PM: I see you reside in Nebraska – I must be honest, I do not know a whole about the area, can you tell me what your favorite part of living in Nebraska is?
Jen: Nebraska is a “fly-over state.” So, politically, that means we are basically irrelevant. We are also a great plains state, so not a whole lot of tourism happening either. However, with feet on the ground, I can tell you that it is a place of strong people where family is important, agriculture means livelihood and not something that is just theoretical/intellectual debate, and both success and crisis is a community affair. The broad plains are big and can seem empty. But the sunsets are vivid and unhindered. The wheat fields are inspiring. And the clean air minus light pollution allows for some breath-taking star-gazing. Moving to rural Nebraska from Denver was quite a culture-shock, but I promise you, God-willing, I’d never go back. I like not being afraid to make eye-contact, feeling good about letting my girls go out on a run on their own, knowing who my neighbors are, and going to hometown football games.
PM: Wow, you should be on the promotion board for Nebraska….makes me want to move there! I mean that in a wonderful way….I find Florida too hot for my liking! Do you write stories more from your own experiences, or do you spend a lot time doing research on the type of characters your creating?
Jen: A whole lot of both. Some stories have snippets of my life and experience in them. Others demand some intense and time-consuming research. It just depends on the project.
PM: When do you find the time to write? Where is your favorite place to write?
Jen: The most successful writers, I’m told, are consistent with time/place/quantity of writing. Unfortunately, every time I think I find my stride with that consistency, my life shifts (I have four teenage kids), and I must figure it all out all over again. I do best if I can write in the mornings, and my favorite spot is on a big, overstuffed chair in my living room. But as I said, that isn’t always what happens. I’ve written in coffee shops, McDonalds, in the car using Notes on my phone, in the stands for track or swim meets, and in my car waiting out start times for cross country meets. So. Someday I might make it to that successful consistency I keep hearing about. For now, though, I’m gonna roll with the life I have now.
PM: I see you write Young Adult Dystopian fiction as well as Contemporary Romance, do you have a preference for which you prefer to write?
Jen: I loved writing those dystopians. They were extremely challenging, and I loved having my kids interact with me on those stories. I also wrote a portal fantasy (Emerald Illusion), which was super fun. It’s definitely a different kind of writing, and switching is a challenge, but I very much enjoyed it.
As far as preference… no, I’m not sure I’d say I prefer one over the other. Story is story to me; I’m not real picky about what kind as long as it’s gripping.
PM: Do you have any family pets that currently own you?
Jen: Haha! Yes. They own us. And we kind of have a zoo. Four horses, I-don’t-know-how-many chickens, five ducks, two bunnies, two dogs, two cats, and a parakete (I was tempted to put a partridge in a pear tree, but that would not be true).
PM: If you could be any character in fiction, whom would you be?
Hmmm… I don’t know on that one. I kind of like my life in reality… Who would you be?
PM: Nice, way to throw it back to me, lol! Okay….I would want to be Claire from Valerie Comer’s Farm Fresh Romance series. Claire is all the books, but her starring role is Wild Mint Tea, and I just adore her, their lifestyle and her love of cooking! If we were to open you your refrigerator right now, what would we find in it?
Jen: Somehow I knew you were going to ask me that! You would find a total mess, that’s what (scary/shocked face). There’s about four or five dozen eggs in there (my daughter needs to sell some), several containers of yogurt, though I can’t tell you how many or what kind because I’m not sure who has had what in the last 24 hours; cheddar cheese sticks, because I love those things; milk, orange juice (my daughter is convinced that life cannot be happily-ever-after without orange juice); chocolate milk (I have a house full of runners/swimmers); some spinach from my mom’s garden, some blueberries for my cereal… and whole lot of other odds and ins that are all mashed in there to make me look like a disaster. Welcome to the real Rodewald house. Marie Kondo would die.
PM: That sounds pretty typical for a household with four teens – no shame, lol!! I found you by reading The Carpenter’s Daughter, and truly adored that book (look for my point of view post on it in the future)! But let’s say I have never read any of your books, what would you recommend as a first time reader of yours?
Jen: Thank you—and I’m glad you enjoyed Sarah’s story! <3 Actually, I’d probably recommend The Carpenter’s Daughter—it’s one of my faves and still deeply resonates with me. Or, maybe Emerald Illusion, because though it is my least popular book (it’s a little crazy how people sort of freak out when you put the words Christian and Fantasy together), I loved the journey I was required to take to write it, and the shift in view that I’ve had because of that story. But really, I loved every journey—even the hard ones that required way more of me than I’d signed up for, so I’m honored when readers take a chance on me with whichever of my works.
