SOMETHING FABULOUS...

 

...LIKE THE BIGGEST CHOCOLATE PANCAKE EVER

is coming to my blog.

Please check back at a later date.

It's a Dog's Life for Author Dana Mentink

Dear Readers ~

I hope you're having a fantastic summer and you're reading lots of great books!! Today I have the pleasure of hosting Dana Mentink on my blog.

Welcome, Dana!

For those of you unfamiliar with Dana, below is her bio:

Dana Mentink is a two time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner. She is the author of over thirty 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 Award of Merit. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense and Harlequin Heartwarming. Besides writing, she busies herself teaching third grade. 

Mostly, she loves to be home with Papa Bear, Yogi, Boo Boo, an energetic doxie mix, a chubby box turtle, and a feisty parakeet.

Dana, please tell us how God inspired you to write your latest book.

"Fetching Sweetness came out of a question that the Lord continues to lay on my heart: How can I live out God's plan for my life?

"I'm a planner, you see. I love to lay out daily schedules and organize my life to suit myself. Sometime it consumes me to the point where I allow duties on my 'list' to overcome my sense of joy.

"Over the years, God has put several special dogs in my life and you know what I've learned from them? They are content. They do not worry about tomorrow or regret yesterday. They love today, this moment, the joy that God provides in each new morning.

"Our current rescue dog Junie, is absolutely overjoyed to greet the day. I love that about dogs and I think God uses them to teach us a lesson. I know I've learned so much about love and life and it was an absolute blessing and privilege to explore those themes in the Paws for Love series."

How true, Dana. My yellow lab named Miley is so spoiled that she's become our 100 pound lap dog...at least, she thinks she's a lap dog. :) 

So now give us a blurb about your book.

Standing Between Stephanie and Her Dream Is One Hundred Pounds of Lovable Trouble

It should have been so simple for Stephanie Pink: Meet up with Agnes Wharton in a small town in California, retrieve the reclusive author's valuable new manuscript, and be promoted to a full-fledged literary agent.

But Agnes's canine companion, Sweetness, decides to make a break for it before Stephanie can claim her prize. Until Agnes has Sweetness safely back at home in Eagle Cliff, Washington, Stephanie will never set eyes on the manuscript she needs to make her dreams come true.

When Stephanie tracks the runaway mutt to a campground, she meets Rhett Hastings—a man also on the run from a different life and a costly mistake. Rhett agrees to help Stephanie search for the missing dog...thus launching a surprising string of adventures and misadventures.

Once Sweetness gets added to the mix, it's a recipe for love and loss, merriment and mayhem, fun and faith in the backwoods of the Pacific Northwest.

The book sounds like a fabulous read. Thank you so much for visiting Everything Writerly today, Dana!

Readers, you can find out more about Dana by visiting her website at: http://www.danamentink.com/

CAN Scavenger Hunt STOP #25

Dear Readers~

Today Everything Writerly is participating in the CAN authors’ Scavenger Hunt. What fun! 

If you haven't yet begun the hunt, CLICK HERE to start.

Welcome to STOP #25 where I'm hosting author Linda Rondeau …

High School Gym Class with Richard Gere? No pressure, right...WHAT?

Linda: I spent most of my life in central and Northern New York. Born in Syracuse and

graduating from North Syracuse High School, and yes…the alma mater of movie star Richard Gere. Sadly, I was a senior when he was a sophomore so I think the only class we shared was gymnastics. He specialized in the rings and I was on the balance beam. Oh, then there was music. Only he was in Marching Band and I was in Select Choir. I did win the Hootenanny Contest that year so maybe he did know who I was. Guess I’ll never know.

A New York State of Mind.

Author Linda Rondeau

In later years, I lived in Northern New York, the setting for most of my novels. Five years ago I ventured to Jacksonville, Florida because I could golf all year around and I preferred sun rather than six months of winter.

Writing and Publishing Q & A

Andrea: In which genre do you usually write

Linda: I write mostly contemporary fiction, although on occasion I write non-fiction. My contemporary novels contain a mixture of humor, history, intrigue, and romance…some more of these elements than others. I write to show that our worst past, once we surrender to God’s love, can become our best future. He is sovereign of our yesterdays as well as our todays and tomorrows.

Andrea: What do you do when you’re not writing?

