14 Days of Sweet Stories: Christine Lindsay's story "Londonderry Dreaming"

Excerpt from Chapter 6 of Londonderry Dreaming:

Blowing wind and the keening of puffins and other seabirds were the only sounds.

At the bottom of the cliff the ground grew rough where the inlet opened up. Forty thousand, interlocking, basalt columns—the result of ancient volcanic eruptions—stood up from the crashing sea. A handful of tourists scampered from column to column that in all created a small hill.

Keith had eyes only for Naomi, standing with her hands tucked into her jacket pockets, her slender shape in faded jeans, her blond, chin-length hair kissing her cheeks. Without a word, he took her hand to help her climb over the columns to stand on one of the highest and closest to the ocean. Waves spewed upward as the surf surged and swirled around the causeway, and she released his hand to grab hold of him around the waist.

Laughter rippled from her as each wave hissed and lapped at the column.

“You remember the legend?” He wrapped his arms around her, clasping his hands at her back to hold her close.

“About Finn McCool’s fight with the Scottish giant across the sea who hurled an insult at the great Irish warrior?”

“Yeah, that’s the guy. Good old Finn McCool. Then the two giants picked up pieces of rock and started to pelt each other with great hunks of land. Thereby creating this fine piece of landscape we’re standing on. Nothing at all to do with any geological phenomenon.”

She laughed up at him, setting his heart to swell. “No of course not.”

He drew her closer so that his chin grazed her cheek, his voice going husky. He was going to take this moment no matter what. “Who cares about logical, scientific explanations when there’s a romantic legend instead?”

Her hands at the base of his spine opened up and flattened against his back. “There are times when logic should simply be ignored,” she whispered while lowering her lashes. Her eyes fluttered open. “Don’t you think?”

If he moved, lowered his head two inches, their lips would touch. This was what he wanted with all his heart. What he’d anticipated. She stood warm in his arms, her face lifted to his. Just like five years ago. “Do you remember the last time we stood together on this coast?”

“Yes.” Her sea-gray eyes grew wide, her mouth tremulous.

Barely able to breathe, he pulled her closer and bent his head to brush his lips across hers.

At the meeting of their mouths, all thought left him. His heart drummed in rhythm to the pulsing sea around them as her lips moved with his. Though his feet were firmly planted on the column, he felt it as he and Naomi swayed. He caught her closer still, bracing their weight with his stance. A tingle ran along his spine as her hands moved upward along his back, pulling him deeper into her embrace.

Her breath hitched, uneven, like his. A small sigh escaped her when they parted for only a moment. They came together, and he kissed her again, longer, slower.

At last they stood apart, her hands grasping his forearms that held her from him, supporting her. He slowly exhaled, and sunlight danced inside him at the euphoria awash on her face. Her lips parted, her eyes half closed, she swayed again, and he wanted to scoop her up into his arms and lay her down somewhere soft, warm and cozy, and never let her go.

It seemed forever before she spoke. With a little swallow she smiled up at him. “I always did lose my mind when you kissed me.”

His hands moved up her arms to cup her shoulders. “That goes two ways.”

She cleared the huskiness from her throat, but remained quiet. Nor did he feel the desire to talk. At this moment they didn’t need words. If only they could just keep on communicating in this language.

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Author bio:

Irish-born Christine Lindsay is the author of multi-award-winning Christian fiction and non-fiction. Readers describe her writing as gritty yet tender, realistic yet larger than life, with historical detail that collides into the heart of psychological and relationship drama. 

Christine's fictional novels have garnered the ACFW Genesis Award, The Grace Award, Canada’s The Word Guild Award, and was a finalist twice for Readers’ Favorite as well as 2nd place in RWA’s Faith Hope and Love contest.

This author’s non-fiction memoir Finding Sarah Finding Me is the true-life story that started this award-winning career in Christian fiction and non-fiction and speaking ministry. Finding Sarah Finding Me is a must for anyone whose life has been touched by adoption. Christine is currently writing a new fictional series set on the majestic coast of Ireland. 

Subscribe to her newsletter on her website www.christinelindsay.org and follow her Amazon Author Page.

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Blurb for Londonderry Dreaming:

Acclaimed New York artist, Naomi Boyd, and music therapist, Keith Wilson, loved one another five years ago, until her grandfather separated them.

That root of bitterness keeps them apart until a letter from Keith’s grandmother, Ruth, draws Naomi to Londonderry to find she’s too late. Ruth has passed on. After the death of his beloved grandmother, Keith has also come to Londonderry only to open the door to his past . . . Naomi . . . beautiful as ever, the girl who broke his heart.

A mysterious painting in Ruth’s attic brings up questions about their grandparents’ entwined past and their own broken romance. More comfortable with the unspoken languages of art and music, Naomi and Keith find it difficult to share their old hurts and true feelings.

Will the majestic coastline of Northern Ireland inspire them to speak the words to bring peace to their grandparents’ memory and to rekindle love?

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Buy Christine's book:

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ CBD ~ Pelican Book Group

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Connect with Christine: 
Website - http://www.christinelindsay.org
Twitter - https://twitter.com/CLindsayWriter
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/clindsaywriter/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ChristineLindsayWriter
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4767699.Christine_Lindsay

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Watch this fun book trailer about Londonderry Dreaming

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A five-star review of Christine's book by Noela Nancarrow on Amazon.com: 

A Sweet Romance on the Emerald Isle, February 21, 2014
By NoelaN

In ‘Londonderry Dreaming’, author Christine Lindsay sweeps the reader away to the rolling Irish countryside of Londonderry. The scenery throughout the novel is expressively illustrated, easily enabling the reader to visualize the emerald fields dotted with sheep, the ancient stone walls, and the cobblestone streets and winding roads of Northern Ireland. Of course, you can’t travel to Londonderry without viewing the Giant’s Causeway, and in this sweet contemporary romantic novella, Keith and Naomi - the hero and heroine of the story visit the coastal Causeway together, capturing what I thought was a sublimely-written romantic moment in time in the midst of God's majestic sculptures!