PM: How can readers keep up with you and your new releases?
Jen: Ah. So good of you to ask. I have a newsletter I send out at least once a month (often twice). You can find the sign up at https://authorjenrodewald.com/ and click the join now. You’ll also get my newsletter exclusive book It Will Be Forever, which is not currently available on any retail sites. Or, you can follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/authorjenrodewald
PM: Ah, I am reading that as we are chatting – such a wonderful story! I highly recommend! Finally, coffee or tea? Cream, sugar?
Jen: Coffee. Every single morning. With Creamer, no sugar.
Thanks so much for having me, Paula—it’s a pleasure to chat with you!
my point of view of “Beauty” Series by Robin Patchen PLUS a free book for everyone!
July 11, 2019 in my point of view
my point of view:
There are a lot of Christian Fiction authors out there, and I have heard of Robin Patchen on social media a lot, but have never read anything by her, so I figured why not try out a free ebook of hers and see if I liked her writing. One word – WOW! I couldn’t buy the other two in this series fast enough! These three books are so filled with suspense and mystery I could not put them down!
Honestly, I was reaching out to Robin before I was even half way through book two! I was taken with Harper Cloud from page one, and that says a lot for me! There are twists and turns, and an amazing amount of love in this story – not all of which is romantic, either. I was a little put off when I read how Harper had been in prison, but hey, I figured, let’s see where this goes. I am so glad I did! The characters are well written, the personalities are very complex, and I found myself so drawn in to the lives of these folks. The suspense kept me on edge from the very beginning and it doesn’t let up until the very end – of the very last book! I was honestly even holding my breath through some scenes, lol.
For me, the main element of the story was not the romance – which is quite beautiful, by the way, but more the relationships between the characters and their relationship with God. Each of the main characters has a relationship with Jesus, and that is truly refreshing to see. The biggest stand out relationship between the characters for me was between Red and Harper. The closeness they develop is so sweet and the love they have for one another is stronger than a blood bond would be if she was truly Red’s granddaughter. Made me miss my grandmother even more than usual… This story line alone would have left me more than satisfied, but then we add in the amazing small town of Nutfield and it’s cast of characters – and one in particular – Jack Rossi. He is definitely the kind of hero I like to read about in romance stories, and a keeper for sure!
I can’t say enough about this series, you all really need to get the first book – it’s FREE to everyone – and decide for yourselves!
About Robin Patchen
The First Coast Romance Writers are sponsoring the NERFA (National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award) Winner for the ‘Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements’ category!
His Cinderella Sweetheart: A Contemporary Romance
Internationally recognized outdoorsman and business leader Jace McKibbon is not used to feeling helpless, until he sets foot in Disneyland. When his grieving daughter forms a connection with the young woman playing Cinderella, Jace gratefully places himself in the beautiful princess’s hands. Carolina is in her element helping the little family negotiate the park, and Jace’s sparking blue eyes and rugged good looks don’t hurt. But as much as Carolina loves playing Cinderella at Disneyland, she longs for more challenging work in God’s world. Can Jace help Carolina find a fairytale ending?
my point of view:
It was an absolute honor to be a judge for the Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements category, and all three of the finalist books were truly standouts. Which naturally made it all the harder to select a winner….but I had to!
This story had so many wonderful qualities to it that I had to choose it in the end. There is always something that tugs at my heart strings when there is a child involved in the story. Ruthie is absolutely precious in this story, and her dad’s not so bad either, lol! While Ruthie is a terrific little girl, she has never truly mourned the passing of her mother, and Jace has tried everything he can think of to get through to her. Raising his daughter on his own, plus running a huge corporation takes a lot of confidence in one’s abilities, so how does a Disney princess manage to knock him to his knees?
Ah, but Carolina is no run of the mill Cinderella, lol! Carolina is one of the sweetest character’s I have read in a while, and she is all about kindness, which I just loved. When she teaches Ruthie that being a true princess is about being kind and helping others….well, there is a true life lesson there, for sure…..
I think one of my favorite elements of the story was how they each needed to be in God’s will before moving forward in a relationship, no matter how hard the tugs on their connection were. The secondary characters in this beautiful romance also played a very significant roles in each of the main character’s lives, and they add a great deal to the overall story.
