K. Dawn Byrd's Blog, page 7

Susan Page Davis' River Rest

 We're happy to have Susan Page Davis with us talking about her book, River Rest.
1) Why did you choose to write this book? My great-aunt left a journal she wrote in the 1920s and ’30s. It gave such a vivid picture of life in rural Maine that I wanted to write a story in that setting. I decided to push it back to 1918, near the end of World War I, because of the added tension, and also because my grandfather (Aunt Belle’s brother-in-law) served. He was drafted close to the end of the war, and I adapted some details of his story to fit in for my heroine, Judith’s brother. River Rest is purely fiction, but many of the events in it were inspired by things that really happened in my family.
2) What kind of planning do you do before writing a novel? I usually do a lot of research, especially for historical novels, and I write a long synopsis that serves as my outline.
3) Are you a plotter or a pantser? 
I am now a confirmed plotter. I started out as a seat-of-the-pants writer, not sure where the story would take me. I was very proud of that. But after a while I realized that I thought about my stories a lot before I began writing. In fact, I was thinking through the entire plot in my head—basically a mental outline. When I discovered that, it wasn’t so hard to write the outlines my editors wanted beforehand. Now I never start writing a book without a written synopsis.
4) What are you working on right now? I have several projects going. I’m finishing up a western novel called My Heart Belongs in the Superstition Mountains, which will release in 2017 from Barbour Publishing. I’m also working on a cozy mystery for Guideposts. It’s Book 9 in their new Tearoom Mysteries series (for which I also wrote Book 1, Tea for Two). And my son Jim and I are planning a sequel to the book we wrote together.
5) Tell us about your latest release and what you think readers will enjoy about it. In River Rest, Judith Chadbourne gave up her teaching job after her mother’s death to help her father with her five siblings. But when her brother Joel is drafted, the household chores
and farm work may overwhelm her. Their neighbor, Ben Thayer, seems rich and mysterious, but his heart aches from his own loss. Judith accidentally breaks the antique ornament her mother loved. The splintering star echoes her family’s shattering. Joel falls ill at the army camp, and Ben’s concern may bring the beginnings of trust. Can love take Judith beyond the frozen Maine winter?I hope readers will travel with Judith as she seeks for spiritual peace. She constantly feels that she hasn’t done enough and will never be able to do enough. I have struggled with those feelings, too, and been overwhelmed by work and family issues. There’s only one trust rest when your heart is burdened, and that is in the Lord.
6) How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)Email: susan@susanpagedavis.comWebsite: www.susanpagedavis.comTwitter: @SusanPageDavis
Kindle: http://amzn.to/1RSspPINook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/river-rest-susan-page-davis/1123861871?ean=2940158420962 Paperback: http://amzn.to/1UHiaSZ

Register to win Susan Page Davis' River Rest

 We're happy to have Susan Page Davis with us talking about her book, River Rest. For your chance to win, please leave Susan a comment at the end of the post. To learn more about Susan and her book, read on!
1) Why did you choose to write this book? My great-aunt left a journal she wrote in the 1920s and ’30s. It gave such a vivid picture of life in rural Maine that I wanted to write a story in that setting. I decided to push it back to 1918, near the end of World War I, because of the added tension, and also because my grandfather (Aunt Belle’s brother-in-law) served. He was drafted close to the end of the war, and I adapted some details of his story to fit in for my heroine, Judith’s brother. River Rest is purely fiction, but many of the events in it were inspired by things that really happened in my family.
2) What kind of planning do you do before writing a novel? I usually do a lot of research, especially for historical novels, and I write a long synopsis that serves as my outline.
3) Are you a plotter or a pantser? 
I am now a confirmed plotter. I started out as a seat-of-the-pants writer, not sure where the story would take me. I was very proud of that. But after a while I realized that I thought about my stories a lot before I began writing. In fact, I was thinking through the entire plot in my head—basically a mental outline. When I discovered that, it wasn’t so hard to write the outlines my editors wanted beforehand. Now I never start writing a book without a written synopsis.
4) What are you working on right now? I have several projects going. I’m finishing up a western novel called My Heart Belongs in the Superstition Mountains, which will release in 2017 from Barbour Publishing. I’m also working on a cozy mystery for Guideposts. It’s Book 9 in their new Tearoom Mysteries series (for which I also wrote Book 1, Tea for Two). And my son Jim and I are planning a sequel to the book we wrote together.
5) Tell us about your latest release and what you think readers will enjoy about it. In River Rest, Judith Chadbourne gave up her teaching job after her mother’s death to help her father with her five siblings. But when her brother Joel is drafted, the household chores
and farm work may overwhelm her. Their neighbor, Ben Thayer, seems rich and mysterious, but his heart aches from his own loss. Judith accidentally breaks the antique ornament her mother loved. The splintering star echoes her family’s shattering. Joel falls ill at the army camp, and Ben’s concern may bring the beginnings of trust. Can love take Judith beyond the frozen Maine winter?I hope readers will travel with Judith as she seeks for spiritual peace. She constantly feels that she hasn’t done enough and will never be able to do enough. I have struggled with those feelings, too, and been overwhelmed by work and family issues. There’s only one trust rest when your heart is burdened, and that is in the Lord.
6) How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)Email: susan@susanpagedavis.comWebsite: www.susanpagedavis.comTwitter: @SusanPageDavisFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/susanpagedavisauthor
21) Will you be doing a book giveaway? If so, the title of the book and will you be giving away a print or eBook?Yes, I will give an e-book or paperback copy of River Rest.Find this book at:
Kindle: http://amzn.to/1RSspPINook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/river-rest-susan-page-davis/1123861871?ean=2940158420962 Paperback: http://amzn.to/1UHiaSZ

