A New Member Joins the Mine...and a Few Sad Goodbyes...

It's already February and I haven't updated you on The Diamond Mine of Christian Fiction's changes for 2025! As usual, we have a few that are leaving us, but we have a newcomer, and we want to send her a hearty welcome! We are so glad to have Christina!

Christina Sinisi

 

A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Christina Sinisi writes stories about families, both the broken and blessed. Her works include a semi-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest and the American Title IV Contest where she appeared in the top ten in the Romantic Times magazine. Her published books include Christmas Confusion, Sweet Summer, and Christmas on Ocracoke. By day, she is a psychology professor and lives in the Lowcountry of South Carolina with her husband, two children and her crazy kitten Zeta Belle.

Books:

A Holy City Christmas, October 2024

Another Outer Banks Christmas, November 2023

Charleston Light, An Anthology, April 2023

Why They Call It Falling, Anaiah Press, June 2022

Sweet Summer, Anaiah Press, July 2021

Christmas on Ocracoke, Anaiah Press, November 2020

The Christmas Confusion, Anaiah Press, November 2019

www.ChristinaSinisi.com  Go here and click on Contact to sign up for Christina's newsletter!

Facebook

Twitter: @ChristinaSinisi

https://amzn.to/3pP4xXd

Please look forward to Christina's upcoming interviews.

Now, for a few sad goodbyes...

Lisa M. James and Michelle Massaro have left the Mine for 2025. We wish them the best in their writing/publishing careers and will miss them and their insights. I hope the readers will continue to support them.

One of our interviewers made the ultimate journey and is now face to face with her Savior. Laura V. Hilton passed away on January 9, 2025. Our prayers go out to her family. Although her reward is great, those left behind are sad at her passing. Please hold her husband and family in your prayers. All for the Glory of God.

Author Staci Stallings's New Book Hits the Shelves

Drop that phone, abandon that tablet, toss that brush on your dresser, hide that bag of fireworks, and set that caffeinated drink aside my friendly reading multi-taskers! Author Staci Stallings has got you covered for the next few minutes. She's a multi-tasker extraordinaire, and she's pumping out book after book while keeping all those other plates spinning. (So jealous as my plates crash and burn!)  And in a few weeks, her newest release Chasing Hearts will hit the shelves. Let's find out more!

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PT: Welcome back Staci! We love to see what you’ve been up to. Remind us of your background and how you landed as an author of Christian Fiction. 

SS: When I first started writing fiction around 1996 after I had my first child, I was told, “Write what you know” and “Read what you want to write.” So, I set out to read contemporary Christian romance, and people in the bookstores laughed at me saying, “You mean historical, right? There’s no such thing as CONTEMPORARY Christian romance. That’s not even a thing.” I realized pretty quickly that what I wanted to write (what I knew in life) wasn’t even a thing in the real world. 

Shortly after that, I had decided to write but maybe not write Christian; however, in my first novel, my character was in freezing water after a plane crash with a wrecked leg and nowhere near the shore. What would I do in that situation? I would PRAY! So, even though there was no evidence that anything I wrote from that point forward would ever sell or even be marketable, I found that ultimately, I had to write what I knew, and what I knew was I don’t want to walk this journey without God. 

PT: I so understand! A person’s faith journey is just ingrained in your life. Inseparable. So, you write in several different genres. Tell us why and what your favorite is. 

SS: Part of me wants to say, “My favorite is whatever I’m writing at the moment.” Part of me says that’s a lie. 😀 I think I don’t really write genres or ages so much as I write the characters that show up. I don’t really have hard and fast parameters of what I think a particular character “should be.” I’ve had characters that were 15 and barely in high school and some that were in their 40’s and trying to find life again after a divorce or death. I learn and I’ve learned from every single one. I think that might be the answer... it’s not my favorite genre... it’s that I get to learn about life from many different perspectives and from each perspective that I write. I’ve never been in an abusive relationship, but I had to learn to navigate one in my book Always. I’ve never been a big city cop, but I had to learn what that was like for I Know What I Love You Means. Each character, each situation teaches me something I couldn’t have learned any other way. That’s what I love about what I write. 

PT: I love how you put that! We readers become that person and live their experiences. Ground us and tell us what region do you live in and do you like to set books in the areas you lived or visited or somewhere totally new? 

SS: I live in the Texas Panhandle, the flattest, driest (other than the actual desert) area on earth. I don’t actually have many books set here although I do have a few that look a lot like Lubbock which is an hour and a half south of here. For settings, they usually just happen naturally. I “see” mountains, or I “see” ocean. Then I pick out an area that’s close to what I’m seeing, give it a name, and go for it. I have written settings of places I’ve visited. For example, I went to a family party in Kansas once, and I wrote that area into the story The Long Way Home.

My dad called when he was reading that book and said he thought he recognized the area, but he’d gone to look at a map and couldn’t find the town I mentioned. I was like, “That’s because I made it up!” I find it much easier to have a general setting—say North Carolina. Then make up a town so that I don’t have to worry about if I named a street the wrong thing. I can make it look like whatever I need it too. I have learned to let my imagination override practically everything else, and I don’t really want to beholden myself to whatever is actually there. 

PT: Since we are so near Independence Day, are you an all-in fireworks planner, a few-sparklers-here- and-there, or do you hover in your house, covering the dogs ears (or somewhere in between?). 

