Author Spotlight: Lisa Harris

Hi friends! Today, our author spotlight is on Lisa Harris! Everyone, say hello to Lisa! Without further ado, let's get to know Lisa and her book The Escape.

Author Bio:
I’m a wife, mom, teacher, author, dreamer, photographer, world explorer, but most importantly a follower of Christ Jesus. I currently live with my husband near the Indian Ocean in Mozambique where we work as church-planting missionaries. We’ve started the empty nest stage, which means I’m always ready for school breaks and visits! I see my writing as an extension of my ministry which also includes running a non-profit organization. The ECHO Project works in southern Africa promoting Education, Compassion, Health, and Opportunity and is a way for us to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves…the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.” (Proverbs 31:8) When I’m not working l love hanging out with my family at the beach, playing games, cooking different ethnic dishes, and heading into the African bush on safari.


Here's Lisa!

Thanks so much for having me on your blog! My names is Lisa Harris and I write both Romantic Suspense and Medical Thrillers. My family and I have lived in southern Africa for almost two decades, though we are now back in the states and unable to return for now due to Covid travel restrictions. What a crazy year! The blessing of this is being close to family!

I’m excited to share with you my latest release that comes out in just a couple days. THE ESCAPE is book one in a brand-new series based around the US Marshal service! I loved the research of both the Marshals as well as the terrain as my hero and heroine are forced to embark on the cross-country chase of a fugitive.

When I started researching the US Marshals for this story, I’ll admit, I didn’t know very much about this federal law enforcement agency. I was fascinated by what I learned. The US Marshals Service has served our country since 1789, and while they don’t investigate or prosecute crimes, they do put their own lives on the line every day by pursuing dangerous fugitives and getting them off the streets. They are also involved in judicial security, prisoner transportation, and serve as custodians of property seized from illegal activities. I spent hours doing extensive research by listening to podcasts, reading non-fiction books by US Marshals, and, of course, using the internet. I also have an author friend who was able to get me in contact with a Marshal who answered one of my questions.

While the story starts off in the Pacific Northwest where I grew up, then moves quickly from Idaho to Texas in a cross-country chase. I’m always looking for unique settings for my stories, and the California Zephyr fit perfect into my story. The iconic train makes a daily trip between San Francisco and Chicago every day and travels just over 2400 miles as it passes through the Sierra Nevadas, the Rockies and Colorado’s canyons, the plains of Nebraska, and across the mighty Mississippi. There are glass domes for sightseeing, to ensure passengers don’t miss any of the incredible scenery.

I was able to snap a few photos of the train in Colorado last fall which was fun. Adding a legendary steamliner like the California Zephyr to a story takes extra time and research, but it’s worth the effort to create the added layers to adrenaline-fueled fiction!

The Escape Blurb

US Marshals Madison James and Jonas Quinn are thrust into a high-profile case when they are called on to transport two prisoners across the country on a private plane. But when the plane experiences engine trouble en route from the Pacific Northwest to Colorado, the pilots crash-land the aircraft deep in the heart of the sprawling Salmon-Challis National Forest. When Madison and Jonas regain consciousness, they find both pilots and one prisoner dead--and one fugitive on the run. They'll have to negotiate the rugged and remote backcountry through Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado while tracking a murderer who is desperate to disappear--and will do anything to stop them.

I love hearing from my readers! You can visit my website or join my private Facebook group.

Happy reading!!

Lisa Harris

Purchase Link
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Escape-US-Marshals-Lisa-Harris/dp/080073730X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+escape+lisa+harris&qid=1603851210&sr=8-1

Friends, I sure hope you enjoyed getting to know Lisa Harris and The Escape.



Thank you so much for joining us, Lisa!


If you're an author and you'd like to be showcased here, just let me know. Must be inspirational or clean, can be fiction or nonfiction.
Check out my website, connect with me, and sign up for my newsletter. https://sallyshupe.weebly.com/

Dancing with Your Editor Ten Tips to Tango (Not Tangle!)-Vie Herlocker

Hi friends! Today, Vie Herlocker is sharing a writing related post, Dancing with Your Editor-Ten Tips to Tango (Not Tangle!). Everyone, say hello to Vie!

Author Bio:
Vie Herlocker is the associate editor for Surry Living Magazine in Mt. Airy, NC. She also offers freelance editing services on a limited basis. Her experience includes a ten-year stint as editor for a Christian, small traditional publisher in Galax, VA, and six years as a book reviewer for Blue Ink Reviews. She is a member of the Christian Editor Connection, Christian Proofreaders and Editors Network, ACFW, and WordWeavers.


Here's Vie!

Whether you are hiring a freelance editor or working with one from a traditional publishing house, these tips may help you navigate the dance floor.

1. Expect Professionalism from Each Other
The editor you hire should be familiar with your genre and with the industry standard reference materials. As a book author, you also need to be familiar with these references:
• Chicago Manual of Style (for books and most general audience magazines)
• Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary (for CMOS style)
• Christian Writers Manual of Style, by Robert Hudson
A freelance editor should provide you with a contract or an agreement that covers type of editing, costs, and time frame.

2. Communicate with Open Hands and Hearts
Editors offer corrections and advice based on their experience and training. The writer then accepts or rejects the advice. Rather than immediately reacting, receive the advice with open hands and heart. Pray about any advice that doesn’t sit well with you. Wait a day and look back at the advice—and pray again. If you are still uncomfortable with the advice, talk with your editor and come to a mutual agreement. Remember you are a team with the goal of making your book its best.

3. Impress by Mastering Your Craft
An editor helps polish your manuscript, but a serious writer is a life-long learner. Attend conferences, join a critique group, read books and magazines on writing, or take a class. Join professional organizations like American Christian Fiction Writers and/or WordWeavers.
Don’t send your work to an editor too soon! Do your best self-editing first. And, if you are hiring a freelance editor, the cleaner your work, the less the edit will cost.

4. Understand the Types of Editing Services
The terms describing different types of editing services can be confusing and are often used interchangeably from one editor to another. The descriptions below will provide a general idea, however. Most editors offer a sample edit to determine the type your manuscript needs. This sample will also let you see if the editor’s style and expertise match your needs.
• Content, Substantive, or Developmental Editing: Corrects errors in transitions, style, organization, and checks for the story elements in fiction. Provides suggestions for rewriting problem passages and for improving the overall flow and readability. This level may also address some copyedit issues, but a copyedit usually follows this deep editing level.
• Copyediting: Identifies and corrects errors in punctuation, word usage, grammar, and spelling. Checks sentence structure and clarity, reading level, redundancies, inconsistencies.
• Proofreading: Proofreading requires a skillset different from that of editing. Proofreading is the last step before publication.

