Amy R. Anguish's Blog, page 7

Behind the Story: Books, Small Towns, Puppies, & Children

Do you ever wonder how much of an author's real life actually ends up in her stories? Well, Beth Westcott, one of my fellow authors from the Pets Amore collection, is here to chat about just that today. Her story is delightful and I can't wait for you to learn more about it (and her). ​At one time, I thought I’d become a schoolteacher but didn’t.  Perhaps, if I lived my life over, I’d earn my teaching degree. I taught one year in a Christian school, homeschooled for twelve years, and substituted as a teacher’s aide for a couple of years in public school. I also taught Sunday school classes and Bible clubs.
Brianna Kinney loves teaching her third-grade students. However, when her school downsizes, she loses her job.  Twenty-seven years old, a widow, and now without employment, Brianna desires change. She moves to Juniper Falls and becomes a bookstore clerk. Although she enjoys her new job, she misses her students. Maybe one day she’ll teach again. ​Brianna and I share a love for books. I worked in a library to help pay my way through college. I never worked in a bookstore. Working briefly as a clerk in a gift shop discouraged me from seeking further retail jobs.
Snowflakes and Puppy Love is my first attempt at creating romantic comedy and a novella.  Although my contemporary romance novels have light-hearted moments, none of them can be considered comedies. My stories are for grown-ups, but I like to include children as characters. Children create humor just by being themselves.  Innocent, naïve, they are without pretense, not always aware of what’s going on and how they affect adults. (Sometimes, they know exactly what they’re doing.)
Brianna loves children, yet she has none of her own. She hasn’t thought a lot about remarrying, but she’s open to considering it. To the right person. Living alone in an apartment, she adopts a puppy to keep her company. Puppies can be sweet and funny, like children.
I’m not saying Brianna couldn’t connect with Cooper Stiles without the children and the puppy. However, their assistance adds interest.
Cooper is a carpenter by trade, and he volunteers as a fireman. Closing in on his thirtieth birthday, he’s been the focus of several match-making schemes by concerned women in Juniper Falls. Right now, his three- and-four-year-old niece and nephew, Lexie and Noah, are Uncle Cooper’s priority. He’s their guardian. They provide a reason (excuse) for him to set aside dating and romantic relationships, although the right woman might change his mind. When he meets Brianna in the bookstore—well, he’s interested but not ready to commit. When Noah and Lexie meet Brianna with her puppy, Cricket, in the park, Uncle Coop’s days as a bachelor may be numbered.
I believe a little of me appears in all my stories. Juniper Falls is an imaginary town based on my experiences living in small towns. I think it would be a delightful place to live. Friendly people, the annual Snowflake Festival, and Valentine’s Day activities give ample opportunity for a romance to develop between Brianna and Cooper.
The park is a boon to the town, an inviting place for families or individuals. Will you join me for a hike up to the falls and enjoy the outdoors and nature? How about sledding, skating, or building a snowman? Maybe you’d like to participate in the snow sculpture contest or perform in the community talent show. What about sampling the jack wax or enjoying one of Brianna’s snowflake sugar cookies?
I had fun creating the characters, setting, and plot of Snowflakes and Puppy Love, and I hope you’ll read it and enjoy it along with the other novellas in Pets Amore.
“Snowflakes and Puppy Love” by Beth E. Westcott—When Cooper Stiles walks in the door of Archer Books, his stunning blue eyes and friendly smile pull at Brianna Kinney’s heart. He’s the first man she’s attracted to since becoming a widow. The new clerk in Robin Archer’s bookstore catches Cooper’s eye. Brianna’s love for children and her cute puppy are captivating, but he doesn’t have time for dating. His current priority is caring for his nephew and niece while their mother, his dead brother’s wife, fulfills a work commitment overseas. And he’s not going to get caught up in any more match-making. A life-long lover of books and reading, Beth’s first Christian romance novel, Meadow Song, debuted in 2018 with Mantle Rock Publishing, republished by Scrivenings Press in 2020.  Scrivenings also published her Three Sisters Series, Heart’s Desire, A Heart’s Journey, and Her Heart’s Longing. Lillenas Drama published some of her church holiday manuscripts in their Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving Program Builders. Several devotions appeared in Penned for the Heart and one in The Secret Place. Her short story “Sadie and the Princess” is included in Heart-warming Horse Stories on Amazon.
Beth and her husband have three adult children and five granddaughters. Their grandson is in heaven. She enjoys reading, music, gardening, sewing, and photography.
With Child Evangelism Fellowship and in pastoral ministry in several churches, Beth worked alongside Frank for 38 years. She taught Bible classes to children, teens, and women, and participated in church music ministry. A 4-H member for nine years, she became a 4-H leader when her children belonged to 4-H, and she home schooled her children for twelve years. She now resides with her husband in Otego, New York.
Snowflakes and Puppy Love is Beth’s first novella.
 
