Suzanne Woods Fisher's Blog, page 18
June 4, 2018
Author Spotlight with Susan May Warren
Leave a comment and enter below for a chance to win a copy of Susan May Warren’s new book, “Storm Front.” Winner will be announced in the next Author Spotlight feature. Note: This post contains affiliate links meaning I will get a small commission if you click and buy from that link.
Award-winning author Susan May Warren has charmed readers with her action-packed Montana Rescue series. With this next installment, Storm Front, Warren executes the perfect blend of romance, adventure, and danger.
A tornado has destroyed a small Minnesota community, and among the missing are not only a group of students but PEAK Rescue team leader Chet King. Ty Remington will stop at nothing to rescue his mentor, not even when the girl he loved—and lost—walks back into his life.
A blogger for Vortex Storm Chasers, Brette Arnold didn’t expect her adventures to land her in the same place as Ty, the guy who she ran from over a year ago. She had her reasons and believes that falling for him again would only lead to heartache. But Ty isn’t the kind of man to give up—not on the missing students or on her.
Life and love hang in the balance in Susan May Warren’s breathless story of holding on to hope during a deadly summer of storms.
What is the one thing that I’ve learned the hard way so that others don’t have to?
This is a massive question. Like, for example, when you whip egg whites, keep the mixer going the same direction the entire time, and keep whipping until they fold in on themselves. Or, perhaps, don’t bring almonds back into the country, even if you bought them in the United States. Finally, and I think this was my best lesson, when your daughter says, at the age of 14, that she wants blue hair, don’t freak out, but just say, “what shade?” It’ll grow out.
But as a writer, the best lesson for me has been a very simple, but fantastic trick to getting my stories on the page, consistently, with minimal rewrites and under deadline: Tell Yourself The Story.
After I’ve created my characters, figured out the theme, the character change journey and what their black moment and happy ending will be, I take my phone, or my recorder, and a cup or three of coffee, I tell myself the story.
I like talk-to-text because the app then transcribes it into a document. I can then clean it up and divide the summary into chapters for Scrivener.
Basically, I lay out my notes, my plotting and character charts (I use a method called the Story Equation), and I sit and talk out the entire story like I might be telling it to a friend. Sometimes I write it in the POV of the characters so I can hear their emotions and motivation for each action. It requires me to make sure I have a good reason for everything my character does, as well as ensures that all the threads are woven through the entire story. Once it’s told, or written, I listen/read it like a reader, asking questions about possible plot holes, motivations, and character reactions. This technique almost acts like an initial plot/content edit as I’m ironing out all the wrinkles in the plot before I start putting it on paper.
Of course, I allow myself room to change the plot as the characters demand when I get into the story, but if I can start out with a strong story, one I like, and with characters I not only like but want to go on the journey with, then I know I at least have a strong foundation.
So…if you’re a writer, tell yourself the story before you write it. If you fall in love with it first, then there’s a pretty good chance your readers will, too!
Purchase a copy of Storm Front
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Susan May Warren is the USA Today bestselling author of over fifty novels with more than 1 million books sold, including Wild Montana Skies, Rescue Me, and A Matter of Trust. Winner of a RITA Award and multiple Christy and Carol Awards, as well as the HOLT and numerous Readers’ Choice Awards, Susan has written contemporary and historical romances, romantic suspense, thrillers, romantic comedy, and novellas.
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May 30, 2018
Coffee Break: Three Good Thinks
If you’re anything like me, you probably spend a lot more time and energy pondering problems than you do ruminating on the good stuff in your life. After all, problems need attention, they need solving. Good things are, well, good enough. So, of course, the problems winds up getting more of our focus. Unfortunately, that means we overlook or under-appreciate the good stuff. And so much of life is good.
Here’s something I’ve done to counteract my stuck-on-the-problems way of thinking: Three Good Thinks
Each day, I write down three things that brought joy in my day and why they did. They don’t have to be big huge events. It’s just a way to shift my thinking to dwell more on positive moments that I’m overlooking.
Example: Yesterday, my five-year-old granddaughter sent me a ten-second voice activated text to tell me that she loved me and missed me.
Reason for joy: I only knew one grandmother and, more often than not, she always seemed disappointed in me. I was too talkative, too messy, too boisterous, too careless. (Pretty sure she was right!) But…I wanted to be a different kind of grandmother. A warm and loving relationship with my darling grandchildren is a top priority for me. Kaitlyn’s message made me feel that I’m doing it right.
So give it a try! Keeping an eye out for your day’s Three Good Thinks will start to shift your attention to more of the good stuff.
And let me know if you have any suggestions to help yourself dwell on more positive things. I’d like to hear what’s working for you, too.
