K. Dawn Byrd's Blog, page 9

Maxine Marsolini and "Mother's Fury: Releasing the Trauma of Childhood Abuse"

We're happy to have Maxine Marsolini with us talking about her book, Mother's Fury: Releasing the Trauma of Childhood Abuse.

What would you like readers to take away from your book?
You are worthy of love and are lovable—God says so. You are created in God’s image and His love is always good. God cares deeply for those who suffer harm at the hand of a furious parent. Child abuse is always wrong. Charles Rice, whose story this book is based upon, did not deserve what happened to him as a small boy and later as a teen; neither did/do you. Only in releasing the trauma brought on by yesterday’s wounds, will you find fresh joy. The past need not define your future because all of your tomorrows can be built on God’s truths and His good purposes for your life. Perhaps you will be used to help put an end to the repetitive cycle of child abuse. Statistics reveal those who were abused as children are 1,000 times more likely to abuse. I believe that pattern can be stopped if abuse victims choose to step out from behind the frightening memories, liberate their own story, and open the door to a free and bright tomorrow. God can change the abuser, too. He also loves the abuser but not her harmful behaviors. When the pain that’s been inflicted on her child is admitted, this parent is ready to seek help to acquire positive parenting skills. Yes, I know it takes courage to change. But when godly principles are discovered and put into practice, it is possible to tear down generational cycles of abuse—one family at a time.   
Why did you choose to write this book?
Mothers who abuse are a subject that isn’t often talked about. People generally believe a mother loves and would not harm her child. There is a fear of telling this shameful secret.
What did you learn while writing this book? 
Childhood memories follow us throughout life. Early developmental years are absolutely foundational to a child’s well-being. When proper nurturing is absent, and abuse is the normal pattern, home is not a safe place. It is a place of fear and dread where abusive parents scar young, innocent lives. Later, in adulthood, unless healing for damaged emotions is sought, yesterday’s wrongs will likely continue to hurt others.   
What are your favorite writing conferences and why? 
Oregon Christian Writers www.oregonchristianwriters.org put on 3 one-day conferences each year and a four-day summer conference where the top-notch keynote presenters are brought in, great workshops on the craft of writing, and plenty of networking and mentoring opportunities. A plus the summer conference gives writers the ability to schedule appointments with editors, agents, and publishers in hopes of selling their manuscript. Many do. Faith and Culture Writers Conference http://faithandculturewriters.com/ is full of great workshops and mentoring.CLASS seminars, Christian Leaders and Speakers Services, http://classeminars.orgis another favorite of mine. Many experts from the field of writing are here along with amazing workshops. This conference ties writing and speaking together well. The Orange County Christian Writers Conference http://www.occwf.org ranks among my favorites, too. There are too many to list and most offer encouragement and helps to move craft and publication for writers forward.
Why do you write?I’m wired that way. Writing is a creative outlet where words validate life’s greatest pleasures and deepest pains.
Tell us a little more about yourself, with three things not many people know about you. 
I grew up in the country with lots of animals. There were lazy summers with blackberries fresh from the bushes. It’s hard to get that taste out of my mind (and that’s ok). My parents divorced when I was 16 and my mother moved away. This began a time of big changes for our family.  I’ll always remember the day I said yes to Jesus. I was 33 years old that year. My love for His Word became unstoppable.
Do you listen to music when you write and if so, what kind of music – or do you find it distracts you? 
I don’t listen to music when I write. I can easily get absorbed in thoughts of how to craft words onto pages.
What do you do for fun when not writing?I take walks, study God’s word, make time for friends and enjoy new adventures with family.
Tell us about your latest release and what you think readers will enjoy about it. 
My latest release is Mother’s Fury: Releasing the Trauma of Childhood Abuse.
I am excited about this book because it brings God’s love to the forefront. This book has both the power to set the abused free from a painful childhood and the abuser on a path to positive parenting. It holds the potential to bring reconciliation to broken relationships. I hope with all my heart that Mother’s Fury is used to help stop the terrible wrong of child abuse.
If you could spend an hour with anyone dead or living, who would it be? 
Brennan Manning. He understood the amazing story of God’s grace. Manning showed others how very much God loves them. There is nothing better than grabbing hold of that precious, free-for-the-asking, gift.
What is your personal definition of success? My view of success isn’t defined by money or fame. Rather, success comes when I know I am about the work God has prepared for me to do. When I see changed lives, and people begin to reach for their God-given potential, I feel good about what I am doing.   
How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website) 
Readers can find me at Rebuilding Families, www.rebuildingfamilies.net and then use the contact tab. Or on Facebook: MaxineMarsolini.Author

Austen in Austin by Debra Marvin, Susanne Dietze, Anita Mae Draper, and Gina Welborn

We're happy to have Debra E. Marvin with us today, talking about Austen in Austin. To learn more about Debra and Austen in Austin, read on!


