Doubly Talented Author and Artist Jenelle Hovde

Hard cover copy of Winter Weather to be given away to one blessed reader! Stay tuned!

PT: Hi, Jenelle! Tell us a little background on yourself, how you started writing, and why you write in the genre you write in. And, for my curiosity and maybe for a few readers, how you pronounce your last name. 😉

 JH: Hi Peggy! Thank you so much for the chat! My last name is Norwegian, and it’s pronounced Huv-dee. I write in several genres, including Regency romance, historical biblical fiction, and World War II cozy mysteries with a time-split element. I’ve always loved reading and writing! My mother taught high school English and passed her passion for literature on to me.

 PT: What part of the country are you from, and what part of the country appeals to you the most? 

 JH: I’m a Canadian now living in Florida. My husband is a pastor of a small church, and we love the beach life! Florida truly feels like paradise.

PT: So jealous! I LOVE the beach. Okay. Fast get-to-know-you questions: country girl/city slicker? Pets/no pets? Coffee, tea, or something else? 

JH: I’m a Saskatchewan farm girl who also loves nature and shopping—I want both city and small-town living! I have two cats, Annabelle and Shadow. Shadow is a rescue kitty. I drink both coffee and tea! Mostly coffee, with a dash of heavy cream or coconut oil. My favorite authors include Mesu Andrews, Elizabeth Camden, Michelle Griep, Mimi Matthews, and Laura Frantz. I have a desk, but I’ll write anywhere I can find a good seat.

PT: I know the readers will be interested to know that you are not only are you gifted in writing, you also have a talent for art. Tell us more about that.

JH: I started painting to relax after a long day of homeschooling and writing. Several authors reached out to see if I offered commissions. Right now, I’m booked into October 2025 with clean fiction, fantasy, and historical fiction commissions. As long as I can tell a story with the art, I’m happy. I have the best clients! Readers who subscribe to my newsletter also get special prints just for them. Authors can find my portfolio at jenellehovdeauthor.com and reach out with any questions. I illustrate novels, book covers, character cards, and posters!

PT: And your paintings are amazing! I hope readers check them out. Now, several of your books are published by Guideposts. How can a reader be sure to get one of your books through Guideposts? 

JH: Two of my Guideposts novels are offered on Kindle Unlimited through Amazon: Eve’s Story: The First Daughter and Ruth and Naomi’s Story: A Harvest of Grace. Otherwise, readers can purchase my cozy mysteries at shopguideposts.org. Readers can buy individual books or sign up for the whole series! My upcoming Tyndale Regency Romance, No Stone Unturned, is available wherever books are sold. It releases July 15, 2025. 

PT: You’ve had several books come out recently: Ruth and Naomi's Story: A Harvest of Grace came in August,  Eve's Story: The First Daughter in September, Winter Weather comes out soon, and yet another, Among the Giants: Achsah’s Story, will release in early 2025. How do you manage such a heavy writing schedule? 

JH: Honestly, I had to make significant changes because my brain felt like mush. I stopped reading the news and scrolling social media. I cut all sugar and highly processed foods, focusing instead on natural foods like meat and fruit. I also started working out to take care of my body and mind. I’ve learned to say yes or no to opportunities, no matter how amazing they seem. I’ve made some mistakes along the way, especially while homeschooling. I’m still learning to balance my life better, but cutting distractions and taking care of my health has proven helpful. I stick to a tight schedule as well. 

PT: Let’s focus on Winter Weather. Give a rundown of what this Christmas novel is about, where it’s set, its cast of characters, and where readers can get a copy. 😊

JH: Readers can purchase Winter Weather at shopguideposts.org. It’s book nineteen in the Whistle Stop Café Mysteries series.

Christmas in Dennison is a magical time, and Debbie Albright is determined to make this holiday season perfect. To kick off the festivities, Debbie and her friends will be performing in a live Nativity on the Christmas train, which will be filmed by the TV show Days of Yesteryear! When local businessman Ricky Carosi shows her a Nativity scene his great-uncle painted, Debbie is thrilled to display such a beautiful piece in the Whistle Stop Café. The painting’s history reveals the Carosi family’s involvement with the Italian resistance in the 1940s. But then the painting is stolen! With a list of suspects—including Ricky’s contentious cousin, Leo, and high-handed TV host, Maurice Devons—will Debbie and her best friend, Janet Shaw, be able to recover it? Or will Debbie’s Christmas gift to Ricky be the news that she lost his family’s priceless heirloom?

PT: What Biblical concept would you say Winter Weather focuses on?

JH: Winter Weather focuses on standing up for what’s right, even when societal pressures make it hard. Defying the Nazis took tremendous courage. The novel also touches on forgiveness and grace when family lets us down. 

PT: Tell five things fast about Jenelle Hovde that have nothing to do with writing.

JH: I’m a pastor’s wife and teach Sunday school to amazing kids! I was once a doctor of Audiology but chose to leave my career to homeschool—no regrets! I’m still Canadian. I married a Marine. And I love Jane Austen films.

PT: What direction are you going in next?

JH: I’m currently writing book two of my Bluestocking Series for Tyndale. My first book, No Stone Unturned, releases July 15, 2025, wherever books are sold.

