Tell us a bit about yourself. I live in a small village in Michigan five miles from the farm where I grew up.  I’m a mom to three adult children. I have a spoiled Lab and several rescued cats. I enjoy finding new authors and promoting Christian fiction. When I complete a writing deadline, I reward myself with Mackinac Island fudge-flavored coffee.
 
What is your book about? With her husband’s ultimate betrayal, and the finalization of her divorce, Jessica Palmer’s dreams for her life go up in flames, leaving her devastated and lost. Now, she’s leaving Chicago and moving back into her parents’ house in an effort to rebuild her life. Longtime neighbor and friend, Liam Engstrom, is the only reason she hasn’t completely fallen apart, but the closer they get, the more she realizes the depth of his feelings.

Liam has loved Jessica since they were teens, but she never noticed him as more than a friend. Now that she’s single, he’s determined to show her how much he cares and that not all men are like her ex-husband—if she’ll let him.

Jessica is reluctant to trust again after what her husband did to her, and Liam refuses to be the rebound guy, but their attraction is hard to deny. So, together, with a little help from God, they decide to give love a chance. But between Liam’s recent inheritance and an unwanted public billionaire status that has people lining up with their hands out, and Jessica’s ex-husband monitoring her every move, their relationship is off to a rocky start. And when tragedy strikes, Liam pushes everyone away—including Jessica. Can they both learn to forgive and grow, or are they doomed to be alone?

Why did you write it? I originally wrote this story in 1994 late at night while my infant and toddler were asleep, but I really didn’t do much with it once it was finished. I got busy with life, raising my kids, working, etc., and the story essentially fell by the wayside. I began reading and loving billionaire books and decided that I would try my hand at one. So I dug this story out, dusted it off, revised it heavily to make Liam a billionaire (and to bring it up to date) and eventually sent it to Anaiah…
 
If you had a pet unicorn, what color would it be and what would you name it?
A silvery-blue, and I would name it Silver.  Not very original, I know, but it would be very pretty in the moonlight.
 
Do you need background noise when you write? I like to listen to music while I write. I have playlists set up with songs that match the mood of each story. For the Reluctant Billionaire it was love ballads from the 1980’s.
 
What's your writing process like? I have to be in a certain mood to write.  I like to start in the early morning hours (What most people would call the middle of the night). I write until I can't concentrate on the story anymore or until my fingers get stiff from typing. Once I stop, I'm done for the day.
 
Favorites:
Bible verse: Psalm 40:1-2: "I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand."
Book: An Untamed Land by Lauraine Snelling.
Cartoon: Not exactly a cartoon, but I love the Family Circle comic strip.
Cereal: Honey Bunches o’ Oats.
Color: burgundy
Movie: The Pursuit of Happyness with Will Smith.  I cry my way through it every time I watch it.
Song: Go Light Your World by Kathy Troccoli
 
Where can we find you online?
Website: www.authorcarolunderhill.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Authorcarolunderhill
Twitter: www.twitter.com/@carolunderhill7
 

Hi! I’m a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, writing stories about families, both the broken and blessed. My work includes a semi-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest and the American Title IV Contest in which I appeared in the top ten in the Romantic Times magazine but didn’t win. My published books include The Christmas Confusion and the upcoming Sweet Summer, the first two books in the Summer Creek Series, as well as Christmas On Ocracoke. By day, I am a psychology professor and live in the Lowcountry of South Carolina with my husband, Kyle, and two children, Scott and Lindsey, and cat Chessie Mae.
 
What is your book about?  Reeling from the upheaval of a failed marriage, Annie Hanahan is desperate for a new start—and when she inherits a cottage on Ocracoke Island, she may finally get it. Without a second thought, she packs up and leaves everything behind: her first name, her job, and her ex-husband. But when she arrives in the Outer Banks, she finds the island—and her promised refuge—ravaged by Hurricane Dorian.  As a contractor who has given so much of his time to helping Ocracoke recover, it surprises no one when Trey Kingsley offers to help the beautiful newcomer, but something is holding her back. Life keeps throwing them together, though, or perhaps God’s hand is giving them a nudge. Will a little bit of divine intervention be enough for a Merry Christmas on Ocracoke?
 
