14 Days of Love: When It Storms

Today, we're shining the spotlight on a book by my author friend Lisa M. Prysock.

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Book Blurb for When It Storms:

When C.E.O. Alexander Brantley hires a public relations specialist from Glitter, Ltd. to do media damage control for Seventh Floor, Inc. after a fashion disaster involving one of his company’s designs, he has no idea his former teen crush is at the helm of the reputable firm.  

Glamorous, breathtaking, and all grown up, Jane Sheldon—the former girl next door—is taking on the assignment personally. Can he keep her safe in the midst of his storm? Dare he trust her with classified information when other matters begin to spiral out of control, submerging them into turmoil, and putting them on the run for their lives?

Jane returns to England on her private corporate jet, anxious to see Alex again after so many years, but all sorts of things have begun to go wrong. Their lives are constantly in danger. It appears as if someone wants them dead—but whom?

Get your copy of this sweet and clean, inspirational, faith-filled, Christian Contemporary Romantic Suspense novella today! Easily read as a stand-alone.

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Author Bio:

Lisa M. Prysock is a USA Today Bestselling, Award-Winning Author of Contemporary and Historical Christian Romance. 

She resides in a rural area near Louisville, Kentucky with her husband of 24 years. Empty nesters, they are reclaiming the household when she isn’t writing the next novel. 

She loves touring historical sites, all things old-fashioned, sketching, and cross-stitching. 

She tries to work out on a regular basis—sometimes an epic fail—and attempting new recipes. 

Lisa loves sharing her faith in Jesus through her writing.

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Buy Lisa's book on Amazon

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Connect with Lisa:

Website: https://www.LisaPrysock.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisaMPrysock
Lisa’s Reader Group, The Royal Riders: https://www.facebook.com/groups/500592113747995
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/LPrysock
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/LisaPrysock

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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: When Valleys Bloom Again (book) by Pat Jeanne Davis

Welcome Pat Jeanne Davis to the blog today! 

She's here to share an excerpt from her story, When Valleys Bloom Again.

Happy reading!

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Story excerpt from When Valleys Bloom Again by Pat Jeanne Davis

 

Chapter 13 

Spring 1942

            

            The train station teemed with soldiers and their sweethearts by the time Jim and Abby arrived. Her heart sank like lead under the weight of all the other goodbyes on the platform.

            Jim drew her near. “I can see your aunt’s ballroom full of soldiers for one of her events. I’m jealous already.”

            Abby tightened her grip around his waist. “Can’t foresee any competition.”

            He stroked her cheek. “Just don’t let them hear you sing, and don’t smile too much.”

            They went over the footbridge to the quieter side of the platform, keeping an ear out for the announcement of departure. She reached into her purse and handed him a small tinted photograph of them on her graduation day.

            Jim broke the silence. “This is more painful than in January when I left for training.”

            She nodded, the specter of separation hovering over them threatened to drain away the joy of the past ten days.

            The train whistle blew and she jumped, legs trembling. She’d hoped to be prepared for their parting. But she wasn’t. She hated the Japanese for taking Jim away from her.

            He snatched up his duffel bag and with his free arm grasped her hand. As they clattered up the metal steps and along the steel-walled gangway over the tracks, their footsteps echoed. Abby shrank from the cold, hard noise. A cloud of steam rose up and engulfed Jim. She tried to drag him back. He pressed on, pulling her behind him, his head turned away, as if heedless of the silent shriek inside her—please don’t go!

            They stood together beside the train. “I wish you didn’t ha-ha-have to go,” she said, clasping his hand to the side of her face. Setting his cap straight, she stepped back and flashed a mock salute, determined to be strong for the sake of others here, all brought together by the sorrow of parting—but especially for Jim.

            A tight, desperate embrace and a last kiss before Jim hopped onto the bottom rung. The conductor made an inspection of the platform before giving the “All Aboard.” Abby gripped Jim’s arm. Clutching his hand, she ran alongside the rolling train—taking him hundreds of miles away—until she fell behind and had to let go.

            The train wiggled out and away from the platform. Long after it had shrunk to a pale silver dot on the blank horizon, Abby stared down the track, hollow inside and unable to will herself away. The crowd dissolved into its melancholy components, and she flowed out with them to the exit.

            On her return home, she pulled the drapes across the window before dusk set in, then curled up in a chair, arms wrapped tight around the cushion. Had they made the right decision to wait until after the war to get married? Many of her former classmates were making wedding plans even now. Long after the first owl announced its presence and the chill of night settled in her body, Abby sat there. Not until the egg-yellow light of a new dawn filtered through the window shutters did she fall asleep.

