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!

Motherhood, Writing, and a Split-Time Story with Sarah Hanks

Y'all, I'm late getting this post up but didn't want you to miss out on meeting the delightful Sarah Hanks. The delay is completely my fault since our guest sent me her interview weeks ago. Let me just say, if you have not ready anything by Sarah, you are missing out on some wonderful books. And Sarah is giving one of our readers an e-book of her latest release. Keep reading to learn more about the book as well as how to enter the giveaway.

 About Sarah Hanks

Sarah Hanks spent a decade delightfully merging her two main passions—writing and equipping children—by writing a variety of Sunday school curricula for churches in her community. She wrote her first novel when she was seventeen and continued to write fiction “on the side” until deciding to pursue writing professionally with Mercy Will Follow Me. She and her husband have nine children of their own, a couple of whom seem to have inherited their mother’s love for playing with words and crafting stories. Though Sarah dreams of a cabin by the beach, the family lives together in beautiful chaos in St. Charles, Missouri. She buys ear plugs in bulk.

Visit Sarah's website and learn 10 random facts about her (on the about page): https://sarah-hanks.com/ 

Follow Sarah via: Newsletter | Facebook | Instagram

Suzie: Welcome to the Diamond Mine, Sarah. I’m so excited to introduce you and your books to our readers. I always like to start with a couple book- and writer-themed would you rather questions. Would you rather write in a rooftop garden surrounded by city noises — or in a quiet studio with cows as your neighbors? 

Sarah: I could probably write anywhere my children aren’t. Noise doesn’t bother me as long as it’s not coming from my dear ones screaming, fighting, crying, or saying “Mom! Mom! Mom!”. But I might get more words in with the cows. 

Suzie: The plight of motherhood. Your kids need you most (or think they do) when you are trying to concentrate on something else. 

Would you rather read a book with no page numbers or no chapter numbers? 

Sarah: Chapter numbers. Chapter length varies drastically, so the chapter number doesn’t tell me much anyway.

Suzie: Agreed. Now, if there were no scene breaks, I might have a different opinion. Alright, that’s enough of those. Tell us a little about you—family, hobbies, day job, or whatever you’d like to share that’s not in your bio. 

Sarah: I have nine children. That is in my bio, but what’s not is that the oldest is 18 and the youngest is 6 months. Eight of our nine children live at home. Two are adopted. Our 18-year-old son has Down syndrome. We adopted him when he was 7, and it was one of the best decisions we ever made for our family. He’s amazing. All my children are. They are my absolute favorite people in the world. They keep me busy. 

 No, I do not homeschool (though I did for years). I teach in children’s ministry at my church and work a few hours a week at a local preschool. I gravitate towards children and can’t seem to stay away.

Suzie: Wow, nine children!! Take that Mom! Mom! Mom! answer from earlier and multiply it by nine. I'm impressed you are able to write at all.

What are three books on your current tbr? 

Sarah: Positively Penelope by Pepper Basham (I loved Authentically Izzy) Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other by Bethany Turner (Can’t resist a good Rom-Com) Undercurrent of Secrets by Rachel Scott McDaniel (One word: Steamboats!) 

Suzie: I've read Pepper's and Rachel's books. Both are wonderful.

What does your writing space look like? 

Sarah: A cluttered desk with a baby blanket on the floor next to it. My baby plays with his toys and “reads” while I write … when I’m not holding him and trying to type one handed and when he’s not spitting up on my shoulder. 

Suzie: Multi-tasking at its finest!

You write split time fiction. Is one timeline easier to write than the other? What do you like most about each genre? 

Sarah: The modern-day storyline is, in general, easier to write because there’s less research involved. The historical storyline always takes more time and fact checking, but it’s also more fun for me. I love how history informs the present. We don’t live in a vacuum. Choices made hundreds of years ago affect us now and choices we make now affect the future. It’s interesting to think how interconnected we all are. 

Suzie: That is the truth. 

Tell us more about Fall Back and Find Me. 

