Today I’m so happy to welcome Anaiah author Michelle Lowe to the blog! Welcome, Michelle! Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I have lived in the same small area of North Carolina all of my life. I am blessed to have my husband of over twenty-two years, Brian, and our son, Jake, who is eighteen. We also have a very spoiled bluetick-mix, Daisy. I am a registered nurse as well as an author. I work part-time for a small company out of Raleigh completing nursing assessments during the week and I enjoy writing in my free time.

I’m excited that your first book is out now. Please tell us a bit about it:

THE AUTUMN KEEPSAKE is an inspirational novella about a girl and her best friend; a sweet old hound dog named Laura. Laura has been with Tessa Stanley through thick and thin– including an unimaginable childhood tragedy. In the story, Tessa and Laura bond with their eccentric eighty-four-year-old neighbor, Mrs. Charleston. And when Tessa accidentally calls the police on the woman’s nephew, who also happens to be the local fire chief, she is unexpectedly reconnected to the past and the secret namesake behind her dog’s special name.

That’s an intriguing premise! Who was your favourite character to write in the story?

My favorite character is Mrs. Charleston, Tessa’s neighbor. She is such a colorful woman at eighty-four years of age. Petite, with fiery red hair, she laughs a lot and often smells of her characteristic rose perfume. My favorite aspect is how she drives her beige antique automobile, spinning up dust in the neighborhood as she comes and goes!

Do you have a favourite author or book?

I sure do! I love Victoria Holt. My mom had all of her hardback books, which I now have on a special bookshelf. These are old books, historical romances, and I often find extra copies at thrift stores. I’ve even read many of Victoria Holt’s books twice. My favorite book is THE BLACK OPAL. This is kind of ironic, because I write contemporary romances. I really admire authors who have the knowledge and expertise to write in the genre of historical romance.

I adore Victoria Holt! I think I’ve read and re-read most of her books, including THE BLACK OPAL. Do you experience writer’s block? What do you do to get through it?

I do experience writer’s block at times. If I come to a dilemma in a story, I usually put my work away and just give it time. I also enjoy walking in the early evenings down our gravel driveway through the woods, and this is when I come up with many ideas for characters and details. It’s my quiet time, and the peaceful surroundings (we live in a rural area) are really conducive to creativity. I keep notebooks in many rooms of our home so that I can easily jot down ideas when they come to mind.

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

I am definitely a morning person. I really enjoy reading in the morning with my first cup of coffee. I go to bed early and have been doing this since Jake was little. I go to bed around 8:30pm on some nights! I’m usually tuckered out by then!

Check out this gorgeous cover:

Fresh out of a broken engagement, Tessa Stanley is in desperate need of a distraction from her ex-fiancé’s betrayal—and she finds it in the form of a man lurking around her 84-year-old neighbor’s home. Little does she know when she calls the police, the trespasser is none other than Nicholas Beck, the local fireman and her neighbor’s great-nephew. Talk about a bad first impression!

Thankfully, Nicholas shows her the beauty of grace and forgiveness, and as the seasons turn, the two grow closer. But when her ex shows up on her doorstep, begging for forgiveness, Tessa might be at risk of losing more than just her heart.

Here is an excerpt from THE AUTUMN KEEPSAKE:

Now, all of a sudden, she found herself at a loss for words. “I thought I should apologize one more time for the other day, I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions,” she stammered.

His smile told her he wasn’t in the least concerned. “Like I told you, I’m glad you’re looking out for my Aunt Thelma. I don’t always call her my great-aunt, she’s more like my aunt,” he further explained. “And she thinks she can do absolutely anything, but she is getting older. I’m glad she has a good neighbor that cares about her.”

Apparently, he was finished working because he began gathering his tools, placing them in the toolbox of his truck as he spoke, looking at Tessa rather curiously.

“Where’s your daughter?”

“My daughter?” Tessa repeated his question, confused.

“Laura. Don’t you have a daughter named Laura? I heard you and my aunt mention her.”

“No, Laura is my bluetick hound dog.” Tessa laughed heartily.

“Really?” Nicholas asked with a look of interest.

“Yes. People often laugh at her name. But there’s a really special reason why I named her Laura. My grandfather gave her to me when I was eleven.” She didn’t want to ramble too much, and only her closest friends knew the real meaning behind Laura’s name.

He had closed his toolbox and was standing in front of her, taking off his work gloves. “I love hounds. My family has had many hound dogs over the years, but rarely do you see blueticks as pets. Interesting.” He used the word interesting a lot when referring to her. He rubbed his chin, seemingly in deep thought. “I’d like to meet her some time.”

Link to buy THE AUTUMN KEEPSAKE: https://amzn.to/3d1mhNE

Love this! What’s next for you as an author?

I have a Christmas novella which is coming out from Anaiah Press on November 4th, and a summer novella to be released in July of next year. I am very honored and excited!

You’re a busy author for sure! Thank you for sharing your story with us. Where can people find you online?