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Author Bio:

Pat Jeanne Davis has a keen interest in 20th Century United States and British history, particularly the period of World War II. Her longtime interest in that era goes back to the real-life stories she heard about family members who served during the war. 

When Valleys Bloom Again is a debut inspirational romance set in WWII. 

She enjoys flower gardening, genealogy research and traveling with her British-born husband.

She writes from her home n Philadelphia, PA. Pat has published essays, short stories and articles online and in print. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. 

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Book Blurb for When Valleys Bloom Again:

As war approaches in 1939 Abby Stapleton’s safety is under threat. Her father, a British diplomat, insists she go back to America until the danger passes. 

Abby vows to return to her home in London—but where is home? With her family facing mortal danger so far away and feeling herself isolated, she finds it hard to pray or read the Bible. Did she leave God behind in war-torn London too? Then Abby becomes friendly with Jim, a gardener on her uncle’s estate.

Jim can’t get Abby out of his mind. Did she have a sweetheart in England? Was it foolish to think she’d consider him? He curses his poverty and the disgrace of his father’s desertion and drunkenness haunts him. Can he learn to believe in love for a lifetime and to hope for a happy marriage?

Abby couldn’t know the war would last a long time, nor that she would fall in love with Jim—soon to be drafted by the U.S.Army—or that she’d have to confront Henri, a rejected suitor, determined by his lies to ruin her reputation and destroy her faith in God’s providence. Will she discover the true meaning of home?

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Review of When Valleys Bloom Again (posted to Amazon.com):

Erin S

4.0 out of 5 stars Great WWII novel

What a story!

First, the cover captured me. It is wonderfully done and really made me want to read the book. Once I started the book I couldn’t put it down as it was just as wonderful as the cover. Jim and Abby are wonderful characters who really draw you into them and make you think you’ve always known them. While Henri makes you love to hate him. That’s the best way to have a villain type character.

WWII is one of my favorite time periods to read about. It intrigues me and I can’t help but read everything I can get my hands on about this time period. This book really piqued my interest because of that but also because I liked the unique storyline. It’s not often you get characters being sent from England to the United States because of the war. I enjoyed this part and seeing what the years right before the US took to war were like here. I thought the inclusion of doubt and questioning God was a good touch as so often I do find myself in those same thoughts over life. It’s good to see that even fictional characters have those doubts.

This is a wonderful debut novel by an author that I am definitely going to be following for more. I highly recommend you give the book a read.

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Connect with Pat Jeanne:
Website: https://www.patjeannedavis.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pat.j.davis.7
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patjeannedavis/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18797403.Pat_Jeanne_Davis
Amazon Author Page: https://amazon.com/author/patjeannedavis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pat-jeanne-davis-34290422/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/patjeannedavis/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/when-valleys-bloom-again-by-pat-jeanne-davis

My Blog's 10th Year Birthday Bash: Mikal Dawn's book giveaway

Welcome to the 24th day of my blog's birthday bash!

Please welcome my author friend Mikal Dawn.

She's here to give away three of her books!

Enter the book giveaway contest via the Rafflecopter widget the end of this blog post. Only residents of the USA are eligible to receive a signed paperback copy of this author's books. International residents will only receive ebook copies due to costs of mailing books outside of the USA.

Let's learn a little bit more about Mikal and her book ...

Author Bio:

Mikal Dawn is an inspirational romance author, wedding enthusiast, and proud military (retired) wife. By day, she works as an administrative assistant for an international ministry, runs her kids to all their sports, and drinks lots of coffee. 

By night, she talks to figments of her imagination as she attempts to write while dinner is burning. And drinks lots of coffee. When she isn’t writing about faith, fun, and forever, she is obsessively scouring Pinterest (with coffee in hand, of course!) for wedding ideas for her characters.

Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Mikal now lives in Oklahoma (and praying it’s their last home!) with her husband, two of their three children, and one ferocious feline. 

Connect with Mikal on mikaldawn.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, Bookbub, and Pinterest.

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Back Cover Blurb for Count Me In:

Allegra Spencer has been living a careful life. Her safe job as an accountant is bookended by going to church and the gym. Okay, sometimes the gym. Fine. She goes to church. And the coffee shop. She avoids risk at all cost, preferring to stay safe in her cozy condo. Until her accounting firm goes belly up and she's out of a job.

Tyler Hawk had a glorious career as a star NFL tight end. He retired on a high note and now lives a second dream of owning his own business and leading others on extreme outdoor adventures. But he needs help with his books—and his heart. When Allegra takes the job, sparks fly.

