Interview with best-selling author J'nell Ciesielski

One of the best things about being an author is watching fellow authors get their wings. I remember when I met this beautiful young woman in 2015 (see my interview here) with dreams in her head and words at her fingertips. And now, just look at her! All grown up in the romance book writing world and launching book after successful book. I couldn't be more proud to present this interview with the truly talented and lovely J'nell Ceiselski.

We share a mutual agent, Linda Glaz, of Hartline Literary Agency. And we both share a deep love of history.
J'nell is an impressive talent indeed. She is the winner of both the INSPY and Maggie Awards. She's also a Florida native (where I live now!) but now lives in Virginia with her husband, daughter, and lazy beagle.

J'nell states on her website:  

"If you love a good romance, high adventure, intelligent heroines who can hold their own, men to make your heart swoon and knees shake then you’ve come to the right place.

All my life I’ve surrounded myself with books and awesome stories, particularly ones set in a time long gone by. My passion has always been history, and its secrets open up a world of possibilities. Throw in a melting romance that ends happily ever after and I’m hooked."

 

Put your feet up and enjoy the video interview with this brilliant young mind!

J'nell's Books can be purchased here: Books By J'nell Ciesielsky

Social Media Links

http://www.jnellciesielski.com/

https://www.facebook.com/jnellciesielski

https://www.goodreads.com/jnellciesielski

https://www.pinterest.com/jnellciesielski/

https://www.instagram.com/jnellciesielski/

This interview by Karla Akins first appeared on The Diamond Mine of Christian Fiction blog. 

Karla Akins is an award-winning author, educator, and speaker. She hails from the Tampa area of Florida where she resides with her husband, Eddie, her naughty Boston Terrier, Bella

Rose, and her two self-important cats. Her twin adult sons with autism live with them, too. A Pair of Miracles is about their life. Karla is a full-time 5th-grade public school special education teacher in inner-city Tampa and an online instructor. To schedule tutoring or coaching sessions, go to KarlaAkins.com or to her Outschool platform.

Follow Karla on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karlakakins/ 

Author Interview with Connilyn Cossette!

Hi! V. Joy Palmer here! Since we are all friends here, you guys can call me Joy. ; ) And since we are all friends, one of my favorite things to do is talk with my friends, family, the teens I mentor, and everyone else at coffee shops/bookstores. Books and yummy drinks are the perfect combination, after all. 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. ;-)

We are prying into the private life chatting with Connilyn Cossette, the amazing author of the Out from Egypt Series and the Cities of Refuge Series. I am currently reading Shelter of the Most High, which released October 2nd! IT IS AMAZING!!!

 

Connilyn Cossette is the CBA bestselling author of the Out from Egypt series. Her debut novel, Counted with the Stars, was a finalist for the Christy Award, the INSPY Award, and the Christian Retailing's Best Award. She lives in North Carolina with her husband of over twenty years and a son and a daughter who fill her days with joy, inspiration, and laughter. Connect with her at www.ConnilynCossette.com.

 

You can also connect with Connilyn Cossette on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest!

Interview ~

Food question! What do you munch on while you’re writing / researching / editing? This may be the most important question... No pressure. ;-)

 

Mostly I just drink coffee or Diet Dr. Pepper because when I am focused on writing or editing I am usually too absorbed to snack much and if I do I get carried away and graze mindlessly so that can be dangerous. That being said, I do keep a bag of Werther’s Coffee Caramel Hard Candies in a drawer to pop in my mouth when I get a craving for something sweet. Not that there haven’t been various stashes of chocolate around my office, because where else am I going to hide that stuff from my kids??

Candy or chocolate paired with coffee sounds like the perfect combination!! Since I'm still feeling particularly nosy, what does "a day in the life of Connilyn Cossette" look like?

Well, I am a night owl. So my day doesn’t usually get rolling until about 9am and my brain doesn’t truly kick in until around 10am and the coffee has hit my bloodstream. So yes, coffee first and then I usually spend a while getting my kids settled into their school day. We homeschool but now that they are older they are a little more independent so I organize their weekly/daily schedule on Google Sheets so we can all keep track in real time and they are responsible to complete those lists each day. My daughter is pretty self-motivated so she usually whips through fairly quickly but my son is more like me, a day-dreamer and a procrastinator, so much of my day is reminding him to hurry up and get done or suffer the wrath of extra household chores… During this time I am also dealing with social media stuff, marketing plans, emails, blogs, editing, plotting etc. Then in the early afternoon I try to get some writing done but am most productive at night when everyone is asleep and I can have silence. I usually grab a power-nap around 4:30 or so, I’ve trained my brain to fall asleep to podcasts in my headphones so I can usually snooze for about 30 minutes and then I’m set to go until 1 or 2 am. Evening consists of getting dinner ready for hubby to come home (although I am not a great cook, I’m much too impatient and day-dreamy and I have a weird aversion to measuring precisely—so pray for my family). Once things settle down in the evening and the kids are tucked into beds reading their own books, I enter my story world and have a great time talking with my imaginary friends. Most nights I text back and forth with Nicole Deese, my writing partner, into the wee hours as we work on scenes and talk about our imaginary friends with each other. So, there you have it—my glamorous and exciting life as an author in a nutshell!

I'm also a night owl, so I can totally relate! LOL! On top of being a writer, you are also a homeschooling mom. I think this is the route we'll take with our daughter, so I would love to know what prompted you to want to home educate your children and how do you balance both?

 

There were a few factors that went into our decision. I didn’t set out to homeschool, and in fact went to college to be a public school teacher but God just had other plans. By the time my son started kindergarten we’d already done a lot of learning at home and he was academically way beyond Kindergarten but nowhere near mature enough to head into first grade so it just made better sense at the time. And then I just fell in love with teaching my kids and watching them have lightbulb moments as they learned to read and write. We have a great time learning history together in particular. We’ve had lots of struggles over the years (usually with math…because, well, I’m a writer not a math-er) but it is so rewarding and I can’t even imagine not doing it now. Thankfully we have great resources to help with the balance and now that they are older they are much more independent. And this year both kids attend classes on Wednesdays and Thursdays so I have two uninterrupted days of productivity, which has been awesome for all three of us. One of the best things about homeschooling is that I don’t have to get up early and sit in a car line so we start school later in the day and I can write late and sleep in. Yay for school in jammies! I am so grateful we live in a country that gives us all the freedom to do what is best for our own families and situations.

