Romantic Reads: Series Cancellation

Dear Blog Readers,

I decided to cancel my blog's "Romantic Reads" series, effective today 

(Sept. 21, 2021).

I am sorry for any disappointment this decision may cause.

I hope that you will continue to read my "God is Love" blog and enjoy the other features such as my "Devotionals for the Heart" series where you can read a NEW devotional every Monday/Wednesday/Friday.

Take care and God bless you!

Love, 

Alexis A. Goring, MFA

Founder of "God is Love" blog

Romantic Reads: The Heart of Splendid Lake by Amy Clipston

Interview with Amy Clipston about her book, 

The Heart of Splendid Lake

Congratulations on the release of your new novel today! Happy BOOK Birthday to The Heart of Splendid Lake! Let’s talk about it …

Alexis: Why did you write this book?

Amy: I enjoy reading contemporary romance novels, and I wanted to try to write my own. I came up with the idea for The Heart of Splendid Lake, and my agent and I pitched it to my publisher. I’m so grateful for the chance to share this story, which is very close to my heart.

Alexis: How did you dream up these characters? Did you use real-life people/movie stars as inspiration?

Amy: A few characters were inspired by people in my life, and some of the names are also special as well. As for Scott Gibson, the real estate mogul, he is loosely based on Jack Gibson, my favorite character on the television show “Station 19.” Some of Scott’s backstory is based on Jack’s on the show, but I’m not going to give that away. For Brianna, I imagined actress Olivia Holt, and for her fiancé, Taylor Reese, I envisioned Alberto Frezza, who also is an actor from “Station 19.”

Alexis: What was the most challenging part of writing this story?

Amy: It was nerve wracking to venture out of Amish fiction, the genre I’ve known and loved for so long. Amish fiction is comfortable for me, and I had to challenge myself to try something new. I learned a lot from writing this book, and I believe it has helped me grow as a writer.

Writing contemporary romance is much different from writing about the Amish, which means I had to think about romance from a different perspective. In an Amish book, holding hands on the porch and watching a sunset is romantic, but in a contemporary book, a romantic scene can take place in a hundred different places. I know what I love about contemporary romance books and movies, so I did my best to channel that into my book. I went through some tough edits, but I’m happy with how the book turned out. I can’t wait to see what readers think.

Alexis: Describe the lakeside town setting of this story. What makes it special to your main characters?

Amy: Splendid Lake is a fictional town set in the mountains of North Carolina near Asheville, but in my head I see Schroon Lake, which is a real lake located in the Adirondacks of New York. I spent many summer vacations at Schroon Lake as a child. I remember swimming in the lake, shopping in the little downtown area, and going to the one-screen movie theater. I based the shopping area in Splendid Lake on the little town of Schroon Lake as well and incorporated some of my favorite stores there—the year-round Christmas shop and other little gift shops, an ice cream parlor, and a mini-golf course.

My main characters love the little town, and it’s home to Brianna. It’s where she was born and raised as well as where she wants to stay. She loves the lake and the cherished memories it holds for her.

Alexis: Brianna is the heroine of your story. Tell me about this character. What does she look/sound/act like? What are her hopes and dreams? What is her greatest fear and most troubling flaw?

Amy: I imagine Olivia Holt as Brianna. She has blonde hair and brown eyes, and she is petite. She rarely wears makeup, and she’s most comfortable in casual clothing. Her favorite outfit includes jeans, purple western boots, and a purple hoodie. She sometimes wears a baseball cap emblazoned with a Mustang logo. She enjoys working on boats, and she also has an appreciation for cars. Her hopes and dreams are to settle down at Splendid Lake and keep running the Splendid Lake Cabins and Marina resort, which is her family’s legacy. Her greatest fear is losing her family, and her most troubling flaw is stubbornness and having difficulty asking for help.

Alexis: Why does Brianna choose to stay in the town of Splendid Lake but her sisters choose to leave?

Amy: Brianna loves her lake and the family memories that she has created there. It’s truly her home, and she can’t see herself living anywhere else. She wants to keep the resort alive since it’s part of her family’s legacy.

Alexis: Being an expert boat mechanic is a unique role for a heroine! What made you decide to give her this profession and make her excellent in a trade that most people only think men do?

Amy: To be honest, I chose to make her a boat mechanic in order to create a unique heroine. While Brianna can rebuild a boat engine and work on her Mustang, she also has a feminine side. I wanted to write a memorable heroine who has many layers.

Also, I live in a house with two car mechanics and a third in the making, so I’ve grown accustomed to car talk. I thought it would be fun to have a heroine and hero bond over cars. In fact, I had a lot of fun writing about cars. I asked my older son to choose Scott’s cars, and he told me two of his dream cars. I included many car references, and some of the cars mentioned in the book are vehicles we have owned. And for extra fun, I included a true story about one of my husband’s old Gremlins. Also, Brianna’s dream car is my dream car, but readers will have to check out the book to find out what it is.

Alexis: What does Brianna love most about her home, the resort she runs, and her profession?

Amy: Brianna loves her lake and the family memories it holds for her. It’s truly her home, and she can’t imagine living anywhere else. She enjoys working with her hands and being out in her father’s shop. She appreciates that the resort has been passed down through her family. It’s her dream to spend the rest her life there, running the resort and raising a family.

Alexis: Brianna’s father dies unexpectedly and that sends Brianna into depression. Was she a Daddy’s Girl? Describe her bond with her father and tell me what they shared in common.

Amy: Brianna was not only a Daddy’s Girl, but she also had a special bond with her father. Brianna was more interested in following her father out to his shop than helping her mother in the kitchen. She considered her father one of her best friends, and they talked about everything.

Alexis: How does Brianna’s relationship with her father affect how she relates to men? Does she want to marry a man like her dad? Explain.

Amy: Brianna admires her father and she wants to marry someone like him—loving, easy to talk to, respectful to women, encouraging, hardworking, caring, and thoughtful. Her father always told her that she could do anything she set her mind her—especially when it came to being a mechanic. He told her to never let anyone tell her that she wasn’t capable because she was a woman, and those are words she lives by. She often hears his encouraging voice in her mind when she faces a problem.

Alexis: Scott Gibson is the hero of your story. Tell me about his character. What does he look/sound/act like? What are his greatest strengths and worse weaknesses? What are his dreams for his life?

