C. Kevin Thompson's Blog, page 3

Author Behind the Story Blog Series - Donna Mumma

Almost three weeks of vacation this close to retirement is quite the self-imposed form of torture. You get a taste of what retirement can be, but alas, it's over. The sweet taste of lazy mornings and the ability to go see whatever you want when you want turns to ash. Three and a half years seems like a long time to wait. Yet, I know it will be here before I can say, "Snap out of it, old man." Life tends to fly by that way. We long for what's ahead, missing what's passing by at that very moment. And will we ever really get to that "dream-like" existence? I know of many who had dreams. They made their plans. They saved their fortunes or spent them, depending on the dreams they had, only to never truly see the full realization because of a life cut short. A tragic end that wasn't in the plans. Was never part of any dream.

It makes you realize how fortunate we are to be here. Period. At this very moment. Breathing in and out. Beggars on the verge of life in the spiritual realm tend to think that way (cf. Matthew 5:3). "Rich" people, not so much. That's why I sit here, torn between the life of a beggar and a life that can only made possible if God wills it, learning how to savor the ash and understand that the taste is of your own making. It doesn't have to be that way. The lazy mornings and the ability to jump in a car and see some of God's handiwork were gifts. Ones we will treasure for good. They were glorious because of "who" we were with, not just what we saw. Had my wife not been with me, I would not have even trekked to the mountains. Neither would she have. But together, the trip will be one we talk about for the rest of our lives. And this is where the "ash" turns to honey. Even sweeter than honey, straight from the comb.

Okay, enough with the devotional. :-)

We're here to introduce new authors (or at least ones who may be new to our readers). this next guest is brand new! Her debut novel just released, but she's been a friend for years. Cheering me on when I had writing successes, and now, I get to return the favor.

Please welcome to the Florida Front Porch no stranger to Florida, Donna Mumma!

Donna, it's so cool having you as part of this blog series. For our readers out there who don't know you, we have a tradition here at ABTS that always kicks off our interviews. Give us a quick bio. Fifty words or less. Who is Donna Mumma? 

I am a native Floridian and a former farm kid. I grew up in the country and now live in a large, metropolitan area on Florida’s west coast. Even though I live near the gulf, I don’t eat seafood. I think alligators are the coolest animal on the planet, and I’m no fan of snakes. Being around trees and water brings me peace. My favorite type of music is movie soundtracks, especially anything written by John Williams. I love books but to be honest, I love movies a little more.  For as long as I can remember, I’ve had vivid stories and characters roaming around in my head. With some encouragement from my husband, I decided to write them down. And now I’m a published author.

I love John Williams. Have his "Best of" CD set. I, too, listen to movie soundtracks when I'm writing. Helps to block out the noise, both outside and inside my head. Must be a writer thing.

Before you ever got a notion of becoming a writer/author, how old were you, and what were you doing in that time of your life?

Since I was around six years old, I’ve always had a taste for monster movies and watched as many as I could. We had a local channel that showed the old, campy horror and monster movies on Saturday afternoons, and I would sit with my dad and enjoy those or the old Star Trek series. When I was eight, I started taking piano lessons and continued until I was a sophomore in high school. I also learned to play alto saxophone and was a very busy band geek though middle and high school.

My parents owned a dairy farm in central Florida, and that kept me, my four older brothers and my sister busy. I loved living in the country, going fishing, climbing our giant oaks and swinging from their boughs in a swing my dad made from a burlap feed bag. I swam in lakes and natural springs as well as a local pool club. The tiny town where I grew up was filled with wonderful storytellers, and I listened to tales about flipped airboats, alligators, hunting, and wild things that always happened after midnight on Saturday nights when the local bar closed down. I grew up in a tiny Baptist church, dressed as an angel for the outdoor Christmas pageants, and sang in the choir with my mother. When I was older, I played piano for the choir when our usual pianist was out of town.

I never liked school until I reached college. I started out studying medical technology with hopes of working in a hospital lab. God had other plans and in his own way he steered me to elementary education. I became a teacher in 1989 and taught for eight years. I also homeschooled our two boys for eight years.

I remember WTOG Channel 44! The Saturday afternoon Creature Feature with Dr. Paul Bearer...The Master of Scaremonies. 

What educational background do you have?

I went to Wildwood High School, in Wildwood, Florida.

After graduating from there, I attended Lake Sumter Community College (now Lake Sumter State College) in Leesburg, Florida and received my AA. I went on to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in elementary education from the University of Florida (Go Gators!) and am now officially a Florida Gator. My oldest brother attended UF, and when I went with my mother to drop him off, we walked around the campus. I fell in love and vowed at age nine that I was going to go there when I was grown. And I did!

Go Gators!

Are you married? Single? Have kids?

I have been married to my husband and best buddy for thirty-one years. We have two adult sons.

For all the pet lovers out there, answer this question: Do you have any? 

We have a collie, named Duke. Duke is mostly white, with a sable head and a sable spot on each side of his body. He is striking, and when we’re out walking him in our neighborhood folks often stop their car to pet him or gush over his looks. He is the sweetest dog we’ve ever owned, but he is also the most angsty thing I’ve ever met. Thunderstorms terrify him, which makes life complicated since we live on the coast in an area many deem as the lightning capitol of North America. He’s not fond of the tropical weather either. But, as long as he can sit with a human on either the couch or a bed, he will hunker down and shiver his way through the storm. I’m hoping someday he learns to cope a bit better, but until then we will snuggle up close and weather the storm together.

We know what makes Duke cringe. What makes you cringe? 

Heavy metal music, especially when it’s played at a volume that allows it to seep into your skin, vibrate through your bones or rattle your dental work.

If you had one person you could meet (think ONLY Bible characters here) and could spend as much time as you wanted with that individual, who would it be besides Jesus, and why? 

I would love to sit and talk with John the Baptist. His story always fascinated me. He wore camel’s hair garments and lived like a wild-man, but yet spoke with such authority that he intimidated a king and queen. And yet, he understood true humility and what serving God was all about. I’m sure when he entered a space the entire atmosphere changed and probably felt electrified. I think he would be interesting to talk with, and I’d be very certain to get straight, no-holds-barred type answers from him. First question would be, what was it like and what went through his head when the heavens opened up and God spoke after Jesus was baptized? Once I got him talking, I’d just sit back and take in everything he said.

What Bible scripture has impacted your life the most, and why? 

My favorite Bible verse, and the one I base my life on is Hebrews 12:1-3. I’ve faced many challenges along the way, and this verse reminds me to keep going so I can finish this race set before me. Good words for life and my writing.

Why do you live where you live? 

I live in St. Petersburg because I met a city boy in college. When we married, he had a job here so I followed him to this area. He is a native to this part of Florida, and his family was here. Coming from rural Florida, it took me a while to become accustomed to the traffic, huge highways, and all the people. But being in love makes you take on new adventures and I adjusted to seeing palm trees, lots of cars, and sandy beaches instead of grassy pastures filled with cows. Now, both of our boys are in college here, and I’ve expanded my roots from rural Florida to the coast. To me, home is where the heart is, and since these three are my forever favorites, I’m right where I need to be.

When you are looking for a book to read, what are the things that are important to you? 

The most important thing for me when choosing a book is how quickly it pulls me in. A good cover always catches my interest, and I read back covers. I also read the first page, and if I’m not intrigued and wanting to know more when it’s time to turn the page, I usually pass and put the book back on the shelf. My attention span rivals a mosquito’s, and if a book hasn’t engaged me after the first few chapters, I’ll stop reading and move on to another. My to-be-read pile is always tall, and I’m forever buying and adding new titles based on friend’s recommendations or new releases.

My favorite genre is psychological suspense and crime thrillers, but I love a good historical that explores the human condition. Always up for exciting science fiction and action/adventure too.  

Of all the stories/books you have written, which one is your favorite? And what compelled you to write this story? 

The very first book I ever wrote was a sci-fi/action/adventure story called Eripio. I had so much fun writing it because I threw reality to the wind and let my mind create this world where I combined modern day tech with whatever my imagination came up with. I love a good quest story, and this one included all the elements that make that genre interesting to me. There were no boundaries, and I kept making up things as I went along like I did when playing pretend as a child. The male lead is probably one of my favorite characters I’ve created. Can’t really say what compelled me to write it other than a love of the classic adventure stories like Robinson Crusoe and movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark. It never found a publishing home, but I promised my family I would pull it out someday and try again.

Tell us about what project you are currently working on. 

I am currently working on a book meant to be a follow-up to my debut novel. It tells the story of a family pariah who was wrongly blamed for an event that shattered her large, close knit family, causing a rift that tore the family apart. She is now middle-aged and discovers that her dead sister, who was really the one responsible for the break-up, had proof of my main character’s innocence in this event. She goes on a sort of scavenger hunt to find it, planning to present it to her family at her sister’s funeral. It explores the concept of being right vs. doing the right thing.

Sounds interesting. What surprised you the most during the research for the book you are currently working on?

The characters in this story are from Louisiana, many of them are Cajun. I’ve had a lot of fun learning about their history and culture, especially the ways they made a living off the land and water. I’ve also discovered some very interesting parts of Louisiana history in the fifties and sixties that I never knew, such as many of the residents gaining jobs in the space program when it started expanding in Texas.

Tell us about your writing day. How do you go about writing?

I’m probably the worst person to ask this. I don’t have a specific routine. My real life is very busy, and my writing gets tucked in among all of my other jobs. Our youngest has a physical handicap, is also in college, so I’m his chauffer, scribe, typist, and aid whenever the need arises. On a good day I’ll complete all my regular life chores in the morning then work on writing from 1-5pm. I do sometimes stay up late to write, as I’m a night owl who also gets up early in the morning. And I do take off periodically and run away from home to a place where I can write without distraction for a few days.

Donna, it's been a pleasure having you on ABTS, and congratulations on your first book! There never is another debut novel. You only get one. That's why I always tell writers to try and make it the best one you have. :-)

Before we wrap things up, is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about you, or anything we didn’t cover?  

I write about flawed people who have challenges but keep pressing on. My parents taught us that it’s not important how many times you got knocked down but how many times you got back up. I strive for my stories to show that life is often hard, but we can survive and thrive if we keep our faith, look to God for help, and just run that race to the end. Limping, crawling, and dragging ourselves across the finish line count, and are often the only way we make it. And that’s okay.

Good words to conclude our interview!

Readers, if you are wishing to get to know more about Donna and her writing, you can find her in these cyber locations:

On her website: https://donnamumma.me

On her blog: https://donnamumma.me/category/blog

On Twitter: @DonnaMumma1

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/donnamummawriter

On Instagram: dmumma748

Thanks, again, Donna, for being a part of ABTS! 

Until next time, 

Kevin

https://ckevinthompson.com/

And did you know, Kevin's latest novel, The Letters, won First Place in the Speculative Category in the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference's 2021 Selah Awards? You can click HERE to find out more! When wondering about the story itself, think: A Christmas Carol Meets Frank Peretti. :-)  

 

 

 

The Author Behind the Story Blog Series - Christine Dillon

Greetings from a swamp. A hot, humid swamp. We invaded one, you know. We call it Florida. But it's really a swamp that is being transformed into overpriced housing. I don't know about your neck of the woods, but here in FLA, we are experiencing some of the largest population growth in the state's history. If you want a cheap U-Haul, drive down her and drive it back to wherever, and U-Haul will probably pay you for doing it. Houses can't be built fast enough, and they're being built in some of the strangest places. Old ones are being snapped up too. Houses that need a lot of work are selling at prices over their appraised value in two weeks or less. Some as little as three days. If you're moving here, just wait until you get here, because if you find one online, by the time you drive down to see it, it will probably already have five or more offers. Most of them cash offers. We're just waiting for FLA to break off from all the weight and become an island. That's when we sell, move, and retire. Ha!

In retirement, there's one place I'd love to visit, and that's Australia. I like it so much I made one of my main characters in my Blake Meyer thriller series hail from the "Land Downunder." And that's where our next guest calls her homeland on earth, even though she's hardly ever there.

Please welcome to the Florida Front Porch, where the ceiling fan is running on high, but the sweat still beads up anyway, Australian-born author, Christine Dillon!

Christine, glad you could stop by! We have a tradition here on ABTS. I n fifty words or less, give
us a quick bio. Who is Christine Dillon?

I am an Australian raised in Asia. I had the privilege of attending schools in Malaysia and the Philippines. Most importantly, I’m a child of God and follow him. I studied physiotherapy and worked several years before attending Bible College and returning to Taiwan as a missionary.

I love the great outdoors - hiking, photography, and swimming.

