When Love Inspires: Amanda Tru and her author friends (Part 2 of 2)

Note from Alexis: We're doing things a bit different in "When Love Inspires" for today (Feb. 10). As I said yesterday (Feb. 9), I'm hosting ALL of the six authors from their boxed set "Betwixt Two Hearts."

So in order to accommodate the authors and not give you information overload, I've divided this book promo feature into two parts (Part 1 = yesterday and Part 2 = today). Enjoy visiting with the boxed set coordinator Amanda Tru's author friends Cathe Swanson, Carol Moncado and Chautona Havig!

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When Love Inspires: Cathe's story

I love writing sweet, clean romance novels because the world needs that kind of light-hearted, hopeful story. 

Christian romances aren’t just about a man and a woman who fall in love. The spiritual component of Christian marriage – and relationships of every kind – is often left out of contemporary love stories, but our faith adds a deeper dimension to our relationships.

I want to show the full, rich, beautiful love that can only be found when we love God first, more than we love the other person. That’s the only way to have a truly Happy Ever After.

--
Cathe's Author Bio:

Cathe Swanson, the author of the Great Lakes and Glory Quilts series, enjoys gardening, sewing, papercrafting, and kayaking on the beautiful Wisconsin rivers. 

She’s been teaching quiltmaking for over 25 years, focusing on retreat workshops, ministry events and bridal quilt bees, and is finally bringing that experience and enthusiasm to her newest series, The Glory Quilts.

--
Blurb for Cathe's novella, "The Swedehearts":

Eleanor Nielson always dreamed of following in her distinguished parents’ footsteps, becoming a teacher and living a life of selfless community service – until she tried it. Now, happily working at her uncle’s construction company, she’s finding fulfillment in her work and discovering a family heritage she never knew.

She can resist her parents’ pressure and manipulation from a hundred miles away, but she can’t skip their anniversary party. Eleanor isn’t interested in a relationship, but she doesn’t want to go to the party alone. Can a matchmaking agency find her a date who will impress her parents?

Like any good engineer, David Reid has his life all planned out. He’s finished college and established a career he enjoys. The next thing on his timeline is marriage and starting a family, but good wives are hard to find. He wants the right kind of woman – one who’s ready to start a family, who will share his faith and work at his side when he becomes a pastor. Someone he can trust. 

Like any good engineer, David turns the project over to experts: the Betwixt Two Hearts matchmaking agency.

Is this a match made in heaven?

--
Connect with Cathe:
Website: http://catheswanson.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CatheSwanson
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CatheSwanson
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/catheswanson
Instagram: http://instagram.com/CatheSwanson
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/CatheSwanson
BookBub Author Page: http://www.bookbub.com/authors/cathe-swanson
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/catheswansonNewsletter signup: http://www.catheswanson.com/newsletter

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When Love Inspires: Carol's story

I write romance because I love the happy endings. I don’t like stories that make me sad at the end. Crying in the middle is one thing. Crying because they all die or end up with the wrong people, is something else entirely! 

I write clean/sweet because I don’t need to see what goes on behind closed doors or “hear” cursing or “see” gore and violence. It’s not something I enjoy and not something I enjoy writing. I think there’s a lot of other people out there like me, and they just want to read something they can share with other generations – their moms or grandmas and their teen daughters.

I spend far more time than I probably should watching Hallmark movies. They get criticized, sometimes rightfully so, for their formulaic nature, perfect hair and clothes, quaint towns where there’s always piles of snow but clear roads and sidewalks, etc. Sometimes it’s fun to poke fun at them. 

I often watch royalty or writing related ones “live” in my reader group, posting commentary as I do. There’s usually a fair bit of snark involved, but underneath is that happy, waffy sigh at the end when their worlds all end up the way they should.

That’s what I like to write.

My characters have real issues (even if finances aren’t one of them for most of them). They struggle with the same thing we all do: Am I good enough? Do people really like me for me or because of (fill in the blank - for many of my characters, it has to do with their titles and tiaras)? Where do I find my self-worth? How do I reconcile what I should do with what I want to do or can I? And if I can’t, which do I choose?

Everyone answers those questions differently, even characters in the same book. But sometimes in those characters, we see little bits of ourselves and maybe learn a little bit about how we can change our own outlooks on who we are.

And do it without the cursing or sex scenes or violence that can be so prevalent in other genres.

We have enough drama and sadness in the world. I like bringing at least a little bit of sweetness and light into that and giving readers a bit of an escape from the real world into a fictional land where everyone eventually ends up with a happily ever after. (Except the bad guys of course. They get eaten by sharks).

--
Carol's Author Bio:

When she's not writing about her imaginary friends, USA Today Bestselling Author Carol Moncado prefers binge watching pretty much anything to working out. She believes peanut butter M&Ms are the perfect food and Dr. Pepper should come in an IV. 

