Interview with the Multi-Talented and Award-Winning Rachel Hauck!

 

I had the privilege of meeting Rachel Hauck about twelve years ago at an ACFW conference. I always admired her love for the Lord and her enthusiasm for writing. We got to sit down in a rare moment a few months ago and chat about all things writing, growing older, and how the message of a book can change the heart of a life. 

When I really got interested in Rachel's work was when she'd started writing royal romance. She's definitely written a library-full since then! One of her passions is helping fresh voices develop their skills. She recently collaborated with Carrie Padgett, who won a writing submission to earn the privilege of writing with Rachel! The result is their Heart's Bend Novel One Fine Day.

The sequel, You'll Be Mine is another collaboration won by Mandy Boerma. The generosity of Rachel's soul comes through not in just her writing but her life. Anyone getting to meet her or work with her is certain to be blessed. 

You can find a list of all her books here: Rachel's Books.

One book that Rachel suggested to me on the craft of writing is Susan May Warren's most recent: The Story Equation. I bought it immediately as soon Rachel showed it to me. You won't be disappointed! I could really see how this book puts all the best of Susan's writing workshops in one concise package. Be sure to add it to your library! 

It was exciting for me to get to visit with such a talented and anointed author like Rachel. Her openness and willingness to be vulnerable are precious traits I've long admired and appreciated in her. She expressed to me that she is learning to embrace change. She and I area about the same age, so we had some giggles about the surprises of getting older, and how some of our priorities have changed. Things like sleep, good food, and proper shoes. But most importantly, Rachel says she has grown to understand the depth of God's love as never before.

Not that she wasn't aware of it in the past.

But now, she really knows. 

It's true what they say. Some things just get better with time. Rachel's life and work are two such things.

Psalm 37:23-24 

“The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.”

Karla Akins is an author and teacher. You can take writing lessons from Karla on Outschool and TakeLessons. Follow on Instagram.

Carol Underhill Serves Others Through Words and Actions

 How about a warm welcome for this week's guest. I'm delighted to introduce you to Carol Underhill as she shares about her life and her Christmas novellas.

About Carol Underhill

Carol Underhill, lives in rural Michigan. She is mom to three adult children and a spoiled black Lab. Her household also includes several rescued cats. Carol enjoys quiet mornings and spending time with her family.

Carol writes sweet and Christian romance. She rewards herself for meeting her writing deadlines with a cup of Mackinac Island Fudge-flavored coffee.

Carol likes music of all kinds. She has a playlist for every mood. She enjoys finding new authors on Kindle and binge-reading all their books.

Connect with Carol at: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

SW: Welcome to the Diamond Mine, Carol. We’re grateful to have you this week and look forward to getting to know you. I always like to start with a couple book- and writer-themed would you rather questions.

So...would you rather write in a rooftop garden surrounded by city noises — or in a quiet studio with cows as your neighbors?

CU: I’d do better in a quiet studio in farm country, where I can shut myself off from the world and focus on my writing.

SW: It's hard to get away from distractions, isn't it?

Would you rather read a book with no page numbers or no chapter numbers?

CU: No page numbers, definitely. I like the way a new chapter takes you to a new scene or someone else’s thoughts.

SW: With the invention of e-readers many of us are already reading without page numbers, too.

Alright, that’s enough of the would you rathers. Tell us a little about you—family, hobbies, day job, or whatever you’d like to share that’s not in your bio.

CU: I work as a homemaker aide for the elderly as part of a nonprofit agency. I don’t get paid as much as other cleaning jobs might pay, but I like to be in service to individuals who have very few people in their lives.

I also write curriculum for children’s church and lead the class. It’s very fulfilling and fun.

I’ve been very open about my battle with depression and anxiety. I’ve shared my journey of the past few years on my blog. I also promote other Christian authors’ books. I have a blog series called Pet Tails about rescued cats and dogs and I’m always looking for new stories for it.

My blog is on my website: authorcarolunderhill.com

SW: I love that you're serving others in everything you mentioned.

