know much about them. My dad and stepmom were avid birders, and I got the idea for the series when I stayed with them a few years ago.
What I do know about is being an empty nester. That’s why the series is the Empty Nesters Cozy Mystery series. I wanted to write about women in my age group—women of a “certain age”—who were going through the same stages of life I was.
Now I may be a bit older than the main character, Peg, but her mother-in-law Hazel and I are definitely the same age group. I just had more kids than Peg and was older when my last was born. None of that matters though, because being an empty nester is challenging, regardless of age. You raise those kids for years, then they leave, fly, take off.
Just like birds.
My dad was on hospice when I stayed with him, and my sister and I would see birds in his backyard, which bordered on a protected area. We’d describe them to him, and he’d be able to tell us all about them. It amazed me. True birders know their feathered friends by looks and bird calls. It’s quite the skill.
A skill I have never mastered. I know robins, hummingbirds (in general), and doves because they come to my front yard. Since I’m from Florida, I know seagulls and pelicans. I’m studying up on egrets for my third book in the series.
The first book I wrote, Birds Alive!, is about a rufous hummingbird. The funny thing is my dad’s name was Rufus. I didn’t plan it like that; I know God had a hand in it! When I proposed the series to my publisher, I already had the titles picked out, so I knew book two would be titled Where’s the Quetzal? I don’t know why I picked that. It just sounded fun.
My dad loved quetzals. They’re beautifully colored birds from Central and South America. Dad loved the Spanish language and traveled several times in those areas.
My book features a resplendent quetzal, one of the six species of quetzals. They live in Central America and southern Mexico and have these gorgeous plumes. Resplendent quetzals are near threatened, which means they’re vulnerable to endangerment because of deforestation and climate change.
The quetzal was considered sacred to several Mesoamerican civilizations. At one time, killing a quetzal was considered a crime, so their feathers (plumes) were plucked and the bird was set free. The feathers were used as a form of currency in ancient Mayan culture.
But more than anything, I like quetzals because my dad did. Funny how those things don’t change. He and my mom instilled a love of books and reading in all three of us kids. Dad’s sense of travel and adventure skipped a generation (at least with me) and landed with my kids and nephews. What I did get from my dad is a love for the written word. He specialized in nonfiction, education-type books, and writing about his many experiences as a birder. He passed before I finished my first book, but I’m sure he’s tickled iridescent green, gold, blue, red, and white—the colors of the resplendent quetzal tail—over my accomplishment.
Where’s the Quetzal?
Peg Howard has planned the perfect baby shower for her oldest daughter. But the return of Estelle and Roger Keaton disrupts her peace, reigniting old mysteries.
A chance discovery of a centuries-old shipwreck sets off a chain of events, thrusting Peg and her friends into a perilous game of deception. As they unravel the mysteries surrounding a rare quetzal bird, they uncover a plot that threatens their very lives.
With Detective Marcus Sharp and her mother-in-law Hazel by her side, Peg races against time to solve the mystery. But as she digs deeper, she realizes that some truths are better left buried.
In a tale full of twists and turns, Peg confronts her deepest fears, facing an adversary more cunning and unexpected than anyone anticipated. Join Peg and her friends on a journey through intrigue and peril, where bonds of friendship and family may be their only salvation. Will they uncover the truth before it’s too late, or will the past come back to haunt them all?
Jen Dodrill is living out her dreams on the pages of her books, bringing readers compelling stories of inspiration and hope for good times and bad. As a mother of five, she cherishes the time she has now to tell her stories in between her honored role as Grandma, her passion for reading, and her adoration of all things coffee.
Her first book, Birds Alive! An Empty-nesters Cozy Mystery was released in 2024. Book #2 in the series, Where’s the Quetzal, came out in February 2025. Book #3, No Egrets, will be published in 2026.
For more information about Jen, her books, and more, check out her blog: https://jendodrillwrites.com/.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jendodrillwrites/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenDodrillWrites
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jen-Dodrill/author/B0CSDW3CHR
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/47887511.Jen_Dodrill
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jen-dodrill
I often get told – “You must love birds!” since my cozy mystery series is about a woman who starts a birding group. But really, I don’t know much about them. My dad and stepmom were avid birders, and I got the idea for the series when I stayed with them a few years ago.What I do know about is being an empty nester. That’s why the series is the Empty Nesters Cozy Mystery series. I wanted to write about women in my age group—women of a “certain age”—who were going through the same stages of life I was.
Now I may be a bit older than the main character, Peg, but her mother-in-law Hazel and I are definitely the same age group. I just had more kids than Peg and was older when my last was born. None of that matters though, because being an empty nester is challenging, regardless of age. You raise those kids for years, then they leave, fly, take off.
Just like birds.
My dad was on hospice when I stayed with him, and my sister and I would see birds in his backyard, which bordered on a protected area. We’d describe them to him, and he’d be able to tell us all about them. It amazed me. True birders know their feathered friends by looks and bird calls. It’s quite the skill.
A skill I have never mastered. I know robins, hummingbirds (in general), and doves because they come to my front yard. Since I’m from Florida, I know seagulls and pelicans. I’m studying up on egrets for my third book in the series.
The first book I wrote, Birds Alive!, is about a rufous hummingbird. The funny thing is my dad’s name was Rufus. I didn’t plan it like that; I know God had a hand in it! When I proposed the series to my publisher, I already had the titles picked out, so I knew book two would be titled Where’s the Quetzal? I don’t know why I picked that. It just sounded fun.
My dad loved quetzals. They’re beautifully colored birds from Central and South America. Dad loved the Spanish language and traveled several times in those areas.
