Becky Wade's Blog, page 94

New Release!

It’s that time again!! Time for another book release! ENSNARED, the third book in my medieval series, Knights of Brethren, hit shelves this past Tuesday June 14.

If you missed out on the first two books in the series, then I invite you to go read them right now! ENAMORED and ENTWINED. The series is very loosely based on King Arthur, his knights, and some of the legends surrounding them.

ENSNARED in particular is a retelling of the search for the sacred chalice (aka holy grail). And this search takes our lovely lead couple into a deadly forest on a quest. Fortunately for them, their quest pushes them to face their fears and failures and ultimately to come out stronger in the end. Of course, they also find true love along the way with a sweet, clean romance that still has all the feels!

Thank you to Tia for this pretty graphic!

I know some of readers of my historical romance may shy away from my medieval stories, but I want to assure you that these books are not just for young adults! My adult readers LOVE them just as much. Don’t just take my word for it! Here’s what readers are saying:

“Just because it is labeled YA, do not be put off as an adult reader. This book is utterly captivating! . . . Hedlund creates a captivating tale of valor, love, and sacrifice. I was absolutely “ensnared” by every part of this story. My imagination soared at each tumult of danger and hint of romance. Tender, poignant, dangerous, and courageous, this book is truly one I will never forget.”

“There has never been a time when I haven’t been utterly taken by the stories and the characters that Jody Hedlund creates with her words. This book was heartwarming and the characters so very sweet.”

“Jody Hedlund has delivered yet another swoony, inspiring, and thrilling tale! Ensnared kept me utterly captivated—as with all of her books, I couldn’t put it down.”

To find out more information about ENSNARED and to order the book (or read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited) go HERE.  

If you haven’t seen all of the covers of my series, here they are!

What about YOU? Have you read any medievals lately? What’s next up on your TBR pile?

24 Hours in Silverton

My husband and I recently celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary, and in honor of this momentous occasion, my hubby planned a fabulous vacation for us in Colorado. Knowing my love for all things historical, he planned a trip to Durango and Silverton for us. Since we just finished our stay in Silverton, I thought I would share some highlights with you.

Silverton is a historic mining town that was founded in 1874. It really boomed, however, when the Denver & Rio Grande Railway came to town in 1882. This railway is still run today with steam engines on the preserved Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway. Wes and I were supposed to ride the train up to Silverton, but due to hazardous fire conditions, our train was cancelled. We’re hoping to get a shorter ride in later this week if the weather cooperates, but in the meantime, we made the drive up to Silverton so we could still enjoy the town.

We got to stay in the Grand Imperial Hotel, a fabulous historic hotel built in 1883 filled with antiques. I loved it! The Grand Hotel was the crown jewel of Silverton in its boomtown years, playing host to well known historical figures such as Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and Lillian Russell.

One fun note about the piano in the lobby: John Wannamaker, founder of the Wannamaker Department Store in Philadelphia, traveled to Silverton in the late 1800’s. He ordered this piano from his own store, shipped it to San Francisco, met the ship in California, then traveled with the piano the rest of the way to Silverton to deliver it to the Grand Imperial Hotel around the turn of the century. And it’s still there!

Walking down Green Street (the main street) is like walking back in time. (If you can ignore all the cars and people in modern clothing.) So well preserved. And so many fun restaurants. We sampled several. The first night, we ate at the Handlebar Saloon. I had Colorado rainbow trout and my hubby had the local specialty elk burger.

We enjoyed breakfast at the Lone Spur Cafe. Wes ate the wagon wheel pancake, aptly named since it’s nearly the size of a wagon wheel. Huge! The place was filled with wonderful western décor. Loved it!

We finished our visit with lunch at Natalia’s 1912 Restaurant. Really good food for a reasonable price, but my favorite thing about it was the scandal of knowing I was eating a meal in a place of ill-repute. Like many of the buildings on the notorious Blair Street, Natalia’s was once a bordello.

One of the highlights of the trip was visiting the old jail and mining museum. This place was huge and filled with so many wonderful historical artifacts. My writer’s heart thrilled at the displays and my writer’s brain worked hard to absorb as much as I could. I took scores of photographs. I will only post my three favorite here for you to enjoy.