Amy: Oh, I love Scott! In my mind I imagine Grey Damon, who plays Jack Gibson on my favorite show, “Station 19.” He’s tall and has thick, light-brown hair and baby-blue eyes. He’s thoughtful, trusting, and giving—almost to a fault. His strengths are that he’s hardworking and has a great business sense. He and his best friend built their own commercial real estate firm. His weakness is an occasional internal battle with low self-esteem, despite all of his accomplishments. He dreams of having a family of his own since he had a tough upbringing, but I don’t want to give away too much of his backstory.

Alexis: Why did you choose to make Scott’s profession that of being a real estate broker? What does he love about his job and how does his work play a role in this story?

Amy: I made Scott a real estate broker so that he would have an interest in the resort and also sort of be Brianna’s adversary since he wants to buy it. His interest in the resort and his background working in construction brings Scott and Brianna together but also gives her a reason to not completely trust his intentions. Scott loves his job because he not only built his own company, but he also has a stable income, which was his dream after his tough upbringing.

Alexis: What are Brianna’s first thoughts about Scott other than how handsome he is?

Amy: When Brianna first meets him in the Scott in the bookstore (literally bumps into him), she’s at first embarrassed, but she’s captivated by his sense of humor and their easy banter. Not only do they have an instant attraction, but they seem to just click. She would never dream of cheating on Taylor, her fiancé, but she also enjoys her short conversation with Scott. She’s intrigued by him.

Alexis: What was Scott’s first impression of Brianna? Why?

Amy: Scott also felt the same connection to Brianna that she felt toward him when they first met. He’s not only struck by how attractive she is but also by how they immediately began teasing each other. Scott, however, noticed her engagement ring, and he knew she was off-limits. At the same time, he also didn’t forget her. He recognized her when he met her again on the beach, and he wanted to know more about her.

Alexis: What is it about Brianna that makes Scott want to pursue her and win her heart?

Amy: Scott is immediately drawn to Brianna. However, he’s aware that she’s engaged and respects that. He would never dream of trying to come between her and her fiancé, Taylor, but he almost can’t stop his heart from longing for her. He enjoys their playful banter that comes naturally to them. He also is intrigued by her mechanical abilities and love of cars, which they bond over. Scott feels comfortable with her, and their conversations come easily. He believes that Taylor doesn’t treat her the way she deserves to be treated, but he tries to keep his opinions to himself.

Alexis: What is it about Scott that makes Brianna want to explore a relationship with him?

Amy: Scott calms her, but she doesn’t realize it until late in the story. When he sits quietly with her on the beach in Chapter 1, she almost instantly calms down. His presence is a balm to her soul during many of her tough times in the book. He also listens to her and offers her help, even when she insists she’s doing just fine by herself. He seems to know what she needs without her having to ask. She also enjoys his sense of humor, their fun conversations, and his love of super-cool cars. And he’s also really handsome, which doesn’t hurt!

Alexis: What brings Scott and Brianna together and what threatens to drive them apart?

Amy: They are brought together by the resort as they work together to get it ready for the summer season, and they are driven apart by Brianna’s loyalty to Taylor. Their doubts about their feelings for each other and how they could possibly make a relationship work is another roadblock. Scott also doesn’t believe he’s good enough for Brianna, and Brianna sometimes wonders if his intentions are true or if he’s only helping her to get the resort.

Alexis: What does Brianna’s fiancé think of Scott? How does he feel about this competition?

Amy: Oh, poor Taylor! He immediately feels threatened by Scott the first time he meets him and from then on, he can’t stand the sight of him. Taylor is furious every time he finds Scott at the resort, but at the same time, he’s never around when Brianna needs him.

Alexis: What do you want readers to remember most about this story?

Amy: I hope readers find that The Heart of Splendid Lake is a wholesome, inspiring story about family and finding strength through tough times. I hope readers find solace and encouragement in the book.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Amy! Do you have closing comments?

Amy: Thank you so much for hosting me on your awesome blog! I’m so grateful for the opportunity to get to know you and also to share my book with your readers.

~*~
Author Bio:

Amy Clipston is an award-winning bestselling author and has been writing for as long as she can remember. She’s sold more than one million books, and her fiction writing “career” began in elementary school when she and a close friend wrote and shared silly stories.

She has a degree in communications from Virginia Wesleyan University and is a member of the Authors Guild, American Christian Fiction Writers, and Romance Writers of America.

Amy works full-time for the City of Charlotte (NC) and lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, mother, and six spoiled rotten cats.

~*~
Book purchase links for The Heart of Splendid Lake can be found on Amy’s website: https://amyclipston.com/books/the-heart-of-splendid-lake/

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The Heart of Splendid Lake book blurb:

Bestselling author Amy Clipston transports readers to a picturesque lakeside town in this heartwarming contemporary romance. 

Brianna is the youngest of the three Porter sisters and the only one who chose to stay in the small town of Splendid Lake, North Carolina. She followed in her father’s footsteps and became an expert boat mechanic, helping him run their small resort with cabin rentals, a convenience store, and a marina.

When Brianna’s father unexpectedly dies, Brianna is steeped in grief and guilt—then left alone to clean up the mess. To make matters worse, a constant stream of real estate brokers begins marching through her property, offering to buy the family land. In particular, she keeps running into handsome real estate mogul Scott Gibson.

As Brianna struggles to keep it all together, Scott finds his way into her heart. And as the two fight against their feelings, they just might find themselves forging a surprising and exciting new love at Splendid Lake.

~*~
Connect with Amy:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmyClipstonBooks/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amy_clipston/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmyClipston
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2765728.Amy_Clipston
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/amy-clipston
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/amyclipston/
Website: www.AmyClipston.com
Online bookstore: www.gumroad.com/amyclipston

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*U.S. Residents ONLY: 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: 

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Romantic Reads: Chasing Her Dream

The Story Behind Jennifer Slattery’s story Chasing Her Dream:

In the spring of 2019, landowners across Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota experienced perhaps the worst devastation of their lives. Ranches that had been in their families for generations, destroyed. Cattle swept away. Homes desolated. Decades of investments, consumed, leaving many wondering if they’d find the resources to rebuild.