5. Know the Legalities (Copyright, Fair Use)
It is the responsibility of the author to ensure that his writing is free from copyright infringement. The editor is not responsible for content created by the writer. It is also the writer’s responsibility—not the editors or the publishers—to obtain permissions when needed.
“Understanding Fair Use,” by John Savage, Esq., is an excellent overview of copyright and fair use. You can also go straight to the source, the US Copyright Office, for information.

6. Do your Research and Referencing
A good editor watches for questionable items and alerts the writer, but the writer is responsible for accurately researching and referencing content. There are several styles for referencing sources, depending on your book’s genre and audience. Your editor can guide you to the correct style and help with formatting.

7. Expect Excellence Instead of Perfection
Oh, if perfection were possible this side of heaven! You and your editor should strive for excellence, but do not expect perfection. Even books published by large publishing houses that use multiple levels of editing and proofreading will have an error here and there. Hiring a proofreader before the book is published (if self-publishing) will move your book closer to perfection.

8. Master Microsoft Office, including Track Changes and Spell Check Options
Know the tools of the trade. Track Changes can be scary the first time you see a marked-up document. Don’t wait until the editor returns your edit to learn how to use this critical tool. Erin Wright has an good tutorial on MS WORD Track Changes.

9. Editing and Revising Take Time and Money
A 100,000-word manuscript can take 75–100 hours for the first-round copyedit. The cleanup edit—after writer revisions—requires another 10–20 hours. Full edits take weeks to several months as the editor and writer work back and forth. Remember, a tango is a ballroom dance with long pauses!
So, what’s that going to cost? The Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) shares a chart of typical editorial rates. You can expect to pay between two cents and five cents per word for copyediting, and more for developmental editing. Proofreading is usually less per word. But these are rough figures—and can vary widely depending on the manuscript and editor. Discuss pricing with your editor; many offer payment plans
So where can I find an editor? Ask your writing friends for recommendations. Or, visit the Christian Editor Connection and they’ll match you with several experienced editors for bids.

10. Pray for Each Other Daily. Share Joys! Laugh Together!
Dancing with your editor can be an awesome experience. Relax and enjoy yourself. Laugh at the crazy typos the editor made in the comment balloons—and don’t be hard on yourself when you see edits on your file.
As an editor, I consider each manuscript entrusted to me as a gift from God. I pray for my writers, and nothing encourages me more than knowing they are also praying for me during the edit.

Connect with Vie:

Email: vherlock@yahoo.com


Friends, I sure hope you enjoyed Vie's post!



Thank you so much for joining us, Vie!


If you're an author and you'd like to be showcased here, just let me know. Must be inspirational or clean, can be fiction or nonfiction.
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Author Spotlight: Heather Day Gilbert

Hi friends! Today, our author spotlight is on Heather Day Gilbert! Everyone, say hello to Heather! Without further ado, let's get to know Heather and her book Fair Trade.

 

Author Bio:
HEATHER DAY GILBERT, an ECPA Christy award finalist and Grace award winner, enjoys writing contemporary mysteries set in her home state of West Virginia. Her novels feature small towns, family relationships, and women who aren't afraid to protect what they love.

Fair Trade Blurb

BOOK THREE in the ALL-NEW BARKS & BEANS CAFE cozy mystery series!!

Welcome to the Barks & Beans Cafe, a quaint place where folks pet shelter dogs while enjoying a cup of java...and where murder sometimes pays a visit.

With the one-year anniversary of the now-successful Barks & Beans Cafe approaching, siblings Macy and Bo Hatfield set up an iced coffee booth at the state fair. Taking a break from brewing, Macy bumps into Carolina, a long-lost childhood friend who's now sitting pretty as a country superstar. Macy tries not to fangirl too hard when her old friend extends an invitation to meet the rest of the Carolina Crush band before their opening show.

But when Carolina falls victim to not one, but two near-death experiences, Macy takes it upon herself to find out who has it in for her old friend. Fortified with plenty of roasted corn, cinnamon rolls, and her brother's signature iced maple latte, Macy takes to the Ferris wheel to get the lay of the land from the air. She discovers too late that this year's fair isn't all fun and games...but she's already locked in for the ride.

Join siblings Macy and Bo Hatfield as they sniff out crimes in their hometown...with plenty of dogs along for the ride! The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series features a small town, an amateur sleuth, and no swearing or graphic scenes.

Interesting Tidbit:

I've set the Barks & Beans Cafe series in my home state of West Virginia, and Fair Trade is set at the WV state fair. However, due to COVID, this year the fair was canceled. So it's my hope that Fair Trade will brighten readers' days by giving them a taste of an experience they had to miss in 2020. It's certainly been fun to get in "fair mode" myself!

Purchase Links and to Connect with Heather:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Fair-Trade-Barks-Beans-Mystery-ebook/dp/B08C69SN7L
Website: https://heatherdaygilbert.com/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=heatherdgilbert&rs=typed&term_meta[]=heatherdgilbert%7Ctyped
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherdaygilbert/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/heatherdgilbert
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heatherdaygilbert


Friends, I sure hope you enjoyed getting to know Heather Day Gilbert and Fair Trade.



Thank you so much for joining us, Heather!


If you're an author and you'd like to be showcased here, just let me know. Must be inspirational or clean, can be fiction or nonfiction.
Check out my website, connect with me, and sign up for my newsletter. https://sallyshupe.weebly.com/

Author Spotlight: Shannon Redmon

Hi friends! Today, our author spotlight is on Shannon Redmon! Everyone, say hello to Shannon! Without further ado, let's get to know Shannon and her book Cave of Secrets.

 

Author Bio:
Shannon Redmon remembers the first grown-up book she checked out from the neighborhood bookmobile. A Victoria Holt novel with romance, intrigue, dashing gentlemen and ballroom parties captivated her attention. For her mother, the silence must have been a pleasant break from non-stop teenage chatter, but for Shannon, those stories whipped up a desire and passion for writing.

Shannon hopes her stories immerse readers into a world of joy and escape while encouraging faith, hope, and love for those around us. Her debut novel Cave of Secrets will be released by Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line in October 2020 and her other published works have appeared in Spark magazine, Splickety magazine, The Horse of My Dreams compilation book, Romantic Moments compilation book, the Lightning Blog and the Seriously Write blog. She won first place in the Foundation Awards and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.

Here's Shannon!