When not hanging out with her hubby, four kids, and two dogs who weigh less than most hardcover books, she's probably reading in her Southwest Missouri home.

Summers find her at the local aquatic center with her four fish, er, kids. Fall finds her doing the band mom thing. Winters find her snuggled into a blanket in front of a fire with the dogs. Spring finds her sneezing and recovering from the rest of the year.

She used to teach American Government at a community college, but her indie career, now with over thirty titles, has allowed her to write full time. She's a founding member, former President, and current vice president of MozArks ACFW, blogger at InspyRomance, and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.

--
Blurb for Carol's novella, "Guardian of Her Heart":

When Mark’s boss, the queen of Montevaro, signs him up for the dating app Betwixt Two Hearts, he grudgingly goes along.

Casey is signed up by her best friend, before her best friend moves thousands of miles away.

When Casey attends the Serenity Landing Craft Convention, a stowaway cat means she’s desperate for help and her only option is the new match from her Betwixt app. 

As Mark and Casey get to know each other, their apparent incompatibilities could prove to be too much to overcome – or could prove that sometimes opposites attract.

--
Connect with Carol:
Carol Moncado Books: www.facebook.com/CarolMoncadoBooks
Serenity Landing Book Club (reader group): bit.ly/MoncadoReaderGroup
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarolMoncado/
Website: http://www.carolmoncado.com

~*~

When Love Inspires: Chautona's story

I've had lots of people ask me why I write "romance" over the years. I  put romance in quotes because a true romance author would laugh at the idea of my romance "counting" as far as genre goes.

But I put romance in books because it's obviously important to the Lord. He didn't just tell us He serves us and takes care of us. He showed us in so many metaphors, parables, and allegories that He cherishes us. He woos us to Him. And regardless of my personal comfort
with the whole thing, that means something to me.

I try to allude to that picture He paints every time I interject a romantic element into one of my novels as both a reminder to the reader and as one to me. We are loved, cherished, adored. Wow.

--
Chautona's Author Bio:

Chautona Havig lives in an oxymoron, escapes into imaginary worlds that look startlingly similar to ours and writes the stories that emerge. 

An irrepressible optimist, Chautona sees everything through a kaleidoscope of It’s a Wonderful Life sprinkled with fairy tales. 

Find her on the web and say howdy—if you can remember how to spell her name.

--
Blurb for Chautona's novella, "Random Acts of Shyness":

“That man is going to be single for the rest of his life!”

What began as a coping mechanism as a little boy became highly-effective date repellent as a man. He knows girls don’t care about the life cycle of a dung beetle, but Heath can’t help but spew facts like a docent at the zoo anytime he’s on one of his many first and only dates.

His sister is determined to fix that. So, she signs him up for the new matchmaking service. Her plan: simple. Just let him practice on a bunch of girls until it becomes second nature. Simple, right?

But Heath can’t get one girl out of his mind. So, with his boss’ help, and a little creativity, he embarks on a sorta-secret admirer scheme to induce her into giving him a second chance.

He’s a good guy… and someday he’ll figure out how to show it.

--
Connect with Chautona:
Website: https://chautona.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justhewriteescape
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chautona
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chautonahavig/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/chautonahavig/

~*~
Enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of the "Betwixt Two Hearts" boxed set of books by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget from yesterday's blog post. You can find it here. 

When Love Inspires: Amanda Tru and her author friends (Part 1 of 2)

Note from Alexis: We're doing things a bit different in "When Love Inspires" for today (Feb. 9) and tomorrow (Feb. 10). I'm hosting ALL of the six authors from their boxed set "Betwixt Two Hearts." 

So in order to accommodate the authors and not give you information overload, I've divided this book promo feature into two parts (Part 1 = today and Part 2 = tomorrow). Enjoy visiting with Amanda Tru who coordinated the boxed set, and her author friends!

~*~

When Love Inspires: Amanda's story

For as long as I can remember, I have made up stories in my head while falling asleep, entering dreamland partway through a dream consciously spun. I love to write because I get to share those stories that have always danced through my imagination while also providing meaning that can touch others.

Words are powerful. They make tangible invisible ideas. And somehow, inspiration and enlightenment is often more palatable in the world of fiction, and even more so if the fiction Is good! Even Jesus Christ used stories to communicate deep messages and meaning.

I am an author because that is what God has gifted and called me to do. 

I write to glorify Him, and I believe writing the stories in ways that are sweet, clean, and romantic is the best way for me to do that. I like to create a picture of love that glorifies the Lord, providing for others a moment of escape from the stress of every day while also inspiring and encouraging them in their spiritual walks.

I hope readers are different by the time they reach “The End.” To me, it is a great responsibility and privilege that God can touch others by allowing them to visit my imagination and discover something valuable there. In every sense, it is a dream come true.

