Kathy Harris's Blog, page 7

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

 

PrintHomemade Chicken Noodle SoupWhen it's COLD outside ... or you're fighting a cold, there's nothing better than homemade chicken noodle soup.Servings 10Ingredients1 whole chicken (Springer Mountain Farms brand preferred)4-5 stalks celery, stringed and diced (Include celery leaves)1 large skinned and peeled sweet onion1 cup shredded or minced carrotssalt, to taste (about 2 teaspoons)2 boxes chicken broth1 Tbsp Better Than Bouillon, Chicken Flavor1 pkg. wide egg noodles (gluten free noodles can be used)InstructionsRinse the chicken with cold running water and then place it inside a large stockpot. Fill stockpot with enough water to cover the chicken. Turn heat on high.Rinse and prepare celery, onion, and carrots. Add chopped celery (including some celery leaves), chopped onion, and minced carrot to stockpot. Add salt to taste. Cover stockpot and bring liquid to boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Keep pot partially covered, being careful to not let liquid boil over. Cool until chicken is fully cooked, turning occasionally. Be careful not to splash hot liquid.Let the chicken and stock cool slightly. Carefully move chicken to a large bowl; remove skin and debone. Pull or chop chicken into bitesized pieces and add back to the pot. Add commercial chicken broth and bouillon to increase quantity of broth. Stir to incorporate. Put stockpot back on heat and reheat to boiling. Add noodles and cook until noodles are tender.Serve immediately. NotesTip: If you're not planning to use all of the soup at once, cook only enough noodles for each use to avoid having the noodles overly-absorb broth.

Kelly Irvin ~ Every Good Gift

Kelly Irvin is a wife, mother, grandmother, and best-selling author. She has written more than 30 Amish romance novels, seven critically acclaimed romantic suspense novels, and novellas in eight anthologies with other best-selling Amish romance authors.

She has been a finalist in and won numerous awards and received a star review from Publisher’s Weekly. She is represented by Julie Gwinn of The Seymour Agency.

A Kansas native, Kelly received a degree from the University of Kansas School of Journalism. She and her husband now reside in Texas.

 

Who is your writing hero?

So many! I think it depends on what day you ask me. Right now it’s William Kreuger Kent. I love his mystery series featuring Cork O’Connor, but I also really enjoyed his standalones Ordinary Grace and This Tender Land. His storytelling craft is beautiful and his characters memorable. I love that he shines a light on history in places that have been neglected. His research and concern for authenticity is apparent. I’ve been known to say I hope to write like him when I grow up!

Now that you have been writing for a while, what part of the writing life has most surprised you?

How all consuming it is. When I worked full-time, I still managed to write novels and do the marketing that needed to be done. Now I write full-time and there still never seems to be enough hours in the day. I love what I do and it never gets old—even when I forget to take a day off. I’m living the dream and the dream is everything I’d hoped it would be.

Let’s talk about your new novel, Every Good Gift (Zondervan, February 2023) . Please tell us about it.

Every Good Gift is the third book in my Amish Blessings series, which explores adoption in Amish communities. The idea for the series came from a blurb in the Amish newspaper The Budget in which the scribe talks about a young Amish couple that planned to adopt a baby from a non-Amish woman who was giving him up. At the last moment she changed her mind. The scribe said the community came together to comfort and support the couple in their grief at this lost opportunity to start a family.

The article prompted me to think about how adoption might be different (and the same) in the Amish world. Each book explores a different aspect of adoption with Every Good Gift focusing on a young woman who discovers she’s pregnant after a now-ended relationship with an English man. She fears her hopes and dreams will never come true now. Her life as she knows it is over. She moves from Missouri to a small town in Kansas to live with her cousin’s family. There she’s befriended by an Amish man with his own difficult past. Every Good Gift explores the theme of how God promises to use all circumstances for good—no matter how impossible it might seem to us.

God often uses our stories to teach us something. What did you learn (about life, faith, and/or even yourself) in the process of writing this book?

As a writer who doesn’t outline my stories, but rather allows them to take their own paths, I’m always amazed at how the underlying theme reveals itself. I often have to examine my own beliefs. I ask myself what I would do if it was my daughter in this situation. I’m careful to be respectful and try to paint a story that reflects Amish beliefs, which may not be exactly like mine. Living your faith can be hard and put your resolve to the test. I want to be compassionate and caring. I also want to live out my faith. Finding a way to do both seems hard sometimes. I’m reminded with Every Good Gift that with God all things are possible.