Switching gears, what are three books on your current tbr?

CU: Lauraine Snelling’s series: Under Northern Skies. 

Rising Seas by Edie James. 

Grace that’s Greater Still by Michelle Massaro

SW: What does your writing space look like?

CU: It’s a desk in my living room that faces a blank wall, not very exciting. I have a calendar hanging beside it and a plaque that reads: “Write the book you want to read.” My drawers are filled with half-finished writing projects.

SW: If it makes you feel better, I do most of my writing on my couch.

Would you share with us a little about your road to publication?

CU: Certainly. I self-published a historical Christian fiction series beginning in 2007. By 2015 I had six books published in the series. I mostly sold them locally. 

I continued to write and submit stories to publishers but didn’t find any success.

In June 2019 I started writing a Christmas story that had been in my mind for a while. Then I found out on Twitter that Anaiah Press was looking for Christmas novellas. I finished mine and sent it in. They sent me a contract and published it in 2019. 

Since then, I have had a second holiday novella and a full-length contemporary romance published by Anaiah Press.

SW: What drew you to writing romance?

CU: I have my own fairy tale story, so it feels natural for me to write romance. I especially like to write about people who’ve lost their spouse and find love again.

SW: There's something timeless about falling in love at any stage in life, isn't there?

Tell us more about your latest release.

CU: My first novella, Angelica’s Christmas Wish, is about a widow who moves to Chicago for a fresh start. When she sees a car careening towards a little girl, she jumps in to save the child. She ends up in the hospital where she meets the child’s grateful father. They weren’t looking for romance, but it seems God brought them together for a reason. The daughter, Angelica, is precocious and entertaining. 

The sequel, Serena’s New Year’s Wish, was published in 2021.

 

SW: Readers, you can find out more about that sequel below.

How can we pray for you?

CU: I have a few book ideas rolling around in my mind, but I’m easily distracted. It seems I always have something more pressing to do than to sit at my desk and write. Prayers that I start giving equal time to writing fiction that I do for other projects would be appreciated. 

SW: Oh, how I can relate to that. We will be praying for you.

Thank you for visiting with us this week. It's been a pleasure chatting with you.

About the Book

When Serena Cole came to Chicago for a fresh start, she never imagined she’d save a little girl from getting hit by a car, or that her new boss would turn out to be the little girl’s father. Now, Serena must decide if she can work for the man she’s quickly falling in love with. Her heart has plenty of room for Mark and his daughter, but she wants more than he’s willing to give, and that could very well be a dealbreaker for her.

Mark Harper never wanted a second chance at love—until Serena came into his life. He’s certain she’s the one, but when she asks for the one thing he can’t give her, he’s not so certain of their future. Can he let go of his fear and give Serena the one thing she wants above all else, or will his inability to budge drive her away forever?

Amazon | Goodreads

Give Carol a warm Diamond Mine welcome in the comments and tell us when you like to start digging into the Christmas reads. 

Corralling Alicia Whittle's Debut Book, Dead Ringer Cowboy

I'm on my high horse this week, excited as a spring colt, to bring a brand new author moseying  your way! Not only is this her debut book, but she and I sat next to each other last month in a writing conference. I love meeting new writers, and Alicia Whittle is one interesting cowgirl. Her new book Dead Ringer Cowboy has hit the shelves! Let's jump in the rodeo and find out more about this new author.

PT: What drew you to writing and the genre you write in? 

AW: I remember reading Victoria Holt’s books when I was 13 years old from my school library. I think I was always a romantic, growing up with movies about knights and ladies, cowboys and cowgirls.

 PT: Give a little background on you as an author, where you grew up, where you live (area), what influenced you?

 AW: I grew up in St. Louis, but after marriage moved around a great deal falling into an administrative assistant career over the years. As an air force wife (my initials are afw), I spent part of those years living and traveling throughout Europe experiencing different cultures. The rest of my experiences with my husband, daughter and dogs were in the United States. I finally received my BA in English. I grew up watching cowboys on TV and fantasized about living in the West. My dream came true as I currently live in Colorado.