SS: Well, my area LOVES fireworks. For a while, I was allergic to the smoke, so I was a stay-inside-and-try-not-to-die kind of person. Then my son and daughter, who do Christmas light shows started doing a 4th of July show at my house to test out whatever crazy thing they were planning to do for Christmas. So, I’ve had pixel sticks, a screen on my roof, and even a mega-tree in my yard one year for 4th of July. That meant I could go out and sit in a car and watch the show every night for like ten days. I don’t know why that cleared up the breathing thing (or what happened in there to help it), but now I can go out and watch all the fireworks again. Strange how life works like that. 

PT: Let’s get bookish. How many books do you have out now, and what are you working on now? 

SS: Right now I have 71 books on Amazon. Some are nonfiction, but most are fiction. I finished up a 12-book series last year and decided to put out a book I wrote in the early 2000’s. The problem was that with that book when I wrote it, I had truncated the story to get it to end “all nice and neat and tied with a bow.” Unfortunately, I’ve grown so much as a writer and author that it really felt wrong because the characters had found love but not healing. So, I went back and revised the ending of that one and added a second book that is more about the characters healing through their trauma. Those two books were The Love Series , I Know What I Love You Means and Moving Mountains.

Then, last year like a bolt of lightning, the idea for a spin-off series from that one where Pete and Abby the main characters in The Love Series are kind of mentors for Pete’s niece and three nephews as they start to go off to college and have to navigate life showed up. There was a LOT of trauma that was dealt with by Pete and his brother in the first two, and it’s been really interesting to see how the parent’s trauma affected the kids without us probably really realizing it when we were reading The Love Series. So, the new series is called The Perspectives Series as each child comes at life and healing from a vastly different perspective. The first book in that series is Chasing Hearts, and the book I’m working on now is the next book in that series called Picking Wildflowers. 

PT: Tell us a little about Chasing Hearts and where the idea for this book began.

SS: In The Love Series, I really enjoyed the character of Justin, the oldest son. He was very much like my own nephew—very steady and wanting to do things right. Last year as I was finishing up The Love Series, I happened upon a picture of an actor (don’t remember which one now), and I thought, “That guy really looks like Nick (the second brother).” I was a little bored so I wondered if I could find a picture of Justin, which I did, and then of course, I had to find one of Bailey. Once I had those three, I couldn’t leave Noah out. I started thinking about what a book about the siblings might look like, and all of a sudden I knew the story of Chasing Hearts and the title which I didn’t even understand until ¾ through the book. 

When I first started, my biggest challenge was getting the other three siblings—especially Bailey to BE QUIET and let me write Justin’s story. Bailey was the most excited character I’ve ever experienced in my head. She kept showing me pictures and pieces of her story. “Ugh! Bailey, STOP! I have to write this story first!” Now that I’m on her story, she’s so funny because she’s so shut down as a character because of things that have happened to her. However, I know her secret. That is NOT the REAL Bailey. She’s in there somewhere. I’ve just got to find her! 

PT: Oh, know all about bossy characters—Rhapsody—in my head too! And it is SO hard to write someone else’s story while they are yelling to you in your head, LOL. Does Chasing Hearts have a Bible theme or verse that accompanies the storyline? 

SS: Although not Biblical per se, the theme is how we so often try to live our lives to make others “happy,” and how that just does not work. It is finding God and letting Him be your center, your rock, the One Who gives you love so you can give love to the world—rather than trying to get love from other people and the world. It’s a huge rethink that has made so much difference in my life and in many lives around me.

PT: That is a great concept to center on. What Bible verse speaks to you currently? 

SS: I have a verse from The Message Bible on my wall that is 2 Corinthians 13:10: “The authority the Master has given me is for putting people together, not taking them apart.” Recently I’ve really been on a quest to help people learn to heal trauma and set them on a good path where they aren’t fighting their past so much that they can’t face the future or even live in the present. So, right now, that one’s speaking pretty loudly. 

PT: Tell 5 things about Staci Stallings that have nothing to do with writing. 

SS: 

1. I started teaching middle school and high school a few years ago after about 28 years of only teaching Sunday school. I teach some English writing, Life Skills, Creative Writing, Personal Finance, Quantum Growth (how to gain and use personal growth tools and couple them with Christian living), and this coming year, I’m scheduled to teach a Classic Film class. In the Quantum class, I get to help juniors plan their college journeys and get them set up for that. It’s awesome to be there as they learn to “adult” in a way that empowers them rather than stifles them. 

2. I have a YouTube Channel @StaciStallingsAuthor where I share stories on audio. Okay, technically that is about writing too, but if you had any idea all of the stuff I’ve had to learn to be able to do that, and NONE of it has to do with writing! Right now, I have three full books on there for people to listen to for free. I’m in the process of putting a fourth book with plans for the fifth to start in a couple of months. 

3. I love to read. Nonfiction is by far my favorite, and I’m reading three different books right now. Two on the toxic achievement culture monster we’ve created in high schools and the other about How We Heal. 

4. I have three wonderful young adult kids and one wonderful husband, and we just celebrated 33 years of marriage in June. My kids are out there making the world a much better place. My oldest daughter is a campus minister at our local college. My middle daughter is a Cranial-Sacral therapist, and she also helps my son who owns his own Christmas light show park and now a drone company. They are my inspirations! 