Your books encourage and inspire readers. What encourages and inspires you?

The example set by others encourages me. This includes people I know who are going through similar trials, but also the stories I read by other authors. I’m going through a long season of difficult health challenges, but I see others persevering and it helps me to hang in there. I have a great church family, particularly my Sunday school class. They encourage and inspire me regularly as well. My husband also encourages me and inspires me. He’s such a great caregiver and he has lived up to his wedding vows and way beyond!

Thanks, Kelly! It’s great to have you back at Divine Detour.

~  ~ ~

For more information about Kelly, visit her website  and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

  To purchase Every Good Gift, go to:

 

 

   

Becca Kinzer ~ Dear Henry, Love Edith

Web D2C Photo Author photo by Jennifer Claytor, Copyright © 2019. All Rights Reserved.

Becca Kinzer works as a critical care nurse. When she’s not taking care of sick patients or reminding her husband and two kids that frozen chicken nuggets is a gourmet meal, she enjoys making up lighthearted stories with serious laughs. Dear Henry, Love Edith is her debut novel.

A former ACFW First Impressions Contest winner, Genesis Contest winner, and Cascade Award winner, Becca—along with her family and their two pets, lives in Springfield, Illinois.

. . .

What sparked your writing journey?

Well, believe it or not, I have my gynecologist to thank for sparking my writing journey. (One of these days I should probably send her a thank-you card.) It seemed for a while that every time I had an appointment, she was always making concerned facial expressions and suggesting further testing, which would always send me into worst-case scenario mode. Which meant I was sending up panicked prayers along the lines of “Dear God, you can’t let me die. I’m about to get married!” or “Dear God, you can’t let me die. We’re about to try for another baby!” only to find out each time that everything was all good, no signs of death on the horizon, and she’d see me next year for this annual reminder of my own mortality.

So you can imagine how relieved I felt when I finally made it through an appointment without any signs of concern. Then how panicked I felt when I saw my doctor’s office calling me a few weeks later—after my doctor had specifically told me I would only get a phone call if something was wrong. Cue the panicked prayer. “Dear God, you can’t let me die. I haven’t written that novel!”

Wait . . . novel? What novel? After I called my doctor’s office back to find out that once again everything was all good and I wasn’t in fact dying, I couldn’t stop thinking about that novel. Writing was clearly more important to me than I’d realized. And while I’d always dreamed about writing a novel someday, thanks to that phone call, I realized I better sit down and start doing it now.

Have you ever experienced a real-life “plot twist” that made your life better?

I think becoming a nurse was a bit of a “plot twist” nobody in my family expected—including me. Growing up, I gravitated more toward English and literature classes than I did science and math. I always loved the idea of being a writer. But since I had a strong stomach and also loved the idea of helping people when they were especially vulnerable, I chose nursing. Part of the plot twist now, though, is seeing how my experiences as a nurse have helped enrich and shape my storytelling and how I’ve been able to circle back to pursuing that initial dream of becoming a writer.

Let’s talk about your debut novel, Dear Henry, Love Edith (January 2023, Tyndale). Please tell us about it.

Oh, I’d love to. This story is a lighthearted romantic comedy about two young strangers sharing a house for the summer, working different shifts, who are both under the same wrong impression that their housemate is elderly. So when they begin swapping notes back and forth on the kitchen table, sharing increasingly personal information about their lives, they have no idea they’re actually talking to the attractive stranger they keep bumping into around town.

It’s a great premise. What inspired it?

The idea for this story was planted in my mind several years ago when I was single and living in an apartment building that housed three other tenants. For a while I knew everybody who lived in the building. But eventually people started moving out, and a new guy moved into the apartment beneath mine. Even though the building was small, we never ran into each other. For months I never knew his name or what he looked like. But of course, that didn’t stop me from making assumptions about him based on the things I overheard coming from his apartment, like music or snippets of conversations. I thought I had a pretty good picture of him inside my head. Then one day he showed up at my door to let me know a moving truck might block the driveway for a bit because he was moving out. As he talked, I couldn’t help thinking how different he looked from the guy I’d been picturing. And apparently I wasn’t at all like the person he’d been picturing. Before he went down the stairs, he asked me, “How come all this time I thought you were a little old lady?” I never saw that guy again, but our interaction always amused me and eventually sparked the idea for this story.

