Writer Wednesday

August 1, 2018 by Tricia Goyer 1 Comment

Writer Wednesday with Dani Pettrey

Today on Writer’s Wednesday we welcome Dani Pettrey, author of Blind Spot and Dead Drift.

Enter below for a chance to win autographed copies of Blind Spot and Dead Drift! Congratulations to Sabrina Templin who won Beth Wiseman’s Amish-Lover’s Prize Pack! Please e-mail my assistant (hello{at}triciagoyer{dot}com) to claim your prize! Note: This post contains affiliate links.

Author Dani Pettry talks books on today’s Writer Wednesday.

Books Authors Read

What was your favorite book as a child?

As a child, my favorite book was Murder on the Orient Express. Yes, I was a weird kid. I was a serious mystery bookworm. I devoured Nancy Drew mysteries (and still have a big collection I passed on to my daughters), and Agatha Christie. I read Murder on the Orient Express when I was eight and have been in love with mysteries ever since. I also was a huge Scooby Doo fan. Every day after school, I’d come home and watch it at 4:30 with my after-school snack before I’d go out and play with my friends. Apparently, God had my dream of being a suspense/mystery writer ingrained in me from a very young age.

What book did you read that first made you want to be an author?

Wow. Hard question. Several books have been super pivotal as inspiration for wanting to be a writer. I remember reading Pride & Prejudice in high school and falling in love with romance stories, I adored the lyrical language in A Room with a View by E.M. Forster, but the book which really stirred me to write Christian romantic suspense was The Protector by Dee Henderson. It was the first Christian fiction book I read and I felt totally called to pursue my dream and love of penning stories.

What was the last book you read, just for fun?

Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. It was fabulous and surprisingly one of hers that I hadn’t yet read.

What books are currently on your nightstand?

Oh, my. There are quite a few. Holy Hustle by Crystal Stine, Honeysuckle Dreams by Denise Hunter, The Love Letter by Rachel Hauck, If I Run by Terri Blackstock, Together Forever by Jody Hedlund, and Where We Belong by Lynn Austin.

What upcoming release are you most looking forward to?

The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond by Jaime Jo Wright.

More about Blind Spot and Dead Drift

FBI agent Declan Grey is in the chase of his life–but isn’t sure exactly what he’s chasing after. Threatened by a terrorist that “the wrath is coming,” Grey fears something horrible is about to be unleashed on American soil. When his investigation leads him to a closed immigrant community, he turns to Tanner Shaw to help him. She’s sought justice for refugees and the hurting around the world, and if there’s anyone who can help him, it’s Tanner.

Tanner Shaw has joined the FBI as a crisis counselor . . . meaning she now has more opportunity to butt heads with Declan. But that tension also includes a spark she can’t deny, and she’s pretty sure Declan feels the same. But before anything can develop between them, they discover evidence of a terror cell–and soon are in a race against the clock to stop the coming “wrath” that could cost thousands their lives.

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Burning debris littering the ground . . . smoke pluming in the acrid air . . . this is just the beginning if he fails.

Seven years ago, operative Luke Gallagher vanished to become part of an elite team set on capturing a deadly terrorist. When Luke returns to face those he left behind, their help becomes his only hope of stopping his target’s latest threat of an attack that would shake America to its core.

Private investigator Kate Maxwell never stopped loving or looking for Luke after he disappeared. But she also never imagined he left her or his life by choice. Now he’s back, and together they must unravel a twisting thread of secrets, lies, and betrayal, all while on the brink of a biological disaster.

Will they and their love survive, or will Luke and Kate become the terrorist’s next mark?

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Dani Pettrey author of Blind Spot and Dead Drift

A consummate world traveler: Africa, South America, Australia—been there, done that.

A die-hard thrill seeker: heli-skiing, cave diving, storm kayaking—if it’s extreme, she’s there.

A bullet-dodging, high-speed-car-chasing, treasure-hunting adventurer.

An antiquities theft investigator, FBI agent, archaeologist, forensic anthropologist, and a detective who tracks down justice for a living.

Okay, not really, but her characters are. And, that’s why she loves the passion God has placed in her for telling stories.

In real life, Dani Pettrey is a wife, former homeschooling mom, and author. She feels blessed to write inspirational romantic suspense because it incorporates so many things she loves–the thrill of adventure, nail-biting suspense, the deepening of one’s faith and plenty of romance. She’s a huge fan of dark chocolate, is always in search of the best iced mocha and her dream is to one day own a little cottage on a remote stretch of beach. She and her husband reside in Maryland, where they enjoy time with their two daughters, son-in-law, and 2 super adorable grandsons.

Just in case you’re curious…The real Dani does love traveling. She’s been to some amazing places (Greece, Hawaii, the Keys) and there are many more she hopes to visit in the future.

And while she’s not quite up to sky-diving, cave diving or heli-skiing (too high, too enclosed, too cold!) she and her family love hiking, canoeing, wave jumping and a ton of other outdoor adventures a little further down on the risk scale.

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July 25, 2018 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

Writers Wednesday with Beth Wiseman

Today on Writer’s Wednesday we welcome Beth Wiseman, author of Amish Celebrations.

Enter below for a chance to win a copy of Amish-Lover’s Prize Pack! Congratulations to MJSH who won a copy of Carrie Stuart Parks’ Formula of Deception! Please e-mail my assistant (hello{at}triciagoyer{dot}com) to claim your prize! Note: This post contains affiliate links.

Beth Wiseman, the author of Amish Celebrations, chats books on today’s Writer Wednesday.

Books Authors Read

What was your favorite book as a child?

If I had to choose a favorite book from my childhood, it would be The Little Engine That Could. As I got older, I was a fan of Nancy Drew mysteries. I don’t recall ever going into a bookstore to buy books until I was older, but I cherished our frequent trips to the library.