But as hard as all that was to see, those things aren’t what stand out most in my mind. When I think back on the floods, I most remember the every day heroes that stood beside their neighbors. The hours upon hours that volunteers invested, digging through the rubble, praying with the hurting, or simply sitting beside them as they processed it all.

During times of crisis, that’s often when the best of humanity rises up to offer a hand, a kind word, a gentle smile. To offer themselves.

That was the spirit I wanted to capture, and perhaps even inspire, in my latest novel, Chasing Her Dream. I wrote the first draft while parts of my state remained inundated, while articles still circulated of extreme kindness and generosity. Of community members shouldering one another’s burdens in tangible, memorable ways.

I wanted to portray, and perhaps even inspire, that depth of care in my latest novel, Chasing Her Dream. Through the sacrificial actions of Rheanna Stone, the single mom who opens her already struggling Texas ranch to a large number of abused and neglected horses. Through Dave Brewster who risks losing his flooded Wyoming ranch aside to help her. And through the community that sacrificially and steadfastly come alongside them.

Demonstrating the beauty and healing that can occur when we seek to love one another.

We’ve probably all heard the phrase, “It takes a village.” Admirable words, right? Inspiring?

But may that catchy slogan do more than inspire. May it motivate and mobilize us all to find little ways to spread joy, offer a hand, and be the friend that our neighbors, coworkers, and fellow residents need.

And I’m speaking to myself here, because it’s all too easy for me to remain tucked in my office, oblivious to the world, the struggle, occurring without me. I experience joy and intense fulfillment, however, and the pleasure of God, when I widen my view.

~*~
Author Bio:

Jennifer Slattery is a writer and international speaker who’s addressed women’s groups, church groups, Bible studies, and other writers across the nation. 

She’s the author of six contemporary novels maintains a devotional blog found at http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com.

She has a passion for helping women discover, embrace, and live out who they are in Christ. As the founder of Wholly Loved Ministries, she and her team partner with churches to facilitate events designed to help women rest in their true worth and live with maximum impact. 

She is also the host of the podcast Faith Over Fear, which you can listen to at LifeAudio.com.

~*~
Blurb for Jennifer's book, Chasing Her Dream:  

She needs his help…

But can she trust him again?

After she inherits her uncle’s mismanaged ranch, single mom Rheanna Stone’s not sure she can also handle saving abused horses from a nearby property. 

So when rancher Dave Brewster offers to stay in town to help, she can’t say no—even if he left her once before. 

As they grow closer, old secrets are uncovered…but can they heal past heartbreak to give themselves a new beginning?

~*~
Buy Jennifer's book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Target or Walmart

Romantic Reads: Heart's Desire

Interview with Linda Hoover about her book, Heart’s Desire:

Alexis: Why did you title this book “Heart’s Desire”? Explain the significance of your story title.

Linda: Early in the story, Julia tells her mother it’s her heart’s desire to marry for love. That struck me as the perfect title. The story is about her “heart’s desire.”

Alexis: Describe the heroine of your story (Julia). What makes her tick? What makes her beautiful? What makes her strong? What is her personality and outlook on life like?

Linda: Julia is youngest of four girls and a little spoiled. She’s intelligent, independent and a bit of a risk taker. She’s had more freedom in picking and choosing what gentleman she spends time with and if an offer of marriage came, her parents allowed her to turn it down. Because of this, she’s shocked when she’s informed of her father’s agreement to betroth her to Lucien.

Alexis: Why is Julia set on marrying for love and love alone?

Linda: Two of her sisters were maneuvered into advantageous marriages and neither is happy. Julia’s parents weren’t a love match and at times it’s obvious. Not to mention the examples she sees in their upper-class social circle. She doesn’t want to live like that.

Alexis: What is Julia’s relationship with her father like? In what ways does it threaten to place her in a love-less marriage?

Linda: Julia loves and admires her father. She’s always trusted in his protection and provision. His sudden decision to engage her to someone she doesn’t want is out of character for him. It’s confusing. She finds herself in a position where she’ll have to defy him or end up in a marriage like her sisters.

Alexis: Why did you choose to set this story in Boston, era 1880? Paint a picture of this time and setting with words.

Linda: I love history and Boston played a big part in our country’s beginnings. Beyond that, though, Boston in 1880 was full of things for young people to do. The story begins after the new year, so Julia and her friends bundle up and go sleighing, complete with sleigh bells, and spend time at the lagoon in the Public Garden ice skating. Julia and Jacob first see each other there. There are also lectures and concerts to attend in the evenings. All these things are open to everyone, regardless of social class. When the weather warms up, they go on picnics, walk in the park and ride the swan boats on the lagoon.

Alexis: Who is Lucien Harris and what role does he play in this story? How does he impact Julia’s life?

Linda: Lucien is the villain. He blackmails Julia’s father into giving his blessing on marriage to his daughter. Julia isn’t aware of the true circumstances and spends most of the time she’s with Lucien trying to change his mind. He represents the very thing she told herself would never happen to her.

Alexis: Who is Jacob Anderson and what role does he play in this story and in Julia’s life?

Linda: Jacob moved to Boston from a farm in upstate New York to work with his uncle in a jewelry store. He’s from the merchant class which makes him an unsuitable choice for Julia, but that doesn’t stop them from falling in love.

Alexis: What is it about Jacob that captivates Julia’s heart?

Linda: She would tell you it was love at first sight. A connection of hearts. Besides being handsome, he’s fun, gallant and caring. When she tells him about Lucien, he immediately wants to rescue her.

Alexis: What role does real-life faith in God play in the lives of your fictional characters?

Linda: Julia and her family go to church, but for most of the upper-class it had more to do with being seen going to church. Julia’s oldest sister meets someone who leads her to Christ and it makes a real difference in her life. She shares her experience with Julia and Jacob who also accept Christ.

Alexis: As the author, what brought you the most joy in writing this story? Why?

Linda: The characters were a lot of fun. One in particular, Edward, practically wrote himself. He’s not a main character, but is one of my favorites. I like putting them in situations they have to find their way out of and writing dialogue with sarcasm and humor.

Alexis: As the author, how does your faith in God impact the way you tell stories?

