INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR OLIVIA SYKORA!!

Today we welcome author Olivia Sykora to The Diamond Mine!!

She's going to tell us about her book,  Son of the Mountain King (Book one of The Mountain King Trilogy), and about herself!

Welcome to the Diamond Mine Olivia!

 Can you tell us a little about your book?

Son of the Mountain King is an allegorical fantasy about what I believe is the greatest love and adventure story: the love of God for people. 

Judah is the young governor of the land of the Mountain King.  She longs to prove her worth, but when an enemy threatens to invade her country, Judah is faced with secrets, betrayals , and a conspiracy that may prove the undoing of herself and her people. Readers have said that Son of the Mountain King reminds them of The Chronicles of Narnia and Till We Have Faces (C.S. Lewis), Hind's Feet on High Places (Hannah Hurnard), Israel, My Beloved (Kay Arthur), and the fairytales of George MacDonald.  

Here's a bit more about the book for our readers to enjoy:

When an invasion threatens the land of the Mountain King, the fate of the people rests on the shoulders of young governor Judah. She has sworn to prove herself a skillful leader by protecting her kingdom from foes, but difficulty and danger surround her.

Then Judah's life is saved by two different men who divide her loyalty. One, a fascinating healer, captures the hearts of Judah and her people. The other, a mysterious shepherd, forces Judah to question what she believes to be true.

When a conspiracy comes to light that could destroy Judah and her kingdom, a single choice might cost her people everything. Will the headstrong leader prove herself--or find herself trapped?

Sounds really cool!! How did you get your idea for this story?

While I was reading my devotions one morning, the comparison of Christ's love for His people being like that of a husband for his wife struck me in a new way.

I thought, what if the entire story of the Bible were told as a simple love story, a fairytale  that speaks the truth of the greatest love story ever? The seed of SOMK grew from there.

Wow! Isn't it amazing how inspiration works?

What made you decide to be a writer?

Like many authors, I have always loved writing. However, as an English teacher I was content to work with my students on their writing and maintain a sporadic blog on the side. My dabbling in prose took a sharp turn in 2018, when I joined a worldwide challenge to write a novel draft in 30 days. It was a heady experience. I was hooked. The rough draft of Son of the Mountain King came into being the following year during my second writing challenge.

That's how my first published novel started out, from that November challenge!

What was your first story?

My first novel manuscript--which to date remains on a shelf--was the one that pulled me into the dream of becoming a published author. This story, which I outlined on the whiteboard in front of my students as an example of how to "raise the stakes" for their own stories, developed in a wild, spontaneous way that was just plain fun. It became a rollicking, modern-day adventure that is quite different from the Mountain King trilogy.

Sounds like you and your students had a lot of fun with that!

Do you write from an outline, or just from inspiration, or both?

As other mixed-bag writers might say: yes. A story idea will come to me, and I'll let it simmer for a while, sometimes years. When it's time to write the story, I create a rough outline. But in the middle of being written, the story starts to shift and twist under inspirational seismic events. When the dust settles, the beginning and end points may be the only parts of the story that haven't undergone massive changes.

Such a great description of that process. I love the term "inspirational seismic events." It's perfect!

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

In the end, hope and love. This story speaks of the most important fact in the world: God loves us, every one of us. May a fragrance of that love and the hope stemming from it envelop every reader.

Amen to that!!

Do your characters share any traits with you or someone you know?

I'm sure they do! Not intentionally, but when I look back over a draft, many of the characters' struggles, hopes, and fears are my own or those of people I love.

Do your characters ever surprise you?

Definitely. Writing the story of these characters is like developing a friendship. I might think I know everything about someone, then boom! they do something that reveals a deeper layer. I discovered steadfast, sacrificial courage in a character who was sensible and laid back. A minor character who didn't even exist in initial drafts became a central figure in the second book. One character that I detested in the first book became a favorite of mine by the end of the second.

I love that! I've experienced the same things. It's surprising and delightful!

Do you have a favorite character in your books?

Of course, I love my main characters. But a side character I've always been partial to is Hilda, a friend of the narrator. She's a confident introvert with a dry sense of humor and an iron backbone when it comes to good vs. evil.

I bet readers will love her, too!

What are you working on now?