What book did you read that first made you want to be an author?

I don’t remember reading a certain book that made me want to be an author. Instead, I remember the way my mother devoured books, several per week. My mom was a happy person in general, so I don’t mean to say otherwise, but she was definitely happiest with her nose in a book. I was writing short stories by the time I was in elementary school.

What was the last book you read, just for fun?

My reading preferences are all over the place. Sometimes I want a sweet happily-ever-after story, and other times, I prefer something a bit grittier. If I choose something more intense than the type of stories I write, I’m careful not to choose anything with extreme violence or any type of torture. I’ll stop reading, no matter how good the story is if the content is more than I’m comfortable with. Having said that, I’ve read a couple of really good books lately. I loved Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate. The last book I read was The Lying Game by Ruth Ware. Lying Game was definitely edgy, but her storytelling always draws me in.

What books are currently on your nightstand?

A couple of days ago, I bought Ruth Ware’s new release, The Death of Mrs. Westaway. Also on my nightstand is a friend’s debut novel, Finding True North by Audrey Wick. I’m anxious to dive into these very different books. A friend also loaned me and vouched for a book titled The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena. I also have Allen Arnold’s book, The Story of With, that I want to read. And I’m a huge fan of anything Kristin Hannah writes and loved The Nightingale and The Great Alone.

What upcoming release are you most looking forward to?

My deadlines keep me from reading for pleasure as much as I would like to, but when I’m ready to dive into a new book, I tend to search my favorite authors to find their newest release. Since I just picked up The Death of Mrs. Westaway, I might be in the mood for a completely different genre after I read this story. So, I’m not sure there is one certain book that I’m anticipating. It will depend on my mood at the time, lol. But I will buy and read anything that Kristin Hannah writes.

More about Amish Celebrations

Amish Celebrations new from author Beth Wiseman

The Gift of Sisters

Hannah and Rachel are fraternal twins approaching their sixteenth birthday—a time when they will be allowed to spread their wings and enjoy their rumschpringe. The sisters couldn’t be more different: Hannah is outgoing and beautiful, while Rachel is shy and withdrawn. And when newcomer Abraham Stoltzfus arrives in Lancaster County, both women fall head over heels for him, each fighting for his affections in their own ways and driving the sisters to turn on each other. Who will Abraham choose? And will Hannah and Rachel reunite after a devastating heartbreak?

A New Beginning

Rebecca and Noah are in love and about to be baptized. But when Noah decides to enjoy one last night of his rumschpringe a few weeks before the ceremony, he does something that causes Rebecca to reconsider his proposal. As Rebecca and Noah navigate the turn in their relationship, Rebecca must learn to forgive Noah or abandon her dreams of marrying him. If Noah won’t forgive himself in time for the baptism, his guilt could cause him to run from his love for Rebecca and leave his community behind.

A Perfect Plan (previously published in An Amish Wedding)

Priscilla King has been planning to marry Chester Lapp since she was sixteen years old, and when Chester pops the question on Priscilla’s nineteenth birthday, wedding plans begin immediately. But everything begins to fall apart as Chester works to build a house for his new bride, only to have one disaster after another occur. Can true love take this couple through the challenges that threaten their union, or will they begin to doubt that they are on the right path, the one God has chosen for them?

A Christmas Miracle

Mary is twenty-seven years old and already has five young children. Married to her husband at age eighteen, she wasn’t quite prepared for motherhood, and exhaustion and frustration are sending her into a downhill spiral as the holidays approach. Too proud and ashamed to ask for help, Mary’s situation begins to take a toll on her marriage. But when an elderly man in a red suit and his sidekick elf befriend Mary, showering her with wisdom and advice, she must choose to accept help, learn to cope with her situation, and ultimately find the true meaning of Christmas.

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Beth Wiseman author of Amish Celebrations

Beth Wiseman is the award-winning and bestselling author of the Daughters of the Promise, Land of Canaan, and Amish Secrets series, as well as novellas that have been included in many bestselling collections such as An Amish Year and An Amish Garden.

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July 18, 2018 by Tricia Goyer 2 Comments

Writers Wednesday with Carrie Stuart Parks

Today on Writer’s Wednesday we welcome Carrie Stuart Parks, author of Formula of Deception.

Enter below for a chance to win a copy of Formula of Deception! Congratulations to Lora Piepergerdes who won a copy of Rachel McMillan’s Murder at the Flamingo! Note: This post contains affiliate links.

Carrie Stuart Parks, the author of Formula of Deception, shares a typical (or not so typical) day in her life of today’s Writer Wednesday.

An Everyday Life that Never Happens

As an artist, forensic artist, law enforcement instructor, speaker, AKC judge, dog breeder, and somewhere in there a novelist, I never seem to have an ordinary day. My husband—and partner in our forensic corporation—and I live on the family’s 685-acre ranch in the mountains of Idaho. We are freelance everything, so the schedules we set are based on the next class or deadline coming up. Roughly once a month we will pack up and head out to teach a week-long series of forensic classes somewhere in the US or Canada. With classes lasting Monday through Friday, we have to catch a flight out on the previous Saturday (we can’t afford to get caught with a canceled flight the day before!) Our forensic classes are the bread and butter of our lives. Our forensic students provide the accurate information needed for any police, fire, nursing, and other topics that might end up on a novel.

In addition to writing, Carrie is also a watercolor artist.

When I started writing and illustrating drawing and watercolor books for North Light Publishers in 2001, I stopped doing art shows and trying to paint 150-250 watercolors a year. It was a relief to get out of so much pressure. Now I’ll produce 10-15 works a year, teach a class or two, and call it good.