Why did you choose to write this book? Years ago, my blog-mates on the Inkwell Inspirations blog decided to pull together an anthology of novellas. We tossed around ideas via our group email and had almost settled on stories set in the Regency era or Austen inspired, when one of us commented that they’d be more comfortable with a western setting. So it sort of morphed into Austen in Austin (Darcy in a Stetson?). We spent a lot of time on details and making sure our stories connected and carried characters and setting through over a 20 year period. Volume two comes out this fall.
What is the toughest test you've faced as a writer? The funny thing is, I’d quit writing when we were offered a contract for Austen in Austin. My novella, Alarmingly Charming was completed a couple years before that and I’d relegated it to ‘such a shame it won’t be seen’.  Writing takes so much time and work and to really succeed, it means giving up things that ‘normal’ people do.  I’d written on and off for at least fifteen years and I had multiple completed manuscripts. I felt like I’d given a lot to writing and got very little back (like a bad relationship). So I stopped. I relaxed, watched more movies, spent more time with my friends and family, and I started quilting and knitting again. Then we sold the book!  I’m enjoying writing a lot more now because I was able to find where it fit in my priorities.
What are you working on right now? I’m working on my second novella with Forget Me Not publishers and it’s also the second one that’s set in Arizona in the 1930s. I’m having a blast getting my head into that decade. My Christmas release Desert Duet was a bit of Old Hollywood, gangsters and a ghost town. This summer, Starlight Serenade comes out, and it’s set in Flagstaff with a Broadway show girl and a straight-laced English astronomer trying to solve a blackmailing scheme.  What would you be doing if you weren’t writing? I would definitely be quilting. I absolutely love color, texture and design, so fabric is a big deal to me. I’ve always been a sewing fiend--making things, costumes, curtains, clothes--and I like to craft, paint, knit and crochet. I’d never be bored at home if I could just ‘make’ stuff. Now, if I had more money, I’d be doing more traveling and special things with my family and friends. Definitely more trips with my grandchildren!
Tell us a little more about yourself, with three things not many people know about you. 1) Sadly, I could be a hermit and live in a hovel. Not quite squalor, but dishes and brushing my hair are low priorities when I’m writing or sewing!  2) I drive a truck with a stick shift. It’s my big, useful sports car.   3) I have a terrible fear of heights but went parasailing at 1200 feet in the Outer Banks of NC. It was so beautiful and silent that I wasn’t afraid, though I kept praying about that one knot that was holding the harness to the parasail!  Do you listen to music when you write and if so, what kind of music – or do you find it distracts you?   I try to listen to music of the decade in which I’m writing, but preferably instrumental. If I know the words, I can’t write…I sing!  Tell us about your latest release and what you think readers will enjoy about it. My novella Alarmingly Charming is my take on Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. Miss Austen’s story was written as a parody of the gothics that were popular at the time and the heroine is a rather silly girl. It was a challenge to recreate her for today’s audiences, but I personally love suspense, mystery, and dark tales. (I was quite the gothic reader back in the seventies!) My heroine, Kathryn, is a bookworm with a huge curiosity and kind heart. She’s completely without guile, a bit quirky and determined to stop being so timid and embrace life. She just wasn’t expecting two men vying for her attentions. Visit my novella’s Pinterest page at: https://www.pinterest.com/debraemarvi...  What is your personal definition of success? Success comes late in life because it takes many years for most of us to stop worrying about what other people think and learn to look at all we’ve accomplished and all we have to be thankful for. Success for me is being comfortable and confident that I know who I am and I’m okay with it.
How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)
          Please follow my FB author page and stop in to say hi! Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/Debra-E-Marvin-433266640199533                            
            Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B018QCI2ASTwitter: https://twitter.com/DebraEMarvinWebsite: http://debraemarvin.com/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/debraemarvin/Group Blog- Inkwell Inspirations: http://www.inkwellinspirations.com/

Register to win an eBook copy of Austen in Austin by Debra Marvin, Susanne Dietze, Anita Mae Draper, and Gina Welborn

We're happy to have Debra E. Marvin with us today, talking about Austen in Austin. She will be giving away an eBook copy to one lucky reader! Please see the highlighted area below for instructions on how to register to win. To learn more about Debra and Austen in Austin, read on!