It’s a case of safety zone versus danger zone, and in their minds, never the two shall meet.

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Back Cover Blurb for If She Dares:

He’s a board game champion, but can he win her heart?

Lia Walker burned the bridges—and her boss’s tie—when she quit her job at a car dealership to go work for the chancellor of a prestigious university. But when she arrives only to find out she can’t start her job, she’s burning with only one question: how will she pay her rent?

Garrison McGarville returned from working in Europe a champion—of a Ticket to Ride board game tournament. But his latest job—informing a distressed beauty she doesn’t actually have a job yet—has him feeling more like a loser.

When Garrison comes up with what he hopes is a game-winning move, will Lia dare to accept?

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Back Cover Blurb for Once Upon a Christmas:

Embrace the magic of the Christmas season with these contemporary twists on timeless tales.

Upon a Dream — A rare sleeping disorder keeps Talia from performing, but when Philip recognizes her gift, he’ll do whatever it takes to see her onstage.

Claim My Heart — Li Na and Colin Wen face off in a Mulan-esque courtroom battle where the real win might be losing their hearts.

A Snow White Christmas — Sheltered heiress Amala White flees her conniving stepmother’s plans and finds refuge with a handsome orchard owner and his seven quirky uncles.

Christmas Ella — Reality TV meets Cinderella story when a location director is swept off her feet by a rising star.

A Splash of Love — Las Vegas glitz meets Land of Enchantment culture in A Splash of Love, a modern twist on the Little Mermaid.

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

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Cozy Christmas Reads: Jenna's story

My Inspirational Romance
A guest post by Jenna Brandt

I love Christmas time. I love it so much that I wanted to incorporate it into my writing by creating a Christian Christmas anthology full of romances to bring joy to readers this holiday season. It’s why I recruited seven other authors to contribute their novellas with happily-ever-after endings to the project.

My novella, The Christmas Bride, focuses on Lucy and Matthew who were introduced in my fourth book, The Oregon Pursuit. My story takes place in the Old West in 1870. Lucy is a saloon worker/turned manager of The Trail’s End and Matthew is the local pastor’s son and works at the sawmill. They come from completely different worlds but their connection makes the most unlikely pairing. Flashbacks take you back to the pivotal moments in their relationship and the rest of the novella shows how their love can not only withstand but flourish, despite the obstacles, his family and her past, throw at them.

There are wonderful moments in the snow, at the local Christmas tree lighting ceremony and a holiday party, and of course, there is mistletoe. Two scenes full to be exact. So, if you are interested in reading a wonderful story about opposites attracting and the power of God-changing love, then this is a story you will want to read.

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Author bio:

My name is Jenna Brandt and I am a historical fiction author and my books span from the Victorian to Western to WWI eras with elements of romance, suspense and faith. I have been an avid reader since I could hold a book and started writing stories almost as early. I have been published in several newspapers and magazines as well as edited for multiple papers. 

I graduated with my Bachelor of Arts in English from Bethany College and was the Editor-in-Chief of my college newspaper.

I'm a contributor for The Mighty Website, The Girls Who Write VLog as well as a contributor and curator for the Novel PASTime Website. My first Blog was published on Yahoo Parenting and The Grief Toolbox as well as featured on the ABC News and Good Morning America websites. I am member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Romance Writers Association (RWA) and Melissa Storm's All Access Engine.

Writing is my passion but I also enjoy cooking, watching lots of movies while I write, engaging in social media and spending time with my three young daughters and husband where we live in the Central Valley of California. I am also active in my local church where I serve on the first impressions team and write for the church’s creative team.

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Blurb for "The Christmas Bride": Lucy Rogers traveled west, running from a troubled past. As a new Christian she meets and forms a relationship with Matthew McCoy, the son of the local pastor. Lucy runs The Trail’s End saloon while Matthew works for the local sawmill. As they plan their Christmas wedding, Lucy’s past comes back to haunt her. Will her past allow them to build a future together?

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Buy the boxed set ("Under the Mistletoe: 8 inspirational stories to bring you joy this Christmas season") in which Jenna's book is featured on Amazon.

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Connect with Jenna:
Website - http://www.jennabrandt.com
Twitter - https://twitter.com/JennaDBrandt
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JennaBrandtAuthor/

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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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14 Days of Sweet Stories: Root Beer & Roadblocks story by Susan M. Baganz

Interview with Susan M. Baganz, author of Root Beer & Roadblocks:

Alexis: What makes your new novel an inspirational romance?