About Anna Grace
Coffee with Alexa Verde..PLUS an Amazon Gift Card Giveaway!!
July 1, 2019 in coffee with paula marie
I am thrilled to have my very first Coffee with Paula Marie author interview back with us today – one year later – to catch up and see what has been happening in the last 12 months! Please join me in welcoming back Alexa Verde.
PM: Alexa, first off, thank you for taking the time to allow me to pester you once again! I hope this year has been wonderful for you, I know you have written several more stories, and I have had the pleasure of reading them all! I can’t name my favorites, as they have all been amazing, but I can say how excited I am for the series taking place in Chapel Cove! The intersecting characters all living in one small town is wonderful, and having two other authors (Autumn Macarthur & Marion Ueckermann) writing stories with the same cast of characters has been so much fun for us readers! How challenging is it writing a series collaborating with other authors?
AV: I love talking to you, so no pestering at all! And it was such a privilege to be the first interview on your wonderful blog. Writing Chapel Cove Romances with Autumn and Marion is a lot of fun. We help each other with ideas and feedback. We build the new storyworld together, and we all love Chapel Cove already. If it was a real place, I’d probably consider moving there! Marion kindly designed covers for all the books in the series, and I think they are beautiful. So much better than anything I could’ve done myself. The biggest challenge for me was the same timeline for the first three books in the series. I wrote Love Me the way it flowed, without thinking what other characters did at the time, and boy, did it require a lot if fixing later! But really, it’s a great pleasure working with Autumn and Marion.
PM: Aw, thank you so much, you are such a dear! I can only imagine the challenge that the time line presented! As a reader of all three books, I can tell you that you all did an amazing job of it!
What’s your favorite color? Any reason why?
AV: Light-blue. Color of the sky on a sunny day.
PM: Will you be doing any more Potter’s House books in the coming year? Curious minds want to know, lol!
AV: I hope I won’t disappoint anybody if I say no. I’m grateful for the experience and for the amazing support readers showed this series. But I got involved in so many upcoming projects, and there are only so many hours in the day. I need to learn to sleep fast. 🙂
PM: As long as you keep writing your amazing stories, I don’t think people will be too disappointed <grins>! I admit I did not read ALL of the Potter’s House series authors, but did find a couple of new authors I liked from being introduced that way!
What has been the most surprising event that happened to you in the last year?
AV: I hope it won’t be considered as bragging, but having #1 releases in their category.
PM: Bragging?? LOL, that is awesome, and so deserving – definitely not bragging!
Tell us what you enjoy doing the most when you are not writing or reading?
AV: Talking to God.
PM: Amen to that! I just love talking to God like an everyday friend, I did not have that growing up. ANd I love to sing along to worship music (as long as no one else can hear me, hehehe). What kind of music do you enjoy listening to?
AV: Mostly pop music. Sometimes country. I do like good lyrics, too.
PM: I love when you add pets in a story. Do you have a lot of personal experience with animals? You always give them such great personalities!
AV: Thank you so much for your kind words! I wish I had a lot of personal experience with pets. I love them, and they always love us unconditionally. One day I hope to have a dog. Alaskan Huskies are such gorgeous dogs.
PM: I am not trying to embarrass you here or anything, but I want to take this opportunity to just try and tell you how grateful I am for your mentorship this past year while I was getting this little blog of mine launched! You mean so much to me, and it had me wondering who some of your mentor’s might have been when you started writing Christian Fiction. Can you share – without specifics, if need be – who has been influential on your journey?
AV: I believe this blog was a gift from God to you. It shows your talents and your love for Christian fiction. I’m tremendously grateful for your friendship and treasure it. As for my mentor, I pray to be guided by God. It probably won’t come as a surprise to anyone if I say that I think Autumn Macarthur was the answer to my prayers years ago, even unspoken ones. She’s a true Christian and an amazing author. A lot of different authors helped me on the way, but if I have to name one person, this is it.
PM: That is so sweet of you to say…I feel that your friendship has definitely been a gift from God to me! I love Autumn as well, she is amazing!
So, you have departed Rios Azules for a time and are currently writing about a small town on the Oregon Coast. How different has that been for you? Have you ever had the opportunity to visit Oregon?