Five years ago Keith Wilson and Naomi Doyle were a young couple in love, but to Keith’s shock and subsequent heartbreak, Naomi’s grandfather had suddenly stepped in to whisk her back to the States to assist her in setting up a career as an artist. Naomi felt she had no choice at the time than to break up with Keith. And now five years later she has been called back to Ireland in a letter by Keith’s grandmother, only to discover that she has passed away. Keith and Naomi work together to try and solve the mystery surrounding the curious painting in his Grandmother’s attic and as they do, they are at a loss as what to do with their feelings for each other that have resurfaced – as neither believes their love is reciprocated.

‘Londonderry Dreaming’ is an enjoyable and sweet tale of friendship and forgiveness, of the rekindling of love, and of the importance of communication. It is a journey that takes the reader to both Ireland and the States to rediscover faith in God and in the power of love. And it’s also the story of a wise old grandmother that will not be kept silent, even from the grave! I highly recommend this engaging Irish love story that’s as enchanting with the romance as it is with the mesmerizing visit to the Emerald Isle.

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

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25 Days of Christmas Stories: A Season of Encouragement

Simply wonderful is the message today from our guest Marianne Evans! She's an award-winning author who has a passion for creating "Faith Affirming Fiction" and she's great at encouraging the hearts of her readers.

Marianne's latest release is called Christmas at Tiffany's and it is a true, creative delight! Read more about her book toward the end of this blog post. 

Now Marianne would like to share a short guest post that she wrote with you in mind, hoping to encourage your heart. I hope you will enjoy reading it!

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A Season of Encouragement 

A guest post written by Marianne Evans

My publisher, Pelican Book Group, launched a most encouraging Christmas campaign via Twitter, and I can’t wait to share it with you. Editor in Chief Nicola Martinez encouraged PBG authors to share uplifting quotes, re-tweet them, and give a boost to those who are struggling during this emotionally charged and very busy season.

While I prayed for discernment, while I scoured the Internet and Bible for hope-filled quotes, I considered what an enormous mission field we face at the moment. 

Our world, at the surface level, seems so devoid of Christ’s light and hope. I strive to make it part of my job as a Christian writer, as a missionary and disciple, to let modern culture know that God’s love and joy endures, that Christ lives and breathes in the actions of each one of us. All the same, I become overwhelmed. I cry out in a desert and wish for calm, for peace, for a a ramp-up of simple joys. Even though I know the truth of Christ’s providence, I sometimes become lost in the stress and bustle of the holidays. It’s then that I do my best to pull back, focus within, and remember who I belong to, and what exactly it is I’m celebrating…and honoring.

Christmas isn’t just about a birth. It’s about a promise. It’s about a bridge from brokenness and sin to our Father’s perfection. It’s about redemption and the purest love mankind will ever know resting in a manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes.

I hope this social media exchange provides meaning and light in the face of darkness. Do you crave a helping of Spirit and encouragement? Log on to Twitter and check out #NeverGiveUp and #HaveFaith. If you face challenges that leave you struggling this Christmas season, always remember—in the words of Matthew West—“You are a child of the One True King.”

Read Psalm 16:8, a message filled with hope, that says, "I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken."

Click to Tweet the following links:

Do you crave a helping of encouragement this Christmas?

In the bustle of the season, remember: You’re a child of the One True King

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Author bio:

Marianne Evans is a multi-award-winning author of Christian romance and fiction with over twenty titles to her credit. Her hope is to spread the faith-affirming message of God’s love through the stories He prompts her to create.

Happily married and the mother of two, Marianne is a lifelong resident of Michigan who is active in a number of Romance Writers of America chapters, most notably the Greater Detroit Chapter where she served two terms as President.

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Book blurb for Christmas at Tiffany's:

All she wants for Christmas is her Master’s Degree. All he wants is a one-way plane ticket back to Los Angeles.

Tiffany Zelling’s mission is to become a crisis therapy counselor using specially trained animals as comfort tools. She's focused on reaching the end of her school career, and nothing will stand in her way—not even a fantasy-world attraction to colleague Mitch Alexander. 

After a year as interim Director of East Coast Operations Mitch's tenure has been a resounding success. Now, he’s set to return to California and lay claim to a well-deserved promotion. He can’t wait to leave behind the cold and snowy darkness of Manhattan, but when corporate bullying and a massive snowfall throws him together with Tiffany Zelling, Mitch wonders if heading west is his best future.

As two hearts build a pathway to love, goals shift and evolve. But as Christmas joy and hope move through the streets of New York, critical decisions must be made. Can their lives truly meld? Can Christmas at Tiffany’s be God’s answer…for them both?

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Connect with Marianne:
Website ~ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Amazon ~ Pinterest

Love is in the Air: Author interview with Jan Elder

My Spring 2015 "Love is in the Air" blog series concludes today with an author interview of Jan Elder.

Jan's first book, a novella called Manila Marriage App, released in April and it is a pure delight! A story filled with intrigue, surprises, plot twists and clever lines awaits you because Jan promises to send one copy of her novella to the winner of the book giveaway contest!

Enter the contest by first leaving a comment and your e-mail address in the comment section below this post and then fill out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget.

Meanwhile, enjoy this author interview featuring Jan Elder.

*Words from Alexis in bold, words from Jan Elder not in bold

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Alexis: Congrats on the publication of your first book, Manila Marriage App! What did it take to write it?