You can find me on social media at…

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormlowe/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleSLoweAuthor/

I love to connect with readers, so please drop by and say hello!

Thanks so much for joining us, Michelle. I’m looking forward to your Christmas novella in November!

The post Author Interview with Michelle Lowe appeared first on Laurie Wood Author.

The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon

Be careful what you wish for.

When social worker Jax receives nine missed calls from her older sister Lexie, she assumes that it’s just another one of her sister’s episodes. Manic and increasingly out of touch with reality, Lexie’s mental state has pushed Jax away for over a year. But the next day, Lexie is dead: drowned in the pool at their grandmother’s estate. When Jax returns to the house to go through her sister’s things, she learns that Lexie was researching their family’s and the house’s history. And as Jax dives deeper into that research, she discovers that the land holds a far darker history than she could have ever imagined.

In 1929, thirty-seven-year-old newlywed Ethel Monroe hopes desperately for a baby. In an effort to distract her, her husband whisks her away on a trip to Vermont, where a natural spring is showcased by the newest and most modern hotel in the northeast. Once there, Ethel learns that the spring is rumored to grant wishes, never suspecting that the spring takes in equal measure to what it gives.

A haunting, twisty, and compulsively readable thrill ride from the author who Chris Bohjalian has dubbed the “literary descendant of Shirley Jackson,” The Drowning Kind is a modern-day ghost story that illuminates how the past, though sometimes forgotten, is never really far behind us.

REVIEW:

I almost didn’t request this thriller because the plot above seemed to be the standard “girl returns home after sister dies in mysterious circumstances and she discovers deadly family secrets” trope and I wasn’t sure it would be interesting enough. However, the book’s blurb doesn’t do it justice.

The story is part mystery, part thriller, part family drama, part paranormal, and part horror story. It’s got layers upon layers upon layers that peel back like onion skin and couldn’t take the familiar trope further from its gothic roots. I even googled the setting of Brandenburg, Vermont to see if there had ever been “haunted” mineral springs there related to a hotel.

The author does an excellent job of portraying bipolar disorder in both Jax’s older sister and her father. So often this illness is mocked or belittled, and I was happy to see it written with an eye to how it affects both family members and the one’s who struggle to live with it.

The dual timeline of Lexie’s (older sister) research into their ancestor’s story and links to the mineral springs revealed the genetic link to mental illness, as well as the springs “haunted” lore and affects on people who came to use its waters as both cure and comfort.

The ending was one I didn’t see coming and that’s all I ask of a great thriller. Keep it rolling right up until the end and shock me. This book is SO much more than what the blurb gives it credit for…you won’t be disappointed!  I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own. 5 stars.

Egyptian Princess: A Story of Hagar by KD Holmberg

Two women, one ancient Egyptian harem, and the daring decision that changed the course of history.

In the opulent court of Egypt’s tenth dynasty, Princess Hagar has always known her destiny. One day, she will marry the Crown Prince Merikare and become the Great Royal Wife, the most powerful woman in Egypt. But dark dreams afflict Hagar the moment she hears of the latest addition to Pharaoh’s harem: the stunning, iridescent Sumerian, Sarai.  Princess Hagar feels a powerful presence around the Sumerian woman. Hagar suspects Sarai has brought black magic into the palace—but what can she do to convince Pharaoh?

The intrigue of Pharaoh’s court pales in comparison to that swirling in the Royal House of Women among the wives, children, and concubines of the king. Sarai’s arrival upsets the already precarious balance.  Loyalties divide, and betrayal, jealousy, and tragedy plague the once peaceful household. When a series of disasters befalls Egypt, Hagar must make a daring decision, and the stakes could not be higher. She could lose everything—her position, her power, her family, and even her life.

Torn between the silent gods of Egypt and the powerful presence that surrounds Sarai, Hagar’s world falls apart around her. She must acknowledge the terrible price of truth, and decide for herself who she will serve.

REVIEW:

I flew through this book in two days, and it’s not a short book. I read it on my phone when I couldn’t be on my Kindle. I’d never heard of the fact that Hagar, “Sarai’s Egyptian handmaiden”, as she’s described in the book of Genesis, was first a royal princess of Egypt and the twin of a Pharoah in the 10^th Century.

This is something not widely known in Christian denominations but is well known in Jewish and Islamic traditions. It’s written about in The Midrash (Gen. R. xlv.) which states: Hagar was the daughter of Pharaoh, who, seeing what great miracles God had done for Sarah’s sake (Gen. xii.17), said: “It is better for Hagar to be a handmaid in Sarah’s house than a mistress in her own.” The Midrash is an ancient Rabbinic interpretation of scripture. There is also reference to Hagar in the Ancient Book of Jasher, known as The Book of Wisdom. Jasher was in the original King James Version of the Bible in 1611 AD and in the Dead Sea Scrolls, but is no longer included in the Biblical Canon.