May 21, 2018
Author Spotlight with Jennifer Delamere
Leave a comment and enter below for a chance to win a copy of Jennifer Delamere’s new book, “The Heart’s Appeal.” Winner will be announced in the next Author Spotlight feature. Congratulations to Judith Smith for winning Anna Marlis Burgard’s book, “The Beachcomber’s Companion.” Please email my assistant Christen to claim your prize. Note: This post contains affiliate links meaning I will get a small commission if you click and buy from that link.
Can you tell us about your newest release? Is it part of a series or a stand-alone?
The Heart’s Appeal is the story of Julia Bernay, who comes to London to study medicine. She ends up saving the life of Michael Stephenson, a barrister whose client wants to close down the medical school she wishes to attend. When they begin to find common ground and their personal attraction grows, things get even more complicated! The Heart’s Appeal is book two in the London Beginnings series, but it can be read as a standalone.
Is anything or anyone in this book based on real-life experiences?
There are several real-life people who appear in this book. Julia’s mentor at the medical school is Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, who was the first woman to qualify as a physician in Britain, and who co-founded the London School of Medicine for Women. Her husband, James G.S. Anderson (Jamie), was the joint-owner of a successful shipping line. He offers advice and help to Michael at a critical time. Julia also has an inspiring encounter with Dr. Anderson’s sister, Millicent Fawcett. Today, Millicent is most remembered for her role in the women’s suffrage movement, and in fact, a statue of her was recently placed in Parliament Square in London. Both sisters were quite extraordinary, and I enjoyed being able to include them in this book.
Who was your favorite character in this story, and why?
Without a doubt, it was Julia! The middle of three sisters orphaned as children, Julia was raised in George Müller’s orphanage in Bristol, England. (George Muller’s orphanage was an actual place, a Christian orphanage that prospered supported only by believing and prayer.) Julia is energetic and forthright—some might call her bossy, but she has great compassion, too. She has a sharp mind and loves learning. She is “ahead of the curve” in her goal of becoming a licensed physician. That career had only just opened up to women. Julia has a deep love for God and a desire to serve Him. I admire her because she is bold and never hesitates to speak the Gospel in any situation—even among naysayers. That is something I aspire to!
Compared to your other books, was this one easy to complete or challenging? Any idea why?
Plotting the overall book was easier than some of the others because it had such a strong premise. However, it was hard for me to finish writing it because I had many different storylines to interweave and tie up successfully. Pulling it all together in the final chapters is like assembling a jigsaw puzzle—it is challenging but exciting to see it all come together!
What was the hardest scene in this book to write? What made it difficult?
I would say the toughest scenes to write were those relating to the lawsuit against the medical school. This was an important aspect of the story, and I did a lot of research to ensure I portrayed the legal details as accurately as possible. But there was a lot more than simply the “mechanics” to relate: the outcome of the trial was so critical to Julia and Michael’s relationship that I wanted to do justice to the inner turmoil it was causing for both of them.
What did you (or your editors) edit out of this book?
We writers know much more about our characters’ backstories than we can include in our books. Sometimes that information is so interesting that we really, really want to put it in! In The Heart’s Appeal, there was a story told by one of the characters about how the three sisters got from Plymouth to the orphanage in Bristol after their mother died. The story was poignant, as you might expect, but it was uplifting, too. A young woman stepped in to help the children in their hour of need, getting them to a safe place where they would be properly cared for. Otherwise, they might have wound up on the street—a fate common to many poor orphans in those days. As a result, the woman found her own life changed for the better in an unexpected way. I had to agree with my editor that the story should be cut from this book, but perhaps I’ll turn it into a novella or short story one day.
What’s the most difficult thing about writing from the point of view of the opposite sex?
I work diligently to hit the right tone and make my male characters believable. One thing I try to keep in mind as I write is that most men might be thinking many thoughts but only verbalize a short sentence or two. Fortunately, I have a sharp editor to let me know if I have hit a false note in my characterization or dialogue.
More about The Heart’s Appeal
London, 1881
He Never Expected to See Her Again. Then She Appeared with a Most Unexpected Request. . . .
Strong-minded and independent, Julia Bernay has come to London to study medicine and become a doctor—a profession that has only just opened up to women. When she witnesses a serious accident, her quick action saves the life of an ambitious young barrister named Michael Stephenson. It’s only later that she learns he could be instrumental in destroying her dreams for the future.
Coming from a family that long ago lost its status, Michael Stephenson has achieved what many would have thought impossible. Hard work and an aptitude for the law have enabled him to regain the path to wealth and recognition. His latest case puts him in the middle of a debate over the future of a women’s medical school. He’s supposed to remain objective, but when the beguiling and determined Julia reappears with an unexpected entreaty, he begins to question what he’s made most important in his life. But Julia may be hiding her own motivations. As the two are tangled into spending more time together, will their own goals be too much to overcome?