Sarah: Fall Back and Find Me is a fictionalized account of my journey with chronic illness. About eight years ago, I was diagnosed with POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome). I went from thriving in a job I loved to becoming bedridden. Though Amber (the protagonist in the novel) differs from me in many ways, the emotions she goes through are very similar to my own. The journey of the heart is similar. Fall Back and Find Me is another Sister in Arms novel that features a secret female Civil War solider in the historical storyline. Willow’s body also betrays her with “irritable heart”, a diagnosis common in that time. Both women are on a journey to find their identity apart from their performance. I believe the message contained within the pages is imperative for women today to grab hold of. 

Suzie: Sounds amazing!! I need to move this book up on my to-read list!

What are you currently working on?

Sarah: I’m about to start writing a fictionalized story based on my grandfather’s life. It’s my way of honoring this man who has sown into me throughout my life and who has made a big difference in little ways. It will be a split-time with one storyline in the 1960s and another one in modern day. It will center around his barber shop New Creations. 

Suzie: Wow, another story that I want to read. Last but never least, how can we pray for you? 

Sarah: I always welcome prayers for wisdom and strength as I parent this troop of mighty warriors. They are my first and most important ministry. And, of course, that I would be faithful to tell the stories the Lord has for me to tell.

Suzie: Thank you so much for spending some time with us, Sarah. It has been a pleasure getting to know you more.

About Fall Back and Find Me

Two resilient women separated by over 150 years are linked forever by their challenges, values, and determination.

Amber Prichard is thriving in her role as pastor’s wife, mom, and indispensable church volunteer—until chronic illness threatens to upend everything. Now unable to prove her value, she is forced to reevaluate how she defines herself. Inspired by an ancestor’s faded journal and heirlooms, she must work with her arch-nemesis if she wants to accomplish what is now impossible on her own.

Faced with the turmoil of the civil war, Willow Forrester didn’t intend to illegally enlist in the Union army as a secret female soldier. She only wanted to escape her father’s tyranny and follow her brother into the throes of adventure. When she comes face to face with the leader of a guerilla army, her health and insecurities threaten to shatter her heroism and render her powerless.

As their opposition threatens to overtake them, these two women must find their strength and identity to defeat impossible odds.

Amazon | Goodreads

Giveaway

One (1) winner will receive an e-book copy of Fall Back and Find Me. To enter, leave a comment below and tell us if you prefer country or city living. Be sure to leave a way for us to contact you if you win. Giveaway is open until Sunday, 10/22/23.

Interview and GIVEAWAY with author Pegg Thomas!

Hi, guys! V. Joy Palmer here! Since we are all friends here, you guys can call me Joy. ;-) And one of my favorite things to do is talk with my friends at coffee shops then head to the bookstores. Yes, plural. After all, books and yummy drinks are the perfect combination! So consider this our virtual coffee shop. I'll wait a second for you to get your warm drink and a fuzzy blanket before we chat with today's guest. <3

Today we are going to pry into the private life of CHAT with author Pegg Thomas!

A lifelong history geek, Pegg Thomas lives in Northern Michigan with Michael, her husband of *mumble* years. She creates American stories with real history and fictional characters inspired by her ancestors who immigrated here in the early 1600s. When not working or writing, Pegg can be found in her garden, her kitchen, or sitting at one of her spinning wheels creating yarn to turn into her signature wool shawls.

Connect with Pegg on her website, subscribe, Facebook, Goodreads, BookBub, and Amazon!

Interview ~

This may be the most important question I ask -- no pressure or anything, LOL! 

*drum roll*

What are you drinking in our virtual coffee house? Coffee? Tea? Hot chocolate? Something else altogether?

It depends on the day and the time of day. I enjoy all three.

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

BBQ pork ribs.

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

In my office. I have it set up with my spinning wheels and other antiques, as well as my awards and framed book covers. It has the ambiance I need to get into the historical and writing groove.

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

I love wearing writer/reader-related t-shirts. 

Fun! What inspired you to write Freedom’s Price? 

I wrote this book 12 years ago. It was the book that got me an agent, in fact. However, while the agent loved it, and multiple publishers requested the full manuscript, nobody offered a contract on it. I started indie publishing in 2021, and this book—this series—was always there in the back of my mind. It seemed the right time to bring it out, so I edited it heavily (my writing has improved tenfold over that 12-year period), and now here it is.

