D.L. Koontz's Blog, page 2

Keep Calm and Carry On

Is that even possible, as our country falters around us?

If you’re like me, you can’t believe what has happened so far in 2021. The Delta variant, inflation, chaos at the border, product shortages, and so on.  Mostly, my heart is breaking for the innocents left behind in Afghanistan.

As such, I feel compelled to send a quick word of encouragement.

Two Things to Remember:We can’t be so busy kvetching about what will happen next that we don’t take time to enjoy where we are, right now, in our own lives. This moment is a blessing, and the only one guaranteed to us.We’re to treat all hardship as discipline (Hebrews 12:7), knowing God will work all things together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).We can’t control what happens on the world stage, or even the national. But, we can do something locally to help one another.Offer a smile, extend a hand, encourage a child, compliment an elder, visit a neighbor, embrace a friend, write a representative, vote wisely, lend a book, post kindly, respect others’ opinions.Contribute Your Best, in Any Way You Can

I try to give to the world through my books.

I’m not saying I’m a great writer or a clever writer. Yes, I’ve had my moments of winning awards and hitting #1 in sales, but most important to me is that I do it because I love to do it.

Once done, I enjoy giving it to the world to provide others with an escape from reality for a while. If my writing entertains or titillates or makes them feel all warm and fuzzy, then so much the better.

I’m a Christian and I’m a writer. But I’m not a Christian writer. I leave that latter task up to individuals who are more qualified than I.

But, my books are clean. Upbeat. Distinguish between good and evil. Provide both suspense and, I hope, fun. Best: they always provide a happy ending.

If they also prompt occasional sighs or tears or lost sleep for readers, then that’s a bonus as well.

Point is, I try to give my best to the world. God seemed to have given me a knack for stringing words together, so I do it gratefully.

Do Whatever You Feel Led To Do

Winston Churchill believed we “make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

Use whatever talents you have. Give them to the world, if even locally. Try to surround yourself with others who are doing the same.

We don’t like what’s happening on the national stage, but it’s no reason to toss in the towel or call defeat or become the type of negative, discouraged person we see—and don’t like—in others.

I know I too often let others’ foul moods impact me. That’s when I try to remember to be more of a Proverbs 31 woman who “is clothed with strength and dignity” and “can laugh at the days to come.”

Bottom line: Even though the world is in chaos, we can still be at peace because of God’s Spirit within us.

Another Outlet for Dealing with Gloom is Reading!

With books, you can visit new places from the safety and comfort of your home. I wish my passport recorded all the places I’ve traveled in books!

Ashely Black, the self-made millionaire of the Fascia Blaster empire, recently posted: “Reading keeps life flowing and opens up a whole new world… anyone that ever asked me about success in life I tell them that reading is a huge cornerstone.”

Journalist Anna Quindlen says reading is “halfway between life and dreaming.” What a wonderful, brilliant, optimistic place to be when real life or negative news drag you down.

Too, reading gives you insights into new places, thoughts and ideas that you can share with others, and maybe lift their day.

Happy living, my friends!

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My New Romantic Suspense Series to Launch 2nd Half of 2020

Falling in love can be risky.

But, to do it while you’re also dodging bullets and kidnappers and murderers, well, that’s a whole other proposition, isn’t it?

The Heroines in the Risky Changes Series

In my upcoming series, Risky Changes, meet brainy Anna, bold Rhea, and beautiful Miranda—three young journalists and roommates who each embark on different paths to change their careers and their lives.

However, when both peril and romance set in, their motivations take a new turn.

About the Books

All three books in this series are loosely connected stand-alones. Each is a full-length novel with a conclusion.

Further, each is clean fiction, priced affordably, and provides ample doses of suspense and intrigue. Perfect stay-at-home entertainment. 

Deadly Probabilities*

All Anna McCarthy wants is to finish eighteen more months of work. Thereafter, she’ll move back to West Virginia to care for her ill mother and begin work as an independent journalistic researcher.

Her plans go asunder when she pulls a cryptic object from her briefcase. Client Logan Kassell—former SEAL and head of security for an international company—recognizes it as a fake explosive and a dire warning.

Suddenly, Anna is on the run with this stranger named Logan. From D.C to Baltimore to a mountain cabin in Maryland, they dodge bullets and abduction, even as it becomes clear the threat is coming from inside one of their own companies. Who can Anna trust?