Linda: We are still exploring Florida and our new city of Jacksonville. Besides golfing, we enjoy going for hikes at the National Arboretum and the various nearby parks. One of our favorite places is along the St. John’s River. 

Also, I have recently taken on teaching a class of senior women. They challenge me to “study and show myself approved.” 

We also participate in the church choir which is a challenge, to be sure. In NNY the largest church we attended was smaller than our choir. The music is contemporary and memorization is required. Whew!

Andrea: What’s one of the things you like best about being a writer?

Linda: I worship while I write. I find myself in prayerful moods as I think about the words I convey to the page. In addition, I love the research. I’ve learned so much about life and the world as I look into facts and information.

Andrea: What are some of your recent book releases?

Linda: My most recent release is Fiddler’s Fling, a contemporary set in the Adirondack Mountains. My heroine is a country girl who spurns her roots when she becomes engaged to an up and coming political star. In so doing, she put aside her greatest talent, her fiddle. 

When she receives a call from her high school sweetheart informing her that her estranged father is dying, Jolene decides to return home. 

The endeavor pits her against her fiancé, who disapproves of her former lifestyle and has tried to remake her in the image his mother has determined suits the spouse of a state senator. 

The biggest conflict arises when Jolene agrees to enter the county’s most prestigious fiddlers contest, a last chance to play a duet with her father. As she engages in past pursuits, her feelings reignite for her old sweetheart, now her father’s business partner. Yet, the secret she has kept from him must never be shared. Jolene struggles to find meaning for a future she resists while reconciling a past she wants to forget.  

Andrea: A large number of authors are venturing into self-publishing these days. Is this the case with you, or are you strictly published through a large traditional publisher?

Linda: So far, my novels are all traditionally published. However, I am considering self publishing a few of my works.

Andrea: Thank you so much for being a guest today, Linda. 

Find out more about Linda Rondeau at her website: httop://www.lindarondeau.com

Or her blog: Snark and Sensibility found on her website http://lindarondeau.com/snarksensibility

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lwrondeau/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lwrondeau

Official Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/lindawoodrondeau/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5352394.Linda_Wood_Rondeau

Other blogs where she’s a regular contributor: http://puttingonthenew.com/

Note to Readers...

The phrase for this stop in the Scavenger Hunt is CAN authors’. Linda, will be giving away a copy of Fiddler’s Fling as one of the many books in this year's grand prize. Don't miss out!!

Now, proceed to scavenger hunt STOP #26, 
Linda Rondeau’s blog site! 

Click here: STOP #26

Varina Denman "Jilted" -- and Mending Hurting Hearts

Dear Readers~I'm so excited to host author Varina Denman on my blog. As you'll read in her bio, she's a Texas girl and she writes about struggles we, women (not just Texans) face in today's world.

Welcome, Varina. Please tell us about how God led you to write Jilted in your Mended Hearts series.

In the beginning, I didn’t have a plan for Lynda

Turner and Clyde Felton. At that time, all I

knew was that Lynda was a bitter woman who

had been shunned by the church, and Clyde

was an ex-convict who had spent twenty years

in prison. Both of them had been jilted by love

interests, by their friends, and by the church.

Then I realized that’s true of

many people in

real life. Things don’t always

work out like we

imagine they will, and friends

let us down—

even friends who call

themselves Christians.

So over the course of the series, I realized

Lynda and Clyde very much needed their own

book. In fact, their story is the crux of the

whole series, and Jilted brings all the conflict

to a nice tidy conclusion.

Through writing Jilted, I grew spiritually. As I

walked through life with Clyde and Lynda,

helping them to forgive and overlook the faults

of others, it became easier for me to bestow

grace as well … which was probably God’s

main goal all along.

Sounds like a great story, Varina. I don't of anyone who hasn't felt jilted at one time or another. It's painful.

And now, Varina's bio...

Varina Denman writes

stories about the unique struggles women face. A native Texan who spent her high school years in a small Texas town, Varina now lives near Fort Worth with her husband and five mostly grown children. Her passion is helping others make peace with their life situations. Varina’s Mended Hearts series is a compelling blend of women’s fiction and inspirational romance. Connect with Varina through her website, Facebook, 

Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Introducing ROSE CHANDLER JOHNSON and Her Debut Novel MY FATHER'S HOUSE

Happy Wednesday!

Dear Readers ~

Today I have the pleasure of hosting an author I'm not yet familiar with. But that will soon change, This is an author we'll be hearing more of in the future. Author Rose Chandler Johnson is here on Everything Writerly today.