Jammies are the best! LOL! Do you relate particularly well to any one of the characters in your latest release, Shelter of the Most High? Why or why not?

 

I always find little ways I relate to many of my characters but in Shelter of the Most High I think perhaps I connected the most with Eitan’s struggle with recurring self-condemnation. In order to avoid spoilers I won’t say exactly how he handles these issues but I think for me, and for many other followers of Jesus, I have a habit of bringing up my past sins and beating myself over the head with them, even though His grace is sufficient and I have no need to wallow in condemnation any more. If we are in Covenant with Jesus through his blood then we have been freely forgiven, so we must stop letting the Enemy whisper in our ear that we are not worthy. Eitan goes through the process of trying to “earn” forgiveness for something he had already been given grace for and I am guilty of doing the same thing at times. His journey was a great reminder to me that I am already free, so I need to stop acting like a slave to my past!

I love, love, love Eitan! This is something that I have struggled with, so I heart this truth! At what point in the writing process do you decide which character you are going to use in the next book?

 

I think that comes at different points along the way. Usually it’s when I get a flash of “story idea” from a certain character’s perspective. For some reason I could just envision Eitan as a man from the beginning so I knew I had to explore his story more. Now with Moriyah I did not decide to use her as a heroine until after Wings of the Wind was finished, so I actually had to go back in and tweak some things in editing (including the scar!) to make it all work together. And boy did I struggle over giving poor Moriyah that awful, painful brand! Since the Cities of Refuge Series had now stretched into a family saga, I’ve just chosen a new child of Moriyah and Darek each time and just love watching the family grow and change over the years.

I am SOOO excited for the next book, Until the Mountains Fall! I can't wait to see more of these beloved characters! Is there any particular message that you would like your readers to get out of the Cities of Refuge Series?

 

As I began writing the Cities of Refuge Series I came to the realization that the places God set up as sanctuaries for those convicted of manslaughter (Joshua 20) were a wonderful picture of the Body of Christ and how the Church should relate to the world. Our congregations should be a haven for the hurting, a place of safety and provision for those who are suffering, a place where the teaching of the Word (Torah) is central, a gathering of redeemed people who appreciate the grace and mercy they’ve been given, and a light on the hill to the weary and heavy laden. Throughout the series you’ll see cities of refuge like Kedesh where these principles are upheld and valued and others that have became more focused on wealth, power, self-righteousness or have slidden into idolatry and compromise. History shows us that these cities of refuge were kind of a blip on the timeline, in fact scholar think that many of the 48 cities designated for the Levites by Moses were never even settled. If the Church wants to have an impact on the culture around us, instead of the other way around, we would do well to pattern our congregations after these places of perfectly balanced justice and mercy.

This is so powerful and enlightening and sobering! Wow! <3 Have you traveled to the Holy Land to get perspective/atmosphere for your books?

 

Yes, I had the privilege of traveling with fellow author Cliff Graham’s Good Battle Tours last December and I came home with thousands of pictures and tons of inspiration and sensory detail to layer into my stories. I cannot wait to go back and glean more someday, it was a life-changing experience that I will never forget.

 I'm not green. Really... I'm always this lovely pea color. ;-) The cities of refuge in the Old Testament isn’t a topic we hear about a lot in church, how did this play into your research? Did you find it easier or more difficult to portray what life would be like for your characters in such a place?

 

That is very true. I knew pretty much nothing about them either but there is research out there, albeit sparing, from Christian and also Jewish Rabbinical sources that helped me fill in some gaps which I then just blended with what I know about God and about the plan of salvation that fits so perfectly into the Cities of Refuge pattern. As I began to “flesh out” the City of Kedesh in my mind it honestly became a real place in my head, so it’s not difficult to place myself there and envision what my characters see. When I went to Israel and drove near the place where the actual city once stood (or at least across the valley from it) it was kind of surreal to blend my “fictional” Kedesh with the actual landscape.

Well, speaking from a reader perspective, I can "see" the setting, so you did an amazing job! Was there a moment when you "just knew" that you were meant to write these stories?

 

I can’t remember a specific moment that I knew I was meant for it because the passion to write was always in me from an early age. I honestly didn’t think I had anything to say until I had kind of a “vision” of Kiya from Counted with the Stars when I was reading/studying Exodus and even then it took me five years to have the courage to put my work out in the world. It was probably as I was writing Shadow of the Storm that I realized I had more than just the proverbial “one book” in me and began to feel that writing was almost a compulsion. I get withdrawals when I can’t write now. Since the inspiration just keeps flowing from the Bible, I know that God is using me in this time for this purpose so I’m gonna go with it until he shuts off the faucet (which is hopefully not until for a very, very long time).

That is so cool! God is good! I love hearing about all the different ways He inspires His people. What do you do to recover once you’ve typed “THE END?”

 

If possible I take an entire month off of writing fresh story in order to give my brain a rest and recharge. And then I read as many books from my TBR list as I can including a craft book or two to prepare for starting a new book. And sleep. Lots of sleep.

Lots of sleep and lots of books - that's the dream! ;-)

Thank you so much for chatting with us, Connilyn!!

Guys, be sure to check out Connilyn's latest release, Shelter of the Most High. This is a story that should NOT be missed! Trust me!

The daughter of a pagan high priest, Sofea finds solace from her troubles in the freedom of the ocean. But when marauders attack her village on the island of Sicily, she and her cousin are taken across the sea to the shores of Canaan.

Eitan has lived in Kedesh, a city of refuge, for the last eleven years, haunted by a tragedy in his childhood, yet chafing at the boundaries placed on him. He is immediately captivated by Sofea, but revealing his most guarded secret could mean drawing her into the danger of his past.