AV: It’s much colder! I’m used to the fact that it’s nearly always warm in south Texas, so I tended to dress my characters too lightly for Oregon weather! Chapel Cove is a lovely town with a great community, and I’m already getting attached to many characters there. I haven’t had an opportunity to visit Oregon. Hopefully, one of these days. A wonderful reader of ours, Marylin Furumasu, was incredibly helpful to us to get facts about Oregon right. And she created graphics for the series that I absolutely love!
PM: I just adore Marylin’s work, happy to share her website with everyone! Her graphics can be found at http://www.mfliteraryworks.com!
Finally, I’ll ask you to remind us about your coffee drinking…love it, like, don’t care for it all??
AV: Looooove it! Got to have my coffee in the morning. Preferably with a creamer and a cookie (okay, it’s usually several cookies, but no need to count). Thank you so much for the interview and a virtual cup of coffee, Paula! Always a pleasure to talk to you, and you know I love your blog. Heartfelt thanks for all the support you give Christian authors.
To get your copy of Love me click here: https://amzn.to/2J3ubTr
Alexa is part of an awesome new series of books coming out with another of my favorite authors – Autumn Macarthur!
The first one is up for pre-order, get it on line now: https://amzn.to/2RFfTME
You will fall in love with these characters as the journey is romantic, mysterious and suspenseful…..but most of all filled with God’s goodness!
To keep up with Alexa Verde and her news click on the link to follow her on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2X4RHcu
To follow The Chapel Cove stories click here: https://amzn.to/2RtDTCk
Alexa is being so generous – again – as to offer one of our commenters an Amazon Gift Card for $5.00 (winner must have an Amazon account). Contest will run for one week from today and winner will be notified via email. To enter simply comment here and tell us what you love best about book series / collaboration with authors!
my point of view of Love at Sunset Lake by Sally Bayless plus a ~*GIVEAWAY*~
June 27, 2019 in my point of view
A caterer who’s been burned by love. An artist who’s withdrawn from the world. A property battle that just might heal them both.
When struggling caterer Tess Palmer inherits her great-aunt’s home at Sunset Lake, Missouri, she thinks she’s found the way to save her business. Selling the property can provide just the infusion of capital she needs to pay off her debts and move to a larger commercial kitchen.
Wildlife painter Jack Hamlin, who lives across Sunset Lake, wants the area kept exactly as it is—a place where waterfowl can thrive and where he can find peace and solitude to ease his troubled heart. Although he’s drawn to Tess’s honesty and beauty, he’s appalled to learn she would welcome a deal with a developer, and he vows to stop her.
As Tess discovers the reasons why Jack is so passionate about protecting the lake, she finds him more and more attractive. She takes a tentative step past her own emotional pain to risk her heart again. But there seems to be no solution to the impasse over the property. As a sale becomes imminent, can Jack and Tess trust God—and each other—and finally find a love that will last?
“Love at Sunset Lake” is a stand-alone contemporary Christian romance novel and is part of the Abundance Series by Sally Bayless. If you like a heartwarming love story with a touch of humor and characters with real-world problems, you’ll love this sweet story.
my point of view:
Another brand new to me author and I couldn’t be more excited. Two love stories in one novel, bonus points, and, just a warning, you may have cravings for ice cream after reading this book, lol! Seriously, though, these characters have a way of squirming into your heart and grabbing hold. Jack’s pain and need to keep things unchanged was heart breaking, his family’s support was near and dear to my heart.
Tess is someone I could so relate to – all business – all the time. I was like that for so many years, shutting out everything and everyone emotionally and concentrating on just a career. She is also a wonderful cook and organizer – I always wanted to be an event planner, lol! Obviously, God had other plans for Tess (and Jack), if only they would open their eyes and hearts to all He had to offer them. Then enter Jack’s cousin and his ex-wife. These two side characters made for a whole second story line that I absolutely loved!
I was honestly so drawn into the struggles of Tess and Jack that I couldn’t imagine how it could all come together in the end where everyone was at a ‘happily ever after’….but Sally pulled all the twisted ends into one beautiful braid by the end of the story. The setting of the story on the lake is worth a read in and of itself as well, the author has you so drawn to the atmosphere I felt as if I could close the book and walk out onto the lake…ah, if only! All in all I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and am happy to say I am a new fan of Sally Bayless!