Before you ever got a notion of becoming a writer/author, how old were you, and what were you doing in that time of your life? 

I was in my thirties when I started writing non-fiction and it came out of my experience in mission. Writing fiction didn’t happen until into my forties, and it is still very much a part-time occupation. I am still telling Bible stories in Chinese (and English) to anyone who will listen and having the joy of seeing lives transformed.

Chinese, eh? I have to admit, I don't think I know anyone who speaks Chinese. Personally, anyway. 

I’m going to give you a shotgun list of favorites. List your favorite in each category and then tell us in one sentence why it is your favorite.

Favorite Song of All-Time: Many of the songs by Keith Getty/Stuart Townend e.g. In Christ Alone, How Deep the Father’s Love for Us (We used to sing those back in the day when we attended a Calvary Chapel.)

Favorite Non-Fiction Book (other than your own & besides the Bible): Mountain Rain, the biography of James O Fraser of Lisuland (China). A wonderful stimulus to pray for things that will last to eternity.

Favorite Bible Verse: 1 Corinthians 1: 27-29  God chooses the weak … so that no one can boast before him. This verse is true of me and is a great encouragement when I feel weak (which is often).

Favorite Movie: Lord of the Rings. I waited a good while to watch the movies because the books are such favourites of mine.

Favorite TV Show: Antiques Roadshow - I love the history and stories behind the items people are getting valued.

Favorite Novel (other than your own): Narnia series. I’ve read them every year since I was a teenager and still glean wisdom from them.

Favorite Sport: Too many: volleyball, cycling, swimming … I prefer participating to watching.

Favorite Subject in School Growing Up: science or social studies.

Favorite Time of the Year: Spring or summer (love the slow, hot Australian days)

Favorite Place to Vacation: UK - for hiking and the history.

Favorite Food: anything Thai.

 

Of all the stories/books you have written, which one is your favorite? And what compelled you to write this story? 

Grace in the Shadows (Book 2). The ending of this story is the one that God gave me when he suggested I write a novel during a day of prayer (an idea that horrified me, and he had to ease me into the idea over the subsequent six years). The ending (which I’m not going to tell you :) is deeply significant to me because it demonstrates much of the heart of what it means to be a Christian.

Tell us about what project you are currently working on.

I am about to start the planning for the sixth novel in my series. I think this is the last in the ‘Grace’ series. It is a spin-off story from the main family who feature in books 1-4. One of the themes will be an issue I struggled with until I was 26 - low self-esteem and comparing myself with others.

Tell us about your writing day. How do you go about writing?

My brain works much better in the morning. I only write one novel a year (since I am a full-time missionary), and it has worked out that I write in the last third of each year. I block out Saturdays as my main writing time but during the writing months, I also aim to write 500 words a day on at least four other days of the week and then at least three thousand on the Saturday. If the words are flowing, usually the per day count increases.

Kind of a NanoWriMos...instead of NanoWriMo. See, you writers out there? You can spread November out into more than one month. You can even make your National Novel Writing Month happen in a different month. Whatever works for you. 

Knowing what you know now about writing, publishing, etc., what piece of advice would you give to the person thinking about writing that novel they have always wanted to pursue since they were young, or the person who believes they have a non-fiction book in them that would be helpful to others?

Being a Christian adds a completely different dimension to writing. Take the time to really pray about whether God wants you to write. The world is cluttered up with books and as a believer, I think we should only write for a bigger audience if it is an important and (in the case of non-fiction) a unique contribution.

Also, take time to consider your motivations. If you are writing for the wrong reasons you will have a tough time. Writing is difficult and involves being able to take lots of criticism both in getting a book published (editing, early readers …) and from readers who write reviews. If you’re someone who is sensitive or easily hurt, work on dealing with the underlying reasons for those things before you put yourself in the firing line.

And take your time! Rushing produces poor results and especially for a first book, it will likely take far longer than you could imagine and that is a good thing. There is a lot for most people to learn about the craft of writing. We don’t want to release a book that we’re later ashamed of.

How true. Good advice!

Has your writing crossed over into other areas? If so, how? If not, will it?

For me it was my training ministry that led to writing non-fiction (rather than vice versa). I wrote a book on 1-to-1 discipleship (Christian Focus, 2009) and also one on Bible storytelling (Telling the Gospel Through Story, IVP, 2012). I run many seminars on evangelism, storytelling, and discipleship.

The fiction was a surprise and as a result of a prayer day in which two titles/ideas for novel were placed in my mind. I didn’t think I could ever learn to write fiction but left it in God’s hands. Six years later he pushed me forward and now I have five novels released. My latest non-fiction, Sword Fighting: Applying God’s word to win the battle for our mind, was released as a companion to my fourth novel as it fleshes out ideas that are touched on in the novel but couldn’t be expanded on there.

I have also had various Chinese translations of my non-fiction, and we’re working on a German translation for the Sword Fighting book and have a Dutch translation of the first novel. Following Jesus is certainly an adventure, and I am constantly having to learn new skills like project manage translations, even in languages I don’t speak.

If you had one person you could meet (think ONLY Bible characters here) and could spend as much time as you wanted with that individual, who would it be besides Jesus, and why? 

Probably Daniel or Paul. I’d just have so many questions about their faith journey and their struggles. Also, how they lived as ‘salt and light’ in their era. I’d also ask Paul about missionary strategy because this is something that is my daily life and he could teach me so much.

Why do you live where you live?

I live wherever God has led me. For the past 22 years that has been Taiwan but now I’m returning to Australia to be a better support to my ageing parents. I trust that God knows exactly what he is doing and has plans for me here.

When you are looking for a book to read, what are the things that are important to you?

I read several kinds of books. Some are just for mental relaxation like thrillers/mystery/detective novels and my only requirement is that they’re well-written.

I also like historical fiction and particularly enjoy learning new things and more about history.

If I’m reading Christian fiction, I want the story to not only be well-written but to inspire me to follow Jesus ever more closely. It is much harder for a CF book to gain a 5-star review as I only give 5-stars for books that I rate as excellent and also eternity-impacting.

I do check out covers/blurbs/first page but I also take word of mouth recommendations from people whose recommendations I’ve learned to trust. In the CF world, I also look for undervalued books that may be excellent and seek to encourage those authors.

Oh, really...may I interest you in an undervalued book by an author I know very well? It's called The Letters. Full of mystery, suspense, and has a great "eternity-impacting" ending. And it must be written pretty well. It just won a Selah Award. :-)

(I should have warned everyone that a shameless - shameful? - plug was coming.)

Christine, it's been great having you on our blog. Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about you, or anything we didn’t cover?

Following Jesus should be an adventure. If we’ve submitted our lives to him, then he will lead us in many different, and often surprising, directions. Part of my journey has been writing, but yours is likely to be completely different. The key is being ready and willing to obey. I look forward to where he leads after I finish the final novel in the Grace series and what he does with the books over the coming years. My responsibility is to keep my eyes on him. May you also be greatly used to bring God glory in whatever he puts in front of you.

Challenging and encouraging words, for sure.

Readers, if you are wanting to learn more about Christine and her ministries, you can find her here:

Author website: https://www.storytellerchristine.com/

Subscribe to Christine’s newsletter and download Christine’s first novel: https://storyoriginapp.com/giveaways/6a009aee-fe2b-11ea-8278-0f7e76fa853d

Until next time, 

Kevin

www.ckevinthompson.com 

PS - As mentioned above, Kevin's latest novel, The Letters, won the 2021 Selah Award at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference in the Speculative Category!

The Author Behind the Blog Series - Peyton H. Roberts

As the school year winds down, and the mask mandates wind down (or wind up, depending on your perspective), and as summer looms on the horizon, it is good to see 2020 farther and farther away in the rearview mirror. A relative of mine recently stated how depressing it was that we were actually living out the script to the movie Idiocracy. "I didn't realize that movie was a prophecy," he said. Ha! 

If you haven't seen that movie, IMDB describes it this way:

Private Joe Bauers, a decisively average American, is selected as a guinea pig for a top-secret hibernation program but is forgotten, awakening to a future so incredibly moronic, he's easily the most intelligent person alive.

You laugh, but it's unfortunately a "way-too-realistic" comedic commentary on our present situation. Evil is viewed as good. Good is evil. Right is wrong. Wrong is right. Very Old Testament, Isaiah chapter 5-ish, if you ask me.

That's why it's always a treat to invite a new author to the Author Behind the Story Blog Series and bring to the world a sense of normalcy, where we can talk about writing and life as it pertains to sane folks.

This month, we welcome a brand new author and her debut novel to the Florida front porch, where the summer heat has arrived, the love bugs are in love, and afternoon thunderstorms are in the forecast for later this week. Please welcome, Peyton H. Roberts!

Peyton, kick us off by giving us a quick bio. In fifty words or less, who is Peyton H. Roberts? 

I believe you can learn a lot about a person based on what they love. I love my husband Nick who I met in high school. I love our two adventurous kids, Sadie (7) and Nate (4). I love sailing and going to the beach. I love keeping in touch with friends all over the world. I love writing letters and heartfelt notes, and I enjoy receiving them too.

I love planning travel and going on trips, especially to tropical places and national parks. It always feels like a getaway exploring places where you can’t see any manmade structures. We are new travel trailer owners, and that’s affording our family all kinds of new opportunities to explore this stunning country.

As for my professional life, being a military spouse has led me to change jobs frequently, which has led to all sorts of unexpected on-the-job experiences. I’ve traveled across the country for magazine stories, interviewed a Presidential Cabinet member, washed trash cans, done live TV interviews during disaster responses, led mission trips to the Philippines, flown across the ocean in an Air Force cargo plane, taught public speaking classes, and filed police reports.

Turns out, this huge variety of experiences add up to great material for storytelling. It’s as if I was preparing to write novels all along and just didn’t realize it.

That's a long 50 words. :-) Just kidding.

You've already mentioned your family. Is there anything else you want to tell our readers about them? 

I met my husband Nick at a church youth group event during high school. We started dating the week we graduated, which was almost 20 years ago to the day. The timing couldn’t have been worse. We had only five weeks together before he left town to start basic training with the Navy.

Three months later, 9/11 shook up the world and intensified his military career path. We’ve spent much of the two decades separated by long distances. In fact, 2020 was the first year we spent every single day together. It only took a global pandemic and a military travel ban to make it happen.

Our daughter Sadie is 7 and a total adventure seeker (like her dad) and a writer (like me). Our son Nate is 4. He is strong and athletic (like his dad) and has a good ear for music (like me). It’s neat to see the ways they’re wired to enjoy certain things.

We all love getting outside and exploring nature together, especially at the beach. We’re a boogie boarding, paddle boarding, body surfing kind of family.

That's awesome. And it is cool to see your kids grow up and develop such different interests when they came from the same two people.

Everybody seems to have a bucket list. Do you? If so, what’s on it? If not, why not? 

When my husband retires from the Navy in four years, we would like to "roadschool" the kids for a year and explore as many national parks as we can. To prepare for that bucket list trip, we bought a travel trailer and will camp our way across the country this summer. Crater Lake, Yellowstone, and Grand Tetons, here we come! 

During our year-long hiatus, we also want to take Sadie and Nate out to Guam. Nick and I were stationed on this tropical island in the Pacific for two of the best years of our lives. We want our kids to experience snorkeling reefs, exploring caves, and hiking to waterfalls. For us, Guam is a truly magical place, and the ultimate destination to create some epic family memories.

You don't hear people mention Guam as a vacation destination that much around here. Hawaii? Yes. Fiji Islands? Yes. Caribbean? Definitely. Guam? My guess is two out of five people couldn't even find it on a map. Just sayin'... 

Besides storytelling, what talents do you have?

One thing I’m proud that I’m really good at is sewing. In middle school, I grew about six inches one year, and none of the store-bought clothes fit me anymore. Thankfully, my mom had taught me how to sew. I started making my own pajama pants, sundresses, and eventually, formal gowns.

At the time, I was motivated by saving money and having the right clothes to fit in with what all my friends were wearing. Through all that practice, I became really good at sewing. Now I can follow along most patterns, and I can design my own dresses and quilts.

The main character in Beneath the Seams, Shelby Lawrence, operates a sewing business from her house. Because of my expertise in this area, I was able to weave plenty of sewing metaphors into the narrative (see what I did there?).

I definitely see a thread...or is it a pattern? Either way, it was seamless...and no doubt will keep some of our readers in stitches. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.) 

Based on the different personality profiles out there (Meyers-Briggs, etc.), what profile was the latest one you took, and what were the results? 