My writing process…

When I was writing Cave of Secrets, I got up at five in the morning and would write for two hours before work and also on weekends. I have to have complete undistracted time to really immerse myself into my characters. One knock on the door or chime on a telephone pulls me from their world and takes me about thirty minutes to get back to that place of creativity. I start with an idea, that comes from friends, a dream I have, stories others tell me, crime shows that I watch on television or website topics that spark an interest. I try to keep my story realistic and plausible to what could truly happen; however, when I talk to others about some of the interesting situations from their lives, I can barely believe the true stories that happen to them. There are just some unhinged people out there who do evil things; however, I always want my stories to bring the faith, hope, and love of Jesus into my readers' lives. If I accomplish making someone’s day brighter with His truth, then I’ve accomplished God’s calling on my life.

Cave of Secrets About the Book

One day when two of my friends expressed an interest in helping me brainstorm a story, I tossed out a couple of ideas. One of them said “Ooo, wouldn’t it be cool if your heroine found a dead body in a cave on her property,” and Cave of Secrets was born.

This was my fourth book and I’d been trying to get published. God had encouraged me with little wins—a short story published in magazines, winning an unpublished awards ceremony, and contracting with an amazing agent, but landing that elusive book deal was much harder. I learned a pertinent lesson through it all. Just because a story is well written doesn’t necessarily mean it fits the market and if it doesn’t fit what the publisher wants, then it will stay in the drawer like my first three books. Thankfully, Cave of Secrets did meet what Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense Senior Editor, Tina James had in mind and I was offered a contract. One of the best blessings God has given me…other than my family, of course. 😊

The first week Cave of Secrets was released, the book landed at number 19 on Bookscan’s Top 100 Romance Bestsellers, so I hope more readers will invest in Zain and Carli’s story and enjoy their suspenseful love story like so many others!

Cave of Secrets Blurb
What she uncovers may get her killed
When Carli Moore finds the body of Zain Wescott's missing sister on her family's ranch, Zain is convinced Carli's brother is the murderer. But Carli's sure Zain is wrong, and she'll prove it--if the killer doesn't take out both her and Zain first. Now they just have to live long enough to uncover the truth...and bring a murderer to justice.

 
Purchase Link for Cave of Secrets:

Walmart: https://bit.ly/3lY4Woa
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ojtPfv
Barnes&Noble: https://bit.ly/2J1J6kS
Target: https://bit.ly/35ccUEf

Connect with Shannon:

www.shannonredmon.com
www.suspensesquad.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/shannon.redmon
TW: https://www.twitter.com/shannon_redmon
LI: https://linkedin.com/in/shannonredmon/


Friends, I sure hope you enjoyed getting to know Shannon Redmon and Cave of Secrets.



Thank you so much for joining us, Shannon!


If you're an author and you'd like to be showcased here, just let me know. Must be inspirational or clean, can be fiction or nonfiction.
Check out my website, connect with me, and sign up for my newsletter. https://sallyshupe.weebly.com/

Author Spotlight: Virginia Vaughan

Hi friends! Today, our author spotlight is on Virginia Vaughan! Everyone, say hello to Virginia! Without further ado, let's get to know Virginia her book Texas Holiday Hideout.

Author Bio:
Virginia Vaughan is a multi-published author of inspirational romantic suspense. Blessed to come from a large, southern family, her fondest memories include listening to stories recounted by family and friends around the large dinner table. She was a lover of books even from a young age, devouring gothic romance novels and stories of romance, danger, and love. She soon started writing them herself. A former investigator for the State of Mississippi, Virginia utilizes her criminal justice background with her love of writing to transform words into powerful stories of romance and danger. Her thirteenth novel with Love Inspired Suspense, TEXAS HOLIDAY HIDEOUT, is now available.


Here's Virginia!

People always ask me where I get my ideas for my stories. The answer is I do a lot of reading, listening to True Crime podcasts, watching TV shows and playing the what-if game with true life events chronicled in the news. But, often, that’s just not enough and I find myself stuck on some plot point or missing piece of evidence. That’s when I turn to family!

I can often be found wandering through the house mumbling about a plot point that just won’t work or trying to figure out how best to kill a character or where to dump a body. During these times, I’ve been known to draw my family into my nefarious plotting and, strangely enough, they’re always eager to help.

From the 10 y/o who wants every villain to be a giant robot terrorizing the city – maybe I’ll write that one day.

The 12 y/o who is way too into the blood and gore stuff—Uhm, no, I’ll never write that.

My grown son who draws on his vast TV watching experience. He seriously saved my plot once with something he saw on Burn Notice. 😊

To my mother who is oddly adept at seeking out places to dump a body – wonder if she ever thought she’d be having that conversation with her daughter! LOL

I rely on the people in my life to help draft these stories and they’re always willing to do so. Just the other day, I was stuck on a particular problem in my manuscript so I was discussing the story with my son as we carried out the garbage. I made certain to explain to him how I wanted to abduct and kill this woman but I needed a good place to hide her body. My son came up with some good ideas that ultimately worked. However, based on the horrified look and brisk steps of our neighbor as he walked his dog, he obviously overheard our conversation and I can only assume we are now on some community watch list.

So the next time you’re in a café or restaurant and you overhear the people at the next table plotting something unthinkable, before you call the cops, consider that they’re probably just suspense writers doing their thing.

Or, better yet, maybe slowly get up and leave before you wind up in their next novel. 😊

Check out my latest release from Love Inspired Suspense--plotted as always with help from the family!

 

Texas Holiday Hideout Blurb

When her identity’s exposed,

hiding on a lawman’s family ranch is her last hope.

After her mother is killed, Melissa Morgan’s shocked to learn she’s spent her life in witness protection. Now it’s US marshal Miles Avery’s job to keep her and her little boy safe. And with a mole in his agency, the only way to evade the killer is to hide Melissa on Miles’s family ranch…and pretend she’s his wife for the holidays.

Purchase Link:

Amazon -- https://amzn.to/304JDse

Connect with Virginia:

Email Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dtFeVP
Website: www.virginiavaughanonline.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ginvaughanbooks
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Virginia-Vaughan/e/B00EXQFMIM
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/virginia-vaughan

Friends, I sure hope you enjoyed getting to know Virginia Vaughan and Texas Holiday Hideout.



Thank you so much for joining us, Virginia!


If you're an author and you'd like to be showcased here, just let me know. Must be inspirational or clean, can be fiction or nonfiction.
Check out my website, connect with me, and sign up for my newsletter. https://sallyshupe.weebly.com/

Author Spotlight: Jan Drexler

Hi friends! Today, our author spotlight is on Jan Drexler! Everyone, say hello to Jan! Without further ado, let's get to know Jan and her book Softly Blows the Bugle. 