Book three of the trilogy is in the works as we speak! I have continued to use the 30-day method for creating a novel rough draft, and I'm almost halfway through at this point. There's a very different kind of world building going on in this story, and I'm enjoying the challenge.

And I've really enjoyed this interview, and getting to know you and your book. Thanks so much, Olivia!! 

Here's some more about Olivia, along with her links:

Olivia Sykora has always been fascinated by allegorical stories. C.S. Lewis sits on the top of her favorite authors list, and then George MacDonald with his glorious fairytales. Hannah Hurnard's classic story, Hind's Feet on High Places, became a significant allegory in Olivia's life and faith journey, and she searched for further books that could communicate spiritual truths through accessible, exciting stories.Now, Olivia has crafted a new allegorical fantasy for modern readers to enjoy. Son of the Mountain King, the first book in the Mountain King trilogy tells the greatest love and adventure story: the love of God for His people.

Here's a short bio:

Olivia is an author, globe-trotter and educator. While traveling through 30+ countries, her adventures have ranged from exploring Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, to dining with Roma royalty in Romania, to summitting Tanzania's Mt. Kilimanjaro. Olivia taught middle school English for many years before retiring to raise her kids and to write. She lives with her husband and two daughters in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, where they hike, kayak, and explore.

Links:

Website: www.orsykora.com

Amazon: https://us.amazon.com/Son-Mountain-King-Trilogy/dp/1522305157

Barnes &Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/son-of-the-mountain-king-or-sykora/1147648895?ean=9781522305156

Apple Books:

https://books.apple.com/us/book/son-of-the-mountain-king/id6744548609

Pelican:

https://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main page=product info&cPath=34 102&products id=1716

Socials:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orsykora/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/18VzUe8Dxd/?mibextid=wwXIfr 

Interview with Publisher weekly best-selling author Tabitha Bouldin

Join me in welcoming Publisher's weekly best-selling author, Tabitha Bouldin to the Diamond mine! Tabitha has so many amazing Chrisian Romance novels . If you haven’t had the chance to enjoy her Love Inspired “Forgiving the Cowboy,” yet, definitely treat yourself. Tabitha's newest book, "The Rancher's Stolen Past" is the newest book in that Love Inspired Series and releases in March. I can't wait to read it, and hear what she has to share about it. Without further ado, here’s Tabitha!

Tabitha Bouldin has a bachelor's degree in creative writing/English from Southern New Hampshire University. She's a Publishers Weekly bestselling author and an avid reader. When she's not homeschooling her kids, you'll find her curled up with a book. Tabitha's genre of choice is Contemporary Christian Romance which she describes as: Adventure with heart.

First let’s learn a little bit about you. Can you share a few things about yourself that have nothing to do with writing? 

 Oh, that’s a fun one. Let’s see. I worked for over a decade in a doctor’s office as a medical assistant before leaving to be a stay-at-home mom. I have two kids that I homeschooled, and I’ve been married for twenty-three years. I love coffee. Like seriously more than is healthy. I’ve never met an animal I don’t like, and when I was little, I dreamed of being an equine vet. 

  I, too, love coffee :) You are in good company! What drew you to write? 

I’m one of those people who had a story idea that wouldn’t let go. I dreamed of being published by Love Inspired, since they produce some of my favorite cowboy books, and after years of work and prayer, God saw fit to allow me to achieve that dream. I love storytelling. There’s a beauty in it that lingers long after the tale is told.

That’s amazing! I have a feeling God placed that story on your heart for a reason. What’s your writing process? 

Controlled chaos. I set goals for myself so that I have my best chance at meeting deadlines, and I love outlining. But I also seem to reach a point in the outline where I stop listening to what I’ve told myself to write and let the story take me wherever it needs to go. I write every day. Even on days when I say I’m going to take a day off, I find myself at the computer or sitting down with a pen and paper because I can’t seem to stop writing. 

I feel the same way about outlining. Sometimes the characters start to decide haha. How do you come up with your story ideas? 

Stories are everywhere. I have always had a vivid imagination and a desire for creativity. A lot of what I write comes from “What if?” questions. I like to wonder what would happen in this instance or that instance, and all of those questions eventually lead me to an idea with enough backbone to hold up a story. 