About Sally Bayless 
Sally is being so generous as to offer one of our readers a free ebook version of Love at Sunset Lake! To enter please comment on this post and tell us your favorite flavor of ice cream! Contest will run for one full week from today and winner will be notified via email!
my point of view of No Longer A Stranger by Chloe Flanagan plus a ~*Giveaway*~
June 20, 2019 in my point of view
EJ Handler is the perpetual class clown, but he’s also a loyal friend and dedicated worker at the tech company he helped found. Friendship and work are the only commitments he needs. Yet a dangerous scandal quickly upsets his laid back life and dredges up the old heartaches that made him fear responsibility in the first place. His only hope rests in his faith and the reluctant assistance of a mysterious female detective.
Sloan is a tough, unemployed cop with a penchant for taking on the cares of the world by herself, when an unexpected job offer gives her the opportunity to do what she loves. Little does she know that a simple job will bring the infuriating, but endearing EJ and a chance at the friendships she’s avoided for so long.
my point of view:
I was blessed to have read Chloe’s previous two books and meet her in person some months ago. I can tell you this author is a lovely young woman who has a heart for the Lord. She’s a pretty good writer too, lol! So when she asked me if I’d be willing to read her latest, it was a no-brainer – YES was my immediate response!
This by far my favorite of her stories to date…I have actually been waiting for EverLearn’s resident computer nerd, EJ, to get his own story and am so glad she gave him one! This story has all the elements of a great – once in a lifetime – love story, with a large helping of mystery and suspense to boot! Marion Sloan is a woman with a past…past mistakes, past hurts, and she carries these wounds around as reason to keep everyone at arms length.
She was a tough police officer seeking justice at all costs, sacrificing her own personal relationships. At one of the lowest times in her life she is called upon to help solve a case involving a possible kidnapping and blackmailer. When it becomes clear that EJ is also a target in this case, they work together to try and solve the mystery. Of course, this proves problematic, and EJ’s loyalty and goofiness come together full force and make Sloan look into a lot things she has been missing in her life. I really adored EJ, he is my kind of hero, funny and sweet, and loves to make you laugh….but also passionate and loyal to those he calls ‘friend’.
I don’t want to give away spoilers, but the suspense had me reading while holding my breath at times, lol. I was so caught up in it trying to read faster that I had to force myself to slow down and read slower, hahaha! I was also brought to tears by the power of God and having the right friends in your corner, not to mention the amazing love story….definitely “sigh” worthy! I highly recommend you check it out for yourself!
About Chloe Flanagan
Chloe Flanagan has generously offerred one of our readers a free ebook version of her latest book, No longer a stranger! simply comment on this post and tell us what, if any, is your favorite computer game to play. Contest will run for one week from today and winner will be notified via email.
I am thrilled to be hosting Robin Patchen today for coffee with Paula Marie! She is a new to me author, and I was wowed by her Beauty series! Thank you for joining us today, Robin!
PM: If you could have dinner with anyone from history, who would it be, and why?
RP: Besides Jesus, the obvious answer… Hmm, right at this moment, I think it would be wonderful to have dinner with Queen Victoria. Then, I could meet a famous historical figure and enjoy a royal meal in an amazing place.
PM: If you couldn’t be a writer, what career path do you think you’d choose to be on?
RP: I always thought it would be fun to be a college professor. I love to teach, but I don’t think I’d enjoy the “classroom management” aspect of teaching children—nor do I think I’d be very good at it. I’m not the best disciplinarian.
PM: Do you write stories more from your own experiences, or do you spend a lot time doing research on the type of characters your creating?
RP: I know authors who’ll spend a lot of time figuring out their characters’ Myers-Briggs personalities and Enneagram scores. Not me. My characters evolve as I write. I’m not a huge fan of research, so I try to write stories that require as little as possible. For instance, for the story I’m writing right now, I was going to have the heroine living in a halfway house (a bridge between prison and freedom), but since I know nothing about halfway houses, I changed it and have her living in a sober living house. Having walked with a loved one through addiction, I have some experience with those.
PM: I see you have a love of traveling, can you tell us a few of the favorite places you have had the pleasure of visiting?
RP: Traveling—my favorite subject. I haven’t done as much as I’d like to have. I’ve been to Europe, Canada, Mexico, a few places in Central America, and many parts of the US. I’ve found something I loved about everywhere I’ve visited. As to favorites, my husband and I went to Paris for our twentieth anniversary. It’s my favorite city in the world. It’s weird that a place where I don’t speak the language could feel so much like home.
A few years back I went to Mt. Hermon, a writers conference near San Jose, California. I loved those giant redwoods. It was as if my soul had found its home.