Susan: My characters believe in Christ and struggle with trusting Him through difficult circumstances…and of course, they fall in love! 

Alexis: Root Beer & Roadblocks is the fourth book in your series. What is the name of your series? Are the characters in each book connected somehow? Explain.

Susan: I call it the Orchard Hill Romances because the characters are all tied to a fictional church called Orchard Hill. Characters from previous books do make appearances in subsequent novels as needed. Sometimes they go to DeLuca’s Cucina and see Tony (Pesto & Potholes) or bump into Stephanie (Pesto & Potholes and Salsa & Speedbumps) or if they need an attorney, Roberto might appear (Salsa & Speed Bumps). Sometimes a secondary character introduced in one novel might become the main character of the next as is the case with Root Beer & Roadblocks. Johnny was Nikolos’s cousin and best friend in Feta & Freeway. Pastor Dan Wink who comes and goes through these novels has his own story releasing later this year called Bratwurst & Bridges. 

Alexis: How did you think of the title for your story, Root Beer & Roadblocks? 

Susan: The series started with Pesto & Potholes which as a metaphor for the journey my characters take. I’ve continued with the food/road theme combo as metaphors for every journey since then which has been a fun challenge. Up until this story, there had been an ethnic component but I dropped it for Johnny’s story and went American. Root Beer is mentioned in the story but the roadblock is the return of his cancer which could be a barrier to his happily-ever-after. 

Alexis: How does your story’s title relate to the journey of your main characters?

Susan: In Feta & Freeways it was revealed that Johnny had been diagnosed with cancer at the same time his wife divorced him. This was years before the story began. He’d recovered and the band started touring again. At the end of Feta & Freeways, Johnny announced that his cancer had returned. That’s when I knew he needed his own happily-ever-after story and came up with Root Beer & Roadblocks. 

Alexis: Your book touches on a very real-life issue: what to do with a dream deferred and trusting God to give you something better. How did you create this core conflict for your story? Which one of your characters is dealing with this issue and why?

Susan: Johnny Marshall, my main character in Root Beer & Roadblocks, had always wanted a big family. In the previous book, he revealed that not only had he lost that dream when his wife left him, but his cancer treatment had left him unable to have children. He adores kids and helps out in children’s ministry at church when he’s not on the road with the band. In writing his story I wanted to give Johnny more than he bargained for. Yes, his journey is hard and painful (as cancer treatment can be) which raises up in him a sense of hopelessness. What was left for him? What was the point in fighting this battle which as going to be far worse than the first one. He’d lost his dream of love and having a family and achieved all his professional goals. What was left? It was fun giving him more than he’d dreamed possible. 

Alexis: Tell us about your story’s hero Johnny Marshall. What is he like? Describe his looks, personality, and heart.

Susan: Johnny Marshall is based on a real-life person, Johnny Philippidis from the band Burlap to Cashmere. He inspired this story (and Feta & Freeways). He knows about the book although his health crisis was much different and I have no idea what his love life is like.

My fictional Johnny is a skinny guy with a little to no hair on his head and sometimes facial hair. He plays electric guitar and sings harmonies with his cousin and best friend. He’s typically and upbeat person but also quite humble about his giftedness. He’s secure in his faith and identity and maybe a little too self-sufficient. But like many of us, when life knocks us down repeatedly, he struggles to rise and is forced to rely on others to help him through.

Alexis: Tell us about your story’s heroine Katie. What is she like? Describe her looks, personality, and heart.

Susan: Katie has been swayed by her parents throughout her life. They were well-to-do financially and didn’t want her marrying a lousy musician. She bowed to their wishes and left Johnny behind after high school, going away to college to become a nurse.

Katie is compassionate, probably necessary as she works as a nurse. She has straight dark brown hair, cut kind of in a longer bob and parted at the side. She really makes some hard choices in the story that put her at odds with the old wishes of her parents and her brother to follow the path she believes God is leading her on.

Alexis: Why did Katie break Johnny’s heart? 

Susan: She left him after high school. Not a word. No letter, no phone call. Her parents didn’t forward his many letters which led Katie to believe Johnny had abandoned her. Johnny loved her and had wanted to marry her. He’d even designed a wedding ring for her which he kept all those years. 

Alexis: Now that Katie and Johnny’s paths connected again, is there hope for love restored? Why or why not?

Susan: There’s always hope but there are roadblocks to the happiness of both Johnny and Katie. It is a romance after all. 