Grace Marshall's "No Pizza Delivery?"

We're happy to have Grace Marshall with us today talking about her book, No Pizza Delivery? She will be giving away a copy on her website at the end of the month, so please keep an eye out there. To learn more about Grace and No Pizza Delivery?, read on!


1) What would you like readers to take away from your book? When life drops manure in your path, make fertilizer! The main goal is for people to get some laughs and be uplifted.
2) Why did you choose to write this book? As a christian teenager growing up I loved horses! Still do. When I went to find books for a horse crazy christian girl, all I found were ones on competition, or adult erotic books. They just weren’t what I was looking for. So I wanted to write a fun adventure story for Christian girls who are crazy about horses but want to read a clean story and aren’t as in to the competition end of it.
3) What did you learn while writing this book? I learned that I can rewrite a story and have it look totally different from the original, without actually scrapping the first draft and starting over. Sometimes it’s good to just write the story and after you’ve gotten it on the paper, you can go back and make it presentable.
4) What is the toughest test you've faced as a writer? Not giving up after my writing was rejected. The writing and publishing world is cruel and sometimes heartless. There are those who encourage and teach, but it’s hard not to feel discouraged, or as if you won’t be good enough. I’m glad for those out there who shared their struggles as authors and for my own personal support group; I couldn’t have done it without them.
5) Which books on writing have been the most helpful to you and why?A lot of what I learned came from the internet. I struggled with discouragement especially with everything new I had to learn. Finding blogs and making social media connections with successful authors who had good advice on topics from self-discipline and writing techniques, to how to react (or not react) to criticism has been priceless.
6) What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of, writing-related or not? Chasing my dream of writing. Whether I make it and become wildly successful, become a mid-stream author, or completely fizz out, I’m proud that I tried. Even though it was difficult, I am putting books out there that are selling. Not being too scared to chase the dream is an accomplishment in itself.
7) What kind of planning do you do before writing a novel? If it’s a novel in a series then I do a lot of preplanning for marketing and brainstorming. If I’m trying to get a point across that has been irking me, I try to complete an outline. If God tells me to write something specific or I get a creative bug in my ear, I just watch what shows up on the page.
8) Why do you write? I write because I want to make a difference in people's lives. In all my stories I want my readers to find lessons and moral trials that can encourage them in this negative world. I want to make them laugh, cry, love, hope, and remember God is in control, always.
9) Are you a plotter or a pantzer?  It depends on how much coffee I’ve had and the novel at hand. If I just have a general idea of what I want to accomplish I start with only a simple outline, sometimes I want to get something specific across and I create an entire outline, and sometimes an idea just strikes me and I sit down and see what comes out.
10) What are you working on right now? I currently have a few works at different stages of the writing process. One of them is Christian PornoGirl, about a Christian teenager who becomes addicted to porn. Another is Pastor God, about a pastor who loses sight of what it means to be a servant of God. I’m also working on the second book in the “Horse Haven” series, titled Unexpected Allies and Recurring Warts, it’s scheduled to release September 1.
11) What's next for you? Other than the second book in the “Horse Haven” series, I’m not sure. Honestly, I never can tell! I find if I make plans God tends to change them on me, so instead I just try to enjoy the adventures as He takes me through them.
12) Tell us a little more about yourself, with three things not many people know about you. Before I settled on making a difference with writing, I thought I would be a lawyer. And my husband can attest I like winning arguments! Another thing many people won't know is I've struggled with depression to the point of contemplating suicide. However, thanks again to God, he brought me out of it, and now I can use those experiences to write from. Lastly, I love adventures, I own a motorcycle, and I believe in living life to the fullest while walking in God's will.
13) Do you listen to music when you write and if so, what kind of music – or do you find it distracts you? It depends on my mood and where I am in my writing. Sometimes if I am struggling to plod through the story or the tedious editing parts, I find that music helps to motivate and I listen to all different types of music. At other times I get so inspired I completely forget about the music. Compared to a boring office job where I sometimes sang to stave off boredom, having the chance to do something so enjoyable and thrilling that I don't even hear music is very different and satisfying!
14) What do you do for fun when not writing? I try to experience a lot of different things. Since I’m currently short on cash though, I spend most of the limited free time I have playing with my animals or hanging out with my husband. If I become stinking rich, I would love to travel the world.
15) Tell us about your latest release and what you think readers will enjoy about it. No Pizza Delivery? is the first book in my “Horse Haven” series. Ruth is a relatable Christian teenager that faces life’s challenges with humor. She moves from Wisconsin to Sainte Genevieve, Missouri with her family. Her father loves horses and begins to work on starting a ranch but she finds that there is a different culture in southeast Missouri and she also has to cope with losing her friends. I believe readers will find a place to laugh and grow within the pages of the book.
16) If you could spend an hour with anyone dead or living, who would it be? Jesus would be my first and most obvious answer to that. Aside from that, I know this sounds a bit mushy, but my husband. I spend a lot of time with him already but he’s my favorite person in the whole world. Every hour with him is an adventure that I thank the Lord for. Yes, we do fight and have our differences, but we challenge and support each other to chase dreams. I truly believe God brought us together and if he wasn’t the best person in the world for me, than God would have paired me with someone else.
17) What is your personal definition of success? Living in God’s will to the best of my ability. I think success is different for everyone and to be successful as a Christian means to do what the Lord is calling me to do.
18) How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)I can be found and contacted through my website, www.wordsbytwo.com. I can also be found on Twitter or Instagram at GraceM_Author. My Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/gracemauthor.
 Click on cover to be taken to Amazon for purchase: 