As threats from outside the walls loom and traitors are uncovered within, Sofea and Eitan are plunged into the midst of a murder plot. Can they uncover the betrayal in time to save their lives and the lives of those they love?

Available now!

Thanks for stopping by, my writerly, bookish friends! <3 See you next time!

Hugs,

V. Joy Palmer 

V. Joy Palmer is the author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets.

 

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
 

Interview and GIVEAWAY with Brandy Bruce!!!

Hi guys! V. Joy Palmer here! Since we are all friends here, you guys can call me Joy. ; ) And since we are all friends, one of my favorite things to do is talk with my friends, family, the teens I mentor, and everyone else at coffee shops/bookstores. Books and yummy drinks are the perfect combination, after all. 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. ;-)

We're going to pry into the private life chat with my friend, Brandy Bruce! I met Brandy online after reading and gushing about her novel, The Last Summer. (And it's AMAZING! If you need more convincing, read my review!) She is such a fun and genuine person, and if you don't know about her and her books, then you need to remedy that, like, RIGHT NOW! <3

Brandy Bruce is a mom, a wife, a book editor, an author, and someone who really loves dessert. She’s the author of the award-winning novel The Last Summer, Looks Like Love, and The Romano Family Collection. Brandy, her husband, and their children make their home in Colorado.
 

Connect with Brandy on her blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest! 
 

Interview ~

First things first, would you order coffee, tea, or hot chocolate in our virtual coffee shop? Something else altogether? This is possibly the most important question... No pressure or anything. ;-)

Coffee! With sugar-free hazelnut creamer. It's my go-to every morning.

Delicious! It's amazing how essential that go-to drink in the morning really is... LOL! On to our second most important question: if you could order anything in the world to eat, what would it be?

Cheese enchiladas. They need to be Tex-Mex, with refried beans and Mexican rice, of course. And endless chips and salsa. Maybe a frozen strawberry margarita too.

Excuse me while I wipe the puddle of drool from the floor... I love anything with a hefty serving - or two - of refried beans. YUM! Where is your favorite place to write? And why is that your favorite place?

My home office. I like to be able to control the music for one thing! Also, I've got my coffee warmer. And I'm surrounded by my favorite books that inspire me, and photos of my kids.

Being able to control the music is essential! Confession Time: do you have any odd habits that are only explained by your bookish, writer tendencies? Safe space. ;-)

Probably several! Like a lot of writers, I can be kind of introverted. I love being around people, but after a while, I crash. I want to hole up at home for days alone and just focus on what I need to do, which is usually cleaning house or an editing project or helping the kids with something. I think I tend to come across as extroverted - and I really do enjoy people - but then I'll need to disappear for a bit and have quiet and regroup. It's that alone time where I find myself really diving into whatever story that's in my heart. Both having time with friends and people, and having time alone to write and focus on my family, are so vital to who I am as a person.

I hear ya, especially about holing up at home for days on end. Maybe we should invest in "Do Not Disturb the Introvert" signs. LOL! What inspired you to write The Last Summer?? *eagerly leans forward*

My first year of college was a difficult one for several reasons. I'd found myself in a place that was very challenging (emotionally and spiritually), and I was trying to keep my head above water with school and all the different factors of my situation. It was hard. (I read that and feel like saying, Understatement!) Writing had been part of my life since I was about twelve years old, and books had always been my favorite past-time. I'd filled spiral notebooks with stories for years. During that freshman year, writing became my outlet for creativity and so much more. It's not really surprising that a story centered on friendship would come to me at that time of life. Of course, in college, friendships are paramount. Everyone's finding out who they want to be and hanging out with friends and falling in love. That's what I wanted to write about. All the main characters came to me almost at once. Seven friends who love each other like family, entering a season of change. Through rewrites over the years, I was inspired to include other themes in the book, really just from more life experiences as I'd grown older. The story is truly so close to my heart. I'm so thankful it stayed with me for so long, and finally found it's place on my bookshelf.

Happy feelings abound! <3 *makes eye contact with the readers* The Last Summer is one of my forever and ever favorites. Read it! Seriously. *directs attention back to Brandy* What led you to write in this genre?

As a young writer, I was very influenced by Robin Jones Gunn. (I grew up on the Christy Miller series!) I really connected with Robin's Glenbrooke series, in which every book (except one, I think) focuses on a twenty-something woman who's finding her way. That series met me right where I was in my twenties. I was also a fan of chick-lit (Bridget Jones, Devil Wears Prada, Shopaholic, Something Borrowed, and so on). The Last Summer is sort of a blend of all those things I wanted to write about - a (hopefully!) relatable heroine who's someone you'd want to be friends with. Someone who's just doing the best she can to make her way. She loves her friends. She's got this crush on her best guy friend, but he's not reciprocating. She's got a little apartment she really likes and a good job, but dreams of having a house and someone to travel with. She's smart and capable and doing alright, but she also knows in her heart she wants more out of life. Things are changing for her and her friends, and change can be difficult.

I wonder how many of us twenty-something authors grew up on Christy Miller and Robin's other amazing books... I think (and my opinion is gold, y'all) that you really achieved blending all those elements into The Last Summer - love, friendship, humor, and faith. What message do you hope to convey to your readers?

That no one is perfect and that's okay. I love romance stories and rom-coms, but have you ever finished reading a story, feeling a little dissatisfied with your own relationship, or maybe more unhappy with your own life? I was chatting with someone and mentioned my book to her, and her reaction was that she avoids reading romance because it can leave her feeling so disappointed in her own husband. That spoke to me! I completely understood and respected her choice to focus on other kinds of fiction. I love swoon-worthy male characters as much as the next girl, but anyone who's been in a relationship for more than fifteen minutes knows that we're all human and can hurt each other and disappoint each other at times. (I really understand this. It's hard to even think about sexy, smoldering looks when what you really need is help with laundry and someone to pick up rotisserie chicken and mac-n-cheese on the way home from work. Ha!) Real romance can look like so many different things in our lives. Sometimes it looks like forgiveness. Or letting go. Or holding hands when a parent is sick. I wanted to write a story about real characters who are growing and learning and changing. Falling in love is part of that, so is experiencing disappointment and rallying when things go wrong. The Last Summer definitely has romance in it, but I consider it more women's fiction, because this story is about my main character finding out who she is. She's learning to see her parents in a new light. She's trying to be a good friend when it's really hard. She's holding on to her faith when things are confusing.