That's awesome! What led you to write in this genre? 

I’m a total history geek! Freedom’s Price is historical fiction with a thread of romance. I never really wanted to write historical romance, but that’s what publishers wanted to contract, so after finishing this book, I switched to writing romance. But now that I’m indie-published, I expect there’ll be less romance in my books. There will always be some, because life includes romance, and my books are about the lives of my characters, but it won’t be the formulaic romance of most historical romance books. And it will always be true to the time period.

Love history! What message do you hope to convey to your readers? 

The overall theme of Freedom’s Price is the value of truth. I hope readers connect with Gwen Morgan and maybe see a bit of themselves in her, which would allow them to identify with her maturing and changing throughout the story. We all make rash decisions, and sometimes with the best of intentions, but in the end, it’s the truth that matters.

I love that theme! Can you tell us a little about your next project(s)? 

I’m currently more than halfway through the sequel, Freedom’s Pride, which releases on March 5, 2024, and already noodling where the third book in the series, Freedom’s Promise, is going. I plan to release that one in August 2024. After this series, I’m heading back into the American Revolution because the 250^th anniversary is coming up in 2026!

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

My verses are John 10:27-28 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. I love the absolute guarantee offered for those who believe in Jesus. It's the ultimate promise to stand upon.

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

I’m working my way through Joan Hochstetler’s American Patriot Series. It’s a good setup for the coming anniversary of the American Revolution!

Sounds like a good read! Thanks for answering all of my prying questions, Pegg!

Check out Pegg's new release, Freedom's Price! 

An indentured servant since the age of fourteen, Gwen Morgan longs for freedom. Her greatest wish is to find the sister who was sold to another master when they arrived in North Carolina from Wales.

Then Master Whiteford offers Gwen her freedom at a price—she must agree to live a lie and join a settlement of Quakers relocating to the Northwest Territory of Ohio.

Thomas and Betsy Baldwin have buried their three children and face their elderly years alone until they open their home and hearts to Gwen. Their quiet and steadfast faith touches Gwen and causes her to question her deception.

Torn between her freedom and the truth, Gwen struggles to find her place among the Quakers she's grown to love.

Giveaway ~

Pegg has generously offered 5 eBook copies of Freedom's Price!

Rules, Info, and Such ~

The author is giving away 5 eBook copies of Freedom's Price!

This giveaway is open to the US only!

This giveaway will close on 10/05/23 at 12:00 A.M. for all the night owls.

A winner will be drawn within four days of close of giveaway. The winner must respond to our e-mails within one week of notification, or their prize will be forfeit. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Enter via the handy Rafflecopter link below. May the odds be ever in your favor. ;-)

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE!

See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

V. Joy Palmer loves to write romantic and comedic stories that proclaim God’s deep love for us. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and an avid blogger. In her spare time, Joy loves to sing (especially Disney songs), drink large quantities of coffee, and take flowery photos for Bookstagram. When Joy isn’t fighting with fictional people, she’s hanging out with her husband and their adorable daughters. Connect with Joy via www.vjoypalmer.com!

Connect with Joy on her website, personal blog, devotional blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads, and Amazon Author Page!

Our own Penny Frost McGinnis Releases New Book!

Check the gift register stat, because we are welcoming yet another new book baby from our own Penny Frost McGinnis!

 OH! And don't 

miss the BOOK GIVEAWAY!

PT: Oh, Penny! We are all thrilled to welcome in your new addition Home Away from Home. So, tell the readers how you came to write and why you write in your chosen genre.

PFM: Over 25 years ago, I set a goal to write for publication. Along the way, I had a few poems and articles published. I intended to write for children, but God nudged me toward women’s fiction and eventually romance. I learned how to write that genre from conferences, classes, reading inspirational fiction, and how-to books. As I continued to work a full-time job, I honed my skills and started a blog. After I retired, my coworker encouraged me to finish my novel and seek publication.

PT: Many writers have a message they want to convey overall to their readers. What do you want to tell readers through your writing?