In Islamic tradition, Hagar and her son Ishmael (by Abraham) are considered to be ancestors of their prophet Mohammed, and there are many miracles attributed to Hagar, which neither the Torah nor the Midrashim refer to.

So, now that we know where the author got her fascinating premise for the book (and she explains her research more in detail at the back of it), her impeccable details of Egyptian life at the time of Abram and Sarai arriving during the famine are fascinating. When Abram lies about Sarai being his wife and says she’s his sister so that they might be spared death at Pharaoh’s hand, Sarai and Hagar become friends in The House of Royal Women.

If you love Biblical fiction, this book surpasses most in terms of its historical detail and research. I loved the care the author took in developing the characters and showing how limited a woman’s life was, even though she was one of the most powerful in the land. I can’t recommend this book highly enough. I bought my own copy on a whim, as I’m usually disappointed by the lack of depth in Biblical fiction. I’m anxious to read the next book in the series, which is coming out from Mountain Brook Ink in 2022. 5 Stars.

The post Saturday Book Reviews appeared first on Laurie Wood Author.

If you’re a fan of Hallmark Christmas movies, you’ll love this Christmas romance set in the small Vermont town of Winterberry Falls. It has all the beloved attributes of a favourite Hallmark movie, meaning you can curl up with this romance and a cup of tea or hot chocolate, your favourite afghan, and snuggle in front of your fireplace for an afternoon of pure delight.

Small town snowed in by a nasty blizzard?  Check!

Heroine and Hero separated in the past by family secrets that need to be brought into the light?   Check!

Heroine is passing through the small town of Winterberry Falls when she crashes into the town sign in the blizzard, forcing her to seek help in the snow at the nearest building?   Check!

Hero is back home in said small town, struggling to keep his family’s newspaper and their legacy afloat in hard times?  Check!

Heroine is struggling to decide regarding her future with a supposedly suitable, all-around, “maybe-perfect” boyfriend in the big city?  Check!

Add to these a heroine who’s diabetic and from a wealthy family while our hero’s family is barely making ends meet, in a town where they celebrate Christmas in their businesses all year round, and you have the delicious recipe for a novel of opposites attracting and love denied for the past twelve years.

Debut author Ann Brodeur melts these traditional tropes into a story of hope and redemption and brings us along on the journey of two people who get their second chance through true forgiveness and leaning on God’s direction instead of following their own misguided ways. Best of all, she does it with a sub-plot of a light, cozy mystery about missing town Christmas decorations, delightful secondary characters, and a Christmas town setting you’ll want to return to again and again. I’m looking forward to her next book with anticipation.

Here’s the Back Cover Blurb and Buy Links to grab your own copy:

Unwrapping their past – one secret at a time.

Owning her own PR firm is all reporter Stephanie Clark wants for Christmas, but the idea of running a prestigious election campaign in the country’s capital throws her stomach into knots. A last minute vacation road trip to focus and seek God’s direction for her life ends up in disaster when she gets caught in the worst snowstorm to hit Vermont in over a decade, crashing her into a small town and the one person she’d rather forget.

Former photojournalist Jason Miller hadn’t planned on being solely responsible for saving his family business from financial ruin. He’s barely keeping the newspaper in print, his News Editor has gone AWOL during the town’s most celebrated holiday festival, and reports of missing Christmas decorations have everyone on edge.

When a desperate knock at the newsroom door brings a ghost from Christmas past back into his life, can Jason make up for his prior behavior without breaking his promise to Stephanie’s father? Will Stephanie’s quest to solve the town’s Christmas caper—and uncover the truth about Jason’s disappearance—cost her everything she’s ever wanted?

https://www.amazon.ca/Snowbound-Winterberry-Falls-Ann-Brodeur-ebook/dp/B08MBCNY7D/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1TRRUQI558XOH&dchild=1&keywords=snowbound+in+winterberry+falls&qid=1604351032&sprefix=snowbound+in+wint%2Caps%2C247&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/Snowbound-Winterberry-Falls-Ann-Brodeur-ebook/dp/B08MBCNY7D/ref=sr_1_1?crid=25ACGSBC5DBUU&dchild=1&keywords=snowbound+in+winterberry+falls&qid=1604351070&sprefix=Snowbound+in%2Caps%2C183&sr=8-1

The post Review of Debut Novel SNOWBOUND IN WINTERBERRY FALLS appeared first on Laurie Wood Author.

SNOWBOUND IN WINTERBERRY FALLS by Ann Brodeur

Unwrapping their past – one secret at a time.

Owning her own PR firm is all reporter Stephanie Clark wants for Christmas, but the idea of running a prestigious election campaign in the country’s capital throws her stomach into knots. A last minute vacation road trip to focus and seek God’s direction for her life ends up in disaster when she gets caught in the worst snowstorm to hit Vermont in over a decade, crashing her into a small town and the one person she’d rather forget.

