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/

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.

Melanie Dickerson: Combining past fairy tales with a brand new book!

Dear Readers~

Today I have the pleasure of hosting author Melanie Dickerson! If you're not familiar with her or her books, here's Melanie's bio:

Melanie Dickerson is the author of The Healer s Apprentice, a Christy Award finalist and winner of the National Reader s Choice Award for Best First Book. Melanie earned a bachelor s degree in special education from the University of Alabama and has been a teacher and a missionary. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Huntsville, Alabama. 

Melanie, please tell us how you came to write your latest novel, The Beautiful Pretender. 

"Strangely enough, I actually started writing a version of The Beautiful Pretender before I started writing The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest, which was the first book in the series. I wanted to write a gothic-type story where a girl is sent to marry a “beastly” hero at a dark and scary castle in the forest. But my agent wasn’t crazy about the idea and asked me to come up with something else. Thomas Nelson asked me for a proposal for an adult series of Medieval fairy tale re-tellings, so I started thinking, What if I write a mash-up of two different fairy tales instead of just one?

"The first story I thought up was a combination of Robin Hood and Swan Lake. And then as I plotted that story, I realized the margrave—the hero’s boss—would make a great hero for the second book in that series, and I could use the story that I’d already started as a jumping off point for the margrave’s story. 

"Everything fell into place, and I added elements of The Princess and the Pea. I felt like God was giving me a forum to show that everyone has longings and insecurities, everyone has hurts from past relationships, but it pays to open your heart to love, kindness, and compassion. That became one of the themes of the story."

Sounds awesome! I can't wait to read the series. Now here's a blurb about Melanie's latest:

After inheriting his title from his brother, the margrave has two weeks to find a noble bride. What will happen when he learns he has fallen for a lovely servant girl in disguise?

The Margrave of Thornbeck has to find a bride, fast. He invites ten noble born ladies who meet the king’s approval to be his guests at Thornbeck Castle for two weeks, a time to test these ladies and reveal their true character.

Avelina has only two instructions: keep her true identity a secret and make sure the margrave doesn’t select her as his bride. Since the latter seems unlikely, she concentrates on not getting caught. No one must know she is merely a maidservant, sent by the Earl of Plimmwald to stand in for his daughter, Dorothea.

Despite Avelina’s best attempts at diverting attention from herself, the margrave has taken notice. And try as she might, she can’t deny her own growing feelings. But something else is afoot in the castle. Something sinister that could have far worse—far deadlier—consequences.

Readers, you can visit Melanie online at:
www.melaniedickerson.com  
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MelanieDickersonBooks
Twitter: @melanieauthor

JEN TURANO: Blessing others through her fiction.

Dear Friends and Readers, 

I am so thrilled to host Jen Turano on Everything Writerly. If you're not familiar with this fabulous author's work, here's her bio:

Jen Turano is the best-selling, critically acclaimed author of The Ladies of Distinction series, and A Class of Their Own series, published through Bethany House Publishers.  Her novel, After a Fashion, was chosen as a top pick from Romantic Times, as well as being named a top ten romance of 2015 from Booklist.  It is also a nominee for Romantic Times 2015 Reviewers’ Choice Award.  Her book, A Most Peculiar Circumstance, was chosen as a top ten romance by Booklist in 2013.  Her seventh book, Playing the Part, will release in the spring of 2016, followed by a new four-book series, Apart from the Crowd. 

Jen is visiting today to tell us a bit about her latest book, Playing the Part.

"The process of writing Playing the Part turned out to be a bit of a struggle for me at times, especially when I first began the story.  All the plotting I did simply wouldn’t work out, and before I knew it, I was creating a story where reconciliation seemed to be the theme that demanded time on the pages. I’ve since come to the conclusion that God led me in that direction because of a distant relative I’ve recently reconnected with, a lady who has allowed her life to pass her by simply because she let the hurts and slights of her past color her perspective of the future. By having both Lucetta Plum and Abigail Hart embrace their respective pasts in Playing the Part, I was able to craft a future for them filled with hope instead of despair, something I’ve been praying my distant relative will someday be able to do as well – which is why she’ll be getting a copy of the book in the mail."

That is awesome, Jen. I pray your distant relative will be blessed by your book. I believe you've captured the essence of Christian Fiction -- blessing others through the art of story.

Thank you for sharing, Jen.

Friends and Readers, you'll be interested to know that when Jen is not writing, she spends her time outside of Denver with her husband and neurotic Cattle Dog, enjoying herself as an empty-nester since her son recently abandoned her for the college life. 

I thoroughly enjoy Jen's books, and if you want to connect with this talented author, she can be found on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/jenturanoauthor/ 
or visit her on the web at www.jenturano.com. 
She is represented by the Natasha Kern Literary Agency. 
Her books can be found in most fine bookstores, or follow the Baker House Publishing link to find additional places to purchase her work - http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/authors/jen-turano/1761

Thank you for visiting Everything Writerly, Jen. I wish you God's best on your latest book. 

Miralee Ferrell: Impacting the Lives of Young Adults

Greetings Readers! Today I have the blessing of hosting my friend Miralee Ferrell on Everything Writerly. 