Rose, please give us your bio...

"My Father’s House is Rose’s first novel. Her devotional journal, God, Me, and Sweet Iced Tea: Experiencing God in the Midst of Everyday Moments won the Georgia Author of the Year Finalist Award in 2014. It was also awarded the Selah Finalist Award in the same year. Rose enjoys writing for her blog, Write Moments with God and engaging with her readers. A native Georgian, Rose has lived in a suburb of Augusta for the last thirty years. Before retiring from Georgia’s public school system, Rose taught English, French, and ESOL. She is currently an adjunct English instructor at a community college. In addition to reading and writing, Rose enjoys cooking, sewing, gardening, and spending time with her six children and their growing families. And yes, sweet iced tea is her beverage of choice."

Congratulations on the new book, Rose! Please tell us now about the inspiration behind the story.

"I wanted to write a story about a young woman with an indomitable spirit who in spite of devastating hardships, disappointments, personal loss and mistakes ultimately finds happiness.  The story begins with a quote from the 23^rd Psalm.  I wanted the reader to take the journey with her, but I didn’t want the painful things to be the main focus of her triumphant story. Lily Rose finds herself in an abusive marriage. I know from firsthand experience how devastating that can be.  The question is: Will she survive it? Lily Rose’s warm heart endears her to the reader who wants to know that she’s going to be all right, as her father had said.  When Lily Rose reconnects with family and her faith, hope is restored and we get a glimpse of the bright future God has in store for her.  The setting needed to play a critical part in the story as well.  So, with my roots firmly planted in Georgia, I modeled my fictional town after so many small Southern towns, and I set in some of my love of nature. Being a Southerner, I had definite ideas about elements I needed for this story to come alive. Besides fascinating characters and a distinctive setting, there had to be a little crazy, eccentric, and some downright meanness, mixed with suspense, romance, and lots of southern charm.  One reader wrote that the story “made my heart smile.” I’m happy to accomplish that with this story."

 The story sounds awesome, Rose. Where can readers connect with you?

Blog: http://www.writemomentswithgod.blogspot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rechanjo

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/rosecjohnson/boards/

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

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/18188725-rose-chandler-johnson

And now, Rose's debut novel's blurb...

CLICK HERE to purchase on Amazon

Growing up, life is idyllic for Lily Rose Cates due to her one constant – her father’s love. But in her sixteenth summer, all that changes without warning with her father’s sudden death. There begins Lily’s struggle to find herself and a life she thinks is gone forever.

Marriage to her prince charming promises fulfillment, but their happily-ever-after barely survives the honeymoon. Beneath the sophisticated façade lies a brooding man who hides dark secrets. When all Lily’s illusions of happiness shatter, she must make hard choices – abandon her husband or risk losing much more than her marriage. She flees their home in Detroit and sets out on a fearful journey to a house in Georgia that her husband knows nothing about. . . . In spite of heartbreak and regrets, will she find the strength to survive whatever comes? Or will her husband find her and shatter all her hopes . . . again. This is one woman’s compelling tale of love and survival as she finds her way back home to faith and who she’s meant to be . . . in her father’s house.

Thank you, Rose, for being a guest today on Everything Writerly. I wish you God's best on your new book!

Sarah Sundin: Unchangeable Identity in Christ

Dear Readers: 

I am so excited today because bestselling author SARAH SUNDIN is visiting Everything Writerly!

Welcome, Sarah!

<><><><><>  applause  <><><><><><><>

Readers, if you're not familiar with Sarah or her work, here's her bio:

Sarah Sundin is the author of eight historical novels, including Anchor in the Storm. Her novel Through Waters Deep was named to Booklist’s “101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years,” and her novella “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” in Where Treetops Glisten was a finalist for the 2015 Carol Award. A mother of three, Sarah lives in California, works on-call as a hospital pharmacist, and teaches Sunday school. http://www.sarahsundin.com

And now, Sarah, please tell us about God's leading you to write your latest book.

"When I started Anchor in the Storm, I knew my hero and heroine wanted to succeed in their careers. Lillian Avery lost her leg in a childhood accident, and her career as a pharmacist gives her the independence she craves. Meanwhile, Archer Vandenberg is determined to make his own way in the world, apart from his family’s wealth, and he relies on his career in the US Navy.