As far as personality types go, I’m an ENTJ, an enneagram 3 - Achiever, and my Strength Finder strengths are Strategic, Maximizer, Learner, Achiever, and Ideation.

Growing up, my mom was very interested in personality and preference tests, which is why I have no problem speaking in the language of assessments. I find them very useful tools for understanding myself better, along with how the people around me are wired.

Tying in writing, the enneagram proved to be an extremely useful tool for creating characters based on their motivations. Shelby, the main character of Beneath the Seams is an enneagram 3, Achiever (like me, but very much not me). Her husband Bryan is a 6, Loyalist. Maye, their neighbor, is an enneagram 2, Helper.

When trying to figure out what characters might do or say next, I often drew from their enneagram type. What might a Three do to cover up her faults in this situation? What might a Six be worried about in this scene? When the characters were new to me, the enneagram gave me a place to draw consistent characteristics that helped the characters come alive.

Besides the usual things authors face, has there been an unusual event that changed your perspective about being an author? 

The most dramatic event that changed me as a writer was when my husband deployed to a combat zone for several months after our second child was born. At that time, our daughter was a busy three-year-old, and our son was just 12 weeks old. My hands were full. My nights were sleepless. And even with the help of loving grandparents, I was overwhelmed by the responsibility of caring for them on my own. During that season, I completely stopped writing and set a goal to simply get through those long months, one meal, one bedtime routine at a time.

When my husband returned, I was a shell of myself. I didn’t know who I was aside from someone who kept tiny humans alive. Through prayer, meditation, and yoga, I clawed my way back to who I was. The Holy Spirit reminded me that before I was a military spouse or a mother, I was a writer. I felt the nudges to write my way out of the dark hole.

I made a commitment to myself to spend the first 20 minutes of our son’s daily naptime writing. I set a goal to write at least 500 words—any words—during that time. After nine months of keeping this promise to myself, I began craving a bigger project. The Lord led me again to the next step. I committed to writing my first full-length novel, Beneath the Seams, which I can hardly believe is out this week!

The novel is a huge accomplishment, no question. But what I celebrate today is that I honored my identity as a writer. Over the course of three years, I kept the promise to myself to write every day. Carving out a daily writing practice truly is the secret sauce of becoming an author.

Carving out time to write is so important. If you don't, it won't happen. 

And thank you for you and your husband's service, by the way!

Tell us about what project you are currently working on. 

A few years ago, I transcribed the love letters my grandfather wrote my grandmother aboard the USS Midway. He deployed just six weeks after their wedding in 1951 when the Korean War was underway. They were madly in love, and his letters are overflowing with affection and longing. On top of that, he was a trumpet player in the Navy Band. The letters offer insight into what the military music scene was like during that era.

The collection of love letters is called My Dearest Bea, and I hope to publish it around their anniversary next April. Together my grandparents operated a school in Pensacola, Fla., for 40 years, and I know their former students and anyone with a connection to the Navy will enjoy sitting down in a cozy chair and reading these sweet letters.

As a writer, what is “success” to you? And has that “definition” changed over time as you have traveled down the writer’s path? 

As a young writer, success sounded like seeing my name on a book cover. But after this first publishing experience, I would absolutely measure success differently.

Last week I finished reading Beneath the Seams one more time. After all the revisions, all the rounds of edits, all the tweaking details and scenes, I still teared up reading the ending. To be moved by my own words when I know story by heart feels so rewarding.

To hear from readers that the same stirring is happening in their hearts is my new definition of success.

If you had one person you could meet (think outside the Bible here) and could spend as much time as you wanted with that individual, who would it be and why?

I would love to spend the day with my great grandfather, who was a U.S. Vice Consulate working out of the U.S. Embassy in Czechoslovakia and Switzerland during the 1930s. He passed away in 1941, leaving behind his widow and my grandmother. For my next novel, I would like to fictionalize their mother-daughter journey to America during WWII.

In planning to write this story, I would love to know more about my great grandfather’s personality and how he swept my great grandmother off her feet and whisked her away to a new life beyond the streets of Prague. I think their story will make for an exciting and meaningful historical romance. It sure would be nice to meet him, to capture his features and personality traits just as they were.

Sounds interesting.

Why do you live where you live?  

It’s cliché, but it’s true: Home is where the Navy sends us. We are currently living in the San Francisco Bay Area while my husband finishes his graduate program at Stanford University. Our family of four are living in a tiny apartment on campus in family housing, which has been a weird and wild place to wait out a pandemic.

But as the Navy goes, we won’t be here long. This summer, we will move to Virginia Beach. That sounds so simple, doesn’t it? But what it really amounts to is unscrewing everything we own from the walls, boxing it all up, shipping a car, watching our kids say goodbye to their best friends, eating last meals at favorite restaurants, waving farewell to familiar Pacific vistas, and then finally, driving away, closing out a chapter of our lives spent here.

Then we have to start writing the next chapter, finding a new address in this ridiculous housing market, enrolling the kids in new schools, helping them get plugged in to new social circles, identifying every kind of doctor’s office, dentist, after school activity. Moving is exhausting, and we’re, once again, just getting started.

We just moved after being in the same place for over 24 years, although we had moved a lot before settling into that location. However, this move was just "across town," so I identify and don't, all at the same time.

We know “Readers are leaders, and leaders are readers.” Is there a book you’ve read in the past five years or so that has helped you become a better you? If so, which one was it, and how did it affect your life? 

I love the collection of essays called Fearless Writing by William Kenower. It’s a lesser-known writing craft book that I stumbled upon one rainy morning browsing the library’s shelves while the kids were occupied in the children’s area. The book reads like a love letter to writing.

At the time I found the book, I was just settling into my commitment to write Beneath the Seams. In reading his words, I felt at home as writer. And the advice in the book applies as much to life as to writing. I am certain anyone can read this craft book and walk away inspired.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about you, or anything we didn’t cover?

It’s strange to say this the week my book releases, but I never set out to become an author. At various points in my life, I’d find myself writing a story, not knowing why I was writing it, but sensing that I was doing the right thing.

It was like watching a baby roll over or pull up to standing for the first time, and you think, how did they know to do that? Writing has always been that way for me. It’s as if I have this internal clock pushing me toward the next milestone.

And now a novel with my name on it is out in the world, which is a wild feeling. Because that means the story isn’t mine anymore. It now belongs to readers. I look forward to hearing how the story will land in their hearts and what magic might result. It’s an exciting part of the journey!

Peyton, we thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer some questions and allow our readers to get to know you and your family.

Readers, if you wish to get to know Peyton even more, you can find her at the following locations on the web:

Beneath the Seams(Scrivenings Press) is available on Amazon, Kindle, Barnes & Noble, and at indie bookstores.

Visit my website // Subscribe to my emailnewsletter // Book Club Kit

Twitter // Facebook// Instagram// LinkedIn// Goodreads

BookBub

Until next time,

Kevin 

https://ckevinthompson.com/

PS - We also have a special announcement! Kevin's latest novel, The Letters, was recently announced as a finalist in the 2021 BRMCWC Selah Awards in the Speculative Fiction category! 

The Author Behind the Book Blog Series - Elaine Marie Cooper

Isn't weather weird? Some people in a nearby town had what's called a "dust devil" spin up in their back yard. It looked like the Tasmanian Devil off Looney Tunes. It roamed around their back yard and knocked over the goat pen, lodged the lid to another pen in a nearby oak tree about thirty feet high. It threw a garbage can across the yard, messed up the fencing for the little farm. Yet, despite all the trouble, not one goat, not one chicken, or any other animal, for that matter, walked off or got transplanted by the storm. As a matter of fact, they seemed unfazed by the incident by the time the reporter showed up.

It reminded me that despite life's troubles, and even when the Devil comes and tosses our backyard of life around like rag dolls, those who truly know "their owner" (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20) need not be afraid when the Devil throws his tantrums or tries to invade the life of a believer.

Isn't God good?

I think that after you read our next guest's interview today, you'll find that she, too, feels that way about our Heavenly Father.

Let's welcome to the Florida Front Porch, which is still covered in pollen and is now dealing with blind mosquitos, a transplanted to Californian, Elaine Marie Cooper! 

Elaine, give us a quick bio. In fifty words or less, who is Elaine Marie Cooper?

Elaine Marie Cooper is a quiet soul who occasionally breaks out into lively song. I love Celtic music, dogs and cats, reading, and playing with my grandchildren (I have five). I’m married and have two sons. I retired from being an RN when my older son and his wife had triplets. Cross-stitch is my “thing.” I’ve had eight books published, and I’m working on the ninth.

Before you ever got a notion of becoming a writer/author, how old were you, and what were you doing in that time of your life?

I’ve always been in love with books since before I could read. I really never thought I’d become an author even though I liked to write. I wrote a heartfelt essay in elementary school that got a terrible grade and I felt SO bad! I tried writing for the school newspaper in high school but my work never got published.

By now I thought my word crafting skills were mediocre at best. I became a Christian at the age of 21, then met and married a local newspaper writer who had recently become a Christian. We had three children, two boys and a girl, and I was a stay-at-home mom. Having three “Littles” kept me so busy and to cope with the craziness, I wrote silly poems about motherhood.

An editor at my husband’s newspaper saw them and asked my husband if I might be willing to write feature stories. I was shocked. Someone actually liked my writing? It didn’t seem possible! Of course, I agreed and was off on my first professional writing jaunt. I loved meeting local people to interview and writing stories about them.

I did freelance writing for many years and dreamed of one day writing a novel. But by now I’d gone to school to become a nurse and was still raising my ever-growing kids. Creating a book would have to wait. But then the unthinkable happened when my daughter was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor.

Each day seemed like a battle to survive, knowing at some point that my daughter likely would not. Doctor appointments, MRI’s, treatments at the hospital, and the ever-present knowledge that cancer would win unless the Lord intervened with a miracle, filled my days. I continued to write freelance to help with the bills. My daughter lived a year and nine months after her diagnosis. After she died, I tried to write one story, then put my pen down. I was determined that I’d never write again.

Four years later, on the anniversary of her passing away, I hid under my bedcovers so I could hide from the world. But I couldn’t hide from God, and He “spoke” to me beneath the quilt. At first, I ignored His inaudible voice, thinking I had imagined it in my head. Until I “heard” it again. I was to write a fictional story based on my ancestors.

At that point, I threw off my bedcovers and went to find my husband. With embarrassment, I shared the directive I was given. I thought he’d laugh for certain, but he didn’t. Instead, he took me to the used book store where we could find books on the era. That led to my first novel, Road to Deer Run.

Are you married? Single? Have kids?

This month marks Steve’s and my 46th wedding anniversary. Our older son, Ben, is in the military. Our younger son, Nate, is part owner of a business in SoCal. We’re so proud of them both. It’s not easy losing a sibling and then rising above the pain to make successful choices in life but both of our sons have done so, with God’s help. I have five grands who call me GiGi: eleven-year-old triplets, a three-year-old girl and a one-year-old boy.

For all the pet lovers out there, answer this question: Do you have any?

I am SUCH a pet lover. We currently have just one little dog but in the past, we’ve had multiple pets at a time. Our current sweetie is our Chihuahua/terrier mix named Mocha. I fell in love with her on Facebook when my editor/friend, Alycia, posted photos of her litter of pups that had just been born. Mocha was born with a white heart on her back! J Although the heart merged into a multi-color coat as she grew, she still provides lots of love for us. Now four-years old, Mocha is full of energy and fun, and she frequently makes us laugh.

I can’t imagine not sharing our lives with at least one pet. After so many years together, Steve and I have memories of the many pets we’ve owned and rescued through the years. Two of our memorable rescue dogs were both black, long-haired dachshunds.

Lily was our first. I’d gone in to the shelter looking for the dachshund who’d been advertised in the newspaper but she had already been adopted. That’s when I saw Lily, running around the shelter office, rolling over to have her tummy scratched. It was love at first sight and she lived with us for over ten years. What a sweetie. We still miss her.

Tooni was our second rescue. Overweight and with a serious medical history, Tooni attracted lots of attention at the dog adoption fair, but it was mostly laughter. “That dog looks like a sausage,” said one male bystander. I wanted to give him a stern lecture. It wasn’t the dog’s fault she was fat but the previous owner had obviously fed her too much. She had a scar on her abdomen from removing bladder stones, and she had been shaved. But she had the sweetest personality that seemed to cry, “Please love me.”

Steve and I already had two dogs at home, and when I told him about Tooni, he said “We have enough dogs.”

“I know,” I answered, “but please just go look at her. She’s so sweet, and I don’t think anyone will adopt her.” 