And I couldn’t wrap up this post without the very cool stage coach we ran across in town.

All in all, we’re having a wonderful time!

You’ll have to forgive me if I don’t respond to your comments in a timely fashion. I promise to read them, but since we won’t be home until Saturday, my computer access is limited.

Have you ever visited Silverton or any other historically preserved site?

Off to Scotland!

Tomorrow night we board a plane for London. Friday afternoon in Heathrow Airport, we catch a flight to Edinburgh. 

We’ve long wanted to do a Scotland trip, but especially after learning several years ago that Jeff’s family did, indeed, come from Scotland many, many yeas ago. But we had kids to get through college and Jeff had a job where it was hard to take any time off, let alone enough time to do Scotland the way we desired. Then Covid. Enough said. 

But last June, after a job switch and relocation, we were out for dinner to celebrate our 34th anniversary when he looked at me and said, “I want us to go to Scotland next year.” 

“Ok, then,” I said. “Let’s do it.” 

But I’ll be honest. I wasn’t sure it would really happen. My husband has a tendency to talk about things (especially things which cost a good chunk of money!) for a looooong time before acting on it. 

When he booked our flights just after Christmas last year, I knew the trip was a go and started getting excited! 

One reason I love traveling with Jeff is that he is a researcher and a planner. I’m somewhat both of those things, but when it comes to travel plans, not so much. So he plans to his heart’s desire and I don’t have to worry over all the details. It’s great. And of course very helpful that he and I enjoy the same things. (Historical sites? Book stores? Scones? Yes, yes, and yes!) 

Photo by George Hiles on Unsplash

I will be posting pictures on Instagram and my Facebook author page, so if you want to travel along, be sure to follow me. 

More details when we return, but for now, I’m savoring the anticipation! 

What is your most anticipated trip this year? 

Coming Soon: Retreat and Signings in Iowa

Next week I plan (Lord willing) to meet author-friends Michelle Griep and Erica Vetsch for a writing retreat in Iowa. We’re looking forward to catching up and writing LOTS of words!

While we’re there, we’ll also be doing two book talks & signings:

Thursday, June 23, 2022

10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. at Grinnell (1009 Main St)

2:00–4:00 p.m. at Marshalltown (14 W Main St)

We’ll be serving tea and a local pastry called “Dutch Letters,” which I’m looking forward to tasting for the first time. If you live near either of these bookstores, we’d love to meet you! (If not, but you know someone who does, please help us spread the word.)

Everything’s more fun with friends, don’t you think?

Do you have any fun plans with friends this summer? Please share.

Conferences are Back!

Ken and I returned from the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference a couple of weeks ago and I can’t tell you how wonderful it was to be back with writing friends in a setting that didn’t involve Zoom! Apparently, others felt the same way because there were 600 people at this conference!

The conference was held on the beautiful Ridgecrest Conference Center campus near Asheville, North Carolina in the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains.

What a joy it is to worship with 600 other like-minded people!

I just happened to celebrate my birthday on the second day of the conference and (even though I told him NOT to tell anyone!) my sneaky husband arranged for 600 people to sing “Happy Birthday” to me! That was a really special and fun moment, especially with our hilarious MC, Linda Goldfarb, narrating the occasion!

Ken and I both taught classes—more than 10 hours of teaching between us—and I gave the keynote address on Tuesday morning.

We also took appointments with conferees and hosted tables during each lunch and dinner in the cafeteria. (Those were some of my favorite, most fun times!)

Something really special happened for us when my first true independent novel (with Raney Day Press and a cover designed by Ken) won the Selah Award for Best Contemporary Womens Fiction!

It’s always a treat to spend a little time with my agent, Steve Laube. Steve gave a fascinating keynote one evening of the conference.

Ken and I barely saw each other coming and going during the conference, so one morning we skipped breakfast and had a little date at the Clouds Coffee Shop on campus.

As if all that wasn’t enough, the day we left the conference, we got a call that our 12th precious grandbaby had been born! He’s a boy, and he may be the cutest one yet (but then, I say that every time). He joins his big sister and three big brothers in Texas, and we can’t wait to meet him later this month!

