Romantic Reads: Husband Auditions

The Story behind the story Husband Auditions by Angela Ruth Strong

To my husband’s great relief every time he hears me mention my next novel, I’m not actually holding Husband Auditions. It’s just the title of my book.

I got the idea for this story from a popular article that was making the rounds on social media a couple years ago. It included a list of ways to attract a husband in the 1950s. Ideas included everything from crying softly in a corner to painting your phone number on your roof for pilots to dial. I couldn’t help wondering what would happen if a modern-day woman decided to try this list out.

I took the article to a writer’s conference and invited others to help me brainstorm. Peter Leavell, being a history professor, was particularly intrigued by the suggestion of carrying a hatbox around. He said, “Ooh…a hatbox.” To which I responded, “Only you, Peter.” And thus I had to make him a character in my book.

The story revolves around Meri Newberg being the last of her friends to get married, which means she inherited her best friend’s magazine list at her wedding. Meri’s then forced to move into her brother’s house since she’d been roommates with her best friend, but she’s in a funk and feeling like a failure.

Kai Kamaka, her brother’s roommate, is a cameraman for the local news and has no ambition to get married, but he does want to get hired to work on a local television show for which he needs a demo reel. He sees Meri’s list as an opportunity to start a YouTube show and thus make a name for himself. He’s the last man she’s looking for, but as he films “Meri Me” and becomes her new best friend, she starts to wonder if he would ever change.

My author friends and I couldn’t help laughing as we plotted, which is how I knew the book was going to be a romantic comedy, but I also wanted it to have a strong message about healthy relationships.

I’d just recently read a self-help book called The Emotionally Destructive Relationship by Leslie Vernick, which talks about seven heart issues that create dysfunction. One of those issues is laziness. This is something I’ve seen many women deal with in our society—they have husbands who don’t want to get up off the couch to help out. The men are likable and have redeeming qualities that made their wife fall in love with them, but the wife didn’t realize how hard their marriage is going to be when she has to do all the work. I wanted to offer some insight to women dealing with this since you don’t see lazy heroes in most books.

Enter Kai. He’s lazy but lovable. One of my pre-readers even labeled him in their “top five” list of heroes, while another one said, “He’s perfect because he’s different.” My publisher was actually worried about this at first. They made me give him more redeeming qualities in the beginning so readers wouldn’t be disgusted and put the book down. Apparently, it worked.

The story practically wrote itself. And the end is what one endorser calls, “Better than an easy happily-ever-after.”

Life can be happy even when it’s not easy. Really, it’s all the characters’ challenging and embarrassing moments that make the story fun for us. Then seeing them overcome their challenges can help us overcome our own.

My own challenge is that I was diagnosed with cancer before I sold this book to a publisher. Through my chemotherapy, I didn’t have the energy to write anything new, so I thought about this book. I imagined the different scenes and dreamed of the opportunity to share it with you. The fact that you are reading this article means my dream is coming true.

I’m also cancer free now, though I did have to go in for another surgery recently. Thankfully, my husband is taking good care of me. Had I ever actually held my own husband auditions, he would have been the clear winner.

~*~
Author Bio:

Angela Ruth Strong sold her first Christian romance novel in 2009 then quit writing romance when her husband left her. 

Ten years later, God has shown her the true meaning of love, and there's nothing else she'd rather write about.

Her books have since earned Top Pick in Romantic Times, won the Cascade Award, and been Amazon best-sellers. Her book Finding Love in Big Sky just filmed on location in Montana and will air soon. She also writes nonfiction for SpiritLed Woman.

To help aspiring authors, Angela started IDAhope Writers where she lives in Idaho, and she teaches as an expert online at Write That Book.

~*~

Blurb for Husband Auditions:

How far would you go to find the perfect husband? All the way back to the 1950s?

In a world full of happily-ever-after love, Meri Newberg feels like the last young woman on the planet to be single, at least in her Christian friend group. So when she's handed a strange present at the latest wedding—a 1950s magazine article of "ways to get a husband"—she decides there's nothing to lose by trying out its advice. After all, she can't get any more single, can she?

Her brother's roommate sees the whole thing as a great opportunity. Not to fall in love—Kai Kamaka has no interest in the effort a serious relationship takes. No, this is a career jump start. He talks Meri into letting him film every silly husband-catching attempt for a new online show. If it goes viral, his career as a cameraman will be made.

When Meri Me debuts, it's an instant hit. People love watching her lasso men on street corners, drop handkerchiefs for unsuspecting potential beaus, and otherwise embarrass herself in pursuit of true love. But the longer this game goes on, the less sure Kai is that he wants Meri to snag anyone but him. The only problem is that he may not be the kind of husband material she's looking for . . .

With droll comic timing, unbeatable chemistry, and a zany but relatable cast of characters, Angela Ruth Strong has created a heartfelt look at the reality of modern Christian dating that readers will both resonate with and fall for.

~*~

Buy Angela's book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

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Connect with Angela:
Website: www.angelaruthstrong.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1557213161269220
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ang_strong/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AngelaRStrong
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/angela-ruth-strong
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4746114.Angela_Ruth_Strong

12 Days of Christmas Book Giveaways: Angela Ruth Strong's Christmas story

Let's welcome my author friend Angela Ruth Strong to the blog!

She's agreed to give away ONE e-book of her Christmas story Finding Love in Big Sky, Montana.

