Happy 2025 Readers!

We here at The Diamond Mine of Christian Fiction want to wish you the best year in 2025! 

We will be losing 2 members, but will continue to move ahead to bring you fresh authors and new fiction releases that glorify our Savior! 

Enjoy the first day of 2025 and may God richly bless you throughout the new year!

Izzy James: Fabulous Cover and a Giveaway too!

Izzy James is the pen name of Elizabeth Chevalier Hull. Elizabeth grew up in coastal Virginia surrounded by the history of the founding of our nation. She still lives there with her fabulous husband in a house brimming with books.

You all know how much I love cover art, and Izzy James’ are out of this world. Seeing superb book covers like these is like a brownie covered in hot fudge. Every ounce is delicious. Read more to find out what’s inside those fabulous covers and what Izzy has to say about writing.

1.    Give me one fact about you as an author that most people don’t know. 

I am currently learning to play a mountain dulcimer. I’ve owned one since I was fourteen years old. I’ve decided to take some lessons to finally play the thing! :-)

2.    What is the quality you like the most about your heroine? 

I like that she stands up for herself and that she’s flexible enough to allow Field to be who he needs to be.

3.    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 am working on a novella that’s the sequel to Max my time travel romance published last year. It’s called Garrett. Next I will write the prequel novella for The Shopkeeper’s Widow series tentatively called The Dollmaker.

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

I now have the ability to write everyday, during the day. I’m working on settling down a specific time everyday. For right now, I’m happy to write everyday, during the day.

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

7,500. Boy was I tired after that, but I met my deadline!

 

Izzy James will give away one e-book copy of The Shopkeeper’s Widow to the winner of her giveaway who answers this question: What is your favorite genre to read? 

The Shopkeeper’s Widow Book Blurb:

            Delany Fleet, a widowed former indentured servant living in the colonial port of Norfolk, Virginia, dreams of having an estate of her own where she will never have to compromise her freedom.

             When the only man she ever loved shows up with a load of smuggled firearms, Delany is forced to leave her home and her livelihood to protect her family and property from Lord Dunmore's raids and the conniving plots of a man who claims to be her friend.

             Now, with her destiny forever altered, Delany must find a new way to happiness. Can reconnecting with her husband's family and a former love be the path that God has for her?

 

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shopkeepers-Widow-Izzy-James-ebook/dp/B089HP6HXM/

 iBooks: The Shopkeeper's Widow

 B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-shopkeepers-widow-izzy-james/1137112901?ean=9781522303015

 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/search?query=the+shopkeepers+widow

 GooglePlay: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Izzy_James_The_Shopkeeper_s_Widow?id=kJLoDwAAQBAJ

 

Find Izzy James Here:

Website:  echull.com

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/IzzyJamesAuthor

Twitter: @chevyhull

Instagram: izzy.james

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 Bernadette Botz and Giveaways!

Granberrybooks.com

https://www.facebook.com/Granberry-Books-101385917935955/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernadette-botz-84106819a/

Amazon.com

It is my honor and extreme pleasure to introduce you to Bernadette Botz. We first met when our kids were school age and played sports together. She lives in Montana (as do I) and is a sweetheart.

Bernadette has graciously offered to give away not one but two copies of her debut book, Liar. Be sure to read this post to the end to find out how to enter for your chance to win a copy.

 Welcome to the Diamond Mine, Bernadette.

BB: Thank you for the opportunity to be here.

RS: I know this is your debut novel. Can you tell us what your occupation was before writing?

BB: I homeschooled my five children. Read-aloud time was my favorite. I wrote Liar as a read-aloud specifically targeted to homeschooling families.

RS: I loved storytime with the kids.  I even read aloud to my study hall students. It seemed to help them work better. Did this time with your children influence your writing?

BB: Absolutely! I want to create quality fiction that will challenge and encourage the Body of Christ. I also want to create characters that stay in the mind and heart of the reader. We read a few books at home that my kids are still talking about. To see that happen for other families would be a dream come true for me.

RS: I think as authors, we all our dream of writing something that will stick with others in some way. I believe your novel Liar will do that. Can you tell us about your inspiration for this story?