Inspired by Scripture

This Sunday feature is brought to you by ClashVerseoftheDay.com. You may sign up to receive a beautiful photo with Scripture in your inbox each morning or view the verse each day online.

Every book has a journey of its own

Last Tuesday (June 7), my latest novel arrived online and in bookstores. I’ll Be Seeing You is my 86th release. (To learn more about the story, visit the book page on my website.)

As the title of this post says, every book has its own journey. The journey of I’ll Be Seeing You was bumpy, the kind of journey that can leave a writer feeling “less than.”

The lockdowns of 2020 had a starring role in some important miscommunication, and when I turned in the novel in early 2021, it wasn’t what my editor had expected. She loved the story I’d written, but… I won’t go into the reasons this was a problem. Suffice to say, if I wanted to keep the story I’d written, I needed to make some changes to deliver on expectations. And all because some communication wires got crossed.

I felt like a failure. I felt stupid.

But God…

I learned about the problem on a Friday afternoon. Over the weekend, I realized exactly what I should add to deliver the book my editor wanted. Not only that, I had a deep sense that this was what God had intended from the beginning. That didn’t remove my sense of failure, but it did give me hope.

Soon after, I happened into an audio chat in a social media app with some other authors. Someone asked what I was working on. I hemmed and hawed, not wanting to admit how I’d failed, but finally I shared what was going on. After I shared, one of the authors said (paraphrased), “Robin, that’s almost exactly what happened to me.” She shared the title of her book and her own unique circumstances. The book she named just so happened to be my favorite book of hers. To know that she’d been in a similar spot with that book and had turned it into a favorite book gave me even more hope and a boost in confidence as well.

It was like God gave me a hug, saying, “Stop feeling like a failure. I’ll get you through this.”

It took me a couple of months to revise the manuscript. Then, just as I was ready to turn it in, my editor left the publishing house and I was assigned a new editor. The bad news: My new editor was juggling a lot and couldn’t get to my book for a couple of months. The good news: When she was able to get to it, she loved it.

Since I’m exposing a bit of my soul here, I’ll tell you that I am always filled with doubt during the months a book goes through copy edits and page proofs, etc. By that time in the publishing process, I’ve read a book over and over. There are no surprises. I know every character and every paragraph and every twist and turn. Thus, the doubts creep in. For a book like I’ll Be Seeing You, those doubts were magnified because of the bumpy journey we’d been on together.

I think you can appreciate how happy I was when the early reviews began to come in and readers were loving I’ll Be Seeing You.  More than one has called it their favorite book of mine. Music to my ears.

Here are clips from just a few advance reviews:

I’ll Be Seeing You by Robin Lee Hatcher is a fantastic read. This is a must!!! — Jaime on Goodreads, 5

Five stars, two thumbs up, and an A on your history project. — Becky on Goodreads, 5

This story simply blew me away! What an amazing tale of love, family, faith and forgiveness! Oh and we can’t leave redemption out. All of these things wrapped into one made a wonderful novel. — Lori on Goodreads, 5

Robin Lee Hatcher’s writing is seamless and intriguing. I was drawn in to the story from the start. — Jocelyn on Goodreads, 5

The consequences of a long-ago romantic tryst come to light in this enjoyable historical by Hatcher … [The author] skillfully illustrates her message that God transforms bad into good for those with faith. WWII-era inspirational fans will relish this tale. — Publishers Weekly

Here’s another confession: In a few more months, I will start feeling as if this book was a dream to write and revise and that nothing bad or difficult happened along the way. My brain will know the truth, but my feelings will win the day. Such will be the rest of the journey for I’ll Be Seeing You.

~robin

Sun’s Out Top Gun’s Out

It’s summertime and big budget movies are returning to theaters, including Top Gun: Maverick. It released two weeks ago and has already earned 292 million — making it the highest-grossing release of Tom Cruise’s career.