Former photojournalist Jason Miller hadn’t planned on being solely responsible for saving his family business from financial ruin. He’s barely keeping the newspaper in print, his News Editor has gone AWOL during the town’s most celebrated holiday festival, and reports of missing Christmas decorations have everyone on edge.

When a desperate knock at the newsroom door brings a ghost from Christmas past back into his life, can Jason make up for his prior behavior without breaking his promise to Stephanie’s father? Will Stephanie’s quest to solve the town’s Christmas caper—and uncover the truth about Jason’s disappearance—cost her everything she’s ever wanted?

Releases November 6, 2020 by Anaiah Press

Here’s an excerpt:

Jason’s eyes narrowed and he held Stephanie’s gaze. He fished his keys out of his pocket and handed them to her. She took them from his hand and offered a polite smile. Stephanie rose, tossed Kimberley’s resume on the desk, and tried to brush past him. Her breath caught when he blocked her with a gentle, but firm hand on her wrist. The tender touch of his thumb all but stole her composure. Her gaze focused on the fingers wrapped around her wrist and journeyed up his arm until she met eyes pooled with concern.

She swallowed hard, wishing strength into her weak petition. “Please let me go.” Tears pricked her eyes as she stared at him.

A nerve pulsed in his cheek, and Stephanie’s breaths grew raspy.

One minute more and she wouldn’t have the strength to leave.

“Please.” Her voice cracked, her eyes pleading with him.

Jason nodded and his shoulders heaved as he exhaled.

Not a moment too soon, he released his grip, his touch still burning a memory into her skin.

Stephanie raced from his office, her cheeks hot as her resolve to resist his charms weakened.

Why, oh why was she here?

BIO

ANN BRODEUR is an award-winning novelist who writes inspirational and contemporary romances offering sweet hope and happy endings.

When she’s not reading, writing, chasing after her kids or enjoying long chats with her husband, Ann can be found drinking coffee, that’s been reheated several times throughout the day. She aspires to someday drink a hot beverage in one sitting.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Join other readers in finding out the latest news from Ann and for bookish fun, by signing up for my newsletter on my website: http://brodeurwrites.com/

Check out novel inspiration, book reviews and more on my Pinterest page: https://www.pinterest.ca/brodeurwrites

Follow and Like my author page: https://www.facebook.com/annbrodeurauthor

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20786619.Ann_Brodeur

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ann-brodeur

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ann-Brodeur

You can buy the book here:

Amazon.com: https://amzn.to/3p48B5y

Amazon.ca: https://amzn.to/3529fZe

The post Debut Author Ann Brodeur and Snowbound in Winterberry Falls appeared first on Laurie Wood Author.

Welcome to the blog, Jennifer! Tell us a little bit about yourself:

My husband, Ronnie, and I will have been married for twenty-six years this November. Wow – time sure flies! When we met, we were both attending our church’s singles ministry. That next year, I was asked to direct the Easter Passion Play so I had a lot of extras to recruit. I started with the singles department and asked Ronnie to be one of the Roman soldiers. It was a life changing experience, not only to direct but to also date and get to know my future husband. For the past 5 years, we have been host parents to several international students that attended the Christian school. It was such a privilege to be able to parent these boys and see them mature into the young men they are today. They have become the children of my heart.

Describe your story in 5 sentences or less:

The Mistletoe Contract is a sweet, contemporary, faith-filled marriage of convenience story that takes place in the small, fictional southern town of Providence NC. Nathan Rutledge needs a wife to assume leadership at his family’s company, Rutledge Corporate Developers, Incorporated. Meredith Mitchell is the forensic accountant sent to RCD, Inc. to scour their financial transactions. Meredith is the last person Nate ever expected to see again, and Meredith? Well let’s just say she and Nate have history that causes the sparks to fly as they work to uncover the embezzler. And when Nate and Meredith enter into a marriage of convenience, is it an answer to both their prayers or a recipe for disaster?

What is the inspiration behind your story?

I love all things Christmas – I always have. We used to live in a small town and every year, we would go select our Christmas tree and then Dad would cut it down. Growing up, there was no other time of year that was as magical as Christmas. A couple of years ago, I attended a writing camp and while there, met a couple of other writers with whom I am now friends. When I got back, Hallmark had started playing their Christmas movies. Well, I also like the reality show, Married at First Sight, where the participants are matched but don’t meet their spouse until their wedding day. I’ve read a lot of fake marriage/fiancé/boyfriend stories. I started to ask some “what if” questions. Such as, what if the characters were really married? That would create a whole new dynamic that the couple would have to work through. I also wanted to include some local areas of interest. I included a scene from McAdenville, NC – they call their little town “Christmas Town USA”. The entire town is decorated with lights and lawn displays, in fact, the entire town looks like something straight out of a Hallmark movie!

What was the catalyst for your interest in writing?