Purchase a copy of The Heart’s Appeal
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | CBD | JenniferDelamere.com
Jennifer Delamere’s debut Victorian romance, An Heiress at Heart, was a 2013 RITA Award finalist in the inspirational category. Her follow-up novel, A Lady Most Lovely, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and the Maggie Award for Excellence from Georgia Romance Writers. Jennifer earned a BA in English from McGill University in Montreal, where she became fluent in French and developed an abiding passion for winter sports. She’s been an editor of nonfiction and educational materials for nearly two decades, and lives in North Carolina with her husband.
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May 2, 2018
Coffee Break: Screen Free Week
Did you know it’s Screen Free Week? Families are encouraged to turn off the screens and enjoy the non-digital world.
Our TV has been on more often lately (partly due to our longterm houseguest–a darling newborn baby–who needs a lot of walking!) and partly due to the winning streak of the Golden State Warriors). When the TV is on, it’s hard to concentrate or read or just…think. Something about a TV pulls your attention in.
We all need Screen Free Week…not just kids. Despite the conveniences that computers and TVs and smart phones provide, they distract us from the real thing. Even if Screen Free Week just helps us keep devices under control a little better, gain a little perspective, well, that’s a worthy goal. Less is good!
So today, I am stepping away from the computer and going out to lunch with three of my favorite friends. Can. Not. Wait.
How about you? What are you doing this week instead of watching the screen?
April 30, 2018
Author Spotlight with Anna Marlis Burgard
Leave a comment and enter below for a chance to win a copy of Anna Marlis Burgard’s new book, “The Beachcomber’s Companion.” Winner will be announced in the next Author Spotlight feature. Congratulations to Martha Troxel for winning Kristin Billerbeck’s book, “The Theory of Happily Ever After.” Please email my assistant christenkrumm {at} gmail {dot} com to claim your prize.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Tall, youngest of six, INTJ, been making books since I was about 7. Love to cook, happiest with my feet in the sand.
Do you have a day job as well? If so, what is it?
My last day job was as Deputy Commissioner for Communications and Outreach for New York State’s Department of Taxation and Finance. I resigned last July to move back to Tybee Island and focus on the book.
When did you start writing your first book?
The first book I remember, actually still have it in a scrapbook, was a little looseleaf pamphlet based on American holidays; this was about at age 7. Then I wrote, illustrated (in pencil) and bound a little book called How the Zebra and Skunk Got Along as a present for my parent’s 25th wedding anniversary when I was about 8. I wrote a bunch of little books for a book packager in the 90s; mainly I edited other peoples’ books. My first “real” book was Flying Feet: A Story of Irish Dance for Chronicle Books in 2005.
How did you choose the genre you write in? Or did the genre choose you?
It absolutely chose me. I lived in Spokane for some years for a big job, which was the furthest inland I’d ever lived…so I kept escaping to Puget Sound islands like Orcas, Lummi, Whidbey and Vashon…I’d left Tybee Island to take the job. I realized how much islands have been a part of my life since birth—my parents took us all to an Atlantic island every year for vacation. When I lived on Tybee, I started writing books instead of only coming up with the ideas for other people, then editing them. By 2012 in Washington, I started the work on Islands of America: A River, Lake and Sea Odyssey. From those visits to now 100+ islands came articles, the website, and now this second book (the first was 2016’s Shrimp Country: Recipes and Tales from the Southern Coasts).
Does writing energize you or exhaust you?
Energizes my mind, tires my body from being so sedentary.
Do you believe in writer’s block?
I believe it happens but haven’t experienced it. Perhaps more common in fiction?
Do you create an outline before you begin? Do you have the end in mind, or do you just wait and see where the story takes you?
My brain processes ideas almost instantly and certainly instinctually into book outlines. I can usually see the whole pretty quickly.
What kind of research do you do? How long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
I might be quite happy doing nothing but research! I was a history major and just love information. I have to cut myself off. One of my favorite research tricks is entering keywords into eBay’s search engine to see what comes up that might inform a description, or give me a deeper understanding about something.
Are you part of a community of authors? If so, how has it helped you?
No, I’m quite introverted. I do rely on expert readers for every book, though, before final pages. And I have attended a couple very small workshops for my novel, which may never get written.
How did your first published book change your life?
I’d been in the trade illustrated book publishing business as a designer, editor, creative director for 14 years before my first book was published. Honestly, it didn’t change much. It was a quiet book.
Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?
It’s more a question of why did it take me so long to write my own books and pitch them, being so connected!!
How do you market your work? What avenues have you found work best for you?