In my book Betwixt Two Hearts, the main character struggles with these ideas of real Christianity and love all while trying to make her own dreams come true.

--
Amanda's Author Bio:

Amanda Tru loves to write page-turning books that inspire real-life Christianity while providing plenty of unexpected twists. She figures she loses so much sleep writing the things, it’s only fair she makes readers lose sleep with books they can’t put down! 

Amanda's current book list includes everything from historical, to action-packed suspense, to inspirational romance, to a Christian time travel/romance series. She is also the author and organizer behind the unique, multi-author Crossroads collection series.

Amanda is a former elementary school teacher who now spends her days being mommy to her four young children and her nights furiously writing. Amanda and her family live in a small Idaho town where the number of cows outnumbers the number of people.

--
Blurb for Amanda's novella, "Betwixt Two Hearts":

With control of their dating website the prize, Bailey and Camden embark on a matchmaking competition that snags on unexpected results. 

All is fair in a contest of love. May the best matchmaker win.

--
Connect with Amanda:
Website: www.amandatru.com
Newsletter sign-up: http://eepurl.com/ZQdw9
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amandatru.author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TruAmanda
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/truamanda/

~*~

When Love Inspires: Alana's story

As an author who mainly writes suspense thrillers, many of the topics I tackle contain issues our society faces on a daily basis.

I’ve written about sex trafficking, kidnapping, abortion, racial issues, and homosexuality to name but a few. However, I choose to also write fiction romance because it gives both myself and my readers a nice break from the heavy emotional topics listed above. 

It’s nice to create characters and towns who have “happily-ever-after” endings when we all know there are no guarantees for them in real life. However, romance novels remind us about the good in life, the way our men treat us like ladies, the way ladies respect their men, and how communities pull together and create memories and traditions to be enjoyed for decades. 

So I think it would be safe to say while I primarily write suspense novels, life is definitely made up of both genres – the nitty gritty “hot button topics” that flood the news as well as the sweet romance and “happily-ever-after” endings found in romantic fiction. 

I hope you enjoy reading this sweet romance as much as I did writing it.

--
Alana's Author Bio:

Alana Terry is a pastor's wife, homeschooling mom, self-diagnosed chicken lady, and Christian suspense author. Her novels have won awards from Women of Faith, Book Club Network, Grace Awards, Readers' Favorite, and more. 

Alana's passion for social justice, human rights, and religious freedom shines through her writing, and her books are known for raising tough questions without preaching. 

She and her family live in rural Alaska where the northern lights in the winter and midnight sun in the summer make hauling water, surviving the annual mosquito apocalypse, and cleaning goat stalls in negative forty degrees worth every second.

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Blurb for Alana's novella, "Seoul Refuge":

Caroline is a new believer, excited and passionate about her faith. Calvin is a Boston police detective, an atheist who can hardly believe Christians have brainwashed his wife. Caroline just wants to follow God. Calvin just wants his wife back.

--
Connect with Alana:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alanaterrywrites
Newsletter sign-up: https://www.alanaterry.com/readers-club.html

Twitter: https://twitter.com/alanaterrybooks/

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When Love Inspires: Kari's story

I write inspirational romance because I think everyone should be able to read what makes them feel good and comfortable if that’s what they desire. 

So many women love the romance part of romance novels, but don’t want to read bedroom scenes. I go one step further by adding a faith element to all of my stories, but they are for both Christian and non-Christian readers.

Each reader comes at a book with different expectations. Some want a lot of tension and build up in the story, even though they know how it will end. 

In romance, it isn’t really about the ending because readers know when they start a romance how it will end, it’s all about the journey. I write about the journey in a way that many readers would feel comfortable sharing it with their daughters when they are done.

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Kari's Author Bio:

Kari Trumbo is a best-selling author of Christian and sweet romance. 

She writes swooney heroes and places that become characters, with detail and heart. She's a stay-at-home mom to four vibrant children. When she isn't writing or editing, she home schools her children and pretends to keep up with them.

Kari loves reading, listening to contemporary Christian music, singing when no one's listening, and curling up near the wood stove when winter hits. She makes her home in central Minnesota, land of frigid toes and mosquitoes the size of compact cars, with her husband of over twenty years. They have two daughters, two sons, one cat, and one hungry wood stove.

--
Blurb for Kari's novella, "Whole Latte Love":

Misguided Drew thinks all quiet women hide harmful secrets. 

While pretty, new best friend Addi's soft-spoken nature reminds him too much of past hurts to move their relationship forward. Can a matchmaking agency change his heart?

--
Connect with Kari:
Website: www.KariTrumbo.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KariTrumboAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/karitrumbo
Instagram: www.instagram.com/KariTrumbo
Book Bub: www.bookbub.com/authors/kari-trumbo
Amazon Author Page

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Enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of the "Betwixt Two Hearts" boxed set of books by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below: 

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When Love Inspires: Leann's story

When Love Inspires: Leann's story

What inspires me to write sweet romance?