This is everything I love about The Last Summer! <3 <3 <3 Can you tell us a little about your next project?

Yes! I'm super excited to share that the follow-up novel to The Last Summer is slated to release in January, possibly February, at this point. We've just finished up the content edits. The Last Summer was in my heart for years and years. I'm very happy that this book did not take quite as long! I can't wait for readers to see what happens after The Last Summer ends. And here as we get closer to warm summer days, I really hope readers will grab The Last Summer for their beach read or vacation read or on-the-back-deck-while-the-kids-play-outside read! And get to know these characters before book two releases in the new year.

YESSS! SOOO EXCITED!!!! <3 *makes awkward eye contact with readers again* Seriously, guys, The Last Summer is amazing; this follow-up novel is amazing! Don't miss out! *grins at Brandy* What is your favorite Bible verse or story that inspires you on a soul level?

Really, different verses speak to me all the time. Lately I've been reminding myself of Psalm 19:14, "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer." I need that reminder every day.

Love that verse! <3 What are you currently reading? Inquiring minds - mine - want to know. :-)

I'm reading The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Conner and next on my stack is Unblemished by Sara Ella.

The fact that Kelly O'Conner's book title starts with "The Lost Summer" makes me laugh! ;-) And Unblemished is AMAZING! Jealous that you get to experience it for the first time! <3

Thanks for answering all my prying questions in the name of cyber chatting, Brandy! ;-)

Giveaway ~

Brandy has generously offered to giveaway one (1) eBook of The Last Summer!

 

A group of seven friends navigate relationships and personal growth during a season of change.

 

For twenty-something Sara Witherspoon and her group of friends, a perfect Southern summer includes lake-house getaways, wedding planning, outdoor concerts, and a dash of romance. But for these seven friends who love each other like family, this year, summer rolls in with changes for everyone.

Sara's longtime crush, Luke, has been her best friend for as long as she has been a part of the group. When Luke begins seriously dating another of their friends, Sara's forced to deal with her hurt and jealousy, while outwardly try to support them both.

While Sara comes to terms with her own heart and her friends' relationships, an unexpected handsome pilot from North Carolina and an old flame are thrown into the mix. Knowing her heart suddenly becomes much more complicated.

But as time unfolds and friendships begin to unravel, Sara and the others are presented with the reality of what a season of change does to old friendships and new love interests.

Does growing older mean growing apart?

Available on Amazon!

Rules, Info, and Such ~

The author is giving away one eBook copy of The Last Summer.

This giveaway is open internationally.

This giveaway will close on June 27th, 2018, at 12:00 A.M. for all the night owls.

A winner will be drawn within four days of close of giveaway. If the winner does not respond to our e-mails within one week of notification, then a new winner will be drawn in their place.

May the odds be ever in your favor. ;-)

Enter using the handy Rafflecopter here ~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by, my writerly, bookish friends! <3 See you next time!

Hugs,

V. Joy Palmer 

V. Joy Palmer is the author of Love, Lace, and Minor Alterations and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is also an avid blogger and co-founder of Snack Time Devotions. In her spare time, Joy is an unprofessional chocolate connoisseur/binger, and she loves acting crazy and drinking coffee with the teens she mentors. When Joy isn’t urging the elves that live in her computer to write, she’s hanging out with her husband, their adorable baby girl, and their socially awkward pets.

 

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Traveling Abroad with Kyle Hunter + a Giveaway

It’s Wednesday, which means we’ve got another author interview for you. Today’s guest is someone I roomed with at the 2016 ACFW conference. She released her debut novel earlier this year, and it's a delight and privilege to introduce her to each of you.

Kyle Hunter

I wanted to write fiction since the age of ten. My first book was at the age of eleven, about the adventures of a frog and turtle. Though I got away from writing for many years, the desire never left me. So, in 2009 I finally dove back in. I was living in France at the time.

I love to read and write stories about strong women who still have flaws, but are ready to pursue their dreams, even if it takes them out of their comfort zone ... or their country. 

I write inspirational romance novels and women’s fiction with a twist: My characters sometimes go places. This led me to create the Love on the Move collection of novels. Readers can take a trip with them and experience their journeys. They can see how the characters’ lives unfold as they make decisions to trust God (or not) in their next steps, learning about themselves and their faith, and finding love along the way! 

I currently live in North Carolina but spent over a decade in France (where some of my books take place.) I also write non-fiction and teach French. In my free time I enjoy doing pottery and salsa dancing.

Connect with Kyle:

Website
Facebook
Twitter


SW: Welcome to the Diamond Mine, Kyle. I am thrilled you could join us and share a little about yourself, your writing journey, and your debut novel. (Readers, I should mention here that the pictures in this post are all from Kyle's personal collection).
Let’s start with a quick round of this or that. 

Cake or cookies? 

KH: Cookies, though right now I’m trying hard to be disciplined and eat the right things! I never eat “industrial” cookies anyway but have a weakness for homemade…especially chocolate-chip coconut.

SW: Oh, those sound amazing! Morning or evening?

KH: I’m definitely a morning person. I feel more energetic and mentally sharp at that time. I can be creative in the evening too but start dozing off around 10:30.


SW: That's about the same time I shut down. Chocolate or vanilla? 

KH: Absolutely chocolate!  Dark only. It’s the European influence, I guess.


SW: Painting or drawing? 

KH: To do or to admire? I’m more of an artistic type, so I’ll opt for doing! I like doing both but am only average. I think my talents must lie in other areas!