Linda: I pray daily that God will be the center of everything I do or say. For me that means the worlds I create are centered on God. My characters may not know him to begin with, or maybe they did and lost their way or are mad at him and feel justified in ignoring him, but before the story is over, they’ll come to know him and it’ll make a difference in their decisions and in the way their path ends up going.

Alexis: If you could step into this story (Heart’s Desire) and counsel Julia, what would you say? Why?

Linda: Being the author means I can speak through a character and that’s what I did with Katherine, Julia’s oldest sister. She shares her joy in finding new life in Christ and tells how he freed her from worry. Her faith in God’s presence and protection is strong and she encourages Julia, and later Jacob, to pray about everything, believing he hears and will answer according to what’s best for them. No matter what, they can trust him.

Alexis: As the author, what is your heart’s desire for the readers of this book?

Linda: I hope readers will be entertained by the story, but also be inspired to seek a closer commitment to God, or be encouraged to share their experience with someone who needs to hear what God can do.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Linda! Would you like to share closing thoughts?

Linda: I’d like to thank you, Alexis, for the privilege of being on your Romantic Reads blog. I enjoy the opportunity to reach potential new readers, and I’d like to invite everyone to stop by my website to learn more about me and my books.

~*~
Author Bio:

Linda lives in west central Ohio with her husband, daughters, grandson, two cats and a dog.  

She earned a degree in psychology from Anderson University where she learned the voices in her head were actually characters from stories waiting to be told.

Linda recently retired from the county’s public library system. It was the perfect place to indulge her love of young adult and Christian fiction. It was also a good place to build a long “To Read” list. These days she enjoys being a fulltime author in her home office, despite interruptions from family members and pets. Linda is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. 

~*~

Blurb for Linda's book:

Julia wants to marry for love … But her father’s secret condemns her to a love-less marriage. 

In 1880 Boston, Julia Phillips’s father betroths her to wealthy Lucien Harris to cover up a tragic secret. She has no interest in Lucien, but Jacob Anderson, a kind jewelry store clerk has captured her attention. Can she put off Lucien long enough to convince her parents to accept a man who isn’t in the upper-class as her husband?

Jacob works with his uncle in Boston, but plans to buy land for a farm out west when he has enough money. When Julia walks into their store his priorities change. Their mutual attraction grows into love, and he wants to be the man she marries. But how can he with so little money?

Julia feels increasing pressure from Lucien to pretend she’s happy about the upcoming wedding. Then, she discovers the arranged marriage is based on blackmail. Her family will be ruined if she doesn’t comply.

Will God make a way for Jacob and Julia to have their heart’s desire?

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Buy Linda’s book on Amazon

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Connect with Linda:
Website: https://www.LindaHooverBooks.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/lindahooverauthor
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/lindahooverauthor

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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:  

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Romantic Reads: The Cowboy’s Amish Haven by Pamela Desmond Wright

The Story Behind the story The Cowboy’s Amish Haven 

by Pamela Desmond Wright

Cowboys and Amish.

It seemed like an impossible combination. However when my (then) agent suggested the combo, I decided to accept the challenge and write a book incorporating all those themes.

At the time, I was coming off a stinging set of rejections for a book proposal my agent believed had a lot of promise. Alas, except for one revise and resubmit from an editor at Harlequin, there were no takers for the book. Unsure how to fix the problems the editor wanted to address, I put the file aside and began working on the first book in my Texas Amish Brides series.

Wait a minute! Texas Amish? No way, you might say!

Why not? There are a few tiny Amish settlements in the Lone Star State, so why not expand it and create the fictional town of Burr Oak? No one said I couldn’t, so I did. Writing up the proposal, I sent it to my agent.

She wasn’t into it. And she dropped me like a stone shortly thereafter.

Agentless, I began the search for a new representative. I soon connected with Tamela H. Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. Instead of seeing the negative, she saw the positive in the project. Soon thereafter, the book was submitted to Harlequin for their Love Inspired imprint.

Determined to prove the project had merit, I kept working on the proposal to turn it into a full manuscript. I was halfway through the book when I had a freak accident and had to go into the hospital for surgery during the height of the Covid pandemic. Barely out of the hospital, I received the news my brother had passed away. Between the accident that almost cost me my life and my sibling’s untimely death, I was thrown into a deep depression. I simply could not function.

After a few months, it began to dawn on me that doing nothing accomplished nothing. I knew to get better, I needed a focus. Writing has always been the way to do that. So, I went back to the book and finished the manuscript. A few months later, the file landed on the desk of Melissa Endlich at Harlequin. Despite the book’s many flaws (and there were many) she found the wheat in the chaff and bought the manuscript. Several rewrites later, the book that had no hope of ever being published was finished. The Cowboy’s Amish Haven releases today (August 24, 2021)!

Oh, and that first project I could not figure out what to do with? I did revise and resubmit. That book sold to Harlequin Love inspired, too!

If you’d like to know more about me and my books, please visit me online at: www.pameladesmondwright.com

~*~
Author Bio:

Pamela Desmond Wright grew up in a small, dusty Texas town. From the time she learned to read, books have been her passion. Beginning with Dick and Jane, progressing through Nancy Drew and then onto romances of all genres, Pamela devoured stories by popular authors. At one time, Pamela was the proud owner of five library cards! 

Pamela won the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award in 2010. She was also a founder of the scam publishers and agents website, The Write Connection, which was transferred to the SFWA through (then) vice-president A.C. Crispin to become Writer Beware. Her experiences with scam agents and publishers was documented in Professor Jim Fisher’s book, Ten Percent of Nothing: The Case of the Literary Agent From Hell.

In 2013, Pam took a break from writing to reassess her career choices. Unable to shake the story bug, she came back to in 2019 with a new focus and vision, fulfilling a promise to write inspirational and wholesome books her entire family could enjoy.

After signing with Tamela H. Murray of The Steve Laube Agency, Pamela sold her first Amish Romance to Harlequin for the Love Inspired imprint. The Cowboy’s Amish Haven will debut in September 2021. Though her characters are often handed difficult challenges in life, they always persevere over the darker times through the power of faith and love.

Like the Amish, Pamela is a fan of the simple life. Her childhood includes memories of the olden days; old-fashioned oil lamps, cooking over an authentic wood-burning stove and making popcorn over a crackling fire at the cabin owned by her grandparents. She also loves needlepoint and has dozens of projects to work on! Someday, she hopes to move into van life, living on the road as a traveling writer.