Social Media Links
 
www.bethewestcott.com
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/beth-e-westcott
https://www.facebook.com/bethewestcott
https://x.com/BethWAuthor
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/29201094-beth-westcott

Behind the Story: A Hamster

When trying to figure out what pet would be the other character in my novella (because I had to have a pet in a pet-themed collection), I originally thought of cat. After all, I live with one. Cats have great personalities and I know what to do with them. But I've written cats before. And a dog too. I wanted something different.
Thinking about various pets I was familiar with, my mind went back to the hamsters I had growing up. And I knew that was exactly who my pet would be. Enter: Houdini.
Houdini is a little tan hamster who goes to school with Rylan on Valentine's Day. I was in sixth grade when I got my first hamster. Rylan is six. Quite a bit of difference. I don't think I would've wanted to take my pet to school.
Here's a picture of one of my cats staring up at the hamster cage, as if just willing it to escape. Because hamsters can be escape artists, nibbling holes in plastic, and squeezing through tiny spots you wouldn't think they'd fit through. We found ours in the air vents more than once. 
Houdini may not be quite that good of an escape artist, but he didn't get his name without good reason. I'll leave the rest up to your imagination ... for now.
Tomorrow! Pets Amore releases tomorrow! This is the absolute last day you can pre-order and save $1. I really think you're going to love this collection with a hamster, goats, a parrot, and a puppy.

Behind the Story: Rylan

Children in a Valentine's story? When said story is set mostly in a Kindergarten classroom, you betcha! The main child is Trey's nephew Rylan. Who happens to want to be like his Uncle Trey.
Rylan hated being sick, especially on Show and Tell day. But it's okay. Because he can just bring his hamster Houdini to school when he goes back. Ms. Winters will be excited to see him even if it isn't the normal day for Show and Tell.
Kindergarten has been the best year of Rylan's life. He loves Ms. Winters. He loves his friends. He loves the french fries at lunch. He loves PE.
​Ms. Winters always makes the holidays extra fun. And even better, his Uncle Trey is going to stay the whole day with him and see how amazing kindergarten is!
When I mentioned to several of my kindergarten-teaching friends that I was setting my story in a kindergarten classroom on Valentine's day, they looked at me like I'd lost my mind. That setting has its own special kind of chaos. But it also has its own special kind of amazingness too.
I love kids. I have my own and teach others. There's something wonderful about the way children view the world, the way they process things. And their innocence. It makes adults stop and remember or see things in a new light. And sometimes, as adults, that's exactly what we need.
Needless to say, Rylan and his hamster definitely bring fun to the story. I hope you can enjoy their Valentine's Day just as much as they do.
Eek! We're getting so close! Less than a week until you can read this story for yourself. Have you pre-ordered your copy? If you do, you could save a $1. Pets Amore

“Out-of-the-box Valentines” by Amy R. Anguish—Kimberly Winters loves being a kindergarten teacher on Valentine’s Day. But she never expects one of her students to show up with his hamster … or his uncle. Trey Jones doesn’t mind helping out his sick sister by dropping off Rylan at school. Staying to take his sister’s place as “room mom” is a whole different deal, but how can he turn down the adorable teacher? It’s a day full of unexpected surprises for both of them, including each learning to think out of the box when it comes to romance.

Behind the Scenes: Trey

Today, we're meeting the her of my story, "Out-of-the-box Valentine's." Trey Jones is a firefighter. He knows how to handle emergencies, and has recently moved into the garage apartment on his sister's property to help her not have any while her husband is deployed. Needless to say, when his sis catches the flu Rylan had, he offers to take Rylan to school. If only he'd asked a few more questions before agreeing to take Houdini the hamster too. Or happened to remember what day it was. Trey is fine around the guys. He can hang out and play basketball and even cook up a few meals. But a roomful of kindergarteners is a bit beyond his know-how. He hates being the center of attention. And while he loves his nephew, being around 20 people that size is overwhelming.
Add in all the heart balloons, flowers, candy, and pink, and he isn't really sure what he's gotten himself into. But when Ms. Winters looks so lost and uncertain about not having a room mom, how can he not volunteer to save the day? It's what he does.
What do you think? Ready to see how things go for Trey? We're just over a week away from release day! If you pre-order your copy now, you can save a $1. Price goes up on 2/11. Pets Amore​