Another favorite I discovered when I was in high school. Our family went to Switzerland one year to ski, then Austria another year. Both were absolutely gorgeous. I’d love to see them in the summertime—or go back skiing again. The mountains were magnificent.
PM: Do you have any family pets that currently own you?
RP: Dixie is an eleven-year-old light-haired 40-pound mutt. We don’t know exactly what breeds she comes from, but she has a face like a German shepherd and the bull legs of a pit bull. She’s beautiful and sweet as can be.
In contrast to Dixie, we have a fifteen-year-old cat that’ll let you pet him if he’s in a good mood and attack you if he’s not. Everybody, including the dog that outweighs him by 30 pounds, is mildly afraid of Tiger.
PM: Tell us what you enjoy doing the most when you are not writing or reading?
RP: Traveling is my favorite pastime. I also love hiking and skiing. I don’t get to do any of them as much as I would like.
PM: I see on your website you do speaking engagements – I am terrified to speak in front of people, how do that? LOL, I find it amazing!
RP: I love speaking and teaching! When I was a kid, like most kids, I was afraid of it. I worried people were judging me and finding me lacking. But as I’ve grown more mature and more confident in my faith, I’ve gotten past a lot of those fears. The Lord has blessed me with a gift for public speaking and given me the courage to pursue it. Now, I truly love being able to share the lessons I’ve learned about life and writing. God’s given me a true passion for it.
PM: What was the last movie you went to see/favorite movie/favorite song?
RP: Last movie I went to see… This is really sad, but it’s been so long, I don’t remember. Apparently, it wasn’t very memorable. Favorite movie? Depends on the genre. Romantic comedy, When Harry Met Sally. Suspense, I loved The Fugitive. Favorite song… Right now, Defender by Francesca Battistelli.
PM: How can readers keep up with you and your new releases?
RP: Join my newsletter list! And when you do, you’ll get a free copy of Beauty in Flight, book 1 in a three-book serial story. Visit my website at http://robinpatchen.com or click here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/e3pxzvsrz6
PM: Finally, coffee or tea? Cream, sugar?
RP: I start my day with coffee. Often, in the midafternoon when I’m starting to fade and need a caffeine boost, I’ll have a cup of tea. I drink both with sweetener.
Robin’s first book in the Beauty series is free on Amazon! Get yours here:
About Beauty in Flight:
Her beauty once opened doors, but the felony conviction slams them shut.
Harper Cloud used to love the gilded glamour of Las Vegas, but on the far side of prison, she sees the cracks in the veneer. These days, she keeps her head down and focuses on the elderly patients in her care. Even her new wealthy east-coast boyfriend, Derrick, can’t entice her away. She’s trusted men before, and look where that got her.
She tries to brush off the feeling that she’s being watched. But when she’s followed home one night and her pursuer gets within a hair’s breadth of grabbing her, she knows it’s time to get away from Las Vegas.
Maybe Derrick can be trusted. Maybe his job offer—to care for his aging grandfather in Maryland—will be the second chance she needs.
But Derrick has secrets of his own, secrets that could take him down–and take Harper with him.
Can there be a second chance for someone like her?
About Robin Patchen
Aside from her family and her Savior, Robin Patchen has two loves—writing and traveling. If she could combine them, she’d spend a lot of time sitting in front of her laptop at sidewalk cafes and ski lodges and beachside burger joints. She’d visit every place in the entire world—twice, if possible—and craft stories and tell people about her Savior. Alas, time is too short and money is too scarce for Robin to traipse all over the globe, even if her husband and kids wanted to go with her. So she stays in Oklahoma, shares the Good News when she can, and writes to illustrate the unending grace of God through the power and magic of story.
The journeys in life take you to unexpected destinations. The love of a good person brings you home.
Kierra Madden, proprietor of the Kindred Lake Inn, struggles for stability after her engagement ends, family strife continues, and business slows. When her mom, sister and teenage niece move in with her, life becomes a lot more complicated. There’s certainly spare room…until one guest arrives…on his bicycle.
Ryan Delaney is fit and trim…quite the eye candy.Ryan, a TV news anchor on a leave of absence following a horrific incident, enjoys the peace long-distance biking offers. Only in town to mend his strained relationship with his teen daughter, he never expects to fall for Kierra fast and hard. Despite her policy of separating business and pleasure, mutual attraction pulls them closer until unforeseen consequences threaten to wedge between them.