Why did you write it? My sister and her husband bought a vacation home on Hatteras Island. The Outer Banks had always been on my bucket list to visit, but this past year was my first time to go. Then, while we were there for New Year’s, we took a day trip to Ocracoke Island. It was like visiting a different world. Plus, the mountains of debris and the boarded-up shops that came as a result of Hurricane Dorian touched my heart and I wanted to write a story for them.
  
If you had a pet unicorn, what color would it be and what would you name it? Silver and Phoenix Star after one of the horses we owned when I was a teenager.
 
Do you need background noise when you write? No. For me, writing is so much a part of who I am that I can seemingly write anywhere, anytime, under any conditions. Sometimes, I play music and sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I’m at the kitchen table and sometimes I’m at my desk. I just want to write.
 
What's your writing process like? I’ve been writing most of my life so this also doesn’t have one answer. Right now, I do GMC charts for my main characters and storyboard the whole plot before I start. Then, I only really look at those as guides and just write.
 
If your book was to be made into a movie, who would you want to play your Hero and Heroine? I write my stories with real people as inspiration. Both of these characters were inspired by alumni from the college where I teach. I’d love for those students to play the characters!
 
Favorites:
Bible verse: Jeremiah 29:11. I know it’s typical and often taken out of context, but it keeps coming up. When my daughter started college, I started a tradition of putting post-it notes with little messages and verses on them. This was one of them. When we took her for orientation, that verse was on the meet-and-greet table when she visited a local church. Just now, I tried to google another verse and this one was the first I found under hope.
 
Book: Just one? Impossible. Right now, my favorite author is Rachel Hauck. That’s as far as I can go—can’t pick just one.
 
Cartoon: I don’t watch them. But Mallard Fillmore is my favorite comic if that counts.
 
Cereal: Kashi Coconut granola. Don’t get me wrong—I’m not always healthy, but at least I can start off well.
 
Color: Gray—but only because of early morning right before sunrise. Otherwise, I love every color. Makes it hard to decorate but it’s true.
 
Movie: It’s a Wonderful Life.
 
Song: “When I Get Where I’m Going” by Brad Paisley, but really I’m not one for favorites. I could just as easily have said, “I Can Only Imagine” by MercyMe or “Amazing Grace”. Then there’s all the traditional country songs—I love Patsy Cline, for example. So many beautiful songs out there! God’s blessings are rich!
 
Where can we find you online?
 Website/Blog: https://www.christinasinisi.com/ 
 Social Networking Sites:
Twitter: @ChristinaSinisi
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Christina-Sinisi-Author-105861987440664/?modal=admin_todo_tour
Instagram: @csinisi123
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/csinisi/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/101218889-christina-sinisi

The third novel in Sara Beth Williams' Second Chance series is scheduled to release on March 16, 2021. I Keep reading to see the beautiful cover!
​
In the aftermath of tragic loss, worship leader Matt Lawson is grappling debilitating anxiety. The blessings he’d taken for granted—a dream job, a woman he couldn’t wait to spend the rest of his life with, and his God-given musical talent—have crumbled at his feet, leaving him reeling in despair, unable to face the wreckage of the life he’d envisioned for himself.
 
Tara Pierce is ready to put past hurts behind her as she prepares to graduate college and take a leap of faith in her career. When Matt’s grief causes him to isolate himself from everyone he knows, she refuses to stand idly by and do nothing. She has traversed similar terrain before. No one deserves to travel that road alone.
 
Unexpected attraction flares as Tara reaches into the sea of Matt’s grief and helps ground him in reality. But Matt’s not ready to give himself away again. Can Tara risk her heart and their friendship and let God step in to heal where she can't?


