“Out-of-the-box Valentines” by Amy R. Anguish—Kimberly Winters loves being a kindergarten teacher on Valentine’s Day. But she never expects one of her students to show up with his hamster … or his uncle. Trey Jones doesn’t mind helping out his sick sister by dropping off Rylan at school. Staying to take his sister’s place as “room mom” is a whole different deal, but how can he turn down the adorable teacher? It’s a day full of unexpected surprises for both of them, including each learning to think out of the box when it comes to romance.
“No Butts About It” by Linda Fulkerson—When real estate consultant and confirmed bachelor Charles Sterling’s brother and sister-in-law are killed in a car crash, they leave him a surprise in their will—their five-year-old daughter. Enamored by a character in a popular children’s book, the girl has one request for her uncle-turned-father: a pet goat. As Blossom Clarke struggles to fulfill her deceased father’s dream of developing her family’s property into a goat rescue center, she has no time for city dwellers. But when Charles Sterling shows up to buy a goat, that dream borders on becoming a nightmare. Especially when his company discovers her property checks off all the boxes requested by a high-power client.
“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?
“Snowflakes and Puppy Love” by Beth E. Westcott—When Cooper Stiles walks in the door of Archer Books, his stunning blue eyes and friendly smile pull at Brianna Kinney’s heart. He’s the first man she’s attracted to since becoming a widow. The new clerk in Robin Archer’s bookstore catches Cooper’s eye. Brianna’s love for children and her cute puppy are captivating, but he doesn’t have time for dating. His current priority is caring for his nephew and niece while their mother, his dead brother’s wife, fulfills a work commitment overseas. And he’s not going to get caught up in any more match-making.

Behind the Story: Kimberly

Ready to start meeting my new characters?
Today, I'm introducing you to Kimberly Winters, Kindergarten teacher extraordinaire. She goes over-the-top for every holiday, making sure her outfits match the theme, from her pink overalls and heart headband all the way down to her socks.
But she can't stop there, of course. Her lesson plans have to get in line too. So, conversation hearts and red glasses join the fun for sight words and math and science. Then, heart-shaped games for the party at the end.
​There's only one thing that might put a damper on Ms. Winters's holiday.
Well, make that two things. Like when one of her students brings a hamster for show and tell, even though that was supposed to be last week when he was sick.
And when her room mom for the day is that student's mom--and is now sick too. Kimberly is wary when the mom's brother volunteers to take her place. How will this really work? Will he be able to roll with the punches thrown at them through the chaos of the day?
And will she be able to keep her focus with such a handsome man in the room? She's trying not to think about the rodent he brought with him.
Doesn't she sound like a fun kindergarten teacher? Less than two weeks until you can read her story, "Out-of-the-box Valentine's." Pets Amore is up for pre-order now and you can save $1 if you order it before 2/11. Pets Amore

“Out-of-the-box Valentines” by Amy R. Anguish—Kimberly Winters loves being a kindergarten teacher on Valentine’s Day. But she never expects one of her students to show up with his hamster … or his uncle. Trey Jones doesn’t mind helping out his sick sister by dropping off Rylan at school. Staying to take his sister’s place as “room mom” is a whole different deal, but how can he turn down the adorable teacher? It’s a day full of unexpected surprises for both of them, including each learning to think out of the box when it comes to romance.
“No Butts About It” by Linda Fulkerson—When real estate consultant and confirmed bachelor Charles Sterling’s brother and sister-in-law are killed in a car crash, they leave him a surprise in their will—their five-year-old daughter. Enamored by a character in a popular children’s book, the girl has one request for her uncle-turned-father: a pet goat. As Blossom Clarke struggles to fulfill her deceased father’s dream of developing her family’s property into a goat rescue center, she has no time for city dwellers. But when Charles Sterling shows up to buy a goat, that dream borders on becoming a nightmare. Especially when his company discovers her property checks off all the boxes requested by a high-power client.
“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?
“Snowflakes and Puppy Love” by Beth E. Westcott—When Cooper Stiles walks in the door of Archer Books, his stunning blue eyes and friendly smile pull at Brianna Kinney’s heart. He’s the first man she’s attracted to since becoming a widow. The new clerk in Robin Archer’s bookstore catches Cooper’s eye. Brianna’s love for children and her cute puppy are captivating, but he doesn’t have time for dating. His current priority is caring for his nephew and niece while their mother, his dead brother’s wife, fulfills a work commitment overseas. And he’s not going to get caught up in any more match-making.