Why did you choose to write this book? Years ago, my blog-mates on the Inkwell Inspirations blog decided to pull together an anthology of novellas. We tossed around ideas via our group email and had almost settled on stories set in the Regency era or Austen inspired, when one of us commented that they’d be more comfortable with a western setting. So it sort of morphed into Austen in Austin (Darcy in a Stetson?). We spent a lot of time on details and making sure our stories connected and carried characters and setting through over a 20 year period. Volume two comes out this fall.
What is the toughest test you've faced as a writer? The funny thing is, I’d quit writing when we were offered a contract for Austen in Austin. My novella, Alarmingly Charming was completed a couple years before that and I’d relegated it to ‘such a shame it won’t be seen’.  Writing takes so much time and work and to really succeed, it means giving up things that ‘normal’ people do.  I’d written on and off for at least fifteen years and I had multiple completed manuscripts. I felt like I’d given a lot to writing and got very little back (like a bad relationship). So I stopped. I relaxed, watched more movies, spent more time with my friends and family, and I started quilting and knitting again. Then we sold the book!  I’m enjoying writing a lot more now because I was able to find where it fit in my priorities.
What are you working on right now? I’m working on my second novella with Forget Me Not publishers and it’s also the second one that’s set in Arizona in the 1930s. I’m having a blast getting my head into that decade. My Christmas release Desert Duet was a bit of Old Hollywood, gangsters and a ghost town. This summer, Starlight Serenade comes out, and it’s set in Flagstaff with a Broadway show girl and a straight-laced English astronomer trying to solve a blackmailing scheme.  What would you be doing if you weren’t writing? I would definitely be quilting. I absolutely love color, texture and design, so fabric is a big deal to me. I’ve always been a sewing fiend--making things, costumes, curtains, clothes--and I like to craft, paint, knit and crochet. I’d never be bored at home if I could just ‘make’ stuff. Now, if I had more money, I’d be doing more traveling and special things with my family and friends. Definitely more trips with my grandchildren!
Tell us a little more about yourself, with three things not many people know about you. 1) Sadly, I could be a hermit and live in a hovel. Not quite squalor, but dishes and brushing my hair are low priorities when I’m writing or sewing!  2) I drive a truck with a stick shift. It’s my big, useful sports car.   3) I have a terrible fear of heights but went parasailing at 1200 feet in the Outer Banks of NC. It was so beautiful and silent that I wasn’t afraid, though I kept praying about that one knot that was holding the harness to the parasail!  Do you listen to music when you write and if so, what kind of music – or do you find it distracts you?   I try to listen to music of the decade in which I’m writing, but preferably instrumental. If I know the words, I can’t write…I sing!  Tell us about your latest release and what you think readers will enjoy about it. My novella Alarmingly Charming is my take on Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. Miss Austen’s story was written as a parody of the gothics that were popular at the time and the heroine is a rather silly girl. It was a challenge to recreate her for today’s audiences, but I personally love suspense, mystery, and dark tales. (I was quite the gothic reader back in the seventies!) My heroine, Kathryn, is a bookworm with a huge curiosity and kind heart. She’s completely without guile, a bit quirky and determined to stop being so timid and embrace life. She just wasn’t expecting two men vying for her attentions. Visit my novella’s Pinterest page at: https://www.pinterest.com/debraemarvi...  What is your personal definition of success? Success comes late in life because it takes many years for most of us to stop worrying about what other people think and learn to look at all we’ve accomplished and all we have to be thankful for. Success for me is being comfortable and confident that I know who I am and I’m okay with it.
How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)
          Please follow my FB author page and stop in to say hi! Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/Debra-E-Marvin-433266640199533                            
            Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B018QCI2ASTwitter: https://twitter.com/DebraEMarvinWebsite: http://debraemarvin.com/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/debraemarvin/Group Blog- Inkwell Inspirations: http://www.inkwellinspirations.com/ Book giveaway I’m giving away an ebook of Austen in Austin Volume 1 Anthology. Asking the commenter if they consider themselves an Austen fan or a Western romance fan.
… and a bonus ebook of my Alarmingly Charming novella, to one commenter who would be interested in reviewing it on Goodreads and Amazon. 

Alice K. Arenz's "An American Gothic"

It's nice to have Alice K. Arenz with us today talking about her novel, An American  Gothic


BIO:  2010 ACFW Carol Award winning author, Alice K. Arenz, has been writing since she was a child. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, her first three novels were honored by two finals and one win in ACFW’s Carol Award: cozy mysteries The Case of the Bouncing Grandma (a 2009 finalist), The Case of the Mystified M.D., (2010 winner), and mystery/suspense Mirrored Image (a 2011 finalist)—all re-released by Forget Me Not Romances, a division of Winged Publications.  Her newest book, a mystery/romantic suspense, An American Gothic was released in August 2015. Visit her at her website www.akawriter.com  An American Gothic—mystery/romantic suspense      