SW: My sister got the artistic genes in my family, I try and steer away from most artwork. Painting pottery is the exception. It's so relaxing to me. 
Sandals or sneakers? 

KH: Both! I try to stay active but in North Carolina where we’re blessed with wonderful spring and fall (usually) and scorching summers, sandals are preferred.

SW: That was fun! Now that we’ve learned some basics about you, let’s go a little deeper.

A Parisian cafe. Welcome to Nikki's World!

After living in France for more than a decade and now living stateside, what do you miss most about living in another country and what don’t you miss at all?  

KH: After 13 years I was ready to come back to my own country, so I don’t have any regrets there. With so many years and experiences, though, it really feels like my second home. I miss some cultural things, like the way people linger at restaurants, buy produce at the open markets (which are set up twice weekly and easy to find!) as well as the beauty of nearly everything. I guess I’m just in love with France!







SW: I loved the open markets in the book. Speaking of, in One December, the heroine takes several trips to other countries during her year in Paris. Were you able to travel like this during your time in France?


KH: Yes, I did travel, but not as much as I would have liked. I still have a very long travel list, as well as my favorites I’d like to return to repeatedly, like Provence, Greece, London, and Italy! I’m planning to write novels in all of those places! (I have one in Provence already and am about to write another in the same area.)

Peaceful street on the Ile de Saint Louis (smaller of the 2 islands in the Seine)

SW: Italy is on my bucket list! On the flip side of the previous question, what one country or place that you have not yet been to would you most like to visit? 

KH: I’d love to go to Portugal. I’ve heard wonderful things about Lisbon in particular. Also, I had one trip to Spain, but was with friends and couldn’t explore as much as I wanted to. I’d like to see Seville and Barcelona. (That may be for next year!)

Book sellers along the Seine

SW: Your book touches on the complacency the French have toward Christianity. As a Christian living in a foreign country, what did you find most difficult or surprising? 

KH: I was in France in a ministry role, so I encountered this fact daily, the French indifference to Christianity, and the attitude that it was mainly for traditional holidays, but otherwise outdated. It was surprising the number of atheists in France, and many French people consider this a French cultural trait! If you look at their religious history, it’s tragic. The Reformation began very strong but was snuffed out with 200 years of brutality and wars of religion. Today there’s some distrust of small evangelical churches and ignorance about them. Churches and Christianity are slowly growing, however. God is still at work there.

Notre Dame Cathedral

SW: Amen! You’ve published some non-fiction works. Share with us a bit about the decision and journey to fiction. 

KH: As I mentioned in my bio, I wanted to be a fiction writer since the age of 10. The decision to write non-fiction began as a desire to create something that would be useful, fun to write, able to take me back to France, and also help finance me until I could publish fiction! I write travel books for France and I blog through Oliver’s France, a website I created. I also wrote a French language book for travelers. But fiction has always been the main goal for me. I discovered I enjoy writing non-fiction too, but it doesn’t thrill me in the same way as creating a scenario and setting where characters interact with each other, with God, and with themselves, facing challenges, growing, etc. That is thrilling for me, and I’d say it is my main calling. 

SW: From cheerleaders to critique partners to beta readers, reviewers, and more, every writer has a support system behind them. Tell us a little about who makes up your team. 

KH: I live in Raleigh, NC and about a year ago we got our own ACFW chapter. I joined right away and have really enjoyed our meetings. We have speakers, encourage each other, give critiques, network, and sometimes reviews. It’s wonderful to be part of this community, because I was alone as a writer for many years. Now I feel part of a community. As a newer writer, I can learn from the experience of others. I’ve been encouraged by their helpfulness.

SW: The ability to spend time with other authors is such a blessing for authors since writing

Island in the Seine River

is so often a solitary experience. What are some of your plans for your upcoming trip to France (anyone else want to try and sneak into Kyle’s luggage)?  

KH: The last novel I wrote was called Prodigals in Provence and is my next one to be published. This takes place in a gorgeous area of Provence called the Lubéron, where there are hilltop villages, vineyards, and a lot of history. I’m now planning a sort of sequel to that book, to continue the journey of the character’s best friend, Lauren. That will take place in a town called Cavaillon, in the same area. Part of my goal in going on this trip to Provence is to research for that book. Since I also have a France travel blog, I’ll take a lot of photography and video of Provence, Lyon, and Paris while I’m there. I’ll also reconnect with old friends and enjoy tearing across France from the south to the north! (and catch up on my croissant and cheese consumption!)

SW: Nikki and Mike go on very different journeys in One December. Share with us some of the motivations behind the book. 

KH: I was intrigued by the idea of two people who had known each other since childhood but come together much later as adults and as believers. That being said, Mike and Nikki were still not ready for each other. Things get started between them but they’re pulled away for a time, while all the while there’s the thread tying them together as they grow through their individual change journeys. I won’t get more detailed than that, but hopefully that will intrigue potential readers!

Arc of Triumph

SW: As we all know, reading is a personal experience. We all leave a story with different takeaways. What do you most hope your readers come away from your books with? 

KH: Hope in the growth process as well as the idea that God is really at our center as believers, and relationships are complementary, yet important. Mike and Nikki each have a different perception of relationships and how these balance with one’s relationship with God.



SW: And a reminder that while the answer we seek might not be yes or no. Sometimes the answer is wait. What are you working on now? Can we expect more travels to foreign places in future stories? 

KH: The next book to be published takes place in Provence, France. As I mentioned, the next project will be a follow-up of that book. I want to have ongoing books in the Love on the Move series, which will take readers to other places, not just France. Eventually I’d also like to write in other genres, like romantic suspense. 


Thank you for spending some time with us this week and congratulations on your debut novel. I’m looking forward to what you’ve got in store for readers next. For those wanting their first taste of Kyle's books, she's offering an eBook to one of you! Keep reading for details on the giveaway.