Book Spotlight: Freefalling

It's very true that authors incorporate real-world problems into their stories. My friend J. L. Burrows had a book release last week that is a Dystopian thriller. In it, her main character is a teacher, just like her. She's here today to tell us how she used some real-life experiences in her classroom to strengthen her story. See what you think. “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”—John 8:32 (NIV)
​
 As a public school teacher, I work with students who struggle with very real-world problems, but in that capacity, I can’t share with students the real solution and Truth that God loves them and has a plan for their lives—that they matter and are loved more than they’ll ever know. I can’t tell them about the scriptures that hold me together in my worst moments and drive me to do better in my best moments. So, I write.
Serenity, a teacher and the main character of FreeFalling, isn’t a Christian and under the dome religions and history do not exist, so weaving in scriptures as the backbone of this story had to be done carefully through a still small whisper that speaks to Serenity, guiding and teaching her just as the Holy Spirit guides and teaches me. After a terrible fight between two girls, Serenity risks everything to try and save her favorite students from reconditioning–a chemical brain washing procedure that rectifies the argumentative part of the brain. By stepping out and fighting for these two girls, Serenity risks everything: her future potential, her place in society, even her sense of self if she gets reconditioned.

About four years ago, at the end of a tough school year at a school I wasn’t returning to, a student of mine brought a gun to school, and we were in code red, lockdown.
 
I turned the lights off, and the students cowered in the least visible corner of the room with textbooks covering their chest, and we waited. Would my student round the corner and fire on us?
 
My nerves were on fire.
 
I didn’t want to leave my family motherless.
 
But no matter what, I knew I wasn’t going to let any of the students in my room get hurt if I had the power to stop it.
 
If the shooter came through that door, I chose to stand between him and the students.
 
Training didn’t touch the truth at that moment.
 
Nothing hits like knowing the kid carrying the gun.
 
What if I’d done something to trigger him?
 
Swallowing back fear and choosing to stand in a courage that simply wasn’t there.
 
Time slowed.
 
It felt like hours passed. I don’t know how long it took for them to apprehend the student, but I know I learned something about myself that day.
 
In the soul-searching, mettle-testing darkness of that classroom, I imagined myself between a bullet and my students.
 
I’ve thought about shootings, especially after those that happen close to home. I still held the firm belief that it would never happen to me, my classroom, or my students.
 
After that situation, I learned I’d fight for the students under my responsibility.
 
Since moving schools, I’ve had the honor of teaching Advanced Honors and Honors English II to sophomores at our local magnet school. So, God has blessed me to spend the daylight hours teaching others to write and explore the writing of great authors, and then I come home in the evenings, and tell the stories God writes on my heart.
 
The students love to have a teacher who's actively using what she teaches. They are so curious about what I write and about how to become writers. I’m the Creative Writing Club Sponsor at the high school, and I’m mentor to a couple of aspiring writers that are doing great. One of my students, Lynnea Mileusnich published her first middle-grade, Christian Fantasy book, Heir of Promise. I’m so proud of her and excited to see where God takes her next.
 
God gave me a gift, and it is my responsibility as a member of God’s kingdom to give that gift back to God. For every book I write, I pray it reaches the readers that will be most impacted, edified, and encouraged by it. I pray readers feel seen and inspired to keep hoping when it seems all hope is lost, to keep walking when it seems all is futile, to keep loving when it seems the world is full of hate and loss.
 
There is a beautiful hope and joy despite the difficult world we live in, and we have a heavenly father that loves us more than we will ever be able to understand. I want to help others remain focused on God’s love for them. God has a great plan for the books he gives us, and I’m thrilled to be writing the next part of The Reconditioned Series journey. 
FreeFalling

Under the Dome, peace reigns ... forcefully.