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Blurb for Pamela’s book, The Cowboy’s Amish Haven: 

Her home and her heart are on the line…

On the same day Gail Schroder’s faced with losing her Amish family ranch, her old crush Levi Wyse shows up on her doorstep. He doesn’t know that when he left ten years ago he’d taken Gail’s heart with him. Now Levi’s her only hope of keeping a roof over her head.

But can this cowboy teach Gail the ropes in time to save her home?

~*~
Buy Pamela’s book on Harlequin, Amazon or Barnes and Noble 

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Connect with Pamela:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamDWrites/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pamdwrites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pamdwrites/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21154533.Pamela_Desmond_Wright
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/pamela-desmond-wright

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

Romantic Reads: Until June

The Story Behind Until June by Barbara M. Britton

Over the years, I have heard authors say that they were writing the book of their heart. I didn’t understand that terminology until I wrote Until June. I’m known for writing Biblical Fiction, so why should I release a WWI Historical? Throughout my life, God was preparing me to write Geoff and Josephine’s story.

Veterans hold a special place in my heart. I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area during the Vietnam War. I remember the conflict from television and the conflict from growing up in the home of the Hippies. I thought it was sad that men who had fought in battle had to come home and not debrief from their memories. Many soldiers had to hide their service in Vietnam. We understand now that many servicemen and women experience post-traumatic stress disorder and need to talk about what happened during their time of service.

Fast forward a few decades. My family and I were on an Alaskan cruise excursion outside of Juneau, Alaska. We visited the Taku Glacier Lodge and heard how a WWI veteran and his caregiver had lived at the lodge. In winter, the Taku River would freeze, and the man and his caregiver would be shut off from society. A man and a woman alone in a lodge? Seems isolating, but perhaps the veteran liked the solitude. Characters and a storyline began to develop in my mind.

I wrote Until June about a severely injured veteran and an inexperienced caregiver residing in a remote lodge due to the severity of the veteran’s wounds and the pandemic of 1918. Unfortunately, no one wanted to publish my story. I continued writing other stories—stories from the Bible—and forgot about my Historical.

One day, my son texted me that someone had “stolen my story.” No writer wants to get a text like this one. My son had seen a movie trailer for “Me Before You.” The movie was about a quadriplegic man and his caregiver who happen to fall in love. Yes, this was the same trope as my Historical. When I read the blurb to “Me Before You,” I discovered the ending was nothing like my book. My character, Geoff Chambers, overcomes his hardships and disabilities from war and grabs hold of life again. The character in “Me Before You” (Spoiler Alert) chooses to end his life even though he has fallen in love with his caregiver.

Was it time to see if my caregiver-trope story would be accepted by a publisher and show readers that no matter how hard life gets, it is always worth living? Would I be able to show readers the honesty of a veteran’s struggles? Or that caregiving is a rewarding, yet a draining task? Could two people who needed healing find it in God and help each other along the way?

Eleven years after I began writing about Geoff Chambers and Josephine Nimetz, their story saw the light of day. Pelican Book Group published Until June in June of 2020—during a pandemic.

Each new day is a blessing from God. Geoff and Josephine grab hold of that realization after a little conflict and tension, and a lot of love from an author.

~*~
Author Bio:

Barbara M. Britton lives in Southeast, Wisconsin and loves the snow—when it accumulates under three inches. 

She is published in Biblical Fiction and loves bringing little-known Bible characters to light in her Tribes of Israel series. Her WWI Historical Until June released in 2020.

Barbara has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate.

~*~
Book blurb for Until June:

When seventeen-year-old seamstress, Josephine Nimetz, agrees to take care of a WWI amputee in a remote Alaskan lodge to escape the influenza of 1918, there’s enough friction to melt the Mendenhall Glacier. Her position is only until June, and it pays well enough to overlook the hardship of managing a rustic home and a shell-shocked veteran, Geoff Chambers.

Geoff makes it clear that he isn’t too fond of the “runt” sent to take care of his needs, nor of her painful mistakes. Dealing with a depressed and addicted amputee, pushes Josephine to the brink of leaving, if not for the money her salary brings.

But Josephine is a perfectionist, determined to get Geoff back on his feet—figuratively. Though, sending a rich, handsome veteran back into society may cost Josephine the man she has grown to love.

~*~
Buy Barbara’s book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

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Connect with Barbara:
Website: www.barbarambritton.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14983213.Barbara_M_Britton
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/barbara-m-britton
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Barbara-M-Britton-173432342754243/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbaraMBritton

~*~
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Romantic Reads: Heartfelt Romance

The Story behind the Heartfelt Romance stories 

Runaway Romance and Follow Your Heart by Miralee Ferrell

A number of years ago, my editor with Summerside contacted me, saying they were in desperate need of a book set in Sundance, Wyoming, for their Love Finds You line, and asked if I had sold one that I’d written yet. I said no, but my agent was shopping it as a three-book series.

Long story short, their contracted author had some kind of setback, and she was unable to fulfill the contract and turn in the book on time. They offered it to me, but at a lower rate than I or my agent wanted to accept. Finally, I reluctantly decided to move forward and give up my plan of using it as the first book in a new series. After all, I’d first written it thinking it might be a good fit for the LFY line.

The book was published in the late summer of 2011, a very fast turnaround time. A couple of years later, I got word that a Hollywood production company had optioned several of the LFY titles, including mine set in Sundance. Three Love Finds You movies were made and aired on the UP Channel over the next two years, but nothing more was said about Sundance.

Then, in 2015, I received an email from Chevonne, the associate producer who had made those movies, followed by a phone call. Imagine my surprise when she asked if I’d be willing to write a book for them. They were no longer producing the Love Finds You books into movies and were working on a totally different project for UP, a possible three-movie series, and she hoped I might be able to work with them. As anyone would be, I was curious as to why she’d chosen me. 

Chevonne explained that she’d optioned Sundance two or three years earlier and loved it. Of the thirty-five or so titles she’d read of the line, that was her favorite. However, UP didn’t want to make historical or Old West movies, so she’d had to shelve it.