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

Susan: Life is hard and it can be filled with pain and dark days, but God has given us the gift of His presence as well as the body of Christ to help us through. In the midst of pain that sometimes seems like it will never end, God often has something good for us on the other side that we can’t even imagine. Maybe that will be heaven for some, but we shouldn’t lose hope. John Piper says that God is doing 10,000 things behind the scenes on our behalf but we might only see three of them. It’s hard to have that longer view.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Susan! Take care and God bless you. 

Susan: Thank you for having me here! God’s blessings to you and your readers.

~*~
Author bio:

Susan M. Baganz chases after three Hobbits and is a native of Wisconsin. 

Susan writes adventurous historical and contemporary romances with a biblical world-view.

Susan speaks, teaches and encourages others to follow God in being all He has created them to be. With her seminary degree in counseling psychology, a background in the field of mental health, and years serving in church ministry, she understands the complexities and pain of life as well as its craziness.

She serves behind-the-scenes in various capacities at her church. Her favorite pastimes are lazy ones—snuggling with her dog while reading a good book, or sitting with a friend chatting over a cup of spiced chai latte.

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Blurb for Root Beer & Roadblocks:

When God strips away all your hopes and dreams could you trust Him to give you something better? 

Johnny Marshall’s cancer is back . . . and so is the girl who broke his heart seven years ago. As Johnny struggles to find the will to live and fights his second round with the disease, he finds hope comes in small packages with an energetic little boy named David.

Years ago, Katie abandoned the one man she ever loved, having bought into her parents’ narrow views of finding a man worthy of her. In all those years, no one ever compared to Johnny. Now as a single mom of a young boy, she wonders if their reunion is right on time or is it too late for a future together?

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Connect with Susan:
Website - www.susanbaganz.com
Twitter - https://twitter.com/susanbaganz
Facebook - www.facebook.com/susanmbaganz
Pinterest - www.pinterest.com/silygoos/

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

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Thankful Thursday: My first traditionally published book!

It's Thursday and I'm thankful for my first traditionally published book! I'm officially a member of the Forget Me Not Romances family of traditionally published authors.

My journey to being a traditionally published author is a long one. It spans four years! Are you ready to hear the story? I'll try to keep it short.

After my first book was self-published through Crossbooks in Sept. 2013 and re-branded by WestBow Press in Nov. 2015, I've been praying for God to bless me with a writing contract from a traditional publisher. My reasoning at the time was that since I could not afford to self-publish another book (it's very expensive) through a vanity press, it only would make sense for God to bless me with a writing contract from a traditional publisher. If that happened, I knew that I wouldn't have to pay any money to have my book published.

So I started praying about this off and on for years (four years, to be exact). As I waited on the Lord, there were ups and downs in my journey to traditional publication but He carried me through it. Last Spring 2016, I reached out to a popular Christian publisher to see if they would consider publishing my second book and I received a positive response. They requested to see my full manuscript.

One of the editors with that publishing company reached out to me within a few weeks after I submitted my manuscript saying that they liked it but would like to suggest a few revisions. So after a brainstorming session with my own editor, I made the revisions to my manuscript and resubmitted it to the publisher, then I waited. While I waited, I remembered that someone told me years ago at a writing conference that the traditional publishing industry moves slowly. So I expected to wait for several months to hear whether or not they wanted to publish my book.

During the waiting, I read a book by Rachelle Gardner about the pros and cons of both indie and traditional publishing. The book's main purpose was to help writers decide whether to publish independently (indie) or with a traditional publisher. Now here's the fun fact: There was a checklist in the book that listed the pros and cons along with characteristics of the type of people who may be happier publishing their book traditionally vs. the type of people who would be happier going indie...and I met every category on the indie list! 

So from that day forward, I started to think that maybe I should publish my book independently through Amazon.com's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and CreateSpace program. I knew and heard of many authors who are experiencing great success going indie and I hoped that it would work out for me too.

But since I'd prayed for a traditional contract for so long (it had been three years at this point) and a publisher was interested, I decided to wait longer just in case this was God's answer to my prayers.

Longer story short, in the third week of Jan. 2017, I followed up again with the first traditional publisher that I submitted my story to and they told me that they were still considering my book for publication with their company. I decided to ask if while I was waiting on their decision, may send my manuscript to other publishers. They said yes. So I sent it to a publisher that I knew through a mutual friend. She expressed interest in my manuscript and received it on Friday, Jan. 20.

Over the weekend, I was thinking about the pros and cons of indie publishing and indie publishing was looking like it may be the best path for me. I called an elder from my church for prayer about my finalizing my decision. I told her that my game plan was to independently publish my next books until hopefully, it caught the attention of a great literary agent and a traditional publisher. So I settled on my decision and on Sunday, Jan. 22, I e-mailed the publisher that I'd been waiting to hear a response from and requested to withdraw my manuscript. They allowed me to and then I reached out the other publisher to inform her of my decision to indie publish my book.