Tell us about your new release. 

The Rancher’s Stolen Past is book three in my first Love Inspired series. It’s about the youngest daughter in a set of siblings who has suffered the loss of her husband and is struggling with the idea that it never should have happened. While she has been the one touting forgiveness to her older siblings, when it comes time for her to forgive the man she holds responsible for her husband’s death, she discovers that it’s much harder than she realized. It's the kind of story that hit me right in the heart because forgiveness is one of the more difficult things for me. Sadly, I’m the type who will potentially hold a grudge when wronged. It’s not something that I like about myself, and I pray that God works through my stories to help me become a better person and Christian. 

Forgiveness can be hard! I can’t wait to read this story. Are there certain themes explored in the story? 

Forgiveness is the obvious one for The Rancher’s Stolen Past. There are myriad ways that forgiveness can sneak past us or be denied, and I wanted to look at that from the perspective of a character who thought she had it all under control, only to realize she’s been hiding the truth from herself for years. 

 Do you have any favorite characters in your books? Tenley will always be a favorite. She’s one of the siblings in this series, and her story was written from a place of deep hurt in need of redemption. 

What are you working on now?

I just finished my fourth book for Love Inspired and I’m plotting the next one for that series while also editing my first book for Bethany House. I try and keep my work on a loop so that I’m constantly either writing or editing for an upcoming release. I love to be busy! 

That explains how you have so many amazing books! When you’re not writing, what do you enjoy doing? 

As expected, I love reading. I’m a genre hopper, so I’ll read a little bit of everything. Aside from that, I thoroughly enjoy getting out with my camera and taking pictures and spending time with family. 

Thanks for joining us, Tabitha

Check out Tabitha's Newest Book

A man in search of redemption.
A love he will fight to deserve.

Coming home isn’t easy for cowboy Zane Kingsley—but he’s eager to earn back the trust of the woman he never stopped loving. Single mom Molly Jacobs is still grieving the husband she lost six years ago, and the last person she wants to see is the man she blames for his death. When they’re forced to work together at a summer riding program for kids, Molly can’t help but notice the growing bond between Zane and her young son. Can Zane convince her that he’s a changed man and that he’s worthy of her forgiveness…and her love?

Pre-order: https://a.co/d/7hOj3zc

Want to connect with Tabitha?

www.instagram.com/tabithabouldin

www.facebook.com/tabithabouldinauthor

www.tiktok.com/@tabithabouldin_author

https://sendfox.com/tabithabouldin

Kim Griffin Spills the Tea on her Favorite Things and her New Novel

Hi readers! It's me again, and I'm peppering this week's featured author for a list of her favs. Kim Griffin, a huge Jane Austen fan, joins us to talk about what's going on in her life and her new book Not Quite Mr. Knightly. (PS. Her next novel, Not Quite Miss Austen drops on Jan. 31st.)

PT:  Hi, Kim! So let’s start on page one. What genre do you write in and why?

KG: I write Christian women’s fiction with romance. Most of my books are contemporary, but there is a 1970s book and a 1955 book. I love to craft stories that point Christian women to Christ and encourage them to read His Word.

I also love a good romance story, but always want readers to understand that though a godly romance is very satisfying, it will never completely fulfill our desire to be loved and will never be perfect. Only God can love us perfectly and fill those empty places. When we go into a relationship and ultimately marriage understanding this, we learn to gain our significance from Christ and not our spouse. This frees us up to love them better and strengthens us when our spouse fails us (because they are not perfect).

I also write devotionals, and I’m working on a Bible study. This is a natural outpouring of my years of studying scripture and leading Bible studies. I’ve been leading Bible studies since my freshman year in college, so I’m in my 37th year! I advocate for inductive Bible studies, which teach people to study deeply using God’s word as the primary source and uncover God’s truths for themselves.

 PT: Is there any genre you secretly would like to write in?

KG: Christian Regency romance. I love Regency romance but it is intimidating because there are so many who have gone before me in that genre, including those, like Jane Austen, who lived through it. I worry I will get the details wrong. Eventually, I will try it.

PT: What drew you to become a writer, and what’s the best thing about the writing process for you?