A few fun questions . . .

When the words aren’t flowing—or when you want to celebrate if they are—what is your favorite comfort food and why?

Well, there’s always coffee. Coffee coffee coffee. But when I’m looking for that extra special treat, my favorite comfort food for years has been fried cheese curds paired with a peanut butter shake.

In the story that is your life, are you the strong female lead; the girl next door; the mysterious woman behind dark glasses; the superheroine; or the little girl trying to walk in high heels?

I’d probably have to go with the girl next door who is trying to walk in high heels all while pretending she’s the mysterious woman behind dark glasses. But definitely not the strong female lead or superheroine.

What Bible story or passage best describes your personal journey of faith?

Since I did a lot of track and cross-country while I was growing up, then a few marathons in my early twenties, passages about running have always been especially meaningful to me. So I would say Hebrews 12:1-3 is a great example of what I hope my personal journey of faith looks like. Running the race marked out for me with perseverance. Keeping my gaze fixed on Jesus. Not growing weary or losing heart.

I’m a dog lover. Please tell us about your pets.

Nothing would bring me greater pleasure. I LOVE my pets—even when they drive me crazy. (Which tends to be quite often.) I have a cat named Tobias. He’s fifteen years old. I joke that he was my first significant other, but really, he kind of was. We’ve been through so many big life changes together. I’ve been warning my husband for years that it’s going to be a devastating loss when this cat goes. Somehow, using that line of reasoning, I was able to convince my husband we should get a dog now to start filling the void. So we now have a goldendoodle named Bonnie. She turns one in February, and we all love her to pieces. (Well, all of us except the cat. I think he would have rather I lived with the void.)

Thanks, Becca! It’s great to have you as a guest at Divine Detour.

Thank you for inviting me here!

  ~ ~ ~

For more information about Becca, visit her website or follow her on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .

  To purchase Dear Henry, Love Edith, go to

 

Kelly Anne Liberto ~ Stealth

Kelly Anne Liberto has been writing and speaking since 2001, when God healed her miraculously from cancer. She wrote Stealth with the intent of bringing attention and aid to the victims of human sex trafficking.

A 1982 graduate of LaSalle University with a B.A. in Communications, Kelly Anne and her husband have shared their story of overcoming on local Christian television as well as in a public access television production entitled “Kelly’s Miracle.” They now enjoy hiking, traveling, and going on adventures together. They have three daughters, a bonus son, and one energetic golden/rottie retriever mix dog.

 

What started you on your writing journey?

I knew I was a writer when my fourth grade teacher entered my essay in a “fire prevention” contest and it won. After that I wrote a commercial poking fun at my high school vice principal. It was a hit with the class and the vice principal. I was hooked and continued in college with a major in Communications.

Great novels almost always have a plot twist that makes the story even better. Have you ever experienced a real life “plot twist” or divine detour that made your life better?

My “dream” job was in the palm of my hands four years after marrying my high school sweetheart and moving to Lehigh Valley, PA. I had an interview with the Human Resource Director from a major health magazine. Her child was enrolled in the program where I was currently teaching. Unbeknownst to us, we had become pregnant with our first child. I wanted badly to become a mom!

As God would have it, He gave me my dream job with our first daughter before I was even hired for the writing position. And I’ve been working as an at home freelance writer since.

Let’s talk about your debut novel, Stealth (January 2023). Please tell us about it.

In 2011 I was volunteering as the Overseer for the mentoring department in a women’s ministry. I was introduced to the problem of sex trafficking through the president of the ministry. A year later I left the position and began to write Macy’s story full-time.

A policeman’s widow finds the remains of a young girl on an abandoned mountain trail. She has a horrific vision of the man who abused her in a Christian camp as a child. In her attempt to protect her own daughter, Macy Freedman comes face to face with the man who is running a prostitution ring in town.

A gripping, fast-paced story about sex-trafficking that will tug at your heartstrings. What if you could sit across the table from a girl entrenched in prostitution who desperately wants out, but can’t share her secret with anyone? Join Macy and her friends as they build trust with her and unravel the plans of a prostitution ring run by their former camp counselor who was a predator.

What inspired you to write it?