I’ve always loved to read, even as a little girl. Over twenty years ago, I noticed that there weren’t a whole lot of Christian authors out in the marketplace, except for a lot of historical fiction authors with a few contemporary authors here and there. I stumbled upon Terri Blackstock’s writing and loved the themes she brought into her suspense stories. When I found a writer I liked, I purchased their stories and eagerly awaited their next release. But it always seemed it took forever for the next book to release. And when Kindle and digital books came along, I downloaded a lot of books. And I mean a LOT! And truthfully, some of them weren’t very good. I knew there had to be a specific structure/outline to writing a book. But where would I find it? And then life happened and so many things were going on in my personal life until fifteen years passed. But God wouldn’t let me rest. He put this desire in me to write. Six years ago I did a Google search on how to write a novel. The first response was Novel Academy/My Book Therapy’s website. My stomach was in knots as I signed up for the Story Crafter course taught by Susan May Warren. And I guess you could say the rest is history.

Who was your favorite character to create?

I think it’s a toss-up between Meredith and Nate’s sister, Tori. Both of these women have a lot of layers to them. But, I really love Tori’s personality. She’s a secondary character but she is fun, quirky, and has a depth to her I didn’t realize when I started writing this book. She hides her hurts behind this bubbly mask of “everything is great!” when in reality, she’s been deeply hurt. Eventually, I think I’m going to have to write her story. She’s just not been very “talkative” yet.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I’m definitely a plotter! In my job, I’m always making lists so this habit carries over to my writing as well. I have to know which direction my story is going or else I’ll get lost in the weeds, so to speak. Sometimes, my characters might take a detour but that can be a good thing because it takes the story in a slightly different direction or adds an extra element of tension to the scene.

What does your family think of your writing?

My husband has been very supportive of me. It’s been a long-held dream come true for me to have a story published. All my family members are very excited to see my book in print. It’s been a long road to publication, with lots of struggles and doubts, but my family has been there for me the entire time, cheering me on.

Are you part of a writing group?

Yes, there is a group of 4 of us here in the Charlotte area that meet once a month for critiques. We met at Word Weavers and at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. Now, we meet virtually once a month to offer critiques, brainstorm or discuss social media and what we can do to boost our numbers. I’m also a member of My Book Therapy/Novel Academy.

What’s next for you as an author?

Right now, I’m working a couple of different stories. I’m editing a completed manuscript and hope to have that in the editor’s hands in the next couple of weeks. I’ve also plotted out a new story, set in the same small southern town as The Mistletoe Contract. I’m hoping to write most of that during the months of November and December, with some heavy editing over the Christmas holidays.

That sounds wonderful! Here’s your lovely book cover, blurb, and a short excerpt:

He needs a wife. She needs money. Is their modern-day marriage an answer to their prayers or a disaster waiting to happen?  

Confirmed bachelor, Nathan Rutledge shut his heart to romance when he was forced to break the heart of the only woman he ever truly loved. Now, with his father’s retirement from the family conglomerate, the torch has been passed to him. But there are two problems—first, he needs a wife in order to take over the family business. Second, someone has been embezzling company funds. With the pressure mounting, and time expiring to find both a wife he can trust and the thief, Nate needs a Christmas miracle.

Forensic Accountant, Meredith Mitchell’s life is in a shambles. Her mother needs a lifesaving transplant, Mom’s medical bills have bankrupted Meredith’s meager savings, and she’s sold everything of value, but it’s still not enough. To make matters worse, she’s now tasked with discovering accounting errors for a new client—none other than Nathan Rutledge—the same man who gave her a broken heart for Christmas eight years ago.

Meredith wants to run. Nate wants the chance to right his wrongs. So, naturally, when he proposes a modern-day marriage of convenience, she balks at the idea. But he desperately needs a wife, and she really needs the money he offers. Is this the answer to her prayers? Or will this mutually beneficial arrangement re-open old wounds that can’t be healed?

The excerpt:

Meredith closed the door with a soft click and propped herself against the wall. Tilting her head up, she released a huge sigh. She hated lying to her mother. Weariness settled deep in her bones. Her to-do list for the wedding grew with each passing hour. She had a lot to accomplish between now and Friday morning.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

Meredith’s eyes popped open. “Nate! You scared me!” Facing off with her fiancé, she straightened her spine. “What’re you doing here?”

His back against the wall, he crossed his ankles. Even after working all day, Nate still appeared fresh. When she glanced at her gray dress pants, the red sauce stain from her rushed dinner glared at her. She was wrinkly… and frumpy.

Nate frowned, his gaze roving over her.

Meredith moved her purse from her shoulder and held it in front of the stain. “I’m sorry. That was unkind.”

“I didn’t mean to intrude.”

She pulled herself up to her full height. “You didn’t. It’s… I didn’t expect to see you.” At least, not until their wedding day, giving her a couple of days to steel her emotions against his all-American boy-next-door charm. Why did he have to ruin her well-thought-out plan? His nearness sent her pulse into overdrive.