Meet Angela:

Author Bio:

Angela Ruth Strong sold her first Christian romance novel in 2009 then quit writing romance when her husband left her. 

Ten years later, God has shown her the true meaning of love, and there's nothing else she'd rather write about. 

Her books have since earned TOP PICK in Romantic Times, been optioned for film, won the Cascade Award, and been Amazon bestsellers. 

She also writes non-fiction for SpiritLed Woman. To help aspiring authors, she started IDAhope Writers where she lives in Idaho, and she teaches as an expert online at WRITE THAT BOOK.

~*~
Here's the blurb and cover for Angela's book:

Bright Star Ranch led him to her — but will he stay?

Josh Lake is forced to head home for the holidays after he’s suspended from his job in the city, but running into Paisley Sheridan could be exactly what he needed. 

Not only does she board him at her ranch in exchange for his advertising expertise, but spending the Christmas season with her in Big Sky, Montana, brings more joy than he’s felt in a long while. Is he willing to give up the lavish lifestyle he’s worked for in exchange for the gift of love?

The last thing Paisley wants for Christmas is to spend time with Josh Lake — the guy who broke her heart in high school — but until her bank loan goes through, she has to take all the free help she can get. Unfortunately, Josh seems to want back in her life again, and the town’s quirky coffee shop owners don’t help by hanging mistletoe at every opportunity. 

Will Paisley succeed in driving him away, or will she find the healing needed to have hope for a future together?

~*~

Connect with Angela:

Website - www.angelaruthstrong.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1557213161269220/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ang_strong/ 

Twitter - https://twitter.com/AngelaRStrong

BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/angela-ruth-strong

~*~
Enter this e-book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN Angela Ruth Strong's book (Finding Love in Big Sky, Montana), by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below:

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Angela Ruth Strong's BOOK birthday and the inside scoop about her stories

Welcome my dear friend Angela Ruth Strong to the blog today!

She's here to share her thoughts on the story behind her "Finding Love" series of books.

This is a special day for Angela because it's the official release date of her latest book in the series, "Finding Love in Eureka, California"! So please wish her a "Happy BOOK birthday" in the comment section after you read her guest post.

God bless you! 

~*~

Four Weddings and a Symbol
A guest post by Angela Ruth Strong

When I first started writing Finding Love in Sun Valley, I didn’t want to preach a sermon on getting saved. I wanted to create characters who were already Christians and who learned to make better decisions for their lives by reading the Bible. With this goal in mind, I basically integrated a Bible study on water into the novel.

Unexpectedly, the book became the first in a series, and with every sequel, I picked another part of nature to study. It took me deeper into the Word so that the sermon was preached to me. In case you haven’t read my books yet, I’ll sum the messages up for you.

Finding Love in Sun Valley—Water. God hovered over the water on the very first day of creation. As water is essential for life, it plays a big part in Bible stories from floods to fishing to healing to baptism. Ultimately, my characters learn to trust God for living water. And they are drawn together by God’s call to “come to the water.”

Finding Love in Big Sky—Stars. Being a Christmas story, the star was an easy choice. The setting is even at Bright Star Ranch, and the movie producer who is developing this book for film, has retitled it Bright Star Christmas. In this one, I shared the idea that God leads us all the same way he led the Wise Men to baby Jesus. The symbolism here is about how precious we are to Him. Like stars in the sky that God calls all by name.

Finding Love in Park City—Mountains. Park City hosted part of the 2002 Olympics above Salt Lake City because of its majestic mountains, so it’s the perfect setting for my characters to overcome the figurative mountains in their lives. It’s also the perfect place for God to “meet” them as He does on so many occasions in the Bible. It’s through CJ’s love of her son that she sees how much God must really love us to sacrifice His own son on a mountain.

Finding Love in Eureka—Trees. Oh man. This one rocked me. I read every verse in the Bible on trees and made a connection I’d never made before. In the beginning, we are cursed and lose access to the Tree of Life. In the end, we are given the Tree of Life once again. All because in the middle, Jesus died on a tree and took our curse upon himself. This connection is especially powerful for my heroine who stops reading the Bible when she gets to the part about children being cursed for the sins of their fathers up to four generations. She doesn’t think this is fair to either her or the adopted siblings in her family tree, but eventually, she seeks understanding. Being set in the Redwood Forest made this lesson of redemption even more real for her.

Though I consider Eureka to be my “least Christian” novel, it has the strongest message for Christ. It humbled me and made me fall in love with my savior all over again. And that’s really why I write Christian romance. To show that a romance can’t be a love story if God is not involved because God is love.

So though I started out not wanting to preach on salvation, every wedding I ever write about will be a symbol of how God is the bridegroom and we are the bride. My characters may live happily-ever-after, but only because we get to live happily FOREVER after. And that’s worth writing about.

~*~
Author Bio: 

Angela lives in Idaho with her hubby and teenagers. 

She also works at an airline and teaches yoga because she'd rather get paid for her hobbies than actually work. 

That doesn't mean writing is easy, but her readers are worth it. She's got a lot more fun stuff headed your way, so check it out at www.angelaruthstrong.com.

~*~
Blurb for Finding Love in Eureka, California: Raised in a family of six adopted siblings, Genevieve Wilson fights to keep her dysfunctional brothers and sisters together, but everyone still seems to leave. 

If she’s not good enough to prevent her birth parents or siblings from abandoning her, then there’s no way she would ever be enough to have a lasting relationship with the successful pilot from work…which is exactly what makes him a safe subject for her daydreams.