But within minutes of receiving my e-mail, she wrote back and told me, "Okay but I was going to offer you a contract." 

Now that's what we call a "plot-twist" in the fiction writing community. I thought that I knew the outcome and decided on the direction that I was moving forward in, but her response threw me for a loop (in a good way)! 

I had to re-read the e-mail twice because I could not believe what I was reading! Given my concerns about the pros and cons of indie vs. traditional publishing, I asked her if we could talk over the phone first because I had questions. We arranged a phone call for Monday morning, Jan. 23. She answered all of my questions and put my mind at ease. I no longer had those concerns and I realized that this was an answer to my prayers! So I accepted her offer and signed the contract.

Everything moved forward quickly from there. 

My new publisher sent paperwork for me to complete and I did so on Monday. She also sent the formatted version of my manuscript to me along with a few corrections for me to apply to the formatted copy. So I started working on that. Then on Tuesday (Jan. 24), she sent five images for my book cover design for me to choose from and by Wednesday morning (Jan. 25), we finalized my book's cover art. She told me that once I finished making the corrections to my manuscript, it would go LIVE on Amazon.com. So by Wednesday afternoon, I sent the final edit to my publisher. Then, on Thursday morning (today, Jan. 26), she sent the entire file including my author bio and other details, to me for a final look before she published it. I spent about two hours making sure that everything was perfect (which it was, much to my delight) and I returned the files to her with my approval. She told me to check Amazon.com in a few hours and by 2:00 p.m. (EST) today, my book went LIVE on Amazon.com!

Here's the cover to my new novella:

God is good! Right now, only the digital version (e-book for Kindle) of my book is available. The paperback version will be available for purchase within a few weeks.

I am still amazed at how God answered my prayers for a writing contract with a traditional publisher and I'm awed at how quickly He moved this process along! I mean, I signed the contract on Monday and less than four days later, my book was published!

I hope that my story about my path to traditional publication inspires you and encourages your heart. Whatever you're going through in this life, don't give up. Don't lose hope. Keep praying to God and serving Him. Help others and do good works. God has not forgotten you. He hears EVERY prayer that you send up to His throne and He will answer your prayers, maybe not on your timetable but in His perfect time. And when He does answer your prayers, get ready because as you can tell from my story, He moves fast!

God bless you.

Love,

Alexis

P.S._ Here's the link to my book on Amazon. It's an inspirational romance standalone novella called, A Second Chance. I hope that you will buy a copy and read it! 

Your invite to a Facebook party featuring an award-winning author

 

A female bodyguard plus her star NFL client plus danger equals a great recipe for romance! Her One and Only, book four in Becky Wade's Porter Family novels, releases May 3. To celebrate, Becky is hosting an author chat party on her Facebook page on May 5 at 5 PM PDT/8 PM EDT. Join Becky for an evening of book chat with other bookworms and prizes.

Plus a portion of all pre-sales and sales the release week of Her One and Only will be donated to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. For more details on how to purchase a copy, click here.

About the Book

After ten years in the NFL, super star Gray Fowler is accustomed to obsessive fans. But when Gray starts receiving death threats from a stalker, his team hires an executive protection agency to guard him until the culprit is caught. Dealing with bodyguards 24/7 is a headache, especially when one of them is a young, beautiful woman. How can a female half his size possibly protect him better than he can protect himself?

Dru Porter is a former Marine, an expert markswoman, and a black belt–none of which saved her from disaster on her last assignment. In order to rebuild her tarnished reputation, she’s determined to find Gray’s stalker and, since relationships between agents and clients are forbidden, avoid a romantic attachment between herself and the rugged football player with the mysterious past.

Yet every secret that leads Dru closer to the stalker also draws her closer to Gray. As the danger escalates, they’ll survive only if they can learn to trust their lives — and their hearts — to one another.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

25 Days of Christmas Stories: Interview with Julie Lessman, inspirational romance author

Let's welcome Julie Lessman to the blog today! She's kicking off our "25 Days of Christmas Stories" blog series and you are in for a treat! 

Julie is an inspirational romance author whose stories have on many awards. She's a big deal in the Christian book market and she's here today to talk about three of her holiday stories, two of which are included in a box set.

Not only is Julie sharing all these fun details about her work, she's agreed to give away three of her books, two of which are each in a boxed set which means the winner of the box set will get a total of FOUR books (three by other authors, one by Julie)!