 

Author Bio:
Jan Drexler brings a unique understanding of Amish traditions and beliefs to her writing. Her ancestors were among the first Amish, Mennonite, and Brethren immigrants to Pennsylvania in the 1700s, and their experiences are the inspiration for her stories. Jan lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota with her husband, where she enjoys hiking and spending time with her expanding family. She is the author of The Sound of Distant Thunder, The Roll of the Drums, Hannah’s Choice, Mattie’s Pledge (a 2017 Holt Medallion finalist), and Naomi’s Hope, as well as several Love Inspired historical novels.

Here's Jan!

What do you do when you don’t feel like doing what you need to do?

Writing isn’t all buttercups and roses, no matter what it looks like in the movies. Like any other job, no matter how rewarding or fulfilling, sometimes it’s just plain work!

When I hit that wall, I have a few tricks I use to keep me writing:

1) Mini Rewards. These are great because they’re small. I divide my writing up into small increments – usually one hundred words. At the end of the hundred words, I have a chocolate chip, or a mini marshmallow. At the beginning of my writing session, I lay out the number of chocolate chips that will meet that day’s goal – if my goal is one thousand words, then I lay out ten chocolate chips. When the chips are gone, I’ve met my daily goal!

2) How fast can I write? Sometimes I shoot for a time goal rather than a word count goal. An hour is a good time for me, and then it’s a race: how many words can I write in this limited time? At the end of the hour, no matter how many words I’ve written, I take a break. Sometimes I do two or three of these sprints a day to see if I can beat my previous word count. (Yes, I do have a competitive streak!)

3) Where’s the money? When I really have no incentive to write, I think of the cold, hard cash. I take the amount I think I might receive on a pending contract, divide it by the number of words in the proposed book, and that gives me the amount of money I’ll potentially be paid for my work per word. The amount is usually pretty small – say it’s two cents per word (by the way, I pulled that number out of thin air!) But when I multiply that by one thousand (the number of words I can write in an hour on a good day,) I can estimate that I’m earning twenty dollars for that hour. If I write two thousand words that day, I’ve potentially earned forty dollars. I know this is all just pie-in-the-sky money, but it’s a great incentive for me. (Don’t try to extrapolate this out, though, and add in the hours spent pre-writing, revising, editing, marketing… That’s too discouraging!)

I learned these tricks back when I had young children at home and many tasks were always waiting for my attention. But I broke them down, gave myself incentives, and got them done.

How could you use these ideas in your life?

Softly Blows the Bugle Blurb
Welcome back to the Amish community at Weaver’s Creek, where the bonds of family and faith bind up the brokenhearted.

When Elizabeth Kaufman received the news of her husband’s death at the Battle of Vicksburg in 1863, she felt only relief. She determined that she would never be at the mercy of any man again, even if it meant she would never have a family of her own. Then along came Aaron Zook . . .

Despite the severity of his injuries, Aaron resolves to move west and leave the pain of the past behind him. He never imagined that the Amish way of life his grandfather had rejected long ago would be so enticing. That, and a certain widow he can’t get out of his mind.

Yet, even in a simple community, life has a way of getting complicated. Aaron soon finds that while he may have left the battlefield behind, there is another fight he must win—the one for the heart of the woman he loves.

Purchase Links for Softly Blows the Bugle:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Softly-Blows-Bugle-Amish-Weavers/dp/0800729331/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=softly+blows+the+bugle&qid=1584390564&sr=8-1
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/softly-blows-the-bugle-jan-drexler/1136472121;jsessionid=8E292E536497EF95C6645551A629FA32.prodny_store02-atgap02?ean=9780800729332

Contact Jan:

Website: https://www.jandrexler.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanDrexlerAuthor
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jan-drexler

Friends, I sure hope you enjoyed getting to know Jan Drexler and Softly Blows the Bugle.


Thank you so much for joining us, Jan!


If you're an author and you'd like to be showcased here, just let me know. Must be inspirational or clean, can be fiction or nonfiction.
Check out my website, connect with me, and sign up for my newsletter. https://sallyshupe.weebly.com/

Author Spotlight: Debby Giusti

Hi friends! Today, our author spotlight is on Debby Giusti! Everyone, say hello to Debby! Debby has graciously offered to give away three copies of her book! Leave a comment with your email address by Saturday evening to be entered. Without further ado, let's get to know Debby and her book Amish Christmas Search.

 

 Author Bio:
USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly Bestselling Author Debby Giusti is a medical technologist who loves working with test tubes and petri dishes almost as much as she loves to write. Growing up as an Army Brat, Debby met and married her husband--then a Captain in the Army--at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Together they traveled the world, raised three wonderful Army Brats of their own and eventually settled in Georgia, where Debby spins tales of suspense that touch the heart and soul.

Debby has more than a million books in print, and her stories have won numerous awards, including two Daphne du Maurier Awards for Inspirational Suspense, the National Readers’ Choice Award, the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award, Golden Quill, the Beacon, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence and the Write Touch. Her twenty-sixth Love Inspired Suspense novel, AMISH CHRISTMAS SECRETS, released in October and HIDDEN AMISH SECRETS will be available in the spring of 2021.

In addition to full-length fiction, Debby has written magazine articles for Southern Lady, Woman’s World, Our Sunday Visitor, Army and Family, and served for over twelve years on the editorial advisory board of ADVANCE for Administrators of the Laboratory.


Here's Debby!

STORY TRIVIA:

The beach is my happy place so I set the beginning of Amish Christmas Search in Pinecraft, Florida. Established in the 1920s as a tourist camp, the once rural section of Sarasota County has long been a favorite destination for Amish and Mennonite families eager to trade the harsh northern winters for Florida’s blue skies, salt air and sunshine.

From January to April each year, some 5,000 folks travel on chartered buses to the historic district, now surrounded by the sprawling city of Sarasota. Approximately 700 homes—a mix of bungalows and trailers--rent to the influx of vacationers, with many families reserving lodging a year in advance. Bikes, either traditional or three-wheel tricycles, are the favorite mode of transportation, and everyone from grandparents to youngsters can be seen peddling along the backstreets, waving to neighbors or stopping to chat with friends.

Pinecraft Park provides a central gathering spot, along with shuffleboard and bocce ball courts that are always in demand. At night, concerts of bluegrass or gospel music entertain folks who tap their toes or nod to the strum of banjos and guitars. On warm days, a city bus takes the vacationing snowbirds to Siesta Key, where they bask in the sun or frolic in waves that wash up on the sand.

The various Amish and Mennonite sects remain segregated at home, yet they mix and mingle while on vacation. Many of the rules under which they usually live are loosened or disregarded. Even their aversion to photographs eases, and while they don’t pose for picture, they don’t shy away from the camera either.