My book features a resplendent quetzal, one of the six species of quetzals. They live in Central America and southern Mexico and have these gorgeous plumes. Resplendent quetzals are near threatened, which means they’re vulnerable to endangerment because of deforestation and climate change.
The quetzal was considered sacred to several Mesoamerican civilizations. At one time, killing a quetzal was considered a crime, so their feathers (plumes) were plucked and the bird was set free. The feathers were used as a form of currency in ancient Mayan culture.
But more than anything, I like quetzals because my dad did. Funny how those things don’t change. He and my mom instilled a love of books and reading in all three of us kids. Dad’s sense of travel and adventure skipped a generation (at least with me) and landed with my kids and nephews. What I did get from my dad is a love for the written word. He specialized in nonfiction, education-type books, and writing about his many experiences as a birder. He passed before I finished my first book, but I’m sure he’s tickled iridescent green, gold, blue, red, and white—the colors of the resplendent quetzal tail—over my accomplishment.
Where’s the Quetzal? Peg Howard has planned the perfect baby shower for her oldest daughter. But the return of Estelle and Roger Keaton disrupts her peace, reigniting old mysteries.
A chance discovery of a centuries-old shipwreck sets off a chain of events, thrusting Peg and her friends into a perilous game of deception. As they unravel the mysteries surrounding a rare quetzal bird, they uncover a plot that threatens their very lives.
With Detective Marcus Sharp and her mother-in-law Hazel by her side, Peg races against time to solve the mystery. But as she digs deeper, she realizes that some truths are better left buried.
In a tale full of twists and turns, Peg confronts her deepest fears, facing an adversary more cunning and unexpected than anyone anticipated. Join Peg and her friends on a journey through intrigue and peril, where bonds of friendship and family may be their only salvation. Will they uncover the truth before it’s too late, or will the past come back to haunt them all?
Jen Dodrill is living out her dreams on the pages of her books, bringing readers compelling stories of inspiration and hope for good times and bad. As a mother of five, she cherishes the time she has now to tell her stories in between her honored role as Grandma, her passion for reading, and her adoration of all things coffee. Her first book, Birds Alive! An Empty-nesters Cozy Mystery was released in 2024. Book #2 in the series, Where’s the Quetzal, came out in February 2025. Book #3, No Egrets, will be published in 2026.
For more information about Jen, her books, and more, check out her blog: https://jendodrillwrites.com/.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jendodrillwrites/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenDodrillWrites
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jen-Dodrill/author/B0CSDW3CHR
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/47887511.Jen_Dodrill
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jen-dodrill
March 6, 2025
Behind the Story: Brunswick Stew
Contemporary Romance doesn't require much research. Not really. But every now and then, I want to know more about something I'm writing about. Especially if it's food. Ha. Maybe I'm a book foodie.In my Snow White retelling I'm working on, I have it set in Brunswick, Georgia. I set it there because I've visited several times and love the area. It's where we honeymooned. But I love to dive into travel blogs and pinterest sites to find out about things I might have missed, even if I have been to an area.
Well, you can't read travel blogs for long without finding out about places to eat. Yep. And in Brunswick, it's seafood and Brunswick Stew. I'd heard of Brunswick Stew, but never tried it, so on to another Pinterest search. Recipes galore!
We had a church dinner back on Super Bowl Sunday and we all brought soups and chilis. Perfect opportunity. That way, if we didn't like it, my family didn't have to eat the whole pot by ourselves.
Brunswick Stew is a barbeque-y base. It has tomatoes and pulled pork and barbeque sauce and spices and corn and lima beans. Sounded ... interesting.
I got mine a bit spicier than I meant to. It was okay, but I don't know that I'll make it again for my just my family. Definitely won't make it that spicy again. But, it was perfect for me to finish that scene in my book, where it's raining and they need something good for a rainy day. Gives a bit of local flavor. And heats up the conversation. ;)
Do you ever want to try recipes you read about in books? Have you ever tried one? I'd love to hear about it. Have you ever tried Brunswick Stew?
March 3, 2025
Author Interview: Dawn Ford
Even though I write romance, I love a good fantasy novel every now and then. And Dawn Ford writes a good fantasy novel (or six). She has two different series for different age groups, and they're both wonderful. I can't wait for you to learn more about them as we chat with my friend Dawn in the monthly author interview today. How do you find a balance between the light and dark in your fantasy stories?The balance between light and dark was the central theme to my current series’ overarching story and character arcs. Our heroes are charged with the mission to balance good and evil—light and dark, in their story world that is being besieged by an evil pied-piper character. Each book in the Band of Unlikely Heroes four-book series focuses on one hero/heroine and their struggles to overcome both their own shortcomings and fears. In the end, it will take them all, working against the big bad, to set the balance of good back into place and dispatch the evil that has been plaguing their kingdom for generations. I kept the ending in mind as I wrote the darkest scenes, pulling the guts out of my characters and then helping them learn invaluable lessons along the way—becoming an indomitable force when they finally come together. Light always wins over the dark, good triumphs over evil.
What made you decide to make a troll the heroine of your story? With her green skin and tusks, she's not necessarily what we'd expect in that position.
I chose unlikely types to be a hero on purpose. A smallish, warty troll princess who has no magic in a magical world. A newly unrooted brilliant woodgoblin druid who is bereft of emotional and social intelligence. A disfigured fairy princess dealing with no longer having the one thing she loves most in life—her beauty. Each of these characters struggle against the odds to grow and become the heroes they were meant to be. These are the characters middle-grade readers can identify with and root for. I want the readers to be invested in their story, not because they're already perfect and capable. But because they have to find a path around their own failings to become the heroes they were meant to be. Kind of like real life.