Jan: Tenacity! To be a bit more specific, it took a year to write, another few months to have professionally edited (a must if you’re going to attract a publisher) and another year after I received a contract before it was released (April 17, 2015.) Yep. An author learns patience very quickly. Or slowly…as the case may be.

Why did you write Manila Marriage App?

It all started in a little café in Silver Spring, Md. I was meeting with a few other ACFW members (American Christian Fiction Writers) and fellow writer, Carole T., mentioned that Pelican Book Group was searching for authors to write for their Passport to Romance series. What did I do after I hurried home? You got it. I checked it out. Pelican/White Rose publishing has a lovely website with terrific handy-dandy info all about their requirements.

Here’s an excerpt from their website at www.pelicanbookgroup.com/ that shows the requirements for their newest series:

PASSPORT TO ROMANCE

Take a trip and fall in love! Passport to Romance™ titles are contemporary romances set in exotic locations around the world. These stories offer the contemporary Christian reader adventure, vivacity, romance, and faith. Passport to Romance™ features chic heroines who are sparkling, confident, open for adventure—and who are a perfect match for a contemporary alpha male who has a zest for life, a thirst for God, and who likes an intelligent woman who can hold her own.

What was your inspiration for the story?

My single brother. He’d always talked about how difficult it was for a busy missionary man to find a good woman. It would be a great deal easier to just send out an application and choose a mate without all that fuss, muss, and emotion. He was kidding of course, but hey, what if he wasn’t? What if there was a man out there who would have the audacity to advertise for a wife in this day and age?

Shay Callahan is quite a name! Tell us more about your leading lady. What made her want to fill out the Manila Marriage App? What are her greatest dreams and biggest fears? What makes her tick? What makes her heart melt?

Shay was doing just fine, thank you. Just fine. Except she wasn’t. There was no joy in her life, no passion…no close walk with God. What started out as a plan to bring our hero, Timothy Flynn, to his knees, turns into a real adventure for Shay. She yearns for a real relationship where there is deep love and self-sacrifice. She’s just not sure how to get there. She may seem a bit brash, but she has a huge heart and a stifled desire to make a difference in this world. What makes her melt? A man who will love her for who she is and bring out the very best in her.

Dr. Timothy Flynn is the hero of this book who is not very likeable for the first few chapters of your book. Is that how you wanted it to read? Explain. What was your favorite part of creating this character? What did you find most challenging?

Timothy Flynn is a complicated man. To use Shay’s words, he’s a mountain of contradictions cloaked in complexity. What looks to be arrogance on the surface is merely insecurity when it comes to women. He’s sure and confident in his passion for teaching and mentoring students, but at his center, he’s a shy introvert with a fear of getting hurt. So, he approaches marriage the only way he knows how—with his brain rather than his heart.

The best part of creating his character was creative his myriad layers. Taking this seemingly egotistical man and revealing his true personality, one with a heart full of love just waiting for the right woman to share his dreams, took some doing, but I hope you see his true self by the end of the book.

Why did you choose to set your book in the Philippines?

The Pelican Passport to Romance series has over 50 exotic cities to choose from so the defining factor in writing Manila Marriage App was, of course, location, location, location. And since they were taking “open submissions” that meant I didn’t need an agent, a big plus for a new author. In addition, the extra-cool thing was that in each of the countries, the author must sprinkle in three specific items—objects that are completely different for each country. One of the three for the Philippines was a cat and I’m a cat lover from way back. Yippee! How much more perfect could it be?

According to your author bio, you are “A Christian romance writer with a zeal for telling stories other women can relate to.” How long did it take you to realize this was your niche? Share the story of finding your voice as an author.

I’ve heard many writers say there was a pivotal moment in their lives that marked the beginning of their writing career. I know that was the case for me. That joyful (not to mention traumatic) moment occurred on my 50th birthday. My ever-loving husband, Steve, surprised me with a weekend at the Ritz Carlton (yes, I can hear some of you sigh, he is a wonderful husband and I am very blessed!) After the glow from the spa facial wore off, (a facial “created for those on the go, a refreshing treatment including cleansing, mild exfoliation, a facial massage, and moisture infusion”) real life began again, but the desire to write had grown and taken hold deep down in my psyche.

Three months later, I heard about the National Novel Writing Month  (NaNoWriMo), an annual internet-based creative writing project that takes place every November. NaNoWriMo challenges its participants to write 50,000 words with the goal of stimulating those creative juices and keeping writers motivated throughout the process. A group of fledgling writers were meeting at a café fifteen miles from my house, and I decided to give it a try. I only made it to 30,000 words, (okay, okay, it was actually 29,000 something, but thirty thousand sounds so much more impressive) but I was hooked.

And thus began my humble writing career.

I think your goal to write books that strengthen the reader's faith, while also “providing an entertaining and engrossing love story” is quite the goal! How do you think you accomplished that goal in your writing of Manila Marriage App?

I think it’s important that the characters in a book, especially a Christian book, grow and change throughout the story. The hero and heroine we see at the end of the novel should be very different from the people we meet on page one. When one or both of the main characters cry out to God, how does He change the direction of the story? I tried my best to achieve that goal in Manila Marriage App and as the story unfolds, I hope the reader will be pleased and surprised at the character development…and with the way Shay and Timothy discover true love.

Who is your favorite Christian author and which one of their books inspire you the most?

I’m going to go with the amazing, Mr. C.S. Lewis. One of the best gifts I’ve ever received was a Christmas present of The Chronicles of Narnia. I reread them every few years and they never fail to thrill me. And speaking of C.S. Lewis, one of my favorite books of all time is A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanalken, a friend of C.S. Lewis’s. If you haven’t read it, check it out. It’s beautifully written and one of the best love stories of all time. I plan to reread that one again this summer.