I show our Great Pyrenees dogs, and they seem to require attention (make that demand attention.) I write in a chair in the living room, but the dogs don’t understand why the computer is in my lap, not them. Unfortunately, computer and dog are mutually exclusive. This year I decided to get my AKC Great Pyrenees judging license, so more time spent away from writing. Add to that being the Great Pyrenees columnist for the AKC Gazette and . . . well.

Carrie and her husband tour the US and Canada giving forensic classes.

I LOVE speaking, but once again preparing for a presentation, even a minor one, will take time. The topics and participants reflect this strange life I lead. This year I spoke/will speak at the Great Pyrenees National, Spokane Watercolor Society, Coeur d’Alene Police Department, Writer’s Police Academy, and ACFW’s Early Bird and writing session.

At any time a call can come in from a law enforcement agency needing a composite or advice on a case. These are usually a drop-everything-emergency. Out the window goes all my carefully laid plans!

I’m not a prolific novelist. One book a year, no matter how hard I try, seems to be the limit. Reading background materials, researching, interviewing, and usually traveling to the location take an inordinate amount of time. So does plotting. I’m always thinking, worrying, fussing, and fretting that the books don’t have enough twists and turns, unexpected moments, a smidge of humor, plausible action, and realistic characters.

I’m blessed above and beyond to have a fantastic agent with Karen Solem, a great publishing house and editors with HarperCollins Christian, Amanda Bostic, and Erin Healy, and brainstorming partners and cherished friends in Colleen Coble, Ronie Kendig, Robin Caroll, Lynette Eason, Cara Putman, and others. My mentor, Frank Peretti, is always willing to help me when I make an utter botch of something.

This month we released my newest book, Formula of Deception, a mystery/suspense/thriller set on beautiful Kodiak Island, Alaska, and introducing a new character, Murphy Andersen. I hope you’ll get a chance to read it!

So, an average day? Week? Month? Year? I keep waiting…

God Bless,

Carrie

Listen to an exclusive clip from the first chapter of Formula of Deception HERE!

More about Formula of Deception

Formula of Deception by Carrie Stuart Parks

An artist hiding from an escaped killer uncovers one of World War II’s most dangerous secrets—a secret that desperate men will do anything to keep hidden.

After the murder of her twin sister, Murphy Anderson changed her name and appearance and moved to Kodiak, Alaska, to avoid the press and publicity. But when local authorities discover she’s an artist and request her help in drawing a dying man’s memories, she unintentionally ends up in the limelight again—and back in the killer’s crosshairs.

The deathbed confessions of an Alaskan hunter have Murphy drawing the five bodies he discovered on remote Ruuwaq Island ten years ago. But what investigators find has them mystified. Evidence suggests that the bodies were deliberately destroyed, and what they uncover in an abandoned Quonset hut from World War II only brings more questions.

As one by one the investigators who were at the hut die, Murphy knows there is something much darker at stake. What happened on this island during the war? And who is willing to kill to keep its secrets buried?

“I love Carrie Stuart Parks’s skill in writing characters with hysterical humor, unwitting courage, and page-turning mystery. I hope my readers won’t abandon me completely when they learn about her!”

—Terri Blackstock, USA TODAY bestselling author of If I Run, If I’m Found, and If I Live

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Carrie Stuart Parks author of Formula of Deception

Carrie Stuart Parks is an award-winning, internationally known forensic artist. Over the past thirty-six years, she has worked on major criminal cases for such agencies as the FBI and ATF as well as numerous police and sheriff’s departments throughout the US. She is the author of over twenty books, both fiction and non-fiction.

Along with her artist-husband, Rick, a former visual information specialist for the FBI in Washington DC, they travel across the US and Canada teaching forensic art courses. They are the foremost instructor of forensic art in the world.

She has won numerous awards for career excellence. Carrie is a popular platform speaker, presenting a variety of topics from crime to creativity.

Animals have always been a large part of her life. Her parents, Ned and Evelyn Stuart, started Skeel Kennel Great Pyrenees in 1960. Carrie inherited the kennel and continues with her beloved dogs as both an AKC judge and former president of the Great Pyrenees Club of America. She lives on the same ranch she grew up on in Northern Idaho.

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July 11, 2018 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

Writers Wednesday with Rachel McMillan

Today on Writer’s Wednesday we welcome Rachel McMillan, author of Murder at the Flamingo.

Enter below for a chance to win a copy of Murder at the Flamingo! Congratulations to Nicky Heim who won a copy of Joanne Bischof’s Sons of Blackbird Mountain! Note: This post contains affiliate links.

Rachel McMillan, author of Murder at the Flamingo, talks books on today’s Writer Wednesday.

What was Your Favourite Book as a Child?

This is very hard because I was such a prolific reader. I can tell you that Vienna Prelude by Bodie Thoene had a massive influence on my imagination since I was 10 years old. It not only was the gateway to my love for classical music, it inspired trips to Vienna and now I am finishing my second Vienna-set romance ( to be released in September) based on my trips there and time spent there inspired by my love of the city: that root is from Thoene’s book.

I also re-read The Diary of Anne Frank so often in grades 3-4 that my teacher gave me the personal copy from our classroom library because I had “earned it” (his words) from the amount of times I signed it out.

I know that I went through a long period of time when I was very young believing that if I looked hard enough in the backyards of the neighboring houses of my small Ontario town that I would find The Secret Garden.

What Book did you read that first made you want to be an author?

I cannot pinpoint a certain book because I was always writing and creating stories. I don’t necessarily attribute that to one book; rather a lifelong imagination and necessity to escape into my mind. I grew up as a pastor’s kid in a small town suffering from social anxiety, so stories became my lifeline. I will, again, shout out to Vienna Prelude because it was the first book I read that introduced me to Christian Fiction as a genre. I had no idea before then that books were written just for “church people” (as my young mind described them).