KG: I’ve been making up stories for as long as I can remember. I was almost five by the time my twin brother and sister were born, and at that time I had a whole cast of imaginary friends and family that I made up stories about. I was just too young to write them down. I wrote a number of short stories throughout my younger years and even wrote a couple of plays for my siblings and neighbor friends to perform.

In sixth grade,  I convinced my best friends to help me put together a “newspaper” for our grade, and we wrote stories and articles for it. In middle school, my creative passion moved to interior design.

I was always a reader, though, and as an adult, it wasn’t until my oldest two children had graduated from homeschool and my third was taking dual enrollment classes that I had time to read for myself and not just books for their schooling. In 2019 I discovered an online writing platform, and it had a lot of non-Christian garbage, but there were a few Christians there. I decided I could put some of the ideas that were always bouncing around in my head into story form and use it as a platform to share Christ.

At the time, I had no aspirations of publishing my books, though people suggested I should publish. Eventually, I realized that my reach there was limited as the platform became less popular, and God kept placing people in my path through social media who were independent authors. I did some research, prayed, and felt like God was laying everything before me to begin publishing my books. Not Quite Mr. Darcy was my first published book, and I just celebrated it’s two-year anniversary on October 18.

PT:  Do you have a genre do you enjoy reading the most?

KG: Most any Christian fiction with romance. I read a little of almost every type of book except horror, and I’m picky about fantasy. I love historical, mystery, and books with unexpected twists and turns in stories.

PT: I love music so let me ask what your favorite song is right now?

KG: I have a couple that are very different. The first is Andrew Peterson’s “Is He Worthy.” I love that it puts me before the throne, worshipping and longing to be face to face with my Savior. The second is “Dusty Bibles” by Josiah Queen. It is a reminder that we are constantly distracted by electronics and should pick up our Bibles and spend time with God.

PT: I’m stuck on a favorite list now, LOL. Favorite verse?

KG: I have so many, but I’ll share a section in Hebrews and my writing verse from Romans 15.

Hebrews 12:1-3 ESV - 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

I love the way Hebrews beautifully ties together the Old and New Testaments. In fact, I have a lot of verses from Hebrews in my Starry Night: Christmas Advent Devotional. But these particular verses remind me to keep my eyes on Jesus and lay aside and ignore the things that distract me from what He has called me to do in my time here on earth. I’m reminded of the faith of those who have gone before me (those listed in the chapter before). And most meaningfully, I’m reminded that Jesus endured the cross for me and each believer—we were the joy before Him that spurred Him to go on.

I’d also like to share my writing verse. Romans 15:13 ESV - 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

This is the verse I use as my theme verse for writing—both my fiction and nonfiction. In my nonfiction, I strive to lay out important truths in scripture that will strengthen your relationship with God and help you understand those truths so you will have joy and peace in Him! My fiction takes characters through hard things and brings them to a place where they see God is the only one to place their hope in, and they also have glimpses of His mercy (not getting what they deserve) and grace (getting what they don’t deserve or God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense).

PT: Favorite drink?

KG: Hot tea. I love both herbal and caffeinated teas with no sugar or cream. Right now I’m loving Lady Grey tea. I’ve never been a coffee drinker, though I love the smell, and it reminds me of growing up since my parents drank it.

PT: Favorite season?

KG: Summer. I love to run around in shorts and flip-flops, and I get cold easily. I thrive when it’s above 70. In the winter I have to wear so many layers and I want to hibernate.

PT: Favorite holiday?

KG: As an adult, Easter because it’s easier to focus on Jesus. I love Christmas, but there’s so much commercialism around it, and so much is always scheduled that time of year that it is real work to carve out quiet times with God. That’s how I ended up writing my Starry Night: Christmas Advent Devotional. It was a way to slow my mind down and focus on Jesus in the midst of the Christmas chaos.

PT: Favorite Fictional character?

KG: Elizabeth Bennet—I love her introspection and dry wit.

PT: Now MY favorite prompt. Tell 5 things about Kim Griffin that have nothing to do with writing.

KG: My degree is in Interior Design / Interior Architecture.

I was a homeschool mom, but all of my children have now graduated. My youngest just did in May!

I have 4 children; the youngest is adopted from Haiti, and two grandchildren.