One hundred and eighty years in the future, the U.S. government eradicates warfare and violence.
Serenity should feel safe, but she doesn’t.
Serenity Knowles knows two things for certain. Finishing her government assigned community service as a teacher is mandatory in order to start her adult life. And stopping those in power from reconditioning two of her favorite students will ruin her chances at a future and a life.
Everything she thought she once knew to be true, suddenly is now in question after her typically peaceful girls fight in plain view of everyone at school. The Federal Bureau of Acceptance storms in and collects them both for reconditioning—chemical brain washing. With no one to help, Serenity is driven into a wild rescue and escape plan. The girls can’t be made into shadow children, brainwashed and limited to a menial future.
All that stands between the overreaching government and her girls is Serenity’s budding faith, a furry beast companion, her modified illegal AI, and a ragtag group of men and women set against the use of cutting edge technology and genetically modified bio-weapons on citizens under the Dome. If any of them get caught, they will be reconditioned. If they don’t move fast enough, the girls will be lost. If she doesn’t become a hero, any hope of a real future will be forfeit.
In her transformation from a teacher with a broken family to a radical defector leading a team of rebels, Sere discovers America’s deadliest threat—its own government. Jennifer Burrows has a message in her heart about God’s love, and she’s shared that when she was a musician in her father’s church, as a missionary to underprivileged children in a third world country, and as a wife who stood by her husband through terminal brain cancer that God miraculously healed.

Now, she’s sharing God’s powerful love through the art of fiction, pouring herself into edifying and helping other writers, and teaching others how to use faith in the face of adversity. Jennifer teaches in the greater Nashville area where she lives with her husband and their two children. Get to know Jennifer better at jlburrows.com, or connect with her on social media. 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenniferlynnburrows
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jenniferlynnburrows
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jlburrowsauthor
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jenniferlynnburrows/freefalling-book-1-in-the-reconditioned-series/ (This is the board for FreeFalling and it includes the inspiration photos for the world and the key characters in the story.)
Website: www.jlburrows.com
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/freefalling-the-reconditioned-book-1-by-j-l-burrows

​LINK FOR JOINING J. L. BURROWS NEWSLETTER :

https://BookHip.com/TTZQCBA - Includes a freebie Prequel Anthology - Invading Darkness the origin stories to my Balance Keepers main characters. 

My Plans for 2025

How is your 2025 going so far? Mine is off to a fairly good start.
Over Christmas break, I was able to add about 20,000 words to my story, Fairest Inn All. It's my Snow White retelling and my goal is to finish it by April so I can get it on the calendar for early 2026.
Between now and then, though, I have a fun novella collection releasing in a month. Wow! February isn't very far away, is it? Where did the rest of January go?
Pets Amore is four rom-coms and each has their own pet involved in the romance. My story is "Out-of-the-box Valentine's." It has a hamster named Houdini, a kindergarten teacher, and a firefighter. So much fun! I'm also working with three other authors on a proposal for a Christmas novella collection to release in 2026. Each story would have something to do with Christmas lights. Fun, right? we'll see if we can pull it all together. I'm pretty excited about the idea I have for my story, though.
In July, my first fairy-tale retelling will release. Rendersella is set to come out July 22nd, and I am so excited for this series to start getting out to you. I adore fairy-tale retellings and I hope you'll like my modern take on them.
If I can get my act together, I would also love to write the third in my fairy-tale series before the end of the year. The title for that one is Beauty School and the Beast. And I can already picture several of the scenes for it, so my fingers are itching to get finished with Snow White so I can move on to the next "princess." 
Somewhere in the midst of all of those stories I'm working on for me, I'm also editing seven books (a couple are already done). And hoping to re-release my book Writing Home, which ended up unpublished last year when that publishing company went out of business. 
And then, of course, we have all the regular chaos too. Like two kids in school, all the things we're involved with at church, the trip we want to take this summer to see the places where Laura Ingalls lived. You get the idea.
How is your 2025 looking? Do you have your goals set? Let's hold each other accountable so we can achieve as many as possible!