PFM: My goal in writing is to share the hope I have in Jesus. When God called me to write, I knew I needed to inject positivity into a negative world. By shining His light, I’m able to spread the joy and hope I’ve found in a relationship with God, and there’s nothing more hopeful than Jesus’ love.

PT: What a great goal to have. How did you come up with the idea for your newest release Home Away from Home?

Book blurb: Home Away from Home

When Marigold Hayes turned fourteen, her mother died, and her father went missing. For forty years, she has searched for her dad and lived a quiet life on Abbott Island, until she met Johnny. As her love for Johnny grows, her sorrow from the relentless search for her father breaks her heart. She begs God to help her move forward with her life before she has no love left to give. Then three mysterious strangers show up who could change her life.

Johnny Papadakis moved to Abbott Island ten years ago. His ex-wife had pushed him away and discouraged him from having a relationship with their daughter. After years of hard work, his restaurant flourishes, so does his relationship with Marigold. As he seeks Marigold's hand in marriage, his daughter shows up on his doorstep, looking for a place to call home.

Can Marigold and Johnny settle the past and move toward the promise of a blessed future?

PFM: Marigold, the main character, appeared in book #1 as a strong, independent woman who ran her own business, and loved her friends well. Since she is 54, I wondered what made her move to an island at 18 and live alone all those years. Her character is influenced by a woman my husband and I met briefly, who ran a kayak business. As an older adult, I knew Marigold carried baggage, lived life, and learned lessons. The story works through loss and grief in a different sense. I can only say, God inspired me to place Marigold in a situation where her father had been missing for many years and she needs to either find him or let go.

Johnny is a great balance for Marigold. He’s had loss in another way and wants to reconcile with his daughter. In the meantime, he hopes he and Marigold will have a happy ending.

PT: I love the name Marigold. I’m a sucker for cute, unusual names. Now, this is a second in the series Abbott Island. Do readers need to read your first release, Home Where She Belongs, or do the books stand alone?

PFM: Readers can read the book as a stand-alone, but I’d love for you to read Home Where She Belongs, too.

PT: Does Home Away from Home have a spiritual thread or is it based on a Bible verse?

PFM: The scripture I chose for Home Away from Home is Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Marigold’s story is all about hope and this verse shores her up when she faces some tough decisions. This is also one of my top ten verses that inspires me. I use it as the theme for my blog, Hope for Today’s Heart.

PT: Give us a peek into how your writing day goes.

PFM: Since I’m retired, I try to write at least 3-5 hours. I eat breakfast, then sip my coffee while I check email, then glance through social media. Once I’ve settled in, I work on something associated with my writing, write or edit the book I’m working on, or create devotions for my blog. I usually have breaks with Rosie May and tea in the afternoon. I’m a slow writer, and I edit my writing several times.

PT: Share with the reader the best thing you enjoy about writing and worst thing you hate about writing.

PFM: I’m thankful to have the opportunity to write. I enjoy the prewriting, research, and sketching out characters and their lives and love to create the setting. I don’t enjoy the final fine-tooth combing at the end where I’m trying to find any errors that may have been missed. It makes me fall asleep 😉.

PT: Do you enjoy any hobbies along the way?

PFM: Probably too many. I’ve been embroidering since I was five and recently started again. I enjoy wool felting, crocheting, paper arts, and growing flowers and herbs in my tiny garden, and of course reading. My husband and I have a golden retriever named after Rosie in Home Where She Belongs and we enjoy spending time with our kids and grands (not sure that’s a hobby 😊 but it’s fun.)

PT: Now for my fav! It's time for my:

(Photo credit: Joe Caione/Unsplash)

about Penny Frost McGinnis that have nothing to do with writing:

PFM:

1. I’m fascinated by God’s creation.
2. Dark chocolate is the best.
3. I enjoy growing lavender.
4. Winter is my favorite season.
5. I’m a Cincinnati Reds fan!

Dedicated Reds Fans!

PT: What’s next for the Abbott Island Series? Another book or a new direction all together?

PFM: I’m currently writing a Christmas novella, set on Abbott Island, that will be part of a collection of Christmas stories set in Ohio, and I’ll be writing Lucy’s story as book #3 in the Abbott Island Series. With her sparkling personality, she’ll be fun to write.