She came to Foxxemoor to write a mystery, not to become part of one...
Devastated by the death of a child in her care, Lyssie's heart strings are tugged when she finds another child in danger. Amid past secrets, lies, and betrayals of an old college friend's family, she must choose a twin brother to trust. If she makes the wrong decision, she could not only lose her own life, but also the life of the child she's come to love. Link: amzn.to/1Q42CV1
 1) Why did you choose to write this book? I grew up reading—devouring—the romantic suspense/gothic novels of writers like Phyllis A. Whitney, Mary Stewart, Daphne Du Maurier, Victoria Holt and so very many others. Those were the books that allowed my imagination to soar, took me to other lands, other times. I wanted to try to capture a bit of that classic romantic suspense with a slightly modern twist.
2) What did you learn while writing this book? That the classic romantic suspense novel is still alive and well—and ready to surprise and intrigue those willing to give it a chance.
3) What is the toughest test you've faced as a writer? That would have to be the queries that remained unanswered or, worse, the ones answered that were enough to wallpaper my old 1008 sq. ft. house. And as hard as those were, getting published and wondering if anyone would even like my writing—my “babies” that was almost harder.
4) What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of, writing-related or not? My daughters. They’re AWESOME!  Thank you, God!!
5) Why do you write? I write because that’s who I am, a part of the very core of me. It’s never been a conscious thing, that desire, that need. It’s kinda like air—just something I need to exist. Can I live without it. Yes. I’ve “quit” writing several times. It’s worked for a while, but even when my health has deteriorated, and I find it difficult to concentrate and sit at my computer, the stories lure me back—the characters crying to be let out. Sounds a little creepy in a way, but it’s the way it is. I know when I finally answer their call, when I sit at the desk with my eyes closed in prayer, my fingers hovering over the keyboard . . . when the words come without conscious thought, well, then I know I’m where I’m supposed to be.
6) Are you a plotter or a pantzer? I’m definitely a seat-of-the-pants-writer, as I explained above. Not only don’t I know what I’m going to write as I’m going along, but it absolutely has to be in chronological order. Until I had to add 10,000 words to my first book, The Case of the Bouncing Grandma, I hadn’t realized how important it was for everything to be chronological—probably because I’d never actually realized there was a difference, it was just the way I wrote. It took a lot of prayer and encouragement from my daughter and husband, and a lot more prayer before those 10,000+ word found their way naturally into the already completed manuscript. Is that a little OCD?  I don’t know.
7) What are you working on right now?  With the help of my brilliant, computer-savvy son-in-law Greg, my novel Portrait of Jenny has been taken out of an old DOS word processing program and put into Word—intact! I’ve just finished the first run-through to make sure all the formatting is correct and now that’s down, I’ll begin the task of editing. While I always say it’s “bringing it up-to-date” that’s kind of a misnomer because I’ll keep the year intact—the middle 90s—but will, hopefully, update the language style to something a little less formal, I guess would be the correct terminology.               Though Jenny has Christian overtones, it will probably be on Winged Publications more secular side.
 8) How can readers get in contact with you?You can email me at akawriter@earthlink.net  or visit my website www.akawriter.comCheck out all my books on Amazon—I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Register to win Alice K. Arenz's "An American Gothic"

It's nice to have Alice K. Arenz with us today talking about her novel, An American  Gothic. She will be giving away a Kindle copy to one lucky reader. For your chance to win, please leave her a comment!


BIO:  2010 ACFW Carol Award winning author, Alice K. Arenz, has been writing since she was a child. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, her first three novels were honored by two finals and one win in ACFW’s Carol Award: cozy mysteries The Case of the Bouncing Grandma (a 2009 finalist), The Case of the Mystified M.D., (2010 winner), and mystery/suspense Mirrored Image (a 2011 finalist)—all re-released by Forget Me Not Romances, a division of Winged Publications.  Her newest book, a mystery/romantic suspense, An American Gothic was released in August 2015. Visit her at her website www.akawriter.com  An American Gothic—mystery/romantic suspense      