5. Somewhere in the middle of all of that, I own two businesses and do all of the bookkeeping for each one. As the guidance counselor at my school said one day, “Do you ever sleep?!” To which I replied that I feel like all I do is sleep. If I didn’t have to sleep, I could get so much more done. 😀 (Probably God put that whole sleeping thing in place to force us to slow down at least once a day. At least that’s my theory!) 

PT: Whew! That's an amazing list. And, you have an amazing list of books. Thanks so much for stopping by, Staci.

SS: Thanks so much for the opportunity to visit! God bless everyone!

Staci is graciously offering one blessed reader (who leaves an email or leaves your email on our contact form) a copy of I know What I Love You means. Please don't miss this opportunity! Leave a comment and your email or enter on our contact form.

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Interview with Debut Fiction Co-authors Denae Jones and Jennifer Thomas

Meet Denae Jones and Jennifer Thomas co-authors of But, Even Now, a split-time biblical and modern-day story. They are kind enough to offer a free copy of their book. If you'd like to win a the book, leave a comment with your name and email address by July 14. We must have your email address to be eligible.

I'm excited to interview both ladies and introduce them to you. 

Jennifer:

What genre do you enjoy reading most?

Historical fiction for sure! I love the feeling of going back in time and experiencing what life may have been like through the different characters' points of view.

Jennifer:
What is your favorite childhood book? 

Definitely King Bidgood's In The Bathtub by Audrey Wood... Check it out if you haven't read it! I guess you could say it would be historical fiction for a picture book. The last page will NEVER not make me laugh!!

Denae:
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Funny, I thought writing was a more recent dream of mine, but I found books with my writing in it from
all the way back to about third grade. Poetry, short stories, etc. Then in college, one of my professors asked us to make a list of our top 5 long-term dreams. Having a published book was on that list, but I had totally forgotten about it! I guess this is just what God wanted me to do. I started with having a couple of stories published in Chicken Soup books, then I created a line of greeting cards for people who had lost a child. About six years ago, I wrote for newspapers, which eventually developed into my devotion books. The latest is our novel, But, Even Now.  

Denae:

Do you have any upcoming projects, releases, or sales?

But, Even Now is our latest published book. The story goes between biblical times and modern day, and it's the first in this series. At the end of But, Even Now you can read the first two chapters of the sequel, titled The Two Martha’s. We are currently working on completing that and can’t wait to see how it ends!

Thanks for sharing a bit about you.

Denea:

Please share the book we are featuring here: 

But, Even Now  

Meet Trista, a woman whose present-day world has been falling apart for years. How can she stay close to God when insurmountable obstacles meet her time and time again? As advised by her counselor, she starts journaling, which inadvertently tells a heart-gripping story about an unexpected path to motherhood, love and loss, addiction, betrayal, and faith that will change future generations.

Meet Adinah, who lives in a world dominated by Roman oppression just as Jesus is being revealed as the Messiah. Being a barren wife in a culture where family lineage is everything, she questions God when she feels all but forgotten by Him. Ready to give up, she beholds firsthand how life-and faith-can change in an instant.

1,985 years ago, Adinah was there to witness a miracle. Today, that same miracle changes Trista's life. This historical/fiction novel will have you laughing and crying as it weaves together the intriguing stories of these two women who have one very important thing in common: Jesus.

(Available online most places books are sold.) Amazon

Denae, I know you delve into the Jewish religion in the historical fiction. What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?

But, Even Now is a time leap book that is historical/fiction. It was important to us that the historical part and the present-day part not only aligned with one another, but that they were as historically accurate as possible. We did quite a bit of research and conducted interviews to make sure the cultures described in the book were represented well.  

Jennifer:

Do you find yourself returning to a similar theme in your novels or do you have a new message with each release?

Honestly, we haven't had to choose a theme yet because God has clearly instructed us in our writing journey so far. It was clear to us that pornography addiction would be a part of our beloved Trista's journey in some way. This epidemic is stealing the innocence of children and harming marriages at an alarming rate in our world today. It was also clear that our two main characters would both be encouraged through their trials by words right out of Martha's mouth in the Bible. As for the theme of our sequel, The Two Marthas, we already knew what it was to be about before we finished the first. God is really in the lead with this series, and we are just hoping we get it right.

Jennifer:

Is there a certain Bible passage or verse that goes along with the theme of your book? 

Yes! So glad you asked! John 11:22...  Check it out and then read But, Even Now. :)

To finish our time together, each of you tell us a fun thing about you.

Denae:
What are the top three things on your bucket list?

One thing on my bucket list would be to travel to the Holy Land and then to parts of Europe. Another would be to go Sky Camping, where you camp in a hammock that is suspended over the side of a mountain. My top bucket list actually came true last year, and that was to see every member of my family baptized!

Jennifer:
If you could be any animal, which would it be?

I would probably pick to be one of my dogs, chickens, or ducks because of how much we spoil them!

If you'd like to win a copy of the book, leave a comment with your name and email address by July 14. We must have your email address to be eligible, and we need five comments from five readers.

Thanks for checking out The Diamond Mine of Christian Fiction.

A Little Sugar Plum Magic from Carrie Fancett Pagels!

 

Vera~You are the winner of Carrie's book, The Sugar Plum Fairy! Expect an email soon about the details. Thanks everyone!

Oooh, it's that Christmas magic time! Trees twinkling, wrapping paper crinkling, silver bells ringing and carols singing! All to give out the good tidings of Christ's birth on earth! And I can't resist bringing in another Christmas novel to celebrate this holy time of year. The Sugar Plum Ladies by our spotlight author Carrie Fancett Pagels is just the heartwarming story you readers need for your happy holiday sigh meter! Let's unwrap this interview with Carrie, because I can't stand the anticipation. Let's meet Carrie Fancett Pagels.