Christine LIndsay's "Sofi's Bridge"

We're happy to have Christine Lindsay with us today talking about her book, Sofi’s Bridge. 

     What would you like readers to take away from your books? First of all, in every one of my books, it is me who likes to take my reader away. By taking them to a setting that is totally different from their ordinary life, by entertaining them with romance and mystery, I like to gently leave them with a strong spiritual takeaway. 
In Sofi’s Bridge I want my readers to be encouraged, that often their dreams are God-inspired, and to not hide their talent but let it shine. Both my hero and heroine learn this in Sofi’s Bridge. Neil and Sofi also learn that by giving up all to save their loved ones is not necessarily what God wants them to do.
How often do we give up our dreams in order to help or “fix” something in the lives of those we love? As Christians we might think that giving to the point of emotional poverty is what God wants us to do. But is that really what God wants?
Read HERE to read the first chapter of Sofi’s Bridge Lw

    Which books on writing have been the most helpful to you and why? When I first started writing over 16 years ago I read On Becoming a Novelist by John Gardner. That book taught me one of the most important facts—keep your reader in the continuous dream of your story. Avoid those tactics that draw attention to your writing and away from your story. 
I also highly recommend Noah Luke’s The First Five Pages; let’s face it, the first five pages will either make us or break us.
Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell is one that I refer to often, as well as Donald Maasse’s book Writing the Breakout Novel. These two books really help me break down the issues of writing into smaller chunks that I can work on.
       Are you a plotter or a pantzer?  Both!  When a story first comes to me, I’m definitely a pantzer. A new novel generally comes to me when I have reached the editing stages of the previous book. I’m sort of in a dreamlike stage, letting the new story develop organically in my mind while I’m driving, or out on a walk, at the back of my mind while I’m working on the fine-tune copyediting of the previous book.
However, when I’m ready to start writing that new book I become a plotter big time. Once my plot is laid out in spreadsheets then I become a pantzer again as I tackle each individual scene. To find out more about my writing style drop by my Writers’ Blog Novel Renaissance that I share with my critique partner Rachel Phifer. 
        What's next for you?  This year is an exciting year for me. I have 2 books coming out. Sofi’s Bridge is my 6th fictional title, but in August my first non-fiction book will be released. That will be the true-life account of my birthmother experience in Finding Sarah, Finding Me. Click HERE on my website to read the first chapters of all my books.
        What is your personal definition of success?  When I first started writing I wanted to be the next Francine Rivers with lots of books out there and making a steady income. As a Christian writer Francine is my heroine, but as time has passed I see success differently. The income from my books is not yet at a point where I can give up my part-time job. Though I am published by traditional royalty paying publishers, those small presses do not have large distribution to bookstores. So these days I get my kicks out of the following:
·         I still love opening up the UPS boxes that contain my books from my publishers.
·         I get a kick seeing my books on the shelves of my local bookstore owner.
·         I’m over the moon with all the great reviews my books get on Amazon and Goodreads.
·         I love all the wonderful friends I have made in the writing industry. Each one is a precious gift from God.
·         I’m still here, holding my own in a world of fantastic books, with good forward momentum. Maybe my 8thbook will be my breakout novel.
       How can readers get in contact with you?  Please drop by Christine’s website www.ChristineLindsay.org or follow her on Amazon, Twitter. Subscribe to her quarterly newsletter, and be her friend on Pinterest , Facebook, and  Goodreads