2024 Reading Recap

When I ended 2023, I had not reached the goal I set myself in the Goodreads yearly reading challenge. And while it doesn't really matter, it still frustrated me. So, I lowered the goal for 2024 by five books. This is me, trying to learn how to live this life I've given myself with two kids, four jobs, etc. I figured that was attainable because I ALMOST read that many back in 2023.
Y'all. This year I read 125 of 120 books. I kid you not. I could have just left my goal the same as it has been for the last however many years. Life is crazy.
Anyway, want to know a little more about what I read?
Book club has been hit or miss. I still don't love all the choices we're getting each year. Especially if the books have bad language. If I knew going in that a book would have bad language, I wouldn't read it. So, I did skip a book or two. But I did end up reading a couple with bad language too. And the stories were good. But the language drove me crazy.
Several of the books I read this year were because I was reading along (or ahead of) my daughter. She'd been reading the Anne of Green Gables books and I couldn't remember how some of the ones near the end of the series went (I knew there was a baby lost. And a few other sad parts.) and I wanted to be able to caution her or let her talk to me about it. Those were rereads and enjoyed just as much as the last time I read them.
She also got into a series called Keeper of the Lost Cities. When she read the first one and told me it was "intense," I decided to read them with her so she could talk about it. It's an interesting series and we've only made it through about the first six books. But I heard the author included some agenda I don't approve of in the most recent release, so I'm not sure how much farther we'll go with that one.
Of course, the last month of the year, I read almost only Christmas stories. Why not? They were quick and easy and perfect for my tired brain.
I included all my books that I edited. And all the ones I wrote. Because, I DID read them. ;)
Was it a great year for reading? It definitely included some great stories, including some books from series I had started previously. But nothing really stands out as, "Oh my goodness! You have to read this book!" either.
Want to know more about what I read and the rankings I gave them? You can see the full list here.
How did your 2024 reading year go? Did you read anything amazing?

Author Interview: Lynnea Mileusnich

I love meeting new authors, especially when they're just starting out on their writing journey. When I joined our local writing group, I had no idea how many other Christian authors were in our group. And I definitely wasn't expecting a teenager like Lynnea Mileusnich. Not because I don't think teenagers can write, but because you don't expect them to write as well as grown ups. Don't believe it. Lynnea is amazing and such a blessing in my life and I'm thrilled to introduce her and her new book to you! Lynnea, congratulations on your new release. What inspired you to want to start writing?

Thanks! All praise belongs to God, who told me to work on the series in the first place. I’d have to say my family influenced me the most up until the time I started writing Heir of Promise. All of my siblings are creative in different ways, and I mixed their creativity together to make my own. My brother is a detailed worldbuilder, my oldest sister is a crafter, my other sister is an artist, and my sister-in-law is a writer. I think they really impacted my creative development. The original Wings of a Hero story was originally a sort-of graphic novel with all sorts of my drawings and little dialogue bubbles (I probably killed a tree with how much paper I used, hah).
When I saw my sister-in-law Amber communicate her stories through writing, I saw it as another method to express my story. Wings of a Hero turned into 100,000 words in 2020, and I decided to rewrite it and turn it into a series in 2023 after a prompting from God. I’m so blessed to have recently published book one, Heir of Promise. What made you choose fantasy as your genre of choice? What is it that draws you to write speculative?

I don’t think I chose fantasy. I’ve lived it. I’ve always loved to read and create stories that are set in a different world because, well, why would I want to read about the world I’m already used to? It’s so much more exciting to explore and create the unknown. There’s a certain freedom that comes from it. The way I see it, God created the world, and He made us in His image. Just as He empowered us with the creativity necessary to create never-before-seen art, music, and stories, He also fills us with the ability to generate new worlds, to take what He has given us and twist it in different ways, like a mosaic. Honestly, if God didn’t give me the desire and calling for fantasy, I don’t know how much of a writer I would be.

Of all the species you could have chosen to make your main character, what made you choose a wolf?

I think when answering this question it’s important to understand how this story came about. I actually didn’t start with wolves. My first character was a little reptilian creature I called Neoda, created during an Inktober daily challenge. As adorable as the little guy was, I couldn’t leave him all alone. I thought, “I have to give him a friend!” and from there came Saka, my main character, followed by Bella, his closest ally. The characters kind of just popped out of my brain and over time formed a story of their own as I added new characters, created a history, world, and plot. So I never asked myself, “What species of animal would best tell this story?” The characters ultimately came first.
So why a wolf? The answer is simply that I love them. They’re the sweetest yet fiercest creatures and I believe one of the most beautiful in all the creation that has God made. I love to draw them and write about them, and my room is full of them from my bookshelf to my dresser and even my walls. Wings of a Hero became about wolves because I love them.

Which one of your characters is most like you? In what way?