PT: A Christmas Novella! That sounds like a great direction, and I’m sure everyone can’t wait until the next Abbott Island series debuts.

PFM: Thank you for interviewing me, Peggy.

PT: And thanks for sharing your little bundle of joy with us! As always, you can learn more about Penny at her links:

Website/Blog: https://www.pennyfrostmcginnis.com/

Facebook Author page: https://www.facebook.com/PennyFrostMcGinnisAuthor

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/penny-frost-mcginnis

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22233131.Penny_Frost_McGinnis

Oh, and about that BOOK GIVEAWAY...

leave your name on our contact form or 

leave a comment with your email to be entered to win an EBook copy of Penny Frost McGinnis's Home Away from Home!

Penny Frost McGinnis, author of Home Where She Belongs and Home Away from Home, books #1 and #2 of the Abbott Island series, would live in a lighthouse or on an island if she could. Instead, she and her husband are content to live in southwest Ohio and visit Lake Erie every chance they get. She adores her family and dog, indulges in dark chocolate, enjoys fiber arts, and baseball. She pens romance with a dash of mystery and the promise of hope. Her life's goal is to encourage and uplift through her writing. Visit her blog at Hope for Today's Heart, where she brings God's hope to people's lives through the written word.

                        *************************************************************

I hope you enjoyed today's interview with Penny Frost McGinnis! Christian authors need your support. Consider checking out Penny's links, buy her books, join her newsletter, or write a review. Yes, it's that simple to keep your favorite author clicking away at those keys. And while you're checking out Penny's great books and links, please check out mine also @https://www.peggytrotter.com/. Join my newsletter for awesome giveaways and new releases!

       

         

Corralling Alicia Whittle's Debut Book, Dead Ringer Cowboy

I'm on my high horse this week, excited as a spring colt, to bring a brand new author moseying  your way! Not only is this her debut book, but she and I sat next to each other last month in a writing conference. I love meeting new writers, and Alicia Whittle is one interesting cowgirl. Her new book Dead Ringer Cowboy has hit the shelves! Let's jump in the rodeo and find out more about this new author.

PT: What drew you to writing and the genre you write in? 

AW: I remember reading Victoria Holt’s books when I was 13 years old from my school library. I think I was always a romantic, growing up with movies about knights and ladies, cowboys and cowgirls.

 PT: Give a little background on you as an author, where you grew up, where you live (area), what influenced you?

 AW: I grew up in St. Louis, but after marriage moved around a great deal falling into an administrative assistant career over the years. As an air force wife (my initials are afw), I spent part of those years living and traveling throughout Europe experiencing different cultures. The rest of my experiences with my husband, daughter and dogs were in the United States. I finally received my BA in English. I grew up watching cowboys on TV and fantasized about living in the West. My dream came true as I currently live in Colorado.

PT: You and I sat next to each other recently in a writing conference. What was the biggest positive take-away you had from being at the conference?

AW: First, you were so friendly! I think my biggest takeaway were the bits and pieces of things I didn’t know from each workshop session. I’ve been with ACFW for close to eight years, so this wasn’t my first conference. Networking was also a big takeaway for me and visiting with authors who don’t live in my state.

PT: How important is the Biblical message in your book? Does it happen intentionally, or does it happen spontaneously?

AW: I think in this case, it came spontaneously. My character ideas came first and then the “what if” portion caused the message to appear.

PT: Tell us the best book you’ve read recently.

AW: The Western Trail by G. L. Snodgrass

PT: You traveled in a fifth wheel for a number of years. Give us why you hungered to do such a thing, what it was like.

AW: My husband and I traveled for 13 years in our 39-foot fifth wheel. He was active-duty Air Force for almost 30 years, so I was accustomed to moving around. It was hard to give up our home and everything in it, but he wanted me to experience places I didn’t get to see like he did. The benefit was you always had everything with you, including our two dogs. We met fabulous people and made quite a few friends that we keep in touch with. The experience for me was priceless and contributed to ideas for writing.

PT: Give your favorite: season, color, clothing style, hobby, vacation spot.

AW: Winter, purple, tailored but feminine, baking, Colorado.

