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Can you keep a secret? It can be a good thing. But sometimes, it's not. Our guest author today, Sarah Hamaker, is chatting about all things secrets along with her newest book. See what you think.  How are you with keeping secrets? Some of us keep them very well while others of us are terrible at not spilling the beans. Secrets can be deadly in more ways than one. When thinking about writing this blog, I decided to delve a little deeper into what the word means and how it has been used over the ages.
The word “secret” originated in late Middle English from the Old French. The Latin roots centered around being separate and set apart. Miriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines secret as “kept from knowledge or view (hidden), marked by the habit of discretion (closemouthed), working with hidden aims or methods (secret agent), not acknowledged (secret bride) or conducted in secret (secret meeting).
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Have you ever considered how the Christian faith is perceived by cultures other than your own? Dr. Ruth Wong, our guest author today, talks about how she weaves those perceptions into her latest story.  God’s son—one claim, two cultures
Every one of my books touches upon the Christian faith. That thread continues in my latest book, Fire Between Two Skies (special $2.99 promo at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2YZZ8LG; watch the teaser video at https://youtu.be/UE9egV5VlUs). Set against the fiery upheaval of the Taiping movement, the story explores a question that has long gripped me: how can the same claim—“I am the Son of God”—ignite such different responses in different cultures? Can you imagine waging a war over a Christmas tree? What if your tree might be one to grace the halls of the White House or Rockefeller Center? Well, my friend Delores Topliff is here chatting about her book that talks about just such a situation. I think you're going to love this cute Christmas story.  Like most authors, I enjoy each book I write, but Christmas Tree Wars was the most fun because I received the whole story came as an almost complete download one Sunday morning as I drove a country road in rural Minnesota. A Christmas tree farm lined one side of the road. A hayfield bordered the other with one lone, straight Christmas tree standing at its edge.
I don’t know how many thought layers can converge in a single moment of time, but they all did. I knew the Christmas tree farm owner would claim the tree on the other side, although he had plenty of his own. Underneath that story line, I glimpsed the account of Israel’s King David claiming Bathsheba, although he already possessed plenty of wives and concubines. Watching a book come from idea to something you can actually hold in your hands is always exciting. For an author. And for those who love her. And I can tell you right now, I love the author who is my guest today. Sarah Heatwole is part of our local author group, and I am cheering so loud as her first book releases this week. From the snippets I've read during our critique times, I can promise it's as beautiful as the cover. See what you think and make sure to read all the way to the bottom. She's doing a giveaway!  Thank you, Amy, for having me as your guest author. To your readers, let me tell you Amy is as much a delight in person as she is on this blog. She has been a great inspiration to me on this writing journey.
I have a book coming out in two days! Speaking those words seems surreal. This has been a faith filled supernatural journey; only by God’s grace have I been able to get this far. I didn’t aspire to be a writer. In fact, when I was a little girl, I remember driving up I-71 into the heart of Cleveland, seeing the skyscrapers and dreaming about my power suit and fancy office. As an adult, I spent years building my career, working my way up to Executive Director in an assisted living community–until it collapsed. What's more romantic than a Christmas wedding? How about a book about a Christmas wedding? Only one (or more) problem. Sarah Anne Crouch had a lot of fun including mischief in this sweet new book of hers. See if her stories of weddings gone wrong intrigues you.  Tomorrow—November 25—is release day for A Christmas in Shady Springs!