Each character has a part of me in them. But if I had to select one character who feels the most like me, it would be Bella. She’s the first wolf introduced who holds the Christian faith, and I pour myself into her because of that. She’s the greatest influence on Saka and is a large part of how he learns to seek the Great One. Perhaps that’s because I want to be the friend who brings someone close to Christ, or to be a part of it. In many ways, our personalities are the same. I’m an ENFJ, and whenever I consider Bella, I can’t help but view her the same way. She’s also very dear and special to me, and I find myself pouring my heart into her. I believe that’s why she’s so similar to me.

You're much younger than a lot of authors are when they first get published. Do you think this gives you an advantage or disadvantage and why?

While there are disadvantages, like how I find it harder to relate to other authors who are already parents or even grandparents, have their own homes and families to take care of, I believe starting young is very much an advantage. My youth as a published author is a surprise to many in my sphere of influence, and so I have teachers, fellow students, church members, and family friends who all immediately want a book from me. I barely have to pitch it because I’m a rarity. I think it also provides an advantage for my readers. Being closer to the middle grade age group, I’m not as isolated from the years I spent reading middle grade novels. Also, the earlier I begin, the more time I have to write more and more books! I see it as a great advantage.

With such a young start, where do you hope your writing career goes from here?

I really am hoping and praying for a success that will enable me to continue this series. It’s what God has told me to write and publish, and I’m excited to see where it takes me. I haven’t considered publishing anything outside of Wings of a Hero, but I have plans for the series! After finishing the quadrilogy, I hope to write two prequels, one an anthology of the characters' pasts before the events of the series and the other set in wolf history, bearing the theme of standing up for truth and morality. And who knows, maybe the Lord will bless me and enable me to go even further, but I’m waiting for His guidance on that. Those are still years away.

Can you give us a sneak peek into what you are working on next?

Of course! I’ve started writing book two, Prince of Truth (working title), and y’all . . . I nearly made myself cry just by writing the plot, before I even started writing. The emotion! I hope to release it next fall/winter. So excited! Saka must face a trial he had hoped he would never experience . . . and it will determine his future.

Last but not least, can you tell us one interesting thing about yourself that very few people already know?

That’s a difficult question, because I’m a very vocal person when it comes to my desires and experiences. So . . . how about this: I mentioned earlier that I love wolves. When I was somewhere between six and eight years old, I used to pretend I was a wolf—the whole getup. I would walk on four “legs”, wear a pretend tail, and climb on the arm of the couch to pretend to howl. I’m glad I grew out of that phase, hah. But I think that really shows that my love of wolves has been persistent since I was little. You can walk away from this interview knowing that a published author once frolicked around in her living room pretending to be one of the animals that she would eventually write about. I guess it was destined to be!

​Such a cute fact about yourself! Thanks for sharing so much with us today, Lynnea.
​And readers, keep reading to find out more about her book and how to keep up with her writing journey.
Heir of Promise

Death stalks him.

The only wolf of his pack to be born with wings, Saka seeks to abandon his constant torment of a family.

But when he kills his brother in a fit of rage and flees his family’s vengeance, he learns that being on his own is far from the glorious life he envisioned. The rest of the world schemes not only to ruin his life, but to tear off every last piece of his sleek black fur.

All except for one pink wolf who blossoms amidst adversity.

Bella teaches Saka his wings are not just props on his back, but the call to a higher purpose. Alongside the Resistance, he’s thrust into war. If he can manage to defeat King Moaphu, it might be the opportunity Saka needs to make up for his mistakes.

Will Saka be able to make amends for killing his brother?
Can he be the hero Bella says he is?

With the entire continent looking to him, will the Great One come to his aid to unify the land, or will they crumble under Moaphu’s paw?

​ ​Lynnea Mileusnich grew up in the Chicago area. Inspired by her older siblings–artists, worldbuilders, writers–she naturally began a writing journey of her own. At first just for creativity, her writing path became her calling, and she sought to include themes, influences, and struggles that reflect God’s Word. 
She created more than fifteen stories and nearly two hundred characters as a young teenager, constantly either drawing, plotting, worldbuilding, or writing. At the age of thirteen she wrote her first complete draft of a story titled Wings of a Hero on her mom’s laptop. Now attending high school in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, she has published her first novel of the Wings of a Hero series, Heir of Promise, at age 18.
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Website: https://lynneamileusnich.com/