She's very generous, eh?

But that's not all, Julie said that each of the 3 winners may choose which prize they want to claim. Here are photos of what Julie has to offer each winner:

Hope for the Holidays Historical Collection

Home for Christmas Historical Collection

A Light in the Window

Simply wonderful, isn't it? Now all you need to do to enter this book giveaway contest is to fill out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Let's begin the interview with Julie! 

*Words from Alexis are in bold, words from Julie are not in bold

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Alexis: It’s delightful that you’ve written not one, not two, but three lovely Christmas stories, Julie! Thank you for agreeing to share details on each of your novellas today!

Let’s begin the interview starting with the our main feature today, your novella, “The Best Gift of All.”  

Why did you write this story? What is it about? How do you want it to impact your readers?

Julie: This sounds silly, I know, but I wrote this story because I miss the O’Connors terribly, the close-knit Irish family from my first two series, the Daughters of Boston and Winds of Change. I SO fell in love with this passionate family that it’s just fun to revisit them each year via Christmas novellas about the various couples.

This year’s novella, “The Best Gift of All,” focuses on the third O’Connor daughter, Lizzie, and her husband John Brady, dealing with a very sensitive issue that actually almost destroyed a marriage of a good friend of mine. Which is exactly why I wrote it—to impact readers who may be making the same mistake in their marriage as Lizzie does in hers. Here’s a brief blurb: 

Everyone knows John and Lizzie Brady have the perfect marriage. But when Lizzie’s desire to be a good mother eclipses her desire for her husband, the honeymoon is definitely over. Can the spirit of Christmas heal their hearts when Lizzie gives John the best gift of all?

In “The Best Gift of All,” you portray John and Lizzie Brady as the perfect married couple. What did they do to earn that merit? In what ways do you hope their story will impact your readers, especially when we find out that not all is well this Christmas with The Brady Family? 

The other O’Connor siblings have always teased John and Lizzie about having the perfect marriage because they never fight, never seem to have problems, and Lizzie has all but worshipped John since she was thirteen. Known as the quiet and shy romantic of the family, Lizzie is the perfect buffer to her three older sisters, all of whom have strong-willed personalities. From Faith with her redheaded temper and Charity with her playful plotting, to Katie with her strong suffragist views, all three have experienced their fair share of marital bumps in the road. Unlike Lizzie and John … uh … that is, until now.

When Lizzie’s “doting worship” suddenly switches from her husband to her children, it fosters bitterness in both John and Lizzie, creating a strained and sometimes volatile relationship instead of the “perfect marriage” they enjoyed before. As I mention in the reader notes at the back of the novella, “The Best Gift of All” is actually based on the real-life situation of a couple I know who not only experienced damage in their marriage from this problem, but damage to the father’s relationship with his children as well. I knew then that this was an important issue to address, so I pray this story is a blessing to those who need it.

What life lessons will The Brady Family learn and how does their faith in God play a role in healing their hearts?

A VERY important lesson for couples today, as expressed in the excerpt below when Lizzie confides to her sister about her bitterness towards John...Because of Lizzie’s deep faith in God, her sister is able to pierce her heart with the truth—a truth that eventually gives both Lizzie and John, “the best gift of all.”

Okay, I have to ask: What exactly is “the best gift of all” in The Brady Family story? What can you tell us without giving away the story? 

Come on, Alexis, you know I can’t tell you that, but let’s just say it’s a gift that can’t be wrapped in ribbons and bows!

Now let’s talk about your other Christmas novella, “A Whisper of Hope.”  

What foreshadowing does the story title “A Whisper of Hope” have in light of the characters and their journey?

“A Whisper of Hope” is about the lovable busybody in the O’Connor family, Charity O’Connor Dennehy, and trust me—as a women who spends her life “plotting” to get what she wants, the word “whisper” is most appropriate! And what Charity wants is another baby, but her much older husband Mitch is not so inclined, so Charity takes it upon herself to change his mind. And if you knew Mitch Denney, you’d know he is the most stubborn of all the O’Connor spouses, butting heads with Charity from the moment she first seduced him in book 1 of this family saga, A Passion Most Pure. So you might say that Charity doesn’t have a “whisper” of a prayer in changing Mitch’s mind. But then … all it takes is a “whisper of hope,” right?

What can you tell us in a few words about your leading lady Charity O’Connor Dennehy and her husband’s relationship?

Charity is passionate, headstrong, and manipulative. Mitch is passionate, stubborn, and part mule, and nothing in marriage comes easily to these two. But … they’re saved by their faith … and a love that is deep and true and very passionate. 