Just as seasons change, vacations come to an end, and saying goodbye is always hard. Warm hugs and hearty handshakes, coupled with the promise to return again next year, help soften the separation. As they’ve done for decades, Amish and Mennonite families will continue to find rest and relaxation in the tranquil community that encompasses 178-acres known as Pinecraft, a vacation oasis found in my October release, Amish Christmas Search.

MY WRITING PROCESS:

When I chat with readers, I’m often asked about my writing process. Folks want to know the inspiration for my stories, but they also want to hear about the techniques I use to get words on the page—or on the computer screen. Writers know that the best way to improve their craft is to write, and after penning twenty-seven books for Love Inspired Suspense and three stories that I’ve independently published, I’ve settled on a process that works for me.

I start with a fairly detailed outline of my story. Most editors, including mine, request a story synopsis along with the submission of a new proposal. Using the outline as a guide, I write a synopsis that reveals the major plot points, the faith arc and how the characters change and grow. I also add what the hero and heroine learn and the obstacles, both internal and external, they overcome to get to their happily ever after. Then I write the first three chapters and submit them, along with the synopsis, to my editor.

At that point, I turn to my AlphaSmart, a word processor that runs on three AA batteries. The small device was developed for special needs school children so it’s durable and portable. Only four lines of text are visible on the small screen and the editing functions are limited, which keeps me moving forward as I write my first draft. The AlphaSmart has eight files, each holding about 5,000 words of text that can be downloaded into a computer. Once I have a first draft written and in my computer, I start revising and rewriting. That’s the part of the process I most enjoy. The fine-tuning takes my very rough manuscript and turns it, eventually, into a compelling story.

Writing a first-draft on my AlphaSmart works for me, but I’d love to learn the way other folks craft their stories and hope you’ll share any techniques you use in the comment section. Whether you write stories or enjoy relaxing with a good book someone else has written, I’m glad we could be together today. Thanks so much, Sally, for inviting me to your blog.

Amish Christmas Search Blurb

An Amish girl’s disappearance is a mystery… and the clues lead straight into danger at Christmas.

Convinced her friend didn’t run away as the police

believe, Lizzie Kauffman searches for the truth—but

someone will kill to keep it hidden. Now the Amish

housekeeper and her friend Caleb Zook are on the

run for their lives. And if they want to find their

missing friend, Lizzie and Caleb must figure out

a way to survive the holiday.

Purchase Link:
Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/y2zltr7x

Debby loves to hear from her readers. Connect with Debby in the following ways:
Website: www.DebbyGiusti.com
Email: Debby@DebbyGiusti.com
Blog: https://seekerville.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debby.giusti.9
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DebbyGiusti


Friends, I sure hope you enjoyed getting to know Debby Giusti and Amish Christmas Search.
Don't forget to leave a comment with your email address by Saturday evening to be entered for the giveaway!


Thank you so much for joining us, Debby!


If you're an author and you'd like to be showcased here, just let me know. Must be inspirational or clean, can be fiction or nonfiction.
Check out my website, connect with me, and sign up for my newsletter. https://sallyshupe.weebly.com/

Author Spotlight: Erica Vetsch

Hi friends! Today, our author spotlight is on Erica Vetsch! Everyone, say hello to Erica! Without further ado, let's get to know Erica and her book Wonders of His Love.

 

Author Bio:
Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. She’s a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota, and she married her total opposite and soul mate! When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks. You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com where you can read about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online at https://www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/ where she spends way too much time!


Here's Erica!

Sally, thank you so much for hosting me on your blog today! I’m so happy to be here.

Yesterday, my 40th publication released! Wonders of His Love, a Regency Christmas novella, is part of the Joy to the World Regency Christmas collection.

I am amazed. When I started on this writing journey fifteen years ago, I never envisioned having forty published works. God has blessed beyond what I could have asked or imagined.

There have been so many wonderful things that have come out of my writing journey, blessings like contracts and contest wins, best-seller lists and starred reviews. But the best blessing has been the people I have met along the way, writers, editors, reviewers, and readers. I have made friends, good friends who share my interests and my passion for story, my love of Jesus, and fascination with history.

I have been able to laugh with, pray with, share with, and cry with dear friends I never would have met if it wasn’t for writing. And I’ve been encouraged, supported, exhorted, and challenged by these friends to do better, to write better, and to be better.

If you were to ask that new writer fifteen years ago, what she hoped for her career, she might have said she wanted to sell lots of books and have her work widely read.

If you ask the me that lives today, she would say selling lots of books is the least glorious part of her career. It’s the people that make the journey special.

Question for readers: What would you tell yourself if you could go back 15 years?


Wonders of His Love Blurb

In Joy to the World, three popular authors come together to offer a heartwarming collection of holiday Regency romance. Based on lines from a beloved Christmas carol, these three novellas in one book have depth, faith, and satisfying stories all packed into the perfect length for readers to curl up and take a brief break from their holiday busyness.

"Wonders of His Love" by Erica Vetsch
A Scots portrait painter with a hidden identity finds work at a noble manor house over the holidays. He never imagined he'd fall in love with the emotionally frozen widow there. Now he wants nothing more than to thaw her heart.

"Heaven and Nature Sing" by Carolyn Miller
Two music lovers, deeply devoted to each other, were on the brink of engagement when family circumstances drove them apart. How can they ever overcome their obligations and fears to find their way back into each other's arms?

"Far as the Curse is Found" by Amanda Barratt
One winter night, a woman struggling to provide for her illegitimate child encounters a scarred veteran of the Napoleonic Wars on the streets of London. Can love conquer the darkness of two broken pasts?

Purchase Links::

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B08KTHHD7F/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2
ChristianBook: https://www.christianbook.com/joy-the-world-regency-christmas-collection/carolyn-miller/9780825446696/pd/44669X?product_redirect=1&search_term=Joy%20to%20the%20World%20Regency&Ntt=44669X&item_code=&ps_exit=PRODUCT&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP
BarnesandNoble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/joy-to-the-world-carolyn-miller/1136630905?ean=9780825446696


Friends, I sure hope you enjoyed getting to know Erica Vetsch and Wonders of His Love.



Thank you so much for joining us, Erica!


If you're an author and you'd like to be showcased here, just let me know. Must be inspirational or clean, can be fiction or nonfiction.
Check out my website, connect with me, and sign up for my newsletter. https://sallyshupe.weebly.com/

Author Spotlight: Pepper Basham

Hi friends! Today, our author spotlight is on Pepper Basham! Everyone, say hello to Pepper! Without further ado, let's get to know Pepper and her book The Red Ribbon.