As a sexual abuse overcomer I wanted to tell the story of women enslaved by a modern day evil that is rarely talked about or acknowledged. These women are victimized and often treated like criminals. I was inspired to be a part of those who are fighting to see trafficking end.

A few fun questions…

When the words aren’t flowing—or when you want to celebrate if they are—what is your favorite comfort food and why?

My favorite comfort food is chocolate in any form. For Christmas we served a hot cocoa bar which was delicious and fun to make!

What Bible story or passage best describes your personal journey of faith?

My faith journey is best described by my life verse given to me by my pastor when I was baptized as a young woman. Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

In the story that is your life, are you the strong, female lead; the girl next door; the mysterious woman behind dark glasses; the super heroine; or the little girl trying to walk in high heels?

 I guess the strong female lead if you also add “flawed” and saved by grace.

  Thanks, Kelly Anne! It’s great to have you as a guest at Divine Detour.

 Thank you, Kathy! It’s an honor to be on your wonderful blog.

~ ~ ~  

For more information about Kelly Anne, visit her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  

To purchase Stealth, go to:

Ace Collins ~ The Last Imprint

Ace Collins is the author of both fiction and non-fiction and has more than two million books in print. His catalog includes celebrity biographies, how-to books, an historical children’s series, music-related books, and two best sellers about Lassie, America’s favorite collie.

After having penned dozens of books, Ace calls his latest, The Last Imprint, which was four years in the making, one of his favorites and a ‘passion project.’ You can read the first chapter here.

Ace and his wife, Kathy, live in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.

…

If someone asked you to describe yourself with one word, what word would that be?

Curious.

Let’s talk about your new book, The Last Imprint (The Core Media Group, November 2022). Please tell us about it.

The concept is very complicated, but I will give it a shot and see if I can describe in in a paragraph.

The Last Imprint is the story of an amazing gift that becomes a devastating curse. Dr. Maxine Factor is an imprint, a person who can view the past through the eyes of her ancestors. So, she can actually see history in the first person as it happened. That means Factor could learn the unvarnished truth about the past and know how much of our culture is based on fact and how much is tethered to myth. Because of that ability, she is being hunted by those who fear what she learns might shake the foundations of governments and religions. Set in locales across the globe, with a cast of characters that possess unchecked ambitions, unbounded fears, questionable motives, and deep flaws, this rapidly paced novel takes readers on a frantic life and death ride that doesn’t let up until the last page.

The Last Imprint is more than an adventure novel, it’s a book that will leave readers wondering if the memories of past ancestors really are locked into their DNA waiting to be awakened. And if that’s true, could they or anyone else hold onto their sanity when the experiences of hundreds of others are haunting their every waking hour. Simply put, The Last Imprint is like nothing I’ve ever written.

What inspired it and how did you prepare to write it, research for it, etc.?

About ten years ago I saw a news story about a woman who had been in a coma for three weeks and when she awakened was able to speak a language she’d never studied. As there were no explanations as to how this happened, I decided to come up with a fictional theory based on logic. Those are the bones of The Last Imprint.

The book was challenging to create because I also had to come up with rules for a story about someone whose memories of her ancestors can be reawakened. I had to decide what could trigger these memories, how they could be used, and how she could keep her sanity with that many voices in her head. I also had to create a history about what had happened to other imprints that came before her. In the end I created a rule book of what I could do and couldn’t do so the story was consistent.

The other difficult element of the novel was trying to find motivations for those who wanted to kill Maxine Factor. The quest for her to discover why so many had made her a target meant she had to be equipped to think, act, and react on the fly. I decided that making her a university professor would give her those tools.

People who have read advance copies have raved about it, but they have almost all told me they couldn’t figure out how I thought of the concept. That might have been another way of them telling me my brain works in very strange ways.

In this end, this book is more like a series that plays out on streaming services than a typical novel. Is it my best work? I would still have to point to either The Color of Justice or the In The President’s Service Series earning that status right now. So, time will tell. But I can assure you of this… The Last Imprint is my most creative and imaginative novel. In time, I hope people consider this novel in a class with the others I mentioned, but it has to earn it. So, the readers will decide.

Is there a ‘moral to the story’?

It’s obviously action/adventure/intrigue novel, yet in a subtle but deep sense, the book is about how some crumble when their faith might be challenged. Rather than face that challenge fear will drive them to react violently. They will hunt down those who might possess knowledge that could cause them to rethink what they believe and why. In an attempt to save morality they will become immoral.