PT: Hi, Carrie! Welcome to my sleigh, LOL. Give us a rundown of how you started writing and the genre you write in and why.

CFP: I was a psychologist for 25 years, working with young people and kids and I loved it. I’d planned to write CF when I retired at about 70. Unfortunately, I developed severe Rheumatoid Arthritis and some other medical problems and became physically disabled, including about 5 years where I could barely walk. I’d started writing as a child, as I believe most authors do and was a born storyteller, making up stuff and changing the ends of stories I wanted more from. I had been published in nonfiction as a psychologist. However, my first Christian fiction publications, and about 20 more, have been in historical romance. I’ve recently switched over to Contemporary Women’s Fiction in CF. I do have a love of history, and enjoy romance, but at this point in my life I’m really wanting to write stories about women’s relationships and some romance thrown in there, too! I will get rights back to my historical CF stories, too, and will enjoy sprucing those up!

PT: Tell a little about your newest release, The SugarplumLadies and how you came up with the idea, the setting choice, and the names of your hero/heroine.

CFP: The Sugarplum Ladies was part of The Victorian Christmas Brides collection, which I headed up about 5 years ago for Barbour and invited a bunch of my fave CF authors to join in on. We all have our rights back now. I expanded my story by about 40%, mostly smoothing out the transitions. Wow, it really needed that! People are loving the new version! PTL!

I’d read about real-life social reformers in Detroit who, after the Civil War, headed up training and also catering agencies to help widows support themselves and their families. Eugenie Mott was inspired by the article I’d read. Barrister Percy, needed to be of British background and living somewhere that Victorian traditions were celebrated, so I put him in Windsor, Ontario, Canada—a place I enjoyed visiting as a child!

PT: Do you have any special Family Traditions for Christmas? And is your tree up yet? LOL

CFP: We enjoy going to Christmas service. The children, both grown now but one in college and still living at home when not at UVA, make a birthday cake for baby Jesus with me. Our tree goes up after Thanksgiving and we leave it up until after Epiphany (I celebrate until then just like my hero does!) We had a family, multi-generational British tradition (my great-grandparents immigrated from Maidstone, Kent, in England) of having an orange in the stocking—but for my generation I made the new twist of it being a chocolate orange! Those were available only online last year during pandemic but available now in stores again! I enjoy reading the Christmas story in the Bible, too, during this time of year, with my family.

PT: Give us a little peek of what your own Christmas celebration is like.

CFP: There’s a turkey in the oven. Our son used to refer to these holiday dinners as “The Feast” and it was his fave thing to have everyone gathered together. The china is set out. The silver is shined. The crystal is on the table (although the crystal is getting passed on to my daughter this year). The candles are lit on the dining table. After that amazing Christmas luncheon of turkey, dressing, gravy, potatoes, green bean casserole, homemade dinner rolls, some sides that my SIL likes such as turnip casserole (don’t snicker it’s good!), sparkling cider or juice, the Baby Jesus birthday cake, and more we have a cup of coffee or tea and start opening gifts in the living room.

PT: Favorite Christmas gift?

CFP: My closest girlfriends usually send me personal and special gifts that are unique and often homemade—those are my faves because my mom would make us so many wonderful things and I know the love and time that goes into every handmade item. It’s one reason I really try to make at least one jewelry item, e.g., earrings, for my friends and family members each year. One of my dear friends and critique partner, author Kathleen L. Maher, is an artist, and I love what she makes especially treasure the homemade Christmas ornaments and the other dear friend also critique partner, author Debbie Lynne Costello, makes amazing crafts but also picks out really cool things she finds. This year I did a ton of baking and candy making and sent those boxes out early to special friends and family members who asked for those treats!

PT: Tell us a little about what readers can expect from a “British Christmas.”

CFP: Crackers for one! And I don’t mean saltines! We actually did these in my family one year and they were fun (if a bit underwhelming the way I did them lol!) These are like a two-part cardboard cylinder  that has a special gift inside and they are wrapped lightly and ribbon on the ends. You pull them apart to open them! The British tradition, within the Anglican church, is to celebrate through Epiphany. When I was in England one Christmas the other thing modern day Brits did was to celebrate Boxing Day, which we don’t do in my novella! Plum pudding is a British treat and one Christmas my Great Uncle Fred made us plum pudding! I have a funny story about that but I won’t share it here!

PT: Favorite recipes/Christmas recipes?

CFP: Usually we’ll have gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting and I also make sugar cookies and unique twists on eggnog such as coffee eggnog but this year I went a little crazy making fudge variations like my newest creation a Straits of Mackinac mint vanilla turquoise fudge!! I also made my husband’s fave, a huge sheet pan of peanut butter bars from his mom’s recipe. A new fave is also a dried cherry, white chocolate chip, oatmeal cookie. My chia seed brownies were a failure so I’m returning to regular ones! I like a pound cake made with dried Christmas fruit in it and I also like certain fruitcakes through the mail—I’m the author of The Fruitcake Challenge, which was recommended by Woman’s World Magazine last year as a Michigan Christmas read and was a Selah Award finalist and a #1 Amazon bestseller in Christian historical romance.