Nate turned toward her and rested one hand on the wall above her head. He was so close she saw the golden flecks ringing his pupils. “Can’t a guy see his fiancée before the wedding?” The low timbre of Nate’s voice raised goose bumps on her arms, and her heart rate kicked up another notch.

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach, and she licked her dry lips before her gaze settled on his mouth. “Yeah, sure.”

Nate’s free hand came up and traced a line down her cheek. Meredith closed her eyes.

She had to stop this flood of emotion. Why was he doing this to her? His spicy cologne wafted between them. Comforted her. Shoot. Nate smelled good.

“Nate… please… someone will see us.” Meredith swallowed hard, and her breaths came in short gasps.

“So?”

“This is supposed to be a business relationship. No funny business. You promised.”

Meredith scooted out from under his arm and hurried down the tiled hallway, her steps echoing in the empty space. She needed air. And personal space. “Is there a reason you stopped by?”

Nate fell in step beside Meredith. She scampered down the hall to the elevator bank.

Nate touched her arm, and they stood facing each other in front of the elevator. “Have a cup of coffee with me?” His blue eyes held a glimmer of amusement.

Shock or maybe desire rooted Meredith’s feet to the floor.

The elevator door opened, and two nurses in scrubs emerged. Meredith entered and jabbed the first-floor button. When she looked up into the polished steel doors, she met Nate’s steady gaze. Turning to face him, she crossed her arms. “Why, Nate? What are you trying to do to me? We have an agreement.”

Nate matched her stance, a smirk on his face. “I have no clue what you’re talking about.”

Meredith snorted, and her lips stretched into a sneer. “Oh, come on. You cannot seriously be this clueless.”

He stepped closer, his hands in his pockets, causing her to back up a couple of steps. “This attraction—you’re not immune to it, either, are you?”

Shaking her head, Meredith braced her back against the elevator car. “No, you’re wrong. This isn’t the type of relationship you’re thinking about.” She bit her lower lip.

Nate’s warm breath whispered against her ear, and chill bumps raced up and down her arms. “But it could be. Think of how much fun we’d have.”

His nearness muddled her mind. But she was older now. Wiser. Fool me once and all that. She’d be doggoned if he’d fool her again with his sweet talk. Before she answered, the elevator doors opened with a whoosh. Saved by the bell.

Meredith darted into the parking deck. “I don’t think so,” she said over her shoulder. “I’ll see you tomorrow at 4:00 to finalize the details.”

You can buy this book here: https://amzn.to/2GMqswq

About the author

Jennifer Chastain is a member of ACFW, ACFW-NC, and My Book Therapy/Novel Academy. Several of her other stories were finalists in the Blue Ridge Mountains Foundations contest and she was a finalist in the Touched by Love contest, sponsored by the Faith, Hope, and Love chapter of RWA. Her contemporary romance stories contain the themes of redemption, grace, and forgiveness.

The post Author Interview with Jennifer Chastain appeared first on Laurie Wood Author.

Welcome to the Blog Katherine! Tell us a little bit about yourself: 

I’m a homeschooling mom of two girls who should go to bed earlier but tends to watch Netflix after the kiddos are asleep. I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, and I married a wonderful guy who supports my dream to the point of his own exhaustion. (Example: He isn’t a morning person. Our two year old is. When I was writing FORTUNE’S FALL, he would get up with her before the sun almost every day so I could write in peace.) I also love dark chocolate and coffee. My happy place is sitting in my office on a rainy day with coffee and chocolate.

Now, can you describe your story in 5 sentences or less? 

In FORTUNE’S FALL, 17-year-old Nyssa Ardelone, dream interpreter to the president, learns that her mentor lied about the president’s latest dream to save the residents of Nyssa’s hometown, where the president ordered a gas attack to thwart a suspected rebellion. Nyssa’s parents are among the survivors.

Nyssa flees the security of her own well-planned life to bring the survivors an antidote as well as an interpretation of another dream only she can give. But the president launches a deadly pursuit, and Nyssa must evade him at all costs, learning on her journey that faith in God is the only thing that can save her.

What was the catalyst for your interest in writing?

Writing has always been my outlet. I love creating characters and other worlds. My first “published” story was in the fourth grade. The North Carolina Symphony sponsored a writing contest and I tied for first place with another student. It was so fun! I haven’t really stopped writing since then except during law school. I still remember sitting in the library attempting to read my Civil Procedure assignment and thinking, “This is going to suck all the creativity out of me for the rest of my life.” Thankfully that didn’t happen!

Do you have a day job? If so, how do you find time in your day to write?

My day job consists of homeschooling our oldest daughter and doing all the things stay-at-home moms do. How do I find the time to write? Great question, haha! I get up really, really early and hammer out as much as possible before our day begins. Then, I find little chunks of time during the rest of the day to write, too.

And is this the first book you have coming out with Anaiah Press?

Yes, it is.