Surrounded by springtime beauty, will the temptation of desire bloom into a more powerful and lasting love?
my point of view:
This is an awesome new book that can be read alone, even though it is book two in a lovely series by this author! Mrs. Stock has such a way with characters – especially family relationships that work along side the romance! I just adore her writing and cannot get enough of these beautiful stories centered first and foremost on our relationship with God, family, AND romance!
The family dynamics involved in this romance are wonderful, mother-daughter, sister-sister, father daughter, and teenage girls to mix it up some! Kierra is such a sweetheart to open her home (and business) to her family. I have always dreamed of owning a bed and breakfast, and this story has me dreaming again, lol!
I enjoyed how the author was able to give us a glimpse into the world of hospitality, all while the B&B owner is trying to run a successful business, mend her family, and, oh yeah, fall in love with a guest, lol! Ryan is a hurting dad trying to reconnect with his teen daughter…all while trying to recover from being involved in a horribly sad incident. He is certainly not looking for love or romance, in fact that would be at the very bottom of his list! He is having a hard enough time trying to deal with misplaced guilt, an ex-wife, and a teenager who seems to run hot and cold with him from one day to the next.
If that isn’t enough for you, there is also an element of mystery and suspense that grabs a hold of you! No spoilers, you just need to read it!
About Elaine Stock
Thank you so much for joining me today, Sally! It is an honor to get to know you better!
PM: Tell us what are you reading for fun right now?
SB: Hi, Paula Marie! I’m delighted to be here today. Thank you so much for inviting me! Right now I’m reading “Within My Heart” by Tamera Alexander. It’s the third book in a historical Christian romance series. I thought I’d read all of 
Tamera’s books, but was delighted to learn I’d missed this series so there were three more books to enjoy!
PM: What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite gender?
SB: Keeping the dialogue short and not apologizing much. From what I’ve been taught about writing for male characters, they don’t talk in long sentences and they don’t use the words “I’m sorry” nearly as often as women do. I also sometimes have to ask my husband to make sure I get things correct. So I come to him with questions like “Do you know what color mauve is?” (Answer: “Some kind of purple.”) “Would you ever describe something as mauve?” (Answer: “Uh, nope.”)
PM: That is so funny, I love it! So great that he is a sounding board for you. I just adored Love at Sunset Lake and I am curious to know if your fictional town of Abundance resembles the town you grew up in in Missouri?
SB: I’m so glad you liked that story! Abundance is smaller than my hometown of Rolla, Missouri, but shares the characteristics that people always know each other’s business and know exactly how each person in town is related to the others. (Why, yes, those two people did date in high school, twenty years ago.) Sunset Lake itself is based on a lake near my hometown, Little Prairie Lake, where my dad used to take me fishing when I was kid. I don’t think there are actually any houses on the real lake, at least there weren’t when I was little, but when I think of the size and the landscape, that’s what I see.
PM: Have you always known you had the writing bug (and ability)?
SB: I’ve always loved books and writing. I studied journalism in school and worked as a newspaper copy editor and in corporate communications for several years before I became an at-home mom. Except for a brief attempt at writing a murder mystery when I was 23, I never wrote fiction until 2009.
PM: Tell us what you enjoy doing the most when you are not writing or reading?
SB: I love spending time with my husband and grown children, playing cards, doing crosswords, and going kayaking. I also love the beach.
PM: I was reviewing your website and see you were an Alex P. Keaton fan too, so we definitely have that in common! What were some of your other favorite shows growing up?
SB: The Dukes of Hazard, M*A*S*H, and the old Dick Van Dyke Show with Mary Tyler Moore.
PM: Wow, we definitely have a lot in common! I still enjoy those reruns, lol. If you could have dinner with anyone from history, who would it be, and why?
SB: I guess everyone probably says “Jesus,” right? He’d be my first choice. If He already has dinner plans, I’d love to dine with Jane Austen.
PM: I see you enjoy Italian food as well, what is your favorite Italian meal, and do you like cooking?
SB: My favorite Italian meal is spaghetti with meatballs. I enjoy cooking, but I’d rather bake than make the entrée. Just say the words “Olive Garden” and I’m in the car.
PM: Okay, as an Italian, I am just going to say I really like their salad….lol. What was your most beloved book to read as a child?
SB: Just one? Hmmmm… One of the Trixie Belden mysteries. I wore the covers off mine.