It’s about a vicar’s daughter who discovers a Roman mosaic in a field. She wants to uncover the past. He wishes to build a future. Set in the rolling hills of West Sussex, this Regency romance follows two opposing wills as they discover that their fate may lie in the common ground. Miss Bridget Littleton’s passion for history defies social conventions, even in her small village. 

When a farmer uncovers an elaborate mosaic in his field, Bridget dreams of making a name for herself by restoring the Roman ruins. Unfortunately, her quest puts her at odds with the new lord who recently inherited the title and Hawthorn Abbey. Captain Rafe Hawthorn, recovering from wounds both physical and emotional, is determined to restore his neglected ancestral home. His plans to revive the abbey’s orchards require a road straight through Bridget’s trove of artifacts. He won’t—can’t—fail again, no matter how moved he is by Bridget’s passion. Yet this impasse might not be their greatest obstacle. 

A natural disaster and a series of suspicious accidents threaten their plans and the livelihood of the villagers who depend on them. With their dreams on the line, Bridget and Rafe must join forces to fend off an unexpected enemy more dangerous than either could have imagined.

It's a sweet Regency romance filled with hope, faith, and an enemies-to-lovers dynamic—perfect for fans of Julie Klassen, Sarah Ladd, or Abigail Wilson. I also have another biblical fiction piece, Achsah’s Story: Among the Giants, releasing next year with Guideposts Fiction.

PT: Wow, so many books for readers to enjoy! Thank you, Jenelle for stopping by and sharing your books with us.

Jenelle is giving away one hard cover copy of Winter Weather! Please comment that you are interested in being entered into our giveaway or leave your info on our contact form.

 

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Meet Speculative Author Erin R. Howard

 

It is my pleasure to introduce you to one of my favorite people, Erin R. Howard! I met her in a writing group, and found out we had grown up about 10 miles from one another! 

As this post comes live, Erin and I are traveling to Hot Springs, Arkansas for ScrivCon 2024, a writing conference hosted by our publisher, Scrivenings Press LLC. I have a feeling there will be some fun going on during this trip!

A little bit about Erin:

Erin R. Howard is the award-winning fantasy author of Window of Time and the Managing Editor for Expanse Books, an imprint of Scrivenings Press. Her other titles include The Kalila Chronicles (YA urban fantasy) and The Gates of Deceit (dystopian) series.

When she’s not writing or editing, Erin loves playing video games with her husband, watching movies with her children, and fueling her many craft addictions. Erin has a Creative Writing degree and is a member of Realm Makers, RagTag Writers, and Once Upon a Page. She resides in Western Kentucky with her husband and three children.

Welcome, Erin! I'm so happy to have you on our blog today! Let's dive in ...

What inspired you to write, initially, and what encouraged you to continue?

 

I started writing in middle school, so the love of reading initially inspired me to write. I loved to get lost in story worlds and I wanted to be able to create my own. As I got older, that want turned more into a need. I had so many ideas, characters, and worlds that just needed to be let out. The stories just had to be told. Now, when readers message me or tell me that they couldn’t put my book down, or if there’s something that touched them as they were reading—that keeps me writing.

 

Do you look on writing as a “calling?” 

 

I definitely do. It is what I was always supposed to do, even though I pursued several different careers and majors. LOL! But I believe God gave me the talent and love for writing for a reason, specifically writing clean books. While I love Christian books and stories, I didn’t want to be put in a box. I want my faith to shine through, shed light in a dark world, and let readers know that there is hope. I want to reach readers who may not pick up a “Christian” book but will pick up a clean read, and then let God speak to their hearts.

 

I totally agree! When I write, I write about people like me, therefore being a Christian is just part of their lives without preaching!

 

If you were on a deserted island with a laptop and no wifi, what are two programs or apps you would have to have on your computer?

 

The Sims. I’ve played that game since the very first moment it came out. Also, Microsoft Word. I have to have a place to write!

Oh, my! My daughters loved The Sims! I remember once they couldn't get rid of the "nanny" and had to go to extreme measures to make her go away! LOL!! MS Word is a must for me, too! (and could I maybe sneak Canva in? ;)

Thanks, Erin! 

Here's the blurb for Window of Peace, book 4 of the Stained Glass Legacy series, of which I'm a part, too! Erin was a finalist in the Selah awards for this book, and it was such a great addition to the series!

A kingdom in the future, a girl from the past, and a stained-glass window that can’t be found.

Mia Miller just needed a moment to breathe and admire the stained-glass window in the chapel before she had to plaster on a fake smile for her only sister’s wedding reception. Her artist’s eye drew her to the window but something else entirely made her fall through it. Now she’s stuck in a strange land, a different time, mistaken for a princess, and the stained-glass window nowhere to be found.

With Rebels stealing his Kingdom’s low food supplies, Prince Liam Dunne agrees to an Engagement to secure better trading routes. When the princess arrives without a shred of luggage or her entourage but plenty of anxiety, his heart has a hard time staying out of it. Princess Amelia challenges what he believes in—in a world where faith is eradicated. But when the truth comes out about her true identity, will he have the courage to live up to his family’s legacy?

Here's how you can learn more about Erin and her books! Connect with her today!

https://www.facebook.com/E.R.H.Fiction

https://www.instagram.com/erinrhoward/

https://www.tiktok.com/@erinrhoward

www.erinrhoward.com

www.scrivenings.link/windowoftime