PT: Tell us how you came up with the idea for your first book, Dead Ringer Cowboy. 

 AW: While my husband and I were driving into a small town in Colorado during our RV years, I was studying his profile in the car. Thinking if I passed away and he met someone else that she’d be attracted to him because he looked like her first husband. The setting of the book was inspired by the area where we were staying at the time. The release date took many years as life interrupted us with health issues and the steps of pursuing publishing.

 PT: Tell five things about Alicia Whittle that have nothing to do with writing.

 AW:

1)       My Dad sent me to gymnastics at age 13 because I was too skinny.

2)       Learned how to sail in Hawaii.

3)       Didn’t finish my English degree until I was 53 years old.

4)       Ziplined in Alaska after retirement.

5)       Have owned dachshunds most of my life—am an avid dog lover.

 PT: What are your future writing plans? What book is coming next?

 AW: I plan to write two more books in this series, possibly three. The next one being Natalie’s Cowboy.

PT: Thank you, Alicia, for letting us have a peek into your life! And thanks so much for joining us here on The Diamond Mine.

YOU KNOW THE DRILL. Alicia is giving away a book, people. A free book! Yeehaw! Get those fingers ready and add a comment or leave a note on our contact form. Don't forget to leave your email address or I won't know what ranch you're from when you win. Ready? Type out those comments! Good luck to everyone!

Romantic Suspense Author Chloe S. Flanagan Shares Her Superpower Preference (with a Giveaway)

Welcome back to the Diamond Mine, friends. This week I'm pleased to introduce you to another wonderful author. Chloe S. Flanagan was kind enough to stop by an introduce herself and answer a few questions. Plus, be sure and stick around to the end because she's giving away an e-book of her latest release!

About

Chloe S. Flanagan is an author, technical writer, blogger, and graduate of New York University. She enjoys exploring the Christian walk frankly and thoughtfully in her fiction and in her blog, The Candid Corinthian. When she's not writing, Chloe loves music, travel, reading books in all genres, and spending time with family.

Connect: Facebook | Twitter






SW: I always like to start with a few Would You Rather Questions so we can learn some interesting things about you. Are you ready?

Would you rather know the history of any object you touched or be able to talk to animals?

CF: First of all, thank you so much for inviting me to chat today!
To answer the question, I would rather know the history of an object I touched. I’m a context driven person, so knowing where and with whom an object has been would help me understand its function and potential.

SW: Would you rather be able to teleport anywhere or read minds?

CF: Teleport! I’m an okay driver, but I’m not overly fond of it…especially on interstates. If I could simply step on a platform and *poof* arrive where I needed to go, it would eliminate a lot of stress from my life. 

SW: Plus going anywhere in the world in the blink of an eye sure is tempting (much more tempting than hearing what someone else is thinking, in my opinion). Would you rather have all traffic lights you approach be green or never have to stand in line again?

CF I’d rather have all the traffic lights be green. I actually like standing in line because it gives me a chance to whip out my kindle application and read or my “notes” application so I can write. 

SW: Ok, that’s it for those questions. Let’s talk books!

In addition to writing (both in your day job as a technical writer and as a fiction author), you are an avid reader. Give us a couple of your favorite reads.

CF: Oh, that’s tough! I’m glad you said a couple, though, so I’m not committing myself to just one. My two favorite genres to read are Historical Fiction and Suspense. In Historical, two of my favorites are A Change of Fortune by Jen Turano and With Every Letter by Sarah Sundin. For Suspense, I love Crossed Off by CC Warrens and Miranda Warning by Heather Day Gilbert. (Okay, okay, that was four, but they were different genres!)

SW: Four is acceptable :). Writing is often a solitary journey. Where to you find motivation and support for your writing journey?

CF: I have been blessed to find community all around me. When I was just starting to play with the idea of writing my first novel, I received a ton of encouragement from a good work friend who is a general market indie author. I also joined my local branch of the American Christian Fiction Writer’s group and met some amazing authors there. Not only that, through social media and various online groups, I’ve “met” countless talented, supportive indie and Christian authors as well as bloggers. 




SW: I love my local ACFW group. It's such a blessing to know you have others to cheer you along in your writing journey, isn't it? Do you have a writing space you can give us a peek into?