Matt Lake is dating the perfect woman and working a great job. Life is easy until he starts to enjoy hanging out with the airline employees more than with his girlfriend—one redhead in particular. He tells himself he’s only intrigued by Gen’s quirkiness, but nobody else makes him smile the way she does.

Can Matt give up the flawless life he’d planned in exchange for the messiness of love? And if so, will Gen risk her heart on reality when it’s never paid off in the past?

~*~

Buy Angela's book on Amazon

Summer Love: Book Review and Excerpt from "Finding Love in Seaside"

Welcome my writer friend Angela Ruth Strong to the blog! She's here to share an excerpt from her story "Finding Love in Seaside". It is the fourth and final story in a story collection called, Finding Love at the Oregon Coast: A Romantic Novella Collection.

"Finding Love in Seaside" story blurb: Christina plans to spend her honeymoon alone, but when the bed and breakfast owner offers her a position as cook, she starts to feel at home in his kitchen…and in his arms.

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My Review of “Finding Love in Seaside” by Angela Ruth Strong: I truly enjoyed this story by Angela Ruth Strong. I loved how she told the story of another Lake brother who was featured in her other Finding Love stories. 

Dave Lake is the hero of Finding Love in Seaside. His story is one of unexpected surprises and answers to prayer…both which show up in the form of Christina Lovejoy (the heroine). Christina walks into Dave’s life after she walks away from the man she was going to marry on their wedding day. She’s there for her honeymoon, without a husband. Their meet-cute is awkward, adventuresome and amazing all at the same time. The author knows how to tell a story! She draws the reader in from the start and keeps their attention until the end. The author’s storytelling style makes the readers care about the characters who are completely captivating! The structure of this story is solid and the scenes come alive on the page.

My favorite line from this story is from Dave after a trust exercise in which he asked Christina to fall back into his arms. Here's the line that touched my heart: “You knew in your head I was going to catch you,” he said in her ear, “but you didn’t feel safe in your heart until you’d experienced me catching you multiple times. It’s the same way with God. The more we let Him catch us, the more our hearts trust Him.” Ultimately this story, though fictional, teaches a real-life lesson about learning to trust God.

I loved every moment of these characters’ lives and would recommend this entire collection of stories "Finding Love at the Oregon Coast", to every woman who is a romantic at heart.

~*~
Excerpt from Chapter One of "Finding Love in Seaside" by Angela Ruth Strong:

Christina never imagined she’d be going on her honeymoon alone.

She faced the massive, yellow, Victorian home nestled on a cliff above an ocean and took a deep breath of salty air. She hitched the full tulle skirt of her wedding dress and climbed the steps to let herself through the solid front door.

The entryway was as dark as the exterior was bright. Christina squinted to see in the drastic lighting change. Everything from the floor to the walls to the ceiling was made of wood, everything except the brick fireplace. It gave the room a manly feel despite the antique furnishing and Oriental rug. Was the place run by a man or a woman? And where were they? It was incredibly quiet except for some kind of dripping sound. And footsteps pounding overhead.

“Hello?” She called.

A man raced down the stairs. He barely glanced her direction before charging to a roll top desk and grabbing a phone. He dialed then ran a hand over his head while waiting for someone to answer. She could hear the ringing on the other end.

Maybe the man hadn’t seen her. The room was pretty dark.

She waited for him to slam the phone down before speaking again. “Hi, I think I’m a little early for check-in time.” Maybe that was the problem. He wasn’t ready for her arrival.

His gaze flicked her way. He was average height with light brown hair and hazel eyes, but with over average confidence that somehow made his ordinary appearance an asset. Like he would have been picked to run CIA operations since he could blend into a crowd so well.

He looked past her out the front window. Why was he ignoring her? What was wrong? With his bizarre behavior and the dark room, she was starting to get a little creeped out. She reached for the light switch and flipped it up.

“No!” He held out his hands and sprinted from behind the desk to stop her.

What was the big deal? Something strange was going on.

A zapping sound came from overhead. She startled, looking up. Lightbulbs popped on then flickered. Sparks flew. The huge, brass light fixture dropped from the ceiling and swung from a cord. It was like she’d stepped into the Twilight Zone. And she’d thought her day couldn’t get any worse.

The man dove for the light switch and flipped it off as if that might prevent the chandelier from tugging at the frayed cord until it snapped. Too late. Glass and metal crashed to the floor, splashing water across the room.

Where had the water come from? Christina wiped a droplet from her face and squinted toward the spot the chandelier had landed. The large dark circle on the rug was actually a puddle. And the dripping sound she’d heard had come from a small waterfall now pouring out the hole in the ceiling.

She gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. She’d walked in on the man trying to fix a leak, and she’d made it worse by involving electricity.

“I’m going to need some help.” The man grunted. “Where’s your husband?”

Oh no. She’d helped destroy his front room, and she alone was going to have to help him fix it. Her eyes started to experience a leak of their own. She blinked away tears and lowered her hands to whisper. “I didn’t get married.”

The edges of his lips curved up like he wanted to laugh. He didn’t, but she still felt the judgement. Or was she just being sensitive? It didn’t really matter what this stranger thought. She was going to be fine. Eventually. For now, she’d pretend.

She straightened like a soldier. “What can I do to help?”