She came to Foxxemoor to write a mystery, not to become part of one...
Devastated by the death of a child in her care, Lyssie's heart strings are tugged when she finds another child in danger. Amid past secrets, lies, and betrayals of an old college friend's family, she must choose a twin brother to trust. If she makes the wrong decision, she could not only lose her own life, but also the life of the child she's come to love. Link: amzn.to/1Q42CV1
 1) Why did you choose to write this book? I grew up reading—devouring—the romantic suspense/gothic novels of writers like Phyllis A. Whitney, Mary Stewart, Daphne Du Maurier, Victoria Holt and so very many others. Those were the books that allowed my imagination to soar, took me to other lands, other times. I wanted to try to capture a bit of that classic romantic suspense with a slightly modern twist.
2) What did you learn while writing this book? That the classic romantic suspense novel is still alive and well—and ready to surprise and intrigue those willing to give it a chance.
3) What is the toughest test you've faced as a writer? That would have to be the queries that remained unanswered or, worse, the ones answered that were enough to wallpaper my old 1008 sq. ft. house. And as hard as those were, getting published and wondering if anyone would even like my writing—my “babies” that was almost harder.
4) What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of, writing-related or not? My daughters. They’re AWESOME!  Thank you, God!!
5) Why do you write? I write because that’s who I am, a part of the very core of me. It’s never been a conscious thing, that desire, that need. It’s kinda like air—just something I need to exist. Can I live without it. Yes. I’ve “quit” writing several times. It’s worked for a while, but even when my health has deteriorated, and I find it difficult to concentrate and sit at my computer, the stories lure me back—the characters crying to be let out. Sounds a little creepy in a way, but it’s the way it is. I know when I finally answer their call, when I sit at the desk with my eyes closed in prayer, my fingers hovering over the keyboard . . . when the words come without conscious thought, well, then I know I’m where I’m supposed to be.
6) Are you a plotter or a pantzer? I’m definitely a seat-of-the-pants-writer, as I explained above. Not only don’t I know what I’m going to write as I’m going along, but it absolutely has to be in chronological order. Until I had to add 10,000 words to my first book, The Case of the Bouncing Grandma, I hadn’t realized how important it was for everything to be chronological—probably because I’d never actually realized there was a difference, it was just the way I wrote. It took a lot of prayer and encouragement from my daughter and husband, and a lot more prayer before those 10,000+ word found their way naturally into the already completed manuscript. Is that a little OCD?  I don’t know.
7) What are you working on right now?  With the help of my brilliant, computer-savvy son-in-law Greg, my novel Portrait of Jenny has been taken out of an old DOS word processing program and put into Word—intact! I’ve just finished the first run-through to make sure all the formatting is correct and now that’s down, I’ll begin the task of editing. While I always say it’s “bringing it up-to-date” that’s kind of a misnomer because I’ll keep the year intact—the middle 90s—but will, hopefully, update the language style to something a little less formal, I guess would be the correct terminology.               Though Jenny has Christian overtones, it will probably be on Winged Publications more secular side.
 8) How can readers get in contact with you?You can email me at akawriter@earthlink.net  or visit my website www.akawriter.comCheck out all my books on Amazon—I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Register to win Alice K. Arenz's "American Gothic"

It's nice to have Alice K. Arenz with us today talking about her novel, American  Gothic. She will be giving away a Kindle copy to one lucky reader. For your chance to win, please leave her a comment!


BIO:  2010 ACFW Carol Award winning author, Alice K. Arenz, has been writing since she was a child. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, her first three novels were honored by two finals and one win in ACFW’s Carol Award: cozy mysteries The Case of the Bouncing Grandma (a 2009 finalist), The Case of the Mystified M.D., (2010 winner), and mystery/suspense Mirrored Image (a 2011 finalist)—all re-released by Forget Me Not Romances, a division of Winged Publications.  Her newest book, a mystery/romantic suspense, An American Gothic was released in August 2015. Visit her at her website www.akawriter.com  An American Gothic—mystery/romantic suspense      