Every creative has a muse. What or who is yours?

My husband, Steve, has been a terrific inspiration to me and he urges me on. When I first got serious about writing, he insisted on buying me a new laptop so I could write in style. He also helps me with male dialogue so my manly characters don’t sound feminine!

How does your real faith in God play into your fictional storytelling?

Writing Christian romance was a natural fit for me. I was born again at age five and everything in life centers around God for me. My goal in writing is to shine a light on a particular concept or new way of thinking that might resonate with the reader. Oh yeah, and they have to be fun. I like injecting humor in my stories to up the entertainment factor.

What’s your next work in progress? Can’t wait to read another book written by you!

I just finished writing a contemporary Christmas novella and submitted it to Pelican Book Group in April, 2015. It’s called A Semi-Precious Christmas and starts with a bang—a jewelry store heist in progress. I’m hoping that Pelican decides to publish it, in which case, it should be out this Christmas. It was a great deal of fun to write!

Describe your writing space. What makes it special to you?

I write on my laptop while sitting on the couch in my living room, feet crossed up under me, a cat or two plastered to my side. My husband is generally watching TV while playing on his computer, and we often converse back and forth concerning the show or an article he is reading. In between all of that noise, I come up with plot, characters, and dialogue. I’ve tried writing when it’s quiet, but it doesn’t work as well. Weird, huh?

Complete this sentence: If I could make the perfect cup of coffee, I would make_____________with______________because___________.

If I could make the perfect cup of coffee, I would make a Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino® with skim milk, Splenda, and plenty of whipped cream because there are just some days when you need a good cup of coffee.

Thanks for the interview, Jan! Please leave a question for my readers to answer.

Jan's question: If you could visit any country in the world, what would it be, and why?

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Author bio:

Jan Elder is a Christian romance writer with a zeal for telling stories other women can relate to. She strives to write the kind of book that will strengthen the reader’s faith, while also providing an entertaining and engrossing love story. Pelican Book Group/White Rose is publishing her first novella, Manila Marriage App, one of many in their successful Passport to Romance series.

Besides writing romance, she enjoys the occasional hazelnut cappuccino while watching Turner Classic Movies. Always an avid reader, she devours books voraciously, both Christian and secular. She was born a cat-lover and all future books will, no doubt, feature a feline in some way or another.

Happily married for twelve years to loving (and supportive) husband, Steve, the two live in central Maryland along with Jamie (a tuxedo cat), and Shu-Shu (a tortoiseshell cat). On the weekends, Jan and Steve comb the nearby countryside in search of the perfect ice cream flavor.

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Blurb for Manila Marriage App:

It all began as a lark. 

Shay Callahan’s life was just fine, thank you, but when the seemingly misogynistic missionary, Timothy Flynn, places an advertisement for a wife in a Christian magazine, she decides to give it a whirl and sends in the five-page application. Why not? After all, she’s not currently seeing anyone, and this man truly needs to be taught a lesson.

Finding out she’s Dr. Flynn’s pick of the litter, Shay hops on a plane and flies to The Philippines. The strategy is to jet in, enjoy an exciting two-week vacation, and jet out again, all at his expense. Instead, her plan backfires. The handsome missionary man is not what he seems, and the foreign land has far more to offer than she could imagine.

Embark on a tropical adventure with Shay that challenges everything she believes.

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Buy Jan's book:

Amazon.com - http://amzn.to/1K03ivU

Barnes & Noble - http://bit.ly/1IoJGvF

Christianbook.com - http://bit.ly/1BtoLuu

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Connect with Jan Elder:

Amazon Author Central - http://amzn.to/1d64Upp

Facebook  - https://www.facebook.com/janice.elder.author
Twitter - https://twitter.com/JanElderAuthor

Website  - http://janelderauthor.com/books

Author interview: Zoe M. McCarthy

Who thought true love was worth taking a  "calculated risk"?

The main characters in Zoe M. McCarthy's book Calculated Risk, sure do! :) But the journey of how they realize it's worth a shot is not completed in one day or in this case, one chapter of this Christian fiction book. The journey to finding true love takes time and there are twists and turns in the process, all of which Zoe writes wonderfully well.

I invited Zoe to talk about her book here on my blog today. Enjoy her author interview! :)

*Questions by Alexis in bold, answers from Zoe not in bold...

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Alexis: Your leading lady in your book Calculated Risk is named Cisney. What a unique name! Why did you choose that name? Does it hold special meaning? Please explain.

Zoe: I chose the name Cisney because it was my maternal grandmother’s middle name. I’ve always liked the name and wanted to honor my grandmother.

Cisney is an independent career woman who in the first few pages, is still trying to get over the man her father wanted her to marry. Why did that man dump Cisney? Will she find true love? Or will she never take that “calculated risk”?

I’ve met people who are competent and independent in one setting, such as the workplace, but play a more submissive role in their home life. I’m reminded of the boss, Miranda Priestly, in the movie, The Devil Wears Prada.

Cisney wants to please her father. Jason, the dumper, is much like her overbearing father. She tries to be the kind of woman Jason wants, but it’s just not who she is. Later in the story, Cisney asks Jason the question you posed, Alexis, and she wishes she’d left his reasons to her imagination.

As to, will she find true love? Guaranteed. The genre is contemporary romance, after all.

Your leading man is Nick. What role does he play in Cisney’s life?

In the beginning, he’s the actuary who evaluates Cisney’s marketing ideas to make sure they aren’t financially risky for their insurance company. So, she has to sell her ideas to him and hope he blesses them. In a compassionate moment after he’s present during Jason’s dump-Cisney phone call, he invites her to spend the Thanksgiving weekend with his family. The fun begins and her role starts to change when these two extreme opposite colleagues have to get along during a five-hour drive and a few days together.