About Sara Beth Williams
Sara Beth Williams is a wife, mother of two daughters, and temporary caretaker of a lovable old lady pit and a spunky Pomeranian-Shih Tzu mix. She lives in Northern California. When she's not held hostage by the keyboard, she enjoys music, teaching, reading and spending time with her family. She is all about connecting with readers! Find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads and Bookbub.
Receive a FREE short story when you sign up for her newsletter.
Where to find Sara Beth Williams
Amazon / Goodreads / Bookbub / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter
 Website / MeWe

Maria T. Henriksen is a Christian author of both fiction and nonfiction. It is her hope that she transforms lives through her writings. Maria's novel, Not Again, is a young adult Christian tale with romantic and tragic elements that follows the spiritual journey of a teenage girl during the 1980s. The story incorporates scripture to demonstrate how to overcome even the darkest of tribulations. In addition, Maria shares her faith in God through her personal trials as a contributor to a 40 day devotional called Love Knots: Stories of Faith, Family, and Friendships. 

Maria has been happily married for over two decades to a sweet and intelligent man of God. She is also blessed to be the mother of amazing boy/girl teenage twins who are in their first year of college.

During the school year, Maria works as a substitute teacher and considers it a privilege to be working with the future leaders of America. 

It's no surprise that Maria's background includes many varied interests such as graphic arts, finance, banking, health, fitness, beauty, and the list keeps growing.

Maria graduated from Shippensburg University with a bachelor's in Communications/Journalism, a concentration in Public Relations, a minor in Psychology and a sequence in Marketing. 

Book description/blurb for Not Again:
Christina De Rosa holds a potentially deadly secret that threatens to get out. As an innocent young teenager, Christina survives a terrifying sexual assault that destroys her self-worth and trust. 

In her daily struggle, Christina searches for ways to keep her torment at bay, so she can function as a "normal" teenager. Meanwhile, Christina's spiritual journey leads her down a path causing conflict within, as she's riddled with guilt and shame. 

A chance encounter with her longtime, hot crush, Avery Evans, sparks a fire in Christina that she can't  extinguish. As the sweet, loving, knight in shining armor he readily portrays, Avery offers the safety and security that Christina craves.

In her quest for internal peace, Christina must make a decision. Will she give her heart, body and soul to the super popular, Avery Evans? 

Will Christina's nightmares become all-consuming or will her discoveries lead her to a renewed way of life?

Find out if true love triumphs in this edgy, faith-based young adult page-tuner, set in the 1980s.

*Not Again is NOT your typical Christian coming-of-age story. Fierce faith doesn't come without a fight. Prepare for heartache, self-harm, traumatic events, real romance, and actual scripture in these pages.

Why I wrote Not Again, a novel:

Imagine being a teenager again in today's world. Suffice it to say that I'm grateful for growing up in the 80s. 

I'm surrounded by teens in most aspects of my life. It's intentional because I feel a calling. 

God placed it on my heart to speak to those teens in various ways. One way is through my novel. 

I describe Not Again as being edgy. It's a risk I took out of obedience to Christ. Some may be offended the descriptive nature of my book or the mature themes. However, I offer no apologies. I'm answering a calling. 

Kids today are exposed to more violence and sin then ever before due to the advent of technology like cell phones & the internet. 

I deal mostly with teens who attend public schools and who may not be exposed to the Christian faith. 

Certain behaviors are acceptable to teenagers, even normal. Not Again offers a different way of looking at body image, bullying, relationships, sex, drugs, alcohol... 

My debut novel, Not Again, offers ways of coping with day to day stress as well as PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome).

I have yet to find my target niche - teens.
These are teens who are: 
1.) believers in Christ 
2.) teens who once followed the straight and narrow path but went astray 
3.) teens who are searching for a meaningful way of life that speaks to them on a level beyond their understanding. 

Please help me in my quest of finding these teens. I know they're out there and God wants me to help them realize their identity in Christ. 