A few fun questions…  

What Bible story or passage best describes your faith journey?

Matthew 25:35-40. I figure if I try to live out those verses, I might just make a positive impact on the world and have a lot of reasons to be happy.

Who is your writing hero?

Either Mark Twain or Raymond Chandler. Their ability to bring characters into sharp focus is uncanny. The last book I read was written by the former head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners women’s basketball team. Sherri Coale’s Rooted To Rise is one of the most interesting nonfiction books I’ve read in years. Like the two authors I listed as my heroes, Sherri can weave descriptions that fully paint elements of life and people like few I’ve ever met. I hope she writes more books.

It has to be fun to look back on your career and think about the beginning. What prompted you, and gave you the confidence, to write that first book?

My background was in public relations, education, and coaching. I did some writing on the side. I had a friend in the entertainment business who thought I had some talent, and, when she was offered a book deal to write about her life, she asked me to do the book with her. I had to quit my real job and get to work playing with words. For a decade I wrote books for small companies and barely made a living. Getting a chance to pen a book about the world’s most famous dog, Lassie, is what gave me a career. The Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas a few years later earned me the title bestselling author. Few get to do what they love to do and make a living. I’ve been blessed to be one of those few.

Happy New Year, Ace! It’s nice to have you back at Divine Detour.

~ ~ ~

For more information about Ace, visit his website  and follow him on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .

You can order The Last Imprint in hardcover here. Or d ownload one of the ebook editions at these retail sites now:

Merry Christmas

Luke 2:1-20 KJV

1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

The Deadly Secrets ~ Now a Complete Series

Eight years ago, this series was only in my head…

It took a lot of encouragement from my agent, Julie Gwinn, and my friend and editor Ramona Richards, to finally get it down on paper. Much love and appreciation to you both.

A lot of very special people joined the team along the way, most importantly, the staff at Iron Stream Media, fellow authors who read and endorsed each story in its infancy, my launch team members, and the many prerelease bloggers and reviewers who came onboard.

I’m grateful to Center Point Books for producing large print, library bound versions of each book, and to Oasis Audio and their team for giving each story a voice! Aimee Lilly, you are that voice! Thank you to everyone at Center Point and Oasis. You have exponentially multiplied the reach of this series!

And, finally, a very special thank you to my readers! Your cards, emails, social posts, and reviews are more appreciated than you’ll ever know. Writing takes a lot of time sitting in a chair alone, but it’s rarely accomplished without the encouragement of others. You have been that encouragement.

Mindy Steele ~ Bones on the Mountain

Mindy Steele is a storyteller at heart. She is, subsequently, a bestselling author and a 2022 Reader’s Choice winner. Her books, set in rural Kentucky, are peppered with humor and sprinkled with grace, charming all the senses to make you laugh, cry, hold your breath, and root for the ‘happy ever after’ ending.

In real life, Mindy and her husband live in Eastern Kentucky, where she enjoys coffee (lots of coffee), weekend road trips, and researching for her next book. 

 

What started you on your writing journey ?

I’ve always wrote, even before I could spell actual words. I dreamed of becoming an author since I was little. I remember late evenings sitting beside my grandfather’s desk while he wrote poems and prose. I can safely say it was he who inspired me. My adult life I focused solely on my family, but when children grew and needed less of me, I picked up reading more intensely. It was then I read my first Amish inspired book and thought, having lived among a small Amish community, I can do that. And I did, which opened the world for me. I’ve written suspense, contemporary, and Amish romance since and can’t go one day without writing in it.

Just as all good novels include a plot twist, the Author and Creator of our lives often writes in a twist that ultimately blesses us more than our original plan. Have you ever experienced such a “Divine Detour”?

Many times, over and over again. He likes to keep things interesting. As I mentioned I have always wanted to be an author, but couldn’t seem to focus on what story to write. That’s when the answer came to me in the most unusual way.

I was between jobs, and closing in on an empty nest. For the first time since I was born, I had so much time alone. I decided to focus on writing and wanted to write about everyday people and how God works through and around them.