The man snapped into action, digging around inside the desk until he came out with a flashlight. “I need to find the shut-off valve for the water. I have an idea where it is, but I’m not going to know when it’s off. You go upstairs to the bathroom down the hall on your left, and when the water stops squirting out from under the sink, yell down to me to let me know.”

She could do that. She couldn’t handle any more thoughts of her bleak future or her father’s disappointment or the loneliness without Mom, but she could yell when the water shut off. She nodded, lifted her skirt, and ran up the stairs, relieved the guy hadn’t gotten angry at her. Because then she would really have lost it.

Steam poured from the bathroom door like she was dealing with a volcanic geyser rather than a busted pipe. She surveyed the problem and squatted down to get a better look at the spot underneath the sink from where water spurted. It truly was a pretty bathroom. She’d never seen a claw foot tub in real life before. And those octagonal white tiles on the floor looked to be authentic for the time period. Would they have to be ripped out to repair the water damage? At least that part wouldn’t be her fault.

The stream of water sputtered. Slowed to a trickle. Dried up.

“It’s off,” she called. Could the manager hear her? The place was huge and she didn’t know exactly where he’d gone.

She listened for a response. Nothing.

She eyed the pipes one more time. They were still off, but if the manager didn’t know he’d succeeded in his endeavor, he might keep turning knobs and get it started again. She gathered her skirt to head down the staircase like a character from Gone with the Wind. She wished she’d changed before leaving the wedding. The bed and breakfast manager hadn’t said anything about her being a runaway bride, but he seemed to find it amusing. She was like the punchline in a cruel joke.

~*~

Author bio:

Angela Ruth Strong studied journalism at the University of Oregon and published her first novel, Love Finds You in Sun Valley, Idaho, in 2010. With movie producers interested in her book, she's decided to re-release it and write sequels as a new series titled Resort to Love. 

This Idaho Top Author and Cascade Award winner also started IDAhopeWriters to encourage other aspiring authors, and she's excited to announce the sale of her first romantic suspense novel to Love Inspired Suspense. Presumed Dead releases in February. 

She currently lives in Idaho with her husband and three teenagers where she teaches yoga and works as a ticket agent for an airline when not writing. 

~*~ 

Buy Angela's book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

~*~

Connect with Angela:

Website - www.angelaruthstrong.com
GoodReads - http://bit.ly/2ggIUfn
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1557213161269220/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/AngelaRStrong

~*~

Enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of this book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below: SaveSaveSaveSave

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Spring into Love: Angela Ruth Strong

Finding Love in My Own Life Story

A personal essay by Angela Ruth Strong

Last night a friend said, “I finished your novel. Talk about autobiographical.”

She’s right. There’s so much of me in Finding Love in Park City that I was afraid if people didn’t like the book, then it meant they wouldn’t like me. So far that hasn’t happened.

My friend asked, “Was it hard putting it into words?”

Enough time had passed since my personal experience with divorce that I’d made peace with the pain, so writing about it didn’t hurt, but I found it eye-opening to see how the story affected others. When my critique partners commented on my character, it gave me new insight into my own life. For example, after “the other woman” in my story made derogatory comments, my first reader said, “Your main character has to know that’s not true.”

Oh. I thought back to my own experience where “the other woman” had said those exact words verbatim. In my head, I’d known it wasn’t true, but the words still hurt my heart as if I believed them. Hearing it considered crazy talk from an outside source was very validating.

Then there was the, “Wow, your main character is really insecure,” which eventually became, “Oh, no wonder she’s insecure!”

Yes, I had these same insecurities, but I had them for a reason. Such a critique made me feel understood. Because this wasn’t a friend trying to reassure me as my friends all had, this was an unbiased opinion of a character my critique partner didn’t know actually existed.

I have to admit, my favorite comment so far has come from my mom. “I’m reading Finding Love in Park City right now, and I really like Sam. He’s such a great hero… Did you base him on Jim?”

Yes, Sam is based on my husband. And he really is a great hero. You guys, my husband puts great heroes to shame. He is the reason I write romance again.

Pictured above: The author (Angela Ruth Strong) and her husband Jim
danced together on their Wedding Day

I want to offer hope that love like this really exists because it’s hard to believe when the person you love is abusing you, and we all know someone who has been through—or is going through—this. Sadly, abuse is often misunderstood, and the church doesn’t always know how to help. I’d like to think my words can make a difference. I’m honored that at least one reviewer has thought so too: “This is the first book to speak so clearly about the effects of verbal abuse on a marriage and family in romantic fiction I've read.”

Back when I was in the midst of my divorce, I went to a prayer room where women prayed over me. They didn’t know anything about me, but one woman said, “This isn’t the end of your story.” She had no idea I was a writer or that I would literally write a happy ending to my tale, but it was the best advice she could have given.

I am grateful for everything I’ve learned. I’m grateful for where I am now. And I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my story with you.

~*~
Author bio: 

Angela Ruth Strong studied journalism at the University of Oregon and published her first novel, Love Finds You in Sun Valley, Idaho, in 2010. With movie producers interested in her book, she's rereleased it as part of a new series titled Resort to Love, and she's excited to be writing for Love Inspired Suspense, as well. 

This Idaho Top Author and Cascade Award winner also started IDAhope Writers to encourage other aspiring authors. 

She currently lives in Idaho with her husband and three teenagers where she teaches yoga and works as a ticket agent for an airline when not writing. 