PT: How many books do you have published?  Do you have a favorite book out of all you’ve written, and how do you keep your writing “fresh?”

CFP: I believe it is twenty-five. My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island is my top seller and I believe The Fruitcake Challenge is right behind and these are two of my own favorites. My fave Christmas story is a short story in Guideposts Books Christmas collection called Snowed In because it is inspired by my real life parents’ and family’s stories which I fictionalized. It’s set right after my father came back from WWII, at Christmastime, and it is a fiction but it is inspired by a bunch of true things. But I also am very proud of The Substitute Bride and I love the Sonja Hoeke character who is probably the one character, in all of my books, who is most like me. As far as other non-Christmas stories, my first Contemporary Women’s Fiction, Butterfly Cottage, which won second place in the Selah Awards, is my current favorite because I had a whole bunch of friends and family members who had died during a short period of time, and I had stopped writing. Then Covid hit. This story was my first with a family cast of three generations of women and they became very near and dear to my heart and almost real! Right now I’m spending lots of time with Dragonfly Cottage, which releases in June 2023! I think almost all my books are my favorites!

Fresh? Every writer, IMHO, needs to take a break to refresh and renew. My writing ministry comes only from God. I have significant health issues. I can’t write without Him. But if I don’t remain in Him and get refreshment and renewal in the Vine, I’m lost. People burn out churning out stuff that was never from the Lord to begin with. I am working on only one book a year that is a new release, recently. I have gotten rights back to books that are getting re-released, such as The Sugarplum Ladies, but my upcoming new release, Dragonfly Cottage, in Spring 2023, is the only novel I’ll have written in the past year. That gives me time to get recharged and also to deal with life.

PT: What Bible verse is dear to your heart at this time?

CFP: I’m really into listening to Father Mike Schmitt on audio right now. The Word is a blessing every single day. I also read Joyce Meyer’s devotional every night which includes scripture. Divine Scripture is a blessing. I’ve always loved that super short verse, Jesus wept, and given these End Times we are in, that verse comforts me.

PT: Do you inject a Biblical message in your books? If so, does it “just happen” or do you plan it?

CFP: My tagline is Hearts Overcoming with God and for a long time I had a blog entitled Overcoming with God so that’s a theme in most of my stories. Yes, I always have a spiritual arc in the books. Christian fiction is “supposed” to include that. Sometimes, often in fact, Danny Gokey or another Christian musician seems to write a song “just for me” and my stories! God’s grace may be the message. God’s blessings. Having faith when there seems to be no way. I’ve been blessed with songs that match the spiritual theme of my stories. For upcoming Dragonfly Cottage, Build a Boat by Colton Dixon has my hero’s message, and the song, Just Getting Started, matches the heroine’s journey!

 

PT: Tell 5 things about Carrie Fancett Pagels that have nothing to do with writing.

CFP:

1. I was a psychologist for 25 years and grew up by a state mental hospital.

2. I am prayerfully considering getting my psychology license back again and will be taking CEUs in 2023 as my health permits.

3. We tease that I gave birth to my own grandchild because I had a son at age 44.

4. I nearly died 12 years ago, and I left my body, and God let me stay here for my son and husband.

5. My heart really does belong on Mackinac Island and my ashes will be scattered there if my family follows my wishes!

PT: What book/story line is on the horizon? Have you settled on a setting/release date?

CFP: Dogwood Plantation is a sequel to Butterfly Cottage, but is a stand-alone with some new characters. I got inspired by a sweet young lady who worked at a coffee shop on Mackinac Island and came to one of my book signings. I did the “What If” thing of asking what if she was actually camping out in one of the often-vacant mansions (called cottages!) on the West Bluff? Then I needed someone to clash with her. And I had the “What if” there was a truly annoying big brother of her former BFF who was rehabbing the cottage next door? But I had to weave this in with another character, Mrs. Parker, in her 70s, who was a difficult person in a couple of other stories but who has had her “Come to Jesus” moment (as has Rachel, the young heroine). So these two, have spiritual story arcs. Mrs. Parker has more secrets than a Virginia summer has degrees lol. Slight exaggeration. But her deceased husband had a secret that will upend everyone’s world in this book! So come to Mackinac Island with me, via this novel, in 2023! Pegg Thomas is the editor and I should have a cover soon, from Carpe Librum Book Design Group in Montreal.

PT: Thank you so much for sharing with us, Carrie. And as usual, Carrie is giving away one copy of The Sugar Plum Ladies! Please share this opportunity with everyone! We need at least 5 people to leave comments with their email or their email information on our contact form. CALLING ALL BOOK GIVAWAY READERS! Now is your chance. Leave a comment with email to enter!

Bio:

Carrie Fancett Pagels, Ph.D., is the award-winning author of over twenty-five Christian fiction books, including ECPA and Amazon bestsellers. Twenty-five years as a psychologist didn't "cure" her overactive imagination! A self-professed “history geek,” she resides with her family in the Historic Triangle of Virginia but grew up as a “Yooper.” Carrie loves to read, bake, bead, and travel – but not all at the same time! You can connect with her at www.CarrieFancettPagels.com.

 Website: www.carriefancettpagels.com

Blogs: Overcoming With God and Colonial Quills

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 Links to purchase:

 The Sugarplum Ladies

Amazon

Mission-minded Messages with Shirley Gould + a Giveaway

Welcome back to the Diamond Mine, friends. We are so grateful you continue to visit us each week and hope you have discovered some new favorite authors through us.