During this time my Amish neighbor suddenly kept appearing at my door. Simple little questions or offering sweets because she could see the struggle I was going through. Every couple of days, she would appear; it was a little distracting. Then I got it. God was leading me, and I wasn’t paying attention. I was not being the neighbor she deserved and so our lives became connected. This opened my eyes to life beyond my fence. Divine interventions lead me to two best sellers and a Reader’s Choice award. It’s connected me to so many people, who have shared their story with me. I pay attention to everything now

Let’s talk about your new book, Bones on the Mountain (Ally Press, November 2022). Please tell us about it.

This is my first romantic suspense and the first book in the Mountain Protectors series. It journeys through the lives of two very remarkable characters. Samantha Quinn is an emergency 911 dispatch operator full time and, along with her mother-in-law and son, she also runs a seasonal hunting lodge. I had the most fun interviewing and learning from Connie Hamilton about the lives of our unsung heroes.

Becoming a dispatcher was necessary for Samantha, considering it was a dispatcher who turned her life upside done, but maintaining her mountain, that is her passion. Her marriage to her late husband was less than ideal and even all these years later since his passing, Samantha struggles with her feelings and worth, while maintaining her independence.

Henry Quinn was raised in the Quinn house and loved his cousins like siblings, until the new girl in town stole his heart. Leaving for college he hoped to return and win her over, once she was all grown up, but his cousin beat him to that. Henry always does the right thing, and despite his love for Samantha, he stepped aside. He became a wildlife officer like his father, but he sees Samantha is always looked after Dale’s death. No matter how many times he has tried moving on, he simply cannot cut the bond that connected them.

There is a terrible discovery that puts Samantha into a spot, and she needs rescued. Of course Henry is right there. Only this discovery awakens the world to dozens of cold cases. Henry is determined to keep his family safe, even if Samantha is less than happy about it. While these two learn to work through what has kept them apart as well as their inner struggles, a killer is ready to make good on what he started from day one.

What led you to write this particular story?

I have dabbled in writing suspense for a while and had the honor of writing with some of the best in an anthology called Christmas Cookies Mysteries with fourteen top notch authors. I wrote this full series back in 2019 when my husband, Mike, and I were hiking our mountain. We found a few bones up there that later were determined to be from a young bear. I never hike alone now as you can imagine. Mike was into watching serial documentaries at the time and our youngest son was enjoying a game warden series too. I was exposed I guess you could say and it all clicked together one hunting season while the Steele’s all gathered for opening day. I incorporated so many scenes of our area and mountain in the book, which made writing it such a sweet experience.

A few fun questions…

When the words aren’t flowing—or when you want to celebrate if they are—what is your favorite comfort food and why?

Peanut butter by the spoon full and lots of coffee. If the words aren’t there or if they are flowing, you are sure to find me with both.

What Bible passage or story best describes your journey of faith?

There are many as my journey didn’t begin at the cradle. 1 Peter 3:17 jumps out at me, but I think it would be Psalms 23. It’s not just words written to provide comfort at funerals, but a reminder that in life and in death, in times of plenty or in want, God is worthy of our trust and love. Trust is not my strong suit. People can let you down, but He doesn’t. Knowing He cares, for me, always, sustains me. Figuratively, the “valley of the shadow of death” stands for the perils of life, which He will not let me walk alone in. If I stay close to my Shepherd, in that safe place, I never feel alone.

In the story that is your life, are you the strong, female lead; the girl next door; the mysterious woman behind dark glasses; the super heroine; or the little girl trying to walk in high heels?

I’m a fiction writer, so, all of the above.

At this stage in my life I have carried many titles and played many roles. We all must grow, change, and evolve. It’s part of the glorious mix of gaining wisdom and understanding and being a better version of our self.

I’m a dog lover. Please tell us about your pets, if any, or your favorite pet as a child.

Well, there is a cat we rescued nine years ago and, though we have a love-hate relationship, he brings me lots of treats each morning for seeing to his care.

I have been afraid of dogs since I was a child, with exception to our family pet Midnight. Raising five children and living on a farm, you could imagine how many pets have graced this land. We had a lab mix, Jase, that belonged to our daughter. He went on many hikes with me until suddenly one day he died. I missed him and found life was better with him in it. My husband noticed and gifted me a lab back in March. Her name is Ellie and I love her!!! I still am a bit uncomfortable around other dogs, but this one, well, she’s my girl.

Thanks, Mindy! It’s great to have you as a guest at Divine Detour.