Back when the first Top Gun released, in May of 1986, I was finishing up my freshman year of high school. I used to go to the movies very often in those days with school friends or church friends. In my southern California hometown of Riverside, we saw a lot of movies both at the theater and thanks to the VHS tapes we rented from Blockbuster. We ate a lot of frozen yogurt. We listened to George Micheal or the Beastie Boys while driving around town.

I distinctly remember going to see Top Gun with my friend Carolyn at the Canyon Crest Towne Centre. It blew my mind.

Carolyn and me

When we came out of the movie, Carolyn and I sat outside in the beautiful nighttime weather, people milling around us at the outdoor mall. We talked and raved and talked and raved about the movie. We both LOVED it and we couldn’t get over how much we loved it. The concept of a fighter pilot hero was so fresh and interesting. Somehow, the movie exactly fit the taste of many of the movie goers of that era, including us. Top Gun became iconic.

A few years ago, I wrote a romantic novella called Take a Chance on Me starring a fighter pilot hero. In large part, I was inspired to write a hero with that profession because High School Freshman Me never forgot Maverick and Iceman and Goose and the rest. In my novella, I even included a nod to the scene (pictured above) when Maverick serenades Charlie with “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” by The Righteous Brothers. If Top Gun: Maverick has whetted your appetite for more fighter pilot stories, I’m happy to report that Take a Chance on Me is free for download to your e-reader and $5.99 for the print version. Click here to get a peek at the plot and click here for buy links!

Thirty-six years have passed since the first Top Gun. Nowadays, two of my three kids are older than I was when I saw it with Carolyn at the Towne Centre.

This past weekend my husband and I, our kids, and my father-in-law went to see Top Gun: Maverick. And what do you know? I loved it again. This one is filled with nostalgia for the original — the music, the style of the opening and closing credits, the helmet, the motorcycle, an old Porsche, the San Diego setting, the leather jacket, etc, etc, etc. That said, you don’t just get nostalgia. You also get a gripping story. The plotting, the characters, the visuals, the tension — all strong.

It struck me, in a good way, as similar to the type of movies they used to make. It felt… classic. Once again, it seems Top Gun: Maverick is in sync with the taste of the movie goers of the era.

*Note that Common Sense Media recommends Top Gun:Maverick for families with kids 12+ in age. And Top Gun for kids 13+. Please be aware that there is language in both films.

Do you have memories surrounding the original Top Gun? Have you seen the new one? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Author Newsletters: What do you like? + Giveaway

I got the nicest email this week in response to a newsletter that I sent on Monday. If you’re curious you can see it here. I often write these and wonder if anyone cares or reads them, but lately I’ve been getting several responses from readers. That’s been so much fun. But it also has me thinking about what you as readers love about our newsletters.

Each of us on this blog has a different approach. Deb Raney’s are so chatty and fun. Becky does a great job of peeling back and letting us behind the scenes. We share each others’ books. We talk about what we’re working on. But what do you like?

Book NewsGiveawaysAuthor LifeWhat’s happening out side writingWhat we’re readingEtc.

There’s nothing like writing in a vacuum and wondering if anyone is enjoying what you send. I’d love your thoughts on what makes an author newsletter one you love.

I also wanted to make sure you knew about two giveaways associated with special Book Talks that are going on right now. Last week I hosted Melody Carlson, Irene Hannon, Liz Johnson, and Suzanne Woods Fisher for a great panel about their contemporary romances. Revell is giving away a copy of each of their books, so be sure to go here to participate. Tuesday I had another panel with Kelli Stuart and Joanna Davidson Politano about their International Historicals. It was so fun. You can enter the associated giveaway of their most recent books here.

Finally, I wanted to let you know that on June 15th I’m rereleasing Deadly Drive as a novella. It was first released in 2020 as part of the Mistletoe and Murder collection. This will be the first time you can order this stand alone story on its own. In this novella I got to play with writing the story in first person from the perspective of the heroine. It was so much fun! Here’s more about the novella: When her twin is killed in a failed robbery, Jocie has to go to Washington, DC, to identify him for her family. So she finds herself in a tightening spiral of questions in a race to find the truth. One phone call can change your life. What you do after that is up to you. Order it before June 15th for the special preorder price of $1.49. 