I had to go to work but I received a call from my husband later. His demeanor and voice had totally changed. “She really is sweet …” 

I rejoiced! We adopted her the next day.                                              

Tooni was older but her age was never really known. We enjoyed her sweet spirit for at least five years, until one day, a disc problem left her paralyzed. We were heartbroken but made the difficult decision to put her to sleep. We’ll never forget those wonderful, final years of her furry life.  

When you look for a new car, what are the things that are important to you?

My dream car is a new Subaru Forester, Apple Red. Safety features are top priority.

Do you have a favorite line from a movie or book? If so, what is it and explain why it is special to you?

“Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ’em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird. Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs. They don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”   -- Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. 

I love this character of a loving father who takes opportunities to teach his children. “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).

Of all the stories/books you have written, which one is your favorite? And what compelled you to write this story?

IF I had to choose a favorite, Scarred Vessels would be near the top of my “Favorite List.” It’s a historical romance involving a young widow during the American Revolution and the soldier who comes to break the news of her husband’s death. Besides this romance however, the story revolves around the formation of the 1stBlack Regiment of soldiers in Rhode Island during the American Revolution. This idea was birthed through a suggestion from my military son. The research took me on unexpected findings of slavery in the New England colonies, a part of our nation’s history that I had previously been ignorant about.

As a writer, if you had one thing you would do over again, what would it be?

I would NOT have self-published my first book. I was too new in the writing field to understand the importance of editing.

Editing is always a thing, isn't it? Even after a book has been published, I find that I can go back over it and think, "I wish I had written that sentence differently."

Tell us about your writing day. How do you go about writing?

Since I am unable to provide enough royalty money to pay all the bills, I work part-time as a cashier. However, I love it! I work at Hobby Lobby and love interacting with the customers and praying for those who seem to need it. I write any time of day or night, depending on my deadlines. I’m better writing in the morning, however, as I tend to be a morning person.          

Tell us about what project you are currently working on.

I am currently working on Book 2 in my Dawn of America series. It is called Winter’s Ravageand is under contract with Scrivenings Press. It’s the sequel to Love’s Kindling.

Knowing what you know now about writing, publishing, etc., what piece of advice would you give to the person thinking about writing that novel they have always wanted to pursue since they were young, or the person who believes they have a non-fiction book in them that would be helpful to others?

The key to publishing a good book is to learn the trade of word crafting. That includes classes online or at conferences, reading basic books about writing in general and finally, hiring a good editor. You may have a great story to tell, but if the reading is not a pleasant experience, then no one will want to publish your book.

Isn't that the truth! And if the book gets self-published and isn't crafted well, then readers don't want to read it either, even if the story is amazing. Writing is definitely an art.  

When developing the story for a novel, how do you come up with the names for your characters?

Since I write historical fiction set in the American Revolution, I Google names from the era and choose from those lists.

Why do you live where you live?

My husband and I moved to Southern CA two years ago to be close to our son and his family. My husband was still recovering from a stroke and my granddaughter had cancer in her foot, requiring amputation. I was so stressed, I needed to be close to family.            

Wow, you and your family have been through a lot. But God is good, right? As you get older, glorified bodies and the promises of Revelation 21:1-4 sound better and better, don't they?

We know “Readers are leaders, and leaders are readers.” Is there a book you’ve read in the past five years or so that has helped you become a better you? If so, which one was it, and how did it affect your life?

What could be a better answer than the Bible? The words of truth within the pages have strengthened me when I am weak, encouraged me when in despair, and cautioned me when I’m not trusting in the Lord. So many people read “how to” books or “inspiring thoughts” without ever studying the Word.

So true. 

What Bible scripture has impacted your life the most, and why?

Proverbs 31: 8-9

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
   for the rights of all who are destitute.
 Speak up and judge fairly;
   defend the rights of the poor and needy.

This verse speaks to my heart about my responsibility to speak out against abortion. Who is the most voiceless of all victims but babies in the womb?

Interesting. my book, The Letters, deals with the subject of abortion, and I used Matthew 2:17-18 (and it’s quote of/reference to Jeremiah) along with Psalm 68:4-5. The Matthew reference was used a bit allegorically, which I will be explaining in an upcoming blog as to how I came up with the idea of The Letters (a question I get asked a lot).

The aborted do need a voice, don’t they?

Elaine, is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about you, or anything we didn’t cover?

My first thought is a personal one. I’ve told your readers that my daughter died of a brain tumor in 2003. I’m mentioning this in hopes your readers will understand that losing a child is the worst kind of grieving. I have lost many other people in my life but nothing compares with losing a part of yourself. If you know anyone who has lost a child, whether through miscarriage, accident, illness or suicide, please understand that one never “recovers” from such a loss. Losing one’s future generation is the pain that never leaves, although it may submerge for a time in the busy-ness of life. Be patient with them. Listen to them speak of their child and their experience. Let them cry. Give them a tissue.

My second thought is that Love’s Kindlingis re-releasing on April 20. My original publisher closed and the book was contracted with Scrivenings Press. It’s the first time I’ve had a book release that already received a finalist award in the Selah Awards. ;)                                               

Congratulations on being a finalist!

Readers, if you wish to know more about Elaine and her writing, you can find her at the following locations on the web:

Elaine's Website & Blog:

http://www.elainemariecooper.com

http://www.facebook.com/elainemariecooperauthor

Elaine blogs here once a month: http://www.hhhistory.com

Until next time, if the Lord tarries, 

Kevin

https://ckevinthompson.com/

PS - We also have a special announcement! Kevin's latest novel, The Letters, was recently announced as a finalist in the 2021 BRMCWC Selah Awards in the Speculative Fiction category too!

Author Behind the Story Blog Series - Amy Anguish

Moving is for the young, both of heart and back. When you downsize at the same time after being in the same place for twenty-five years, what was "important" and "special" is viewed in a different manner as you grow older. High school yearbooks have comments from people you haven't seen in decades, and sometimes from people you never knew very well then and definitely don't remember now. The n icky-knacky stuff accumulated through the years looks just as good in a picture than taking up space on a shelf. The possessions we treasure shift from the physical to the spiritual. The memories we cherish are now of family we have been blessed to create as well as of friends we've met long after high school ended.

Major shifts in one's life always causes reflection. It forces one to reorder life. Refocus. On the things that matter most. Then, when you add global events, like COVID, it just adds another layer of eternal introspection and inspection.

For those of us who write, becoming a "published author" is a dream all writers have. It's a process many people say they want to complete but never do. To type the words "The End" is the first major hurdle. But there is so much more to follow after that moment. Editing and re-editing. Finding and agent. Finding a publisher. Attending writing conferences. Growing in the craft to become a better writer. Marketing. Etc. Etc. So many people never get to "The End." SO, when a person does, and then he or she begins the walk toward publication and finally accomplishes that, it is a major one, to be sure. Many manuscripts, although finished, never make the cut.

That's why I like doing what I do on this blog, introducing you, the reader, to other authors you may or may not have heard of before. They've persevered. They've spent the time and resources to get to this moment in time.

Therefore, let me introduce you to one more author, fellow Scrivenings Press author, Amy Anguish! There are no regrets having her on our blog today!

Amy, let's kick this off Florida Front Porch style.  Give us a quick bio. In fifty words or less, who is Amy Anguish? 

Christian, wife, mommy, author, preschool teacher, preacher’s daughter, Bible class teacher, book reader, tea drinker, crafter, gardener, cat-lover, Southerner, wearer of fun socks who sometimes has pink streaks in her hair.

What makes you cringe? 

Rude drivers (think here of people who speed in a school zone or pass in a non-passing zone putting others at risk).

Also, people who use “I” instead of “me” or vice versa where it should be the other. Really, any grammatical error makes me cringe a bit, so social media isn’t always the best place for me to spend time. 😊

I should probably go back and fix the sentence that ends in a preposition, huh? Eh, we're informal here on the front porch. 

Everybody seems to have a bucket list. Do you? If so, what’s on it? If not, why not?  

I don’t know that I have an official bucket list, per se, but I do have some things I would like to do if possible. I’d love to take a cross-country train ride, do a road trip from one end of Route 66 to the other (Chicago to California, although the road doesn’t even exist all the way anymore). See all fifty states (and we’re not just talking the inside of an airport). If possible, see at least a little of Europe, although that dream is becoming less important with age. Finish the quilt I started back in high school that keeps getting set aside for other projects (for the record, I’ve made multiple quilts since I started that one).

We want to do the Route 66 trip too. I want to hit all the bar-b-que places along the way. So, if we do it, I should probably walk Route 66 instead of drive. Ha!

Besides storytelling, what talents do you have? 

I like to call myself a Jill-of-all-trades, although it’s not completely true. I am super crafty, though. My mom, aunt, and grandma made sure I had all sorts of ways to be creative. I can sew, embroider and cross stitch, crochet, quilt, paint, make jewelry, scrapbook/stamp, and have even come up with my own patterns for a few things. My poor husband has to give up half the bedroom and a big part of the garage for all my supplies. 

Based on the different personality profiles out there (Meyers-Briggs, etc.), what profile was the latest one you took, and what were the results? 

I am one of the few people who hate personality profiles. I’ve been around a lot of friends lately who are obsessed with which number personality they supposedly have, but whenever I try to take one of the tests, I second-guess myself and never trust the results. Did I make the results say I was that number by choosing what I thought was the right answer, or is that really who I am? Plus, I find my personality doesn’t fit perfectly into just one slot, but has aspects of several of the numbers. Maybe I’m a rebel. 😉

I'm with you there. I've always said my enneagram is 45 (the total of all nine). 

Of all the stories/books you have written, which one is your favorite? And what compelled you to write this story? 

I’m going to cheat and tell you about two, because each of them means a lot to me for how it worked through different struggles.

My book, Faith & Hope, was written while I was in the middle of an infertility struggle and wasn’t sure we’d ever be able to have children (we have two now). By writing my character Faith going through a similar circumstance, I was able to tie in some of my own emotions and struggles and insecurities, and not only create a moving story, but also release some of those problems into my writing.

My upcoming release, No Place Like Home, is sort of my “could have been me” story. It’s about a preacher’s daughter who left the faith when she moved away. She chose the opposite of me, but it would have been very easy for me to do the same, and it’s a way I worked through some of the remaining emotions and hurt from some things that happened with my family growing up.

Do you ever receive negative reviews from readers? If so, how do you respond when you see them? 

I haven’t had any really negative public reviews, but in the comments of one judge from a contest I entered years ago, I saw “characters go to church A LOT.” It made me blink, for sure. I mean, my characters were Christians, so I’m not sure what she was expecting. I didn’t have them attending services any more than I do myself.

Tell us about what project you are currently working on. 

I am in the middle of multiple projects. I’m working on a proposal for a novella to be in a collection with three other authors, all in a different season. Think small-town main street festival with a Hallmark feel.

I just finished writing a book set in college where a girl has reserved the wedding chapel, but doesn’t have a groom. I’ll edit it down the road sometime.

And I’m getting ready to write another book in a few months which will be the third of a trilogy I’m calling Road Trip Romances. Hoping to hear back about my proposal for that soon.

As a writer, what is “success” to you? And has that “definition” changed over time as you have traveled down the writer’s path? 

I never knew how amazing it would be to have someone tell me I made them cry. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? But the first time someone mentioned that their book made them cry, or that they stayed up until the wee small hours to finish reading it because they couldn’t put it down...my heart sang! Because it meant my story had sucked them in and entranced them as much as it did me when I was writing it. Success is being able to weave God into stories that do that, and show His love through my fiction.

If you had one person you could meet (think outside the Bible here) and could spend as much time as you wanted with that individual, who would it be? 

Jane Austen. To be such an amazing author in a time period when it was not easy to be published as a woman. Or even as a novelist, because a lot of people considered novels to be frivolous and wasteful back then. Man. I’d love to talk to her and ask how she kept up the courage and didn’t get discouraged.

What’s the craziest thing you have ever done?

I lead a fairly tame life. My craziest thing to do was put hot pink streaks in my hair a few years ago. And now I try to do it again every few years, because not only do I love it, but my husband does too.

When you are looking for a book to read, what are the things that are important to you? 

I discover a lot of authors through freebies, and I’ll be honest, the cover doesn’t always draw me in. Sometimes, the title catches my eye, but most often it’s the blurb that helps me decide if I’m going to read them or not. If I like their stories, I’ll go read more. The story has to be well-edited, and make me want to keep reading, in order for me to go looking for more of their books. Otherwise, I’ll move on to another author. I find having gone through the editing process several times now has ruined me to read without having an eye for catching mistakes. It’s a blessing and a curse.

Isn't it? Same goes for watching movies or TV shows. I don't know how any times I sit there and say, "That would never happen..."