I have always believed that you can tell a truth in fiction much easier than put it a religious book. Once I switched to writing sweet romance, I always tried to listen for the story that Heaven put in my heart and the church secretary would like to read.

When I get a story idea, or the characters appear to me, and I start writing it, a driving theme will develop. I did a series of brothers but the last hero had the saddest of all three stories. His mother couldn’t cope with raising her sons alone after her husband’s death. She turned to other men, alcohol, and when she had to pick between her children and boyfriend, she picked the boyfriend. Close to 15 years later, the hero meets his mother after she’s clean, sober and going to church.

As I wrote the story I thought of the parable Jesus told of the stranger who was beaten. I marveled over the fact that a priest and a Levite passed by without helping him, but it was the Samaritan who helped the man. That was the mother’s story. The hero forgave his mother. He also helped his older brother to deal with their mother. I hadn’t planned that part of the story, but as I wrote things happened that were totally out of place. I’d left them in and planned to take them out when I rewrote. Oddly enough those twists fit perfectly fit into the story as it now stood.

In my latest story, "Going Home," Missy has things happen to her surprised me. You plan and plan your story, but as you write it, the storyline or characters surprise you and take on a life their own. That’s fun. Missy had no intention of falling in love with her older brother’s best friend, Nathan Winters but it happened. It was fun to torture the heroine. Sometimes we try to plan our future, but Heaven has a different plan.

As you’re writing, you learn the lessons Heaven is whispering to you. Suddenly, a pastor will talk about what you’re writing. Or some will talk about what they read and it resonates with you. Although it is just you and the computer when you write, you’re not alone.

At first, I thought I was a nut! But when I went to conferences, I met many more people who were like me. I was normal and didn’t need to see a professional.

What does it take to be a writer? A willingness to learn and bravery to open your heart to others who read your story and critique your writing. I figure that with as many conferences and workshops I’ve attended I should have a PhD. I trained to be a teacher of the Deaf, but once I had children, I stayed at home and started to write. I’m dyslexic and can’t spell well, but I can tell a story.

I’ve heard sermons on using the gift God’s given you. Mine is telling stories, and I will continue to do that.

~*~
Author Bio:

Leann Harris is the author of 22 published novels with various publishers. She is a founder of both DARA and Ready Writers, local writing groups. 

Leann is a teacher of the deaf, who taught math to high school deaf students and currently teaches writing at Collin College for their continuing education.

An active gardener, master composter, who works out plot questions while pulling weeds in her garden. She is also a cancer survivor.

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Blurb for Leann's novella "Going Home" featured in the Cowboy Brides Collection (boxed set):

Denver stands for disappointment as Melissa Danner fails to find the big city captivating as a CPA, but neighboring rancher Nathan Winters causes sparks to fly when she returns home, leading her to rethink happiness as a destination of the heart, not a distance to be traveled.  

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Connect with Leann:
Website - www.leannharris.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/authorLeannHarris
Twitter - https://twitter.com/@leharris75

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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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When Love Inspires: The Introduction

Love is in the air! No, it's not Springtime yet BUT Valentine's Day (Feb. 14) is around the corner and I created "When Love Inspires" to celebrate!

"When Love Inspires" is a new series for my blog. Hint: Valentine's Day is my muse.

Every day, from February 1 through February 14, I will feature an author and their sweet romance story on my blog. All of my authors this time write for the Christian book market, so their stories are as captivating as they are clean and inspirational.

Featured authors will share what inspires them to write sweet romance stories. 

Here's what's in it for you: FREE books! Each author promised to give away at least one copy (paperback or digital) of their featured book. You can enter each book giveaway contest via the Rafflecopter widget that will be located toward the very end of each blog post.

I hope that this series, When Love Inspires, will be a blessing for your heart!

Love,

Alexis A. Goring

Founder of "God is Love" blog

Christmas on My Heart: The Christmas Glory Quilt by Cathe Swanson

Personal Essay by Cathe Swanson about her book,
The Christmas Glory Quilt:

I had so much fun writing The Christmas Glory Quilt! It’s a classic “write what you know” book. To start with, I’m a quiltmaker. I started sewing garments and other projects when I was a young child, but it wasn’t until I was in my 20’s that I made my first real quilt. I was hooked. That was beginning of a long career as a quilter, designer, and teacher of quiltmaking.

A writer friend urged me to write books with quilts in them, but I resisted, certain that market was already overcrowded. Then I came up with a brilliant idea: I would write books and design quilts for each one, offering the pattern as a bonus for early purchasers and then selling it separately later. I still think it’s a brilliant idea, but I hadn’t thought it through. Designing and making quilts, as well as drafting patterns, takes as long as writing books! Still, I’m happy with the results, and I have the whole Glory Quilts series mapped out!