About the Book

Nikki has loved Mike for as long as she can remember (as early as age seven!) Mike has his own past hurts to resolve, having lost both parents in an accident when he was fourteen. He’s tried to escape those painful memories by leaving New York and starting a new life on the West Coast. New facts indicate, years later, that his parents’ deaths might not have been an accident. 

At Christmas Mike comes back to New York for the first time in three years. He and Nikki rekindle the friendship they had as children and share their newfound faith. Under a Christmas moon romantic sparks fly . . . but their mutual attraction takes an unexpected detour. 

Nikki is devastated, believing her one chance for a relationship with Mike is over. She impulsively takes a one-year teaching opportunity in Paris, so that she can face her own fears and get over Mike. 

If Mike and Nikki run away, how can they find each other again? 

Amazon // Goodreads

Giveaway

Kyle is generously offering one of our readers an eBook of One December. To enter, simply leave a comment below and let us know what country you would visit if time and money were not an issue. Be sure and let us know how to contact you if you win. Let us know you followed Kyle Hunter on social media or signed up for her newsletter to get an extra entry in the drawing. 

*Giveaway not valid with fewer than 5 unique commentors. Giveaway ends midnight EST, Tuesday, May 15, 2018.

Author Interview and GIVEAWAY with Joanna Davidson Politano!

Hi guys! V. Joy Palmer here! Since we are all friends here, you guys can call me Joy. ; ) And since we are all friends, one of my favorite things to do is talk with my friends, family, the teens I mentor, and everyone else at coffee shops/bookstores. Books and yummy drinks are the perfect combination, after all. 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. ;-)

We are prying into the private life chatting with THE Joanna Davidson Politano, author of the amazing Lady Jayne Disappears! And before we go any further, I must insist that you read her book posthaste! You can read my raving review here!

Joanna Davidson Politano spends much of her time spinning tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives. Her debut novel, Lady Jayne Disappears, released October 3 from Revell and A Rumored Fortune releases in July 2018. She lives with her husband and their two babies in a house in the woods and shares stories that move her at www.jpdstories.com.

 

Connect with Joanna on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, too!

Interview ~

First things first, would you order coffee, tea, or hot chocolate in our virtual coffee shop? Something else altogether? This is possibly the most important question... No pressure or anything. ;-)

Always hot chocolate <3

Love me some hot chocolate! <3 On to our second most important question: if you could order anything in the world to eat, what would it be?

Probably cheesecake!

This is why I like you! <3 #cheesecakebuddies Where is your favorite place to write? And why is that your favorite place?

I usually sit in my rocking chair in the living room, because it's the perfect spot. Sunshine pours in through the deck doors, I can hear my kids if they wake up from a nap, and it's a space that's quiet, yet full of sweet reminders (little shoes and toys) of the best parts of my life.

All the hearts! Sounds like the perfect space! Confession Time: do you have an odd habit that is only explained by your bookish, writerly tendencies? Safe space. ;-)

I love, love, love hearing peoples' stories! Tell me about your kids and your everyday life, your heartbreaks and your small victories. I love getting a little glimpse into people - even strangers.

That's so fun! <3 What inspired you to write Lady Jayne Disappears?

Well, it was a combination of a few things. When I was kid, I wrote anonymous stories about my classmates and watched these little pieces cause ripples when they leaked out into the class by accident. It was surprisingly impactful. Then as an adult I read about the Bronte sisters writing under male pen names and was fascinated with the story of them approaching their publisher with their true identity. I combined both of those concepts, plus a taste of Dickens and other serial novelists, into a project that was meant to be just for fun!

Wow! I can really see those threads throughout Lady Jayne Disappears! Guys, you seriously need to read this book! *deadpan stare* 'Tis amazing! So Joanna, what led you to write in this genre?

You know, I didn't really set out to write in a particular genre. I simply wrote stores that untangled questions I had about life and God, about myself, and included all my favorite book elements (history, mystery, a little romance, big old houses, etc.). Those elements have made it a cross between historical, romance, and mystery, and I'm good with that genre combination! My goal in choosing genres is just to enjoy whatever I'm writing at the time.

Wise advice for any writer! (I don't know if you intended that to be advice, but I'm going to call it advice. LOL!) What message do you hope to convey to your readers?

It is my desire to give readers a more eternal perspective on themselves, so that the opinion of people will not matter as much as what's at stake on a larger scale. I also want to inspire readers to passionate pursuit of their life and work, without being weighed down by impressing people.

That message is so clear in Lady Jayne Disappears! Love! <3 <3 <3 Can you tell us a little about your upcoming release?

Of course! I'm excited to share a Victorian story that takes a deeper look at vineyards and the spiritual implications of them. There's a little bit of a treasure hunt, a mystery, and a love story based loosely on my own. The story centers around a lonely heiress who is suddenly left bankrupt in her mansion when her father dies without telling his family where he hid his money. This story releases from Revell in July of 2018.

 

Tressa Harlowe's father did not trust banks, but neither did he trust his greedy extended family. He kept his vast fortune hidden somewhere on his estate in the south of England and died suddenly, without telling anyone where he had concealed it. Tressa and her ailing mother are left with a mansion and an immense vineyard and no money to run it. It doesn't take long for a bevy of opportunists to flock to the estate under the guise of offering condolences. Tressa knows what they're really up to. She'll have to work with the rough and rusticated vineyard manager to keep the laborers content without pay and discover the key to finding her father's fortune--before someone else finds it first.

Award-winning author Joanna Davidson Politano welcomes readers to Trevelyan Castle, home of the poorest heiress in Victorian England, for a treasure hunt they'll not soon forget.

I am so ridiculously excited for this book!!! *deletes twenty-one exclamation points* What is your favorite Bible verse or story that inspires you on a soul level?

Oh my, how much time do you have? My favorite BOOK of the Bible is Isaiah, because it shows the incredible duality of our God - extremely holy and unable to be in the presence of sin, yet an ocean of mercy and love. We get to see both aspects of his nature in full force through this book, and there are so many beautiful sections in this book.

If I had to pick one CHAPTER of the Bible, I would say Romans 8 or James 1, because both offer such an eternal perspective on our whole life.