What was the last book you read just for fun?

The Lost for Words Bookshop by Stephanie Butland. I read it last week in one sitting on a plane on route to the American Library Association Conference in New Orleans. I had just turned in a manuscript to an editor and it had long been on my TBR list for 2018 and I had a long stretch of time in the air between Toronto and Louisiana. I will read anything with a bookish theme: especially if it has a whiff of romance. Or, ALLLLL the romance (this book had ALLLL the romance)

Rachel McMillan talks books on Writer Wednesday.

What books are currently on your nightstand?

I am wide and eclectic reader who will read anything in any genre. I also have the bad habit of requesting SO many books at once at the library that I am overwhelmed when they all come in. Next up:

City of Lies (the first in a new mystery series) by Victoria Thompson who has a penchant for the shadows and gaslit streets of Victorian London

Belleweather (a split-time by one of the pioneers in the genre and a personal and perennial favorite…) by Susanna Kearsley … extra excited because it has a Canadian flavor and I love reading about my country’s history.

The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy: A YA novel by Mackenzi Lee. Her voice is so arresting and distinctive and I love tales of female empowerment. If you can weave me into a story’s spell by the first paragraph, I am yours forever. Lee does this effortlessly.

Traitor Angels by Anne Blankman: I discovered Blankman when I read Prisoner of Night and Fog and its luminous sequel featuring a heroine of Hitler’s circle who crosses paths with a Jewish journalist in the late 1930s. Traitor Angels features author John Milton’s daughter and a dashing Italian scientist. With plenty of Paradise Lost references and a beautiful historical setting, I knew it would be up my alley. Also, I love watching authors embrace different genres and periods and showing off their wide ranges.

Caraval by Stephanie Garber keeps popping up on the social media feeds of many of my friends and favorite authors. I am hoping it spins me into a fantastical and romantic realm. I am deeply moved by startling fictional showcases of imagination.

What upcoming release are you most looking forward to?

Can I cheat? I have a few. I am a huuuuge Lynn Austin fan. Probably the world’s biggest Lynn Austin fan (true story: I joined Twitter years ago just to see if I could get #LynnAustin to get trending). Legacy of Mercy which releases this Fall is by far my most anticipated release. I am a huge fan of Anna Lee Huber who writes a luscious historical mystery series set in 19^th Century Scotland but also, lately, a new series (pubbed by Kensington) that takes readers to post-war Europe. Her new Verity Kent mystery, Treacherous is the Night marries history, romance and mystery in Belgium ( a country I spent time in just this past year) and I cannot wait. I am also on the edge of my seat for a new Kate Breslin book: Far Side of the Sea. Breslin marries classical tropes that conjure the spirit of The Phantom of the Opera and The Scarlet Pimpernel (to name a few) with a devastatingly beautiful historical sensibility. I lose myself in her writing.

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More about Murder at the Flamingo

Murder at the Flamingo by Rachel McMillan

“Maybe it was time to land straight in the middle of the adventure…”

Hamish DeLuca has spent most of his life trying to hide the anxiety that appears at the most inopportune times — including during his first real court case as a new lawyer. Determined to rise above his father’s expectations, Hamish runs away to Boston where his cousin, Luca Valari, is opening a fashionable nightclub in Scollay Square. When he meets his cousin’s “right-hand man,” Reggie, Hamish wonders if his dreams for a more normal life might be at hand.

Regina “Reggie” Van Buren, heir to a New Haven fortune, has fled fine china, small talk, and the man her parents expect her to marry. Determined to make a life as the self-sufficient city girl she’s seen in her favorite Jean Arthur and Katharine Hepburn pictures, Reggie runs away to Boston, where she finds an easy secretarial job with the suave Luca Valari. But as she and Hamish work together in Luca’s glittering world, they discover a darker side to the smashing Flamingo nightclub.

When a corpse is discovered at the Flamingo, Reggie and Hamish quickly learn there is a vast chasm between the haves and the have-nots in 1937 Boston—and that there’s an underworld that feeds on them both. As Hamish is forced to choose between his conscience and loyalty to his beloved cousin, the unlikely sleuthing duo work to expose a murder before the darkness destroys everything they’ve worked to build.

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Rachel McMillan author of Murder at the Flamingo

Rachel McMillan is a keen history enthusiast and a lifelong bibliophile. When not writing or reading, she can most often be found drinking tea and watching British miniseries. Rachel lives in bustling Toronto, where she works in educational publishing and pursues her passion for art, literature, music, and theater.

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June 27, 2018 by Tricia Goyer 1 Comment

Writer Wednesday with Joanne Bischof

Today on Writer’s Wednesday we welcome Joanne Bischof, author of Sons of Blackbird Mountain.

Enter below for a chance to win a copy of Sons of Blackbird Mountain! Congratulations to Cassandra Darensbourg who won a copy of Rachel Hauck’s The Writing Desk! Note: This post contains affiliate links.

Joanne Bischof, author of Sons of Blackbird Mountian, shares her writing space on today’s Writer Wednesday.

My Writing Desk

Joanne Bischof shares her writing space on today’s Writer Wednesday.

Hello! Welcome to my favorite writing spot! As you can see, it’s not quite a desk. 🙂 But it’s definitely cozy! While each of my writing days is a little different, whenever I sit down to write, I pull up three things: My manuscript on one side of the screen, Pinterest for any pictures or character inspirations on the other side, and some music. I’m a single mom of three kids so this will often be in the evenings once the kiddos have gone to bed. When they are with a relative for the day (and if I’m on a tight deadline!), I’ll write straight through from morning until night, pausing for meals, a bit of movement and to talk to my cat. Cause, you know…social skills. 😉

While I work, something on my computer screen is always moving around. I change music A LOT and also adjust my character images for various scenes. I’m always looking historical details up online or in a book, and am often bouncing around between documents that contain notes or “scraps” (these are important lines or scenes that I have cut out of the manuscript but save because I am a hoarder for some strange reason!) and they have about a 1 in 10 chance of being returned to the book.