PM: I will admit, I needed to look this one up, never heard of them. They look very interesting! I will have to recommend them to my cousins. I have to know – do you bake the pies you write about? I bet your friends and family love being taste testers!
SB: I do bake pies, but not as much now that it’s just my husband and I living at home. He would sadly tell you that most nights I serve fruit as dessert, trying to keep us both healthy. I know myself well enough to know that if I make a pie, I’ll eat a sizable serving every day!
PM: How can readers keep up with you and your new releases?
SB: Join my newsletter! It comes out about every two months and includes information about my new releases, special promotions, Christian fiction I’ve enjoyed reading, and any interesting news in my writing world. Readers who subscribe to my newsletter receive a free family tree for the characters in my books and an insider’s guide to my series.
To sign up, please visit http://eepurl.com/grrCZH
PM: Finally, coffee or tea? Cream, sugar?
SB: Tea, please. In the winter, I like hot English Breakfast tea with no sugar or cream. In the summer, I like iced tea, unsweet with lemon, even at breakfast.
Thank you so much for having me on your blog!
Now for some very exciting news:
Sally’s Love at Sunset Lake is going to be on sale starting in two days! From June 12th through the 16th it will be ONLY $0.99!! Do NOT miss out on this opportunity!!
Hi and thank you for visiting with us today!
We’re having fun with our latest series, Chapel Cove Romances, set in a small Oregon coastal town, where for many of our characters, life begins at 40. The first three books all feature heroines about to turn 40, and all facing big changes in their lives.
I asked Marion, Alexa, and Autumn to each t
ell me something about turning 40, and here it is!
MARION: Way back in September 2000, I turned forty with a bash! Surrounded by family and close friends, I hosted a fun “Color Me Forty” party. I donned my brightest, most colorful blouse, and we had a lamb roasting on the spit while we sat outside under our large willow tree drinking brightly colored sodas, playing kids games, and painting our faces. Everyone also painted a square cloth depicting me. After all these years, I still haven’t figured out what to do with those pieces of painted fabric, but they’re nice to look at from time to time.
ALEXA: I’m one of those women who thinks that instead of celebrating forty, one should celebrate one’s 39th birthday for at least five times. Or seven. Good things about turning 40 for me are:
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I realized that what matters is not what other people think of me but what God thinks of me.
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I don’t need to impress anyone.
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I don’t have as much energy as I used to, so I can allow myself some lazy days.
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I can treat myself to good chocolate and not feel guilty about it (no longer self-conscious about my weight).
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Considering that some people live a hundred years now, I hopefully still have most of my life ahead of me. Sometimes life does start at forty!
AUTUMN: LOL, Alexa wrote exactly what I was thinking too. Yay for 40 and being our own and God’s own women at last! That has to be a good thing!
Turning 40 for me was… um… interesting. The potentially most romantic dinner of my life in the most romantic setting, something my long-term boyfriend and I had planned well in advance. A holiday in a lovely hotel in a gorgeous small French village, all sweet little old stone cottages with flower-filled gardens. A little arched bridge over the river lined with weeping willows. A candle-lit champagne dinner in the internationally renowned chef’s restaurant booked for my birthday.
Perfect place for a proposal, right?
Wrong.
My darling boyfriend chose that vacation to tell me that instead of working late, he’d been seeing someone else for months, fallen crazy in love with her, and it was time for us to say goodbye. The champagne dinner ended up far more about drowning my sorrows than celebrating!
Now, I can laugh about it. Life really did begin at forty for me, too. Two years later I met the man God intended for me all along.
And now, I’m also wondering – how can I use this in a book? It will appear, somehow, somewhere, in one of my stories!
In the three currently available books, Remember Me, Love Me, and Cherish Me – first of hopefully twelve stand alone romances in the series – each heroine turns 40 in a different way.
One is treated to a truly romantic dinner – spoiler – he doesn’t tell her he’s been cheating on her!
One – guess whose! – wants to cancel her birthday altogether.
And one has a fun get-together with her best friends.
So, how did you turn 40, what’s good about being over 40, or if you aren’t there yet, how do you hope 40 will be for you?
One comment made before 6 pm Sunday June 23rd 2019 will be chosen at random to win paperback copies of all three books. The winner must provide a US mailing address to receive the paperbacks, or alternatively they will receive all three books in ebook.
Get a bonus entry by following Chapel Cove Romances on Amazon and saying so in your comment!
About Chapel Cove Romances
Here are the links to each of the three books:
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