My 2024 Editing Babies

When I started editing a few years ago, I was so nervous. After all, I still need people to edit my books for me. How could I possibly catch everything that needed to be caught on someone else's story?
Obviously, I have conquered that fear for the most part. I will say, I still pray over each and every book I edit because I want to help the author make it the best it can possibly be. But I also can't imagine not editing anymore. I love working with other authors, helping them strengthen stories, and I definitely adore being able to read a book before anyone else. ;)
This year, eight books released which I was content editor on. I'm thrilled to share them with you because they're all good and I definitely recommend them. So, here's the list with a little bit about each story. Just click on the cover if you want to know more.
This is Jenny Carlisle's third full-length novel, and the final book in her Crossroads series. She also has a novella included in the A Gift for All Time collection, which ties in to these stories.
In this story, she has characters on the brink of adulthood, having to make hard decisions. I very much enjoyed the fact that some of her characters have to deal with situations you don't always see in a book.
Jenny describes this as women's fiction with a little romance, but I describe it as sweet romance. Feel free to check it out and see if you agree!
I very much enjoyed this one. Terri does an excellent job with her flyboys. Her setting is completely original. Have you ever read a WWII book set in Brazil before? I loved learning some of the history of that part of the world as I read this gorgeous romance.
The humor laced through between the men on the plane, the interesting aspects of the origins of the character, and the bad guy so easy to root against all made for a very enjoyable read.
​(I've already edited her newest book which will release early in 2025, and I'm excited for you to read it too!)
You guys. When I met Tonya Ashley about seven or eight years ago, I had no idea I'd end up being blessed with editing her stories. I got a sneak peek of the first chapter of this book years ago and encouraged her to keep writing. And she did!
Her setting is in Van Buren, Arkansas, just a little after the '49ers rushed through. If you haven't read her story in A Gift for All Time, it comes before this one, but both are a stand-alone.
Her female character is spunky and daring, not at what you might expect to find in a woman back then. And her male is easy to fall in love with even as he tries to hold us back at arm's length. There is romance, a bit of mystery, and even some adventure before the end. I loved it.
Lori DeJong has quickly become a dear friend in the last few years. This is the second book in her series and I'm sad that I'm about to edit the last, because it's so good, y'all. 
Set in the Dallas area of Texas, Lori continues the tale of the student ministry she introduced us to in her first book. We revisit two secondary characters from the first book in this story as they take center-stage, revealing why they've acted the way the did, as well as letting us in on some hidden motivations.
The way she writes, you honestly think these people and situations are real, that you can see and smell and taste everything in the book, and that you're going to want to go back again and again.
Cynthia Roemer weaves such beautiful stories. This book is the third in her Wounded Hearts series. I knew going in that this book would be different from the first two because in this one, the war has been over for a few years.
While you might think that would leave things more settled for the characters, there is still plenty to interrupt their day-to-day life and plans.
The young sister of the men in the first two books becomes the heroine in this tale, as she strives to hold together the life she's always known while everything around her changes and shifts.
The hero has lost his memory and can't let himself move on until he figures out what he's left behind. 
Cynthia does a wonderful job of being realistic and still giving you a happy ending. I recommend all of her books.
I never imagined I would edit biblical fiction. The weight of responsibility to make sure everything is as accurate as possible is huge. But I was passed Linda Dindzans's first book, and you guys, it's so good.
Linda weaves together the story of the Samaritan woman, the Good Samaritan, and a bunch of history, to leave you with this intense story of people who discover Jesus and learn that only He can help with their struggles and hurts.
As with all biblical fiction, you have to remember that this is fiction and only how an author has imagined things MIGHT have happened. But it's also a great way to immerse yourself in a story that is set in the times of our savior and be able to better picture things as you read the Bible.
Regina Rudd Merrick is one of my dearest friends. I'm so glad she's part of my life. And her RenoVations series is a fun one. Join us in Kentucky as we meet another of the Reno family, this time a twin brother. He's moving back in with his grandparents while he looks for a job, and also filling in as a jack-of-all-trades for his cousin.
Which sets him up to work with the heroine, which is a master electrician and fully intends to resist his charm. Except when throw together over and over again, and when he helps her with her own house renovations, how can she ignore the attraction?
As always, this book has plenty of charm and shenanigans. Prepare to enjoy yourself. Every been to Colorado? Donna Wichelman's first book takes you there, with all the amazing details of the coal-mining town where she's set her story. Get ready for a spunky Irish girl and a grieving widower to clash with each other from the first moment--until they don't.
This story has a gorgeous setting, interesting history, fun characters, and a wonderful heaping of Christmas cheer. It's a great start to what is sure to be a wonderful series.
Ready to read? Which book sounded the most interesting to you?