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guide your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).

If you are interested in supporting my novel and me in this quest to reach out to teens to make this world a better place, send me an email: Authormariathenriksen@gmail.com

If I had a pet unicorn, I would name it Hope. Hope's body would be pure white and her mane and tail would be the colors of a rainbow. Hope's alicorn and hooves would be purple. Now, I really want a unicorn.

I like to listen to classical music while I write. I don't like listening to music with lyrics while I write, because I find it distracting. Otherwise, I would listen to 80s music, pop, or Christian praise music.

Before I begin to write, I make sure I have a water bottle, a notebook, my phone by my side and a blanket that drapes over my legs if it's a little cool. I use a portable desk for my laptop that sits above my thighs. Once I'm situated, I don't get up unless necessary. My family brings me my meals which is so thoughtful and considerate. 

I don't plot anything as I'm a true pantser. I simply put fingers to the keyboard and type. I don't worry too much about the tiny descriptive details in my first draft. I go back and reread what I wrote at a later time and make a few adjustments then. When I finish with the first draft, I go over it a bunch of times before I send it out to Beta readers. After I receive feedback from each Beta, I make changes per their suggestions. Then I send my manuscript to my editor and we go back and forth a few times until I'm satisfied with it. Then it goes through a proofreading process to make sure all the spelling, grammar, and punctuation is accurate.

I wrote my first novel, Not Again,  straight though in chronological order. My second novel, Not Again, the Fallout, surprised me in that I have skipped around all over the place, jumping from one scene in the beginning to a scene in the middle, back to the beginning, and then towards the end. However, it's coming together nicely and I believe Not Again, the Fallout will be even more powerful than its predecessor.

Favorites:
One of my favorite Bible verses is: 1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
I don't have a favorite book. That would be like choosing my favorite child, an impossible choice. I can say that I was influenced by The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton and This Present Darkness by Frank E. Peretti.

My favorite cartoon is the Jetsons, because I like how it's futuristic. When I watched it as a kid, I remember being fascinated by how the Jetsons connected with people via video. We now have that technology.

My favorite cereal is Special K Chocolatey Delight. No, I don't feel guilty for eating chocolate for breakfast. After all, chocolate is a major food group.

My absolute favorite color is purple. I even have a purple bathroom!

My favorite movie will probably stump you. It's Cinema Paradiso with subtitles. The main character and storyline are endearing and I love listening to the movie in Italian.

One of my favorite songs is the remake of Lean on Me by Club Nouveau.

Here's where you can find me online:
linktr.ee/AuthorMaria

A Promise to Keep by Melony Teague turns 1! Join me as we learn more about the author and for your chance for a prize.

Tell us a bit about yourself? I write contemporary romance with a dash of humor, and love to inspire and motivate others through written words, and I believe everyone has a story to tell. Melony is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and The Word Guild. I am one of these co-author of As the Ink Flows, a devotional for writers and speakers. My fiction debut, A Promise to Keep released in Jan 21, 2020, so we are celebrating its 1st birthday! Yay! I was born in South Africa and now live in Toronto with my handsome husband, their two teenagers, and do the bidding of her two adorable cats. I love to bake and cook—I consider it therapy. I’ve been making hot chocolate bombs this winter, which is hard work (all the chopping) but so rewarding and tasty.

 What is your book about? Savannah Sanderson is a research librarian who wants nothing more than to escape into her happily-ever-after novels with their larger-than-life fictional heroes. But a promise to her late husband has her attending her dreaded twenty-year high school reunion, drinking ghastly punch, and taking desperate measures just to keep her vow, even if she has to hide behind the décor to do it. Once a reckless troublemaker, Michael McCann fled town after graduation. Now a professional technical rescuer, he’s back for the reunion, but on his trip down memory lane, he soon comes face to face with unresolved issues, namely Savannah. Before the night is over, a pact between these two old friends will lead them on an adventure into uncharted emotional territory where Michael must confront his past regrets and find the courage to reveal the truth. Can Savannah fly from her sheltered nest and risk her heart on a real-life hero?
The book is about second chances and living beyond loss.