I’m a city girl living in a rural community in middle Tennessee, and we have a few beef cows (I leave that up to my husband. LOL).

I love to cook healthy food, but I will eat a delicious dessert now and then, especially if it’s chocolate.

PT: Tell us how you started the Not Quite Series.

KG: I’ve loved Jane Austen’s books for years and had read Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Sense and Sensibility many times. But I always wished Jane had put a faith message in them. As much as I enjoy a good love story, I know that our culture often builds up romance and romantic love as the ultimate goal in life—as if we will be fully satisfied once we find our person. That creates an unrealistic burden on marriages and relationships because our spouses are not perfect. 

I had written several books that I hadn’t published before I decided to publish, and in my first published book I wanted to marry the idea of the perfect Mr. Darcy, who generations of women have swooned over, with the realism that no man except Jesus can love us perfectly. That was my idea behind Not Quite Mr. Darcy. I didn’t intend for it to be a series at first, but when I was partway through, the idea for Not Quite Colonel Brandon formed. The stories kept coming.

PT: How do Jane Austen’s books connect with yours?

KG: None of the series books are anywhere near retellings, but they each have nods to the books that correspond with the name. Each of the main characters also enjoys the books that correspond with the name. In the back of each book, I have a QR code for an extras/trivia page on my website that tells its connections with the corresponding Jane Austen book. It also gives fun details about how I came up with ideas, other Easter eggs, and details I found when researching the book.

PT: Tell the readers more about Not Quite Mr.Knightly.

KG: Here’s the tagline and blurb:

A runaway bride

A marriage of convenience

A love worth fighting for

While interning at the U.S. Embassy in London, Nancy Wilson, a spirited Southerner from Greenville, South Carolina, thought she’d found her very own Mr. Knightley—straight from the pages of Emma.

Yet on the eve of her wedding day, a devastating letter from her future father-in-law shatters her dreams, leaving her with a heart-wrenching decision. Opting to leave London, Nancy returns to the familiarity of Greenville, only to be haunted by regret and a longing to reclaim her lost love. After attempting reconciliation and facing an unexpected rejection, she questions everything she once believed.

Back home, Nancy must grapple with newfound challenges, testing her resilience and faith. Amidst her broken heart, she encounters a surprising proposal that could change her life forever—a marriage of convenience that may hold the key to finding her true Mr. Knightley. This tale of love, loss, and self-discovery will resonate with anyone who has ever yearned for a love story worth fighting for.

Set in 1970, Not Quite Mr. Knightley is the third book of the Not Quite Series and can be read as a standalone, though it’s best enjoyed after reading Not Quite Colonel Brandon. While not a retelling of Emma, this story contains elements Austen fans will appreciate.*

PT: Ahhh, the tea tastes great! And that cover is sweeter than sugar. You can get your copy of Not Quite Mr. Knightly today by following the links or visiting your favorite bookstore, or you can stay around for the free book given to one lucky person who leaves a comment. 

Thanks, Kim for visiting the Diamond Mine of Christian Fiction and spilling the tea about your new novels!

 

*Content Warning: This book contains characters who consider abortion and who have an abortion in their past. Abortion is discussed several times from a Christian perspective, emphasizing forgiveness and healing in Christ. If you have an abortion in your past, please read the resources section at the end of the book and visit DeeperStill.org for free Christ centered retreats.

Interview with award-winning and best-selling author Sarah Hamaker!

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 before heading 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 award-winning and best-selling author Sarah Hamaker!

Award-winning and best-selling author Sarah Hamaker loves writing books “where the hero and heroine fall in love while running for their lives.” She’s written romantic suspense novels and nonfiction books, as well as stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul volumes. As a writers coach, her heart is encouraging writers. Her podcast, “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” can be found wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Connect with Sarah on her website, newsletter, Facebook, Book Bub, Goodreads, and Amazon Author Page!

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?

Hot tea all the way! I love a good cuppa of black tea. Some of my favorite blends of black tea are Earl Grey Supreme, cranberry black, blueberry black, and Scottish Afternoon. Add a little sugar and a splash of cream—the perfect drink for writing.

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

This is a hard one for me because I’m not a huge foodie—I’m more like my late father in that he ate to live, not lived to eat (not that I don’t like to eat, just not super picky about what I’m eating). But if I could order anything in the world, it would be a juicy cheeseburger made with grassfed beef and cooked medium rare with crispy, lightly breaded onion rings on the side.