 

 Author Bio:
I wrote my first story when I was a nine year- old, freckled-faced tomboy in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains (my earlier writings wouldn’t have been considered “books”, more like short stories). Coming from a long line of oral storytellers, weaving a good yarn seemed a typical part of my life. It wasn’t until I finished college, had two children, and a full-time job before I began to study the ‘craft’ of writing (you know when I had plenty of time).

My music-director turned pastor husband took his first senior pastor position eight years ago, moved the 6 of us to Tennessee, where we added our fifth and final kid to the Basham crew. And now hubby is a music minister in Asheville, NC. Yep, we love the Blue Ridge Mountains.

So…now I’m an older, freckled-faced mommy enjoying life, learning to write, and laughing often. My mom says that I must have a small bit of insanity because I don’t realize how stressed I ought to be.

I’m also a speech-language pathologist who spends her time hanging out with kids who have social communication and language difficulties! It’s a challenge and a blessing – and constantly teaches me about the importance of thinking outside the box!

My newest book, The Red Ribbon, releases in October 2020 and takes place in my hometown of Carroll County, Virginia.

My first split-time releases in April 2021 and is titled Hope Between the Pages!

Here's Pepper!

Hope is a beautiful thing.

Vital, really.

At times, it appears as a lifeline cast down into a stormy sea and others as a ray of sunshine through thick, permeating fog. Hope offers perspective and possibilities. Light at the end of the tunnel. A hug in the middle of this world’s tragedies.

I suppose, when I started writing The Red Ribbon, I didn’t realize how important hope would become until I’d done my research and realized how very dark True Crime could be. How evil reared its ugly head in myriad ways and appeared to be winning. How hatred, greed, and selfishness twisted and turned events in heartbreaking directions – like a courthouse massacre or a roadside murder.

So when I started writing The Red Ribbon, I knew that woven into this darker story of Virginia history, I needed to find—or shine—hope, and that’s where Jeremiah Sutphin and Ava Burcham came in.

The Hillsville Courthouse Massacre/Tragedy of 1912 was a single event that began years before because of feuding and easy offense, sparked by an unexpected kiss, and finally exploded in a gunfight inside the courthouse in the little, unknown Blue Ridge Mountain town in Hillsville, Virginia.

I’d been raised in this county. More than two hundred years of my ancestors had grown up in this county, and I’d heard the tales of bootlegging, family feuds, murders, thieving, and all the other things that can pop up in the shadowy parts of a places’ history. This story became prominent only because it made national news, otherwise, it would have likely disappeared into history like so many other similar stories from Appalachia.

Murders happened and were never disclosed or resolved – unless by residual gunfire.

Bootlegging led to feuds. It had for decades before.

But this tragedy caught the public’s interest and resulted in nationwide news coverage and a nationwide manhunt, exposing the world of Appalachia like few things have – and it led people outside of Appalachia to believe that these mountain folks were nothing more than angry, illiterate, hostile, ignorant nobodys.

I guess that’s why I loved the opportunity to show both sides of Appalachia in this book. The hardened, irreverent, and corrupt side and the hopeful, loyal, loving side. Both existed and still do, as in about any population of people around the world, it just looks different.

The Hillsville tragedy shone a light on the darker spots of Appalachia. The way loyalty can move into obsession or stark independence can lead to destructive pride. But I couldn’t leave readers only thinking those things about my home. They needed to see the hope too!

As an Appalachian girl, I love my culture. I love the loyalty of the people to family. I love their unique creativeness and steel-like resilience. I love their appreciation for their homes and land, and their intense acceptance of people (once they know you). That’s where the true crime and the fictional story blend together.

Because hope is real and a driving force to help us make it through the difficulties of life, and thankfully, as a Christian, hope is not some wispy, weak wishful thinking.

It’s a steadfast assurance that on the other side of tragedy, pain, suffering, or heartache, there is purpose, growth, and an ultimate joyful ending.

I hope that’s what readers find at the end of The Red Ribbon- and awareness that, as Christians, hope threads its way through every scene of our lives and we can hold to God’s truth in His love for our futures even in the dark. 

 

 The Red Ribbon Blurb

An Appalachian Feud Blows Up in 1912 Step into True Colors -- a new series of Historical Stories of Romance and American Crime In Carroll County, a corn shucking is the social event of the season, until a mischievous kiss leads to one of the biggest tragedies in Virginia history. Ava Burcham isn’t your typical Blue Ridge Mountain girl. She has a bad habit of courtin’ trouble, and her curiosity has opened a rift in the middle of a feud between politicians and would-be outlaws, the Allen family. Ava’s tenacious desire to find a story worth reporting may land her and her best friend, Jeremiah Sutphin, into more trouble than either of them planned. The end result? The Hillsville Courthouse Massacre of 1912.

 

Purchase Link and to Connect with Pepper:

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1643526499
Website - www.pepperdbasham.com
FB – https://www.facebook.com/pepperdbasham/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/pepperbasham/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/pepperbasham
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/pepperbasham/


Friends, I sure hope you enjoyed getting to know Pepper Basham and The Red Ribbon.


Thank you so much for joining us, Pepper!


If you're an author and you'd like to be showcased here, just let me know. Must be inspirational or clean, can be fiction or nonfiction.
Check out my website, connect with me, and sign up for my newsletter. https://sallyshupe.weebly.com/

Author Spotlight: Mary Connealy

Hi friends! Today, our author spotlight is on Mary Connealy! Everyone, say hello to Mary! Without further ado, let's get to know Mary and her book Her Secret Song.

 

Author Bio:
Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys always with a strong suspense thread. She is a two time Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader's Choice finalist. She is the bestselling author of over 60 books and novellas.

Her most recent book series are: The Brides of Hope Mountain, Garrison’s Law, High Sierra Sweethearts, Cimarron Legacy, Wild at Heart, Trouble in Texas, and Kincaid Bride for Bethany House Publishing. She’s also written four other series for Barbour Publishing and many novellas. Mary has nearly a million books in print.

Interesting Tidbit for Her Secret Song

Her Secret Song was inspired by listening to musicians talk a few times and realizing how unique their minds were. Much like an author is inspired by ‘What if’. Seeing something or someone, or hearing about a situation and thinking, what if that guy, instead of …

Writers see a crescent moon and a song lyric and tune come with it. Or so these songwriters said. I’m sure the inspiration comes to them in many ways. But I wondered (haha!) What if my heroine was like that? What if she felt sad and a song, maybe a psalm, a lament came to her with music and lyrics? I’d never done a character like that before.

So Her Secret Song is a tribute to all the musical people I know (and don’t know) who see the world in music. I find them fascinating.


Her Secret Song (Brides of Hope Mountain Book #3) Blurb

The gunfighter and the recluse…what could go wrong?