~ ~ ~

For more information about Mindy, visit her website and/or follow her on Facebook and Instagram.  

Purchase Bones on the Mountain here.

Suzie Waltner ~ Midnight Blue

Suzie Waltner is a lover of fiction and is first and foremost a reader. Until her second year of college, her life plan was to become a veterinarian. A fainting spell while watching a surgery performed on a sheep changed all that. She now works in the corporate world during the day and creates stories in her spare time. 

Suzie resides in a suburb of Nashville, Tennessee and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers as well as Faith, Hope, and Love Christian Writers. She currently serves as the president of the Middle Tennessee ACFW chapter.

 

If you were asked to describe yourself with only one word, what would it be ?

Unruffled.

I tend to go with the flow of things and adjust when a situation calls for it without getting stressed out.

Just as all good novels include a plot twist, the Author and Creator of our lives often writes in a twist that ultimately blesses us more than our original plan. Have you ever experienced such a “Divine Detour”?

Oh yes, and sometimes many of them consecutively. From the age of about seven up until my second year in college, I was certain I was going to be a veterinarian. Then, in one of my sophomore classes, I passed out watching a surgery on a sheep. That made me realize that I wasn’t cut out to be a vet.

After a roundabout way of getting there, I ended up with an English degree and planned to go into editing. With that degree in hand, I packed up and moved to Nashville. While I worked in the publishing business for some magazines for a couple of years, the online craze was taking over, and I ended up looking for another job (and ended up in the mortgage business).

It was through a co-worker at my office job that I was challenged to give my first NaNoWriMo a shot, and that is how I first got back into writing fifteen years after my move to Nashville.

Sometimes the detour brings us back to the original path we began on, but it’s the winding way we come back that reflects God’s grace in our lives, isn’t it?

Let’s talk about your new book, Midnight Blue (Anaiah Press, July 2022). Please tell us about it.

In short, Midnight Blue is a reunion/second chance at love story with a small secret child twist.

Jake and Scarlett were high school sweethearts, but he broke up with her to pursue his music career. Ten years later, Scarlett returns to Nashville and runs into Jake. She thinks Jake knows about their daughter, but he doesn’t have a clue that Harmony is his daughter.

What led you to write this particular story?

The few other books I’ve self-published, I’ve set in places I have not been to (thank goodness for the internet, right?). When I wrote Midnight Blue, I decided to set the story where I live. And what’s more Nashville than country music?

I enjoyed creating this group of friends who make music and live life together. Each of them will get their time in the spotlight in the other books in the series (all of which are scheduled for 2023 releases).

A few fun questions…

When the words aren’t flowing—or when you want to celebrate if they are—what is your favorite comfort food and why?

When I’m writing (whether the words are flowing or not), my comfort foods are something quick and easy I can throw in the slow cooker so I don’t have to spend a bunch of time preparing meals. My favorites are potato soup (the kind you make with frozen potatoes) or taco soup.

My celebration food is ice cream—Moose Tracks or, if I’m in the mood for something festive, peppermint ice  cream with warm chocolate syrup on top (mint and chocolate is one of my favorite combinations).

What Bible passage or story best describes your journey of faith?

What a great question.

I hope it would be the servants who were good stewards of what their master gave them in Jesus’ parable of the talents. But what’s more likely accurate is Martha, distracted by the busywork and not sitting enough at the feet of Jesus.

My journey of faith is growing and evolving as I learn that “my story” is not my story at all, it is God’s story told through me.

In the story that is your life, are you the strong, female lead; the girl next door; the mysterious woman behind dark glasses; the super heroine; or the little girl trying to walk in high heels?

Of those choices, I would go with the girl next door, but if I can choose my own, I’d say I’m the supportive best friend who offers support or encouragement as the situation requires.

Thanks, Suzie! It’s nice to have you as a guest at Divine Detour.

Thank you so much for inviting me. It was a pleasure visiting with you.

~ ~ ~

For more information about Suzie, visit her website and/or on Facebook or Twitter.

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Ramona Richards ~ Circle of Vengeance

Ramona Richards grew up in Hartselle, Alabama, but she knew she wanted to experience the world. She would lie in her front yard and dream about the adventures of the people in the planes overhead.