The Christmas Glory Quilt is about a large, homeschooling family in Minnesota, with a strong Swedish heritage, an old family farm, and an avid genealogist great aunt. Oh, yeah... got all that. The settings and seasons are familiar from my childhood. Now, having migrated all the way to Wisconsin, I enjoy visiting my family who (all) still live there.

Family – the extended, multigenerational family – is important to me. As the Glory Quilts series progresses, there will be more of the Andersons’ family history woven into the contemporary plots. Great Aunt Violet has been chronicling their stories in quilts, like scrapbooks, and she’s come across a new family mystery – a family heirloom, buried long ago, and no one is left to tell her why it was hidden!

I especially enjoy celebrating my ethnic heritage at Christmas, with so many Scandinavian traditions and foods, and I included several of them in this book. I even included some of my personal opinions of the St. Lucy processions – not only dangerous, but extremely gruesome and odd!

The one part of this book that required extensive research is the heroine’s dyslexia. In addition to the usual online research, I had an invaluable advisor, a specialist in remediating dyslexia in children and adults. I learned so much!

We are blessed to live in an age where dyslexia is diagnosed early and can be remediated. Previous generations, like Great Uncle Olof, were just labeled illiterate, too dumb to learn to read.

Penny Anderson is smart, creative and ambitious. She just has trouble reading. Determined to make a success of her business, designing bridal gowns, she’s not going to let dyslexia define or limit her.

The Christmas Glory Quilt is the first in the Glory Quilts series. The next one, The Swedehearts Glory Quilt, will appear in the Betwixt Two Hearts collection in February.

The Christmas Glory Quilt is available now in paperback, but you can only get the Kindle version in the 2018 Christmas Lights collection: Comfort & Joy. The collection features inspirational Christmas stories from Toni Shiloh, Alana Terry and Chautona Havig – and me! It’s available exclusively on Amazon, for just 99 cents, and – as always – free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers. 

*You can learn more about my quilting at www.gloryquilts.com. 

~*~
Author Bio: 

Cathe Swanson, the author of the Great Lakes series, enjoys gardening, sewing, papercrafting and kayaking on the beautiful Wisconsin rivers. 

She’s been teaching quiltmaking for over 25 years, focusing on retreat workshops, ministry events and bridal quilt bees, and is finally bringing that experience and enthusiasm to her newest series, the Glory Quilts.

~*~
Book Blurb for The Christmas Glory Quilt:

Scrap quilts, bridal gowns, an old Swedish farmhouse and a hidden family heirloom. What more you could you want in a Minnesota Christmas romance?

Penny Anderson has a dream – she’s going to be an exclusive bridal gown designer, and she won’t held back by dyslexia, a rural location or the doubts of others.

Brian Michaels has waited seven years for Penny to see him as man instead of just a childhood friend. Can he work up the courage to speak before the tall, dark and handsome business consultant sweeps her off her feet?

Aunt Violet is interested in only two things: Genealogy and quilting. As she chronicles the family history in a series of patchwork quilts, she comes to peace with her own past.

~*~
Buy Comfort & Joy (boxed set) on Amazon

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Connect with Cathe:
Website: http://catheswanson.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CatheSwanson
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CatheSwanson
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/catheswanson
Instagram: http://instagram.com/CatheSwanson
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/CatheSwanson
BookBub Author Page: http://www.bookbub.com/authors/cathe-swanson
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/catheswanson

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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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Falling for Books: LoRee's book

Turn Your “Without a Song” into a New Song
A devotional by LoRee Peery

“Sing to the Lord a new song, Sing His praise from the end of the earth!”
~Isaiah 42:10 (NASB)

At five o’clock on a Wednesday a few months ago, author Mary Manners asked me to join her and three others in compiling a novella collection. I responded that I’d pray about it. All I had in mind for a project was my next novel-length story, which I’m working on now.

On the way to choir that evening, during rehearsal, and driving home, the title, premise, and setting came to me. How could I not say yes?

I love the way the Lord works and pray I will always trust Him with what He calls me to do. Without a Song is a novella within a boxed set called "Fall in Love" which celebrates finding love during the autumn season.

You’ve probably heard the term that our heads are about twelve inches from our hearts. I’d venture to guess every reader has a different reference to that concept. Often, the term head knowledge relates to those who have grown up in the church, attended multiple Bible studies, and memorized Scripture. However, something is missing from the enjoyment of life. They have not asked Jesus to forgive their sins and enter their hearts.

Dawson Bennett, the hero of Without a Song, has lost the ability to write music following a record deal going awry in Nashville. His brother invites him to stay on a ranch. Dawson returns to his hometown in Nebraska and discovers his sister-in-law opened up the house to friend Roni Marsden and her young daughter.