Miralee and I go back a ways. Both of us wrote for the now-defunct fiction line called Summerside Press and its Love Finds You imprint. She began her writing career at Kregel Publications and I am presently under contract with Kregel. It's fun to see our career parallels.

Here's a little about Miralee:

Miralee Ferrell’s debut novel released in the fall of 2007, and eighteen more have followed since. Her historical western romance, Love Finds You in Sundance, WY, won the Will Rogers Excellence in Western Fiction award in 2012, and her first book in the four-book Love Blossoms in Oregon series, Blowing on Dandelions, hit the ECPA Best Seller list, along with The 12 Brides of Christmas. Since then, she’s ventured into writing horse novels for middle-grade kids, and opened her own publishing company, publishing Christian novels. Miralee and her husband have been married over 40 years and live in the beautiful Columbia Gorge in WA State, where she loves to ride horses, garden, take walks, play with her dogs, and minister to women.

   

So how did an author of Christian romance begin writing books for young adults (YA)? Let's find out.

Miralee:  "An editor-friend read one of my historical romances set on a horse ranch and loved all the horse references and scenes. She suggested I consider writing a book or series of books for girls who are horse crazy, as so many young girls wish they could own or ride a horse.

"I didn’t think much of it, as I’d never considered writing middle-school or even YA fiction. But while praying about what I should be working on next, I felt the Lord nudging to remember my conversation with my friend. Ideas started flowing, and I started writing.

 "About a year later, my publisher at David C. Cook heard I was working up a proposal to shop to various houses, and asked to see it. The rest, as they say, is history, as they contracted a set of four books. 

"I’ve had a ball writing fun stories for kids, but most of all, investing life lessons and morals into the stories, as well as a faith thread and showing how my characters have grown in their own maturity and faith as the series has progressed."

The book sounds great! Thank you, Miralee.

Readers, you can connect with Miralee via her website: http://miraleeferrell.com/

Miralee's book is available online or at your local bookstore. If it's not on the shelf, ask for it.

Terri Blackstock: Illustrating Christ's Love to Readers

Dear Readers-

Years ago I read a book authored by Terri Blackstock called Never Again Goodbye." I LOVED THAT STORY, so I was hooked. I must admit that I haven't read some of Terri's latest suspense novels, but her latest book looks very tempting.

Terri Blackstock is a New York Times best-seller, with over seven million copies sold worldwide. She is the winner of two Carol Awards, a Christian Retailers Choice Award, and a Romantic Times Book Reviews Career Achievement Award, among others. Her most recent suspense novel is If I Run, about a young female fugitive whose being accused of a heinous murder.  Other books include Truth Stained Lies (the Moonlighters Series), Intervention (the Intervention Series), and Last Light (the Restoration Series). 

Here's what Terri had to say about her new novel, If I Run:

"While I finished my Moonlighters Series, I kept seeing my new character Casey running from a murder charge. Her DNA is all over the crime scene, so she knows proving her innocence will be impossible. Because the justice system has let her down before, Casey runs to keep the police and others from catching up to her, so she has to constantly change her identity and her appearance, move from one part of the country to another, and leave no clues that would lead police to her.

"At first, I didn’t know how well this would work since I write Christian suspense novels. I knew Casey was going to have to break the law several times throughout the story, and the fear that drives her isn’t all that Christ-like. She’s a lost, but winsome character who tries to do the right thing. Then I realized that God didn’t mean for her to be a Christian when the story opens. Casey’s interaction with a God whose existence she doubts will show readers that Christ is concerned with the details of our lives even before we turn to Him, and that when we do call out to Him, we are guaranteed to find Him."

 Thank you, Teri.

Readers, see the complete list of Terri’s books at www.terriblackstock.com/books. 
Join her at Facebook (www.facebook.com/tblackstock) and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/TerriBlackstock). 

DEBRA CLOPTON: Forgiveness & Second Chances

Hello, Readers--today I have the privilege of hosting Debra Clopton here on Everything Writerly. For those unfamiliar with Debra's work, here's her bio:

Debra Clopton is a multi-award winning novelist and has written more than 22 novels. Along with writing, Debra helps her husband teach the youth at their local Cowboy Church. Debra's goal is to shine a light toward God while she entertains readers with her words.

Debra's latest book is Kissed by a Cowboy. Let's find out the inspiration behind it.

Debra states, "I feel very strongly about my calling as a writer to write great books that are fun, entertaining and touching while showing God’s power in a person’s everyday life. 

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE

"In Kissed by a Cowboy (Thomas Nelson Publishers) the themes of forgiveness and second chances were heavy on my heart from the moment I began the Four of Hearts Ranch Romance series. I knew from day one that Jarrod had something eating at him and it was that he’d made a mistake in love a long time ago. And he also can’t forgive his father for betraying the family. He’d nearly gambled away the family ranch that their grandfather had built as a legacy for Jarrod and his brothers and the families they would have one day. 

"Everyone has troubles and forgiveness issues somewhere in their lives. I felt led to explore that in this book and am very happy with the results."