PT: You and I sat next to each other recently in a writing conference. What was the biggest positive take-away you had from being at the conference?

AW: First, you were so friendly! I think my biggest takeaway were the bits and pieces of things I didn’t know from each workshop session. I’ve been with ACFW for close to eight years, so this wasn’t my first conference. Networking was also a big takeaway for me and visiting with authors who don’t live in my state.

PT: How important is the Biblical message in your book? Does it happen intentionally, or does it happen spontaneously?

AW: I think in this case, it came spontaneously. My character ideas came first and then the “what if” portion caused the message to appear.

PT: Tell us the best book you’ve read recently.

AW: The Western Trail by G. L. Snodgrass

PT: You traveled in a fifth wheel for a number of years. Give us why you hungered to do such a thing, what it was like.

AW: My husband and I traveled for 13 years in our 39-foot fifth wheel. He was active-duty Air Force for almost 30 years, so I was accustomed to moving around. It was hard to give up our home and everything in it, but he wanted me to experience places I didn’t get to see like he did. The benefit was you always had everything with you, including our two dogs. We met fabulous people and made quite a few friends that we keep in touch with. The experience for me was priceless and contributed to ideas for writing.

PT: Give your favorite: season, color, clothing style, hobby, vacation spot.

AW: Winter, purple, tailored but feminine, baking, Colorado.

PT: Tell us how you came up with the idea for your first book, Dead Ringer Cowboy. 

 AW: While my husband and I were driving into a small town in Colorado during our RV years, I was studying his profile in the car. Thinking if I passed away and he met someone else that she’d be attracted to him because he looked like her first husband. The setting of the book was inspired by the area where we were staying at the time. The release date took many years as life interrupted us with health issues and the steps of pursuing publishing.

 PT: Tell five things about Alicia Whittle that have nothing to do with writing.

 AW:

1)       My Dad sent me to gymnastics at age 13 because I was too skinny.

2)       Learned how to sail in Hawaii.

3)       Didn’t finish my English degree until I was 53 years old.

4)       Ziplined in Alaska after retirement.

5)       Have owned dachshunds most of my life—am an avid dog lover.

 PT: What are your future writing plans? What book is coming next?

 AW: I plan to write two more books in this series, possibly three. The next one being Natalie’s Cowboy.

PT: Thank you, Alicia, for letting us have a peek into your life! And thanks so much for joining us here on The Diamond Mine.

YOU KNOW THE DRILL. Alicia is giving away a book, people. A free book! Yeehaw! Get those fingers ready and add a comment or leave a note on our contact form. Don't forget to leave your email address or I won't know what ranch you're from when you win. Ready? Type out those comments! Good luck to everyone!

Author Interview and Giveaway with Sara Davison!

Hi, guys! V. Joy Palmer here! Since we are all friends here, you guys can call me Joy. ;-) And one of my favorite things to do is talk with my friends at coffee shops then head to the bookstores. Yes, plural. After all, books and yummy drinks are the perfect combination! So consider this our virtual coffee shop. I'll wait a second for you to get your warm drink and a fuzzy blanket before we chat with today's guest. <3

Today we are going to pry into the private life of CHAT with Sara Davison, author of Forged!

Sara Davison is the author of four romantic suspense series—The Seven Trilogy, The Night Guardians, The Rose Tattoo Trilogy, and two sparrows for a penny, as well as the standalone, The Watcher. A finalist for more than a dozen national writing awards, she is a Word, Cascade, and Carol Award winner. She currently resides in Ontario with her husband, Michael, and their three mostly grown kids. Like every good Canadian, she loves coffee, hockey, poutine, and apologizing for no particular reason. Get to know Sara better at www.saradavison.org and @sarajdavison.

Visit Sara on her website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

Interview ~

This may be the most important question I ask -- no pressure or anything, LOL! 