My favorite VERSE would be Matthew 6:33, which has become the guiding principal of my entire life, every decision, every mundane task - seek the kingdom of God first and above everything else, and then God will give you everything you need. Such power and direction in a single verse.

Those are some amazing and powerful sections of the Bible! What are you currently reading? Inquiring minds - mine - want to know. :-)

Hahaha, again how much time do you have? At the moment I have Brentwood's Ward (Michelle Griep) and the arc for A Reckoning at Gossamer Pond (Jamie Jo Wright) on my Kindle, and on my nightstand are The Lost Castle (Kristy Cambron) and my first ever Georgette Hayer novel.

Loved The Lost Castle, and I'm looking forward to reading A Reckoning at Gossamer Pond!

Thank you for answering all my prying questions, Joanna! Such a blast talking with you! <3

Giveaway ~

Joanna has generously offered to giveaway one (1) copy of Lady Jayne Disappears.

 

When Aurelie Harcourt's father dies in a debtor's prison, he leaves her just two things: his wealthy family, whom she has never met, and his famous pen name, Nathaniel Droll. Her new family greets her with apathy and even resentment. Only the quiet houseguest, Silas Rotherham, welcomes her company.

 

When Aurelie decides to complete her father's unfinished serial novel, writing the family into the story as unflattering characters, she must keep her identity as Nathaniel Droll hidden while searching for the truth about her mother's disappearance - and perhaps even her father's death.

 

Author Joanna Davidson Politano's stunning debut set in Victorian England will delight readers with its highly original plot, lush setting, vibrant characters, and reluctant romance.

Rules, Info, and Such ~

The author is giving away one copy of Lady Jayne Disappears.

This giveaway is open internationally, but if an international winner is drawn, they will receive an ebook. If a US winner is drawn, they will have the option of a print copy or an ebook.

This giveaway will close on March 7th, 2018, at 12:00 A.M. for all the night owls.

If the winner does not respond to our e-mails within one week, then a new winner will be drawn in their place.

May the odds be ever in your favor. ;-)

Enter using the handy Rafflecopter here ~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by, my writerly, bookish friends! <3 See you next time!

Hugs,

V. Joy Palmer

Author Interview and GIVEAWAY with Mikal Dawn!!!

Hi guys! V. Joy Palmer here! Since we are all friends here, you guys can call me Joy. ; ) And since we are all friends, one of my favorite things to do is talk with my friends, family, the teens I mentor, and everyone else at coffee shops/bookstores. Books and yummy drinks are the perfect combination, after all. 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. ; )

Today, I am very excited for you guys to meet Mikal Dawn! I just started reading her debut novel, Count Me In. Loving it!!!

Mikal Dawn is an inspirational romance author, wedding enthusiast, and proud military wife. By day, she works as an administrative assistant for an international ministry, serves in her church’s library, runs her kids to all their sports, and drinks lots of coffee. By night, she talks to figments of her imagination as she attempts to write while dinner is burning. And drinks lots of coffee. When she isn’t writing about faith, fun, and forever, she is obsessively scouring Pinterest (with coffee in hand, of course!) for wedding ideas for her characters.
 

Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Mikal now lives in Nebraska with her husband, their three children, and one ferocious feline. Connect with Mikal on mikaldawn.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

INTERVIEW ~

Thank you so much for having me!!! I’m thrilled to be here! <3

 

Thank you, Mikal! I’m so excited to ask you a bunch of prying questions! LOL! First things first, would you order coffee, tea, or hot chocolate in our virtual coffee shop? Something else altogether? This is possibly the most important question…

 

I don’t think you could have started off with an easier question. If anyone knows anything about me whatsoever, they know the answer to this one: COFFEE! (It is lifeblood.)

It is! It so is! On to our second most important question, if you could order anything in the world to eat, what would it be?

 

Can this “anything” be calorie-free? And would I have to pay for it? Because I’m cheap, but I have expensive taste. Basically, my “anything” would be dessert. Specifically, the Fortress Stilt Fisherman Indulgence (at The Fortress Resort and Spa in Sri Lanka)—and at $14,500 per dessert, I would definitely need someone to buy it for me…but it comes with an 80-carat aquamarine! I might also have to order a Cro at Dum Dum Donutterie in London. It’s cheap by comparison at only £1,500, but ohmygoodness, it sounds divine!!! And to top it all off, because who doesn’t need coffee, I would order the £15 cappucino at the Emirates Palace Hotel.

 

Yes. I did Google. LOL!

 

I love how you wholeheartedly embraced the anything part! LOL! I hope those desserts are made from chocolate from Heaven! *looks up the desserts in new web tab and drools* I need to distract myself from this beautiful, haunting dessert… Where is your favorite place to write? And why is that your favorite place?

I actually prefer writing at my desk, but I don’t have a proper desk chair right now, so that leaves me to my couch. I tend to write with my back against the arm and my legs stretched out in front of me with my computer on my lap. As I am right at this moment. It’s just comfortable. 😊 But the day is coming when I will get my chair!! And I can’t wait.

 

Actually, the day is coming when my oldest gets married. As soon as he moves out, his bedroom will become my writing office. I plan on buying a chaise that I can sit in to write…and maybe read, too. 😉

 

I’ve been “suggesting” to my husband that we should get a chaise for the last few months. I totally get it. 😊 Do you have an odd habit that is only explained by your bookish, writer tendencies?

 

I refuse to answer this question on the grounds it might scare off readers!!! HA! But in all honesty, I probably have many! But I wouldn’t be able to tell you what’s odd but explained by my bookish, writer tendencies, and what’s odd just because. LOL! (My husband would just call me odd, period. No explanations whatsoever. But hey…he’s the one who asked me to marry him, so who’s the oddest?!) 

 

*snort* I’m inclined to agree with your logic. There’s no arguing with it. 😉 What inspired you to write Count Me In? 