Your two series are very different, and both existing in made-up worlds. How do you keep them separated in your head?
I started the Firebird series years ago with a vivid image in my mind. Though it took some time to perfect the story world, the characters and the universe I built were already pretty well established in my mind. When I began putting together the Band of Unlikely Heroes series, again, the characters and world I wanted for the story were very well-defined in my mind and differed from the other series. With the Firebird series, I pictured more sophisticated spaces, either beautiful and breathtaking or dangerous and deadly. In the Band series, I wanted more of a playground type of world that children would want to go explore. There are poisoned forests, disgusting swamps, mountains with tunnels, a castle with hidden passages, and a hypnotic maze forest that you could fall into and never return from. It’s the stuff of Alice in Wonderland or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory where you can’t trust anything fully, but you long to explore, anyway.
What is one of the hardest parts of creating your own story worlds?
Setting the boundaries of magic and being consistent with it. Magic is a wonderful tool, but it can’t be the end-all-be-all that resolves everything with a snap of the fingers. It has to be challenged and have clear limits so the struggle is real.
You write for slightly different age audiences with your two series. Do you find it harder to write for one than the other? Do you have a favorite?
The Firebird series started out with the character being 16 and we shifted the age so the relationship with Tambrynn, the main character heroine and her love interest who would’ve been older than she wouldn’t be inappropriate. So, though it was a teen novel, and a bit more sophisticated, it still held a note of innocence. Middle-grade was more challenging for me to make sure I’m keeping the word usage in the MG range without making the text too simplistic. I also struggled with making some of the terms like the Hall of Monstrosity or catterwump too cutesy or ghoulish. I do love the Addam’s Family, though, so the Band of Unlikely Heroes has just a taste of it throughout the series.
Which one of your characters is most like you and why?
That’s a hard one. I put a lot of myself into every character. I think Horra is much like me in that I was a petite, teeny girl growing up—I’m only 5’2 on a good day. Growing up on a farm and the only girl with three older brothers, I was a huge tomboy. I loved bugs and climbing trees. I mucked things out, helped farrow pigs, and played in mud. I never fit in neatly with any of my peers, and so I struggled with belonging—which many children do. But I also have a certain defiance in my spirit, thanks to my mother. So Horra is much like me in her sarcastic, take-no-guff kind of personality.
Can you give us a sneak peek into what you're working on next?
I’m working on book four of the Band of Unlikely Heroes series. It’s the last book in this series, titled Shadowcape. In it, the giantess Grendel is the newest heroine to step onto the stage. I took a thread from the Beauty and the Beast fable and turned a quiet, bookish giant girl into a raging beast. She’s more terrified of herself than others are of her, so Grendel will rage against the curse that changed her to a monster and forced her to exile herself from her family.
Can you please tell us one thing about yourself that very few people already know about you?
I’m not a foot person and I can’t stand it when people wear dress or tennis shoes without socks. It grosses me out.
Well, I know I'm intrigued by the new stories! But don't look too closely at my feet! I don't always promise to be wearing socks. ;)
Readers, keep going because there's more information about Dawn's latest release as well as how you can keep up with her. It's definitely worth it because, again, I highly recommend her stories.
TatterhoodTroll Princess Horra Fyd and young druid Rowan team up to reverse the evil Erlking’s spells and save the creatures across the Wilden Lands. However, Fairy Princess Glory Toppenbottom is still a thorn in Horra’s side. After Horra and Glory have a heated fight, Glory sneaks out of the castle. She is bent on finding the Erlking to reverse the hex he cast on her. This creates a political disaster when the Glory’s sister announces she’s coming to retrieve Glory.
Angered by Horra’s treatment of a royal guest, King Fyd proclaims Horra to be Queen Bearer. She becomes the ad hoc ruler, freeing her father from the scandal. Shocked, Horra assents. Her first move is to find the missing fairy princess before it becomes an interkingdom war. They form a search party and leave.
The Erlking stalks their every move. When the only choice points them toward the Riven, a cursed hidden land, they don’t hesitate. They find Glory is already there, but are immediately separated. The trio find the Riven is nothing like anyone imagined. Will they survive the Erlking’s magical traps, or will they, like everyone else, perish within its borders?
Winner of the 2016 ACFW Genesis Award and Finalist in the 2023 Carol awards and 2024 Realm Makers Realm awards, Dawn has been recognized for her published and non-published works.
As a child, Dawn often had her head in the clouds creating scenes and stories for anything and everything she came across. She believed there was magic everywhere, a sentiment she has never outgrown. Nature inspires her, and her love for the underdog and the unlikely hero colors much of what she writes.
Dawn adores anything Steampunk, is often distracted by shiny, pretty things, and her obsession with purses and shoes borders on hoarding. Dawn lives in Iowa with her husband, a chef and food service business owner.
February 27, 2025
Revisiting an Old Friend
Writing Home was my fourth book, and it released in 2021. Four years ago, January. It's still one of my favorites, although every one of my books is my favorite in some way or another.Needless to say, it broke my heart when I found out the publisher who had released Writing Home was dying at the end of last year. Writing Home still has one paperback copy on Amazon, and that is all. But, I'm working on republishing it. Because it's still a really good story. And because I have an amazing friend who knows how to do all these publishing things and is willing to help me figure this out. Of course, even though I got everything back from the original publisher, it doesn't mean we can just snap our fingers and *voila* a book is published. We have to upload it to different software. And make sure it all transferred over correctly (it didn't). And tweak the cover to remove the original publisher information. You get the idea.