Cisney experiences many “mini” crises in this story but perhaps the most serious one was her dad’s heart attack. Explain why you included that in your story. What role does that detail play in the purposes of your storytelling?

You hit the crux of the major subplot with these two questions, Alexis. The bigger than life man who always gets his way is suddenly helpless. This is hard for Cisney to witness. But it allows her to see that her father is just a man and that mere humans, even those with good intentions, cannot play the roles of God’s co-leaders in others’ lives. After seeing that a godly man like Nick is who she’s waited for all her life, she’s finally able to respectfully tell her father that she’ll handle her love life in the future. I used Colossians 2:8 as my scripture for Calculated Risk. “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” (NIV)

I love the romantic ending to your story! Tell my readers about your plotting process. Did this story end the way you originally planned? Or did you characters sort of “surprise” you as you wrote the story?

I’m glad you enjoyed the ending, Alexis. I plot the major events, the disasters and the black moment in my stories. But after developing a good sense of my characters, I allow them to get to those moments and handle them their way. So yes, they often surprise me. What their personalities come up with is so much better than what I might drop into their lives.

Do you have a special place where you go to write your stories? If so, please describe what it looks like and what it means to you.

We built a house on a hill in Southwestern Virginia during the writing of Calculated Risk. Because I planned, and do, treat writing as a nine-to-six job, I knew I’d be spending a lot of time in my office. So as we designed the house, I put much thought into my office. It’s long with wall-to-wall windows that look out on to the mountains and down on Christmas tree fields and farms. I have a gas fireplace at one end to keep me toasty. Two walls are lined with floor to almost ceiling bookcases packed with biographies and novels of all genres, Bibles and Christian studies, and books on the craft of writing. I have a wonderful cherry desk with a big desktop Mac, but I prefer to write on my MacBook Air in my recliner. I always enjoy climbing the stairs to my room to spend time with God and write.

Are you traditionally published or did you go indie? Do you have an agent? Please share the story of your publishing journey.

I’m traditionally published with White Rose an imprint of Pelican Book Group.

When I was eight, I wrote a one-paragraph cowboy story. I’ve been gifted in story ideas and the desire to write them, but I had to learn the craft of writing. Over the years, I stuffed many uncompleted manuscripts under my bed. When my boys were small, I escaped to writing and submitted a completed manuscript to a publisher. Although it was rejected, the time I spent on editing grammar gave me a good base in that area. As a new Christian, to explain difficult Bible passages and teachings to myself, I wrote short stories. I learned to write concisely. I self-published two books of these contemporary short stories. In performing every publishing task myself, I learned much about publishing.

At a writers’ conference, I signed with literary agent Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary Agency. I joined American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), which lead to critique groups, writer email loops and conferences. Christian Fiction Online Magazine published two short stories, one from my self-published books and one later after I found my writer’s voice. I completed four manuscripts. Each rejection was better than the prior one, giving me more helpful feedback and invitations to submit other projects. In a workshop, agent Chip MacGregor said it takes four completed manuscripts to learn to write and usually the fifth gets published. When I heard that, I was working on my fifth book, Calculated Risk!

Is Calculated Risk your first book? If yes, share the story of why you wrote it. 

Calculated Risk is my debut novel.

My husband and I are retired actuaries. We evaluated insurance companies’ financial risks. I wanted to introduce a numbers man from this little known profession as the hero. And the heroine had to be his extreme opposite. Having worked with social, expressive marketing reps, I knew Cisney would be such a woman. A romance between Cisney and Nick was highly improbable. At least at first, because I always hammer this truth: opposites distract before they attract!

What was the most challenging part of writing Calculated Risk?

What was most difficult was letting my writer’s voice come through and allow the characters to be themselves. During the writing of Calculated Risk, I wrote a short story romance, “The Hitchhiker,” which my publisher will release free in an upcoming month. Because I wasn’t writing the story to publish, I had fun expressing the way I wanted to say things. I got inside those characters and let them run. I realized I’d just found my writers voice. Writing Calculated Risk turned into a fun romp.

What is the most rewarding feature of being a published author? 

For me, it’s seeing how God orchestrated every task and learning experience in its proper time to eventually bear fruit in a published piece, whether it is for a few or many readers.

Who is your favorite author and which one of their books do you love the most?

Among my favorites, is Jenny B. Jones. It’s a toss up, but I laughed through Just Between You and Me. I aspire to Jenny’s writing. I enjoyed fifteen minutes with her in a mentor appointment at an ACFW conference.

How does your faith in God play into your writing? Or does it?

Before I became a Christian, I worked on a steamy romance. After I became a Christian, I rewrote the story into an inspirational romance. It was the first of my four rejected books. I saw that God had given me the passion to write, and I committed to write the stories he lays on my heart. He used each of those rejected novels to grow my writing.

Are you working on your next book? If yes, please give my readers a glimpse into the story.

My agent is shopping another contemporary romance with extreme opposite golf caddies. A tall young male caddy standing on a golf course green next to a tiny female caddy inspired this story. She had a long blond ponytail extending from the hole in her pink golf cap. I’m writing another story between extreme opposites. The heroine is a reserved accountant whose husband has recently died, and the hero is her laid-back golf pro brother-in-law.

What advice do you have for aspiring authors?

Treat rejections and critique-partner and contest-judge feedback as the best teachers to grow their writing. And to keep writing and submitting completed manuscripts until that “fifth” one earns a contract.

Complete this sentence: At the end of the day, I am_________________ because ___________________________.

At the end of the day, I am ready to spend time with my husband because I’m attracted to my opposite and he’s taken over the laundry, grocery shopping, and vacuuming so I can write full-time.

Thanks for the interview, Zoe!