In A Summer in Shady Springs, Madeleine and A.J. fell in love. Now, in this new installment, wedding bells are finally ringing … and nothing is going quite as planned. I’ve always adored wedding stories. The chaos, the sweetness, the emotional family moments, the pretty dresses, the decorations. Weddings are such a delightful mix of love and unpredictability. And I love Christmas with just as much enthusiasm: twinkling lights, cookies, carols, memories. So really, what could be more fun than combining Christmas and a wedding into one story? I’ll tell you what: adding nearly every real-life wedding disaster I’ve ever witnessed into one story. When is the last time you noticed a firefly? My children and I love to go out in the yard on summer evenings and catch them, but a lot of times we're too busy. Isn't that true for most of us? Author (and my friend) Tonya Ashley is here today to tell us how she wove these magical creatures into her sweet romance. I can vouch for it--it's a good one! See what you think.  Fireflies were one of the first symbols I knew I wanted in this story. Long before Dr. Ben Ewing stepped onto the page or Rebecca Hogue was juggling her family of eight siblings, there was this memory—soft, quiet, glowing. Summer twilights in Arkansas. The hush right before night settles. Fireflies rising like little promises across the grass.
As a child, I found it enchanting. It was a place where wonder lived, where quiet felt expectant. Somewhere along the road to adulthood, I lost that stillness. Life got louder. Responsibilities, expectations, a steady hum of urgency, drowning out the gentle things. I learned to be capable, efficient, “fine.” And I forgot how to sit in the grass and wait for light to appear. Have you ever been victim to a matchmaker? Ever played matchmaker to someone else? Julie Arduini is chatting with us today about her new book, part of a series of matchmaking romances. It sounds like so much fun. See what you think.  JoAnn Durgin and Lori Soard are the masters behind the Dogwood Creek Matchmakers series, and they also include Leah Atwood, Robin Bayne, Dawn Kinzer, Lisa Prysock, and me. We release a novella set in fictional Dogwood Creek, Tennessee, an hour outside of Gatlinburg, and each book contains a matchmaker that JoAnn and Lori created.
Clean Sweep is my first of two releases for the Dogwood Creek Matchmakers. I chose Alicia Caruso as the matchmaker. She hosts the matchmakers at her farmhouse that she shares with her husband Luca, and twin sixteen-year-old daughters, Arianna and Bella. Alicia is also a stained-glass artist. Did you ever start something only to have to set it aside for a while? Or maybe set it aside on purpose to work on something else? Believe it or not, we authors do that all the time, and our guest author today, my friend Lori De Jong, has one of those projects about to release. I'm so excited for her and if you like a bit of suspense with your Christmas romance, be sure to check out this new book!  “Bodyguards? Daddy, you know how I feel about bodyguards. I know I’m a people person, but bodyguards aren’t people. They’re … they’re … tactical gear. And just as cumbersome.”
Fiercely independent defense attorney Riley Hudson is not happy when her wealthy, Houston financier father hires a security detail for her after a failed abduction attempt. It was random, she tells him, and highly unlikely the guy would try again after she introduced his kneecap to the chunky heel of her designer boot. Not to mention the manicure she ruined clawing at his hand. So she might need to step up her own efforts to keep herself safe. But bodyguards? Uh-uh. What do you do when the main goal of your life has been accomplished? Our guest author today, Janell York, is chatting about how she incorporated some of those themes in her new book, The Day Sarah Ran Away. It sounds wonderful. See if it resonates with you too.  I was surprised when I pitched my book at a Chicago writers’ conference how many people resonated with my topic: empty nest. Since publication, I’ve received numerous phone calls, texts, and messages regarding the personal struggle of empty nesters.
Finding purpose and meaning after your children grow up and leave home can be difficult to navigate. Joining the gym, starting a new hobby, or finding ways to stay busy doesn’t fill the void, especially if you’ve enjoyed raising your kids. Do you love it when authors hide little bits of their personal life in their stories? What about their personal favorites? My friend Erin Howard does just that with hers. And it happens to be one of my favorites too. see what you think.  I love how Easter eggs from my family, friends, or favorite movies naturally find their way into my new stories. Every story is full of things from my life. Whether it’s an inside joke that a friend might get, or inspiration from how my husband and I banter back and forth, or a crochet item because my Nanny was the one who inspired me to crochet and made the most beautiful afghans.
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This is a place for me to tell you about what I'm writing, talk about the process or where some of my ideas came from, or even have other authors come in and talk about their books.
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