*From Kirkus Reviews: “An engaging thriller sure to please fans looking for a mix of chaste romance and intrigue. Koontz keeps things moving in this fast-paced romantic thriller, with well-placed action scenes that ratchet up the tension.
Lethal Capers*

Rhea Bohannon returns to Georgia to attend her deadbeat dad’s funeral. Quickly, confusion sets in when she discovers her father was murdered and that he left her a perplexing package of riddles and unrelated objects… a package allegedly worth three million dollars.

Rhea has no choice but to investigate, at least not if she wants to stay alive.

Making matters worse, the cop assigned to investigate her suspicious behavior is her former fiancé, Nick Sheehan, the man she abandoned a dozen years ago!

Rhea’s dreams of a career change to own her own newspaper will have to play second fiddle to her desire to stay alive, as she and Nick embark on a caper of lethal proportions.

*A winner in the Hook, Line and Sinker Contest (Romance Writers of America).
Fatal Memories

After a horrendous plane crash leaves her stranded in Wyoming with no memory, photojournalist Miranda Stanfield must learn whether forgetting her past is a blessing or a curse.

And, whether it’s possible to start over.

When rancher and ex-Green Beret Bryce Cameron and his Special Ops sniper team discover Miranda battered and unconscious, with no memory of who she is, he quickly realizes one thing: she’s dangerous.

Charged with an allegiance to his mission, Bryce is duty-bound to eliminate all threats. But is that possible, especially when he’s inexplicably drawn to a woman who may prove to have direct ties to the terrorist they’re hunting?

Meanwhile, Miranda begins to wonder if not remembering is the only thing keeping her alive.

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12 Ways to Add More Joy to Your Book-Reading Bliss

If you’re a reader, you know the formula:

       A good book  +  coffee/tea/wine  +  uninterrupted time  =  Bliss.

That’s all it takes, which is reason #97 why reading is the ultimate pastime for us book lovers!

However, in the vein of making a terrific situation even better, find tips below to help get even more from your blissful moment!

1. Hang a sign on the door announcing you can’t be disturbed.

No exceptions. Folks don’t need to know what you’re actually doing behind that closed door.

2. Answer nature’s call before settling down to read.

This applies to both you and your pet. Ever notice Lassie always has to go out just when the hero is about to save the day?

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3. Check the author’s website for tidbits about the book.

Authors often offer insights into the setting of the story or background on how the story came to be, or countless number of things they want to share.

For example, in my novel What the Moon Saw, I used a real location: the Bedford Springs Resort. I anticipated receiving questions about the place, and I certainly did! Find it here.

Wondering about the characters? I posted photos to help readers get a sense of what the main characters in my trilogy (The Crossings Trilogy) look like. Find it here.

Point is, if I’ve thought of posting such insights, then other authors have, too!

Spoiler alert: Tread carefully. You don’t want to learn key plot elements from the website.

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4. Silence your phone!

And, turn it upside down. Most smart phones, when muted, will emit lights and flash a message announcing a call or text. Avoid that distraction.

But, keep your phone close….how else are you going to look up words you don’t recognize (and isn’t that always fun, to learn a new word?). Further, sometimes authors will employ real people or places in their work. It’s fun to search for a photo or a tidbit as you read.

5. Have a second cup of your favorite beverage available.

We’ve all been there—the tea runs out before the reading experience. Be prepared. Like your beverages hot? Use a thermos to keep a second cup handy.

6. Assess your needs before getting comfy.

You know the furniture you’re going to use, and the position (sitting, reclining) you’re going to choose. But, will you be comfy long-term if that book snags more of your time than anticipated? Why disturb a good reading experience by having to go after a foot rest, more pillows, or a neck support?

Do you mark your books? If so, then keep a pen or pencil handy. Perhaps a piece of paper, too. When a character sparks a memory of something I need to do or check on, I don’t want to leave my reading to make a note.

Do you read outdoors? I do! We have porches on all four sides of our home, and they each face nature! Because we live in southeast Georgia, we get good use of them most of the year. However, this location is rife with bugs and insects. When I head out, I take bug spray, sunglasses, and rawhide chews for my dogs.

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7. Keep a blanket or throw within reach.

Because you’re relaxing, you may find you get colder the longer you’re stationary. How delightful to reach to your side and pull the throw over you, without breaking the flow of the plot.