While writing Sons of Blackbird Mountain, I also paused to verify different ASL signs for whenever the Deaf character needed to communicate with someone. I knew many of his signs by memory from the classes I took, which really helped with the writing of the book, but there were a fair number that I needed to look up, or verify to be safe. Once I looked up a hand sign, I would repeat it a few times to figure out the best way to describe it in words, and also, I would really try and grasp the character’s emotion and intent behind the sentiment so as to express that in his mannerisms or facial expressions. It was a fun challenge incorporating these into the narrative in a way that felt organic and I really hope readers enjoy the effect of a visual language being presented through the written word. It challenged me as an author to be sure!

Rarely do I go through a writing week without touching base with some of my writing pals and critique partners. This includes Jocelyn Green, Amanda Dykes, and Kara Swanson who I regularly check in with for writing advice. Either running a scene by them, double checking a historical detail, or simply seeking an idea to help my characters out of a jamb. Other times it’s a message or two with my agent, Sandra Bishop, or my editors at Thomas Nelson/HarperCollins Christian as we hash out story insights. All these ladies know the ins and outs of the Norgaard family saga so these stories are always made better in their hands.

And one gal I couldn’t live without is my neighbor who is a head nurse at one of the local hospitals. Often, I walk over to her house with a notebook and pen and sit in her kitchen while we talk about medical elements. I even have a 1900’s medical journal on my bookshelf that she lent me years back. I’ve consulted it for many-a-story!

Between those chats, it’s not uncommon for her to get a text from me that says, “For fictional purposes, how long could someone survive such and such…” She’s been fantastic and has helped me with nearly every story from To Get to You to This Quiet Sky. She played a HUGE role in the sequel to Sons of Blackbird Mountain and inspired a brand new angle to the plot that changed everything.

When the workday is a hectic one and I have little time to spend away from the computer, I typically allow myself to recharge with a walk or a historical drama of some kind if the kids are out and about that day. There are a few shows that I love including Poldark and Mercy Street. We live in a town that has no fast food chains, so during breaks, I tend to splurge on a really yummy meal in my kitchen that usually centers around butter or olive oil, crusty breads and veggies, and coop-fresh eggs that I fry up. A cup of tea or coffee is often nearby! But the computer doesn’t stay idle for long. It’s not uncommon for inspiration to strike at odd hours in the night and sunrise writing sessions are some of my favorites. 🙂

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More about Sons of Blackbird Mountain

Sons of Blackbird Mountain by Joanne Bischof

A Tale of Family, Brotherhood, and the Healing Power of Love

After the tragic death of her husband, Aven Norgaard is beckoned to give up her life in Norway to become a housekeeper in the rugged hills of Nineteenth-Century Appalachia. Upon arrival, she finds herself in the home of her late husband’s cousins—three brothers who make a living by brewing hard cider on their three-hundred-acre farm. Yet even as a stranger in a foreign land, Aven has hope to build a new life in this tight-knit family.

But her unassuming beauty disrupts the bond between the brothers. The youngest two both desire her hand, and Aven is caught in the middle, unsure where—and whether—to offer her affection. While Haakon is bold and passionate, it is Thor who casts the greatest spell upon her. Though Deaf, mute, and dependent on hard drink to cope with his silent pain, Thor possesses a sobering strength.

As autumn ushers in the apple harvest, the rift between Thor and Haakon deepens and Aven faces a choice that risks hearts. Will two brothers’ longing for her quiet spirit tear apart a family? Can she find a tender belonging in this remote, rugged, and unfamiliar world?

A haunting tale of struggle and redemption, Sons of Blackbird Mountain is a portrait of grace in a world where the broken may find new life through the healing mercy of love.

Purchase a copy of Sons of Blackbird Mountain
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Joanne Bischof the author of Sons of Blackbird Mountain

Joanne Bischof has a long-standing passion for romance and a budding fervor for theology. She is more and more awed by how wondrously the two go hand in hand.

So depraved are we in our sinful state—so in need of a Savior—that the love story between God and his people is nothing short of astounding. A quenching of the thirst to parched souls. A light that makes the darkness tremble. A freedom from the bondage of pain and sin. Joanne is beyond thankful to be a part of this great love story and writes books to not only portray the glorious wonder of human love but to reflect the ultimate romance and rescue that comes through Christ.

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June 20, 2018 by Tricia Goyer 2 Comments

Writers Wednesday with Rachel Hauck

Today on Writer’s Wednesday we welcome Rachel Hauck, author of The Writing Desk.

Enter below for a chance to win a copy of The Writing Desk! Congratulations to Laurie Tomlinson who won a copy of Elizabeth Byler Younts’ The Solace of Water! Note: This post contains affiliate links.

Rachel Hauck, the author of new book The Love Letter, shares her writing space(s) on this week’s Writer Wednesday.

My Writing Desk

Welcome to my workspace. I’d love to say this is where “all the magic” happens but it is literally where “all the work gets done.”

My office is an octagon shaped turret with a copula designed and built by a former Pixar artist.

My workspace is on the second floor – hubby is on the first – and my window view is of the backyard trees. I feel like I’m working in a treehouse. Only with air conditioning.

However, the tower-like structure is also called the turret and became my “tower” and the perfect inspiration for writing The Royal Wedding Series.

Rachel Hauck shares her writing space(s) on this week’s Writing Wednesday.