In my story, Roni suggests Dawson study the verses in Scripture that refer to a new song because a new song praises the Lord. “O sing to the Lord a new song, For He has done wonderful things” (Psalm 98:1). She becomes his earthly inspiration.

Psalm 9:10 says, “And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.” Both Roni and Dawson have to trust their todays and their tomorrows to our God.

Psalm 33:3 reads, “Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy.” For Dawson to find that new song, and compose the melody on his guitar, his heart and head must jibe with new excitement over his reestablished relationship with the Lord. Honest, emotional lyrics flow from the reality of life rather than “knowing” how to sing and play. In other words, his head and heart need to be in sync.

“He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear and will trust in the Lord” (Psalm 40:3). Renewed by spending time in the Bible, Dawson latches on to a new song of love for the Lord that affects his testimony, and his music.

My favorite number is 49, and I sing in the choir at our church, so I personally like this verse: “Sing to the Lord a new song, And His praise in the congregation of the godly ones” (Psalm 149:1).

I hope you rediscover your trust in the Lord, a hunger for His Word, and can joyfully say, “I will sing a new song to You, O God; Upon a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You” (Psalm 144:9).

One way to renew a song in your heart is to pray a Psalm. I suggest Psalm 100.

~*~
Author Bio:

Christian romance author LoRee Peery writes to feel alive, as a way of contributing, and to pass forward the hope of rescue from sin. 

She writes of redeeming grace with a sense of place. LoRee clings to 1 John 5:4 and prays her family sees that faith. 

She has authored novellas and novels published by Pelican Book Group. Her desire for readers, the same as for her characters, is to discover where they fit in this life journey to best work out the Lord’s life plan. 

She is who she is by the grace of God: Christian, country girl, wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, and author. She’s been a reader since age four.

~*~
Book Blurb for Without a Song:

Still reeling from the loss of her husband, young widow Roni Marsden resolves to be strong for her precocious daughter. Invited to stay on the cleansing hills of her friend’s ranch in Nebraska, she tries to figure out the next step. Should she leave Norfolk? Could she find work if she did?

Country songwriter Dawson Bennett returns home to the quiet of his brother’s ranch when the production company for his first album goes bust. He searches his heart for new songs, but finds himself unable to write. Even as he seeks direction for his career, he attempts to mend the past with his elderly father.

Back in high school, Dawson had crushed on the lovely Roni when she dated his brother. Those emotions are reawakened when he discovers Roni and her daughter also taking emotional shelter at the ranch. Protective feelings for the child, as well as for a stray pup that arrives on the scene, work together to soften his bitterness. Will these connections enable him to write lyrics that honor God?

Or does God have a different future in mind for these searching souls? 

~*~
Buy LoRee's book:

Without a Song in print on Amazon

Fall in Love (boxed set) including LoRee's story "Without a Song" on Amazon  

~*~
Connect with LoRee:
Website - www.loreepeery.com
Twitter - https://twitter.com/LoreePeery
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/LoReePeery
Amazon - https://amzn.to/2E96I40

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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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Summer Stories: A (wildly) Wonderful Wedding by Krista Phillips

Interview with Krista Phillips about A (wildly) Wonderful Wedding:

Alexis: What inspired you to write this story?

Krista: I was having a conversation with friends about weddings, marriages, and boyfriends. One of us was single but dating and some were giving advice not to rush, take your time and I was like, well, I agree with that. But at the same time, I had only seen my future husband three times before he proposed, we got married four months later and we had met online. We have been married for almost 19 years now. So going quick isn’t always a bad thing. The whole conversation sparked a story in my head for these characters that were already tip-toeing around in there, and the rest is history!

Alexis: Tell us about your story’s heroine Danielle. What’s she like?

Krista: Danielle has some rough edges. She was raised in a super strict, legalistic household and had done some serious rebelling as a teenager that almost killed her. She came to Jesus in college, but still struggles as old habits aren’t easy to break, but is also working on forgiving her parents and the boy who broke her heart five years ago.

Alexis: Tell us about your story’s hero Drake. What’s he like?

Krista: Drake is a pretty easy-going guy. He co-owns an audio-visual company with his best friend. His work consumes him much of the time. He got serious about his faith a few years ago and has one pretty big regret in life—how he left his fiancée in the dust—via text message five years ago. What a jerk he’d been!

Alexis: Five years prior to the start of this story, Danielle and Drake were a hot item. What went wrong?

Krista: I’m not sure anything really went “wrong” per say. Drake got cold feet and decided that he wasn’t quite ready for marriage. But he dumped Danielle in a pretty jerk-ish way. But in hindsight, they weren’t ready for marriage, and both had some serious growing up to do.

Alexis: Now that Danielle and Drake are reunited (five years later, at the start of your story) as the maid of honor and best man at their best friend’s upcoming nuptials, how do they feel? 

Krista: They are still pretty steamed at each other—at first.

Alexis: Why do Drake and Danielle believe that they have to team up to prevent their best friends’ wedding?