Well, did you hear me when I said it didn't transfer over smoothly? Instead of everything being spaced the way it was supposed to be, for some reason, the program made quite a few spaces disappear. Which meant I had to go through the whole manuscript and make sure all the words were the way they were supposed to be.
Of course, while skimming through, I quickly went from skimming to reading.
Y'all. I never reread my stories once they're published unless it's to skip through and find a scene to read for someone else. But I read the whole book. And I love it just as much today as I did four years ago when it released.
When that publisher accepted it, their letter told me it "gave them all the feels." It still does that for me too. Even knowing what will happen and how, I still went through all the emotions and joy and loveliness. And it made me so happy.
I pray all my readers feel the same way about my books. That not only do you enjoy them the first time, but you also want to pick them up again down the road and re-experience that story once more.
Do you reread books? I've reread others' in the past, but not my own. Until now. Maybe I need to go reread another one or two of my stories. Which are your favorites?
February 24, 2025
Book Spotlight: Lethal Connections
Do you ever think about how people eat in other areas of the United States? Or world? Guest Author Jennifer Chastain is chatting with us today about some food that has inspired her latest story. It sounds yummy to me. See what you think. And keep reading all the way to the bottom for a free short story from Jennifer too! 
Lethal Connections is the third book in my Targeted for Elimination series. The adventure begins on the Big Island of Hawaii and finishes in my fictional town of Providence, NC, just outside of Charlotte.
Even as a young girl I’ve always been fascinated by the Hawaiian Islands. The flowers, the food, the culture, it was so different that my small dairy farming community that I grew up in. Visiting Hawaii or even one of the smaller islands, such as Maui or Kauai, is on my bucket list.
When plotting this story, as well as the others in the series, I thought, “what better setting than to start a romantic suspense book?” From the mountains, to the beaches and everything in between, there were a lot of options to use as a backdrop, as well as create danger around every corner for my hero and heroine. Hawaii has some unique dishes that many of us here on the mainland have never heard of, let alone tasted. I included several dishes in each of my books. Malsadas are a pastry that kind of remind you of a donut, only much sweeter. They are filled tropical fruit custards such as pineapple or mango, or a coconut cream, and then sprinkled with powdered sugar. A friend of mine told me about this dessert and I had to do some internet research since malsadas are only found in Hawaii.
If you don’t have a sweet tooth, there is a dish called “lau lau” – made with pork and wrapped in taro leaves and then baked for several hours. But the main dish that many blue-collar Hawaiians love is called a lunch plate. The three main items are a mayonnaise-based macaroni salad, steamed rice, and Spam. Sometimes there is also some pulled pork or shrimp on the plate, but the main protein is Spam.
For my launch team, I wanted something exotic to share with them, so I found a Hawaiian inspired grilled chicken recipe made with coconut milk, pineapple juice, soy sauce, and sesame oil. I found the recipe on Pinterest and believe me, it is quite tasty.
I love exploring recipes outside of my region of the United States.
One day, my husband and I will hopefully be able to visit our 50th state and experience God’s handiwork in nature, along with some traditional Hawaiian cuisine!
What about you? What recipes have you tried that are outside your region?
Lethal Connections
Being a Marine prepared him to fight, but not for his heart.
Travis Beckett has perfected the surfer guy persona with a devil-may-care attitude. He lives simply, but he longs for more. Forced into the Witness Protection program five years ago, he had no choice but to walk away from the only woman he’s ever loved, and he was positive he’d never see her again—but then she shows up in Hawaii, and now, they’re both in danger.
Five years is a long time to mourn for a man who left her at the altar.
When Kaitlyn Daniels flies to Hawaii to attend a medical convention, she expects a relaxing week spent furthering her career. Instead, she escapes a fire at the hotel, gets shot at, and discovers her supposed-deceased fiancé is alive and living in Hawaii. Together, they barely escape all the danger, and she’s more than ready to go home.
Trouble comes knocking on her front door.
As a new Christian, Kaitlyn’s faith is tested to its limits when the trouble from Hawaii follows her home to Providence, NC—so does Travis. Now, a more sinister danger lurks behind every shadow, and if she and Travis can’t work together to find out who is behind the violent attacks, and why, they can both say goodbye to their second chance.
Ever since she was a little girl, living in her small town in New York State, Jennifer has been a voracious reader. As a teen, she dreamed of embarking on epic adventures and exploring the world, just like all the characters in her favorite books. Instead, she writes suspense-filled romantic adventures. A northern transplant, she has grown to love the grace and charm of the South. In fact, she even married a native Charlottean. Jennifer is a member of ACFW, ACFW-Charlotte, Blue Ridge Reader Connections and Novel Academy. During the day, she works for a research center at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. But on nights and weekends, she is a writing ninja, cramming in as many words as possible. A hopeful romantic, Jennifer loves dark chocolate, Diet Coke, and a good rom-com. She and her husband have been married for over thirty years and are permitted to reside with their rescue cat.
Also, if you sign up for her newsletter, you will receive a free short story. Here's the link: https://bookhip.com/JHJFRPV
Lethal Connections is the third book in my Targeted for Elimination series. The adventure begins on the Big Island of Hawaii and finishes in my fictional town of Providence, NC, just outside of Charlotte.Even as a young girl I’ve always been fascinated by the Hawaiian Islands. The flowers, the food, the culture, it was so different that my small dairy farming community that I grew up in. Visiting Hawaii or even one of the smaller islands, such as Maui or Kauai, is on my bucket list.