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about you, or anything we didn’t cover? 

I have a tendency to give my characters pieces of myself, as I’m sure most authors do. A lot of the tendencies seem to be about food—whatever that means. My first heroine in An Unexpected Legacy drank chocolate smoothies, no fruit included. I love Tex-Mex like the younger sister in Faith & Hope. I dip my fries in gravy like my characters in Saving Grace. In Writing Home, I gave her my love of Christmas lights and snow. In No Place Like Home (coming in Dec. 2021), my character loves old movies, especially Meet Me in St Louis, my favorite. 

I've not heard of that movie. I'll have to check it out. 

Amy, thank you for spending time with us today.  

Dear readers, if you wish to connect with Amy and her writing, you can learn more at the following locations:

http://abitofanguish.weebly.com

http://www.facebook.com/amyanguishauthor

https://twitter.com/amy_r_anguish

 

Learn more about her books at https://www.pinterest.com/msguish/my-books/

 

And check out the YouTube channel Amy does with two other authors, "Once Upon a Page" @  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEiu-jq-KE-VMIjbtmGLbJA

Until next time,

Kevin

https://ckevinthompson.com/

PS - We also have a special announcement! Kevin's latest novel, The Letters, was recently announced as a finalist in the 2021 BRMCWC Selah Awards in the Speculative Fiction category!

Author Behind the Story - Deborah Sprinkle

Me with my wonderful wife
at BRMCWC in 2014In the old days, wearing a mask into a bank would get you shot. Now, they require it. 

In the old days, social distancing from people and not having friends over was a sign of a troubled person who needed either psychiatric care, a padded cell, or both. Now, these people are champions and model citizens.

In the old days, doctors had to see you face-to-face in order to renew your prescriptions. There was no other way. Now, they "examine you" through a computer screen, trust you're telling them the truth, and renew those prescriptions without hesitation.

We could go on and on, but you get the point. When a person's life is on the line, whether it be a personal situation or involving employees, rules change. Those changes create circumstances we never thought would happen. Some of those changes have been an annoyance. Some have been a welcomed change, and we hope it never goes back to the way it was.

However, you need not fear here at The Author Behind the Story blog series. No changes necessary. The relentless march goes on. We're adding new authors each month (unless someone cancels at the last minute). It is becoming a database of new author information. Surely, our readers don't know each and every author featured. Therefore, there's always a new author to investigate and possibly read. You never know, he or she may become one of your favorites, which by the way, was one of the major reasons why we do what we do here. :-) So, please share this blog with friends. Tell others about it. The more the merrier. COVID has no teeth here at The Author Behind the Story blog series! Ha!

In keeping with this tradition, I would like to introduce to you our next guest at ABTS, Deborah Sprinkle!

Deborah, give our readers a  quick bio. In fifty words or less, who is Deborah Sprinkle? 

I’m an ordinary woman serving an extraordinary God. Like everyone else, I’ve gone through seasons in my life. I’ve been a research chemist and a chemistry teacher. I remain a wife, mom, grandmother, Bible study leader, and author. In everything, I strive to let God take the lead.

A research chemist, eh? Good to know when I have some questions about such things as I write my stories...

Before you ever got a notion of becoming a writer/author, how old were you, and what were you doing in that time of your life? 

When I retired from teaching chemistry in 2004, I planned on doing three things: attend the women’s Bible study at my church, join a local book club, and write a mystery novel. You know what it says in Proverbs? “Within your heart you can make plans for your future, but the Lord chooses the steps you take to get there.” (Proverbs 16:9 TPT) At that time, I was 55 years old.

I began going to Bible study on Wednesday mornings, and when my local library started a book club, I was one of the charter members.

After two years, I was asked to be one of the Bible study leaders. In 2009, I was asked to be part of a group that attended the She Speaks Christian Writers’ Conference put on by Proverbs 31 Ministry. After that, I began writing questions for studies, connecting the written word to Biblical truths. By then I was 60.

It was at the 2009 conference that I met Kendra Armstrong. And it was our friendship that led to my first book written in collaboration with Kendra, Common Sense and an Uncommon God, published in 2012 by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. The second edition was later released under the title of Exploring the Faith of America’s Presidents. (It’s out of print at this time.)

In 2014, I was inspired to write my first “mystery” which turned out to be a romantic suspense! But it was five long years before I saw it published in May, 2019, at the age of 70! My second book came out in November, 2020, and my third is due out November of 2021. 

What educational background do you have?

I went to high school in a suburb of St. Louis—Florissant, Missouri. I took chemistry as a sophomore and fell in love with the subject. So when the opportunity arose as a senior to take advanced chemistry, I jumped on it, and my future was sealed. I would be a chemist.

I attended University of Missouri—St. Louis mainly because we didn’t have much money. They didn’t give scholarships like they do these days. But, it had a good reputation, and I feel I got a decent education. I received my B.A. in Chemistry in May, 1971, and was married that November.

I worked as a research chemist for a number of years both at St. Louis University Medical School and Washington University Medical School. During that time, my bosses at each institution wrote papers on our work and I was named as a co-author. So I suppose those were my first publications even though I didn’t write a word of them!

After our son was in school, I went back for my certification to teach. By then we had moved from St. Louis. I got that in 1994 and taught at a Catholic school in Memphis, for ten years. It’s an independent Catholic school and very progressive—which was a good thing since I’m Presbyterian and the art teacher at the time was Jewish! 

What makes you cringe? 

The sound of two things colliding or something falling and breaking. Let me give you some examples.

You hear the screech of tires and boom! That unmistakable sound of two cars ramming into each other. Your shoulders go up around your ears and your face squeezes shut.

Or you see the waitress with a tray full of glasses trip on her way to a table.

Or just about any of the clips on America's Funniest Home Videos!

Besides the usual things authors face, has there been an unusual event that changed your perspective about being an author? 

I began writing my first book, Deadly Guardian, in summer of 2014. At that time, my mother had been bedridden in a nursing home in St. Louis for almost two years. My dad would spend his days at her bedside, and I was the only one he trusted enough to leave and take a break. We lived in Memphis, and I would go visit at least once a month to see Mom and help Dad out.

On December 26th, 2014, my sweet mother passed away.

In January, 2015, my brother and only sibling, was diagnosed with colon cancer—which had metastasized to his liver, lungs, and brain. He began radiation and then chemo. Again, I made monthly trips to St. Louis to see him and my dad. My amazing sister-in-law, nephews, and niece who took care of him at home through it all.

In October, 2016, we lost my sweet mother-in-law, and in February, 2017, God took my brother home after two years of suffering.

In May, 2018, my dad got sick. He was 92 years old and still living at home! In fact, he’d driven down to Memphis the Christmas before! But this time, he couldn’t bounce back. I spent from May through September in St. Louis taking care of him until he passed.

Somehow I finished Deadly Guardian, found an agent, and even started another book. It was while my dad was in hospice that I got the call from my agent that a publisher wanted my book. I remember looking at the ceiling and saying, “Now God? We’re going to do this now?”

So what did I learn? That if God calls you to write, He will give you the strength and the words no matter the circumstances. And His timing is always perfect.

Do you have a crazy, interesting, behind-the-scenes story about the publishing world you’d like to tell your readers without boring them to death with industry gobbledygook? 

It was four o’clock in the morning of Halloween Day, 2018, and we were fast asleep in our beds. When all of a sudden there came a terrible racket at our front door. “Help me. I been shot. Oooh.” Pounding on the door. “I’m dying. I been shot.”

Les sprang from our bed to see what was the matter—grabbing his gun just in case. He cracked the door and found a man with his shirt off rolling around on our porch. He was holding his arm and moaning, “I’m dying. I’m dying.”

So Les did the logical thing. He shut the door and told me to call the police. Which I tried to do. But our phone was dead. So I grabbed my cellphone. The call wouldn’t go through. Strange. And my panic button was about to be pushed—when we saw a police car cruising up our street with a spotlight. Les yelled out the door, and I flipped the porchlight on and off. They turned in our driveway. Phew…

And that’s how I met Detective "X" of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. After giving our statement, I heard my voice saying, “I write romantic suspense books. Would you consider being one of my consultants? I could use your expertise.”

He said he’d love to, and now we talk on a semiregular basis.

We assume the guy who had been shot was running from the deputies? Did he shoot the sheriff? But not the deputies? Inquiring minds and Eric Clapton fans want to know! Ha!

Tell us about what project you are currently working on. 

Currently, I’m working on the third book in my series, Trouble in Pleasant Valley. It seems each book becomes easier to write in some ways, but more difficult in others. By now, I’ve finally understood some principles of writing a book that’s easy to read—like making sure there’s just the right balance of dialogue and narrative and thinking about white space on the page. But, in this third book, I’ve brought characters back from the first book and added new ones. So keeping everything cohesive and easy to follow is far more difficult. The basic story revolves around an ex-Army intelligence man who’s now driving a cab and gives an assassin a ride from the airport to his hotel. He realizes something is wrong about the guy and a piece of evidence is left in his cab. So when the assassination takes place, he’s sure he knows who did it. But for reasons I won’t reveal, he can’t go to the police. What should he do?

Silence Can Be Deadlycomes out in November of this year with Scrivenings Press.

Pleasant Valley doesn't sound very pleasant, by the way. Just sayin'...lots of death and deadly stuff happening in that town. :-)

We know “Readers are leaders, and leaders are readers.” Is there a book you’ve read in the past five years or so that has helped you become a better you? If so, which one was it, and how did it affect your life?

I like to start my day with a devotional, reading the Bible, and in prayer. The last few years, I’ve been using Sarah Young’s Jesus Always as my daily devotional. It’s amazing to me how often the daily meditation speaks directly to what I’m feeling or going through at that time. My faith and understanding have grown through this little book.

What Bible scripture has impacted your life the most, and why? 

It’s so hard to choose only one! So I’ve narrowed it to two. My life verse is Psalm 28:7: “The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusts in Him” (NASB).

I know that I can’t accomplish anything in my own strength, or get through trouble either. And I need Him to guard me against the attacks of the enemy—which most often come from myself! My feelings of inadequacy or failure. My frustrations when I mess up. I need God to shield me and help me see things from His perspective.

The other verse that I hold dear is Psalm 46:10: “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (NASB 1995).

This one has been a key verse for me this past year. With everything that’s happened, this verse keeps me constantly reminded that God is in control! And always will be.

Deborah, it's been a pleasure having you on ABTS! I'm sure you have encouraged some people who thought it was too late in life to switch gears and try something new.

One last question.  Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about you, or anything we didn’t cover? 

I have an idea for a new series of books based on a short story I wrote in 2016. The main characters are two young women who run their own private investigation firm in a small town in Missouri. I’ve started the first novel and hope to have it out in 2022. So stayed tuned.

Dear readers, if you wish to learn more about Deborah and her writing, you can find her at the following locations on the web!

https://authordeborahsprinkle.com/

https://www.facebook.com/deborah.sprinkle.5/

https://twitter.com/debbiejsprinkle

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6860378.Deborah_Sprinkle

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/deborah-sprinkle

https://www.pinterest.com/deborahs4509/_saved/

Until next time,

Kevin

www.ckevinthompson.com 

PS - And readers, if you're looking for an award-winning Christmas read that deals with the issue of abortion, but not in the way you may think it does (i.e., not heavy handed), may I interest you in my latest novel, The Letters? As one reviewer put it: 

“THE LETTERS IS AN INSPIRING STORY OF HOPE AND FORGIVENESS. FILLED WITH MYSTERY AND MESSY RELATIONSHIPS, THIS STORY WILL KEEP YOU TURNING THE PAGES UNTIL YOU REACH THE SURPRISE ENDING."

~ Kimberly Rose Johnson, award winning and multi-published author of the Librarian Sleuth series.

You can check out The Letters here: 

The Letters by C. Kevin Thompson 

 

 

The Author Behind the Story Blog Series - Shannon Taylor Vannatter (and a giveaway!)

Well, 2020 is gone, and already people are closing their 2021 accounts, claiming the 7-day trial was enough. It's in jest, for the most part, but their is some truth in there somewhere. 2021 has not gotten off to a great start, but in its defense, it didn't have a great progenitor, so there's that. :-)

I, for one, am having a good year so far. Some plans are coming together. My relationship with the Lord is strengthening. My writing is plugging along. So, it's a matter of perspective, as always. It's about upon Whom you keep you eyes, not the what, when, why, or how.

