Interview with author Jean Pike!!

Today we welcome author Jean Pike to The Diamond Mine to promote her new book, Super-Heroes!

Hi Jean!!

Tell us a little about your book, please.

Thank you for having me today, Nancy. I'd love to!

It all started with a prayer...

After a lifetime of of being controlled by her parents, and most recently by her ex-fiancée, Abby Callahan has had enough. She moves out of her parents' home and into a rented motel room a few towns away, where she takes night classes at the community college, finally free to pursue her dream of becoming a music therapist.

From now on, she will live her life her way, answering to no one except God. She is done letting her parents make her decisions. And she is done with men. Until she meets Rory St. George.

Growing up on the wrong side of town,  Rory has worked hard to claw his way out of poverty. He has a good job as assistant manager at the local feed store, a good church, and a few close friends. He thinks that's all a man can ask for in life. Until he meets Abby.

Their fragile relationship is tested from the start with missteps and misunderstandings, but their genuine attraction to each other and their faith in God hold them together. Until disaster strikes. Can their newfound love survive being tried by fire? And can the power of love turn ordinary people into superheroes? 

This sounds wonderful, Jean! How did you get your idea for this story?

Reading the daily news can be both depressing and uplifting. The ideas for many of my stories stem from things I've read about that have either filled me with wonder or filled me with sadness.

The world is full of stories of ordinary people performing superhero acts--- A volunteer firefighter who risks his life to rescue a family from a burning house. A man, fishing on the bank of a river, dives into deep waters to save a drowning child. Heroism is also found in a hundred small, everyday sacrifices made in the name of love.

A new romance can be so much fun!  Picnics and hikes and bouquets of flowers' just because! But when things get hard and life turns messy, few have what it takes to keep the flame burning. To stay in it for the long haul, even when it costs something precious. The truth is, one never knows if they have what it takes to be a superhero until they have no other choice.

Superheroes is a story about everyday heroes who love in the most extraordinary ways.

Wow! How could I not be interested in a story like that?

Do you have any underlying themes that you want your readers to come away with?

The underlying theme in Superheroes is that God is sovereign over His creation. God is still God, even in hard times. 

There is a verse in Job that I've always loved: But He knows the way that I take: when He hath tried me. I shall come forth as gold. (Job 23:10 KJV)

Bad things happen in life, but God can use them to refine our faith and make us more like Him. This story seeks to showcase His great love for us, and hopefully, point the way  to the greatest Superhero of all time, our Lord Jesus.

Well said, and I found your words very touching. I'm sure your story is, too.

I'm curious-- Do your characters ever surprise you?

Oh, all the time! I'll usually do a rough character sketch before I start any in-depth writing, a few sentences about who each of the characters are and what they want from life. Many times the characters turn out to be something quite different from what I first imagined. I like to think that's a combination of God's direction and my crazy, overactive imagination, lol.

In Superheroes, Olly was originally going to be Rory's youngest brother, heading down a wrong path that Rory would have to try and correct. But something as small as a typo changed my mind. Instead of writing the word coffee, I accidentally wrote coccee. Which is exactly how my special needs nephew, Michael, pronounces the word. I have always wanted to include a special needs character in one of my stories, but I struggled with how to do so with grace and dignity. As I started to look more closely at Olly's character, he and Michael began to merge together, and I knew the time had come to honor this lovely, complex young man. Hence my dedication: For Michael, a superhero indeed.

Tell us how you incorporated Olly with Michael.

First, as I said, Olly's character is based on my nephew. Michael is a young man with special needs who loves pink shirts, orange shirts and coloring books. It may not always seem as though he is paying attention, but he is! He notices the birds that come to his mother's feeders, and all the pretty colors of the flowers in their garden.

He notices who is in church each week, and who is not. On Sundays, after lunch, he makes a card for each person on the prayer list, using construction paper and pictures colored and cut from his coloring books. His favorites are the superheroes, whom he makes up his own names for, names that make sense to him.

Michael has a stubborn streak as wide as the Ohio river, but oh, he has a heart filled with love and compassion that often astounds me.  He uses what he's been given to lift others up. I gave those same traits to Olly. 

