The Diamond Mine of Christian Fiction: Interview and GIVEAWAY with Megan Besing, author of Expired Hope!

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 Megan Besing, author of Expired Hope!

Despite always adoring happily-ever-afters, Megan Besing didn't unlock a love for reading until her mid-twenties, which quickly expanded into writing. Her own stories have won many awards, including the Selah for her novella, Perfect for the Preacher, along with the Pre-published Maggie for The Rancher's Want Ad Mix-up which landed #5 on PW's Religion Fiction list. And now she's thrilled to be a Sunrise Publishing author. However, her most cherished achievements are being a wife and mother.

She lives in a pocket-size Indiana town, centered around extended family, where she's always planning a road trip with a view. Yet, her favorite place may just be on her front porch drinking tea. Connect with Megan at meganbesing.com.

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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?

My drink order preference would be tea first, then a hot chocolate (especially, if it’s snowy.) and lastly, coffee.

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

Oh, this is hard. I’m not sure where to begin, but it would probably involve a starch. Potatoes, for example. I love mashed potatoes, but some homemade French fries with some cheese sauce sounds lovely. Which then would lead me to a soft pretzel with cheese. And then fried cheese with marinara. Then I may just circle back to some breadsticks with cheese sauce. So basically, cheese and a starch. But a fresh no bake cookie sounds nice right now too. Lol.

All the best answers involve cheese and a starch! Where is your favorite place to write, and why is that your favorite place?

I have what I call my writing room. However, it’s less like a room and more like an outdoor shed. Originally, my husband built a tiny building at my in-laws to be used as a greenhouse. (Pretty much the entire front is covered in windows and a glass door.) Recently, my in-laws no longer wanted it, so they moved the building to our house, and we put it by our lake. My husband then put electricity in there for me to run my computer and also a fan or heater depending on the weather. My writing “shed” is just large enough for a desk on one side and a lawn chair on the other, but it’s quiet, and I love looking out at the water while I’m writing.

I'd like to borrow your writing shed! LOL! Do you have an odd habit that is only explained by your bookish, writer tendencies? Safe space. ;-)

Hmmm, I don’t know if this is considered odd, but ever since I’ve started writing, I can predict most movie endings. Maybe an odder thing would be that if I see that someone in my family has left a book open and face down to “keep” their page. I will grab some kind of book mark and slip it in that page and then close the book, because I don’t want the binding “stretched.”

You're a hero for saving all those bindings! What inspired you to write Expired Hope?

I knew I wanted my heroine, Natalie, to be a veteran. My husband is a veteran and so based on my experience as an army wife living on army bases, I thought I could bring an authentic feel to her character. The first scene sparked from something my husband once shared with me after a deployment. I want to share more, but I don’t want to ruin anything in the story. So, I’ll just encourage you to read the special reader’s note at the end once you finish Macon and Natalie’s story.

Well, I'm hooked! What led you to write in this genre?

I like suspense shows, but I was a little afraid to try and write a suspense novel. I had been a historical author before, but when Sunrise Publishing announced a mentor opportunity with a suspense author, I thought this could be a perfect opportunity to learn. And I’m so glad I made the jump into suspense. It has really grown me as a writer, and I think this story may just be my best one yet.

That's awesome! What message do you hope to convey to your readers?

We are all flawed people looking for fulfillment, love, peace, and hope. And all of that can only be found in Christ.

Great message! Can you tell us a little about your next projects?

I’m working on a secret unannounced suspense story. Stay tuned to my social media and my newsletter for that information which I hope to share soon. But outside of that, I’m also working on a contemporary romance, and if I ever find time, I need to edit a historical too. But until then, you can check out my published historical, The Rancher’s Want Ad Mix-up. It’s about a heroine who thinks she’s answering an ad for a teaching position, but really, it’s a mail-order bride ad placed by the unexpecting groom’s parents.

Lots of exciting stories! Do you have a favorite Bible verse or story that inspires you on a soul level?

My go to verse is Proverbs 3:5-6. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart…” That verse seems to cover all the things that pop up in my life from my worries to fears to hopes. It reminds me of what my priorities should be and also who holds the future.

For my book Expired Hope, I used the verse : "But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you. Psalm 39:7 NIV. My characters, Macon and Natalie, learn that their hope needs to be placed in God alone.

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

I’m reading Tunnel Creek Ambush by Kerry Johnson and The Baby Inheritance Tina Radcliffe.

Awesome! Thank you for answering all of my prying questions, Megan!

Check out Megan's new release, Expired Hope!

Fire. Family. Faith.

A fire chief, a woman in danger, a forbidden love...can it survive the flames of revenge?

She's running to a fresh start...

Veteran and therapist Natalie Atkinson just wants to help heroes survive their past. But when she's rescued from a fire...and falls for the one person she's supposed to help...she could destroy both their futures.

It's his last chance to get it right...

Fire Chief Macon James is the right man for the job--he just has to prove it to the counselor who is signing off on his team. What he doesn't expect is to fall for her.

But danger is stalking her and someone is going to get hurt.

So, he'll have to protect her, without crossing any lines. And she'll have to make sure that she doesn't get him killed.

A romantic suspense with a heroic but wounded fire chief, a woman on the run, secrets, a forbidden love, and a plot that will keep you guessing.

Grab a copy of Expired Hope HERE!

Giveaway ~

Megan has generously offered an Expired Hope Bookmark and Mini Scripture Notebook for two US winners!

Rules, Info, and Such ~

The author is giving away an Expired Hope Bookmark and Mini Scripture Notebook for each of the two winners!

This giveaway is open to the US only!

This giveaway will close on 5/18/23 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. ;-)

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE!

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!