When plotting this story, as well as the others in the series, I thought, “what better setting than to start a romantic suspense book?” From the mountains, to the beaches and everything in between, there were a lot of options to use as a backdrop, as well as create danger around every corner for my hero and heroine. Hawaii has some unique dishes that many of us here on the mainland have never heard of, let alone tasted. I included several dishes in each of my books. Malsadas are a pastry that kind of remind you of a donut, only much sweeter. They are filled tropical fruit custards such as pineapple or mango, or a coconut cream, and then sprinkled with powdered sugar. A friend of mine told me about this dessert and I had to do some internet research since malsadas are only found in Hawaii.
If you don’t have a sweet tooth, there is a dish called “lau lau” – made with pork and wrapped in taro leaves and then baked for several hours. But the main dish that many blue-collar Hawaiians love is called a lunch plate. The three main items are a mayonnaise-based macaroni salad, steamed rice, and Spam. Sometimes there is also some pulled pork or shrimp on the plate, but the main protein is Spam.
For my launch team, I wanted something exotic to share with them, so I found a Hawaiian inspired grilled chicken recipe made with coconut milk, pineapple juice, soy sauce, and sesame oil. I found the recipe on Pinterest and believe me, it is quite tasty.
I love exploring recipes outside of my region of the United States.
One day, my husband and I will hopefully be able to visit our 50th state and experience God’s handiwork in nature, along with some traditional Hawaiian cuisine!
What about you? What recipes have you tried that are outside your region?
Lethal ConnectionsBeing a Marine prepared him to fight, but not for his heart.
Travis Beckett has perfected the surfer guy persona with a devil-may-care attitude. He lives simply, but he longs for more. Forced into the Witness Protection program five years ago, he had no choice but to walk away from the only woman he’s ever loved, and he was positive he’d never see her again—but then she shows up in Hawaii, and now, they’re both in danger.
Five years is a long time to mourn for a man who left her at the altar.
When Kaitlyn Daniels flies to Hawaii to attend a medical convention, she expects a relaxing week spent furthering her career. Instead, she escapes a fire at the hotel, gets shot at, and discovers her supposed-deceased fiancé is alive and living in Hawaii. Together, they barely escape all the danger, and she’s more than ready to go home.
Trouble comes knocking on her front door.
As a new Christian, Kaitlyn’s faith is tested to its limits when the trouble from Hawaii follows her home to Providence, NC—so does Travis. Now, a more sinister danger lurks behind every shadow, and if she and Travis can’t work together to find out who is behind the violent attacks, and why, they can both say goodbye to their second chance.
Ever since she was a little girl, living in her small town in New York State, Jennifer has been a voracious reader. As a teen, she dreamed of embarking on epic adventures and exploring the world, just like all the characters in her favorite books. Instead, she writes suspense-filled romantic adventures. A northern transplant, she has grown to love the grace and charm of the South. In fact, she even married a native Charlottean. Jennifer is a member of ACFW, ACFW-Charlotte, Blue Ridge Reader Connections and Novel Academy. During the day, she works for a research center at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. But on nights and weekends, she is a writing ninja, cramming in as many words as possible. A hopeful romantic, Jennifer loves dark chocolate, Diet Coke, and a good rom-com. She and her husband have been married for over thirty years and are permitted to reside with their rescue cat.Also, if you sign up for her newsletter, you will receive a free short story. Here's the link: https://bookhip.com/JHJFRPV
February 20, 2025
Behind the Story: Antiquing
Have you ever read a romance set in an antique shop? I've read a few, and I loved them all. But especially this new story by my friend Heather Greer, part of our Pets Amore collection. The shop in her story comes from personal experience, but not from actually owning a shop herself. See what I mean. 
It doesn’t matter how different a character’s personality is from mine, there is usually a little bit of me in every story I write. Usually, that means someone bakes at some point in the story. Doesn’t matter if it’s cupcakes or cookies or a pie. Treats will be baked.
For Pegboards, Parrots, and Pickup Lines, my story in the Pets Amore novella collection, I decided to go a different direction. I do have more I enjoy doing than baking, and I thought it was time to work some of those things into my stories too. As I considered Charlotte and what her new business venture should be, inspiration struck. Antiques and vintage collectibles. While I’ve never run an antiques store, they comprise a large portion of my favorite dates with my husband.
When opportunity arises for us to spend the day together, we often drive to Cape Girardeau, Missouri, about an hour from our home. The city has a wonderful riverfront district with many independently owned small businesses. At least four of those are antique and collectibles stores.
Andy and I each have our favorite things to peruse. He likes old knives and swords, especially if they are martial arts related. And he loves really old books. While it isn’t our favorite of the stores, there is one with a large selection of books organized by year. He loves going through the shelves to find new ones to add to his collection.
I tend to be less specific in my likes. If it catches my eye, that’s what I enjoy that day. But there are a few things I always walk away with. First printing Little Golden Books are a must. So are vintage Monopoly sets. And though I have enough to curb my desire to buy more, I’ve also been known to buy those vintage snack trays from the fifties. You know the ones. Little glass trays with a special divot for the matching teacup to sit in. Now I only buy those if it’s a design I just can’t pass up.
Some days we come back from antiquing empty-handed, but that’s okay. While we both enjoy our treasures from times gone by, and I enjoyed adding a bit of that element to Pegboards, Parrots, and Pickup Lines, that’s not really what those days spent on the riverfront are about. Andy and I don’t share a lot of interests or hobbies. Our days spent antiquing are a way for us to spend time together as a couple doing something we both enjoy and making memories along the way.