Why did you write it? I wanted to inspire and bring hope and laughter in this crazy messy world we live in, and I wrote it before the pandemic. My heart’s desire is for this book to bring hope, laughter and joy to readers as we muddle through this difficult time.
 
If you had a pet unicorn, what color would it be and what would you name it? It would be silver with a pink mane and tail. I’d call her Sprinkles, because everyone needs a sprinkle of wonder.
 
Where can we find you online?
Website | Facebook | Facebook Group | BookBub | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon| Goodreads  
Readers can sign up to get my newsletter to keep up to date with upcoming projects and get the inside scoop: http://eepurl.com/nyNaD
 
If your book was to be made into a movie, who would you want to play your Hero and Heroine? In a movie, the hero, Michael McCann would have the looks of Henry Cavill but the personality of Chris Hemsworth. The heroine, would be hard to pick, I need help with that one. Maybe an unknown actress who would fit the part well? She’d have to get the accent right. (South African)
 
Do you read as much as you write? I probably read more than I write because I love to support fellow authors and I read and review. Also, I read books on writing and I love memoirs, and true stories too. It’s a difficult thing to balance, sometimes I choose to read rather than write because I’m procrastinating. Writing is hard!
 
Favorites:
Bible verse: Matthew 8:23 – 27.  I am holding on to the truth that Jesus is in the boat, despite the storm.
Book: Too many to choose, but The Water Keeper by Charles Martin blew me away this last year.
Cartoon: Gru from Despicable me. Hehe!
Cereal: Urgh, I hate cereal. I prefer porridge.
Color: All the colors, I don’t have a favorite, but I do eat the red smarties or M&M’s first. Does that count?
Movie: I am horrible with movies; I forget them right after watching. It’s a gift. I have watched Sense and Sensibility enough times to remember the story. Haha! I’m a Jane Austen fan.
Song: It changes, but right now: Famous for ( I believe) by Tauren Wells. 

Don't forget to enter the rafflecopter giveaway below!

I had the amazing opportunity to visit with Chautona Havig on her Because Fiction podcast. It was so much fun and there were tons of laughs. Check it out for yourself.

https://becausefictionpodcast.com/episode-41-a-chat-with-jennifer-pierce

​ 
Tell us a bit about yourself? I am what you call a “Yankee transplant”. My dad’s job brought us to North Carolina when I was 16. Let me just tell you, we experienced culture shock when we moved from our small, dairy farming community in NY to the big city of Charlotte. My husband is a native Charlottean and we’ve been married for 26 years. He always jokes that I had to travel 750 miles south to find a husband! But we do disagree during football season. If you know anything about NFL team rivalries, well, you’ll understand when I say that he is a Washington fan and I’m a Dallas Cowboys fan. ‘Nuff said!
 
What is your book about? My story is a modern-day marriage of convenience, filled with second chances, redemption and hope. My two main characters fell in love eight years ago, but now the hero needs my heroine’s help to keep his company. Nate broke Meredith’s heart 8 years ago and he still regrets the way he treated her. Meredith is an accountant who is sent to his company to conduct a forensic audit. They marry but face a lot of obstacles, old hurts and misunderstandings along the way.
 
Why did you write it? I love stories of second chances, redemption and forgiveness. And three years ago when I wrote this story, I’d been watching a lot of Christmas movies. But I’d also been watching Married at First Sight. I had an idea for a Christmas story too, and thought, why not try? I could combine both these ideas to have a little different twist on a Christmas romance.
 
If you had a pet unicorn, what color would it be and what would you name it?
I never thought about having a pet unicorn, I’m doing good just to have a cat! But if I did, I suppose it would be a sea-green blue and I’d name it Charlie.
 