Finally, let’s spend some time talking about one more of your Christmas novels, A Light in the Window: An Irish Christmas Love Story. 

A Light in the Window is a beautiful title for a Christmas story! What picture do you hope this title paints in the mind of your readers?

Thank you, Alexis! This title is actually based on three things: 

1) Putting a “light in the window” is an old Irish Christmas tradition. 

2) It’s the name of the fundraiser play for the parish homeless shelter in the book. 

3) It’s symbolic of the heroine’s faith in that only one of the two heroes truly responds to the “light in the window,” which is the love of Christ in her heart.

I love your tagline for your novel about the two men in your leading lady Marceline Murphy’s life—“one stirs her pulse, the other her faith.” Love it! What can you tell us about these two remarkable men? Is there a lesson for the ladies here within? Please explain.

Oh, yes, a BIG lesson that I hope all young women will heed! Patrick O’Connor and Sam O’Rourke are the two Southie rogues who break hearts left and right, turning the head of every woman they meet. Uh … except one! Here’s the video my artist hubby did for A Light in The Window, which gives you a better idea about the story. It also stars my daughter as Marcy in the video and on the book cover.

Tell us a bit about Patrick O’Conner and Sam O’Rourke. What makes their world go round? What are their strengths and weaknesses?

Patrick and Sam are two best friends who are like brothers and very used to getting their way with women. Sam is from a good Catholic family with a strong faith base, but Patrick is not, with a home life that is very dysfunctional. Their biggest weaknesses, other than their penchant for women, is their lack of faith.

What is it about Marceline that makes these two men fight to win her heart?

First of all, Marcy is the first woman who doesn’t give them the time of day at first, so she’s a challenge. She’s had several bad experiences with good-looking “rogues,” and wants nothing to do with them, which naturally piques both Patrick’s and Sam’s interest. But it’s her purity of heart and deep faith that draws them both, although they aren’t fully aware of that and really want nothing to do with faith.

Let’s close with a few questions for you as the author. 

Why do you love to write fiction? 

I love to write fiction because for me, it’s the easiest ways to teach the many, many lessons I have learned—all the hard way, I might add—as a mother, wife, and Christian.

How does your faith in God play into your storytelling?

Well, let’s put it this way—without God, there would be no books, period. God is not only my reason to write, He is my inspiration, my motivation, my confidence and my talent. Like Michael W. Smith sings in his incredible song, “Breathe,” God is “the air I breathe.” I love romance, make no mistake, but without God in the middle, it is flat, empty, pointless. So I guess you could say that although I write books heavily laced with romantic passion, they are also intensely spiritually passionate as well, with God always firmly anchored in the middle. 

What’s one thing this Christmas season you want to do that know one else knows?

Go see lots of movies with the love of my life because we seldom venture out to the movies, although we do love them. I am totally blessed to be married to a man who actually enjoys watching Hallmark movies with me, so it doesn’t get any better than that over the holidays.

Thanks for the interview, Julie! Merry Christmas and God bless you! And Merry Christmas to you and yours as well, Alexis, and thank you for hosting me on your blog—it’s been fun! I will say that I love to hear from reader friends, so if they like, they can contact me and read excerpts from my books at www.julielessman.com, or through Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, or Pinterest or by signing up for my newsletter.

I also have a blog called “Journal Jots,” which is a very laid-back journal to my reader friends, or readers can check out my favorite romantic and spiritual scenes from each of my books on the “Excerpts” tab of my website. In addition, I can be found daily at The Seekers, a group blog of 13 published authors that inspires, encourages, teaches, and informs aspiring writers on the road to publication and beyond. Although Seekerville has been listed on Writers Digest 2013 and 2014 “Best 101 Websites for Writers,” it is also a blog devoted to readers as well.

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Author bio: 

Julie was named American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Author of the Year and has garnered 17 Romance Writers of America and other awards. 

Voted #1 Romance Author of the year in Family Fiction magazine’s 2012 and 2011 Readers Choice Awards, Julie was also named on Booklist’s 2010 Top 10 Inspirational Fiction and Borders Best Fiction list. Her latest novel, Surprised by Love, appeared on Family Fiction magazine’s list of Top Ten Novels of 2014, and her independent novel A Light in the Window is an International Digital Awards winner, a 2013 Readers' Crown Award winner, and a 2013 Book Buyers Best Award winner. 

Julie has also written a self-help workbook for writers entitled Romance-ology 101: Writing Romantic Tension for the Sweet and Inspirational Markets.

You can contact Julie through her website and read excerpts from each of her books at www.julielessman.com.