We had a break in 2020, as December's spotlighted author had some things occur that caused a cancellation. Life happens, right? But that's not the case for January 2021. Our next guest on ABTS was introduced to me in a unique way. She and Linda Fulkerson purchased a portion of the company that owned the rights to my latest novel, The Letters. I have since gotten to know her a little, and have even been featured on her website. So, with further delay, let's welcome to the Florida Front Porch, where it's been a little chilly of late, Shannon Taylor Vannatter!

Shannon, start us off in ABTS tradition by giving us a quick bio. In fifty words or less, who is Shannon Taylor Vannatter?  

I’m a pastor’s wife, mom to a nineteen-year-old son, editor and part owner of Scrivenings Press, and an author of going on nineteen Inspirational Romance novels. I love to craft and go flea marketing. Almost every piece of furniture in my house came from a flea market. I’m a fan of wing back chairs, white wicker, and seashells. I’m equally a dog and cat person, a tea and coffee person. Tea should be sweet and iced. I love anything from a Frappuccino to a cup of hot coffee, lukewarm, or gone completely cold as long as it’s sweet. I’m an only child and introverted. I love being with people, especially church members and writers, but I need recovery alone time afterward. I love high heeled shoes, glitter, sequins, rhinestones, and lace. For years, I thought if I had somewhere to go, I’d dress like a modest Dolly Parton. A dozen years ago, I decided church is somewhere to go. Our ladies dress in anything from jeans, skirts, dresses, and slacks. And then there’s me. I bought a champagne-colored rhinestone jacket with my Christmas money. My husband is still cringing.

Before you ever got a notion of becoming a writer/author, how old were you, and what were you doing in that time of your life?

I was in my early thirties, an ex-hairdresser, ex-bank clerk, working as a receptionist in the corporate offices of a large fragrance company. My husband and I had been married thirteen years and were still childless. I had the most boring job ever and wondered what I’d really like to do. The answer came to me through a great friend who was always redecorating her house and it looked like fun. Yes, I wanted to be an interior decorator.

But I live in small town, with little call for such things, and it would probably take some sort of schooling. There is an area where all the rich people live and I thought if I could get a foot in the door there, it would be my big break. And it hit me, decorate the doctor’s office where the rich people go, for free and leave my business card.

I never did it. I transferred to accounts payable in the company and enjoyed that job. My friend moved to Memphis and dabbled with interior decorating as a career. She told me how hard and frustrating it was, so I changed my mind. But thinking about that interior decorator, yep, it became a book.

I’m going to give you a shotgun list of favorites. List your favorite in each category and then tell us in one sentence why it is your favorite. 

 

Favorite Song of All-Time: "Martyr’s Song" by Todd Agnew. It’s from God’s perspective, tells how He’s been waiting for me to get to Heaven to dance with me in fields full of colors I’ve never seen. I love it because I never thought of God anxiously awaiting my arrival. And I love color. I always want to know the exact name for color. It’s not pale blue, it’s aqua. It’s not orange or peach, it’s watermelon or salmon. So, thinking about seeing colors I’ve never seen is awesome to me. I cry every time I hear it. Not because of the colors, but because God can bring me there any time He wants to, but He’s waiting for His perfect timing. And even though He knows when that is, He’s anxiously awaiting my arrival. Gets me teary just writing this.

Favorite Bible Verse: For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39 KJV) This assures me that no matter how I flub up, I’m still okay. Because God loves me anyway and he can’t see through the blood of Jesus to my flaws.

Favorite Movie: Remember Sunday. It’s a sappy romance about a guy who has no short term memory after an emotional breakdown. Every day, he wakes up in a new world and has to read all the notes his sister put together for him to catch up on where he is in his life. He meets a girl and really likes her, so he records everything about her, so he can remember. He basically has to fall in love with her all over again every day. I love it because I love romance, it was a clean movie, and it had some twists and turns I didn’t see coming.

Favorite Actor or Actress: The guy in Remember Sunday – Zachary Levi. I first saw him in a silly Chipmunks movie when our son was little. He played a really dorky guy who was annoying. Then he did the voice for Flynn Rider in Tangled, which is a cartoon take on Rapunzel. I loved the movie and fell in love with Flynn Rider. I couldn’t believe it, when I found out Flynn’s voice was the guy from the dorky Chipmunk movie. And then I saw him as the hero in Remember Sunday and fell in love with him all over again. I’ve only seen him in a few other things, but he’s convincing in every role he plays.

Favorite Novel (other than your own): The Convenient Groom by Denise Hunter. It has a really good premise. The characters are so real, and I love them. And the main thing is the hero has been in love with the heroine for years, but she barely sees him. He finally gets a chance to fix her life and be her hero. Hallmark made it into a movie, but the book was so much better.

Favorite Author (other than you): Denise Hunter. I discovered her when I was looking for comparables – where you have to list books similar to yours when pitching a book to a publisher. After reading one of her titles, I quickly bought all of her backlist, and I preorder each new release. I want to write like her when I grow up.

Favorite Teacher in School: Mrs. Edwards. She was my only true friend there for a while when I moved to rural Arkansas when I was twelve and had a hard time fitting in.

Favorite Time of the Year: Fall. I hate being hot, so much so, I prefer winter over summer.

Favorite Place to Vacation: Texas. We have family there and love visiting the ranch in Medina. All the ranches in all my cowboy books are based on the family ranch. My husband’s step-mother still lives on the ranch, and she’s an amazing woman. She loves completely as if we were really hers.

Favorite Food: Shrimp Carbonara. Yum. I love seafood and noodles and creamy sauce, so it covers all the bases for me. I’ve told my husband if I ever develop an allergy to shell fish, to just shoot me and put me out of my misery. 

Do you have a crazy, interesting, behind-the-scenes story about the publishing world you’d like to tell your readers without boring them to death with industry gobbledygook? 

Let’s see, without going into all the boring details, I once had a book stolen by a publisher. This was back when everything was submitted by mail. The publisher wanted the entire manuscript with a self-addressed stamped envelope to return it in case the answer was no – to the tune of $16 in postage. They said they’d take floppy discs, and that was so much cheaper to mail, so I sent the book that way. I never heard back from them. A year later, when my husband tried to order my first published book from a store, they didn’t have it, but they had another of my titles. Yep, the one I’d sent on floppy disc. The publisher said it accidently got loose in his system. I guess that’s why he went ahead and sold five copies and never sent me any royalties.

And that’s not all. My second agent lost my very first book contract for me. She had a bad reputation in the industry, but I didn’t know it.

I reported the publisher and the agent so no other authors could get taken in by them and both are out of business now. I landed on my feet, so I don’t have any bad feelings. But they make for interesting stories.

I think we all have a story or two like that. There are miscreants in every industry, aren't there?

Tell us about your writing day. How do you go about writing? 

I’m a night owl. I go to bed at 2:00 am and get up at 10:00. For the first time in my life, I’m living on my internal clock schedule. When I was a kid, I had to get up and go to school. As adult, I had to get up and go to work for sixteen years. As a stay at home mom, during our son’s school years, I had to get up and get him off to school.

Finally, he’s graduated and works nights, and I have a job where I can set my own hours. I usually work from noon until five or six, then get in another three hours from eleven pm until two am. Sometimes, I write during the day and edit at night. Sometimes I edit during the day and write at night. It depends on which deadline is tighter.

My husband does his studying and sermons during the day while I’m sleeping or working, since he’s an early bird. We usually have family time in the mornings or evenings when our son is off. My husband and I have our time each evening. And back when the world was normal, he did his church member and hospital visiting during the day, and sometimes I’d go with him in the evening.

When the world was normal...will we ever get back to "normal"?

Knowing what you know now about writing, publishing, etc., what piece of advice would you give to the person thinking about writing that novel they have always wanted to pursue since they were young, or the person who believes they have a non-fiction book in them that would be helpful to others?  

Join a local writers group. Join a national writers group specific to your genre. Join a critique group, preferably through a national group. Writing can be such a solitary pursuit. It’s important to find other people who understand you more than even your spouse or family can. And there’s always a writer farther along in the journey, learn from them. Enter contests that give feedback. I got to publishable level by joining ACFW, a critique group through the organization, and contest feedback.

Why do you live where you live?  

I was born in rural Arkansas. When I was a year old, my dad followed the pipeline to Michigan, then Indiana. When that job ended, he followed the housing boom to Chicago when I was two. We stayed in a Chicago suburb until I was seven, then followed the housing boom to Atlanta, Georgia. We lived in an Atlanta suburb until I was twelve, then moved back to rural Arkansas where the bulk of our family is.

The only thing wrong with that was my favorite cousins stayed in GA, and all my friends were there. My plan for several years was to graduate and go back to GA. I didn’t like the country. Farm animals stunk, there was nothing to do, the skating rink floor was wavy and none of my classmates liked to skate. The closest neighbor my age was a quarter of a mile away. I was used to a neighborhood where my back yard connected to my best friend’s on the other side of the block. There weren’t any sidewalks for bike riding. I was a city girl and had a hard time fitting in.

Finally, when I was fourteen, I met my future husband. Once he finally noticed me, I was fifteen. He’s a Texan, but grew up an army brat. He’s all country. Over the years, country life grew on me. The city of 7,000 people ten miles from us would be much too big for me to live in now. Farm animals still stink, but there’s a new skating rink, though I wouldn’t go if my life depended on it. I’m pretty sure if I fell these days, I’d break something. It’s peaceful and relaxing where we live. My parents live across a hayfield from me. My cousins are across the gravel road we live on and my aunt and uncle live at the end of it. It’s only fifty yards off the highway. Yes, there are paved streets here, you just have to take a gravel road to get to my driveway.

We know “Readers are leaders, and leaders are readers.” Is there a book you’ve read in the past five years or so that has helped you become a better you? If so, which one was it, and how did it affect your life? 

The Screwtape Letters. It’s completely different than what I normally read, and I only read it because my husband insisted. It opened my eyes to the spiritual warfare we face daily as Christians. When things go wrong, I can just see that demon’s evil glee. It makes me pray and harder to get past his evil plan.

What a book for today's headlines, right?

When you are looking for a book to read, what are the things that are important to you? 

I look for Contemporary Romance and occasionally, I’ll delve into Women’s Fiction. But I’m leery of WF because I like a good happily-ever-after. There for a while, it was hard to find CR. Everything was Historical or Amish. So I’ve pretty much gotten to where if it’s a long length Contemporary Romance, I’ll read it. If I like it, I’ll buy the author’s entire back list and preorder new releases.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about you, or anything we didn’t cover?

Signing on as acquisitions/content editor and part owner of Scrivenings Press has been a joy. There were times when I wondered what I’d gotten myself into at first. But now that I’ve gotten the hang of editing and am faster, I’m able to keep a schedule and not feel overwhelmed. And find time to write.

I hate e-mailing rejections, but I always give the writer advice on how to improve whatever they need to work on. I love sending acceptance e-mails. I’ve gotten to send them to the authors we acquired with the company on their new projects.

My favorite part has been discovering new authors and contracting their debut novels. I’ve gotten to do that twice. Every writer dreams of The Call, when an editor calls to say they love your book and want to offer you a contract. By the time, I got mine, it was an e-mail. I’ve gotten to make The Call twice to debut authors and both signed with us.

Editing other’s work has also made me a better writer. As a result, I’m better at revising my own work before I turn it into my editor.

Shannon, it's been wonderful having you on our blog. Thanks for taking the time out of your hectic, "country" schedule to be a part!

And readers, there's more! Shannon would like to hold a giveaway by giving one lucky reader a paperback copy of her book, A Texas Bond! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment in the comment section below, and when you do so, please leave your name and e-mail address. Shannon will be contacting the winner directly. The giveaway starts Jan. 13th and ends on Jan. 20th!

Readers, if you want more information on Shannon, here's an author bio she shared that includes all of her social media links as well:

Award winning author, Shannon Taylor Vannatter writes contemporary Christian cowboy romance and has over a dozen published titles. A romance reader since her teens, she hopes to entertain Christian women and plant seeds in the non-believer’s heart as she demonstrates that love doesn’t conquer all—Jesus does.

She gleans fodder for her fiction in rural Arkansas where she spent her teenage summers working the concession stand with her rodeo announcing dad and married a Texan who morphed into a pastor. In her spare time, she loves hanging out with her husband and son, flea marketing, and doing craft projects.

Connect with her: Shannon’s Website, Shannon’s Blog, Shannon’s Facebook, Shannon’s Goodreads, Shannon’s Pinterest, Shannon’s Twitter, Newsletter Archives, Shannon’s Amazon Author Page and Shannon’s Bookbub. Sign up for her Newsletter to get a free e-book, recipes, behind the scenes info, & enter exclusive giveaways: Shannon's Newsletter

Recently, Shannon joined Scrivenings Pressas co-owner/acquisitions/content editor.