During that time period, I’d gotten my rights back to all of my LFY books and had retitled them Finding Love in Last Chance, California; Finding Love in Tombstone, Arizona; and Finding Love in Bridal Veil, Oregon. Love Finds You in Sundance became Outlaw Angel, and all four are still in print.

Here’s the amazing part: I came very, very close to turning down that contract offer with Summerside for Sundance. I was disappointed in the advance and royalty rate, and shortly after they released it, they sold the line to Guideposts, and that company didn’t continue the line much longer. Understandably, sales waned on their final releases. I was disappointed with my sales from that final book as all three of my others had done quite well.

For a long time, I wished I hadn’t taken that contract and held out for one with another company for a three-book series. However, had I done that, I doubt Runaway Romance or From the Heart would ever have been written. It was Sundance that grabbed Chevonne’s attention and caused her to contact me.

Since then, I’ve been blessed to get to meet Chevonne and her husband George (the producer) a couple of times, and we’ve developed a friendship. We chat often on the phone or email, and I’ve been able to help brainstorm several projects. Right now, we have three movies that have been filmed, and two of them, From the Heart (aired on Hallmark in early 2021) and Finding Love in Mountainview (based on the book Finding Love in Bridal Veil, Oregon) will release later this year on Hallmark as well.

I am currently working on Finding Love in San Antonio, only I’m writing that one with a good friend and new co-author, Kimberly Rose Johnson, for possible release with Hallmark in 2022.

God has indeed blessed me, and He’s allowed me to learn so much that I didn’t know about the movie industry—it’s a ton of work, it moves very slowly, but it contains wonderful people who I’ve loved getting to know.

~*~
Author Bio:

Miralee Ferrell is a traditionally published, award-winning, best-selling author of 25 books.

  

Her most recent novel, From the Heart, released in October 2020 as an ebook/and print and on The Hallmark Channel. She is the owner and publisher at Mountain Brook Ink, as well as the speculative line, Mountain Brook Fire, a traditional house in business since January 2014.

She is also the lead acquisition editor at MBI and loves encouraging debut authors. Miralee lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, two black cats, sixteen chickens, and one very spoiled little dog.

~*~
Blurb for Runaway Romance:

When a reality TV star meets the reality of life, will it be her downfall or her salvation? 

Ann Stanway had it all—a starring role in a reality show, an adoring boyfriend, and a sparkling future with limitless possibilities. Until the rules changed and the life she’d thought was real no longer existed. Leaving L.A. seems like her only option, and she lands in Kentucky at a quiet Amish inn—as far removed from her past as possible. 

Now she knows what was missing in her life—peace, true friendship and, dare she hope, a man who accepts her for who she is—or at least who he thinks she is. 

Hunter Lewis is intrigued by the new woman staying at his friend’s Amish inn. 

Annie appears to be what she claims, but she’s secretive and won’t open up. He’s been burned by a woman before and can’t tolerate deception. But his interest in Annie is growing, and the attraction seems to be mutual—until something happens that makes Hunter question everything he’d thought was real. Dare he risk his heart, when he’s certain Annie is keeping secrets?

Can their new romance withstand the pressure, or will Ann choose to run again?

~*~
Buy Runaway Romance on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

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Blurb for Follow Your Heart:

Can they give first love a second chance? 

Kathy Yoder left her Amish community ten years ago and became a successful travel guide writer, which took her to exotic places around the globe. Her personal life includes a man back home who adores her and wants more than friendship, and a career she could only have dreamed of as an Amish teen. 

Everything seems great until a phone call comes out of the blue. The sister she hasn’t spoken to for years leaves a message telling her their father has died. The call comes too late, and Kathy missed the service—and it appears, her sister doesn’t intend to forgive her for that, or for leaving all those years ago.

Isaac Mast has never forgotten his first love, Katrina Yoder. When she comes back to settle her dad's affairs, he’s reminded of his life before Katrina left the Amish community. However, a lot has changed. He married, had a daughter, lost his wife, and his life moved on. He’s committed to his Amish community, but Katrina is an Englischer, with both feet firmly planted in the modern world.

When a revelation about Isaac comes to light, Kathy decides to take things into her own hands. Will her decision destroy even the friendship they once had, or possibly bring them together?

~*~
Buy Follow Your Heart on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

~*~
Connect with Miralee:
Website and newsletter signup: www.miraleeferrell.com
Facebook group: (20+) Miralee Ferrell Fan Group | Facebook
Twitter: https://twitter.com/miraleeferrell
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MiraleeFerrell/

Romantic Reads: Sweet Summer

The Story Behind the story Sweet Summer by Christina Sinisi:

First, thank you, Alexis, for this opportunity to share the story behind the story with your readers. I’m excited to share and hope to inspire others!

As soon as I could begin to write, I did—in third grade. I started with poems and then wrote a play in fifth grade. In eighth grade, I wrote a “novel” about the “monstrous goop” that evolved from dirty dish water and devoured everything in its path. In high school, I was “Creative Writing” student of the year as a senior. In college, I published poetry in the college magazine. Then, after graduating, I wrote another novel, submitted it, and received my first rejection letter. I didn’t know where to go from there, so I concentrated on graduate school, a day job, and raising children.

When my daughter began kindergarten, I started again. I'd been writing for pretty much my whole life, getting close to being published, but then getting a no every time. At the beginning of June 2019, after experiencing losses in my personal life, I read a call on the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) email loop for Christmas novellas. That was June 6. The deadline was the end of the month. With a lifetime of experience behind me, I sat down and wrote Christmas Confusion in three and a half weeks. Then, Anaiah Press bought the book!

Because of the rush to meet that deadline, I hadn't had time to send the manuscript to friends to proofread or even to my mentor to read. When my mentor, Eloisa James, did read the book, she said, “Now, I want to hear the sisters' stories.”

I had already started a new book, The Christmas Promise (I'm working on finishing it now), but I put it aside and started writing Shelby's story. I finished her book by December 2019. The book went to Anaiah and my editor was surprised it was a full-length novel. They didn't have space to publish a full-length novel in 2020. But they would consider it for 2021. Not wanting to lose momentum and not wanting to wait a whole other year before publishing something else, I sat myself down and wrote Christmas on Ocracoke and finished it by June.