Krista: Drake isn’t convinced at first, but Danielle wants to prevent her friend from making the same mistake she almost made five years ago.

Alexis: Is there a real-life lesson that you hope to teach your readers in this fiction story? Explain.

Krista: Honestly, when I write my stories, I don’t think necessarily in “lessons” my readers will learn. I believe God can use stories to encourage us in our walk with Him, and I hope that same thing for this book. That will look different for each person, as a story can impact people differently. I guess if I had to give a specific answer, I’d say that readers will see that no one is beyond God’s grace, that God can use our fumbling mistakes for good, and that just because God calls us to something doesn’t mean he calls everyone around you to the same thing.

Alexis: What role does the faith of your main characters play in this story?

Krista: Both Drake and Danielle are fairly new to their faith after having rekindled their love for Jesus a few years prior. Their new faith allows them to see how God has used the disaster five years ago to bring Him glory.

Alexis: How does your viewpoint as a woman of faith affect your storytelling?

Krista: I love Jesus. Pretty simple as that. I aim to write my stories to bring him glory, just as I aim to do so in all facets of my life to do that, whether it is my day job or simply going to the grocery store and being kind to those around me and showing them Jesus’ love. I think if you are a born-again believer, that can’t help but influence our storytelling, as we are a “new creation” in Christ and don’t think as we did before, therefore don’t tell stories as we did before. That looks different for everyone.

Alexis: If you could grab coffee with Danielle, what would you order and what would you as a married woman advise her as she considers giving Drake a second chance?

Krista: Summer = something strawberry, non-coffee and cold. Winter= hot chocolate! My advice? I’d tell her that forgiveness is fabulous, and that they are both two new people now since they’ve found Christ. Take it slow, date, get to know the new Drake, and see where God takes you.

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

Krista: Thanks for hosting A (wildly) Wonderful Wedding that is in the Once Upon a Laugh box set! I really appreciate it!

~*~
Author Bio:

Krista Phillips writes contemporary romance sprinkled with two of her favorite things, laughter, and Jesus. And sometimes chocolate for kicks and giggles. 

She lives in Middle Tennessee with her husband and their four beautiful daughters, and is an advocate for congenital heart defect and organ donation awareness. 

Visit her online at www.kristaphillips.com. 

~*~
Book Blurb:

They may be the worst maid of honor and best man in the history of weddings… 

Five years ago, Drake and Danielle had a whirlwind summer romance—but on the day they were going to elope, Drake got cold feet and took the coward’s way out. Now a successful business owner, Drake is more than a little concerned when his best friend announces his upcoming nuptials—to the woman he’s only dated a little over a month.

Danielle is shocked when her best friend announces she’s getting married—in two months—to her boyfriend of a while whoppin’ month. And then she meets the best man. Drake? Her friend is marrying the best friend of her ex-fiancé? She has to do something to help her friend see that this hasty wedding is a mistake. But she can’t do it alone.

Will Drake and Danielle be able to work together to stop this crazy, wild wedding, or will they lose their hearts again in the process?

~*~
Buy Krista's book on Amazon

~*~
Connect with Krista:
Blog/Website – www.kristaphillips.com
Facebook – www.facebook.com/authorkristaphillips
Twitter – www.twitter.com/kristaphillips

~*~
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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A Prelude to Christmas: Jan's story about Moostletoe and a recipe

Welcome Jan Elder to the blog today! She's here to share an excerpt and a recipe from her new novella, Moostletoe. Jan's book is in a “boxed set” with five other Christian authors. The boxed set is called "Frosting and Flurries: Five Delicious Christmas Romances." Here's the cover picture of it:

"Frosting and Flurries" contains five Christmas novellas and is available for purchase on Amazon. The other authors in the set are Kimberly Rae Jordan, Cecelia Dowdy, Clare Revell, and Marion Ueckermann. Jan's novella in this boxed set is called Moostletoe.

You may compete to WIN a copy of Jan's book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below: 

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Enjoy your time with Jan today! 
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Book blurb for Moostletoe: Fresh out of divinity school, Rev. Samantha Evans is ready to conquer the world for Christ. She lands in Moose Creek, Maine, a tiny backwater town with more moose per square mile than men. Even worse, one of her new parishioners chews up new ministers for breakfast, and he’s hell-bent on sending her packing. 

Forest ranger Eric Palmer is done with women. Determined to live simply with no encumbrances, he’s moved to Northern Maine to study the moose population. With Christmas right around the corner, he runs into his buddy, Sammie, the girl who’d been his best friend when they were teenagers. Unlike most of the women in his life, he trusts her implicitly. But could she ever be more than a friend?

When Samantha’s career is on the line, Eric must save her job and rescue his own shattered heart in the process. But how does Matilda the town moose factor in?