AUTHOR BIO:Irish-born Christine Lindsay is the author of multi-award-winning Christian fiction. She is currently writing her eighth book. A busy writer and speaker, Christine and her husband live on the west coast of Canada. Coming August 2016 is Christine’s first non-fiction book Finding Sarah—Finding Me: A Birthmother’s Story .

Leave a comment to win an ebook copy of Christine LIndsay's "Sofi's Bridge"

We're happy to have Christine Lindsay with us today talking about her book, Sofi’s Bridge. She will be giving away an ebook copy. Please leave Christine a comment for your chance to win. To learn more about Christine and Sofi's Bridge, read on!

     What would you like readers to take away from your books? First of all, in every one of my books, it is me who likes to take my reader away. By taking them to a setting that is totally different from their ordinary life, by entertaining them with romance and mystery, I like to gently leave them with a strong spiritual takeaway. 
In Sofi’s Bridge I want my readers to be encouraged, that often their dreams are God-inspired, and to not hide their talent but let it shine. Both my hero and heroine learn this in Sofi’s Bridge. Neil and Sofi also learn that by giving up all to save their loved ones is not necessarily what God wants them to do.
How often do we give up our dreams in order to help or “fix” something in the lives of those we love? As Christians we might think that giving to the point of emotional poverty is what God wants us to do. But is that really what God wants?
Read HERE to read the first chapter of Sofi’s Bridge Lw

    Which books on writing have been the most helpful to you and why? When I first started writing over 16 years ago I read On Becoming a Novelist by John Gardner. That book taught me one of the most important facts—keep your reader in the continuous dream of your story. Avoid those tactics that draw attention to your writing and away from your story. 
I also highly recommend Noah Luke’s The First Five Pages; let’s face it, the first five pages will either make us or break us.
Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell is one that I refer to often, as well as Donald Maasse’s book Writing the Breakout Novel. These two books really help me break down the issues of writing into smaller chunks that I can work on.
       Are you a plotter or a pantzer?  Both!  When a story first comes to me, I’m definitely a pantzer. A new novel generally comes to me when I have reached the editing stages of the previous book. I’m sort of in a dreamlike stage, letting the new story develop organically in my mind while I’m driving, or out on a walk, at the back of my mind while I’m working on the fine-tune copyediting of the previous book.
However, when I’m ready to start writing that new book I become a plotter big time. Once my plot is laid out in spreadsheets then I become a pantzer again as I tackle each individual scene. To find out more about my writing style drop by my Writers’ Blog Novel Renaissance that I share with my critique partner Rachel Phifer. 
        What's next for you?  This year is an exciting year for me. I have 2 books coming out. Sofi’s Bridge is my 6th fictional title, but in August my first non-fiction book will be released. That will be the true-life account of my birthmother experience in Finding Sarah, Finding Me. Click HERE on my website to read the first chapters of all my books.
        What is your personal definition of success?  When I first started writing I wanted to be the next Francine Rivers with lots of books out there and making a steady income. As a Christian writer Francine is my heroine, but as time has passed I see success differently. The income from my books is not yet at a point where I can give up my part-time job. Though I am published by traditional royalty paying publishers, those small presses do not have large distribution to bookstores. So these days I get my kicks out of the following:
·         I still love opening up the UPS boxes that contain my books from my publishers.
·         I get a kick seeing my books on the shelves of my local bookstore owner.
·         I’m over the moon with all the great reviews my books get on Amazon and Goodreads.
·         I love all the wonderful friends I have made in the writing industry. Each one is a precious gift from God.
·         I’m still here, holding my own in a world of fantastic books, with good forward momentum. Maybe my 8thbook will be my breakout novel.
       How can readers get in contact with you?  Please drop by Christine’s website www.ChristineLindsay.org or follow her on Amazon, Twitter. Subscribe to her quarterly newsletter, and be her friend on Pinterest , Facebook, and  Goodreads

AUTHOR BIO:Irish-born Christine Lindsay is the author of multi-award-winning Christian fiction. She is currently writing her eighth book. A busy writer and speaker, Christine and her husband live on the west coast of Canada. Coming August 2016 is Christine’s first non-fiction book Finding Sarah—Finding Me: A Birthmother’s Story .