After a rough winter spent alone, Ursula Nordegren realizes she must overcome her fears of the outside world and begins a trek down Hope Mountain. Along the way she finds a badly wounded stranger and realizes God may have used her decision to leave as a way of saving the man.

Wax Mosby was climbing Hope Mountain in part to atone for his terrible choices. He was hired to drive out the Warden family and now knows he was duped. But when he's wounded during the climb, the last person he expects to rescue him is a beautiful blond woman with the voice of an angel.

As both Ursula and Wax weigh the costs of living new lives, the two find an unlikely bond. And they're joined by Ursula's sisters and the Warden family as the final showdown over the family ranch looms with the coming of spring.

Purchase Link and Excerpt Link:
Buy link for Her Secret Song: https://tinyurl.com/y5kvzwkz
Excerpt link for Her Secret Song: https://tinyurl.com/y36338m3

Connect with Mary:
Mary's website: http://www.maryconnealy.com/
Complete Book List: http://maryconnealy.com/series-guide/
Facebook page: http://www.Facebook.com/maryconnealy
Seekerville: http://www.seekerville.blogspot.com/
Petticoats & Pistols: http://petticoatsandpistols.com/
Like Mary's author page on Amazon to get notified of new releases: https://www.amazon.com/Mary-Connealy/e/B001JP2VBG/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Sign up for Mary's newsletter: http://maryconnealy.com/newsletter/


Friends, I sure hope you enjoyed getting to know Mary Connealy and Her Secret Song.



Thank you so much for joining us, Mary!


If you're an author and you'd like to be showcased here, just let me know. Must be inspirational or clean, can be fiction or nonfiction.
Check out my website, connect with me, and sign up for my newsletter. https://sallyshupe.weebly.com/

Author Spotlight: Rachel Dylan

Hi friends! Today, our author spotlight is on Rachel Dylan! Everyone, say hello to Rachel! Without further ado, let's get to know Rachel and her book Back Lash.

 

Author Bio:
Rachel Dylan is an award-winning and bestselling author of legal thrillers and romantic suspense. Rachel has practiced law for over a decade, including being a litigator at one of the nation's top law firms. Her Atlanta Justice series has won the Holt Medallion, the Maggie Award, and the FHL Reader's Choice Award. Rachel lives in Michigan with her husband and five furkids--two dogs and three cats. Rachel loves to connect with readers. You can find her at https://www.racheldylan.com/.


Fun Facts about BACKLASH:
They say some books write themselves, and Backlash, Book 2 in the Capital Intrigue series, was definitely one of those for me. I had a very clear picture of Layla in my mind from the beginning of End Game (Book 1), and I knew I had to make her story the next book in the Capital Intrigue series.

Layla works at the CIA as a Middle East analyst, but those in charge at the Agency believe she would be a better asset if she was a CIA officer working in the field. Even though she resists, she takes on the challenges because she believes she is serving her country.

Fun fact: Layla got her undergraduate degree in Arab studies, and I got my Master’s degree in Middle Eastern studies. Layla works for the CIA, and I was recruited by the NSA (although I ended up taking a very different path and became a lawyer). I poured a lot of myself into Layla’s character, but I could never take on dangerous field missions like her. I’m much better sitting behind my computer writing about them! I loved being able to write a lead character of Lebanese descent—just like me.


Back Lash Summary

CIA analyst Layla Karam is thrust into a dangerous DEA field operation against a cartel that puts a target on her back. Though Layla never wanted to be a field agent, Langley had other ideas. After one of her team members is murdered because of fallout from the op, Layla is left scrambling to find safety.

At the same time, the CIA opens up an internal investigation against her. Out of options, Layla turns to ex-boyfriend and private investigator Hunter McCoy for help finding out who might want to ruin her career.

Layla and Hunter soon discover a mole inside the DEA has sold out the team's identity to the cartel. She must clear her name with the Agency and protect herself and her teammates from cartel retaliation. With threats on all sides, Layla must put her trust in Hunter--the man who broke her heart--and hope they both come out of it alive.

For those who are content sensitive: this book contains non-graphic scenes and descriptions of physical and sexual assault.

Purchase Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Backlash-Capital-Intrigue-Book-2-ebook/dp/B087RRWCZZ/
All your favorite retailers: https://www.racheldylan.com/backlash/
Connect with Rachel:
Website – https://www.racheldylan.com/
Blog - https://www.racheldylan.com/category/blog/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/RachelDylanAuthor/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/dylan_rachel
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Dylan/e/B00IQURATK
Bookbub- https://www.bookbub.com/profile/rachel-dylan
Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7913140.Rachel_Dylan
Instagram –https://www.instagram.com/racheldylanauthor/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/racheldylanauth/


Friends, I sure hope you enjoyed getting to know Rachel Dylan and Back Lash.



Thank you so much for joining us, Rachel!


If you're an author and you'd like to be showcased here, just let me know. Must be inspirational or clean, can be fiction or nonfiction.
Check out my website, connect with me, and sign up for my newsletter. https://sallyshupe.weebly.com/

Author Spotlight: Dana Mentink

Hi friends! Today, our author spotlight is on Dana Mentink! Everyone, say hello to Dana! Without further ado, let's get to know Dana, and her dog Junie, and her book Cold Case Pursuit.

 

Author Bio:
Dana Mentink is a two time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner. She is a national and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of over forty titles in the suspense and lighthearted romance genres. Her suspense novel, Betrayal in the Badlands, earned a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award and she has also been honored with a Holt Medallion. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, Harvest House and will release a mystery series with Poisoned Pen Press in May.


Here's Dana and Junie with a few writing/life tips!

Greetings from Mentink Manor! Hello there! I am author Dana Mentink and I’ve written forty or so books. The most current is Cold Case Pursuit which features a dashing police canine. We’ve got a real canine here too, but, er...well, maybe not quite so dashing. Junie, let us just say, is eleven pounds of trouble in a fur coat, but she’s taught me a lot. I thought I’d share her top tips for writing and life!

Writing Rule #1: Take a movement break!
The first thing Junie taught me was that the view is always the same inside. No matter about the virus, the choking smoke here in California or sizzling heat, she is on fire to go out into the world and sniff and wag at anything and everything. "Let's go OOOUUUUUTTTTTT," you can practically hear her say. "We're too young to sit in a chair all day." You would be amazed at how many times I’ve gotten stuck in my writing only to have the answer present itself to me during a nice little outside stroll. Good advice, Junie. Let's take a break here in Chapter Three and go out for a walk. Now where is my mask?