She came to Foxxemoor to write a mystery, not to become part of one...
Devastated by the death of a child in her care, Lyssie's heart strings are tugged when she finds another child in danger. Amid past secrets, lies, and betrayals of an old college friend's family, she must choose a twin brother to trust. If she makes the wrong decision, she could not only lose her own life, but also the life of the child she's come to love. Link: amzn.to/1Q42CV1
 1) Why did you choose to write this book? I grew up reading—devouring—the romantic suspense/gothic novels of writers like Phyllis A. Whitney, Mary Stewart, Daphne Du Maurier, Victoria Holt and so very many others. Those were the books that allowed my imagination to soar, took me to other lands, other times. I wanted to try to capture a bit of that classic romantic suspense with a slightly modern twist.
2) What did you learn while writing this book? That the classic romantic suspense novel is still alive and well—and ready to surprise and intrigue those willing to give it a chance.
3) What is the toughest test you've faced as a writer? That would have to be the queries that remained unanswered or, worse, the ones answered that were enough to wallpaper my old 1008 sq. ft. house. And as hard as those were, getting published and wondering if anyone would even like my writing—my “babies” that was almost harder.
4) What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of, writing-related or not? My daughters. They’re AWESOME!  Thank you, God!!
5) Why do you write? I write because that’s who I am, a part of the very core of me. It’s never been a conscious thing, that desire, that need. It’s kinda like air—just something I need to exist. Can I live without it. Yes. I’ve “quit” writing several times. It’s worked for a while, but even when my health has deteriorated, and I find it difficult to concentrate and sit at my computer, the stories lure me back—the characters crying to be let out. Sounds a little creepy in a way, but it’s the way it is. I know when I finally answer their call, when I sit at the desk with my eyes closed in prayer, my fingers hovering over the keyboard . . . when the words come without conscious thought, well, then I know I’m where I’m supposed to be.
6) Are you a plotter or a pantzer? I’m definitely a seat-of-the-pants-writer, as I explained above. Not only don’t I know what I’m going to write as I’m going along, but it absolutely has to be in chronological order. Until I had to add 10,000 words to my first book, The Case of the Bouncing Grandma, I hadn’t realized how important it was for everything to be chronological—probably because I’d never actually realized there was a difference, it was just the way I wrote. It took a lot of prayer and encouragement from my daughter and husband, and a lot more prayer before those 10,000+ word found their way naturally into the already completed manuscript. Is that a little OCD?  I don’t know.
7) What are you working on right now?  With the help of my brilliant, computer-savvy son-in-law Greg, my novel Portrait of Jenny has been taken out of an old DOS word processing program and put into Word—intact! I’ve just finished the first run-through to make sure all the formatting is correct and now that’s down, I’ll begin the task of editing. While I always say it’s “bringing it up-to-date” that’s kind of a misnomer because I’ll keep the year intact—the middle 90s—but will, hopefully, update the language style to something a little less formal, I guess would be the correct terminology.               Though Jenny has Christian overtones, it will probably be on Winged Publications more secular side.
 8) How can readers get in contact with you?You can email me at akawriter@earthlink.net  or visit my website www.akawriter.comCheck out all my books on Amazon—I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Register to win Alice K. Arenz's American Gothic

It's nice to have Alice K. Arenz with us today talking about her novel, American  Gothic. She will be giving away a Kindle copy to one lucky reader. For your chance to win, please leave her a comment!




BIO:  2010 ACFW Carol Award winning author, Alice K. Arenz, has been writing since she was a child. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, her first three novels were honored by two finals and one win in ACFW’s Carol Award: cozy mysteries The Case of the Bouncing Grandma (a 2009 finalist), The Case of the Mystified M.D., (2010 winner), and mystery/suspense Mirrored Image (a 2011 finalist)—all re-released by Forget Me Not Romances, a division of Winged Publications.  Her newest book, a mystery/romantic suspense, An American Gothic was released in August 2015. Visit her at her website www.akawriter.com  An American Gothic—mystery/romantic suspense      
She came to Foxxemoor to write a mystery, not to become part of one...
Devastated by the death of a child in her care, Lyssie's heart strings are tugged when she finds another child in danger. Amid past secrets, lies, and betrayals of an old college friend's family, she must choose a twin brother to trust. If she makes the wrong decision, she could not only lose her own life, but also the life of the child she's come to love. Link: amzn.to/1Q42CV1
 1) Why did you choose to write this book? I grew up reading—devouring—the romantic suspense/gothic novels of writers like Phyllis A. Whitney, Mary Stewart, Daphne Du Maurier, Victoria Holt and so very many others. Those were the books that allowed my imagination to soar, took me to other lands, other times. I wanted to try to capture a bit of that classic romantic suspense with a slightly modern twist.
2) What did you learn while writing this book? That the classic romantic suspense novel is still alive and well—and ready to surprise and intrigue those willing to give it a chance.
3) What is the toughest test you've faced as a writer? That would have to be the queries that remained unanswered or, worse, the ones answered that were enough to wallpaper my old 1008 sq. ft. house. And as hard as those were, getting published and wondering if anyone would even like my writing—my “babies” that was almost harder.
4) What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of, writing-related or not? My daughters. They’re AWESOME!  Thank you, God!!
5) What kind of planning do you do before writing a novel? I don’t “plan.” The best way to describe it is that I write what I feel God leads me to write. I don’t have a plan and don’t know where the characters or book are going. So I enjoy the ride, the discovery. When I finish a writing session & have to go back and read what I just wrote because I literally have no idea what’s on the screen . . . that’s not just enjoyable, but exciting!
6) Why do you write? I write because that’s who I am, a part of the very core of me. It’s never been a conscious thing, that desire, that need. It’s kinda like air—just something I need to exist. Can I live without it. Yes. I’ve “quit” writing several times. It’s worked for a while, but even when my health has deteriorated, and I find it difficult to concentrate and sit at my computer, the stories lure me back—the characters crying to be let out. Sounds a little creepy in a way, but it’s the way it is. I know when I finally answer their call, when I sit at the desk with my eyes closed in prayer, my fingers hovering over the keyboard . . . when the words come without conscious thought, well, then I know I’m where I’m supposed to be.
7) Are you a plotter or a pantzer? I’m definitely a seat-of-the-pants-writer, as I explained above. Not only don’t I know what I’m going to write as I’m going along, but it absolutely has to be in chronological order. Until I had to add 10,000 words to my first book, The Case of the Bouncing Grandma, I hadn’t realized how important it was for everything to be chronological—probably because I’d never actually realized there was a difference, it was just the way I wrote. It took a lot of prayer and encouragement from my daughter and husband, and a lot more prayer before those 10,000+ word found their way naturally into the already completed manuscript. Is that a little OCD?  I don’t know.
8) What are you working on right now?  With the help of my brilliant, computer-savvy son-in-law Greg, my novel Portrait of Jenny has been taken out of an old DOS word processing program and put into Word—intact! I’ve just finished the first run-through to make sure all the formatting is correct and now that’s down, I’ll begin the task of editing. While I always say it’s “bringing it up-to-date” that’s kind of a misnomer because I’ll keep the year intact—the middle 90s—but will, hopefully, update the language style to something a little less formal, I guess would be the correct terminology.               Though Jenny has Christian overtones, it will probably be on Winged Publications more secular side.
 9) How can readers get in contact with you?You can email me at akawriter@earthlink.net  or visit my website www.akawriter.comCheck out all my books on Amazon—I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Renee-Ann Giggie's "Emma's Prayer"