Richard Mabry's "Medical Judgment"

We're happy to have Richard Mabry with us today talking about his book Medical Judgment. 
* Which books on writing have been the most helpful to you and why?  I really like James Scott Bell’s book on Plot and Structure, and still use its principles when I start a novel. Noah Lukeman’s A Dash Of Style helped me get the nuts and bolts of punctuation correct. And for a look inside writing, I like Lawrence Block’s Telling Lies For Fun And Profit.
* What kind of planning do you do before writing a novel?  I start out with a hook—a single sentence that gives the gist of the story. I formulate the opening, determine what “surprise” I can put in to avoid a sagging middle, and then come up with what Bell calls a “knockout ending.” I populate the story with the main characters before getting started, knowing I’ll add details of the secondary individuals as they pop up.
 * Are you a plotter or a pantser?  Although I put together all the information noted above before getting started, after that it’s purely “seat of the pants” writing. But rather than “pantser,” I prefer Donald Westlake’s term: “push fiction.” His theory is that if he doesn’t know what’s going to happen next, it’s unlikely the reader will, either.
*What's next for you?  My current release, Medical Judgment, is set for publication on May 17. It tells the story of a widowed physician who depends for help on her late husband’s best friend and a recovering alcoholic detective as she tries to determine the person who’s trying to kill her.
After that will come Cardiac Event, which is to be released this fall by a new publisher (whom I’m not yet at liberty to name—sorry).
* Tell us a little more about yourself, with three things not many people know about you.  I was in medical practice for thirty-six years and in addition to my clinical work, teaching, and writing, I lectured both in the US and abroad. Kay and I spent our honeymoon in Singapore and Thailand (where I almost pushed her off her seat atop an elephant).
I’ve filled in as minister of music on a number of occasions, and have even preached  a few times.
I love baseball, and have played alongside such greats as Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford (at fantasy camp, of course).
 *How can readers get in contact with you?  I blog twice a week at a site called Random Jottings. My web page has a lot of information about me and about my books. I’m on Facebook and Twitter. And my email address is DrRLMabry@gmail.com.

 Click on the image below to be directed to Amazon for purchase:

Register to win a copy of Richard Mabry's "Medical Judgment"

We're happy to have Richard Mabry with us today talking about his book Medical Judgment. He's planning to give away a copy to one lucky winner. Please leave him a comment with your email address for your chance to win!
* Which books on writing have been the most helpful to you and why?  I really like James Scott Bell’s book on Plot and Structure, and still use its principles when I start a novel. Noah Lukeman’s A Dash Of Style helped me get the nuts and bolts of punctuation correct. And for a look inside writing, I like Lawrence Block’s Telling Lies For Fun And Profit.
* What kind of planning do you do before writing a novel?  I start out with a hook—a single sentence that gives the gist of the story. I formulate the opening, determine what “surprise” I can put in to avoid a sagging middle, and then come up with what Bell calls a “knockout ending.” I populate the story with the main characters before getting started, knowing I’ll add details of the secondary individuals as they pop up.
 * Are you a plotter or a pantser?  Although I put together all the information noted above before getting started, after that it’s purely “seat of the pants” writing. But rather than “pantser,” I prefer Donald Westlake’s term: “push fiction.” His theory is that if he doesn’t know what’s going to happen next, it’s unlikely the reader will, either.
*What's next for you?  My current release, Medical Judgment, is set for publication on May 17. It tells the story of a widowed physician who depends for help on her late husband’s best friend and a recovering alcoholic detective as she tries to determine the person who’s trying to kill her.
After that will come Cardiac Event, which is to be released this fall by a new publisher (whom I’m not yet at liberty to name—sorry).
* Tell us a little more about yourself, with three things not many people know about you.  I was in medical practice for thirty-six years and in addition to my clinical work, teaching, and writing, I lectured both in the US and abroad. Kay and I spent our honeymoon in Singapore and Thailand (where I almost pushed her off her seat atop an elephant).
I’ve filled in as minister of music on a number of occasions, and have even preached  a few times.
I love baseball, and have played alongside such greats as Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford (at fantasy camp, of course).
 *How can readers get in contact with you?  I blog twice a week at a site called Random Jottings. My web page has a lot of information about me and about my books. I’m on Facebook and Twitter. And my email address is DrRLMabry@gmail.com.
*Will you be doing a book giveaway? If so, the title of the book and will you be giving away a print or eBook?  I’ll offer a copy of Medical Judgment, either a signed, print copy or an ebook, to someone leaving a comment on this blog. Don’t forget to include your email address with your comment, so we can contact the winner. 