“Pegboards, Parrots, and Pickup Lines” by Heather Greer—Charlotte Herring wants one thing—to prove she can succeed on her own. But to avoid failure, she needs the people of Brookview to accept her and her antique store. For years, Tyson Abbott’s only goal was to realize his father’s dreams for the family hardware store. After meeting the town’s newest resident, he adds a new goal—helping Charlotte find her place in Brookview. With a parrot named Cracker Jack paving the way for their partnership to become a romance, Charlotte and Tyson see more than the dreams for their stores coming true. But when their plans conflict and past hurts resurface, will they lose their dreams and each other?
Born and raised in rural southern Illinois as a preacher’s kid, Heather was well acquainted with ministry life before her husband became a pastor fifteen years ago. She started serving in youth and children’s ministries when her daughter was still a child. Now, those ministries and wrangling the schedules of her three teenage boys takes a lot of her time and energy, but Heather still tries to carve out a little time for herself. Like many of you, her favorite way to relieve the stress of the day is spending time with a good book. Of course, if she wants the time to be really special, Heather will add a warm blanket and a mug of hot cocoa to her reading time. If she isn’t reading to relax, you can either find her baking in the kitchen or binge-watching her favorite television shows.
Heather has been active in youth ministry for several years. She has led children’s and youth groups for many years. She also directs a Christian youth camp for teenagers every summer. While most of her ministry work has involved children and teenagers, Heather has a heart to see women of faith encouraged and growing in their relationships with God. As believers grow closer to God and begin living out His truths in everyday life, others will see their need for the Savior and long for relationship with Him. It is Heather’s prayer that God will use her love of writing to foster this encouragement and growth in the lives of Christian women.
Heather’s book Grasping Hope is a 2020 Selah Awards finalist in the Women’s Contemporary category. Cake That! is the third place finalist in the 2022 Selah Awards in the Contemporary Romance category. Her Historical Romance, Window of Opportunity, is a 2024 Selah Awards finalist.
You can learn more about Heather by visiting her website: https://heathergreer.com/
You can also connect with Heather on social media here:Social Media Links
It doesn’t matter how different a character’s personality is from mine, there is usually a little bit of me in every story I write. Usually, that means someone bakes at some point in the story. Doesn’t matter if it’s cupcakes or cookies or a pie. Treats will be baked.For Pegboards, Parrots, and Pickup Lines, my story in the Pets Amore novella collection, I decided to go a different direction. I do have more I enjoy doing than baking, and I thought it was time to work some of those things into my stories too. As I considered Charlotte and what her new business venture should be, inspiration struck. Antiques and vintage collectibles. While I’ve never run an antiques store, they comprise a large portion of my favorite dates with my husband.
When opportunity arises for us to spend the day together, we often drive to Cape Girardeau, Missouri, about an hour from our home. The city has a wonderful riverfront district with many independently owned small businesses. At least four of those are antique and collectibles stores.
Andy and I each have our favorite things to peruse. He likes old knives and swords, especially if they are martial arts related. And he loves really old books. While it isn’t our favorite of the stores, there is one with a large selection of books organized by year. He loves going through the shelves to find new ones to add to his collection.
I tend to be less specific in my likes. If it catches my eye, that’s what I enjoy that day. But there are a few things I always walk away with. First printing Little Golden Books are a must. So are vintage Monopoly sets. And though I have enough to curb my desire to buy more, I’ve also been known to buy those vintage snack trays from the fifties. You know the ones. Little glass trays with a special divot for the matching teacup to sit in. Now I only buy those if it’s a design I just can’t pass up.
Some days we come back from antiquing empty-handed, but that’s okay. While we both enjoy our treasures from times gone by, and I enjoyed adding a bit of that element to Pegboards, Parrots, and Pickup Lines, that’s not really what those days spent on the riverfront are about. Andy and I don’t share a lot of interests or hobbies. Our days spent antiquing are a way for us to spend time together as a couple doing something we both enjoy and making memories along the way.
“Pegboards, Parrots, and Pickup Lines” by Heather Greer—Charlotte Herring wants one thing—to prove she can succeed on her own. But to avoid failure, she needs the people of Brookview to accept her and her antique store. For years, Tyson Abbott’s only goal was to realize his father’s dreams for the family hardware store. After meeting the town’s newest resident, he adds a new goal—helping Charlotte find her place in Brookview. With a parrot named Cracker Jack paving the way for their partnership to become a romance, Charlotte and Tyson see more than the dreams for their stores coming true. But when their plans conflict and past hurts resurface, will they lose their dreams and each other?
Born and raised in rural southern Illinois as a preacher’s kid, Heather was well acquainted with ministry life before her husband became a pastor fifteen years ago. She started serving in youth and children’s ministries when her daughter was still a child. Now, those ministries and wrangling the schedules of her three teenage boys takes a lot of her time and energy, but Heather still tries to carve out a little time for herself. Like many of you, her favorite way to relieve the stress of the day is spending time with a good book. Of course, if she wants the time to be really special, Heather will add a warm blanket and a mug of hot cocoa to her reading time. If she isn’t reading to relax, you can either find her baking in the kitchen or binge-watching her favorite television shows.Heather has been active in youth ministry for several years. She has led children’s and youth groups for many years. She also directs a Christian youth camp for teenagers every summer. While most of her ministry work has involved children and teenagers, Heather has a heart to see women of faith encouraged and growing in their relationships with God. As believers grow closer to God and begin living out His truths in everyday life, others will see their need for the Savior and long for relationship with Him. It is Heather’s prayer that God will use her love of writing to foster this encouragement and growth in the lives of Christian women.