Writing Rule #2: Let it rest!
If a thing is worth something, you can come back to it later. That bone she hid under the sofa? It's gonna be even more amazing when she rediscovers it later this evening. Writing is like that, too. When you finish a draft, it's better if you let it sit and revisit it later with a fresh eye. Then you can dig deep, reexamine your work and make changes you never would have thought to make while the ink was still fresh. Since we are sheltering in place here, I’ve got more time to indulge in such luxuries from the safety of my own back yard!

Writing Rule #3: Dogs are imperfect, just like people.
Junie is a comfort dog...but she’s entirely devoted to her own comfort. If I was being abducted, I am not totally convinced she would come to my rescue. As a matter of fact, she might just go hide under the bed until the coast was clear! She has a cowardly streak, truth be told. You know what? So do people. They’ve got all kinds of fears and failures too, so we writers have to make sure our characters are full of those pesky flaws. That’s what makes fiction compelling!

So I will sign off now since it’s time to take Her Highness for her evening stroll. I hope that you all are having a safe October and finding lots of wonderful fiction to delight you!


Cold Case Pursuit Blurb

A cold case solved by the K-9 unit…
but the past is not so easily escaped.

Decades after her parents’ murders, Penelope McGregor’s grateful the killer’s finally been identified—until he comes after her. Now Detective Tyler Walker and his K-9 partner, Dusty, must protect Penelope and catch the culprit…while making sure his little girl stays out of the crosshairs. But can the single father outplay a killer whose endgame will leave no one safe?

 

 

Purchase Links and to Connect with Dana:
Website: www.danamentink.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dana.mentink
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanaMentink
You Tube Channel: https://youtu.be/GW6d8JKY_-I
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Dana-Mentink/e/B001JRXHXK/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1540739147&sr=8-2-ent
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dana_mentink/


Friends, I sure hope you enjoyed getting to know Dana Mentink and her dog Junie and Cold Case Pursuit.



Thank you so much for joining us, Dana!


If you're an author and you'd like to be showcased here, just let me know. Must be inspirational or clean, can be fiction or nonfiction.
Check out my website, connect with me, and sign up for my newsletter. https://sallyshupe.weebly.com/

Author Spotlight: Nancy Naigle

Hi friends! Today, our author spotlight is on Nancy Naigle! Everyone, say hello to Nancy! Without further ado, let's get to know Nancy and her book A Heartfelt Christmas Promise.

Author Bio:
USA Today bestselling author NANCY NAIGLE whips up small-town love stories with a dash of suspense and a whole lot of heart. Now happily retired, she devotes her time to writing, antiquing, and the occasional spa day with friends. A native of Virginia Beach, she currently calls North Carolina home. Nancy is the author of over twenty-five novels. You may have enjoyed some of them on the Hallmark Channel, including Hope at Christmas which just released for the first time in mass market paperback.

Here's Nancy!

My writing process:
Everyone has their own process. I remember starting out trying to mimic the process of every successful author who’d share what they did. The best advice I can give new authors is to not do what I did. Follow your natural inclinations. Writing is creative, after all, and you need to bring your voice to the story in the way only you can do that. I make a pretty detailed outline, but I also like to scour the internet and sort of cast the roles of my characters. I also look for recipes, crafts, and any other little details. I pin some of those findings on a Pinterest board for the book. It gives me a great place to re-energize when the writing gets tough. I find that helps me to get a good clear vision of the people, places and things in the story and hopefully bring them to life for you…the reader.

A LITTLE EXTRA TRIVIA:
So many people hate fruitcake, and I wasn’t a fan for a long time, but once I found good fruitcake I’m willing to try it and see if it falls in the ‘must have’ or ‘pass’ category. My mother-in-law used to make the best fruitcake. I don’t know where she found that pan, but it made the biggest cake ever and it filled a whole tin. One year I discovered chocolate-covered fruitcake slices made by the Abby Cross Monastery in Virginia. Oh. My. Goodness. So, yummy. If you run across some, you have to at least give it a try.

A Heartfelt Christmas Promise

This story was originally inspired by the 2014 Budweiser Super Bowl commercial. You might remember it. “Puppy Love” was about that cute little yellow pup that kept sneaking off, only to be rescued by that super-handsome Clydesdale trainer. It was sweet! It took me six years, but this is that story. It’s a sweet small-town story that may be set in the Thanksgiving to Christmas timeframe, but can be read any time. It’s a story of hope, dreams, community and trust. I pride myself in writing a love story that could be shared from mother to daughter and grandma too. I hope you’ll pick up a copy or two and share with your friends.

A Heartfelt Christmas Promise Back Cover Copy:
Vanessa Larkin was supposed to be spending Christmas in Paris, France on a business trip she hoped to enjoy as a working vacation. Instead, she’s been assigned to Fraser Hills, North Carolina―home of the Best Fruitcake in the USA―to convert her company’s property into warehouse space and shut down Porter’s, the fruitcake factory. Offering retirement packages and selling locals on new job opportunities may not spread holiday cheer, but Vanessa believes she’s helping secure the town’s future.

Mike Marshall’s family founded Porter’s. For decades, the factory served as the lifeblood of the community until his grandfather sold the business to a Chicago corporation. The sale cost the town its independence―and the Marshalls their family ties. A horse farmer, Mike was never involved with his grandfather’s company, but still felt Fraser Hills lost part of its identity. And as a widower raising a teenage daughter, he’s suffered enough losses in one lifetime. News of the factory’s closing means losing another piece of the town’s legacy.

Far from the skyscrapers and rapid pace of the city, Vanessa finds herself enjoying the easygoing rhythms of rural living. With Mike as her guide, she learns to appreciate the simple pleasures found in shared holiday festivities among friends. Fraser Hills is a town she is growing to love―and Mike is someone she is falling in love with. Now all Vanessa needs is a Christmas miracle to give her newfound friends and home a gift they’ll cherish for many New Years to come.

 

Purchase Links:

AMAZON - https://amzn.to/3cuN8wJ
B&N - https://bit.ly/35UIqHb
APPLE - https://apple.co/2RPFTWQ
KOBO - https://bit.ly/2Hrm06x
GOOGLE PLAY - https://bit.ly/3hNWXXC
iNDIEBound - https://bit.ly/3mLQRKS
TARGET - https://bit.ly/2EZBq0J

Contact Nancy Naigle:
Website: www.NancyNaigle.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/NancyNaigleAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nancynaigle


Friends, I sure hope you enjoyed getting to know Nancy Naigle and A Heartfelt Christmas Promise.

Thank you so much for joining us, Nancy!


If you're an author and you'd like to be showcased here, just let me know. Must be inspirational or clean, can be fiction or nonfiction.
Check out my website, connect with me, and sign up for my newsletter. https://sallyshupe.weebly.com/