Find out more at www.angelaruthstrong.com or become an insider by joining her Facebook fan group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1557213161269220/.

~*~
Book blurb for Finding Love in Park City, Utah: 

C.J. Lancaster’s job as a tabloid journalist takes her to the Sundance Film Festival to interview an actress. She tries to charm her way past the movie star’s youngest brother-in-law, Sam, and somehow ends up on an “undate” with him. If C.J. were ready to date, the fun-loving veteran would be her first choice, but since she’s still healing from her ex-husband’s affair, she knows it will be safer if she scares her new “friendboy” away.

Sam Lake is intrigued—he’s never had to pursue a woman, and he can’t get C.J. out of his mind. Whether it’s how she likes to eat ice cream in winter or the way she gets his nieces and nephews to gang up on him in a snowball fight, he feels more at home with her than his oversized family. But when his own issues arise, he realizes C.J. might be right about avoiding a relationship with him.

Can the two of them overcome the emotional mountains in their lives, or will they remain a “noncouple” forever?

~*~
Buy Angela's book: Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble

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*Only United States Residents may enter this book giveaway contest for their chance to WIN a copy of this book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below:

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A Prelude to Christmas: Angela Ruth Strong's holiday romance in Montana

Welcome a dear friend of mine, Angela Ruth Strong, to the blog today. She's written a holiday romance that takes place in Big Sky, Montana and it's beautiful! :) The story is called Finding Love in Big Sky, MONTANA.

Here's the blurb for Angela's book:

Bright Star Ranch led him to her--but will he stay?

Josh Lake is forced to head home for the holidays after he’s suspended from his job in the city, but running into Paisley Sheridan could be exactly what he needed. Not only does she board him at her ranch in exchange for his advertising expertise, but spending the Christmas season with her in Big Sky, Montana, brings more joy than he’s felt in a long while. Is he willing to give up the lavish lifestyle he’s worked for in exchange for the gift of love?

The last thing Paisley wants for Christmas is to spend time with Josh Lake—the guy who broke her heart in high school—but until her bank loan goes through, she has to take all the free help she can get. Unfortunately, Josh seems to want back in her life again, and the town’s quirky coffee shop owners don’t help by hanging mistletoe at every opportunity. 

Will Paisley succeed in driving him away, or will she find the healing needed to have hope for a future together?

Enter this book giveaway contest by filling out the Rafflecopter widget for your chance to WIN a copy of Angela's book: 

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Join me today as I interview the hero of Angela's story, Josh Lake. This is a "character interview". 
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Character Interview with Josh Lake from Finding Love in Big Sky, Montana:

Alexis: Dear Josh, It was so hard to choose to interview either you or the heroine of this story, Paisley. But I find you especially intriguing so I'm excited to interview you!

Josh: Thanks for picking me. Paisley answered questions for another interview, so I’m glad I get to share here.

Alexis: What is it about Bright Star Ranch that you love (besides Paisley Sheridan)?

Josh: It’s beautiful and peaceful, and it reminds me of my youth when life was simple and I hadn’t yet lost my swagger.

Alexis: You planned to visit the ranch short-term but you stayed long-term. Why?

Josh: I’d worked so hard for success in Chicago, and when I finally got everything I wanted, it didn’t satisfy. It was all about me. Paisley is passionate about making a difference in the world, and I want to be more like her.

Alexis: Why were you suspended from your job in the city? How did that make you feel at first?

Josh: I’d pitched an advertising campaign to one company and they were about to sign when their competitors came out with the exact same commercials first, which made it look like I had stolen the idea. That wasn’t my fault. But it was my fault that I blew all my money by celebrating my success prematurely so when I was unexpectedly suspended, I had nothing left.

Alexis: I believe that your suspension from your job was God working behind-the-scenes to bring you home to Bright Star Ranch. What do you think? Explain.

Josh: God does that. When we have a dream and overcome all obstacles to reach that dream, God will ask for the dream back. This is our chance to choose the Dream-Giver over the dream. It’s hard and it hurts, but I can promise if you chose the Dream-Giver, He will give you an even bigger dream in return.

Alexis: Josh, you are clearly a swoon-worthy character (I speak for most female readers of your story) but you also seem down-to-earth and dedicated to the greater good. Is there anything about your upbringing that made you such a good man? Share details.

Josh: Hey, thanks. As you can see in my previous answers, I’ve been selfish and made some foolish mistakes, but coming back to my roots reminds me of how I was raised in a big family on a Christmas tree farm where we learned to work hard and value relationships. Being the middle child, I often erred on the side of trying to charm people to like me. Having Paisley dislike me so strongly really challenged my self-worth but also forced me to question my identity in a healthy way.

Alexis: Are you a man of faith? If so, how does your faith in God impact the way you live?

Josh: Yes, I was raised to believe in God, but for a long time, I’d been living my own way rather than His. I guess I was afraid He would get in the way of my dreams. And guess what—He did. But only because He had something better for me.

Alexis: What is it about Paisley Sheridan that tugs at your heartstrings? She’s clearly a wonderful woman and I can see why a man like you would be drawn to her, but please do share in your own words why you love Paisley. 

Josh: She’s tough yet vulnerable at the same time. She’s been hurt, but it’s only made her stronger. I want to protect her, but there’s no way she would let me. In fact, she’s rescued me more than once. Also, she looks good in heels, but she’s more likely to throw them in anger than wear them to a Christmas party.