Heather’s book Grasping Hope is a 2020 Selah Awards finalist in the Women’s Contemporary category. Cake That! is the third place finalist in the 2022 Selah Awards in the Contemporary Romance category. Her Historical Romance, Window of Opportunity, is a 2024 Selah Awards finalist.
You can learn more about Heather by visiting her website: https://heathergreer.com/
You can also connect with Heather on social media here:Social Media Links
February 17, 2025
Author Interview: Sarah Anne Crouch
I don't know if you believe God puts certain people in your life or not, but to me, Sarah Anne Crouch is living proof. She and I became fast friends when my family moved to TN, and we've stayed close despite her family moving to Arkansas a few years ago. Now, not only are we good friends, we're co-authors in several novella collections. And, just recently I blessed to become her content editor. Needless to say, she's pretty special, and I'm thrilled to share her with you today in this author interview. 
Sarah, congratulations on a new release coming soon. I know your series was hung up in some red tape for a while. How does it feel to finally have more books coming out in this series?
It's such a relief! I have a few kind friends who ask me almost every time they see me “When is your next novel coming out?” For the longest time I didn’t have a good answer to that question. And then, for a few months, I had no novels out because the first one was out of print. Now I can tell everyone to hop on over to Amazon!
Shady Springs is a town you've made up to base these stories in. Did you base it on any real towns? What inspired you to make it how you did?
Growing up in Arkansas, I always felt the state was underrepresented in fiction. I don’t know if that’s true or just my personal bias. From the time I was 12 until I graduated college and got married, my hometown was Prairie Grove, Arkansas. It’s a growing community now, but had fewer than 3,000 residents when we first moved there. Shady Springs is very much the Prairie Grove of my childhood with a few tweaks.
I loved my hometown so much—I still do. It was my first experience with living in a tiny place where everyone knew each other. That dynamic makes for really interesting fiction, I think. Plus, Northwest Arkansas is a beautiful setting.
Are any of your characters more like you than another? In what way?
The character most like me in all the stories I’ve ever written is Isaac from “A Sweet Dream Come True,” part of our Love in Any Season novella collection. I gave him an intense fear of confrontation and a strong desire to please people (just like me!). But every character I write has something about them I can relate to.
I think Madeleine Mullins (from A Summer in Shady Springs) behaves how I would if I had all of her same life experiences.
As we move forward with this series, can you give us a sneak peek on what to expect? What are you working on next?
Yes! This first book, A Summer in Shady Springs, is a republication and focuses on Madeleine’s faith journey. A Homecoming in Shady Springs is all about her parents, Henry and Catherine—their story of falling in love for the first time and reconnecting in the present day.
Right now, I’m finishing A Christmas in Shady Springs, all about a wedding. I’m really working to make it difficult for my main characters which leads to a fun, festive, and slightly chaotic story!
Your book that releases in March goes between present day and the nineties. How crazy was it to have your characters college students back then? Was there anything you discovered about the 90s that you had misremembered from your own childhood?
I had so much fun researching this book! My alma mater, Harding University, has done a great job of preserving back issues of the campus newspaper (shout out to librarians!). I also interviewed friends who were on campus in the early nineties.
I like to think I have a pretty decent memory of the nineties, but I hadn’t realized how important the campus newspaper was to social life at a university. We didn’t have social media back then, and people would get most of their information about what was happening and what had happened from the paper. So instead of checking Facebook the next day, students were checking the newsstands for pictures of themselves and their friends.
Any real-life experiences from your own life that you've woven into your stories? In what way?
Sure! We used to kayak and canoe occasionally growing up, so I threw some of that into the first book. And a lot of the college experiences I had, borrowing cars from friends to go on dates or participating in goofy campus activities, I put in the second book. I have Henry and Catherine form a strong bond with a professor and his wife, which is based on many relationships I cherish with my own college professors.
It's been a while since your first book in this series first released and now when it's re-releasing right before the release of the new book. Do you think you've changed a lot between then and now? How?
Not a whole lot. I’m still completely blown away by the fact that God led me here. I never thought I’d get one book published, let alone five (soon to be seven!). And I still have a hard time self-promoting my books. So thank you for helping me out!
Last but not least, can you leave us with one fact about yourself that very few people already know?
I have seen every Oscar Best Picture winning movie. My husband and I spent quite a bit of time hunting down old VHS tapes of films from the 20s and 30s while we lived in Southern California. Now we just have to watch one movie a year to keep up!
That sounds like a lot of movies! Wow. Thanks so much for sharing with us today, Sarah.
Readers, keep going because you're going to love this sweet series she's writing!
A Summer in Shady Springs
The last place Madeleine Mullins wants to be is back in Shady Springs, Arkansas—the town where her whole world fell apart. But when her beloved Aunt Clara begs her for help, Madeleine reluctantly takes a job painting a mural at her aunt's church. Her plan is to finish quickly and leave her bad memories behind. But the more time she spends with the handsome youth minister and the more she reads her Bible, the more she wonders if she has been wrong about God and the Church all along.
Three years out of college, and A.J. Young still doesn't know what he wants to be when he grows up. He knows he wants to settle down and build a family but hasn't found the wife he'd like to share his life with. Then Madeleine comes to town. Their friendship buds quickly, although it can never be anything more as long as she isn't a Christian.
An undeniable attraction grows between A.J. and Madeleine, but she's only in town for a few weeks, and he can't date someone who doesn't share his beliefs. How can Madeleine help A.J. discover a passion for the career he's always wanted? And how can A.J. convince Madeleine to give God and Shady Springs a second chance?