Until next time, may God bless America, and more importantly, may we, as Americans, bless God!

Kevin

www.ckevinthompson.com

PS - If you're looking for an example of Shannon's and Linda's work, look no further that Kevin's latest novel, The Letters! And see what other readers are saying:

"Wow. I wasn’t sure what to expect as this doesn’t fall into the genres I tend to read, but I am so glad I read it! The story quickly grabbed & held my attention. It has many twists and turns. And behind it all, an amazing message of love, forgiveness, and redemption." - Amazon Reviewer

"It has been awhile since I read a great story . One with joy and sorrow and most of all suspense. Rachel had so much to overcome only to be plagued by letters in her daily mail. I believe that you will enjoy this story to the very end, I know I did." - Amazon Reviewer

"What an intriguing story! I did not know that the setting of this book would be in December and that the story would include Christmas. I love to read books around this time of year!...Once I began to read this book I could not wait to get to the finish. The time went quickly for me. I was very surprised and glad for the way the author led us to complete this journey." - Goodreads Reviewer

"From the start of this book it drew me in and I simply could not put it down (just ask my husband). What a beautiful faith filled story. Please write more for us to read." - Amazon Reviewer

THE WORLD IS A CRAZY PLACEWHEN THE LIVING ARE DEADAND THE DEAD ARE ALIVE.

Rachel Hamar—a Manhattan bank teller—lives nothing close to a Manhattan lifestyle. Residing in Washington Heights, NY, the only thing keeping her in The Big Apple is her mother—a long-time patient in a local psychiatric hospital. It’s December, 2014, and the twentieth anniversary of her high school sweetheart’s tragic death. She’s not sure how much more heartache she can endure, especially after being told earlier in the day she no longer has a job at the bank. A casualty of downsizing.

In the midst of spiraling depression, Rachel receives a mysterious letter in the mail. When she opens it, she becomes cautious and skeptical of its contents and discards it as a mistake, concluding it’s simply addressed incorrectly or a postal worker’s faux pas in the midst of a busy Christmas season. But another letter arrives the next day. And another the day after that. Before long, she is in possession of several letters. Each one more puzzling than the last.

Thinking that someone may be playing a cruel game, she contacts the police, and this propels Rachel and the two detectives into one of the most bizarre cases they’ve ever encountered. Is it a friend’s cruel joke? Is it some stalker’s perverse idea of manipulation? Or is it something more?

 

  

Author Behind the Story Blog Series - PeggySue Wells

Wow. We almost did it. Last month, we hit a record high number of page views of 985 (almost topped 1,000!). We here at ckevinthompson.com are so happy as we inch toward that 1,000 page view-a-month milestone and continue to grow our "Author Database," via our Authors Behind the Story blog series, continue to add salient articles, and more. From humble beginnings of 30-40 page views a month to what it has become, we are glad to bring information, interviews, thought-provoking articles and more to you. 

Thank you to our readers for making our blog what it is!

To help keep that string alive, we are happy to bring to you another author of whom you may have or may not have heard about...yet. (It's what we do.)

Interestingly, our next guest on the Florida Front Porch was someone I had some familiarity with. As I researched my Blake Meyer Thriller series, which deals with many subjects, one of which is human trafficking. I read several books, numerous articles, and other writings about the subject. One of those books was called The Slave Across the Street. The copy I had acquired had the author's name on it. Little did I know that our next guest helped her write this book. Later, when I was asked to be a guest on her blog, I saw a new book cover that included her name as well. I informed her of how I used that book along with the others to formulate my Blake Meyer series.

Small world, huh?

Without further ramblings, let's introduce our next guest to ABTS, PeggySue Wells!

Give us a quick bio. In fifty words or less, who is PeggySue Wells?

My favorite review said, “Eminently quotable, PeggySue Wells is a tonic—warm like your favorite blanket, bracing like a stiff drink.”

I am a history buff, and tropical island votary who parasails, skydives, snorkels, scuba dives, and has taken (but not passed) pilot training. Writing from the 100-Acre wood in Indiana, I’m the bestselling author of 29 books, translated into eight languages, including The What To Do series, The Slave Across the Street, Slavery in the Land of the Free, Bonding With Your Child Through Boundaries, The Girl Who Wore Freedom, Homeless for the Holidays, Chasing Sunrise, and The Ten Best Decisions A Single Mom Can Make. For five years I was a radio talk show producer and cohost, an experience I’m using for a podcast, Live Well, interviewing entrepreneurs, and exceptional voices to help people live better, together.

Before you ever got a notion of becoming a writer/author, how old were you, and what were you doing in that time of your life? 

In college, I blew out my knees as a dancer and shifted to the other subject that made my eyes light up - journalism. After being the editor of the college newspaper and magazine, I went to work as a news reporter and magazine editor. While raising my children, I wrote freelance and my first book was published in 1995.

Are you married? Single? Have kids?

I am the button-popping proud mama of seven grown children. While 2020 has been goofy for the world, this Mimi is getting three grandsons this year – I call them Mimi’s Mighty Men. Of my zany crew, two are professional writers, four enjoy reading, and three are allergic to reading and writing, (“That’s your gig, Mom.”)

We have one daughter who is allergic as well and a son-in-law who would rather "wait for the movie." :-)

I’m going to give you a shotgun list of favorites. In one sentence, tell us why you like these particular things.

Favorite Song of All-Time: "PeggySue" by Buddy Holly. Yep, I was named after that song. Great drum beat. (Did you ever see the Quantum Leap episode where we learned how Buddy came up with the title? I'll let you Google it.) 

Favorite Bible Verse: Ephesians 3:16-19: "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,  may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

To have God’s Spirit as a constant guiding presence and know how much God loves me is the best gift ever!

Favorite Movie: Sahara

Favorite TV Show: The Chosen

Favorite Novel (other than your own): Light of Eidon series by Karen Hancock

Favorite Author (other than you): John Erickson, Clive Cussler, Jan Karon, Richard Paul Evans

Favorite Sport: Waterskiing

Favorite Subject in School Growing Up: Reading for the stories

Favorite Subject Now: History to know what people did and why they did it.

Favorite Time of the Year: All of the year

Favorite Place to Vacation: Beach and Disney

Favorite Drink: Hot cocoa

Favorite Food: Salmon and chocolate (Hopefully not together...Yuk!)

 

If your life was a story, and you were the lead character, what kind of role would you play?

The adventurer who surfs, scuba dives, snorkels, rides horses, sky dives, travels and can’t pass pilot training because of the math (math is my four-letter word).

I saw a meme recently of two people, a man and a woman, sitting across a small table from each other at a restaurant. A first date kind of thing. She asks, "So, has there ever been a book that has made you cry?" He replied, "Algebra 1: Math for the Modern World." 

The struggle is real.

Do you have a favorite line from a movie or book?

Ha! If we removed movie and book quotes, vocabulary for my children and I would be reduced by half.

            You’re killing me, Smalls. – Sandlot

            But why is all the rum gone? – Pirates of the Caribbean

            Don’t take trash off the cat. – Hank the Cowdog

            I know practically nothing about that. – Hank the Cowdog

            I don’t think this is a normal shakedown. - Sahara

            No touchy. – Emperor’s New Groove

            Exactly so. – Scarlet Pimpernel (with Anthony Andrews)

            Clovis doesn’t like to be touched. – Apple Dumpling Gang

            Coffee – in cups. – Angels in the Outfield

            These mashed potatoes are so creamy. Mary mashed them. – While You Were Sleeping

            Yeah, why? - Frozen

Same here. We're always quoting movies and shows. My favorite is from the Disney animated Jungle Book scene of the vultures saying to each other, "What do you want to do?" We also use that exchange when we're trying to decide, of all things,  where to go out to eat. We also like the hand gesture in The Kid where he bends his finger at the first knuckle and points with a face ready to explode. 

Do you have a crazy, interesting, behind-the-scenes story about the publishing world you’d like to tell your readers without boring them to death with industry gobbledygook?

I began my writing career as a news reporter and thought fiction writers were folks who didn’t want to deal with reality. Wanting to write in all the genres except horror (I get scared) and erotica (don’t want to write anything I would be embarrassed if my kids or grands read), I tried fiction. Holy smokes! It is tough to make stuff up that is completely believable, and so smart that I have to figure a way out. Penning fiction is addictive and my favorite genre.

Of all the stories/books you have written, which one is your favorite? And what compelled you to write this story? 

My favorite titles are The Patent (written under a penname because the audience is guys and guys generally prefer books written by men), and Chasing Sunrise. The Patent happened because my very smart friend called with a brilliant idea.

“Write it up, and I’ll polish for publication,” I said. 

“I’m an engineer,” he replied. “It has ten bullet points.”

So I turned electrical engineer and patent attorney Max Garwood’s ten bullet points into a 90,000 word novel. I’m halfway through the sequel, The Embolus.

Half of my books are co-authored. I enjoy the teamwork because I write well with others.

Tell us about what project you are currently working on. 

I’m putting together a resource-rich website community titled, Single Mom Circle, as a companion to The Ten Best Decisions A Single Mom Can Make. I’m also writing that epic novel that has been marinating in my brain for decades that is the beginning story for all my novels, as well as the prequel to Chasing Sunrise tentatively titled, Choice,and the sequel to The Patent, titled The Embolus. I typically write several books at a time.

What surprised you the most during the research for the book you are currently working on? 

Every place I explore, experience I have, fascinating facts I learn make my writing richer and multi-dimensional. Israel became a major part of The Patent and several other titles after I traveled there. St. Croix with its mile deep underwater wall, poisonous manchineel trees, and macho jumbies is the setting for Chasing Sunrise. Learning that human trafficking enslaves more people today than when slavery was legal in the United States was a sad shock when I wrote The Slave Across the Street and Slavery in the Land of the Free.

Tell us about your writing day. How do you go about writing?

When the children were young, after teaching school, I wrote in the middle of the busiest area of the house surrounded by the comforting sounds of family and life fully lived. I took my laptop (Macbeth) to the stands at horseshows, the sidelines during soccer practice, while sitting through orchestra practice. Once, I took a college writing course and the question on a test was, “What is the one thing every writer must have for success?”

I quickly wrote, “Passion.”

The question came back marked wrong. After class I asked the professor about the correct answer.

“Solitude,” he replied.

I snorted. As the Mom of seven children on a gentleman’s ranch in the country, if I waited for solitude, I’d never write.

Currently, I rise early, journal, read Scripture, pray, read for thirty minutes, and write for ninety minutes. Next, I work on business items, then write and work until dinner. Exercise in the evening and write before going to sleep.

If you had one person you could meet (think outside the Bible here) and could spend as much time as you wanted with that individual, who would it be? (Next question deals with Biblical characters.)

Patrick Henry. He experienced failure and lived with a lot of integrity. Despite heartbreak, he was a powerful force in the creation of a new nation. And he could fiddle!

If you had one person you could meet (think ONLY Bible characters here) and could spend as much time as you wanted with that individual, who would it be besides Jesus?

Mary, the mother of Jesus. What a wonder to be chosen as the mother for God’s son. I’m certain there is lots to her story.

What’s the craziest thing you have ever done? 

While having seven kids, taking them to as many places around the world as possible, giving them as many experiences as I could, it seemed natural to me, but many say that was crazy. I’m frequently surprised to meet kids the ages of my own who have not been places, had experiences, or tasted foods. There is so much in this vast world God created for us and I don’t want to miss a thing.

Why do you live where you live? 

We relocated from California to a little artsy country town in Indiana in 1995. I like the elbow room, the opportunity for my children to have animals and experiences. I stay because there is plenty of space so the kids and grands know they are welcome home anytime. This is a wonderful retreat for writers to come and focus on a project.

When my bestie from California calls and asks what I’m up to, I tell her, “I just did target shooting in the backyard, chain sawed a tree, am having a bonfire roasting s’mores, and I’m not getting arrested.”

“Show off,” she replies because none of that is permissible where I used to live.

We know “Readers are leaders, and leaders are readers.” Is there a book you’ve read in the past five years or so that has helped you become a better you? If so, which one was it, and how did it affect your life?

Not a book, but The Chosen - Season One has powerfully impacted my life in all the best ways. I’ve watched it five times through and probably will again. Because of The Chosen, I’m eager to read the Bible. Secondly, The Bible Project has also fed my spirit.

If you had life to do all over again, would there be any changes? If so, what would they be?