What led you to publish with Anaiah Press?
I sent dozens of queries to agents and publishers and connected pretty quickly with Kara Leigh Miller at Anaiah. Her enthusiasm for Fortune’s Fall was so exciting that I knew I wanted to work with Anaiah immediately! The next few months were nerve-wracking as I awaited her final decision. It was a great day when she told me Anaiah wanted to publish Fortune’s Fall and the rest of the books in the trilogy!

Are you a night owl or morning person?
  A morning person who tends to stay up too late.
​
Were there any surprises that came up as you wrote your story?
The faith element. I think about it now and have to smile at how awesome God is. I didn’t set out to write an overtly Christian novel, but then God showed up. Nyssa’s personal journey to faith became an intricate and necessary part of the overall story, and it just sort of fell into place as I was writing.

Who was your favorite character to create?

My favorite character to write was Nyssa’s best friend, Greer. His personality is kind of a blend of a few guy friends I’ve had over the years with sarcastic senses of humor. I loved putting those pieces of them into his story and creating a character that made me laugh. My editor really helped me develop his relationship with Nyssa, and there are a few scenes between them that I love, love, love.

Who was the first person you allowed to read your completed book?
I had a group of teenage girls and their moms serve as my beta readers. They were the first to read!

Congratulations on your debut novel, Katherine! Here’s your gorgeous cover and a brief excerpt:

About the book

While her classmates prepare for elite careers across America, Nyssa Ardelone trains for her secret job as the president’s dream interpreter. But when her mentor lies to the president about the prophecy in his latest dream, Nyssa must figure out why before the lie unravels. What she learns could destroy her own future.

Fearful of a rumored rebellion, the president has launched a gas attack on Nyssa’s hometown, and her mentor lied about the dream to protect the survivors from more harm. When Nyssa learns her parents were injured in the attack, she flees with a stranger sent to steal the antidote—a stranger who claims to know her.

Together, they race to deliver the cure as well as an interpretation of another prophetic dream only Nyssa can provide. But a devastating loss dulls her caution, and she learns too late that not everyone is trustworthy. To survive the president’s deadly pursuit, Nyssa must break every rule she’s ever followed, learning along the way that faith is the only thing that can save her.

 A brief excerpt:

” What are my chances of actually making it to Fortune’s Fall? Not high. Then again, according to Pallas, there’s a network helping people get there. True, some people have been caught. But what if I’m not?

“Can I really do this?” I say aloud to my empty room. I scan the furniture. The walls. My messy bed. It’s all so familiar to me after seven years that I usually overlook the paisley on the quilt and the stain on the rug where an exhausted Ethelind tripped and dropped an entire pan of accidentally undercooked brownies one night. We ate them anyway. A mud puddle laced with carpet fibers, scooped up with spoons and laughed about later. I blink, and the memory is gone.

“I’m going to do this.” I turn toward my closet, grab a shirt, and pull it over my head.

“I have to do this for my family.” I zip my jeans.

“For Pallas.” I tie my shoes.

I’m a robot. Don’t think. Just act.

“I’m going to do this,” I repeat.

If I stop talking, if I stop moving, the likelihood of failure will paralyze me. I pull my hair into a ponytail and open the door, tiptoe across the common room and into the hall. The door closes behind me without a sound.”

So intriguing and I love the premise, reminiscent of the Book of Nehemiah! Here’s where you can grab yourself a copy:

Add To Goodreads

Buy on Amazon

FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED

About Katherine Barger

Katherine Barger writes stories about characters of faith in a world where faith is challenged. When she’s not wrangling kids alongside her forever-forbearing husband, she’s writing, eating Mexican food, or snuggling with her family’s two rescue pets: a dog named Queen Elsa and a cat named Princess Jasmine.

You can find Katherine online here:

 Website: https://katherinebarger.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KBargerAuthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kbargerauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kbargerauthor

Readers, do you enjoy biblical retellings set in dystopian or future times? What other biblical retellings do you think would suit a dystopian setting?

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Hello Gaynell! Tell us a little bit about yourself: 

I’m happily married to a wonderful man; we have 7 children and 4 grandkids.  When I’m not writing I’m painting – and try to read as much as possible.  I love nature, especially flowers and birds.  I live in a lovely area of Utah, but I’d love to live on the beach or way up in the mountains so summer would be cooler!

Now, can you describe your story in 5 sentences or less?

Maddie writes a lovelorn column for a local paper.  It’s decided that she has to run a contest for a date with her.  Picking the date is the most difficult thing she’s ever done, and then she falls for the winner.  It’s a sweet romance that has a few twists.

Do you have a day job? If so, how do you find time in your day to write?

Yes, I work for a school district, so summers are my favorite time of year.  I discovered a site almost 15 years ago called NaNoWriMo that encourages aspiring writers to write 50,000 words in a month.  That has taught me a lot about meeting a set goal of words each day.

Is this is the first book you’ve published with Anaiah Press?