Do you need background noise when you write? It really depends. Sometimes I need it completely quiet. Other times, I like to have the tv on, with the volume turned down. And sometimes, I’ll listen to country music. It really depends on whether or not the characters are talking to me or if I need some additional inspiration.
 
What's your writing process like? Well, first I have to figure out who my main characters are, what are their occupations, I write out what they look like, how old they are (I’ll even find pictures online of people who look like what I envision my characters look like). Then I’ll interview them, find out what is their black moment event – this is the event that shaped who they are as an adult. Then I have to talk through the story, to get a general idea of where the story is going. I’m a plotter, I definitely have to write out the general story outline, along with the plot points on a huge post-it note and hang it on the wall facing me. And then I’ll set up the story outline in Scrivener, the writing software that’s been invaluable to me. Finally, I’ll write. I try not to edit as I write since I just want to get the story down.
Editing comes much later! If I think of something I forgot, I’ll jot it down on either in the notes section of Scrivener or a blank notepad I keep handy.
 
Fun fact about the book/character. In The Mistletoe Contract, my 2 main characters visit a small town called McAdenville, NC in the book. This is an actual small town about 40 minutes south of Charlotte. It is a town filled with Christmas spirit. The entire town is decorated for Christmas and then thousands of people from miles around visit the town – for free - to look at all the Christmas lights, the displays, take pictures as well as listen to Christmas music and sit on Santa’s lap.
 
Do you read as much as you write? Oh my goodness, I’m always reading! I read probably as much as I write. I have to do this in order to replenish my words as well as relax after a long day of working my full-time job and then writing at night.
 
Favorites:
Bible verse: Psalm 91:1-2
Book – just one? Persuasion by Jane Austen and Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Cartoon – I’m going old school with Bugs Bunny
Cereal – not a big fan of cereal but I like Kashi Heart to Heart Warm Cinnamon
Color - pink
Movie – again, just one? LOL – Comedy: Galaxy Quest starring Tim Allen and Jane Eyre, starring Joan Fontaine and Orson Welles (1944)
Song – this usually depends on what I’m writing and where I get my inspiration from for the story. Right now, it’s Keith Urban’s Somebody Like You and Randy Houser’s, Goodnight Kiss
 
Where can we find you online?
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Website  jenniferchastain.com
Newsletter: https://RB.GY/VEYZCY
 
 

It's release day! Join me as we talk to Laurie Wood and discuss her newest release.

Tell us a bit about yourself? I’m a military spouse to a serving officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force, and we have two adult children with special needs who still live with us. I write inspirational romantic suspense and also historical fiction, although I’m not yet published in historical fiction. And I’m a dog and cat rescuer and avid knitter/spinner.
 
What is your book about? Northern Protector (Heroes of the Tundra Book 2) is about the RCMP officer who was mauled by a polar bear in Book 1, Northern Deception. It’s about his recovery from PTSD and his painkiller addiction as he’s coming back to work and trying to solve the murder of a teenage girl at a summer party up in Churchill, Manitoba which sits on the border of the Canadian arctic. It actually takes place over about eight days, so that I could have that ticking clock going. But he does manage to fall further in love with his friend Joy Gallagher, who’s the head ER nurse in town.
 
Why did you write it? Well, it’s the sequel to Book 1. (smiles) But I mainly wrote it so I could tackle three subjects: PTSD among first responders, painkiller addiction which is also common among first responders who often have work-related injuries and can get hooked easily on prescription drugs, and violence against teenage girls.
 
These are all big topics, but I tried to give some hope to anyone with a family member, or someone who might be suffering from these things themselves. And to give them the reassurance that it takes guts to ask for help, but the help is out there if you reach out for it. I don’t like to see people suffer needlessly.
 
Plus, I hope it’s just a plain, good old police procedural/mystery/and love story!
 
If you had a pet unicorn, what color would it be and what would you name it? If I had a pet unicorn, it would be purple with pink and silver mane and tail and I’d probably call it Athena or Aphrodite because I loved the Greek gods and goddesses of mythology when I was in school.
 