 Click on the image below to be directed to Amazon for purchase:

Ane Mulligan's "Home to Chapel Springs"

We're happy to have Ane Mulligan with us today talking about the story behind the story relating to her new book, Home to Chapel Springs. To learn more about Ane and the story behind the story, read on!



An adoptee herself, Ane Mulligan writes Southern-fried fiction served with a tall, sweet iced tea. She's a multi-published novelist, playwright, and humor columnist, who believes chocolate and coffee are two of the four major food groups. You can find her on her website anemulligan.comor on her Amazon Author Page  Twitter Goodreads Facebook  Pinterest  LinkedIn  Pinterest.
Home To My Sisters
On a hot July morning while sipping a cup of coffee, I opened my email. Nothing breath-taking about that, except on this particular day, I was asked a question that irrevocably changed my life: "Are you the Ane Mulligan looking for your birthmother, Elsie Vauna Mullvain?"
It yanked the breath right out me. I'd always known I was adopted. From the day mom and dad brought me home at three months old, they told me I was a chosen baby. 
My childhood was idyllic…well, maybe not for my parents, given the fact I was a barely-contained firecracker. But for me, it was great. Born in January 1947 in Southern California, I truly was a child of the fifties, when Cokes were a nickel and roller skates had keys. 
I can't say I was never curious about my birth parents; I was. For one thing, I didn't look like anyone. I became a people watcher, always wondering.
In 1998, I received a letter from my dad. It was the kind of stock paper used for official court documents. Premonition made my heart pound. I took a deep breath, and with trembling hands, I slowly slid it from the envelope. A sticky-note was adhered to the outside of the folder. "I don't know if you want this or not. Love, Dad."
That was all. I peeled off the yellow sticky and caught my breath as I read:
The adoption of Roberta Ann Mullvain
Though I'd never seen nor heard that name before, I knew it was mine. And suddenly I wasn't me any more. But who was I?
I opened the blue folder and quickly scanned its pages, until I saw it - my mother's name; Elsie V. Mullvain. Countless emotions whirled. Scenarios played out and were cast aside. I didn't know how I truly felt or should feel. For a word merchant, I was an empty page. I refolded the papers, and slid them in the envelope.
Another year passed, and I'd reached an age where changes were taking place that I wasn't so happy about. After all, who wants wrinkles and triceps that waved goodbye for a full five minutes after you'd gone? I needed a place to lay the blame for the havoc gravity was playing on my body. When I brushed my hair, I found myself staring into the mirror, my hand pausing it in its work, wondering how did my mother age? Did I look like her? I had a million questions and no one to ask. I decided it was time to search for Elsie. 
In March of 1999, I received a phone call. The woman said she had an Aunt Elsie Vauna Mullvain, and she would forward my letter to her. However, this cousin cautioned, when she'd told Elsie about my letter, her aunt said when she was young, she'd let a friend use her name. 
That sent me to the state of Confusion. Was that true? Or was she lying to protect herself? In truth, it made no sense. Back in the 1940s, a person's good name meant everything to them. I was left to wonder if my search had ended in success, or was this only step two? I waited. A month later, I received a letter from Elsie, and with it, more of her story. 
While she told me about her situation back then, which remarkably matched my earlier fantasies, she did not want a relationship with me. I understood and honored that. My only other communication was to send her flowers on her birthday that year. The card merely said, "Thank you." 
I didn't contact her again. Although I was saddened a bit, I never knew her, so the loss wasn't as hard as it could have been. After all, I had no mental picture of her; she was still faceless to me. I never got a sense of her personality from her letter. Maybe it was strength of will, but I closed that door.
However, through the cousin who had called me I learned I had sisters. While I had a loving relationship with my adopted brother, I'd always wanted a sister and now had several. I prayed and hoped one day I could find them. However, with no names, I had no way to search for them. I relinquished the dream into God's hands. It was never out of my mind, though.  
On July 18th, 2009, I got an email from a woman named Linda, asking that breath-taking question. Linda connected me with my birth sisters. The moment I met four of them in Seattle, they welcomed me with open arms and open hearts. One sister told me I'd spent a lifetime lost and finally I’d come home.
Debby Jo’s words “come home” resonated in my heart long after I returned to Atlanta, and I knew I would one day write this story. Home to Chapel Springs is that book.

Home to Chapel SpringsA homeless author, a heartbroken daughter, and a theatre ghost. There’s trouble in Chapel Springs.