Sarah Anne Crouch lives in Arkansas with her husband, three children, and thousands of books. She always wanted to be an author, but spent some time as a teacher, earned a degree in library science, and makes feeble attempts to corral her small children as a stay-at-home mom. Sarah loves reading books, recipes, piano music, and emails from readers.
Newsletter- https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/694879/111814952436630870/share
Website- www.SarahAnneCrouch.com
Facebook- http://Facebook.com/SarahAnneCrouch
Instragram- http://Instagram.com/SarahAnneCrouch
Sarah, congratulations on a new release coming soon. I know your series was hung up in some red tape for a while. How does it feel to finally have more books coming out in this series?It's such a relief! I have a few kind friends who ask me almost every time they see me “When is your next novel coming out?” For the longest time I didn’t have a good answer to that question. And then, for a few months, I had no novels out because the first one was out of print. Now I can tell everyone to hop on over to Amazon!
Shady Springs is a town you've made up to base these stories in. Did you base it on any real towns? What inspired you to make it how you did?
Growing up in Arkansas, I always felt the state was underrepresented in fiction. I don’t know if that’s true or just my personal bias. From the time I was 12 until I graduated college and got married, my hometown was Prairie Grove, Arkansas. It’s a growing community now, but had fewer than 3,000 residents when we first moved there. Shady Springs is very much the Prairie Grove of my childhood with a few tweaks.
I loved my hometown so much—I still do. It was my first experience with living in a tiny place where everyone knew each other. That dynamic makes for really interesting fiction, I think. Plus, Northwest Arkansas is a beautiful setting.
Are any of your characters more like you than another? In what way?
The character most like me in all the stories I’ve ever written is Isaac from “A Sweet Dream Come True,” part of our Love in Any Season novella collection. I gave him an intense fear of confrontation and a strong desire to please people (just like me!). But every character I write has something about them I can relate to.
I think Madeleine Mullins (from A Summer in Shady Springs) behaves how I would if I had all of her same life experiences.
As we move forward with this series, can you give us a sneak peek on what to expect? What are you working on next?
Yes! This first book, A Summer in Shady Springs, is a republication and focuses on Madeleine’s faith journey. A Homecoming in Shady Springs is all about her parents, Henry and Catherine—their story of falling in love for the first time and reconnecting in the present day.
Right now, I’m finishing A Christmas in Shady Springs, all about a wedding. I’m really working to make it difficult for my main characters which leads to a fun, festive, and slightly chaotic story!
Your book that releases in March goes between present day and the nineties. How crazy was it to have your characters college students back then? Was there anything you discovered about the 90s that you had misremembered from your own childhood?
I had so much fun researching this book! My alma mater, Harding University, has done a great job of preserving back issues of the campus newspaper (shout out to librarians!). I also interviewed friends who were on campus in the early nineties.
I like to think I have a pretty decent memory of the nineties, but I hadn’t realized how important the campus newspaper was to social life at a university. We didn’t have social media back then, and people would get most of their information about what was happening and what had happened from the paper. So instead of checking Facebook the next day, students were checking the newsstands for pictures of themselves and their friends.
Any real-life experiences from your own life that you've woven into your stories? In what way?
Sure! We used to kayak and canoe occasionally growing up, so I threw some of that into the first book. And a lot of the college experiences I had, borrowing cars from friends to go on dates or participating in goofy campus activities, I put in the second book. I have Henry and Catherine form a strong bond with a professor and his wife, which is based on many relationships I cherish with my own college professors.
It's been a while since your first book in this series first released and now when it's re-releasing right before the release of the new book. Do you think you've changed a lot between then and now? How?
Not a whole lot. I’m still completely blown away by the fact that God led me here. I never thought I’d get one book published, let alone five (soon to be seven!). And I still have a hard time self-promoting my books. So thank you for helping me out!
Last but not least, can you leave us with one fact about yourself that very few people already know?
I have seen every Oscar Best Picture winning movie. My husband and I spent quite a bit of time hunting down old VHS tapes of films from the 20s and 30s while we lived in Southern California. Now we just have to watch one movie a year to keep up!
That sounds like a lot of movies! Wow. Thanks so much for sharing with us today, Sarah.
Readers, keep going because you're going to love this sweet series she's writing!
A Summer in Shady SpringsThe last place Madeleine Mullins wants to be is back in Shady Springs, Arkansas—the town where her whole world fell apart. But when her beloved Aunt Clara begs her for help, Madeleine reluctantly takes a job painting a mural at her aunt's church. Her plan is to finish quickly and leave her bad memories behind. But the more time she spends with the handsome youth minister and the more she reads her Bible, the more she wonders if she has been wrong about God and the Church all along.
Three years out of college, and A.J. Young still doesn't know what he wants to be when he grows up. He knows he wants to settle down and build a family but hasn't found the wife he'd like to share his life with. Then Madeleine comes to town. Their friendship buds quickly, although it can never be anything more as long as she isn't a Christian.
An undeniable attraction grows between A.J. and Madeleine, but she's only in town for a few weeks, and he can't date someone who doesn't share his beliefs. How can Madeleine help A.J. discover a passion for the career he's always wanted? And how can A.J. convince Madeleine to give God and Shady Springs a second chance?
Sarah Anne Crouch lives in Arkansas with her husband, three children, and thousands of books. She always wanted to be an author, but spent some time as a teacher, earned a degree in library science, and makes feeble attempts to corral her small children as a stay-at-home mom. Sarah loves reading books, recipes, piano music, and emails from readers.
Newsletter- https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/694879/111814952436630870/share
Website- www.SarahAnneCrouch.com
Facebook- http://Facebook.com/SarahAnneCrouch
Instragram- http://Instagram.com/SarahAnneCrouch