 "But when story events threatened both careers, I discovered the novel’s theme. Where do we put our security? Our identity? Our hope?

 "As I went through this journey with Arch and Lillian, I faced challenges in my own life. My nest is emptying, so the “mom” portion of my identity is shifting. I thought I might lose my own job as a pharmacist—and I wasn’t sure I’d get another writing contract. If I wasn’t a stay-at-home mom, a pharmacist, an author…who was I?

 "The theme verse for this novel is Hebrews 6:18-19 (KJV): “We might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast” (KJV). I learned along with Arch and Lillian—when you are a child of God, that part of your identity never changes. And the Lord provides security that will never fail, no matter what happens in this world. Cling to that anchor, that hope.

That's awesome. God is so good! 
And the book sounds great. Here's a blurb:

For plucky Lillian Avery, America’s entry into World War II means a chance to prove herself as a pharmacist in Boston. She loves the wartime challenges of her new job but spurns the attention of society boy Ens. Archer Vandenberg. As Arch’s destroyer battles U-boats along the East Coast, Lillian uncovers a black market drug ring. Arch and Lillian work together on the investigation, but can he ever earn her trust and affection?

Readers, see all of Sarah's books, click here:   Sarah Sundin's Amazon Book Page

Karen Barnett: Getting Write Before God

My dear readers: I'm excited to host author Karen Barnett today. If you don't know Karen and you're unfamiliar with her work, here's her bio.

Karen Barnett lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, two teens,and three mischievous dachshunds. When she's not writing, Karen enjoys photography, hiking, public speaking, decorating crazy birthday cakes, and dragging her family through dusty history museums. She was honored with the 2016 Writer of the Year award from the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference and a Writer of Promise Award from Oregon Christian Writers in 2013. 

You can learn more about Karen by logging onto her website: http://www.KarenBarnettBooks.com.

Karen, please tell us about your new book and explain how God was instrumental with its getting published.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE

"When I first started the research for my Golden Gate Chronicles series Out of the Ruins (book 1); Beyond the Ashes (book 2), I stumbled over the story of Donaldina Cameron. This missionary dedicated herself to rescuing young women from lives of servitude and prostitution in San Francisco’s Chinatown, eventually helping as many as 3,000 women escape their bonds. 

I knew the third book of the series, Through the Shadows, would focus on Elizabeth King, a young woman who seeks to work off her sinful past through a life of service,only to learn that it’s God’s grace that will set her free.  

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE

This seemed like the perfect opportunity to plop a character right into the heart of Donaldina Cameron’s mission so that readers could get an insider’s look at the battle against human trafficking in theearly 1900s. It breaks my heart to think this type of crime still occurs—and is perhaps even worse today.

Getting 'Write' Before God 

 "In recent years, God has been prodding me to write a story that focused completely on grace. Like Elizabeth, I’ve made mistakes in my past. Even though I understood God’s love from a young age, I often felt the need to 'get myself right' before going to Him for forgiveness. 

"Instead, as Romans 5:8 says, 'But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.'"

 The Miracle of God's Grace

"We don’t need to clean ourselves up first; Jesus Christ is waiting for us—right now—with open arms.

AKB "What a miraculous piece of truth, Karen. Thank you for sharing it. The Lord cleanses us from the inside out once we open our hearts and call His name. We can cry out for him anywhere we are and whenever we feel we must. He will answer."

A Blurb From Karen's New Book!

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE

The devastating earthquake is just two years past, but the city of San Francisco is still trying to recover. Destruction of this magnitude is not so easy to overcome—and neither are the past regrets shadowing Elizabeth King's hopeful future. Hoping to right her wrongs, Elizabeth dedicates herself to helping girls rescued from slavery in Chinatown brothels, even if it means putting her own life at risk to sneak through the gloomy alleys and rooftops where dangers lurk.

Putting her life on the line for a worthy cause is admirable, but opening her heart is even more terrifying. When Elizabeth meets attorney Charles McKinley—a man who dreams of reforming San Francisco's crooked politics—she begins to doubt: Can she maintain her pretense and hide her past? 

Or will her secret jeopardize both their futures?

CONCLUSION 

Thank you, Karen, for stopping by my blog Everything Writerly today. Your books sound so interesting that I'm going on Amazon and purchasing them for my Kindle e-reading device. I can't wait to ready them.

Readers, you can click on Karen's book cover's picture and get to Amazon.com that way.