Alexis: The love that you and Paisley share is something that single ladies in the real world dream of! But your road to romance was not easy. Why do you think that it took time for you to win Paisley’s heart?

Josh: Paisley’s heart had been hardened toward me for a reason I didn’t understand. It was especially hard to understand when we had such a strong connection. It’s like she was motioning me toward her with one hand while holding me back with the other. I think we all do that more than we realize. We want to be loved, but we are afraid of the risk. This is why we must first accept God’s love. If God is enough for us, then we know we will be okay if others reject us the way we fear they might.

Alexis: What were your first thoughts when Paisley offered you free room and board at her ranch in exchange for your advertising expertise?

Josh: I was shocked. She’d been trying to get rid of me up to that point. It showed me how much she cared about her ranch, and it made me want to be part of something that meant so much. At that point in our story, I wanted to kill time until I could get back to Chicago, I wanted to avoid confessing my failures to my brothers back home, and I also wanted to get her to like me so I could like myself a little more.

Alexis: When your boss offered you a chance to return to your job and lavish lifestyle, why didn’t you?

Josh: I realized Paisley was what I’d been looking for all along.

Alexis: The town’s coffee shop owners hung mistletoe every chance they got. Were you scared of meeting Paisley under the mistletoe by accident or even on purpose? Why or why not?

Josh: I liked flirting with her. And I’d made it pretty clear I wanted to kiss her. She turned me down every time though, and I wasn’t interested in facing the rejection in public. I know Dot and Annabel had good intentions with the mistletoe, but Paisley needed to decide to kiss me on her own.

Alexis: What is it about Christmastime in Big Sky, Montana that warms your heart?

Josh: Jingle bells. Dashing through the snow. Bright stars. Evergreen trees. Giant fireplaces. And, of course, hot chocolate at the Coffee Cottage.

Alexis: What is it about your relationship with Paisley that helped you both find healing and hope for the future?

Josh: I had to learn that I couldn’t “pitch” myself like an advertising campaign to get people to love me. Paisley was the opposite. She was afraid to offer anything because she didn’t think she was worth being accepted. We learned the truth through the gift of Christmas and through each other.

Alexis: What relationship advice do you have for us single ladies at Christmastime, Josh?

Josh: I can set you up with my little brother Sam. Just kidding. He’ll probably be single forever. My actual advice is this: Give. Rather than focus on what you don’t have this holiday season, focus on what you do have. Santa may not have left you a diamond ring, but God has given you many other gifts. And you have a lot to offer. When you give to the less fortunate, you will never feel so blessed and loved.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview! It was a delight to spend time with you! Would you like to share closing thoughts?

Josh: Thanks, Alexis. It’s been a delight.

~*~
Author bio:

Angela Ruth Strong studied journalism at the University of Oregon and published her first novel, Love Finds You in Sun Valley, Idaho, in 2010. With movie producers interested in her book, she's decided to rerelease it and write sequels as a new series titled Resort to Love. 

This Idaho Top Author and Cascade Award winner also started IDAhope Writers to encourage other aspiring authors, and she's excited to announce the sale of her first romantic suspense novel to Love Inspired Suspense. Presumed Dead releases in February. 

She currently lives in Idaho with her husband and three teenagers where she teaches yoga and works as a ticket agent for an airline when not writing.

~*~

Buy Angela's book:
Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble 

~*~
Connect with Angela:
Website - www.angelaruthstrong.com
GoodReads - http://bit.ly/2ggIUfn
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1557213161269220/

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Words of Faith: Angela's story of restoration and a gift from God

Faith, Hope, and Romance
A Words of Faith story written by Angela Ruth Strong

I write Christian romance, and I’ve been ridiculed for it. “Christians shouldn’t read romance. Christians should read about things that matter—like politics.” I felt a little sorry for the guy’s wife, but I also considered the validity of his claim.

See, I’d sold my first novel only a few months before my ex-husband left me. I had to finish writing the love story as my own marriage fell apart. Romance seemed like a fairytale, a myth, a lie. I couldn’t write about it anymore. When my agent called to say she was changing agencies and would be specifically focusing on romance, I decided to part ways.

I decided to write a really fun middle-grade series. I published an edgy book about the daughter of a pastor who couldn’t forgive her dad for running off with the church secretary until she fell in love with her own pastor. I submitted a non-fiction proposal titled The Other Woman Never Wins.

But then I met Jim.

Jim told me I was a gift from God. I didn’t have the faith to say it in return at first.

See, I’d been at a writer’s conference the week my ex started his affair. I didn’t know about the affair at the time, but at the writer’s conference I’d been reading Psalms where David says, “God, you are my all.” So I wrote in my prayer journal, “God you are my all.” Then I thought, “Is that really true?” And I remembered where David said, “Test me.” So I cried and wrote, “Test me.” Later than night, I tried to renegotiate with God. “Hey, God. When I said test me, that doesn’t include my family. Please leave my family alone.” But I came home to a husband who wanted a divorce.

I don’t believe God was saying, “You want a test, I’ll give you a test.” He was preparing me by saying, “You know I’m your all, Angela. You know you can put your faith in me.”

But still. That was in my head when my divorce got as messy as divorce can get. There was a lot I didn’t handle well. I certainly didn’t feel like I’d passed any test.

So when Jim said, “You are a gift from God.” I was subconsciously believing, “I HOPE you’re a gift from God. But I don’t feel like I deserve you, and God might take you away from me, too, so I can’t get too attached.”