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

My office because I have a comfortable chair, a split keyboard and large monitor. I can also shut the door if I need a little peace and quiet. But I do my best thinking there.

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

I have a reader’s vocabulary. At least, that’s my mother’s explanation for the fact that I have trouble pronouncing (and spelling, if we’re being honest) some words. I wasn’t taught phonics as a child and always read above my grade level, so I’d pronounce things in my head and usually that was not how those words are actually pronounced. Even today, I’ll substitute a “smaller” word for the “bigger” one in my head because I’m not sure how to correctly say it.

I can definitely relate. What inspired you to write Justice Denied? 

The story. It’s always the story that needs to get out of my head and onto the page. In Justice Denied, which is book two in my Seeking Justice series, I wanted to give the hero, Seth Whitman, his own story because I liked him as a side character in Justice Delayed, book one. Seth needed to find his own happily-ever-after and was the perfect complement to my heroine, Jetta Ainsely.

A father’s tarnished legacy drives a daughter to untangle a web of deception with the help of a photojournalist. 

Jetta Ainsley’s life had been complicated enough as she navigates cleaning out the family home while her mother recovers from a car accident. When her dog is hurt, her next-door neighbor, Seth Whitman, offers his help. Seth would like to do more for Jetta but the walls she’s placed around her heart are unsurmountable.

Then she learns her late father had been accused of embezzlement, drawing Jetta into a web of secrets that could prove his innocence—or destroy her. When digging into her father’s past brings danger to their doorstep, Jetta turns to Seth for assistance in uncovering who stole millions before someone gets hurt. 

Seth tries to protect Jetta and her mother from the increasing danger, while clues lead them ever deeper into a tangled conspiracy. Unraveling the sinister plot will require all their courage, faith, and trust in each other.

But will uncovering the truth clear her father’s name—or destroy their growing love for one another?

Everyone, check out Justice Denied! What led you to write in this genre? 

I love weaving the romance around the suspense part of the story, probably because I read way too many mysteries as a kid and teenager. I started with the Happy Hollisters and Nancy Drew, then graduated to Agatha Christie and other gothic mystery writers. Frankly, I doubt I could write anything without the dash of mystery and suspense!

How fun! What message do you hope to convey to your readers? 

That our God is a God of second chances and redemption. All of my main characters are believers and it’s important to me to have them live out their lives as authentically as possible on the page so that readers can see how faith in action in sometimes hard circumstances looks like.

That's awesome! Can you tell us a little about your next project(s)? 

Right now, I’m finishing the rough draft to a short novel for a collection next summer, then I’ll move on to editing the first book in a new series featuring 911 dispatchers as the heroines. Like my husband says, I’ve always got something on my writing plate.

Exciting stories are coming! Do you have a favorite Bible verse or story that inspires you on a soul level?

One of my favorite verses is Psalms 37:4, which says “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” All too often we focus on the latter part of this verse about how God will give us the desires of our hearts rather than the vital first part about delighting ourselves in the Lord. When we focus on the former part, our desires and God’s will align, and God’s desires for us will be what our hearts desire too.

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

I’m currently reading Honor, book three in the Long Hot Summer Christian Romantic Suspense collection. I enjoy anthologies and these short novels are a great way to sample many different authors.

Anthologies are so much fun! Thanks for answering all of my prying questions, Sarah!

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 create aesthetic content 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, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Amazon Author Page!

Author Terri Reed

  

                       Terri Reed, Author                                         Available by preorder.

Hi everyone, Gay N. Lewis here. I’m excited to introduce to you Terri Reed today. Terri Reed writes heart-warming romance and heart-pounding suspense. Her books have appeared on The New York Times Bestseller list, Publisher's Weekly Bestseller List, Nielsen's Bookscan top fifty, Amazon Bestseller List and have been featured in USA Today.

Terri met her husband in college. After college, they moved around the country before settling in Oregon to raise a family. Her two children are both adults now, but she has a beautiful Australian shepherd to keep her company while she’s writing.