I love this space. It’s bright, airy and a gift from God. And when I’m on deadline, a bit messy. (As you can see from the photo.)

Once Upon A Prince was the first book I wrote here. Since then, there have been so many fun moments starting and finishing a book. Plus all the agonizing days in between when the middle felt so sluggish and dull.

My office is for writing. As cool as it is, I don’t hang out here unless I’m working. It’s a treasure to have space at home I only use for work.

I start my writing day between 10 a.m. and Noon, depending on how close I am to deadline. When fast drafting, I may be done by 5:00 p.m. but otherwise I work until 7:00 or 8:00 p.m.

Mid-afternoon I take a snack break since I try not to eat at my desk. A writer’s life is sedentary enough without adding food to the work mix.

My other afternoon break comes from sweet fur babies—a couple of Yorkies walking their owner. They come by to visit and chow down on a treat or two.

But really, let’s talk about the obvious—that giant picture of my husband and me on the left-hand side of the office photo. Isn’t that hilarious?

Here’s the scoop. The pic was taken during our brief career as extras in a Hallmark movie. In costume, the official Hallmark photographer snapped the shot.

When we got home, I had this bright idea to create a print as a memento. Even better, a canvas of our time in the movies.

Cruising the internet, I found Canvas.com and picked the size they had on sale. Twenty inches by something… I didn’t really calculate the size. Who cares, right?

A week later when the package arrived, I could not stop laughing. It was huge!

A good idea gone bad. Where was I going to hang it? Not in the house.

My husband, a pastor, joked about hanging it in the church foyer. But, um, no.

So, I carried it up to my office and hung it beside the bookshelf. From the angle in the picture, you can’t tell but the image is actually hidden unless you walk around my desk. I forget it’s there most of the time.

But I don’t always work inside. In the early spring and late fall, I like to work out on the deck. I can spend the entire day out here. Until mosquitos and no-see-ems time start nibbling at my legs. Then I have to call it quits.

So, there’s my office spaces and a small peek into my writing life. Thanks to Tricia for sharing this space with me.

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More about The Love Letter

The Love Letter, new from author Rachel Hauck

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Dress comes a story of long-lost love and its redemption in future generations.

Romance has never been actress Chloe Daschle’s forte—in life or on screen. But everyone knows who to call for a convincing death scene . . . and it might be killing her career.

When Chloe is given a peek at the script for an epic love story, she decides to take her destiny into her own hands and request an audition for the lead female role, Esther Kingsley. The compelling tale, inspired by family lore and a one-page letter from the colonial ancestor of scriptwriter Jesse Gates, just might break her out of this career-crippling rut. Jesse would rather write about romance than live through it after his past relationship ended in disaster. But once on-set together, the chemistry between Jesse and his leading lady is hard to deny.

Centuries earlier, in the heart of the Revolutionary War, Hamilton Lightfoot and Esther Longfellow wrote their saga off the silver screen. Esther’s Loyalist father opposes any relationship with Hamilton, but Esther must face her beloved father’s disapproval and the dangers of war in order to convince Hamilton of their future together. Hamilton has loved Esther for years and on the eve of battle pens the love letter she’s always wanted—something straight from the heart.

Set in stunning upcountry South Carolina, The Love Letter is a beautifully-crafted story of the courage it takes to face down fear and chase after love, even in the darkest of times. And just maybe, all these generations later, love can come home in a way not even Hollywood could imagine.

In the style for which she is known and admired, Hauck (The Writing Desk, 2017) returns with an intricately woven tale of how a letter links the past and present. From its epic opening to its unexpected and wholly satisfying conclusion, The Love Letter serves up the perfect blend of modern and historical romance infused with exquisite vulnerability. It sweeps readers into the centuries-old drama of South Carolina and the flash of contemporary Hollywood and delightfully explores layers of social and emotional duality. — Booklist

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Rachel Hauck author of new book The Love Letter

Rachel Hauck is an award-winning, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author.

Her book The Wedding Dress was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times Book Reviews. She is a double RITA finalist and a Christy and Carol Award Winner. Her book, Once Upon A Prince, first in the Royal Wedding Series, was filmed for an Original Hallmark movie and aired in April 2018. It was the #1 show for its time slot and #3 for the week in cable programming.

Rachel has been awarded the prestigious Career Achievement Award for her body of original work by Romantic Times Book Reviews. A member of the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers, she teaches workshops and leads worship at the annual conference.

In other news, she’s the comical sidekick to Susan May Warren at the amazing My Book Therapy. At home, she’s a wife, writer, worship leader and works out at a local gym semi-enthusiastically. A graduate of Ohio State University (Go Bucks!) with a degree in Journalism, she’s a former sorority girl and a devoted Ohio State football fan. Her bucket list is to stand on the sidelines with Urban Meyer.

She lives in sunny central Florida with her husband and ornery cat.

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June 13, 2018 by Tricia Goyer 1 Comment

Writer Wednesday with Elizabeth Byler Younts

Today on Writer’s Wednesday we welcome Elizabeth Byler Younts, author of The Solace of Water.

Enter below for a chance to win a copy of The Solace of Water! Congratulations to Megan Lakner who won a copy of Karen Barnett’s Where the Fire Falls! Note: This post contains affiliate links.

Elizabeth Byler Younts, the author of new book The Solace of Water, shares her writing space on this week’s Writer Wednesday.

My Writing Desk

Elizabeth Byler Younts shares her writing place on today’s Writing Wednesday.

For the first 10 years of my marriage, my husband was active duty Air Force so I had many different writing spaces over the course of those years in our different homes. Sometimes it was on the couch, dining room table, basement, or the smallest bedroom that didn’t need to be used as a bedroom.