I would like to have learned much earlier to focus on the facts and not make up stories about those facts. For instance, when a publisher published two of my books, then passed on my next two ideas, I assumed that meant they didn’t want to work with me anymore. That was a story I made up in my head about the facts. However, the facts were merely that they decided to pass on my next two pitches that were not a fit for them. In this industry, keep pitching great ideas and networking.

Is there anything you'd like to share with our readers we have not already covered?

Writing permits me to possibly be the wind under the wings of another who is weary, disheartened, and disillusioned. I enjoy both the challenges and victories of the craft because it satisfies my spirit. I write because writing is an essential. Through writing I give voice to others, champion integrity, bring humor, and share stories. One in four homes is currently single-parent led. My hope is that The Ten Best Decisions A Single Mom Can Make will serve as tangible tips and practical hope to help solo-parent led families be successful.

PeggySue, I want to thank you for being willing to sit down on the Florida Front Porch, sit a little iced tea, and chat for a while. 

Readers, if you wish to learn more about PeggySue and her writing, you can find her at these cyber locations:

www.PeggySueWells.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/peggysuewells

https://www.facebook.com/peggysue.wells

https://www.facebook.com/Peggy.Sue.Wells.Encouragement/

Until next time, may God bless America, and more importantly, my America Bless God, regardless of who was elected last week!

Kevin

www.ckevinthompson.com

PS - Looking for a Christmas story unlike any other? One that brings hope? One that bridges the gap between the tangible world and the spiritual? The Letters may be the one for you.

THE WORLD IS A CRAZY PLACEWHEN THE LIVING ARE DEADAND THE DEAD ARE ALIVE.Rachel Hamar—a Manhattan bank teller—lives nothing close to a Manhattan lifestyle. Residing in Washington Heights, NY, the only thing keeping her in The Big Apple is her mother—a long-time patient in a local psychiatric hospital. It’s December, 2014, and the twentieth anniversary of her high school sweetheart’s tragic death. She’s not sure how much more heartache she can endure, especially after being told earlier in the day she no longer has a job at the bank. A casualty of downsizing.
In the midst of spiraling depression, Rachel receives a mysterious letter in the mail. When she opens it, she becomes cautious and skeptical of its contents and discards it as a mistake, concluding it’s simply addressed incorrectly or a postal worker’s faux pas in the midst of a busy Christmas season. But another letter arrives the next day. And another the day after that. Before long, she is in possession of several letters. Each one more puzzling than the last.
Thinking that someone may be playing a cruel game, she contacts the police, and this propels Rachel and the two detectives into one of the most bizarre cases they’ve ever encountered. Is it a friend’s cruel joke? Is it some stalker’s perverse idea of manipulation? Or is it something more?
E-book
Paperback

Kevin's Interview with Carrie from READINGISMYSUPERPOWER.ORG

Dear Readers,

I love doing interviews. They're fun, especially when the questions are creative. This interview with "MeezCarrie" @ ReadingIsMySuperpower.org was one the best as we discuss my latest award-winning book, The Letters!

I think you'll like the interview too!

And don't forget about the giveaway that goes through Nov. 9, 2020!

Reader the entire interview at the link below: 

https://readingismysuperpower.org/2020/11/02/author-interview-and-a-giveaway-the-letters-by-c-kevin-thompson/?fbclid=IwAR1eRbYx3FQFRtiktBM6URuUReIKZLts_MIZp9SoW5DnmDKrO5Fow9vdkO8

And if you miss the giveaway, you can find The Letters HERE!

Thanks for stopping by!

Kevin

Author Behind the Story Blog Series - Hope Toler Dougherty

Phase Three has been implemented in Florida, meaning all restrictions are lifted, and it's up to individual entities as to how they wish to proceed. Yet, mandatory rules for wearing masks with the threat of fines in other places are being reinstituted, like in Brooklyn and Queens, for example. In California, restaurant patrons are being urged to wear their masks between bites (you can't make this stuff up).

Some states have hardly been affected by the pandemic. Other states have been dealt several blows. The year 2020 has proven to us one very important fact: Election years are the pits. So is living out scenes from the movie Idiocracy. 

Therefore, in an attempt to infuse some sanity and normalcy back into the life of America, we bring you another installment of our blog series, The Author Behind the Story! 

Welcome our next guest to the Florida Front Porch, where rain bands from tropical storms and summer heat and humidity linger. Welcome, Hope Toler Dougherty!

Hope, give us a quick bio. In fifty words or less, who is Hope Toler Dougherty? 

I'm an introverted Christian Romance author who loves family, traveling, reading, live music, cooking, crocheting, public speaking, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Jesus. Not in that order. Skills include changing the oil in a 1974 Mustang, playing the dulcimer, and soloing a Cessna 150.

That's quite the diverse resumé! Are you married? Single? Have kids?  

I’ve been married to my Kevin for 32 years. We have two daughters, Anna and Hattie, and twin sons, Lane and Quinn. Anna is in fashion in NYC. Hattie is in law school at the University of Pittsburgh, and the boys are first lieutenants in the US Army. Go Army! Beat Navy!

This year, Army beating Navy should not be too difficult.

Next question. Of all the things out there in the world, what makes you cringe the most? 

Here are a few: hearing people chew or swallow, pets sleeping in beds with people, bathroom humor, profanity, and wasting water (keeping the tap running when you’re brushing your teeth or washing dishes.)

My wife is the same way with the people chewing issue, especially ice. She read an article that this was because people who have high IQs are prone to being annoyed by such things. Who am I to argue with the "science" behind the article? Especially if I want to live?

Besides the usual things authors face, has there been an unusual event that changed your perspective about being an author? 

In the spring of 2013, I had two novels written but no agent and no publisher. Friends in the industry and acquaintances kept signing with agencies and getting book contracts. I felt left behind. I couldn’t figure out the problem. I had an English degree for Heaven’s sake. Two, in fact. I learned a lot about pride and God’s timing during this season.

Our sons applied to West Point. One was accepted and one wasn’t. When Quinn received the good news at dinner, Lane was a wonderful brother. He congratulated his twin, saying all the right words, but it was a difficult evening in our house. We wanted to throw down and celebrate with Quinn, but we also wanted to be sensitive to Lane.

Checking on him later, I told him I knew how he felt. He didn’t say anything, but his countenance revealed negative thoughts, for sure. 

I explained my writing journey about watching my friends move forward on their writing path, being happy for them, but wanting my own journey to begin. I knew he was happy for Quinn, but he wanted West Point too. As he listened to my story, understanding dawned on his face. His mom could relate to his pain.

I knew right then if I never published a word of fiction, my writing journey was worth every disappointment because I’d been able to minister to my son on one of the worst nights of his life.

Here’s the happy ending: Lane graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in ROTC with a Chinese degree, and Quinn is a West Point graduate with an Arabic degree. Their mother has published four novels so far. Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!

Great story about God's timing.

Of all the stories/books you have written, which one is your favorite? And what compelled you to write this story?  

All four of my novels hold special places in my heart and remind me of what was happening in our family when I wrote them, but Irish Encounter, my first, will always be dear to me. I wasn’t planning to write fiction in 2009. I had an idea for Guideposts Magazine. God wooed me onto the fiction path with the story of Payne and Ellen. He showed me that I could flesh out an idea, expand on a scene, and write a whole book with a beginning, middle and end.

Do you ever receive negative reviews from readers? If so, how do you respond when you see them?

I have one one-star review for Irish Encounter. The reviewer called it “religious propaganda” and chastised Amazon for not having some sort of warning flag for religious books. Clearly, she’d never read the back blurb which mentions God twice—not a higher power or a good energy source, but G-O-D. She rued the wasted hour and a half of her life that she’d “never get back.” Yes, I pretty much memorized her words. 

That review is one reason I don’t read reviews now. I check the numbers because reviews are vital to authors, but I don’t read them unless someone emails me or writes them in a real note.

I always pray that God gets my books into the hands of people He wants to read them, and I’ve prayed for that woman periodically for five years now.

I think we all have those kind of reviews. I had one that said almost the same thing about my debut novel. I've been praying for her as well. It's hard to see the Light when you're spiritually blind.

If you had one person you could meet (think outside the Bible here) and could spend as much time as you wanted with that individual, who would it be? 

Dolly Parton! She may be a caricature in some people’s minds with her bouffant hair, makeup, and costumes, however, she’s a brilliantly talented musician, a shrewd, community-minded business woman who praises God for her blessings. Her songs have crossed over into different genres for decades. Dollywood has provided jobs for several thousand people since 1986 in her home state. She has donated over a million books to young children. She’s funny, smart, creative, energetic, interested in life—oh, my stars! I would love to be friends with Dolly Parton!

What’s the craziest thing you have ever done? 

Neighbors thought we were crazy when we took our children aged 9, 7, 5, and 5 on a six-week home exchange to Ireland. We swapped houses with two families for three weeks each (one in Galway and the other in Bandon, County Cork) and added a week in France visiting our foreign exchange students. My husband was able to work remotely. It took months of planning and getting our house ready—housekeeping isn’t one of my strong suits—but the trip was a wonderful, learning adventure for all of us.

I have always wondered about that process. Is there a vetting process involved? I mean, the though of having strangers living in my house while I live in theirs seems so foreign to me.

We know “Readers are leaders, and leaders are readers. ”Is there a book you’ve read in the past five years or so that has helped you become a better you? If so, which one was it, and how did it affect your life?

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. I saw the movie when I was a teenager but read the book only a few years ago. Corrie wrote about thanking God for the fleas in her concentration camp because it kept the guards from coming into their room. Thanking God for fleas? Wow. It gave me a new perspective on my soft life.

Our "soft lives." That is so true. I cringe every time I see a teenager wearing a shirt that says, "The struggle is real." Young one living in America, you have no idea what "struggle" really is.

What Bible scripture has impacted your life the most, and why?

An important verse to me is Psalm 73:26: “My heart and my flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” God gave me this verse during a frustrating time, and now it’s painted on the wall in my kitchen.

Hope, is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about you, or anything we didn’t cover?

I came to the fiction party kind of late—because of fear, life circumstances…whatever. I’m grateful that God was patient with me. I’ve learned so much about God and myself, and I’ve met so many wonderful people on this writing journey.

If you have an idea that keeps niggling at you, I encourage you to pursue it. Don’t let people’s opinions or your age or fear steal your future. Wonderful things await you on the other side of fear.

Good advice!

Readers, if you want to find out more about Hope and her writing, you can locate her at these locations:

http://hopetolerdougherty.com/

https://www.facebook.com/AUTHORHOPETOLERDOUGHERTY/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13941031.Hope_Dougherty

https://www.pinterest.com/hopetdougherty/

https://twitter.com/HopeTDougherty

https://www.instagram.com/hopetolerdougherty/

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/hope-toler-dougherty

 

Thanks, Hope, for taking the time to stop by and share with our readers!

And Dear Readers, thank you for stopping by and helping make ABTS one of the ever-growing blog sites on the web!

Until next time, may God bless America, and more importantly, may America bless God!

Kevin

www.ckevinthompson.com 

P.S. - Looking for a great Christmas story? One that is more than just a silly, sappy, Christmas tale? If so, may I interest you in The Letters? Similar to A Christmas Carol, one reviewer said "the author skillfully wraps a sense of 'what happens next' in this cozy Christmastime story. It's a journey where we remember not all have peace on Earth and goodwill toward men. Yet, it's never too late to believe in the hope of Christmas." Based on the reviews posted on Amazon right now, both here in the US and in Canada and Australia, I don't think you'll be disappointed. It won an award, too, so others in the industry think that as well. :-)

THE WORLD IS A CRAZY PLACEWHEN THE LIVING ARE DEAD AND THE DEAD ARE ALIVE.

Rachel Hamar—a Manhattan bank teller—lives nothing close to a Manhattan lifestyle. Residing in Washington Heights, NY, the only thing keeping her in The Big Apple is her mother—a long-time patient in a local psychiatric hospital. It’s December, 2014, and the twentieth anniversary of her high school sweetheart’s tragic death. She’s not sure how much more heartache she can endure, especially after being told earlier in the day she no longer has a job at the bank. A casualty of downsizing.

In the midst of spiraling depression, Rachel receives a mysterious letter in the mail. When she opens it, she becomes cautious and skeptical of its contents and discards it as a mistake, concluding it’s simply addressed incorrectly or a postal worker’s faux pas in the midst of a busy Christmas season. But another letter arrives the next day. And another the day after that. Before long, she is in possession of several letters. Each one more puzzling than the last.

Thinking that someone may be playing a cruel game, she contacts the police, and this propels Rachel and the two detectives into one of the most bizarre cases they’ve ever encountered. Is it a friend’s cruel joke? Is it some stalker’s perverse idea of manipulation? Or is it something more?