~*~
Author bio: 

Zoe M. McCarthy believes the little known fact that opposites distract. Thus, she spins Christian contemporary romances entangling extreme opposites. Her tagline is: Distraction to Attraction, Magnetic Romances Between Opposites. Calculated Risk is Zoe’s debut novel. Christian Fiction Online Magazine published two of her short stories. Zoe enjoys leading workshops on the craft of writing, speaking about her faith, planning fun events for her 5 grandchildren, and exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains, where she lives with her husband, John.

Connect with Zoe: 
http://zoemmccarthy.com

Purchase Zoe's book, Calculated Risk - http://zoemmccarthy.com/books

Author interview *special holiday feature* with Marian P. Merritt

Today I am delighted to share an author interview which is a special holiday feature because the author Marian P. Merritt has written not one but two Christmas books! Marian is a talented author who pays attention to detail as she creates these wonderful story worlds filled with captivating characters and story lines that keep you reading. 

Best of all, Marian would like to giveaway one e-book copy of A Cajun Christmas Miracle and one e-book copy of Deep Freeze Christmas!

You can enter the book giveaway contest by answering Marian's question for my readers which is found at the end of this interview. You must include your e-mail address in your comment in order to be officially entered into the contest because we will need it to contact you if you win in order to make arrangements for you to receive your prize. The contest starts today, Nov. 30 and will end Sunday, Dec. 14. Alexis will choose the two winners via an old-fashioned random drawing and make the announcement on Monday, Dec. 15. 

Now that all the exciting news has been shared, let's continue to the interview with Marian (questions from Alexis in bold, answers from Marian not in bold)...

~*~
Alexis: You have two holiday books: A Cajun Christmas Miracle: A Belle Camellia Novel and Deep Freeze Christmas (a novella). Today we’re going to focus on the latter but first I’d like for you to tell my readers about A Cajun Christmas Miracle.  What is it about?

Marian: It's about Mandy, a single mom of a three-year-old boy who has autism and her struggles when her husband abandons her and their son. She returns to Belle Camellia, the Louisiana Plantation where she was raised with her son. To complicate matters, the high school boyfriend she hasn't really gotten over is next door working with rescue horses. When her son bonds with him and his horses, Mandy has to deal with a lot of emotional baggage.

Why did you write it?

It was simply a story written out of obedience. God directed it and I followed through. Most of my stories have a Colorado/Louisiana connection so the natural progression for this story was to follow that pattern.

What’s the meaning behind the title (who’s Belle Camellia)?

Belle Camellia is the name of the plantation home where Mandy grew up. The home has been in her family for generations. It's common in the South to name great plantation homes.

Finally, what do you hope your readers will remember the most?

I pray that whatever difficulties they have in their life, they'll know the power of forgiveness and that God is a God of second chances and of miracles!

Now let’s talk about Deep Freeze Christmas...

Alexis: The cover to your book looks beautiful and cozy! Who designed it?

Marian: Pelican Book Group's Editor–Nicola Martinez. She designs all of Pelican's covers and does an awesome job. Part of the fun of the Christmas Extravaganza each year is the unveiling of the covers!

Why do you call your book Deep Freeze Christmas?

While not a series, my last Christmas novella was called Southern Fried Christmas and dealt with a woman from Colorado venturing to Louisiana at Christmas. Deep Freeze Christmas is the opposite, a Louisiana chef goes to Colorado for Christmas. I love putting characters in settings that is totally different than what they're accustomed to and letting my readers experience the setting with them. In the south, a freezer was often called a Deep Freeze. So in keeping with the Cajun food element, the novella was called Deep Freeze Christmas. Also because, the temperatures drop below zero while our Cajun girl is cooking in the Colorado mountains!

How long did it take you to write this holiday story? Where did you write it? Describe your writing space.

Because this is a short story, it was written in three weeks. I started just before Christmas. Writing during that time helped to bring the Christmas feeling into the story. 

I have a laptop, so I write in my living room while sitting either in my mission style rocker or my husband's recliner, at my desk in my office, or in the summer, on the patio table on my deck. Here's a picture of my very neat desk...

For the record, it's not usually this organized! And no, I still haven't learned how to play my guitar. BUT maybe one day… 

What was your source of inspiration for creating the characters?

I really didn't have a specific source. Most of my stories start with a character first then the plot revolves around the character. In keeping with my tagline: Where the Bayous Meet the Mountains, I usually have several Louisiana and Colorado characters floating through my head.

Who are your main characters and what makes them memorable to the reader?

Leona Buquet (pronounced Bu-kay) is a sous chef from Louisiana in Colorado to cook for a group of movie executives. Her mentor and boss Julian Mayeux (My-you) is the famous head chef and owner of Mayeux's, an iconic New Orleans restaurant. Leona's main focus is to raise enough money and learn as much as she can about cooking and running a restaurant so she can re-open Leo's, her family's restaurant that was destroyed during hurricane Katrina. Her focus changes when she meets Cameron Fleming.

Cameron Fleming Jr. is the handsome son to the movie mogul, CG Fleming. His attitude and character are not the typical handsome, wealthy Hollywood type. He is unhappy working for his father's business and has unfulfilled dreams of his own.

Where does your story take place? I see there’s a cabin in the woods on the cover so I’m guessing the Midwest, right? Why did you choose that setting?

The story takes place at a mountain lodge in the Rocky Mountains near Steamboat Springs, Colorado. I've visited Steamboat Springs many times and love the area. It's a winter wonderland during Christmas. So it was the perfect place to set my story.

Your holiday story world is very descriptive and pulls the reader in, making them feel right home and the food sounds delicious! Do you have a passion for cooking? Where did you get your inspiration for such a delightful imaginary place?