There’s always someone new in Chapel Spring, either coming home or stirring up trouble.
Bestselling author Carin Jardine’s latest book is a flop. While the reviewers are happily skewering her, her racecar-driver-husband walks out on her and she’s evicted, because he hasn’t paid the lease on their condo for the last three months. Then she discovers he also he drained their bank accounts. Homeless and broke, she and her little boy have no choice but to retreat to the house she inherited from her nana in Chapel Springs—the house that’s been gutted. Then, a stranger knocks on her door. One that will change the course of her life.
After the residents thwarted Howie Newlander’s plans for a Miami-style resort on Chapel Lake, he’s running for mayor and spreading rumors about diverted water and misused taxes. The Lakeside Players want to remodel the town’s old theater, but it’s rumored to be haunted. When Newlander and Mayor Riley go head-to-head, Claire gets caught in the middle.
Claire’s youngest daughter is in love with a young man whose daddy is none other than Mayor Felix Riley…the man who man who blames Claire for every wrong in Chapel Springs. Having him part of her family isn’t in Claire’s plan. The years of her heartache should warn her daughter off this boy. So far, her daughter’s heart isn’t hearing the warnings.
With hearts pulled in all directions, will they find a home in Chapel Springs?
Click on the cover below to be directed to Amazon:

Register to win a print or e-book copy of Ane Mulligan's "Home to Chapel Springs"

We're happy to have Ane Mulligan with us today talking about the story behind the story relating to her new book, Home to Chapel Springs. Ane will be giving away a choice of either e-book or print copy (for those outside the United States, only e-book please.) Please leave Ane a comment for your chance to win! To learn more about Ane and the story behind the story, read on!



An adoptee herself, Ane Mulligan writes Southern-fried fiction served with a tall, sweet iced tea. She's a multi-published novelist, playwright, and humor columnist, who believes chocolate and coffee are two of the four major food groups. You can find her on her website anemulligan.comor on her Amazon Author Page  Twitter Goodreads Facebook  Pinterest  LinkedIn  Pinterest.
Home To My Sisters
On a hot July morning while sipping a cup of coffee, I opened my email. Nothing breath-taking about that, except on this particular day, I was asked a question that irrevocably changed my life: "Are you the Ane Mulligan looking for your birthmother, Elsie Vauna Mullvain?"
It yanked the breath right out me. I'd always known I was adopted. From the day mom and dad brought me home at three months old, they told me I was a chosen baby. 
My childhood was idyllic…well, maybe not for my parents, given the fact I was a barely-contained firecracker. But for me, it was great. Born in January 1947 in Southern California, I truly was a child of the fifties, when Cokes were a nickel and roller skates had keys. 
I can't say I was never curious about my birth parents; I was. For one thing, I didn't look like anyone. I became a people watcher, always wondering.
In 1998, I received a letter from my dad. It was the kind of stock paper used for official court documents. Premonition made my heart pound. I took a deep breath, and with trembling hands, I slowly slid it from the envelope. A sticky-note was adhered to the outside of the folder. "I don't know if you want this or not. Love, Dad."
That was all. I peeled off the yellow sticky and caught my breath as I read:
The adoption of Roberta Ann Mullvain
Though I'd never seen nor heard that name before, I knew it was mine. And suddenly I wasn't me any more. But who was I?
I opened the blue folder and quickly scanned its pages, until I saw it - my mother's name; Elsie V. Mullvain. Countless emotions whirled. Scenarios played out and were cast aside. I didn't know how I truly felt or should feel. For a word merchant, I was an empty page. I refolded the papers, and slid them in the envelope.
Another year passed, and I'd reached an age where changes were taking place that I wasn't so happy about. After all, who wants wrinkles and triceps that waved goodbye for a full five minutes after you'd gone? I needed a place to lay the blame for the havoc gravity was playing on my body. When I brushed my hair, I found myself staring into the mirror, my hand pausing it in its work, wondering how did my mother age? Did I look like her? I had a million questions and no one to ask. I decided it was time to search for Elsie. 
In March of 1999, I received a phone call. The woman said she had an Aunt Elsie Vauna Mullvain, and she would forward my letter to her. However, this cousin cautioned, when she'd told Elsie about my letter, her aunt said when she was young, she'd let a friend use her name. 
That sent me to the state of Confusion. Was that true? Or was she lying to protect herself? In truth, it made no sense. Back in the 1940s, a person's good name meant everything to them. I was left to wonder if my search had ended in success, or was this only step two? I waited. A month later, I received a letter from Elsie, and with it, more of her story. 
While she told me about her situation back then, which remarkably matched my earlier fantasies, she did not want a relationship with me. I understood and honored that. My only other communication was to send her flowers on her birthday that year. The card merely said, "Thank you." 
I didn't contact her again. Although I was saddened a bit, I never knew her, so the loss wasn't as hard as it could have been. After all, I had no mental picture of her; she was still faceless to me. I never got a sense of her personality from her letter. Maybe it was strength of will, but I closed that door.
However, through the cousin who had called me I learned I had sisters. While I had a loving relationship with my adopted brother, I'd always wanted a sister and now had several. I prayed and hoped one day I could find them. However, with no names, I had no way to search for them. I relinquished the dream into God's hands. It was never out of my mind, though.  
On July 18th, 2009, I got an email from a woman named Linda, asking that breath-taking question. Linda connected me with my birth sisters. The moment I met four of them in Seattle, they welcomed me with open arms and open hearts. One sister told me I'd spent a lifetime lost and finally I’d come home.
Debby Jo’s words “come home” resonated in my heart long after I returned to Atlanta, and I knew I would one day write this story. Home to Chapel Springs is that book.