Do you need background noise when you write? I use noise-canceling headphones because everyone in the family is working from home. I’ve just made playlists for all three of my books, so that’s been fun and I’ll be putting out their links to Spotify on my website soon. But I use them when I’m editing or proofreading to get me back into the “feel” of the book. I need quiet when I’m actually getting new words down.
 
What's your writing process like? I use a binder for each book I write. I’m old school that way, I’ve never gotten the hang of using Scrivener. I do deep character sketches for my characters and I can’t start writing the book until I really feel I know them. They change and grow as I interview them, find photos I like that give me the “feel” of them or the look of what I’m imagining, and then when I feel like I’m hitting the centre of my conflict I’ll start writing.
 
I also am a fan of outlining the main plot points so I have something to aim towards. It just saves time and time’s a premium asset. I wish I could write faster than I do, so that’s why I outline. I may change the plot points, but I have an idea of the beginning, middle crisis moment, and how the book will end before I start writing.
 
Fun fact about Northern Protector: the original heroine was Sarah Thorvald from Northern Deception, who’s the Conservation Officer who tranquilizes the polar bear that attacks Constable Ben Koper. I thought she seemed to be the likeliest heroine, so I wrote pages and pages on her and her backstory, I wrote the beginning 20K of the book and it was just horrible. I hated it. I wanted to give up the whole story, because I just couldn’t get the two characters to mesh or fall in love or even get a spark between them.
 
And I didn’t know what was wrong with me until I had lunch with an author friend, who told me she’d had that happen to her on a book, and she suggested I just toss out Sarah and start over from scratch. So, I started reading Northern Deception over again, and came across ONE sentence where I mentioned Ruby Gallagher (who owns the town’s main Café and store) having a daughter and granddaughter–no names to the characters. And bam! I had the heroine’s name, her occupation, etc. all jump into my head within an hour and I’d sketched out her character backstory. I was away to the races and never looked back. She and Ben fell in love so fast I had to do re-writes to back them off, lol.
 
 
Favorites:
Bible verse: Romans 8:38 “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Book:  The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
Cartoon: I don’t watch cartoons
Cereal: Lucky Charms because my birthday’s St. Patrick’s Day and my mother used to buy them for me on my birthday. Otherwise, Cheerios, if I had to pick.
Color: Purple!
Movie:  Last of the Mohicans (remake with Daniel Day-Lewis)
Song:  Theme from Outlander
 
Where can we find you online?
 Website:   https://www.lauriewoodauthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauriewoodauthor
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LaurieJeanWood
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomlauriewood
Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.ca/lauriewood54/pins
Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/2633597462lauriewood231

To celebrate her new release, Laurie is giving away a complete e-book set of her Heroes of the Tundra series! For your chance to win, enter here.

Merry Christmas!

Welcome to my blog for this stop of the 2020 Christmas Round-Robin.

     Here's how it works: At each author’s blog post, you will find a question that can be answered by checking out the free Amazon preview of their book. Provide the answer here. Note: You must answer the questions for every author in the round-robin to be considered to win the $350 first place, $250 second place or $150 third place Amazon gift cards. [Note: these prizes are USD values. If you are not a U.S. resident, you will get a gift card from the Amazon store for your country; however, it will be valued at these USD amounts.) At the end of my post is a link to the next blog, who will provide a link to the next blog, etc., to the very end.

     Nothing is more embarrassing than Grace Dixon’s dog peeing on the new mailman. Except maybe when she thinks she’s hit the handsome man with her SUV.

     When he’s assigned to cover an injured co-worker’s route, Evan McDonald assumes it will be like any other mail route he’s done. But then he meets Grace Dixon, and he’s thrust into total Christmas chaos.