~*~

Excerpt from Chapter Four of Moostletoe: 

As they headed toward the fence at the back of the large yard, the trapped moose turned her head and fastened Samantha with the longest, most distressed face she’d ever seen. Somehow, the words “there’s a moose stuck in the fence” had not prepared her for the sight of two hooves sticking to the top of tall pickets.

Poor moosie indeed!

The TV news reporter strode toward Eric and Travis, a determined set to his jaw.

Eric took charge. “Dale, you can film, but be quiet about it and keep well back. I know everybody loves Matilda, but she’s a wild animal and she’s scared. You too, Mr. Tremblay.”

“We’ll do our best to behave.” Dale smirked. “But the TV audience is going to eat this up and we’re here to serve.”

Eric grimaced. “She’s just a moose for crying out loud. People in Aroostook County see them every day.”

The TV crew moved into position. Eric glanced at Samantha. “Sammie you asked what you can do. Your job is to pray we can get this moose out of trouble, fast.”

“Will do.” Samantha nodded and clung to the fence line several yards away. Matilda puffed, her breath sending up a cloud of steam. Samantha’s heart went out to the creature, and she unleashed a silent prayer. If God cared for the lowly sparrow, He surely loved the magnificent moose.

Eric’s eyes zeroed in on the television camera as two men continued to edge closer. “Confound it, Dale, stay back. Don’t you have a zoom on that contraption?”

The cheeky, young reporter lifted his chin. “We’ll stay back as long as you give us an exclusive after the rescue.”

Eric planted his hands on his hips and huffed. “Exclusive? Dale, what do you think this is? Portland? You’re the only TV station there is in these parts. Just keep your distance. Hey, Tremblay? You have a small hatchet?”

A protest erupted from the cameraman. “Surely, you’re not going to hurt that wild animal.”

Eric shook his head. “No, of course we’re not going to hurt her. We have to break up the fence.”

Dale cocked his head. “Why can’t you just yard on it until her feet come out?”

Huh? Samantha searched her memory banks. Yard on it. Ah, yes. Pull hard.

“Do I look suicidal? I’m not getting anywhere near those back hooves. We have a crazed five-hundred-pound moose who’s not thinking straight, here.”

The cameraman grumbled and when Eric turned his back, the cameraman made a hand gesture that meant … Samantha wasn’t sure what it meant, but it couldn’t have been nice.

Matilda shifted her back feet, tried to maneuver backward and pitched a bit to the side. The wooden fence scraped against her front fetlocks and she bellowed, a terrible noise that rang hollow in the damp, night air. Terrified, her eyes flicked back and forth, the whites showing. Helpless, Samantha prayed harder and shuffled her feet to keep the circulation moving, her chest squeezing.

The cameraman hefted his camera and aimed it at the reporter. The show was about to begin.

~*~
Author bio: 

Jan Elder is an inspirational romance writer with a passion for telling stories other women can relate to on a deep level. She strives to write the kind of book that will strengthen the reader’s faith, introducing the reader to a loving and forgiving Lord who walks beside us in our daily lives, while also providing an entertaining and engrossing love story.

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

~*~
Connect with Jan Elder:
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Jan-Elder/e/B00VXW5F2C/
Website - http://janelderauthor.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/janice.elder.author
Twitter - https://twitter.com/JanElderAuthor
GoodReads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13261561.Jan_Elder

~*~
Recipe from Jan's story:

*Note from Jan: In Moostletoe, the owner of the local coffee shop is a baker. There is a celebration in each of the five books, complete with a very special cake. The following is the recipe for the delicious cake in mine:

Janice Bittner’s Chocolate MOOSTLETOE Cake

CRUST:

3 cups finely crushed chocolate graham crackers

¾ tsp. espresso powder

1 stick butter, melted

FILLING:

3 cups chocolate chips

2 tbsp. butter

2 eggs

4 egg yolks

2 cups heavy cream

1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 tsp. espresso powder

1 tsp. vanilla

1 package (10 ounces) peanut butter chips

Directions: 

Mix the crushed crumbs and the espresso powder. Add the melted butter and mix well. Press into the bottom of a 9” or 10” springform pan. Chill until ready.

Beat the eggs and the egg yolks, and set aside.

Melt the chocolate chips and butter in a medium saucepan. Slowly add the egg mixture in 3-4 additions, whisking well after each addition. Transfer to a large bowl to cool slightly.

With and electric mixer, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Add the confectioners’ sugar, espresso powder and vanilla, and beat until stiff peaks form.

Stir about 1/3 of the whipped cream into the cooled chocolate, mixing well.

Gently fold in another 1/3 of the whipped cream. Gently fold in the last 1/3 of the whipped cream until as few streaks remain as possible without deflating the mousse.

Fold in the peanut butter chips.

Pour mousse onto the crust. Freeze until ready to eat. Thaw for about 1 hour before serving.

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