BB: My kids were struggling with the messages of the world. I wrote it because I wanted to make them aware of the enemy’s voice. “Idiot. Worthless. Ugly. Stupid. Fat. Unliked. Unloved. Unwanted.” That and the suicide rate in Montana. I felt sick over the enemy’s work, and I wanted to expose him as much as I possibly could.

RS: The enemy’s voice can be so strong. You are right; the suicide rate here in Montana is high. Liar will definitely bring hope to the hopeless. I know the Bible brings you hope. Can you share with us your life verse and why you chose it?

BB: It’s always hard to choose one verse, but I always go to Zephaniah 3:17. This was the first verse I memorized as a new believer at the age of thirty.

“The Lord, your God, is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you with his love. He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

The Lord did a lot of housecleaning when I first became a Christian. This verse meant a lot to me because I read that He was with me, that He didn’t turn His back on me, even when I didn’t have my act together. I read that He is a mighty warrior. I needed someone to fight for me, and I knew I could trust Him to do that for me. That Jesus Christ takes delight in me with His love, that He no longer rebukes me (which I deserve) and especially that He rejoices over me with singing??? I couldn’t believe what I was reading! In this verse, my Savior expresses so much of His character from beginning to end, and it has helped me overcome a lot of my fear of man. It reminds me that I am known, protected, delighted in, loved, rejoiced over and amazingly… that I belong to a Savior who sings over me. I never, ever thought about the Lord singing, and it just blew my mind!

RS: I was thirteen when I became a Christian, but I will never forget the first time my daughter Sharla showed me the verse in Philippians 2:15, where it refers to us as shining like stars in the sky. That blew my mind. I couldn’t believe I’d missed God’s voice in this verse. 

Liar speaks a lot about voices and which one we are to seek. Your characters take quite a journey in this book.  Did you take a personal journey as well while writing? 

BB: This book sent me on the hardest journey for any Christian. It is voiced in my book when Yeshua asks, “WILL YOU TRUST YOUR KING?” 

Will I trust Him when everything is upside down? Will I trust Him when I feel alone and unseen? Will I trust Him to be enough for me when nobody knows what the work is costing me? Will I trust that He won’t let me put something worthless out into the world? Will I trust Him with critics? Will I trust Him with haters? Will I trust Him to help embrace that part of His design for me that is writer? Even though I’m terrified? Even though I feel completely inadequate.

I wrote this book for my kids. Jesus saw to it that I wrote it for myself.

RS: Powerful questions. How does it feel to see your book in print?

BB: When my book was delivered to my house, I just happened to be alone. I opened up the box and saw my name and the beautiful cover. (painted by my friend, Kathy Smith) I wanted so much to share my joy with someone – someone who would understand all that I had been through in birthing this story.

  Since I was alone, I sat on the hearth of our fireplace, imagining all my characters around me.  I read the entire book aloud to them!  It was a profound moment.  It was a way to honor them for all their help, and it was a way to say goodbye. As my original intent was that the book function as a read-aloud, it was a wonderful way to say, “The End.”  It was a holy moment shared only with the characters from my book and the Lord. They fully knew the cost.

RS: I have enjoyed our interview. I pray you have, as well. One last question before we talk about the giveaways. What do you hope to leave with the reader through your writing?

BB: I hope Liar leaves the reader with a renewed sense of hope in doing the right thing. For men, that means returning to protecting women, children, and culture. Men are called out of passivity in this story. For women, it means leaving fear and insecurity behind. It means allowing yourself to become vulnerable so that you can be free. It means that freedom first starts with Christ. I want my reader to leave the kingdom of Struggle having identified with the characters in a way that changes their life. I want the Body of Christ to return to the kingly qualities of truth, courage, honesty, and confession so that they can take their rightful position in the battle against the enemy. To arms! This book is a call to arms!

RS: After reading Liar, I believe you and GOD will accomplish much in the direction you speak. The story is poignant and thought-provoking, indeed.

BB: I’m so grateful to you!  Thank you for investing in me this way.

Let’s do two free book giveaways. One drawing for signing up for my newsletter. One drawing for signing up for writing practice. Please go to https://granberrybooks.com/category/news/, then come back here, drop a note in the comments letting us know which or both you have signed up under.