This week, I am tickled pink to introduce you to Shirley Gould and her latest books (yep, you read that right. Books, plural), and she's giving one of our readers copies of both.

About Shirley

Shirley Gould is an inspirational speaker, an African missionary, and an author. She’s the founder of Kenya’s Kids Home for Street Children, an orphanage in Kenya. Shirley has written non-fiction for thirty years and is presently writing Christian Fiction novels. Her debut novel, The Sahar of Zanzibar, was released in May 2021. Her first children’s book, Tubby Can’t Swim, was released in February 2021. She lives in the Nashville, Tennessee area.

Connect with Shirley: Amazon | Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Instagram

And Now for the Interview

Suzie: Welcome, Shirley, and thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to spend the week with us.

Let’s warm up with a few “would you rather” questions. Are you ready? Here goes: Would you rather live somewhere it is constantly summer or constantly winter?

Shirley: I’d rather live where it is constantly summer…in fact, I’ve already done that while serving as a missionary in Kenya for ten years. You can eat watermelon all year around!

Suzie: One of my favorite things about summer is the abundance of fruit.

Would you rather always say everything on your mind or never speak again?

Shirley: I would rather say what’s on my mind than to never speak. 

Suzie: Would you rather be without internet for a week, or without your phone?

Shirley:  I would rather be without the internet for a week than to be without my phone because of keeping in touch with my family.

Suzie: Sometimes taking that break from the internet is best for our sanity, anyway.

Ok, now that we’ve learned some random truths about you, give us some of the basics. Tell us about your family, day-to-day life, hobbies, etc.

Shirley: I’m a widow…I have three daughters, three sons-in-law, and seven grandchildren.

I run a ministry that helps orphans in Kenya. I write as often as possible. I also love oil painting.

Suzie: What are three books on your tbr right now?

Shirley: Three books on my tbr pile right now are

*DEAD EVEN by Susan Sleeman in the Truth Seekers Series

*SOME BRIGHT SOMEDAY by Melissa Tagg

*Rereading the 3rd book in The Bradford Sisters Series, by Becky Wade…I’m watching how she wove the characters of each book into the other volumes…like I’m doing in my African Skies Series

Suzie: Some good choices there. Can you share a little about your journey to publication? Who are your mentors and cheerleaders?

Shirley: I’ve studied the craft of writing for eight years with Susie May Warren and Novel Academy. I write my novels according to her The Story Equation method of writing. 

My late husband was the first to love my prose…now my family and friends are my faithful
cheerleaders, but the teachers of Novel Academy have been my mentors on this publication journey.

Suzie: Your newest release, The Sahar of Zanzibar, is set in Africa (as the entire African Skies series will be). Will you share an experience or two you’ve had with the country?

Shirley: As missionaries, my husband and I were one of three missionary couples that held the first open-air Christian Crusade in Stone Town on Zanzibar Island. 

While setting up for the service, a Zanzabarian grandmother brought her granddaughter to me. “Can your God heal?” was her question. I answered her in Swahili, “Yes, He does.”

She said, “Ask Him to heal my granddaughter.” I explained how the afternoon would transpire, there would be music and singing, the minister would preach, an altar call would be given asking those who want to give their lives to Jesus to come forward. Then He will call for those who need to be healed. It is then that you can bring her forward to be prayed for.” She nodded and said she would wait. I asked her the child’s name and why she needed healing. She said, “Her name is Happy and she is completely deaf.”

When the minister gave the appeal for those who wanted to be saved, the grandmother came forward with Happy. I was playing the keyboard for the altar time…watching Happy. Suddenly, she covered her ears with her hands. Her eyes were wide. She had been healed before anyone prayed for her.

Happy became one of the most successful witnesses on the island. Without fear, she would speak to Muslims. “Why are you praying to a dead god, my God heals. I was deaf—now I can hear.”

I put Happy in my novel. She is working as a tour guide in the story.

Another story…After the crusade, we had no place to build a church. All land was owned by Muslims…except one plot of land. 

In the late 1800s, a Protestant missionary martyr, anti-slavery crusader, David Livingstone, lived in Zanzibar. Since it was a law that every person who lived there had a place to be buried…the Parliament gave a plot of ground next to the Anglican Church so  David Livingstone and any other Christians would have a burial spot. They had the Anglican church take care of the property…mowing the lawn and keeping the perimeter fence secure. 

After our Crusade, leaders in the Anglican Church came to the man who was sent to pastor the new converts and gave him this plot of ground. They were tired of taking care of it for over one hundred years…

That is where the church is in my novel…

Suzie: Such powerful stories!

In addition to writing romantic suspense, you also published a children’s picture book in 2021 and you are a popular speaker. What is/has God teaching/taught you in each of those areas?

Shirley: Yes, Tubby Can’t Swim was published this year. It’s a colorful book that encourages children to be the best they can be, tell them that everyone is different, and shows friends trying to help each other. It is the first children’s book I’ve written in a series of ten books featuring African baby animals. 

Speaking gives me a great opportunity to share my passion for the Lord. I also can tell about my writing and have book signings after I speak at churches, ladies retreats, and women’s conventions. 

So many that have followed our mission career are interested in the many adventures I share as I speak with the purpose to challenge them to make a difference with their own lives.

Suzie: What can readers expect next from you?