But now it's 2021, and it's Shelby's turn! Let me tell you about her story … 

Shelby Marano is the youngest of three sisters and was always Daddy’s baby girl—until her father was murdered when she was only eight years old. Ever since, she’s been running from anyone or anything that could truly hurt her. Instead, she seeks calculated thrills that leave her exhilarated, but when she’s caught outside during a summer storm, she quickly realizes not all adventures are within her control.

Tyler Burgess struggles with the responsibility of caring for a mother suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Forced to take a leave of absence from work and put his life on hold, his only reprieve is the volunteer work he does at the local museum. When a soaking-wet Shelby barges in, he offers her both refuge from the rain and a safe place to land. She’s the breath of fresh air he didn’t know he needed.

Tyler proves to be much more than just a nerd in a history museum, but what she finds out about him is a deal-breaker for her. As family health issues and an unknown stalker threaten Shelby’s perfect little world, she learns a hard lesson: no one can hide from the dangers of life. Can Shelby let her sisters, Tyler, and even more importantly, God, show her in one Sweet Summer that love is worth taking the risk?

Thank you for reading! I’d love to hear others’ stories of times where they struggled and persisted. God can certainly open and close doors—we just have to be willing to walk through!

~*~
Author Bio:

Christina Sinisi is a member of the ACFW. 

She writes stories about families, both the broken and blessed. Her works include a story that became a semi-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest and the American Title IV Contest, in which she appeared in the Top Ten in the Romantic Times magazine. 

Christina’s published books include Christmas Confusion and Sweet Summer, the first two books in the Summer Creek Series, as well as the Christmas On Ocracoke and the upcoming Why They Call it Falling.

By day, she is a psychology professor. Christina lives in the Lowcountry of South Carolina with her husband, two grown children, and Chessie (her Hemingway cat).

~*~
Buy Christina’s book on Amazon

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Connect with Christina:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/christinasinisi
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristinaSinisiAuthor/?modal=admin_todo_tour
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/csinisi123/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/csinisi/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/101218889-christina-sinisi
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/christina-sinisi
Website: https://www.christinasinisi.com/

Romantic Reads: Someone to Trust

Interview with Lesa Henderson about her book, 

Someone to Trust:

Alexis: Why did you write this book and give it the title, Someone to Trust?

Lesa: I wanted to tell a story of someone who was very broken by her father’s betrayal of her mother and subsequent abandonment of the two of them for another woman. I wondered what would happen if a grown-up, naïve Megan became what she despised most? The other woman. This violation of her trust a second time would certainly do quite a bit of damage. Would she be able to believe there was any man she could trust? For that matter could she trust God? Thus the title.

Alexis: Who is the heroine of this story? Describe her.

Lesa: Megan McCormick is the heroine of Someone To Trust. Megan is a pretty, 27-year-old with long chestnut hair and amber colored eyes. She is quick-witted, loyal and kind. However, she has huge trust issues in the men department (as I mentioned earlier), tends to be a bit of a klutz and talks to her Great Dane like he’s human.

Alexis: Who is the hero of this story? Describe him.

Lesa: Lee Grainger is the hero of Someone To Trust. Lee is 6’3” tall, handsome, with dark hair and incredible grey eyes. He’s a believer and a veterinarian. He’s kind, funny and patient with both hurt animals and skittish females.

Alexis: What brings Megan and Lee together?

Lesa: Megan and Lee run into each other. Literally. Megan is on her way back to her truck from shopping, carrying too many packages while munching on an icing filled cookie when she runs right into Lee and is knocked off her feet. Did I mention Megan is a bit of a klutz?

Alexis: What threatens to drive them apart?

Lesa: Megan’s mistrust and the secret shame she carries from her past threaten to drive them apart.

Alexis: What are Megan and Lee’s first impressions of each other? Why?

Lesa: Initially Megan blames Lee for her being knocked down, which she quickly acknowledges is unfair, since she wasn’t watching where she was going. Lee is concerned that she was hurt and helps her to her vehicle with her packages. They find one another attractive. Lee would like to ‘run’ into Megan again. However, she is certain someone as handsome as Lee, with a great sense of humor must be married and is on vacation in the quaint mountain with his wife.

Alexis: What brought Megan from Atlanta to the mountain town of Laurel Crest?

Lesa: Megan is on the run from a broken heart and a simpler way of life.

Alexis: Megan sounds like an independent woman. How does she support herself financially?

Lesa: Megan is a copywriter who was very successful working for a large firm in Atlanta. Since relocating she has launched out on her own and doing very well.

Alexis: Why does Lee love his job as a veterinarian? How does his career affect his outlook on life?

Lesa: Lee is a natural defender of the underdog and those needing to be cared for. As a little boy he was always trying to mend broken wings of baby birds, care for one-eyed puppies and stray kittens. He believes that a Godly man cares for the animals God has put on earth.

Alexis: Why does Lee love the small-town lifestyle? It’s simpler, with much less hustle and bustle.

Lesa: He feels like there’s more time to truly connect with the community and build relationships. He loves nature, the outdoors and hiking.

Alexis: Where did Lee live and work before he moved to the mountains?

Lesa: Lee also lived and worked in Atlanta. He was part of a larger Veterinary practice.

Alexis: What is the foundation of Megan and Lee’s friendship?

Lesa: Initially it’s shared friends, commonality of both living in Atlanta and now loving small-town life and the enjoyment of one another’s company. Megan’s never had a friendship with a man. Lee believes he has to first prove trustworthy as her friend or with no pressure, or there can never be more.

Alexis: Why does Lee think that Megan is his dream girl?

Lesa: Not only is she beautiful on the outside, but Lee also sees her heart. He sees she is genuinely kind and beautiful. Broken but beautiful.

Alexis: Why does Megan hesitate to go after a second chance romance with Lee?

Lesa: She is haunted by her past mistakes and believes that if Lee learns the truth about her, he will despise her.

Alexis: What are the themes of this story? Why?

Lesa: Trust and Forgiveness. Playing out the two betrayals in Megan’s life not only brought up the issue of not being able to trust again but also the damage of holding onto unforgiveness.  The power of forgiveness goes beyond forgiving those who have hurt us and accepting the forgiveness our Heavenly Father offers us through His Son (Jesus Christ), but also the grace to forgive ourselves. 

Alexis: What do you want readers to remember most about this book?