This book is the most intensive PR effort of my career…I started by joining Facebook groups years ago of people interested in the subject of shells and the beach so I could hear how they described things, what got them excited…and would have subject matter experts to turn to, and then an audience. That has been great if time-consuming. I’ve also been doing an enormous amount of work as my own publicist. I hired both a west coast and an east coast publicist, both very connected and experienced, but it wasn’t working as I’d hoped, so I took it on myself, writing to journalists I’d never met, all these shots in the dark, along with reaching out to a few magazine editors I’d pitched to before…I have a small amount of placements so far, but strategic ones, and one very big one coming up. Giveaways of signed copies have drummed up a lot of interest—I’m pretty sure that’s how I got to a best-seller status in two categories (Seashells and Oceans & Seas) on Amazon this past weekend!
If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any advice you’d give to yourself? Or to aspiring writers?
I’d tell authors to be bold about asking how the house that’s made them an offer plans to support the book. Where will it be in their catalog? Will they create a media kit for it? What is their strategy for media placement? How will it be marketed at trade shows? Don’t stop at negotiating the dollar amount for the advance. Also, if you’re able, make sure the agreement includes a review of things like the press release, catalog copy etc. You might know your audience far better than the publisher, so that language is key.
Can you tell us about your newest release?
At its core, it’s an identification book for objects found at the beach, but it’s also conversational—the storytelling, along with the quality of the illustrations, sets it apart from other shell ID books. I like to think it has beauty and brains! There are also objects included that are never in shell ID books, including the rare clay babies of Fox Island in Washington, messages in bottles, arrowheads and more. There are readers who will buy it because it’s useful, and people who will buy it as a coastal décor accent because it’s pretty…
What is your favorite quote from your newest release?
Tough question! But this describes a memorable encounter: “One of my favorite island moments involved sea stars. As I approached the ocean through the scrub brush in the dark before sunrise, I could see star silhouettes spangling the beach, with eighty-five counted in just a 100-yard [91-m] stretch. There was something spectacular about seeing them all, dark against light sand, beneath the light-against-inky-sky stars overhead, as if those on the beach had fallen from the sky.”
What inspired your newest release?
I’ve been stooped over, back to the sun, face to the shells, as long as I could stand on my own. Now that I’ve visited more than 100 islands in the U.S. (for www.islandsofamerica.com), I’ve collected many items from beaches that I had no clue about—so would contact experts, including those from the Smithsonian, Texas A&M’s Sea Grant Program, The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, coastal state parks and more to learn about what I’d picked up. So this book is my sharing the best of what I’ve learned, and experienced.
Compared to your other books, was this one easy to complete or challenging? Any idea why?
My other books were much more…serious: Hallelujah: The Poetry of Classic Hymns (Ten Speed Press, 2005); Shrimp Country: Recipes and Tales from the Southern Coasts (UPF, 2016)…so this was simply less enormous a task! Every book has challenging moments before it reaches a reader’s hands…but writing this one was not a struggle…in fact, it kept me sane when a day job was chewing my very last nerves.
What did you (or your editors) edit out of this book?
Oh, Lord. SO much. Whole essays on the sand, driftwood, palm trees, fossils, ways to display shells, shell collections of note…so all that will go on my website as blog entries.
What part of the country do you consider home?
The coastal south, the Lowcountry…although I loved living in Newport and was raised near Baltimore.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
Walk the beach, research, cook…explore the next island. Admire my cat, listen to the birds…
You’ve just turned in your manuscript, and your editor won’t return it with revisions for at least a week or two. Where would you go for a vacation?
At that point, just leaving the house would be a treat! I’m usually thinking of a trip to a place that doesn’t remind me of the book at hand. It’s almost always Paris.
What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?
Espresso cookie. It’s the devil’s food.
Are you a dog or a cat person? What does that tell us about you?
Both, but the way I live, how much I travel, doesn’t permit having dogs. So I have a cat, who found me. I opened my door and he darted inside, up the steps, right into my bedroom. I like the independence of cats…and their general cleanliness, elegance, and silence. But I don’t like aloof cats. Draw your own conclusions!
What was your favorite childhood book? What made it so beloved?
I read a lot of random ghost stories and all of the Nancy Drew series…but what I remember being moved by was the poem “The Highwayman” by Alfred Noyes. I read it constantly…loved drama! “And the highwayman came riding, riding, riding up to the old inn door…” And the illustrations were nicely ghostly, in this children’s literature encyclopedia we had, with deep orange covers. And I loved Dr. Seuss. Still do.
How many unfinished book ideas or manuscripts do you currently have?
If I hazarded a guess, I’d say roughly 60. It gets to the point where I’m relieved when someone else writes a book I thought of doing—as long as they do it well. Then my list shrinks, and I sleep better. I’ll never have time to write all the books that have occurred to me. That’s something about getting older that people don’t talk about much, and that I’m writing a piece on—having to become circumspect in which projects you’ll try before your brain and/or body give out!