By the time she moved to Nashville, she had started writing out adventures of her own—those that had sprouted from her imagination and those she had experienced by way of the hundreds of books she had read. Her mother bought her a typewriter when she was ten, and the adventures of Ramona’s imagination started piling up.

As soon as she was able, real ones happened as well. She became a teacher, hiker, scuba diver, traveler, mom, ex-wife, singer, musician, and band member. She took on the roles of a caregiver, actor, producer, and stagehand. She became a cross-stitcher, a movie buff, a speaker, a reader, a writer, and an editor.

Ramona currently lives and writes in Alabama.

. . . 

Based on the above short introduction, you have experienced a lot. If someone asked you to describe yourself with one word, what word would that be?

Writer.

I struggled with this one, but in the end, I think that conveys the most about me in one word.

You’ve been involved in almost every aspect of the publishing industry, from writer to freelance editor to acquisitions editor. What has kept you on the path?

The fact that the stories won’t quit. They pile up in my head, begging to be told, and have since I was a kid. Learning about publishing merely helped me direct them and choose which ones to tell.

It also helps to have friends who encourage and understand my need to write.

What drew you to the suspense genre?

Oh, that dates back all the way to Trixie Belden, Robin Kane, and Nancy Drew. I have always loved mysteries and suspense, and my first attempts at writing fiction when I was about ten was to mimic the great mysteries I was watching and reading.

Let’s talk about Circle of Vengeance (Kregel, October 2022). Please tell us about it.

The fastest way is to share the blurb for it.

Revenge is best served cold—and this family has been waiting decades to dish it up.

Twenty-five years ago, a body was discovered in the Turney family barn—and folks around town were all too ready to believe that killing blood ran through all the Turney’s veins. Every member of the family came under suspicion, their reputations crumbled to pieces, and with no convictions, no one could be cleared.

Daughter Jill, now a Chicago lawyer, is ready for this case to be solved and for her broken family to be repaired at last. Who better to find the answers than cold-case P.I. Star Cavanaugh? But as Star begins to dig into generations-old secrets, the killer resurfaces to make sure none of those skeletons leave the closet—no matter what the cost.

As the danger mounts, Star again joins forces with police chief, Mike Luinetti, and begins to uncover truths that the whole town has kept hidden. But becoming the target of the determined killer isn’t the way Star wants to find the answers. It’s a race to solve the case before it becomes a matter of her life or death.

Readers will love jumping back into the Star Cavanaugh Cold Case series as their favorite plucky heroine drives her vintage Airstream home straight into the heart of another town’s mystery.

What inspired it?

I have wanted to create an engaging female PI since I was reading those early YA books (what were called juveniles when I was kid). Another Nancy Drew, if you wish. So I created Star Cavanaugh for Burying Daisy Doe almost twenty years ago. It took a while to get her to press, but I’m hoping it’s a series that will continue.

Combine that with my love of cold case stories, and all it takes is a few news reports for me to come up with another plotline. Setting them in the South, where I grew up and among the people I know best, seemed like a natural choice.

In a weird, life-imitates-art moment, not long after Kregel bought Circle of Vengeance and I had turned in the manuscript, a body was found in a barn not far from where I live. I noted it for my editor, and we were glad that it happened AFTER I turned in the manuscript but BEFORE it was published. The similarities between the two stories are rather eerie.

A few fun questions…

When the words aren’t flowing—or when you want to celebrate if they are—what is your favorite comfort food and why?

A hot dog with all the fixings and tater tots. And ice cream. Exactly what I should NOT eat. But I learned long ago that when you’re craving something, indulge and get it out of your system. I do, then go back to the roasted chicken and braised veggies.

What Bible passage or story best describes your journey of faith?

Proverbs 2:6: For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Years ago, a sermon impressed on me that all prayer should be based within God’s will and what He wants for your life—not your own desires, although those are important to request. And to understand God’s will means asking for wisdom. Like Solomon, I think—ask for wisdom first, and everything else will follow.

In the story that is your life, are you the strong, female lead; the girl next door; the mysterious woman behind dark glasses; the super heroine; or the little girl trying to walk in high heels?

I think I’m more the eccentric weirdo prone to wearing boas and waving at strangers.

Thanks, Ramona! It’s great to have you back at Divine Detour.

Thank you!! I love your blog and am always thrilled to be a part of it.

~ ~ ~

  For more information about Ramona, visit her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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