Lesa: I want them to remember they have a Heavenly Father who loves them very much and has a good plan for their lives (Jeremiah 29:11). He is Someone they can trust.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Lesa! Would you like to share closing comments?

Lesa: Thank you so much for this opportunity, Alexis! It is such an honor. Also, thanks to those who have read or will now read Someone To Trust. I pray it blesses you. Please consider leaving a review – those really help. Stay tuned for a second book, which will revisit this beautiful mountain location and characters from Someone To Trust.

~*~

Author Bio:

Lesa Henderson discovered she loved to write at age 10 when she won her first writing contest. At age 13 she began submitting manuscripts. Since that time, she's been crafting articles and stories that have been published in national magazines and as non-fiction books and novels.  

She partners with her husband Ken as a screenwriter and filmmaker. Together they wrote, directed and produced Hope Has A Name, an award-winning documentary about ordinary women bringing extraordinary hope in unlikely places.

Lesa is a native Floridian, a hopeless romantic, wife to her childhood sweetheart Ken. She’s the mother of three grown children: Brandon, Tiffany, and Destiny. She is the grandmother of seven amazing grandchildren.

She enjoys traveling the world or just hanging out with Ken at new restaurants and at home with their Schnauzer Lilo and Phantom Poodle Groucho. Lesa also tends to be a bit quirky and has an unhealthy obsession with buttercream icing.

~*~
Blurb for Someone to Trust:

Megan McCormick doesn't leave Atlanta looking for love. Far from it. She runs to the mountain town of Laurel Crest to flee from her past and a broken heart. When she's knocked over by Lee Grainger, handsome veterinarian and lover of small-town living, Megan's life takes an unexpected turn.

Tired of fast-paced city life, Lee is considering a permanent move to the mountains. His run-in with Megan has him believing he's in Laurel Crest for more than a partnership in an animal hospital.

After a case of mistaken identity is cleared up, Megan and Lee strike up a friendship. Lee is everything Megan ever wanted—smart, loyal and dedicated to his faith. But Megan has experienced deep betrayal twice, and she's reluctant to give romance another try.

Can Megan come to terms with the secret that haunts her, get past her distrust of men, and accept the love Lee offers or will her heart be broken again?

~*~
Buy Lesa’s book on Amazon or Pelican Book Group

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Connect with Lesa:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/lesawhenderson
Twitter - https://twitter.com/lesahenderson
Website - https://www.lesahenderson.com

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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: 

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Romantic Reads: A Dance in Donegal

The Story Behind the story A Dance in Donegal by Jennifer Deibel

In 2004, we had just moved back to the United States after two years living in remote, wild Donegal. Those two years were amazing…and hard…and life changing.

After we returned, I was struggling to process all we’d experienced in those long-but-brief two years. My faith had been stretched. I’d questioned my identity. And God’s sanity. I’d wondered about my place in the world, and how I could ever impact the darkness that seems to surround this world. And in His way and time, God was faithful. But there was still a lot to sift through.

Then one day, after reading a book about a quilting circle, this idea struck me for a story about a young Irish-American teacher who moves to her mother’s home village in Ireland to teach. Having suffered through a somewhat traumatic first year of teaching before moving overseas, it was easy for me to imagine what it might be like for a first-year teacher to start her career in a completely foreign environment, culture, and language. Thus, the baby idea for A Dance in Donegal took root.

I started writing right away, but was also expecting our first baby. Once she came along, the story sat. And sat. For years. Through that time, God continued to work on my heart and help me grow. We moved back to Ireland, and I learned even more about this amazing country, culture, and amazing, beautiful people. After another two and a half years back in Ireland, I picked the story back up, finding that it needed to be much different. Because I was different.

I’d learned more about the writing craft, the art of story, and I’d lived more of my faith. And some of my most favorite elements of the story came to life—the mystery element materialized, Moira’s main conflict and crisis of faith came to life, and secondary characters became like old friends.

There is so very much of my own heart and experiences bled onto the pages of A Dance in Donegal. And yet, Moira and Sean and Colm and Peg and all the others are their own people, with their own journeys. God showed me more of Himself and His grace as I wrote. And that is my prayer for all those who read it—that God would challenge and encourage them in their own faith journeys, no matter where on the spectrum of belief they start on.

And while they are fictional characters…figments of my own imagination…God used them to teach me more about faith, grace, and loyalty than if I’d never endeavored to write.

This story burned in my soul, and even though I was tempted to quit many times along the way because it was over 15 years from the time I started writing to when I signed the contract to publish it, I felt called to continue. And with that, I want to encourage you, dear reader, to keep on keeping on. If God has called you to it, He will equip you for it, and carry you through it, dark times and all.

~*~
Author Bio:

Jennifer Deibel is a middle school teacher whose work has appeared on (in)courage, on The Better Mom, in Missions Mosaic magazine, and others. 

With firsthand immersive experience abroad, Jennifer writes stories that help redefine home through the lens of culture, history, and family. 

After nearly a decade of living in Ireland and Austria, she now lives in Arizona with her husband and their three children.

Her debut novel, A Dance in Donegal, is available wherever books are sold! Her second novel, The Lady of Galway Manor, is available for pre-order and is set to release February 1, 2022.

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Book Blurb for A Dance in Donegal:

After the loss of her Irish mother in the summer of 1920, Moira Doherty decides to fulfill her mother’s wish for her to leave Boston and teach in her mother’s home village of Ballymann in Donegal, Ireland.

Though a few locals offer a warm welcome, others are distanced by superstition and suspicion. Rumors about a scandalous family reputation abound and threaten not only her new position but also her life.

Moira must rely on the kindness of a handful of unlikely friends including Sean, a handsome thatcher, to help her clear her family name before it’s too late. As she seeks to navigate her new life in Ireland, she may find that this is truly the life she was always meant to live.

Historical romance fans will embrace this lyrical tale of family and relish the cultural nuances, the rich history and the beautiful setting imbedded in the pages of A Dance in Donegal.

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Buy Jennifer’s book:
Baker Book House ~ ChristianBook.com ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Target ~ Books-A-Million ~ IndieBound ~ Walmart ~ Lifeway

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Connect with Jennifer:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferdeibel_author
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenniferdeibelauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20391683.Jennifer_Deibel
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jennifer-deibel