8. Look at the title of your book each time you snuggle down to read.

My husband pointed out that since we’ve started using Kindles, we can rarely remember the names of the books we read because once purchased, we don’t see the covers anymore. If we had purchased a tangible copy, we would see the title each time we pick it up. Not so with Kindles and Nooks.

Bottom line: We want to remember the names of our books! Besides, the title is usually a painstaking choice in an author’s life. You may want to ponder what you think the name has to do with the plot. It helps the reading experience.

9. Mark up that book!

I know this goes against most book purists’ beliefs, but not me. If I like a turn of phrase or beautiful description, I underline it. (Or, in the case of Kindle, I highlight it). I love picking up books months or years later and leafing through them to see passages I’ve marked. It’s a chance to enjoy them once again. (See #6 about keeping a pen handy!)

If the book features a lot of elemental characters, I flip to the inside of the back cover and start making a list. That way I have a reference to help keep the characters straight. (This is what I love most about Kindle— if I need a refresher on characters, I use the search feature and re-read their introduction into the story.)

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10. React to the book: Post it on social media. Tell a friend. Definitely write a review at Amazon and Goodreads.

After all, if you enjoyed the book and your reading experience, then wouldn’t you like the author/publisher to know so that the author will write more of them, and so the publishers will give them contracts to do so? Reviews add up and they mean a lot to your future reading enjoyment.

If you didn’t enjoy it, then let it go. No sense practicing in the negative. Just because you didn’t like it doesn’t mean it won’t be someone else’s ideal book. Move on to find a book you enjoy!

11. Suggest the book to your book club.

Discussing a book you like with a group is always eye-opening. Other people will have perspectives that might surprise you.

Most clubs have a list of books developed far in advance. Thus, if you suggest one after reading it, you won’t be bored re-reading it by the time it rolls around for the club’s monthly selection.

12. Pray, meditate, or ponder silently about your reading.

I’m a Christian, so I like to seek guidance in helping me to glean what I should from what I’m reading, or in applying it to my own life. This especially pertains to reading non-fiction, like my Bible, for instance.

Or, you could meditate on what you read. Even if it’s fiction, we can extract bits of knowledge from characters. Is it historical? Ponder that era. What was it truly like? Visualize the characters in that setting. Is it science fiction? Focus on that make-believe world for a bit so you can better live it as the characters do.

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We prep for other activities, why not reading?

Phew, these tips may sound like a lot of extra work, but not to me. In my experience, a riveting book and the perfect reading experience are just as joyful—sometimes more so—than attending a sporting event, concert or party. Yet, look at the prep we go through for those activities (clothes, travel, packing snacks, drinks, etc.)

What’s more, I’ve had several people tell me that a book has changed their life, helped them decide on a career, or prompted them to step off a negative path. How many times have you heard of a concert or game having that impact?

What about you?

What do you do to make your reading experience the best it can be? Share your tips so others can benefit too!

An award-winning writer, former journalist and corporate escapee, Debra Koontz Roberson (writing as D. L. Koontz) is the author of What the Moon Saw and the Crossings Trilogy (first book: Crossing into the Mystic). She has been published in seven languages. Growing up, she learned the power of stories on the front porch of her Appalachian farmhouse in rural Pennsylvania. She now lives with her husband in coastal Georgia on a cattle ranch, where she divides her time between writing, reading, running her dogs, and endlessly “going to town” for supplies.

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Bedford Springs: Is it for Real?

After What the Moon Saw debuted a couple weeks ago, I started receiving a lot of questions.

Today, I will answer inquiries pertaining to the Bedford Springs Hotel (now, Resort), and to share more pictures! (Many of the images are featured at the Resort’s website, so let me extend that credit.)

Is the Bedford Springs a real place?

Absolutely! As depicted in the book, it sets in the rural, rolling hills of the Appalachian Mountains, in south-central Pennsylvania, near where I grew up.

The hotel was refurbished in the 1990s and is called the Omni Bedford Springs Resort. However, much of the original architecture still exists.

Is that a real picture of the Bedford Springs on the front of the book?

Yes! The picture shows the main entrance. First, let’s do a refresh on what the cover looks like:

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Now, here’s a side view of that same brick building. You can see, on the right where the many columned additions, in white, continue on.

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Is the place that big, with all those buildings, as described in the book?

Yes!  Let’s take a closer look at how extensive the white buildings are:

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And, because it shows the incline (as described in the book) up to the buildings, the following is one of my favorite photos:

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Are the mineral springs real and are they truly directly across the road from the buildings?