*drum roll*

What are you drinking in our virtual coffee house? Coffee? Tea? Hot chocolate? Something else altogether?

Coffee. Always coffee. I am definitely not a morning person, so nothing happens before that first cup of hot, preferably hazelnut-flavored brew gets inhaled.

I can relate! If you could order anything in the world to eat (we can dream, can't we?), what would it be?

Greek food is my favorite, and my first choice for Greek food is chicken souvlaki, so that is definitely what I would order. Although Forged is set in Venezuela and Puerto Rico, and some of the food I researched from those countries sounded pretty amazing, so they would be on my to-try list now too.

Yum! Where is your favorite place to write, and why is that your favorite place? 

I have two places I love to write. The first is in a quiet coffee shop because I enjoy the aroma of coffee hanging in the air and the ability to people watch when I need to take a break from writing. My other top choice is my friend’s cottage on the water. Three of us authors spend a week there every two or three months, writing all day and then reading to each other in front of the woodstove at night and getting feedback on our latest chapters. Some of my best work has come out of those weeks at the cottage.

Those are #AWritersDreamSpot! Do you have an odd habit that is only explained by your bookish, writer tendencies? Safe space. ;-)

I don’t know if it’s odd, but my workspace always looks like a tornado tore through it, which drives my orderly husband crazy. It makes perfect sense to me, though. I know where everything is when I want it, and having too much neatness around me absolutely inhibits my creativity.

Haha! Hey, as long as it makes sense to you, right? What inspired you to write Forged? 

The Night Guardians was originally intended to be a two-book series. As I was working on Guarded, the second book, however, a new character inserted herself into the story. That led to the need for me to find someone to love poor sweet Mikayla, who had been through so much trauma in her life. Driven became the story of Mikayla and Puerto-Rican-Canadian Private Investigator Jax Rodríguez. As that story unfolded, it came out that Jax, who specialized in finding missing persons, had himself been searching for someone—his older brother, Diego—who had disappeared without a trace twenty years earlier. Of course, I couldn’t leave what had happened to his brother unanswered, so Forged, the story of Jax’s quest to find Diego or at least uncover what had happened to him so that he and his mamá could find closure, was born. As far as I know at this point, Forged does wrap up The Night Guardians Series, although you never know what spin-offs might happen down the road or how or when the characters in the series might pop up in other books.

How fun! What led you to write in this genre? 

I never made the conscious decision to write romantic suspense. All I knew was that I was drawn to writing contemporary Christian fiction, and when I sat down to write my first book, The Watcher, romantic suspense is what came out. Likely because it is my favourite genre to read. I love the balance between the edge-of-your-seat thrills, excitement, and trepidation of suspense along with the romance that heightens the sense of risk and increased potential loss for the characters, which, in turn, deepens the suspense. Nothing better than a book that keeps you up all night turning pages, desperate to find out what will happen and if the characters you love will somehow manage to survive and end up with their happily ever after.

Romantic suspense IS a lot of fun to read! What message do you hope to convey to your readers? 

While each of my books has a theme or themes of its own, the underlying truth threaded throughout every one of my stories is that we are never alone. Whatever we are going through—and my poor characters go through plenty—God is with us and has promised to never leave us or forsake us. This idea plays out especially strongly in Forged, as Jax goes from one life-threatening experience to another, and Mikayla has to let him go and trust that God will protect him and bring him safely home to her.

Great message! Can you tell us a little about your next project(s)? 

I am currently working on book two of a different series, two sparrows for a penny. This series has a human trafficking element and tells the stories of three foster sisters who ran away together one night and were all abducted by a trafficker who had been watching them, waiting for his opportunity. Book one, Every Star in the Sky, came out in March 2022, and book two, Every Flower of the Field, will release in February 2023. Every Bird that Falls comes out in 2024. The over-arching theme of this series is that, even in the darkest, most heinous situations imaginable, God is with these girls. He sees them, He knows their names (even though they use other ones during their captivity), and He watches over and protects them. A number of Christian authors have written novels featuring victims of human trafficking recently. I believe this is more than a trend; it is God, laying these precious women (and some men) on our hearts and compelling us to tell a fictional story that represents what real-life, modern-day slaves are experiencing every moment around the world, more right now than at any other point in human history. My hope and prayer for this series is that it will raise awareness of the prevalence of this unspeakable evil and inspire readers to pray for all those caught up in trafficking or to become even more involved through a reputable organization working for their freedom.