This is my debut with Anaiah Press, yes.
​
Were there any surprises that came up as you wrote your story?
Yes…  I had fully intended for a different character to be the love interest.  But as the story went on, I didn’t like him as much and had to create a new one.

Here’s your lovely cover and back cover blurb:

The public turns to her with their relationship woes, but does she really know anything about love?

“Dear Maddie – My boyfriend and I have been together for almost two years, but…”

Maddie never dreamed she’d be writing a newspaper column to the lovelorn. Her co-workers think her nights are filled with glamourous dates, but in reality, her life is boring. Until the day her boss insists on running a contest to win a dream date… with her.

Now Maddie is searching for someone genuine in the mountain of letters from fame- seekers, braggarts, mama’s boys, and stalkers. Does God’s plan include finding true love through a marketing stunt? Or will she only have more loveless fodder for her column?

Excerpt from Chapter 1:

Ever thought you knew what God’s plan was for you?

As I gazed at a letter—I think it was number 4,075—asking for boyfriend advice, I found myself questioning that plan.

I eyed the ceiling. “Surely You didn’t intend for me to end up here?” At least, this letter wasn’t from a guy asking me on a date.

I swiveled to look out my small window at the rainy streets. Growing up, I had known for sure that He was in my life and guided me. I wasn’t feeling guided now.

As I turned back to my computer, the large framed letter on the wall caught my eye. The one that had started it all.

Dear Editor,

I am so frustrated with men. I finally find the guy that makes my heart pound, and he turns out to be a player, just like all the other men I’ve ever met. What is a girl to do? How am I ever going to find Mr. Right? Am I doomed to be a spinster the rest of my life? Please, help!

Toni

——

The door to my office burst open, and Jayne, my best friend slash boss’s secretary, bounced in.

“Hey! Aren’t you excited?” Her big blue eyes sparkled with excitement. Jayne was a petite blond who managed to be everyone’s friend.

I stared as she perched on the corner of my desk, wondering what news I’d missed on the walk to my office. “Jason’s getting hair implants?”

Jayne giggled and whacked my shoulder. “No, silly. About you and the date contest.”

I blinked my confusion.

She rolled her eyes. “Jason just said you’re running a contest for someone to win a date with you. Whoever wins takes you out on the town. Limo, dinner, the works.” She almost bounced off the desk with enthusiasm. “Won’t that be amazing? The best date ever.”

“A date contest? You mean, as in picking someone from the applicants and actually going on a date with him?”

Jayne focused on my expression of total shock, and her excitement level went down a couple of notches. “Didn’t you agree to this with Jason?”

I shook my head. “I haven’t agreed to anything. This is the first I’ve heard about it. I mean, Jason’s really been on my case about accepting a date with one of these guys that keep writing, but that’s all he’s ever said. No one suggested a contest.”

She licked her lips, obviously realizing she’d let something out of the bag, and slipped off the desk. “Well, maybe, I heard wrong.” She stepped over to the door. “I have to get back to work.”

She was gone before I could gather my wits. A date contest? With my dating record, how was that even a possibility? The previous night’s date flashed through my mind, and I blinked. No way did I want anyone to know how miserably they always ended. I stomped out of my office and down the hallway to the elevator.

Jason saw me coming, as his corner office opens to a clear view of the elevator. He was standing in the doorway, wearing a cheesy grin. “I was just coming to look for you.”

“I’ll bet you were,” I said through clenched teeth. “What is Jayne talking about?”

He chuckled but pulled me inside and shut the door. The better to block the screams.

“Sit down and let me explain it before you go off half-cocked.” He retreated behind his desk.

“Half-cocked?” I repeated, my voice rising as I stood—no way was I going to sit calmly—and put my hands on my hips. “I think someone else went off in that department. In our brief conversation the other day, you never said it was a possibility. You wanted me to think about it. The next thing I know, it’s for real, and I’m gonna have to date some dweeb?” I flung my hand toward his large office window, indicating the general population of men.

Jason gulped, and I swore his ears were turning red. “I know this came as a surprise—”

“Surprise?” I flopped down in one of the two chairs in front of his desk. “Surprises are roses from a handsome guy. Surprises are cupcakes your mom bakes for the class on your birthday. This is an ambush.”

Did you enjoy this excerpt? You can buy the book here: https://amzn.to/37MUZp6

ABOUT GAYNELL PARKER

Gaynell Parker has been writing since she was 12 years old and read the Diary of Anne Frank. With a brief hiatus when she had her children, she’s continued putting pen to paper. With the advent of the computer she found the keyboard much more to her liking! When she’s not writing, she’s painting (see her illustrations in Sorry, the Stork Takes No Returns) or playing with grandchildren. She’s happily married to her wonderful husband of over 30 years, has seven children, four grandchildren, too many cats and three dogs. Her greatest desire is to spread happiness in her books.

My Website: Gparkerartwork.com

Twitter: @GParkerartworks

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gaynell-Parker/e/B0714BL3Z6?r

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16577174.Gaynell_Parker

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