 

Michael sounds like quite a work of art, as well as being an artist himself.

Do you have a favorite character in any of your other books?

I enjoy creating all of my characters, but some stand out for me because their parts are just so much fun to write! But with all of the time and effort spent developing my main characters, it is often the secondary characters that seem to grab my readers' hearts. In The Little Things, it was a grumpy senior bulldog named Gus. In King of Hearts, it was forgetful, lovable Aunt Clara.  As the reviews for Superheroes began to come in, it was clear that in this story, it was Olly that readers loved the most.

I can see why!

So, what are you working on now?

I was four chapters in to a new Redford's Crossing Romance when a coworker made a statement that brought all work on that story to a screeching halt. We were talking about relationships, and how, as a widow, she feels she is "done." 

And then she said, "But my mother thought she was done, too. She just sat in her porch rocker day after day, waiting to die. And then a man pulled in the driveway and asked if he could pick from her blackberry bushes. They've been together forty years."

Wait, what?

An opening sentence immediately popped into my mind: Norah Sutton was sitting in her porch rocker, waiting to die, when the red pickup truck pulled into the driveway...

And Blackberry Summer began to take shape. :)

Sometimes, that's all it takes for inspiration to hit: a typo, a passing comment, and the whole direction of your story  takes a different path.

Thank you so much for this interview, Jean. I have completely enjoyed hearing your answers.

And readers, here are some links for Jean, and her books:

https://www.amazon.com/Superheroes-M-Jean-Pike-ebook/dp/BOCYPSLQ5D/

https://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main page=product info&cPath=3746&products id=1711

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/superheroes-m-jean-pike/1147169381?ean=9781522305064

https://books.apple.com/us/book/superheroes/id6744548266

Jean's blog:

https:// jeanpike.wordpress.com/

Meet Debut Author Janell Goodrich York and Find Out About the Inspiration Behind The Day Sarah Ran AWay

 Today, I am thrilled to welcome debut author Janell Goodrich York to the mine. Janell's debut release last month, and I enjoyed traveling with Sarah and her new friends in this story. She is generously offering one of our blog readers a paperback copy of The Day Sarah Ran Away and some bookish swag (US addresses only). Keep reading to find out how to enter.

About Janell Goodrich York

Janell Goodrich York is a retired high school guidance counselor. She was born in Indiana, but raised in a small town in Southwest Missouri. Janell loves to travel, especially to beach destinations. She loves to hang out with her family and spoil her two dogs. Janell is a girl mom of three awesome adult daughters and Meme to five “perfect” grandkids. Janell lives in Missouri with her wonderful husband, Jim. Her first book, The Day Sarah Ran Away, was published by Scrivenings Press in August 2025.

Connect with Janell: Website | Instagram | Facebook

Suzie: Welcome, Janell. Thank you for taking time to visit the Diamond Mine this week and share a little about yourself and your book. To start off, can you tell us a little bit about yourself (something that’s not in your bio)?

Janell: My husband and I recently finished traveling to our 50th state. It was my goal to do something each state was known for––not just travel through. We’ve experienced some amazing and funny things accomplishing that goal. In May, we flew to our last state Hawaii.

I’ve been blessed with many female friendships. My three best friends and I have been together since the fifth grade. 

My husband and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary this year. He’s my rock and biggest fan. 

My favorite color is Red. I’m drawn to it like a bee to honey. My husband will ask, “Do you really like that blouse, that car, etc. or are you drawn to it because it’s red?

Suzie: I love that you and your husband visit local events together and you sell books while he sells fishing lures. 

Let's talk about your book. What was the inspiration behind your story?

Janell: I missed my kids, so I started journaling my feelings about being an empty nester. Then, I started reminiscing on the numerous past conversations I’d had as a high school counselor with the parents of senior students. I found most dads were excited to have their kids out of the house, but most moms were tearful thinking about their kids leaving home. I didn’t truly understand their sadness until it happened to me. It’s a different kind of grief––A letting go of something that has been a joy. As I wrote down my feelings––Sarah and her story began forming in my imagination. At first, the story was turning out like Tom Hanks with his soccer ball friend, Wilson, so I decided she needed interaction with other people. Now, there’s a host of loveable characters in her story. 