Yes. Here is my hubby Joe standing by one of the Springs. Of course, it looks different today than it would have in 1760 and 1926 (both pivotal dates in the book).

The other picture shows the walkway that crosses Sweet Root Road to usher you from the Resort to the water.

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What about the inside? Is the stairway as beautiful as suggested in the book?

Thanks, but I may have done it an injustice because capturing its beauty in words is kinda’ tough. Judge for yourself:

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Is the indoor pool real? Was it actually there in 1926?

  Yes. Isn’t it incredible?

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On several occasions in the book, you mention a two-story colonnade. What does that look like?

Unfortunately, it is no longer there. Instead, you walk across beautiful lawns to reach steps which then usher you up and over Sweet Root Road and deposit you at the trail to the mineral springs. However, here is a picture of what it looked like in Libby’s day:

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In the next picture, you can see where the colonnade had started, jutting out from the main building. Now, this portion serves as a portico under which guests can drive to unload their luggage and take advantage of valet parking.

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What does it look like in winter? Is there still a lot to do in that area?

If you mean, does it get cold there? Oh, yes!  Let’s take a look:

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Brrr, eh? But, what a beautiful winter wonderland, don’t you think?

As for winter activities, you can ski within an hour of the Bedford Springs Resort. You can also tour the local town’s many shops. And, the Resort offers an amazing spa – stay indoors and enjoy that luxury!

Thanks for reading!

Buy the Book Here.

About What the Moon Saw: When newlywed FBI agent Libby Shaw is warned her death is imminent, she’ll do anything she can to survive–even take mysterious advice to submerge in mineral water of Bedford Springs during a full moon. Libby finds herself thrust back in time to 1926, where danger and intrigue surround her. As Libby tries to adapt to her new life, she finds herself oddly drawn to the town sheriff who seems to know her far better than she knows herself. Yet he seems eerily familiar and, as pieces of a past start surfacing, Libby seeks him out for answers, only to find more questions. As Libby learns someone is following her to change history, she must join forces with the sheriff to uncover the mystery of their past. Will they be thwarted by the master criminal who’s determined to destroy them both or will they be able to build a life together after lifetimes of being pulled apart by nefarious forces?

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What the Moon Saw – Available at Amazon!

I write.

A lot.

But, apparently what I do NOT do much, is write about my writing.

In short, I don’t communicate well on social media. You know what I mean: those titillating blog and Facebook postings that make people want to follow me and conclude I’m some sort of amazing author worth following.

But, in reality, I don’t believe that about myself.

I’m just a flawed, but grace-filled writer to whom God has given some rather awesome story ideas, who toils to pen quality fiction, and who rewrites more than she writes.

But, there are moments—like this one—when I’m thrilled to move beyond my shyness and jump on social media to share: My next novel is available March 8!

What the Moon Saw is available now for pre-order on Kindle.

An overview: When newlywed FBI agent Libby Shaw ‘takes the water’ at a healing mineral spring, she is propelled back in time almost a hundred years where she discovers dangers and people associated with the same unresolved Matryoshka investigation she left behind, including another husband she doesn’t remember. Together, they uncover how the mysterious Matryoshka has manipulated their lives (and many others) through several centuries. But, who or what is Matryoshka? Can they stop this evil from changing history and evading time—and capture!—again? And, now with two husbands, can Libby find her way back to the one she truly loves?

It’s time-travel. It’s romantic suspense. It’s historical fiction. It’s clean fiction. It’s a twist-filled, page-turning, roller-coaster ride of a saga.

Okay, that may be an exaggeration, but I hope you’ll agree, because I write to give readers an escape from the minutia of their every day. To allow them to live in a different time, a different place, for several hours.

Further, because readers kept telling me they wanted longer books with more description, it fulfills both those requests. It sweeps generations, and I hope it makes you feel like you are right there with main character Libby Shaw.

And, best of all, it’s available for pre-order!

Finally.

I hope you enjoy it!

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I Fall for it Every Year

As I type this, I’m chuckling.

At myself.

This quote is what I murmur under my breath ALL SUMMER LONG here in southeast Georgia, where the summers are stifling hot, humid, bug-filled, and breezeless.

Just make it through the summer, and it will be Fall!

I try—truly I do!—to find the blessings tucked somewhere in these miserably hot Georgia summers, but still, they escape me.