I like to cook, but the planning part is not my favorite. I consider myself a cook and not a chef! I love looking through websites and magazines of floor plans. It's just something I've always done. So I've been able to create MY perfect mountain lodge.

I love how you have a “Cajun Pronunciation/Definition Key” on the final few pages of your book. What inspired you to do so?

After my first novella, Southern Fried Christmas, came out, a few readers said they couldn't figure out how to pronounce some of the names or words. So the idea for the key came about as a way to help my reader have a more interactive experience with the story. The Cajun French language is slowly dying and this is my small way of keeping it alive.

Just for anyone who may not know, what does Cajun mean? Describe the term historically and talk about how it’s used today.

The term Cajun is a derivative of Acadian. The Acadian's were exiled from French Canada to south Louisiana in the mid 1700's. Here's a snipped from a poem by This poem by Bob Hamm titled “What is a Cajun?”

"A link with a proud past, a Cajun is a man of tolerance who will let the world go its way if the world will let him go his. He is a man of great friendliness who will give you the crawfish off his table, the Sac-au-Lait off his hook or the shirt off his back."

You do a good job of “showing” and not “telling” your characters’ actions, emotions and feelings in Deep Freeze Christmas. What writing advice do you have for aspiring authors who want to weave a beautiful, skillful story like this one?

Study the craft…write…study…write and repeat for the rest of your career. The best advice I got about showing vs telling is to image that your story is a movie and you want to paint pictures with your words. Anyone can tell a story, but a true storyteller is the one who can show a story.

If you could spend Christmas Day with one of your characters in Deep Freeze Christmas, who would it be and why?

I'd love to spend Christmas day at Mayeux's restaurant with all my family with Chef Julian and Chef Leona and Cameron and their family. It would be great to help with the cooking in a professional kitchen and to exchange childhood stories.

Complete this sentence: I write holiday stories because ________________ .

I write holiday stories because it's a great time to remember God's ultimate gift to mankind and showcase how He works in our lives.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Marian! Please ask a question for my readers to answer so that they have a chance to win a copy of your books.

Marian: Readers, why do you like to READ holiday stories? And what setting is your favorite?

~*~
Author bio:

Marian Pellegrin Merritt writes stories that blend her love of the mountains with her deep Southern roots. She is an author and freelance writer with over ten years experience. Her work has appeared in newspapers, magazines and online websites and garnered a first place award in ACFW's Genesis contest.

Marian is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Women's Fiction Writers Association.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in physical therapy and an accounting certificate from the University of South Alabama. This Louisiana native writes from the Northwest Colorado home she shares with her husband and a very spoiled Labradoodle. Connect with Marian through Website, Blog, Facebook and Twitter

Author interview *special holiday edition* with LoRee Peery

“Dahlia Delisi. She personified chic.”

“Dahlia’s low, no-nonsense voice and classy style had captured him in high school, but she’d been way out of his league.”

“Since he’d fallen for her, every woman he’d met came up short in comparison…”

These are lines (above) on the first few pages of A Blessed Blue Christmas by LoRee Perry.  The holiday story is a Christmas novella written for Pelican Book Group’s Christmas Holiday Extravaganza. According to the book blurb (and I paraphrase), the holiday story centers on two main characters--Dahlia Delisi, a store owner whose faith is faltering and Sloan Letheby, newly transformed after a brush with death that brought new meaning to his faith in God. 

The author LoRee throws in suspense elements to her story which you will have to read to find out what happens. It's also a love story not just between the main characters but with their individual relationships with God. 

LoRee is known for writing stories that are "Redeeming Grace with a Sense of Place." She said, "Grace to a Christian represents God’s unmerited favor. I did nothing to be redeemed by the blood of my Jesus Christ. Sense of place can be construed as literary. My stories are set in Nebraska so a sense of the state and its people is bound to be on the page. I try to reveal God’s redeeming love for His children through my characters."

Ready to learn more about LoRee as an author and her book, A Blessed Blue Christmas? Read my special holiday edition author interview with LoRee Peery (questions from Alexis in bold, answers by LoRee not in bold)...

~*~
Alexis: The opening scenes to your book A Blessed Blue Christmas are set at Christmastime. What is it about this holiday season that inspires you?

LoRee: What doesn’t inspire me about Christmastime? The only thing that mars the season for me is obsessive marketing…that means Thanksgiving gets lost. I try to avoid shopping among the masses. My home is an oasis with favored decorations, books, family memories, and music of the carols.

Simply said, what is your holiday story about?

Dahlia Delisi has poured her life into her store, The Blue Dahlia. Once her faith was strong, and her life was on a different course. But when Sloan Letheby left town, Dahlia drifted away from God. Sloan Letheby has been transformed. His brush with death brought new meaning to his faith in God, and he needs to right old wrongs. However, there's a murder plot in the way of his reunion with Dahlia. Can he find a killer before it's too late? And can Dahlia accept him...and God, back into her life?

Is there a special meaning behind the title? If yes, please explain.

You ask good questions, Alexis. I had to go back in my memory bank and don’t have a definite answer. It probably came to me as the result of several things. Maybe I heard Elvis singing “Blue Christmas.” Part of my preparation for each story is collaging. I was drawn to the picture of a black-haired beauty with striking blue eyes who brought to mind the mystery of Hollywood’s famous unsolved crime, The Black Dahlia. Ideas spark ideas and unless the Spirit prompts me differently, I go with what comes to mind.

What is The Blue Dahlia mentioned in Ch. 2 of your book? Explain its significance to your story.

The Blue Dahlia is the boutique Dahlia owns. Her business is where U.S. Marshal Sloan goes to speak with her sister-in-law, who is employed by Dahlia.

Dahlia is your leading lady and Sloan is your leading man. Give my readers a glimpse into your sketches of these two characters.