Terri has been writing for over thirty years. During that time, she raised a family, provided daycare in her home, taught aerobics at a gym, and worked weekends at Nordstroms. She says when her kids reached high school, she was able to concentrate solely on writing. Now writing is her job and passion.

Gay: How many books do you have in print?

Terri: I have 60 books in print with Love Inspired, and three more coming next year.

Gay: That’s amazing! I can’t imagine coming up with all those stories so quickly. Tell us about your book that became a movie.

Teir:  I have five other books I’ve written for various other publishers other than Love Inspired. Most notably, A Family Under the Christmas Tree. It was published by Howard Books and adapted into the Hallmark movie titled, Picture a Perfect Christmas.

Gay: Congratulations on the Hallmark movie! We all wish one of our books would make it to the screen, and you did it!  How did you find your publisher, Harlequin?  And how long have you been with them?

Terri:  I discovered the publisher through my grandmother. She was a huge romance reader. When I decided I wanted to be an author, I looked at Harlequin and was so excited when they opened their Christian fiction lines. I started submitting to them in the mid-90s and finally sold my first full-length book to them in 2003.

Gay: You write a lot of suspense and romance. Where do you get ideas? How do you come up with so many twists and turns?

Terri:  Like many writers, I have an active imagination. I can spin most anything, a nugget of an idea, into a story. Sometimes those nuggets come from the news, or snippets of overheard conversations, and from playing the ‘what if’ game; this prompt leads to many of the twists and turns in my stories. And while the romance comes out developing characters who will have strong reactions to the ‘what if’.

Gay:  You also write about dogs. Tell us briefly about your K-9 Series.

Terri: Yes! I write many stories where dogs are central characters. Dogs are so intelligent, trainable, fun, and loving. I love my Australian shepherd; she’s so clever and attentive. We do agility training, mostly to keep us active and bonded. Though to be honest, she’s my shadow all day long.

Gay: How many Christmas novels have you written, including your upcoming book, Texas Christmas Cover-Up?

Terri:  I love to write Christmas stories. I have written at least a dozen. My upcoming book is set on South Padre Island, Texas, so it was a bit different writing a book in such an interesting setting. In my research, I discovered that the island offers a variety of fun Christmasy activities. They have a sandcastle Santa’s village, put Christmas trees on the beach, have a Christmas parade and light show. I tried to touch on all of these in the story amid the danger and romance.

Gay: I live in Texas and did not know South Padre Island does that. Maybe I’ll check it out. It sounds fun. Christmas will be here in a few weeks. What’s your happiest Christmas memory?

Terri: My happiest Christmas memory is being with my grandparents during the holiday. They were very generous and loving, and I always felt safe and cared for when we went to their house.

Gay: Tell us about your latest book.

Terri: Texas Christmas Cover-Up is the companion story to Trained to Protect, which came out last February and made the New York Times Bestseller list. In Texas Christmas Cover-Up, the hero, Police Chief Jeremy Hamilton, is reunited with his ex-high school sweetheart, Kara Evans. Kara is an FBI profiler and widowed mom who returns to the island to sell her childhood home. But soon it’s apparent that Kara and her young daughter are in danger, and it has something to do with Kara’s father’s unsolved murder. Jeremy will do everything he can to protect them while he and Kara work together to solve the mystery.

Gay: What do you want your readers to take away from this latest book?

Terri: This is a book of second chances, which we all are offered through Jesus.

Gay: I can hardly wait to read this book! It is available now on preorder, and I have ordered it. It will be delivered on October 28. Here’s a bit more about it.

When widowed FBI agent Kara Evans returns to sell her late mother’s home, eager to shed reminders of her tragic past, she’s assaulted by a masked attacker. With the house ransacked and a daughter to protect, Kara must turn to her former love, police chief Jeremy Hamilton, to track down her assailant. But when the trail of clues leads to unanswered questions about her father’s cold case murder, it’s clear that someone is determined to keep Kara from uncovering the truth. As a string of new murders unfolds, can they expose this deadly plot before Kara is silenced forever?

Gay: Thanks, Terri for visiting with us. I hope everyone will read your books. I’ve read many, and I’ve never been disappointed. 

You can visit Terri online at www.terrireed.com, sign up for her newsletter for exclusive content, or email her at terrireedauthor@terrireed.com