Now that my husband is in the Air Force Reserves, we have settled in Central PA and in February we moved to a new house. Hopefully the last move for a long time! We were so excited about the new house for so many reasons…but I think my office is my favorite place in the house! I have never said that about any of my other writing spaces, nor did I ever think I’d say that. My husband is so supportive and as soon as we did our first visit to this house when we walked into the space that is now my office my husband said: This should be your writing studio.

I did not argue!

I am so grateful! Our house is a Yankee Barn House and is built with reclaimed barn beams. It’s three stories and the 2^nd and 3^rd are open to the rest of the house, besides the bedrooms. My office is the 3^rd story loft. I have a view of the whole property through the window (it was night time when I took the photo) and the other direction I can see through to the other side of the house out to the backyard.

For my 40^th birthday, my husband bought me my first new desk. I’d only ever had garage sale desks before now and while I was always grateful that I had a desk at all, it was an absolute blessing to have a new desk for my big 4-0!

So, this is my space. This is where I create and scrutinize every word and where much coffee gets consumed. Sometimes I sit in the comfy chair and doze if I need a break for a few but I recently spent weeks up here only leaving when absolutely necessary leading up to my recent deadline. The room is not walled off, so I can still hear my children if they need me and that also is a wonderful feature of the loft space.

So, while I still have some things stacked against the wall to be handled since our move a few months ago, I am so excited that this is where I get to write my stories for all of you!

The Solace of Water was released on June 5^th and I hope you take a moment to check it out!

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More about The Solace of Water

The Solace of Water new from Elizabeth Byler Younts

‘The Solace of Water is a gripping coming-of-age historical fiction story that will stick with readers for some time after the final word is read. Hauntingly beautiful prose is bountiful in this tightly woven tale . . . The characters demonstrate the impact secrets, guilt and unforgiveness can have on a person in this emotive gem.’ (RT Book Reviews, 4 1/2 stars, TOP PICK)

In a time of grief and heartache, an unlikely friendship provides strength and solace.

After leaving her son’s grave behind in Montgomery, Alabama, Delilah Evans has little faith that moving to her husband’s hometown in Pennsylvania will bring a fresh start. Enveloped by grief and doubt, the last thing Delilah imagines is becoming friends with her reclusive Amish neighbor, Emma Mullet—yet the secrets that keep Emma isolated from her own community bond her to Delilah in delicate and unexpected ways.

Delilah’s eldest daughter, Sparrow, bears the brunt of her mother’s pain, never allowed for a moment to forget she is responsible for her brother’s death. When tensions at home become unbearable for her, she seeks peace at Emma’s house and becomes the daughter Emma has always wanted. Sparrow, however, is hiding secrets of her own—secrets that could devastate them all.

With the white, black, and Amish communities of Sinking Creek at their most divided, there seems to be little hope for reconciliation. But long-buried hurts have their way of surfacing, and Delilah and Emma find themselves facing their own self-deceptions. Together they must learn how to face the future through the healing power of forgiveness.

Eminently relevant to the beauty and struggle in America today, The Solace of Water offers a glimpse into the turbulent 1950s and reminds us that friendship rises above religion, race, and custom—and has the power to transform a broken heart.

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Elizabeth Byler Younts author of new book The Solace of Water

Elizabeth Byler Younts gained a worldwide audience through her first book Seasons: A Real Story of an Amish Girl and is a RITA nominated writer. She is also the author of The Promise of Sunrise series. She has consulted on Amish lifestyle and the Pennsylvania Dutch dialect two award-winning television shows. Elizabeth lives in Central Pennsylvania with her husband, two daughters, and a cockapoo named Fable.

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June 6, 2018 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

Writer Wednesday with Karen Barnett

Today on Writer’s Wednesday we welcome Karen Barnett, author of the upcoming Where the Fire Falls.

Enter below for a chance to win a copy of Where the Fire Falls! Congratulations to Patty Hamblin Rude who won a copy of Courtney Walsh’s Just Let Go! Note: This post contains affiliate links.

Karen Barnett, the author of new book Where the Fire Falls, shares her writing space on this week’s Writer Wednesday.

My Writing Desk

Karen Barnett shares her writing place on today’s Writing Wednesday.

I’m always nervous to post pictures of my office because I seem to live in a state of perpetual clutter. I’ve read articles that claim a messy desk is a sign of a creative mind, so I suppose I’ve got that going for me.

As my kids outgrew the “playroom,” I converted it into my office, slowly adding various pictures and objects I found inspiring. I’m currently writing a series of novels set in the national parks during the 1920s and 30s, so I’ve surrounded myself with pictures, signs, and vintage postcards that represent these special places. I also dug out my old park ranger hat and hung it on the wall. That’s right, in my former life (pre-kids and pre-writing), I worked as a ranger at Mount Rainier National Park and also as a naturalist at Oregon’s Silver Falls State Park.

I’ve always felt at home in nature, so it made sense that I’d find some way to incorporate this passion into my stories. The first of the Vintage Parks novels, The Road to Paradise, takes place at my old stomping grounds, Mount Rainer.

Right now I’m gearing up for the June 5 release of Where the Fire Falls, set in one of America’s greatest treasures—Yosemite National Park. I can’t wait for readers to experience Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, Camp Curry, and the famous Ahwahnee hotel through the eyes of my characters. Visiting epic landscapes like Yosemite can sometimes cause us to take a deeper look at ourselves, and Olivia and Clark are no exceptions.

It’s been fun chatting with readers about the books because everyone seems to have their own favorite stories of trips that they’ve taken and which parks have captured their heart. For some, it’s riding mules with the grandparents in the Grand Canyon, and for others, it’s pitching a tent in the backcountry at Glacier National Park. Several people have expressed to me a desire to visit all of the national parks. Trust me, that’s my dream, too.