Until one day I was jogging and praying and suddenly remembered the verse, “Every good and perfect gift is from above" (James 1:17). And I thought about what a good man Jim was. And I thought about how gifts don’t have to be earned. They are just given.

I raced home to look up every verse I could that included the word “good.”

First verse: Taste and see that the Lord is good. ~Psalm 34:8 (NIV)

Last verse: Now you have tasted and seen that the Lord is good. ~1 Peter 2:3 (NIV)

I called Jim sobbing. “You’re a gift from God. You’re a gift from God.”

We got married. 

Angela and her husband Jim on their wedding day.

Most romantic proposal and wedding ever, but that’s another story. I’m not going to say we are living happily-ever-after because life is life, and we’ve got blended family issues and health issues and money issues and my dented minivan is at Les Schwab with a flat tire right now. But through it all, I AM happy. Because I have faith in a God who loved me enough to give me a second chance.

When I tell this story, people tear up. Because this is what we all want. It’s why Jesus came to earth. Why he died. It’s the whole faith message.

We love because He first loved us.

Now that’s romance. And there’s nothing else I would rather write about.

Love changed my life. This same love can change the world. And I’m going to shout it from the mountain tops. Or, you know, write about finding love for Mountain Brook Ink.

I write Christian romance, and I know from experience that it DOES matter.

~*~

Author bio: 

Angela Ruth Strong studied journalism at the University of Oregon and published her first novel, Love Finds You in Sun Valley, Idaho, in 2010. With movie producers interested in her book, she's decided to rerelease it and write sequels as a new series titled Resort to Love. 

This Idaho Top Author and Cascade Award winner also started IDAhope Writers to encourage other aspiring authors, and she's excited to announce the sale of her first romantic suspense novel to Love Inspired Suspense.

For the latest news or to contact Angela, visit www.angelaruthstrong.com.

Love is in the Air: Romance, Writing and Believing in Love Again

If you've ever suffered from a broken heart and wonder how you could ever love someone again, today's guest post is for you.

First featured on my blog in February when she shared her real-life romance fairy tale called "My Hero," originally written for my True Love Stories series which took place for the entire month featuring one true love story of a real-life couple every day, Angela Ruth Strong is here again. Only this time, as a guest for my new "Love is in the Air" blog series!

Today, Angela will show you that it is possible to recover from your broken heart. She will testify about how God, who IS Love, never gives up on you even when you've given up on yourself.

Enjoy visiting with Angela! :)

~*~
Romance, Writing and Believing in Love Again
A guest post written by Angela Ruth Strong

I grew up reading romance novels. Everything from young adult books to my mom’s favorite author Debbie Macomber. So it was pretty natural for me to start writing romance. I sold my first one to the Love Finds You series. I’d never been happier.

Until my husband left me. And I had to finish writing the love story as my own marriage fell apart.

I was never going to write romance again. How could I spend my time making up characters who fell in love and got married? Attending weddings as a divorced woman was hard enough. I even ended my relationship with my agent because she wanted to focus solely on selling romance novels.

But then I met this man named Jim Strong. He loved me like I’d never been loved before. And I’m not talking romance. I’m talking about respect. Understanding. Patience. Acceptance.

It changed my life. And I don’t just mean I had somebody to sit next to at church again. I mean I could open up and spill the worst things about myself to try to scare him away, and he would adore me more. I could totally completely freak out about something small and inconsequential, and he would sacrifice himself to make it better. Or I would ignore a really big problem in my life, and he would point it out because he wanted the best for me.

This couldn’t be real, could it? It couldn’t last. It was too good to be true. Just like all those romance novels I’d read.

Even if it was real, I didn’t deserve it. I was damaged goods. I’d had my chance and blown it.

Except it did last. It grew stronger. It was better than any romance novel I’d ever read.

I realized that love is the most powerful thing on the planet. It changes lives. I wanted to share it with the world.

So I’m writing romance again. There’s nothing else I’d rather write. Even when a Christian bookstore owner tells me that Christians shouldn’t read romance. “They should read important things like politics.”

I don’t only feel bad for that man’s wife; I feel bad for him. I feel bad for the broken me who was afraid to believe in the mysterious beauty of two people coming together as one.

Now here I am, ringing figurative wedding bell. Restoring hope. Promising that the most amazing thing about love is that it can’t be earned; it can only be given freely. And when it is, miracles happen.

There is nothing more “Christian” than a love story. We are his bride.

This is the answer our society craves. This was the answer I craved. And I’m an even better writer now that I’ve learned about love the hard way.

“We love because he first loved us.”

Whether you believe in true love or not, you are loved. And writing about love stories is my way of wishing you all your own happily ever after.

~*~
Author bio: 

Angela sold her first story to a national magazine while still in high school and went on to study journalism at the University of Oregon. Her debut novel, Love Finds You in Sun Valley, Idaho released in 2010. 

She started IDAhope Writers to inspire other authors, and she has currently won the Idaho Top Author Award two years in a row. 

Find out more than you ever wanted to know about her at www.angelaruthstrong.com

~*~
Author book info: Angela’s story “False Security” is featured in the series of “three high-stakes novellas of Inspirational Romantic Suspense,” the other two books are written by other authors not featured on my blog here today. 