     As Grace spreads the love of God and Christmas cheer to her community, she encourages Evan to join her. The two grow close as Evan learns about giving of not just possessions but of time and grace, setting him back on the path to God.
​
     Grace is a force to be reckoned with, though, and when she shows compassion in a situation that Evan disagrees with, he realizes he might not be the right man for her. Will Grace’s lifestyle of giving overwhelm him, or can he muster some of that grace and compassion she so easily spreads?

     I have previously published three romantic suspense novels. Giving Grace is my first contemporary romance and I loved writing it. I hope you love reading it! It was a challenge for me to switch from romantic suspense to romance. Usually, if I get stuck in the story I can shoot someone or blow something up. Not the case with this novella. I also had a difficult time with the "black" moment. IN romantic suspense, I use a kidnapping or critical injury to separate the characters and make them realize how much they love each other and question whether they'll ever get to see each other again.

     I admit I made myself laugh out loud a couple times while writing this novella. Especially with the antics of Grace's dog. I named the dog after my dad.  Not only is the dog named after him, but he acts a bit like him, too. A tad ornery.

     The question you need to answer is "What is the name of Grace Dixon's dog?" You'll find the answer here. Look inside and record your answer here, and visit the next blog. 

     Thank you so much for visiting! The next author on the tour is Chautona Havig, who is telling us all about her Christmas book Christmas on Breakers Point. You can find it here. Remember that you must answer every question from all 36 authors in this collection and that the round-robin will end on December 12th at 11:59 PM EST!

​Tell us a bit about yourself? I live in southeast Wisconsin with my husband and two sons. My day job entails data analysis and service contract chaos, but I love to write and wish I had more time for it! I also enjoy taking walks, playing board games, baking, and spending time with my family. I’ve published two contemporary Christian romance novels and two Christmas romance novellas.
 
What is your book about? First Class Christmas is about two people who meet on an airplane due to a last-minute change in seat assignments. Although they hit it off, Mandy is fresh out of a long-term relationship, which throws a wrinkle into CJ’s plans. Below is the official blurb:
 
When Mandy Brockman flies home from her friend's destination wedding, her heart is on empty at the thought of spending Christmas alone. It doesn't help that her ex is on the plane, seemingly unaffected by their breakup. But the kind-hearted man seated next to her seems to have it all together—and he's handsome to boot. She knows her emotional healing won't come in the form of another guy, but will the source of this man's peace and joy help Mandy find the Christmas she's looking for?

CJ Hawkins is captivated by the beautiful, feisty woman he meets on his flight. The only thing is, she's fresh out of a relationship, and he has no interest in being anyone's rebound. But the more he learns about Mandy, the more he's drawn to her unique mixture of compassion and spunk.

Can he figure out how to make their relationship take off before this First Class Christmas is grounded forever?
 
Why did you write it? I had an image in my mind of two people meeting on an airplane (pre-Covid, of course), and the rest of the story sort of developed from there. It’s a really light, sweet, and fun tale. A perfect distraction from the heaviness of the world right now, especially around the holidays.
 
If you had a pet unicorn, what color would it be and what would you name it?
If I had a nickel for every time I was asked that… 😊 I’d say white with pink and purple sparkles and a dark purple stripe down its mane. I’d name it Joy.
 
Where can we find you online?
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KatyEeten/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/KatyEeten
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/KatyEeten/
Website: https://katyeeten.wordpress.com/
 
 
Choose a couple to answer:
Do you need background noise when you write? No, I actually get distracted by background noise and prefer it mostly quiet.
 
If your book was to be made into a movie, who would you want to play your Hero and Heroine? I think Liam Hemsworth and Dakota Fanning would fit the bill nicely!
 
Do you read as much as you write? I try, but I do both quite sporadically. Wish I had more time for both!
 
Favorites:
Bible verse – Philippians 4:6-7. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Book – As much as I primarily read romance, I really enjoyed the Hunger Games series.
Cartoon – Be Cool Scooby Doo
Cereal – Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Color – Black
Movie – So many good ones, but Field of Dreams has a special place in my family
Song – Almost anything by Nichole Nordeman