Because of other obligations, I’m pretty much limited to seeing two or three parks a year. The great thing about writing fiction is that when I step into my office, my imagination and my characters can take me just about anywhere. If you’re curious which national park we’ll be visiting in the next novel, the mug sitting on my desk is a not-so-subtle hint.

I hope you’ll join me on the journey!

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More about Where the Fire Falls

Where the Fire Falls New from Karen Barnett

Stunning Yosemite National Park sets the stage for this late 1920s historical romance with mystery, adventure, heart, and a sense of the place John Muir described as “pervaded with divine light.”

Watercolorist Olivia Rutherford has shed her humble beginnings to fashion her image as an avant-garde artist to appeal to the region’s wealthy art-collectors. When she lands a lucrative contract painting illustrations of Yosemite National Park for a travel magazine, including its nightly one-of-a-kind Firefall event, she hopes the money will lift Olivia and her sisters out of poverty.

After false accusations cost him everything, former minister Clark Johnson has found purpose as a backcountry guide in this natural cathedral of granite and trees. Now he’s faced with the opportunity to become a National Parks Ranger, but is it his true calling?

As Clark opens Olivia’s eyes to the wonders of Yosemite, she discovers the people are as vital to the park’s story as its vistas—a revelation that may bring her charade to an end.

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Karen Barnett author of the new book Where the Fire Falls

Karen Barnett is the award-winning author of six novels. Before taking up writing, she worked as a park ranger and outdoor educator at Mount Rainier National Park, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, and Oregon’s Silver Falls State Park. When not crafting fiction, Karen enjoys photography, hiking, public speaking, and dragging her kids through quirky history museums. She lives in Oregon with her husband and teens.

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May 30, 2018 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

Writer Wednesday with Courtney Walsh

Today on Writer’s Wednesday we welcome Courtney Walsh, author of the upcoming Just Let Go.

Enter below for a chance to win a copy of Just Let Go! Congratulations to Cheryl Lipsey who won a copy of Ginger Harrington’s Holy in the Moment! Note: This post contains affiliate links.

Courtney Walsh, the author of Just Let Go, shares a look into her writing desk.

Where I Write

I have a great office in my house. When we first moved here in 2012, it was one of the things I loved most—my own space in our finished basement where I could set up shop and write undisturbed.

Courtney Walsh shares her writing place on today’s Writing Wednesday.

(It was also my scrapbooking room because back in the day I did a lot of that too!)

And then I realized that while I’m fairly introverted and don’t mind being alone, I also don’t love being so far removed from what’s happening in my family. I spent some time working as a newspaper reporter right out of college, and I think it was one of the things that best prepared me for writing because I learned to write in the middle of a newsroom. I didn’t have an office (or even a cubicle) so distractions were everywhere.

Maybe that’s why I prefer to write in the midst of the chaos of a busy house with three kids and a new puppy?

I now write on my laptop in several different locations in my house. In the winter, I have a comfy chair that I curl up in, right next to the fireplace.

Every now and then I’ll set up a makeshift office in my kitchen, including a whiteboard and index cards for the (somewhat disorganized) notes I use when working on a new story. My dining room has a big table my dad made me, so it’s great for spreading out when I have several things to keep track of, and my front room has a cozy spot in the corner where I’m surrounded by books, so I can’t help but love writing in there.

(I’ve gotten a better chair since this photo was taken!…and those bookshelves have only fallen down once—thank goodness no one was sitting in the chair at the time!)

By far, my favorite place to work, though, is my screened in porch. Last summer, we re-stained it and bought furniture I can actually stand to sit in for a long period of time, and instantly the space began to feel like an escape.

It’s funny, every time I’ve gone on vacation and felt that deep exhale, I think “Why can’t we have this at home?” So that’s the feeling I’ve tried to create in the space in my backyard. During the cold months, I can feel myself just itching to get back out there, to hear the birds chirping and the sound of the water in my pond. I can’t wait for the frogs to start humming again and the sun to warm me up from the inside out.

This is when I enjoy writing the most. This is when it becomes pure joy, even if I’m wrestling with the story. I’m not a very outdoorsy person (bugs!) but armed with the barrier of a screen and my trusty bug spray, I can do anything!

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More about Just Let Go

For Quinn Collins, buying the flower shop in downtown Harbor Pointe fulfills a childhood dream, but also gives her the chance to stick it to her mom, who owned the store before skipping town twenty years ago and never looking back. Completing much-needed renovations, however, while also competing for a prestigious flower competition with her mother as the head judge, soon has Quinn in over her head. Not that she’d ever ask for help.

Luckily, she may not need to. Quinn’s father and his meddling friends find the perfect solution in notorious Olympic skier Grady Benson, who had only planned on passing through the old-fashioned lakeside town. But when a heated confrontation leads to property damage, helping Quinn as a community-service sentence seems like the quickest way out—and the best way to avoid more negative press.

Quinn finds Grady reckless and entitled; he thinks she’s uptight and too regimented. Yet as the two begin to hammer and saw, Quinn sees glimpses of the vulnerability behind the bravado, and Grady learns from her passion and determination, qualities he seems to have lost along the way. But when a well-intentioned omission has devastating consequences, Grady finds himself cast out of town—and Quinn’s life—possibly forever. Forced to face the hurt holding her back, Quinn must finally let go or risk missing out on the adventure of a lifetime.

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Courtney Walsh is a novelist, artist, theatre director, and playwright. Just Let Go will be her eighth inspirational romance novel. Her debut, A Sweethaven Summer, hit the New York Times and USA Today e-book bestseller lists and was a Carol Award finalist in the debut author category. A creative at heart, Courtney has also written two craft books and several full-length musicals. She lives in Illinois with her husband and three children.

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