When I lived in the North, Fall evoked memories of a distinct difference in temperature, cozy sweaters, hot chocolate by a fire, multi-colored leaves, and crispy cool Friday night football games.

Here in the South, we enjoy most of those aspects (although the colors are more limited, the sweaters wait until November, and the temperature tends to go from stinking hot to just plain ole’ hot).

But, that’s okay. I never appreciated winter’s snow and ice up North, so I think I’m breaking even on the South’s weather differences. And, that’s the upside!

What about you? Are you happy Fall is finally here? What’s your favorite season?

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Are ‘Vivid Memories’ on Your List of Blessings?

Confession: I had never thought of ‘vivid memory capabilities’ as a blessing before! Have you?

It is so wonderful how a visual or a taste or, especially, a smell can bring instant recall of a poignant moment in our lives.

How could I have failed to add this to my blessings journal!?

No matter.

The tastes, the smells, the déjà vu-ness of some moments takes me back to cherished exchanges with my grandma Pearl, my mom, sweet childhood friends, my son as an infant, among others.

What. A. Blessing.

As for this photo—it delivers vivid memories of riding back country roads as a child—tasting freedom, discovering my abilities, dreaming of a future that (then) had no limitations.

And, see that white fluffy plumage in the left background? I prefer to imagine it as a white lilac bush. The smell of lilacs always reminds me of my mom. Her smile was never so big as when I would bring her a bouquet of them.

What sense evokes a vivid memory for you?

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Can Creating Be More Rewarding than the Creation?

“What is it?”

That’s what my 23-year-old son asked as he skeptically and gingerly lifted one of his Christmas presents out of its gaily wrapped box.

Several answers swirled through my head:

“It’s your mother’s effort at channeling her inner hippie.”
“It’s the hottest thing one could have on their wall in the 60s and 70s.”
“It’s the latest in décor – a vintage-looking item.”
“It’s the result of your mother losing electricity for four days during Hurricane Matthew and seeking not to go crazy from boredom.”

[image error]But instead, I said: “It’s a wall hanging.”

He hesitated. Looked at me. Looked back at the object…which he now held in his hand, arm extended, the way one would hold and study a dead rodent while grasping it by the tippy end of its tail.

I sighed. “Notice it’s gray and brown and blue, like your furniture.”

“Yeah….thanks, Mom,” was his forced enthusiastic response.

I slumped back in my seat, defeated.

Did he not recognize the hours of love and thought put into it? Or the manner in which I made it to match his apartment? Or the creative way I tackled the no-electricity time? Or that it was environmentally friendly, made from 100% wool, wood beads, specialty paints, and a small (and awesome) branch from my Georgia woodlands?

No, he did not.

All he (understandably) noticed were the practical aspects: What purpose did it serve and what was he supposed to do with it?

And, novelist that I am, this made me think of the writer’s situation. We put hours of passion and thought and turmoil and creativity and revision and (sometimes) blood-sweat-and tears into our work and offer it to the masses just to, sometimes, receive a one-star rating and a cold disheartening comment such as, “Don’t waste your time on it.”

I guess a book can only ever be a reflection of the end result, and (rarely) the exciting, passion-filled journey the author took to make it in the first place.

Novelist and Pulitzer prize winner John Updike was right when he wrote that “Writing criticism is to writing fiction and poetry as hugging the shore is to sailing in the open sea.” Point is: It sometimes makes no sense at all.

And, whether wall hanging or novel, I wouldn’t have traded the joy of the creation for anything.

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Stand Back! Deadly Hands Are in the House

This quote reminds me of another, coined in 1839 by English author Edward Bulwer-Lytton: “The pen is mightier than the sword.”

But, what few people know is that—like much urban wisdom—the thought behind it stemmed from the Bible. Hebrews 4:12 says, “Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.”

I don’t know that my written words or my writing hands could ever be considered deadly, but I do like the notion that what I write might persuade, entertain, inform, touch, move people.

I love being a storyteller and giving readers a moment of change and/or escapism.

And when I’m done with a book, I often find myself thinking, “It is well with my soul.”

What a wonderful feeling!

What gives you that ‘it-is-well-with-my-soul’ feeling?

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A Life Lesson from the Confidant Kid Down the Street

Each morning this past school year, he patiently stood on the gravel at the end of his driveway, near the corner, where the school bus stopped to pick him up. Depending on when I can rouse myself out of bed, I often passed him during my daily walk. He was shorter than me, with wavy hair, […]

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