Safe is the most dangerous feeling of all.

For as long as she can remember, Rose Galway has been a captive, controlled by one man or another. To her, though, God is the one holding the keys, refusing to set her free despite the desperate pleas she has sent heavenward.

Detective Laken Jones has known hardship too, including the daily trauma of racism. Still, nothing he has gone through compares to what Rose has endured. He wants nothing more than for her to experience hope and healing and maybe even happiness in her life.

But first he has to find her.

Laken is willing to risk everything to set Rose free. And to help her find her way to God. Even if that means letting go of her—and the future he envisions for the two of them—forever.

Yes, yes, and yes! Do you have a favorite Bible verse or story that inspires you on a soul level? 

So many, but the two that speak to me most deeply are Psalm 103:10-14, “he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.” My other favourite passage is Revelation 21:3-4 - "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself with be with them and be their God. 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Both these passages fill me with hope, the first because it reminds me that, as hard as life is and as faithless as we are, God is patient and merciful towards us, and the second because of the promise that one day all things will be restored, and we will dwell in the presence of God forever.

Amen! What are you currently reading? Inquiring minds -- mine! -- want to know. ;-)

I am reading James Rubart’s, The Man He Never Was. I enjoy James’ writing because it is so original and unique and gripping. When I finish that, I am planning to jump into my first Lisa Phillips’s suspense – Cold Dead Night, which I’m really looking forward to as I’ve heard such great things about her books.

Great reads!

Thank you for answering all of my prying questions, Sara!

Giveaway ~

Sara has generously offered a paperback copy of Forged!

The one missing person he can’t find

is the one who matters the most.

Private Investigator Jax Rodriguez has been searching for his brother, Diego, for twenty years. When he stumbles upon another lead, he makes an agonizing decision—he will follow this last trail until it grows cold, and then he will marry the woman he loves and abandon his quest once and for all.

Artist Mikayla Grant is terrified of losing another person close to her, but she has to let Jax go after his brother. Given the secrecy surrounding Diego’s disappearance, clearly Jax is heading into danger. When all contact with him is abruptly cut off, can Mikayla trust that God’s promise to never leave nor forsake Jax will be enough to bring him safely home? Or does she need to take matters into her own hands?

As Jax attempts to survive the dangerous streets of Caracas, Venezuela, and then face the myriad of unknown threats in the El Yunque Rainforest in Puerto Rico, he is not the only one hunting down his brother.

A ruthless drug lord bent on revenge is using all his resources to discover the truth about what happened to Diego. If Jax can’t stay one step ahead of his pursuer, then he, like his brother, could disappear and never be heard from again. 

Rules, Info, and Such ~

The author is giving away a paperback copy of Forged!

This giveaway is open to the US and Canada! 

This giveaway will close on 10/13/22 at 12:00 A.M. for all the night owls.

A winner will be drawn within four days of close of giveaway. The winner must respond to our e-mails within one week of notification, or their prize will be forfeit. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Enter via the handy Rafflecopter link below. May the odds be ever in your favor. ;-)

RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY LINK!

See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer loves to write romantic and comedic stories that proclaim God’s deep love for us. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and an avid blogger. In her spare time, Joy loves to sing (especially Disney songs), drink large quantities of coffee, and take flowery photos for Bookstagram. When Joy isn’t fighting with fictional people, she’s hanging out with her husband and their adorable daughters. Connect with Joy via www.vjoypalmer.com!

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads, and Amazon Author Page!