A homework assignment. No, really! I was in an American Christian Fiction Writer’s course and the assignment was to write a sentence or two for different parts of a story (inciting incident, denouement, etc.). We were given a name and, I believe, an occupation. I wrote a few sentences to fulfill the assignment, had a couple of classmates email me saying they’d love to read it, and lo and behold! Count Me In was born.  

Such a fun story! I love how inspiration can strike in the most bizarre ways! What led you to write in this genre?

 

This is a pretty interesting question. I struggled quite a bit with writing inspirational romantic comedy. Not because I don’t love this genre—I do!—but because I had grand dreams of writing the stuff that would make readers cry, teach them deep lessons, and give them book hangovers. (Who doesn’t want to have a book hangover?!) Basically, the kind of story that will stay with a reader for a very long time, if not forever. So I fought. I started other stories and couldn’t finish them. I fought some more. And when the ACFW course happened, I met with some other authors at a coffee shop and told them how I was struggling. One, Jennifer Slattery—a fabulous author, if you haven’t read her novels!—punched me (she packs a hard punch for such a tiny woman!), and said (paraphrasing here) that readers need all kinds of books, from the deep, hard reads, to the light, funny escapes. She then went on to remind me that those who are in hard spots in life sometimes just need something to take their minds off what they’re going through. I felt such a sense of freedom at her words, like God was saying, “Yes! This is what I’ve been telling you, you stubborn child.”

 

I went on to write Count Me In, my first attempt at rom-com. 

 

 

I also write romantic comedy, so I really love the truth that God spoke to you. <3 SO TRUE! What message do you hope to convey to your readers?
 

Having said what I just did in the question above, there are takeaways in Count Me In. In that story, I want readers to examine how they think of fear and God and trusting the Lord. I struggle in that area in a big way, so writing the story was therapy for me. I have two characters who both have fears but approach it from different angles. But it all comes down to trusting the Lord. My prayer is that readers will be reminded that God is in every moment of their lives, that His perfect love casts out all fear. 

 

 

Yes. This. Love it. <3 Can you tell us a little about your next project?

I’ll admit that I’m struggling with writing at the moment. Up next is Story and Bo’s novel, and while I love the premise and characters, I’ve been having such a hard time writing it. So before I tell you about it, can I ask you all to pray for me, please? Writing is hard. Much harder than I ever thought, especially after a debut release and now having expectations. 😊

 

So, about Story and Bo. This is a very rough back cover copy! So rough, in fact, that I’m about to write it here for the first time. 😉 So here’s the (not final!) blurb for On the Edge:

 

A Cold Front Is Moving In…

 

Story Humphries has lived and loved the bohemian life. Never to stay in one place, her parents moved her around and touted the lifestyle as one of absolute freedom. Despite that, she found true love in figure skating, and no matter where they ended up, she always found a rink to fly across. Now, when she isn’t coaching, Story spends every minute practicing with her own coach with far-flung hopes of breaking back into competitive skating.

 

Bo Dixon has pushed and pushed to succeed, first as a left-wing in the NHL and then as a coach for his alma matter. But a coach’s job is never guaranteed and Bo goes back to Seattle, wishing he could take a slapshot to the face rather than see his ex-girlfriend again.

Story and Bo have a history off the ice. But with Bo’s unexpected return, it looks like they may have a future on the ice…whether they want it or not.

 

OHMYGOSH! There’s such a The Cutting Edge vibe. I love it!!! Count me in for this sequel! And yes, I did that on purpose. 😉 What is your favorite Bible verse or story that inspires you on a soul level?

 

Oh wow, there are so many!!! But I’ll narrow it down. Kind of. Ha!!

 

My first favorite is Hebrews 6:19a: “We have this hope as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul…”

I also LOVE Romans 8:38-39: For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Those both speak to me on a soul-deep level. The verse that inspires my writing, however, is Psalm 102:18: “Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord.” With instructions like that, how could I not write?

 

LOVE Romans 8:38-39 and I’m always finding awesome, new life verses in Psalms. Your writing verse is epic!!! So what are you currently reading? Inquiring minds (mine) want to know. 😉

 So. Many. Books. LOL!! Actually, I’m proud of myself: I only have two on the go right now! I’m re-reading Dead Reckoning by Ronie Kendig. It’s the first book of hers I ever read and the one that made me a perma-fan. The one I’m reading is actually her recently re-released version with some new scenes and other rewrites. It’s been a long while, so it’s like reading a brand-new book for me! I’m also reading Firstborn by Tosca Lee. This is The Progeny duology, and I ADORE IT. It isn’t normally my thing—the genre, the tense, and the point of view narrative—but the first book hooked me right from the first sentence, and this second book is no different. 😊

Oooo! I discovered Ronie Kendig this past year, and I have become a committed fan! And I’ve been jonesing to read Tosca Lee’s new books. *muffles squeal of bookish frustration*

Thank you so much for joining us today, Mikal! I know I’ve had a blast chatting with you!


GIVEAWAY ~


Mikal has generously offered to giveaway 1 Kindle copy of her novel, Count Me In.

 

 

 

Allegra Spencer has been living a careful life.  Her safe job as an accountant is bookended by going to church and the gym. Okay, sometimes the gym. Fine. She goes to church. And the coffee shop. She avoids risk at all cost, preferring to stay safe in her cozy condo. Until her accounting firm goes belly up and she's out of a job.

 

 

 Tyler Hawk had a glorious career as a star NFL tight end. He retired on a high note and now lives a second dream of owning his own business and leading others on extreme outdoor adventures. But he needs help with his books—and his heart. When Allegra takes the job, sparks fly. 

It’s a case of safety zone versus danger zone, and in their minds, never the two shall meet.

 

 

Buy it on Amazon!

 

Rules, Info, and Such ~


The author is giving away 1 Kindle copy of Count Me In. This giveaway is open worldwide, and it closes on August 30th, 2017, at 12:00 A.M. for all the night owls out there. 

May the odds be ever in your favor.

Enter using the handy Rafflecopter here ~


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by my writerly, bookish friends! <3 See you next time!

Hugs,

V. Joy Palmer