What’s your favorite movie?
Comedy: What About Bob? Ghost Story: The Changling (the George C. Scott film). Period piece: Enchanted April. Fantasy: The Shape of Water. Spy: Casino Royale. Romance: Out of Africa. There are so many, I love love love going to movies…that escape in the dark, no one bothering you or asking anything of you, just entering into a story—with buttered popcorn and a mix of Cherry and Diet Coke.
Purchase a copy of The Beachcomber’s Companion
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Both the author and principal photographer for Islands of America, Anna Marlis Burgard is the creative force behind hundreds of illustrated books including the bestselling A Guide for Grown-ups: Essential Wisdom from the Collected Works of Antoine de Saint-Exupery (Harcourt); Perfect Porches (Clarkson Potter/Random House); The Twilight Zone graphic novel series (Walker & Co.); Hallelujah: The Poetry of Classic Hymns (Ten Speed Press); Shrimp Country: Recipes and Tales from the Southern Coasts (UPF) and the forthcoming The Beachcomber’s Companion (Chronicle Books). Her work has been featured on Atlas Obscura, The Oprah Winfrey Show, BBC Radio and NPR and in Elle Decor, The New Yorker, Spirituality & Practice, Celebrated Living, Roadfood.com, Town & Country, USAToday and Yahoo! Travel.
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April 23, 2018
Author Spotlight with Kristin Billerbeck
Leave a comment and enter below for a chance to win a copy of Kristin Billerbeck’s newest book, “The Theory of Happily Ever After.” Winner will be announced in the next Author Spotlight feature. Congratulations to Kay Garrett for winning Susan May Warren’s book, “Troubled Waters.” Please email my assistant christenkrumm {at} gmail {dot} com to claim your prize.
“Billerbeck has the most delightful voice I’ve ever read. I adore her stories, and she returns with an enchanting new novel, The Theory of Happily Ever After. I laughed, cried, and rejoiced with her wonderful characters and was sad when the story ended. Highly recommended!”
—Colleen Coble, USA Today bestselling author
With more than thirty novels and over 700,000 copies sold, Kristin Billerbeck has mastered the art of combining memorable characters and snappy dialogue to create fun and touching romances. Billerbeck’s newest novel, The Theory of Happily Ever After, is sure to resonate with her many fans as they come to realize that the path to finding bliss isn’t exactly what one might expect.
Dr. Maggie Maguire, a famous happiness expert, believes that happiness is a serious science. However, she soon learns that science can’t always account for life’s anomalies. When Maggie’s fiancé dumps her for a silk-scarf acrobat, she finds herself spiraling into an extended ice cream–fueled chick-flick binge.
Concerned that she might never pull herself out of this nosedive, Maggie’s friends book her as a speaker on a “New Year, New You” cruise in the Gulf of Mexico. Maggie wonders if she’s qualified to teach others about happiness when she can’t muster up any for herself. But when a handsome stranger on board insists that smart women can’t ever be happy, Maggie sets out to prove him wrong. Along the way she just might find that the path to finding happiness may have far less to do with the head than with the heart.
What is ONE thing you’ve learned the hard way so that others don’t have to?
The one thing I learned over the years is to listen to your gut. Now that doesn’t mean that you won’t have to write to certain formats, nor that you know best all the time and have nothing to learn. Writing is a lifetime of learning. However, it does mean that when you feel that inner squeeze telling you that something isn’t right for you, listen to it and not the “experts.”
After I published my first book, I met with an author that I really admired (and still do!) She told me that I had to learn to write a book to synopsis. I needed to plot. I left that meeting so disheartened because I can’t plot to save my life. I figured I would have to write an entire book not knowing if I would sell it because I didn’t know what would happen until it did. I never knew where my characters were going to lead me. How could I tell THEM what to do? Now, I knew that it was a romance and they would end up together, but how they would get there? That’s a mystery to me every time.
As it happened, I was at a writers’ conference at the time, and there was a big crowd laughing and whooping it up in one of the large ballrooms. I walked my Eeyore self into the room thinking, what harm could it do to be around all these happy writers? The author on stage said that she didn’t allow any of her sessions to be taped because she never knew what would pop out of her mouth. I perked right up. There was another author who needed an edit button? I’d found my people!
She went on to say that every day when she sat down at the computer, she had no idea where the characters would take her that day. She just sat down and followed them. That was such a God-moment for me to understand that writers write differently and to embrace the kind of writer that I am. I’m not meant to be on anyone else’s journey. I’m on my own. Over the years, I have made “big mistakes” from the outside, but they were all learning experiences.
Every author has his or her own journey, but I implore you that if everything in your gut is saying ‘no’ and you’re offered a $50k advance? No matter how tempting it is. Say no. In the end, it’s more costly to go against God’s plan for your writing.