What are your favorite writing conferences and why? Somebody once told me how important it is for every writer to attend these conferences, but I never saw vital they truly were until I attended my first one. It’s very hard to narrow down my favorite ones because they’re all awesome. I loved Mt Hermon, in CA, ACFW – that one moves around, it’s not always in the same place – and Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, in NC. Writers’ conferences are where we learn from other writers who’ve been there/done that. Most of those who teach the classes are today bestselling authors. They want you to have what they have: a successful writing career. Conferences are much more than that, though. It’s where deep bonds form between writers, and you leave with a slew of business cards, many of which maybe from editors and/or agents who want to read/hear more about your story. 
Are you a plotter or a pantzer?  I’m totally a pantzer. I can’t plot far in advance because it’ll change a thousand times. Someone I know, who’s not a writer once told me, “You have to know where the chapter is going.” No, I don’t. I develop it as I go. “Well then,” she added, “you should at least know where the scene is going.” Again, no, I don’t. I put fingers to keyboard, start with an idea, and type what happens as I watch it develop in my mind’s eyes. That’s how I write. When I wrote Stella’s Plea, I didn’t even know who the kidnapper was until about half way through the book. Until I figured it out, and why, she was “the young woman.” No spoiler there… the fact that it’s a kidnapping story is in the book blurb.

What are you working on right now?  A very emotional story. This will probably be the hardest story I’ve written. I’m reconstructing the events of a tragedy that happened in our family in 1984, but adding a major twist to it to make it a thrilling fictional suspense. Moving the events to today’s timeline. It might be interesting to leave it in the 80s though, where technology wasn’t so big as it is today.
What do you do for fun when not writing? I work full time outside the home in a call center. Outside of work and writing, I love to spend quality time with my husband. We go for long drives, eat out, or just get away for a weekend. OR I’m going to a writers’ conference. Which one I’m going next is ALWAYS in the back of my mind. I never can wait to get there, and once I return home, I can’t wait to go again.  
Tell us about your latest release and what you think readers will enjoy about it. 
 I feel that anyone who loves emotional stories will love Emma’s Prayer. Emma is a teen mom who puts her son up for adoption, but soon misses him so much, she wants him back. Is it too late? I show my readers that none of us are perfect, we all make mistakes. Even pastors kids, like Emma, aren’t immune to sin. We can, however, receive God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness. All we need to do is confess and ask earnestly.   How can readers get in contact with you? I love to hear from my readers. My facebook page is: www.facebook.com/ragiggieWebsite: http://reneeanngiggie.com 
Link to Emma's Prayer: amzn.to/1RW11oZ

Register to win Renee-Ann Giggie's "Emma's Prayer"

We're happy to have Renee-Ann Giggie with us today talking about Emma's Prayer.  Renee-Ann will be giving away an eBook copy to one luck reader! Please leave her a comment for your chance to win. Now, let's learn more about Renee-Ann and her book...