Suzie: I loved the characters in this story. They are funny, real, and memorable in the best kind of way. What was the catalyst for your interest in writing?

Janell: I began writing stories in the first grade. My teacher commented to my mom one day she enjoyed my stories and hoped I would continue to write as I got older. Her compliment encouraged my love of writing.  

Later, my middle and high school English courses were my favorite classes to attend. I always loved when we would have a creative writing project assigned. My junior year, my English teacher told me the school would be offering a year-long creative writing class, and I needed to sign up for it. I was thrilled! I still have the box of short stories and poems I wrote in that class. 

Suzie: I wish I still had some of the silly poems I wrote when I was younger.

Are you a night owl or morning person?

Janell: Neither, lol. It takes me awhile to wake up in the morning, and I’m ready for bed around 9 p.m. I’m most productive from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Suzie: I'm the same way, but my most productive hours are in the afternoon. Back to your book, who was your favorite character to create? 

Janell: Delores - Sarah’s new best friend. I love her personality. She’s so fun, supportive, and encouraging. I think we all need a “hype girl” like Delores in our life.

Suzie: I agree. Are you a plotter or a panster?

Janell: I’m a panster. I write the beginning and the end first. I have some idea of how I want the middle of the story to go, but honestly, the characters dictate what comes next. I try to do an outline, but I’m terrible at sticking to it.

Suzie: It is the same for me with an outline! I feel like the newest term for a pantser is a good one. We are intuitive writers. What are your three books on your current tbr?

Janell: What Brings Us Joy by Teresa Wells, Birds Alive by Jen Dodrill, and My Friends by Fredrik Backman

Suzie: Those all sound like good reads. Do you have a favorite author or book?

Janell: Harper Lee, Richard Peck, and Fredrik Backman to name a few.  I love how they write about everyday people experiencing relatable, difficult situations with humor and empathy. I want to be that kind of writer. I hope my readers will be able to see themselves in one of my characters––to go away after reading my book with the feeling I’m not alone – someone gets me. 

Suzie: I think many readers will see themselves in Sarah. What’s next for you as an author?

Janell: I’m currently writing the second book in my Sister Pie Pact Series. It will focus on Sarah’s neighbor, Olivia. It will have the same host of characters with a few new ones added.

Suzie: I can't wait to read it. How can we pray for you?

Janell: I’ve never taken creative writing classes. I’m learning as I write. It’s a slow process for me, so I get a little anxious trying to meet deadlines. Pray for peace in my spirit and the right words to entertain as well as encourage my readers.

Suzie: We will pray for balance, peace, and inspirations as you write more books. It has been a pleasure spending some time with you. Thank you for sharing with us this week.

The Day Sarah Ran Away 

A heartfelt tale of discovery and resilience when plans fall apart.

Sarah Goodwin loved her life as a stay-at-home mom, pouring her heart into every moment with her only daughter, Emma. But now, Emma is off at college and rarely visits or answers her calls, leaving Sarah feeling adrift in a sea of routines—no more soccer games, fundraisers, dress shopping, or birthday parties. As each monotonous day blends into the next, Sarah longs for something more.

When Emma announces she’ll be home for the summer to plan her wedding, Sarah is thrilled at the thought of shared dreams, endless to-do lists, and the promise of reconnecting. But her perfect summer quickly unravels when unexpected events send her on a daring journey with new companions—an adventure filled with twists, revelations, and surprises she never saw coming.

As Sarah journeys west, questions loom. What will her husband do when he discovers she’s gone? Where will this journey lead her? And most importantly, what lies ahead for Sarah now?

Amazon | Goodreads

Giveaway

Janell is giving one of our readers (US addresses only) a print copy of The Day Sarah Ran Away. To enter, leave a comment and tell us about your favorite vacation. Be sure to let us know how to contact you if you win the giveaway. The winner will be randomly drawn on Thursday, 9/25/25.