Dahlia and Sloan grew up in a farm community south of Lincoln, Nebraska. They were crowned King and Queen of the Christmas Ball their senior year. And then attached to each other’s side for the next six months, during school hours. He was a track star and she played an instrument. After graduation he moved away to go to school in the East. She traveled west to college. Life happened and kept them apart. Losing touch with Sloan created trust issues in Dahlia’s heart, and he lived with regret.

How did you create the names for your main characters? Do you have any advice for aspiring authors on how to choose captivating and creative names for story characters?

Finding names is always fun. I consult a list I’ve compiled list and a couple baby name books, one that adds scripture. I say the names out loud and the H/h names together. This year I had to come up with an alphabet grid because I realized that I’d used similar names for two stories…an upcoming release features Deena and Simon, names too similar to Dahlia and Sloan for my liking. I try to use one syllable in one name and two or three for the other. But it doesn’t always work out that way.

As per advice, authors should be comfortable with the H/h names because he or she will be living with them for months. A long time ago I heard a writer suggest authors should select soft sounding names for heroines and those with a hard sound for heroes.

Not too soon after the start of the story, Sloan says a prayer. Do all of your characters believe in God? How did you incorporate faith into your storytelling process?

I believe Christian authors have a responsibility to bring Christ into our stories. Not all my characters start out as believers, but they end up committed and become willing to follow the Lord’s leading. It’s hard not to sound “preachy” and I am probably guilty of that on occasion, when I speak through characters. Many believing authors connect God’s message without making sin and salvation blatant. In A Blessed Blue Christmas, Sloan’s quiet belief and the pastor’s Christmas Eve message impact Dahlia.

Why is Sloan so fixated on Dahlia (besides the obvious reason—he’s smitten)?

Sloan always regretted not contacting Dahlia and telling her what happened to make his family priority when they parted for college.

What was the most challenging part of writing A Blessed Blue Christmas and what was the most rewarding?

The challenge had to do with the plot against Dahlia’s brother and coming up with a farm accident that was planned. The most rewarding, as always, is when characters come to the end of themselves and change because of relationship with the Lord.

Describe your writing routine. Do you have a special place you write? Do you have a favorite food that helps you during your writing process? How often do you write?

I try to write something every day but life happens. It may only be journal entries, but words come out of me somehow, somewhere. I have just this year leaned the satisfaction of completing a first draft without any editing. My goal was to average 1,000 words a day for 30 days and I had 36,000. However I come up with a first draft, I then continue to layer from beginning to end, with a lot of cutting and pasting and repositioning, until I’ve got the story down.

When I’m planning a story I often go to the kitchen table, where I can spread things out and fill out questions pen to paper. In most rooms of the house, and my SUV, I have notepads. For some crazy reason, insight comes in the shower, or when I’m driving! I write the first draft on a PC in my study, the room upstairs that used to belong to my son. The walls are lined with eight crammed oak bookcases, and lots of my favorite things. Sometimes I play music, often my fingers fly in silence. Except for galley proofs, I print and edit on paper, from my easy chair during commercials. That’s how I learned to proofread on the job and things still jump out at me on paper clearer than on the screen.

I like chewy candy and when I’m working things out, as in thinking hard until sometimes my brain hurts, I chomp on gummies, cherry bites, black licorice, or salt water taffy. So far, I haven’t loosened any fillings. My reward for completing tasks is melt-in-your-mouth chocolate.

What are you hoping readers will remember the most about A Blessed Blue Christmas? What’s the take-home message?

That question could be considered a spoiler, but I’ll say off the top, Dahlia needs to learn how to trust. I believe if a reader is to get something out of Christian fiction, it’s up to the Holy Spirit to give the reader a message.

When was A Blessed Blue Christmas released and how much does it cost?

A Blessed Blue Christmas was released in 2013 as part of the Christmas Holiday Extravaganza. Last I checked, prices vary from 79 cents to $2.99.

Complete this sentence: My ultimate favorite Christmas song is_________.

My favorite Christmas song is “Joy to the World” because the title is followed by the reason for Christmas: the Lord is come. I like all traditional carols and “O Holy Night” never fails to give me shivers or bring a tear…I don’t care much for modern Christmas songs.

~*~

*Exciting news for my readers*: LoRee has agreed to give away one free e-book copy of A Blessed Blue Christmas! If you want to win, simply answer LoRee's question below. Leave your answer in the comment section found at the end of this blog post. The book giveaway contest starts today (Friday, Nov. 28) and will end Monday, Dec. 8 when I announce the winner who will be selected by me via an old-fashioned random drawing.

So here's the question from LoRee for you to answer:

Have you ever felt lonely and blue at Christmas? How did you overcome?

~*~
Author Bio:

A Nebraska country girl, LoRee Peery attempts to see God’s presence every day. Often that gift comes from nature, and she is most relaxed in the outdoors. The call of a cardinal draws her to look for the distinctive flash of crimson. A meadowlark’s melody always transports her to the farm where she grew up. A rainbow holds special significance, since one appeared the day of her father’s funeral and means the promise of the Lord’s presence in her life. She clings to I John 5:4 and prays her family sees that faith. You can find her at www.loreepeery.com or the Pelican Book Group site http://tinyurl.com/kwz9enk

Connect with LoRee:

www.loreepeery.com 

https://twitter.com/LoreePeery

https://www.facebook.com/LoReePeery

Buy LoRee’s book A Blessed Blue Christmas:

Pelican Book Group http://tinyurl.com/mf2392f

Amazon http://tinyurl.com/kwd2vvr

Barnes & Noble http://tinyurl.com/ktmlsnd

ChristianBook.com http://tinyurl.com/lfvv7xj