 *     *     *

Thank you, Debra. You're right, everyone struggles with trials. Jesus said that in this world we would have trials. But we mustn't despair because He has overcome the world! Our God truly is an awesome God.

I appreciate you taking time to visit Everything Writerly.  I wish you God's best on your brand new novel!

Readers, keep in touch with Debra by clicking on the following links:

Debra's website:

http://debraclopton.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/debra.clopton.5?_rdr=p

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/debraclopton

Robin Lee Hatcher: Touching Lives with Fiction

Dear Readers--

Today I'm excited to present one of my favorite authors, Robin Lee Hatcher, here on Everything Writerly.

When I became a Christian in 1991, there wasn't a lot of Christian romance or Christian fiction available on the market. As the decade progressed, however, wonderful authors began emerging and their books, for me, were faith in action. With these authors' stories, I could walk with the characters and learn how Christians handled real issues.

Robin Lee Hatcher is one of those authors. God used her stories in my life--and others' lives. There is a reason she's a bestselling author.

Robin's bio:

A native Idahoan, award-winning & bestselling author Robin Lee Hatcher is known for her heartwarming and emotionally charged stories of faith, courage, and love (over 70 books). After fifteen years writing for the general fiction market and a change in her own heart, Robin began to write stories that included her Christian faith. Winner of the Christy, the RITA, the Carol, the Inspirational Reader’s Choice, and many other awards, she is also a recipient of the prestigious RWA Lifetime Achievement Award. Robin enjoys being with her family, spending time in the beautiful Idaho outdoors, reading books that make her cry, and watching romantic movies.

Learn more about Robin and her books on her website: http://www.robinleehatcher.com/

Now, let's find out how God sparked Robin's imagination for her latest book, Keeper of the Stars.

*     *     *

Some stories begin with a memorable spark. This wasn’t one of those books. To be honest, it began with a desire for a change of seasons. My two previous novels in the Kings Meadow Romance series (Love Without End and Whenever You Come Around), plus my novella in the Year of Weddings series that is also set in Kings Meadow (I Hope You Dance), all took place during the summer. It was time for this mountainous area to experience something other than sunny and warm weather. And since Keeper of the Stars was set to release in January, I chose winter and snow! 

Soon after that decision was made, I envisioned a cold, windy day in a cemetery (later that had to change to September for purposes of the story), and from there the premise for the novel began to unfurl in my mind.

Finally, I stumbled upon the image of the couple that ultimately became the cover for this book, and Penny and Trevor came to life in my imagination.

All of my writing has been dedicated to the Lord since 1997. So there wasn’t a specific reason God had me write Keeper of the Stars. Instead, He has called me, no matter what I write, to do it to please Him first.

 *     *     *

And that dedication shows in every story. Thank you, Robin.

Readers, you'll find Robin's books on Christianbook.com, Amazon.com and other online bookstores, as well as your local bookstores. 

Don't forget to check out Robin's blog: http://www.robinleehatcher.com/_blog/

The "Charmed" Life of Shelley Shepard Gray

Dear Readers-- Today I have the pleasure of hosting author Shelley Shepard Gray here on Everything Writerly.

Shelley's Bio

Shelley Shepard Gray writes Amish romances for Harper Collins inspirational line, Avon Inspire and historical romances as Shelley Gray for Harper Collins Christian Publishers. Her novels have been Holt Medallion winners and Inspirational Readers Choice and Carol finalists. Shelley’s novels have appeared on both the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists.  

To date, Shelley has published over fifty novels for a variety of publishers. Her novels have been highlighted in the Philadelphia Enquirer, Washington Post, Time Magazine, and USA Today. She has also been interviewed on NPR as well as numerous regional radio stations.

Andrea: Welcome, Shelly! Please tell us how God led you to write Amish Romances.

Shelley: I believe it was simply a matter of time before the Lord led me to write The Charmed Amish Life Series! Charm is very close to Sugarcreek, Ohio, where I’ve placed seven novels. It’s also just south of Berlin, the site of my Days of Redemption Series. All of that means that I’ve been driving through Charm a lot over the years. I was familiar with the area, the lumber mills, the fried pies, and the many cows and sheep that graze in the fields.

However, I knew God was nudging me toward this area when I impulsively decided to spend the night in a local inn where my Amish friend’s girlfriend worked. The inn was beautiful, and it was a pleasure to meet a friend of a friend.

However, the memory that I will always cherish was the amazing breakfast that was served. Yes, the food was wonderful, but it was the proprietor’s talk that touched my heart. Before leading us in prayer, he told a story of a man needing to reach out not only to God but to the special people in his life for support. It was a lovely tale and it resonated with me.

When I began to plot the four books in this series, I realized that I was inspired by that proprietor’s story. I decided that the books would begin after a terrible tragedy at a lumber mill, and that the only way for my characters to recover was to reach out to each other and to the Lord.

It’s been a pleasure to write the series. It’s brought back some wonderful memories, too! I hope readers will enjoy the books just as much.

Andrea: Thank you, Shelley, for stopping by today. Your books sound wonderful! 

Readers, you can find them on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, ChristianBook.com and your local bookstores.

Don't forget to check out Shelley's website: http://www.shelleyshepardgray.com/