Here’s the summary for Angela’s story “False Security”:

Alex Pierce needs Laney Winters to help him prove neither of them is responsible for the millions of dollars that went missing after Laney arrested him for bank robbery five years ago. Besides Laney not believing he truly repented in prison, there’s the problem of the real thief trying to kill her and the police department treating her like a dirty cop. With the possibility of another crime being pinned on them, Laney finally teams up with Alex to save her life. If only she could trust him with her heart, as well. 

Buy Angela’s story “False Security” on Amazon.com by following this link to the official book series "Love on the Run" http://amzn.to/1IeUIFn

True Love Stories: My Hero

"I Believe in You and Me" is a song to that comes to mind when I think of today's featured true love story. Whitney Houston sung that song so beautifully on the soundtrack to the movie The Preacher's Wife (1997). It was a classic movie in which Whitney plays the preacher's wife and Denzel Washington plays an angel of God sent for divine intervention. 

The song lyrics talk about how she believes in miracles and God sent her a miracle because the man in her life is a dream come true. Such is the case for Mrs. Angela Ruth Strong. God restored her from heartbreak to happiness. Here's the story...

~*~
My Hero

Angela Ruth Strong's True Love Story

My love story is one of remarriage. So there’s a sad story that comes before this one. But I think like in every romance novel, the darker the black moment, the more powerful the conclusion. My black moment included, and I quote from one of many counseling sessions, “I can’t keep a husband, I can’t get a job, my kids don’t want to be with me, and I’m in trouble with the law.” Thankfully, the ridiculous charges were dropped, my kids became my best friends and I got a job I loved working in the publishing industry. But I still didn’t have a husband.

Enter Jim Strong. Great smile. Sporty. Intelligent. Funny. Loyal. Hard-working. And oh yeah, he could sing. The man of my dreams.

I knew I was in love with him the moment he came home from a softball tournament in Reno with three stuffed bears he’d won for my kids by playing a pitching game at Circus-Circus. Not only did he bring them home, he wore them home in his backpack with their heads poking up behind him like they were in a baby carrier. Plus, he’d been sending me pictures of the bears the whole weekend so I could show the kids. Pics of them buckled into the back of a taxi and sleeping in a drawer with blankets and pillows. *swoon*

But I was scared. Oh, how I was scared. See, right before my ex left, I’d had this talk with God. I’d been reading Psalms and decided to repeat David’s prayer of, “God, you are my all.” But then I thought, “Is this really true?” And I thought about how David had said, “Test me.” So I cried while writing in my prayer journal, “Test me.” And it just so happened that was the same week my ex started his affair.

I knew in my head that God wasn’t saying, “You want a test? I’ll give you a test.” I knew it had been Him preparing me. “You know I’m your all, Angela. You know it.” But I’d still made the connection of telling God to test me with my ex-husband leaving. So whenever Jim said to me, “You’re a gift from God,” I could never say it back. Because what if I hadn’t passed my test yet? What if God was going to take Jim away, too?

It was on a jog where God opened my eyes. And the funny thing was that I’d been praying, “God, open my eyes,” but thinking about something completely different.(God knows how to answer the questions we aren’t smart enough to ask.) He gave me this verse: "Every good and perfect gift is from God"(James 1:17).

Everything about Jim had seemed too good to be true. But if he really was that good, then he would be a gift from God. I ran home and looked up every scripture I could find with the word “good” in it.

First one: Taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8).

Last one: Now you have seen that the Lord is good (1 Peter 2:3).

This was the moment where I finally accepted Jim as a gift from God. I bawled my eyes out. Overwhelmed with gratefulness. Because I really didn’t deserve him. (I’d been in trouble with the law only a year before, remember?) But God gave Jim to me anyway.

He rescued me because he delighted in me. –Psalm 18:19

Jim proposed in a movie theater. I thought we were going to a movie. I had a mouth full of caramel corn when I realized that the preview was really a slideshow of us. And that all the other movie viewers were really friends and family.

We got married in the English garden at my mom’s tea house. Dad did the wedding. My son walked me down the aisle to the song “How He Loves Us.” The kids shot silly string at us when we kissed. Then I hopped on the front of Jim’s decorated knee cart (Achilles surgery—another story) and we rolled away to the sound of a Harley revving its engine. There was also a carriage ride involved. And my daughter’s stuffed rabbit joined us for our first dance. The evening ended with him crooning to me like Michael Buble. “I’m feeling good…”

It was better than a fairytale because it was real life. But the thing about real life is that our tests never end. We still have Achilles issues and the blending of families and the headache of finances. But when I feel like we can’t handle anymore, I remember the lesson I’ve already learned.

God will rescue us because he delights in us. So in knowing that God is the hero of every story...we can all live happily ever after.

~*~

Angela Ruth wrote a book! Here's the book cover and blurb: On shoot in beautiful Sun Valley for her newest film, rising starlet Emily Van Arsdale meets handsome stunt consultant Tracen Lake. Despite their different lifestyles, the adventurous duo shares a bond. As filming wraps up, will Emily be able to leave Sun Valley--and Tracen--behind? 

Buy Angela's book, http://amzn.to/163rDPT

Author bio: Angela Ruth Strong writes romance as well as middle-grade novels. When she's not writing, you can find her teaching aerobics, hanging out with her hubby and three teen/tweens at home in Idaho, or on some new adventure like winning a hamster ball race. She'd love it if you'd drop by to visit her at www.angelaruthstrong.com and share your story with her.