Incidentally, the author who wrote by listening to her characters? It was Susan Elizabeth Phillips – and that year she’d won the RITA for the ‘Book of the Year.’
Pre-Order a copy of The Theory of Happily Ever After
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Kristin Billerbeck is the author of more than thirty novels, including What a Girl Wants and the Ashley Stockingdale and Spa Girls series. She is a fourth-generation Californian who loves her state and the writing fodder it provides.
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April 16, 2018
Author Spotlight with Susan May Warren
Leave a comment and enter below for a chance to win a copy of Susan May Warren’s newest book, “Troubled Waters.” Winner will be announced in the next Author Spotlight feature. Congratulations to XX for winning Sarah Sundin’s book, “The Sea Before Us.” Please email my assistant christenkrumm {at} gmail {dot} com to claim your prize.
Billionaire Ian Shaw’s life has taken a rough turn. His fortune has recently been liquidated, his niece, Esme, is still missing, and the woman he loves is refusing to speak to him.
Despite her love for Ian, Sierra Rose knows he has no room in his life for her as long as the mystery of his missing niece goes unsolved. The only problem is, Sierra has solved it, but a promise to Esme to keep her whereabouts secret has made it impossible to be around Ian.
When the PEAK chopper is damaged, Ian offers a fundraising junket for large donors on his yacht in the Caribbean. But the three-day excursion turns into a high-stakes survival when a wave cripples the yacht and sends the passengers overboard. Ian and Sierra scramble for survival as they find themselves washed up on a strange, empty shore.
Sparks ignite as they wait for rescue, but will a secret keep them apart?
What part of the country do you consider home?
I am from Minnesota! A rabid Minnesota Vikings fan, I live in the Minneapolis area, but also have a writing cabin up north, in Grand Marais, MN, just a mile off beautiful Lake Superior. I love the four seasons, the SNOW (yes!) and my Minnesota heritage!
Currently, how big (or small) is your household?
We are empty nesters. And love it. But we also love the four times a year when our house is full. (most of our kids live out of town).
What do you do when you’re not writing?
Reading! I read at least a book a week. I am also crazy about football, so on any given weekend, I’m usually watching our son play his college game, then watching the MN Gophers (my alma mater), and ending the weekend with a day of Sunday football (go Vikes!) I also spend a lot of time researching story ideas (which has meant travelling or doing cool things like learning how to make wine, or snorkeling, or boating, or whatever my book calls for.) I think I probably need to write a book set in Italy.
Is there any habit or hobby you have that might surprise readers?
I’m (with hubs) a swing-dancer and a scuba diver, and we often fill our weekends and vacations with either dancing or diving. You’ve just turned in your manuscript, and your editor won’t return it with revisions for at least a week or two.
Where would you go for a vacation?
Diving off Hawaii’s big island. Beautiful, warm, crystal-clear water. Last time I was there I swam a foot away from a loggerhead turtle, just hanging out, dude.
What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?
Caramel Cookie Crunch gelato
Are you a dog or a cat person?
DOG! I have a labradoodle named Mitty. Before that, we had a beloved lab-Doberman mix named Gracie.
What does that tell us about you?
I love the unconditional love a dog gives. I think I want that same kind of love.
What was your favorite childhood book? What made it so beloved?
I loved the Black Stallion series. But my favorite book was called Ghosts. It was actually about a couple kids who went back in time (not as ghosts, but sort of) to solve a mystery. I LOVE time travel stories.
How many unfinished book ideas or manuscripts do you currently have?
Unfinished? Oh boy…well, does that count the ones that are currently residing in my brain, that I haven’t written, or are these in process? One, in process. 12 in my brain, noodling.
What’s your favorite movie? Favorite TV show?
Currently, I’m watching The Good Doctor, Outlander, Madam Secretary, Seal Team and The Brave
If you were casting yourself in a movie, which actor or actress would you pick? Why?
Tia Leoni. I would like her willowy figure and her awesome hair, but mostly because I like her character on Madam Secretary. She is no-nonsense, practical, but loves her husband and kids and just tries her best to impact her world, one day at a time. (for me, it would be just one book at a time.)
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Susan May Warren is the USA Today bestselling author of over fifty novels with more than 1 million books sold, including Wild Montana Skies, Rescue Me, and A Matter of Trust. Winner of a RITA Award and multiple Christy and Carol Awards, as well as the HOLT and numerous Readers’ Choice Awards, Susan has written contemporary and historical romances, romantic suspense, thrillers, romantic comedy, and novellas.