Home to Chapel SpringsA homeless author, a heartbroken daughter, and a theatre ghost. There’s trouble in Chapel Springs.

There’s always someone new in Chapel Spring, either coming home or stirring up trouble.
Bestselling author Carin Jardine’s latest book is a flop. While the reviewers are happily skewering her, her racecar-driver-husband walks out on her and she’s evicted, because he hasn’t paid the lease on their condo for the last three months. Then she discovers he also he drained their bank accounts. Homeless and broke, she and her little boy have no choice but to retreat to the house she inherited from her nana in Chapel Springs—the house that’s been gutted. Then, a stranger knocks on her door. One that will change the course of her life.
After the residents thwarted Howie Newlander’s plans for a Miami-style resort on Chapel Lake, he’s running for mayor and spreading rumors about diverted water and misused taxes. The Lakeside Players want to remodel the town’s old theater, but it’s rumored to be haunted. When Newlander and Mayor Riley go head-to-head, Claire gets caught in the middle.
Claire’s youngest daughter is in love with a young man whose daddy is none other than Mayor Felix Riley…the man who man who blames Claire for every wrong in Chapel Springs. Having him part of her family isn’t in Claire’s plan. The years of her heartache should warn her daughter off this boy. So far, her daughter’s heart isn’t hearing the warnings.
With hearts pulled in all directions, will they find a home in Chapel Springs?
Click on the cover below to be directed to Amazon:

Jodie Wolfe's "Hearts Tightly Knit"

We're happy to have Jodie Wolfe with us today talking about her book Hearts Tightly Knit.  To learn more about Jodie and her book, read on!


1) What did you learn while writing this book? One of the fun things I learned came from my beta readers, twin sisters. They shared some fun stories about what life as a twin is like, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
2) What is the toughest test you've faced as a writer? Being patient. J I've found that God's timing often isn't my timing. In fact, it rarely is. But along the way I've learned to trust Him more.

3) What kind of planning do you do before writing a novel? I like to figure out my characters first and the setting. I typically have a basic story idea in my head but it can change as I go through the process of writing.

4) Are you a plotter or a pantzer?I guess I'm a hybrid—a little of both. I like having a good feel for my characters and the story before I begin, but my characters often change things on me as we go along the journey too. J

5) What are you working on right now? I've just returned from vacation, but I'm getting ready to work on two different projects. One will be Mae's story, Ellie's twin sister. It will be the final installment in the Twins & Needles Series. Watch for it in November. JThe other project is one set in my home town. I've truly enjoyed learning more about its history.Of course, if I happen to hear back from my agent about a couple projects I've pitched that have snagged a publishers interest, then I'll switch gears and work on those.
6) What would you be doing if you weren’t writing? Reading, walking or relaxing with my hubby. J

7) Tell us about your latest release and what you think readers will enjoy about it.
Here's the Back Cover Copy:Orphaned at age ten, Ellie Stafford and her twin sister Mae made a vow—to stick together and never marry. Now in their mid-twenties, they are bucking convention in Calder Springs, Texas, as women with respectable occupations who can take care of themselves. Ellie works at the Good Fixin's Diner and spends her evenings knitting garments for The Children's Aid Society. When a handsome local rancher shows up looking for a cook, she's hardly tempted, despite his good looks.Luke Rogers owns a spread just outside of Calder Springs. It was running as smooth as cattle going through a chute until his cook up and marries and high-tails it back east. With no cook and a bunkhouse full of ranch hands ready to revolt, he persuades Ellie to temporarily fill in until he can hire someone else. He should have known better than to get tangled up with another woman.
I try to add history, hope, laughter and happily-ever-after in each of my stories so hopefully that will interest readers. 

8) How can readers get in contact with you? Readers can find me at the following:Website: http://www.jodiewolfe.coFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jodie-Wolfe-... https://www.facebook.com/jodie.wolfe.... https://twitter.com/JodieAWolfe 
Click on the photo to be directed to  Amazon for purchase!