Maybe you aren’t following us in our newsletters. Here’s a quick link for each of us:

Tamera Alexander Robin Lee Hatcher (scroll down to the form)Jody Hedlund (scroll to the bottom)Angela Hunt (scroll to the bottom)Julie Klassen (click the icon on the right)D’Ann Mateer (scroll halfway down for the form)Dani Pettrey  (scroll to the bottom)Cara C. Putman (use the pop up form)Deborah Raney (scroll down)Becky Wade (use the form at the bottom)Karen Witemeyer (use the form on the right)

The Blessings of K-9 Companions {Giveaway}

Hi friends! This week I’m thrilled to welcome back my fellow author and friend, Jill Kemerer. If you aren’t familiar with Jill or her books, you’re in for a treat! I had the pleasure of hanging out with Jill last month.

We spent the day in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It’s lovely there if you haven’t been. We talked about writing, books we love to read, and life. It’s always a special treat catching up with someone who understands writing and all that goes into it. Today, Jill’s sharing an inside peek at the research she did for her K-9 COMPANIONS series. Hope you’ll enjoy and be sure to leave a comment to enter her giveaway!

Picture a roly-poly puppy—a fluffy golden retriever, a spaniel, or a Saint Bernard. I don’t know about you, but I can’t help oohing and aahing over them. They’re so cute! Dogs are one of the most popular pets for a reason. Their loyalty and affection brighten our days.

I have a mini-dachshund, Sophie, who is almost thirteen years old. I love my little nine-pound writing buddy. She’s either by my side or on my lap all the time! In fact, right now she’s curled around my shoulders on the back of the couch.

I’m amazed at all the wonderful things dogs can do, especially when it comes to being of service. Rescue dogs, service dogs, therapy dogs, police dogs—they make such an impact not only on their owners but on the community, too.

For instance, I recently read an article in the Oklahoman about dogs helping grieving families in Uvalde, Texas. The organization, Lutheran Church Charities, sent K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry Teams to support the families. You can read the full article “Meet Miriam: The Kingfisher Therapy Dog Sent to Comfort Families After Ulvade Shootings” for more information. What a wonderful way to help—even in a small way—people who are devastated by tragedy.

Veterans suffering from PTSD are able to function better with their specially-trained dogs. People with various health problems rely on service dogs for many things, including helping with routine tasks or alerting them to changes in blood pressure. Then there are seeing eye dogs that act on behalf of their blind owners to help them navigate daily life.

Even when dogs aren’t trained to perform life-saving tasks, they are blessings. Therapy dogs bring joy to people of all ages. When my children were young, they wanted a dog but we weren’t ready for the commitment at that time. Our library hosted special children’s programs where kids could read to a canine. Both of my children loved it, and it made them look forward to reading.

Love Inspired publishes a K-9 COMPANIONS series each year. There are ten books in 2022, and my book Guarding His Secret is the June 2022 release. I loved researching and writing this one. I learned so much about what medical-alert dogs can do and about the general training process for all K-9 companion dogs. These dogs truly are blessings!

Do you have a dog or pet? What kind do you have?

To celebrate the release of Guarding His Secret, I’m hosting a giveaway. One commenter will receive a copy of Guarding His Secret. (US residents will receive an autographed paperback; international winners will receive an ebook.) Thank you!

He’s hiding something…
Can a special K-9 encourage him to reveal all?

When a family crisis leaves rancher Randy Watkins caring for a surprise baby nephew, he turns to longtime friend Hannah Carr for help. But Randy has a heart condition—a secret he’s determined to hide…until Hannah’s clever retired service dog threatens to expose it. As friendship turns to something more, can Randy trust Hannah with the truth?

Click HERE for Purchase Links and More

Jill Kemerer is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of heartwarming, emotional, small-town romance novels often featuring cowboys. Over half a million of her books have sold worldwide. Jill’s essentials include coffee, caramels, a stack of books, her mini-doxie, and long walks outdoors. She resides in Ohio with her husband and two almost-grown children. For more information, visit her website, jillkemerer.com.

Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Amazon | Bookbub | Newsletter