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April 11, 2018
Coffee Break: Sermon in a Sentence
Have you seen these daily Penn Dutch proverbs? They’re delivered right to your mailbox. Give them a try! Easy to unsubscribe, but I think you’ll love them. Click here to subscribe: https://bit.ly/DailyAmishProverbs
April 9, 2018
Author Spotlight with Sarah Sundin
Leave a comment and enter below for a chance to win a copy of Sarah Sundin’s newest book, “The Sea Before Us.” Winner will be announced in the next Author Spotlight feature. Congratulations to Lisa Ann Phillips for winning Irene Hannon’s book, “Pelican Point.” Please email my assistant christenkrumm {at} gmail {dot} com to claim your prize.
Award-winning author Sarah Sundin artfully blends emotionally rich romance with historical accuracy and heart-pounding scenes in book 1 of the new Sunrise at Normandy series.
In 1944, American naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton arrives in London to prepare for the Allied invasion of France. He works closely with Dorothy Fairfax, a Wren in the Women’s Royal Naval Service. Dorothy pieces together reconnaissance photographs with thousands of holiday snapshots of France—including those of her own family’s summer home—in order to create accurate maps of Normandy. Maps that Wyatt will turn into naval bombardment plans.
As the two spend concentrated time together, both Wyatt and Dorothy must resist their deepening feelings for each other. Dorothy’s bereaved father depends on her, and her heart already belongs to another man. Wyatt too has much to lose. The closer he gets to Dorothy, the more he fears his efforts to win the war will destroy everything she has ever loved.
Booklist stated that Sundin’s Waves of Freedom series was “an inspiring and triumphant labor of love.” The Sunrise at Normandy series will also blaze to life under Sarah Sundin’s practiced pen as she explores the tense days leading up to the monumental D-day.
Can you tell us about your newest release? Is it part of a series or a stand-alone?
The Sea Before Us is the first book in the Sunrise at Normandy series, which follows three estranged brothers as they fight on D-day from the sea, in the air, and on the ground.
As D-day approaches, American naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton is teamed up with Dorothy Fairfax, a British officer. Once they piece together family and reconnaissance photos to map Normandy, will Wyatt’s bombardment plans destroy what Dorothy loves most?
Is anything or anyone in this book based on real-life experiences?
Although none of the characters are based on real life—other than the historical figures—some of their experiences stem from real life. Wyatt is dealing with shame resulting from the sins he committed against his brothers—and I’ve battled shame in my own life. Also, Dorothy is remaking herself to attract the man she adores—and when I was younger, I tried to remake myself as well. I loved walking with both Wyatt and Dorothy and watching them grow.
The story itself is based on actual historical events, mainly the Allied planning for D-day, the work of the “Wrens” (Britain’s Women’s Royal Naval Service), and the naval actions on that historic day, but also the “Little Blitz” in London in the spring of 1944 and what life was like for the British during the war.
Who was your favorite character in this story, and why?
They say never work with children or animals, and for a good reason. My favorite character was Bonnie Prince Charlie, Dorothy’s Scottish terrier. Not only does Charlie add humor, but he brings back good memories for Dorothy and shows Wyatt’s good heart. Not to mention Charlie’s vital work exposing Nazi spies posing as squirrels in Kensington Gardens.
Compared to your other books, was this one easy to complete or challenging? Any idea why?
In many ways, it was one of the most challenging. The first book in any series is always more work as I get to know a new cast of characters and research a new setting. In this case, this California Girl author chose to write from the point-of-view of a hero from Texas and a British heroine. It was important for me to get their voices right without sounding like stereotypes and to reflect English viewpoints and culture.
What was the hardest scene in this book to write? What made it difficult?
Naval scenes are always difficult to write—I have to be accurate, show the excitement and terror, but not bog down the reader with terminology and technology.
Personally, the most difficult scenes to write were between Dorothy and her grief-paralyzed father. All she wants is connection, but he’s shut her out. In a way, they speak different languages, and it was heartbreaking to write.
What did you (or your editors) edit out of this book?
More importantly, I like what we edited in. My agent told me the beginning felt slow and quiet. I tightened it up to increase the pace, but it still felt wrong. The day I turned it in to my editor, I was slammed with the idea of writing a prologue and I casually mentioned it to my editor. She said, “Write it now!” I’m so glad. The prologue shows the event that thrust the three Paxton brothers apart several years before the series begins, and I love how it turned out. Plus, we get glimpses of Adler Paxton (a fighter pilot in book 2, The Sky Above Us) and Clay Paxton (an Army Ranger in book 3, The Land Beneath Us).
What’s the most difficult thing about writing from the point of view of the opposite sex?
I actually love writing from the male point-of-view, maybe because I have two grown sons and I love watching how they act and think. The hardest part for me is remembering that the male brain intensely focuses on one thing at a time, not darting between topics.