Shirley: I’m doing edits on my next novel, Escape from Timbuktu, the second novel in my African Skies Series. I’ve written the second book Ollie Tries to Fly in my series of Children’s books. It is ready to go to the illustrator.

Suzie: Goodness, you are one busy lady! The final question I have for you today is: how can we pray for you?

Shirley: I would ask for prayer as I market and sell these books. I’m finding marketing is much harder than writing the book.

Suzie: Boy, isn't that the truth? 

Thank you again for taking the time out of your packed schedule to share some of your experiences, your heart, and your writing with us. We look forward to learning where God takes you next.

About The Sahar of Zanzibar

In a scary case of mistaken identity, Olivia Stone is threatened by Aga Kahn, a powerful Indian ruler, because she could pass as the twin of the missionary's deceased wife. Kahn calls her the Sahar of Zanzibar who has returned from the grave to torment him and demands that she leave the island or face his wrath. She'd come to exotic Zanzibar in search of adventure, but she experiences much more.

A handsome widower, Missionary Eli Deckland, steps between Olivia and the angry Indian, rescuing her. There's an instant connection between Olivia and Eli that escalates when he comes to her rescue again and again. Amid the chaos, Eli tries to prove Kahn murdered his late wife. After several attempts on Olivia's life, she's kidnapped. Eli joins the police to find her before it's too late.

As every moment passes, Olivia's life is in more danger... Will she be saved in time? If she is rescued, would it work between her and Eli? With an ocean keeping them apart, will their feelings fade? The answer is in the African skies... 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books A Million | IndieBound | Goodreads

About Tubby Can't Swim

A hippo who needs to know how to swim because hippos stay in the water all day. His friends teach

him how to swim, but it won't work. The wild owl tells him hippos don't swim, they just stay in the shallow waters.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books A Million | IndieBound |Goodreads

Giveaway

One winner will receive autographed print copies of The Sahar of Zanzibar and Tubby Can't Swim! by Shirley Gould. Giveaway is open to US mailing addresses only and ends at 11:59 PM EST, Tuesday, 8/31/21.

1.

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Toni Shiloh Interview and Giveaway

I’m so happy to introduce you all to Toni Shiloh! She’s a wonderful friend and fellow writer. Her newest book, The Trouble With Love, recently released, and it's an excellent read. Let's jump right in and see what she has to say.

Being a writer is a busy life, isn’t it? I’m sure you’re working on something new to intrigue your readers. What’s in the works for you right now?

I’m working on a few novellas. The one I’m currently writing is a Christmas novella and will be in a box set available this fall. I can’t wait to share the story with my readers. 

Do you ever base your characters off real people?

No. I may pull little pieces here and there, but no character is based off a real person. I’d be terrified of doing them an injustice.  

Do you have a set writing time every day or do you write in a more organic way?

I have a time period I work in. Some days I may be able to start writing earlier if my to-do list gets scratched off earlier and some days I have to write a little bit later if distractions prove too much. 

What is the nicest encouragement a reader ever sent you?

Honestly, I’m not sure I could pick just one. I do know that when I get them, they always come at the right time. Either I’m in the midst of battling feels that my writing is terrible, or I’ve read a bad review that I can’t shake. Whatever it was, I’ve received a note from a reader who sees right into the heart of my story and it’s like a God wink. 

What are the most number of words you’ve ever written in one day?

Good question. I think it was a little over 5,000. One day I hope to be able to pull a 10k day.

Toni is giving away an eBook of her newest book The Trouble with Love to one blessed winner who comments below. Email address is required to be entered into her giveaway.


Author bio –

Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and multi-published Christian contemporary romance author. She writes to bring God glory and to learn more about His goodness. Her novel, Grace Restored, was a 2019 Holt Medallion finalist and Risking Love is a 2020 Selah Award finalist.

A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and of the Virginia Chapter, Toni seeks to help readers find authors. She loves connecting with readers and authors alike via social media. You can learn more about her writing at http://tonishiloh.com.


The Trouble With Love Blurb –

I, Holiday Brown, have it all. A platinum record. Multi-million dollar home in Manhattan that I share with my two best friends. Life is looking fantastic until my roommate’s brother decides to bunk in our guestroom while his house gets renovated.

W. Emmett Bell has always been the bane of my existence. He’s annoying, stubborn, a know it all, and just might be the most gorgeous man I’ve ever laid eyes on. But I refuse to fall for him. Then his sister’s threatened by a stalker and dynamics change. His unwavering faith isn’t quite as self-righteous as I’d always thought, and maybe he has a good side I’ve overlooked all these years.

Or maybe it’s all too much trouble.

The Trouble With Love is the first book in the Christian Chick Lit series: Faith & Fortune. 


Endorsements —

“In her iconic soulful fashion, Toni Shiloh has penned another heartfelt page-turner...this time with a dash of suspense thrown in!"- Sarah Monzon, award-winning author of Finders Keepers

“Swoony, sweet and a little sassy, The Trouble with Love is Toni Shiloh's best novel yet! A beautiful story of friendship, romance, and brokenness meeting grace.” – Carrie Schmidt, Reading is my Superpower

“In The Trouble With Love, Toni Shiloh offers a fresh take on modern romance that will twirl you about the New York City high life, yet still manages to keep the characters completely relatable with their fears, longings, and faith struggles. The romance between Holiday and Emmett is flirty, fun, and completely squeal-inducing. Enjoy this escape from everyday life and dive into Shiloh’s world of faith and fortune!” – Janine Rosche, author of This Wandering Heart


Buy links –

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083S2SBVB
Shortlink: https://amzn.to/2NonmyR
Review: https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review?&asin=B0892HSZHD
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50426006-the-trouble-with-love

Social media links –

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authortonishiloh
Twitter: www.twitter.com/tonishilohwrite
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/tonishiloh
Instagram: www.instagram.com/tonishiloh
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/tonishiloh
BookBub: www.bookbub.com/authors/toni-shiloh
My BookCave: https://mybookcave.com/profile/toni-shiloh/
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gcMfqT
Blogs I’m part of: www.inspyromance.com  ; http://diversitybetweenthepages.wordpress.com

Interview with Mary Manners with Giveaway

It is with extreme pleasure to share my interview with Mary Manners.