What are your favorite writing conferences and why? Somebody once told me how important it is for every writer to attend these conferences, but I never saw vital they truly were until I attended my first one. It’s very hard to narrow down my favorite ones because they’re all awesome. I loved Mt Hermon, in CA, ACFW – that one moves around, it’s not always in the same place – and Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, in NC. Writers’ conferences are where we learn from other writers who’ve been there/done that. Most of those who teach the classes are today bestselling authors. They want you to have what they have: a successful writing career. Conferences are much more than that, though. It’s where deep bonds form between writers, and you leave with a slew of business cards, many of which maybe from editors and/or agents who want to read/hear more about your story. 
Are you a plotter or a pantzer?  I’m totally a pantzer. I can’t plot far in advance because it’ll change a thousand times. Someone I know, who’s not a writer once told me, “You have to know where the chapter is going.” No, I don’t. I develop it as I go. “Well then,” she added, “you should at least know where the scene is going.” Again, no, I don’t. I put fingers to keyboard, start with an idea, and type what happens as I watch it develop in my mind’s eyes. That’s how I write. When I wrote Stella’s Plea, I didn’t even know who the kidnapper was until about half way through the book. Until I figured it out, and why, she was “the young woman.” No spoiler there… the fact that it’s a kidnapping story is in the book blurb.

What are you working on right now?  A very emotional story. This will probably be the hardest story I’ve written. I’m reconstructing the events of a tragedy that happened in our family in 1984, but adding a major twist to it to make it a thrilling fictional suspense. Moving the events to today’s timeline. It might be interesting to leave it in the 80s though, where technology wasn’t so big as it is today.
What do you do for fun when not writing? I work full time outside the home in a call center. Outside of work and writing, I love to spend quality time with my husband. We go for long drives, eat out, or just get away for a weekend. OR I’m going to a writers’ conference. Which one I’m going next is ALWAYS in the back of my mind. I never can wait to get there, and once I return home, I can’t wait to go again.  
Tell us about your latest release and what you think readers will enjoy about it. 
 I feel that anyone who loves emotional stories will love Emma’s Prayer. Emma is a teen mom who puts her son up for adoption, but soon misses him so much, she wants him back. Is it too late? I show my readers that none of us are perfect, we all make mistakes. Even pastors kids, like Emma, aren’t immune to sin. We can, however, receive God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness. All we need to do is confess and ask earnestly.   How can readers get in contact with you? I love to hear from my readers. My facebook page is: www.facebook.com/ragiggieWebsite: http://reneeanngiggie.com 
Link to Emma's Prayer: amzn.to/1RW11oZ

Award-winning author June Foster and "What God Knew"

We're happy to have June Foster with us today talking about her book, What God Knew, book three in the Almond Tree Series. 

Neonatal specialist Dr. Michael Clark is passionate about saving the lives of premature babies. But the pediatrics department at El Camino General can't provide the care many of his preemies require. Now he wants to build a specialty hospital where he can better offer medical treatment for his young patients.
Tammy Crawford is an accomplished geriatrics RN who wants nothing to do with her sister Joella's religious beliefs. She's independent and doesn't need anyone, including God in pursuing a new job as a nurse practitioner.
When she falls in love with the intriguing Michael Clark, she must reconsider her resolve to devote herself completely to her career and not become distracted by a romantic relationship. Now the obstacles are insurmountable. She's in love with a man from another culture and a different race.
Michael acknowledges his growing affection for the beautiful nurse yet can't ignore his brother's deep racial prejudices.
Can two people who are as different as night and day find a life together?



What would you like readers to take away from your book?I'd like readers to discover through the lives of my characters that God  has the answers to any issue we experience. All we need is to humble ourselves before Him and seek first His kingdom.

Why did you choose to write this book? In recent days, racial tension in our nation has worried me. I spoke with a lovely black woman who said the young, angry rioters are filled with hate, blaming others for their plight instead of finding a relationship with the Lord and putting him first in their lives. What God Knewspeaks of racial tension. I figured what better way to deliver the message but to create a romance between a white woman and black man.  What did you learn while writing this book?I had an interesting experience while during research. One day at church I had opportunity to speak to a young, professional black man, not unlike my Dr. Michael Clark. I asked him what he considered the most difficult aspect of a biracial romance. His answer had nothing to do with race, but he said socio-economic issues might be the greatest obstacle. I found that quite interesting.  
What is the toughest test you've faced as a writer? I think trying not to compare myself with other writers. And stay positive when the rejection letters come in.

Which books on writing have been the most helpful to you and why?I think James Scott Bell's Plot & Structure. When I first began writing, I had no idea how to devise a plot. I followed this book religiously.
What are you working on right now? I'm writing a novel centered on the homeless situation in the US. A lovely young volunteer falls in love with a homeless man. When the idea first came to me, I thought it might be a stretch, but so far I'm pleased with the way the story is falling into place. It is called Almond Street Mission.
Bio: An award-winning author, June Foster is a retired teacher with a BA in education and MA in counseling. Her characters find themselves in tough situations but overcome through God's power and the Word. She writes edgy topics wrapped in a good story. To date, she's seen ten contemporary romances published. Find June online at junefoster.com.
website: junefoster.com email: junefoster11@gmail.com

Link to What God Knew: amzn.to/1TzffgL