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Sarah Sundin is the author of Through Waters Deep, Anchor in the Storm, and When Tides Turn in the Waves of Freedom series, as well as the Wings of the Nightingale and the Wings of Glory series. Her novels have received starred reviews from Booklist and Library Journal. Her popular Through Waters Deep was a Carol Award finalist and named
to Booklist’s “101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years.” A graduate of UC San Francisco School of Pharmacy, she works on-call as a hospital pharmacist. Sarah lives in California.
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April 2, 2018
Author Spotlight with Irene Hannon
Leave a comment and enter below for a chance to win a copy of Irene Hannon’s newest book, “Pelican Point.” Winner will be announced in the next Author Spotlight feature. Congratulations to Audrey Stewart for winning Debra Whiting Alexander’s book, “Zetty.” Please email my assistant christenkrumm {at} gmail {dot} com to claim your prize.
Bestselling author Irene Hannon has captured readers’ hearts with her delightful tales set in the Oregon coastal village of Hope Harbor. Now she welcomes readers back to this charming town for another heartwarming and unforgettable romance.
Army doctor Ben Garrison is not expecting to inherit a crumbling lighthouse when he journeys back to Hope Harbor. Fresh out of the service, he is more than ready to unload the tower of bricks, decompress from years of treating battlefield trauma, and prepare to launch his civilian career.
Hope Harbor Herald editor Marci Weber has other ideas. She may not be a Hope Harbor native, but the small Oregon seaside town has become home—and she’s determined to save the Pelican Point landmark.
Sparks fly as the two go head to head over the fate of the lighthouse. But when they start to cooperate, a different kind of fire ignites. Can Hope Harbor heal the hearts of these two romance-wary souls?
Can you tell us about your newest release? Is it part of a series or a stand-alone?
Pelican Point is part of my Hope Harbor series, but each book stands alone and can be read as a single title. The unifying element in the books is the location, a small seaside town on the Oregon coast where hearts heal…and love blooms. Fans of Debbie Macomber and Robyn Carr would enjoy this novel.
Is anything or anyone in this book based on real-life experiences?
All the characters in Pelican Point are fictional, but the save-the-lighthouse plot has special meaning for me. My wonderful mom, who passed away suddenly in 2016, had a deep affection for lighthouses. The book is dedicated to her.
Who was your favorite character in this story, and why?
I love all my characters! However, Marci—the heroine in Pelican Point—was especially fun to write, because she tends to be a bit impulsive and outspoken, which can get her into trouble. But I have to say that Charley Lopez, the taco-making artist with great insights, continues to intrigue me—and readers. He appears in all the Hope Harbor books as a secondary character, and I think he now has his own fan club! He’s received more reader comments than any other character I’ve ever written. And of course, my seagull couple, Floyd and Gladys, are always fun and have also received lots of reader comments.
Compared to your other books, was this one easy to complete or challenging? Any idea why?
This one wasn’t difficult to write. Both the main and secondary plots blended beautifully, and I was very pleased with the finished product. I mean, how can you go wrong with a save-the-lighthouse plot? Who doesn’t love a lighthouse?
What was the hardest scene in this book to write? What made it difficult?
This book was a joy to write from beginning to end, so I didn’t have a lot of difficulty with any particular scene. The secondary plot, though, did provide some challenges. It involves a wounded veteran and his bride, and I wanted to capture the difficulties they were experiencing in a very real way. So I had to delve deep into the characters—and that took some work.
What did you (or your editors) edit out of this book?
Nothing. I write clean, and I follow the advice of mystery writer Elmore Leonard. He was once asked how he wrote such concise prose, and his response was simple. He said he simply left out the parts readers tend to skip. That’s how I write. If a scene I have in mind doesn’t further the plot, enhance character development, or contribute to the book in some concrete way, it doesn’t get written.
What’s the most difficult thing about writing from the point of view of the opposite sex?
You know…it’s not so much writing from the viewpoint of the opposite sex that’s difficult, but trying to get into the heads of characters whose experience is very different from my own. That’s always a challenge—but I learn a lot from the effort and always come away with heightened empathy.
Purchase a copy of Pelican Point
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Irene Hannon is the bestselling author of more than fifty novels, including One Perfect Spring, Hope Harbor, Sea Rose Lane, and Sandpiper Cove, as well as Dangerous Illusions and the Private Justice, Men of Valor, and multiple other bestselling suspense series. Her books have been honored with three coveted RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America, and she is a member of that organization’s elite Hall of Fame. Her many other awards include National Readers’ Choice, Daphne du Maurier, Retailers’ Choice, Booksellers’ Best, Carol, and Reviewers’ Choice from RT Book Reviews magazine, which also honored her with a Career Achievement Award for her entire body of work. In addition, she is a two-time Christy Award finalist.