She has graciously offered to give away Miracle Cove: The Collection

Be sure and read to the end to find out how to enter for your chance to win.

Thank you for coming to The Diamond Mine. I am so happy to have you and to promote you and your writing. Pray you find this  interview fun and a blessing.


Mary: I’m so happy to be here today on The Diamond Mine. Thanks a bunch for hosting me!

I have been a long-time fan of Mary Manners stories. They are charming. I tell her they are Hallmark able.  Let’s learn a bit more about this wonderful author. Mary, would you mind telling us who your biggest influence is on your life?

Mary: I would have to say that my dad had the biggest influence on my life. He taught me to work hard, and to believe in myself and never give up. He loved the outdoors and I do, as well. Dad gave me advice that I have carried through life: If you’re going to do a job, do it right. I try to live by this every day.

Most dads are extra special, aren’t they? Yours sounds like a wise, loving man. Much like our Father in heaven. What was your occupation before writing?

Mary: I was a teacher and school principal for 31 years as my ‘day job’ while I was also growing my writing platform. I started out teaching special-needs children and then moved to elementary and middle school. I finished my career as an intermediate school principal. I have so many great memories of my days in the classroom!

Special – needs children have a special place in my heart. I’d wanted to teach them from the time I was in third grade. What a joy they are. I’m sure any student who knew you was blessed just by that beautiful smile of yours. Do you have any hidden talents?

Mary: I love to sing. I think I get this talent from my mom, who sang in the community theatre in Chicago when she was a teenager. She loved musicals and used to sing all the time as she did her chores around the house. I love Christian music and do my best singing to these faith-filled songs.

My husband used to tell us we had to sing our complaints, it’s hard to stay upset when your singing. Unfortunately, I have not a musical bone in my body. Lol. Would you mind telling us when your most productive brainstorming time might be?

Mary: I love to wake up early in the morning, before the sun is up, when it is quiet, and the entire world seems still and new. It’s then that I do my very best brainstorming. A cup of flavored coffee helps, too.

Everything is new every morning. I love that Promise from our Father. Do you use a storyboard while you write?

Mary: No. I write my books by hand and then edit as I type. I love this blend of old-fashioned and modern, and it works well for me!

There aren’t many these days who still write by hand first. I still like a good old pencil and paper for writing as well. Do you have a life verse?

Mary: “When you look at a field of dandelions, you can either see a thousand weeds or a thousand wishes.” This reminds me to always look for the positive in every situation. It’s been a huge help to me in tough times.

I love this quote! It is so true how we view things, makes a difference. What do you hope your writing leaves the reader with?

Mary: It is my greatest hope that my stories leave readers with a sense of hope. I think our lives are like a canvas, with imperfections that can be made into works of beauty if we only keep trying, learning, and improving. With God all things are possible, and tomorrow brings new opportunities.

Mary, I have no doubt your stories do this and much more for your readers. They bless my heart every time. This interview has been a blessing for me as well. Thank you again for joining me on The Diamond Mine. May you be blessed with His SONshine.

Mary: Thanks so much for joining me today. I am honored to share my story with you!

Mary has graciously offered to give away a book collection. Mary, what do folks need to do to enter?

Mary:  I would love to give away a copy of Miracle Cove: The Collection. Readers can enter by sharing their favorite inspirational quote.

Miracle Cove: The Collection

 If you like sweet small-town Southern romance, then you’ll love these faith-filled stories set in the beautiful Smoky Mountain foothills of East Tennessee. Four Heartwarming Christian Romance Books that will leave you smiling with a renewed sense of hope! BOOKS INCLUDED IN THIS SET: Mischief in Miracle Cove Secrets in Miracle Cove A Miracle Cove Reunion Christmas in Miracle Cove Plus...a special sneak peek into Honeysuckle Cove: The Collection

You can purchase Mary’s books:

https://www.amazon.com/Mary-Manners/e/B004AL16YY%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

Mary Manners lives in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee with her husband Tim and their rescue dog Axel, mischievous cats Colby and Rascal, a flock of chickens, and an aquarium teeming with fish.
Mary writes small-town family romances laced with faith, hope, and humor. Her books have earned multiple accolades including two Inspirational Reader’s Choice Awards, the Gail Wilson Award of Excellence, the Aspen Gold, the Heart of Excellence, and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award.

Mary loves long sunrise runs, Smoky Mountain sunsets, flavored coffee, and chocolate…lots of chocolate.

Where to connect with Mary Manners

Newsletter Subscribe: https://www.subscribepage.com/f6w0j6
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mary-Manners-author-303173983043284/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryManners1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunriserun63/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mary-manners

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mary-Manners/e/B004AL16YY/