CF: One of my favorite places to write is the public library because it’s quiet and inspiring to be surrounded by so many books. As an added bonus, one of my local library locations has a coffee shop. The picture shows where I took a “little” snack break after a writing sprint. 











SW: My library has some nice study rooms but no coffee shop. Plus it's never open when I'm ready to write. You write romantic suspense novels. Tell us something interesting you’ve learned while researching your books.

CF: Well, I hope I’m not getting too graphic here, but in my first book, a couple of characters get shot, but not killed. While researching gunshots wounds, I learned that there are really no “safe” gunshot wounds. Movies will often show someone being hit in the shoulder or arm and someone will say, “Oh, it’s only a flesh wound.” But in reality, factors like blood loss and risk of infection can make hits to even non-vital organs very serious indeed. Also, in real life, people rarely keep running around after being hit by a bullet like they do in the movies.

SW: Give us a brief overview of No Longer a Stranger.

CF: No Longer a Stranger centers on Marion Sloan, an uptight ex-cop, and EJ Handler, a lovable goofball and computer nerd. They cross paths when Marion is hired to find out who is sabotaging the company EJ works for. The unlikely alliance they form leads to old secrets, new dangers, and a surprising romance. 

SW: Oh, I like the twist with the female "tough-guy." Are you working on another book now? What stage are you in with that?

CF: I am in the drafting stage of a book that I will be contributing to The Potter’s House Books Series 2. It will be an inspirational fiction novel with a hint of romance.


Thank you so much for hanging out with us this week, Chloe. I'm looking forward to reading No Longer a Stranger soon.

More about the Book

EJ Handler is the perpetual class clown, but he’s also a loyal friend and dedicated worker at the tech company he helped found. Friendship and work are the only commitments he needs. Yet a dangerous scandal quickly upsets his laid back life and dredges up the old heartaches that made him fear responsibility in the first place. His only hope rests in his faith and the reluctant assistance of a mysterious female detective.

Sloan is a tough, unemployed cop with a penchant for taking on the cares of the world by herself, when an unexpected job offer gives her the opportunity to do what she loves. Little does she know that a simple job will bring the infuriating, but endearing EJ and a chance at the friendships she’s avoided for so long.

Purchase your copy here

Giveaway

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Deserted Islands, Garden Gnomes, and Practicing Murder with Erin Unger + a Giveaway

This week we welcome back one of our own here at The Diamond Mine to celebrate her new release. Erin Unger has a busy book year but that's great for us readers, isn't it?

About Erin

Erin Unger was raised in the hills of Virginia, exploring abandoned houses and reading the scariest books she could find. After marrying so young it would make a great romance novel, she has enjoyed an exciting life with her hubby. But her fast-paced life sometimes rivals the suspense in her books thanks to all her mostly grown children and a couple grandkids. Her novel, Practicing Murder, releases March 29, 2019.

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Suzie: Welcome, Erin! First of all, congratulations on your second book release of 2019. We’re thrilled to have you as a team member here at the Diamond Mine but also as a guest once again.

Way back in November, right before Thanksgiving, we talked about your upcoming release, Desolate Paths and got to know you a little bit. Instead of starting with some “Would you rather…” questions, I’m going to ask a few unique and interesting questions that I found have been asked at job interviews.

If you were stranded on a desert island and all of your basic needs (food, water, shelter) were taken care of, what three other things would you want with you and why?

Erin: My kindle for sure with an unlimited power supply because you can put a ton of books on it. I’d also have to have my hubby  because we do everything together and whatever I don’t think of he will.


Suzie: What was the last gift you gave someone?

Erin: I just gave my parents a cast iron dutch oven for their 46th wedding anniversary. They’re always trying new recipes and calling me to tell me how the food came out.

Suzie: How fun! I hope you also get to sample some of those new recipes once in a while. This

one cracked me up: What do you think of garden gnomes?

Erin: I think they’re so adorable! I don’t know that I’d put them in my yard, though.

Suzie: Ok, that’s it for the random job interview questions. I want to know why someone wants to know how you feel about garden gnomes, LOL! Now that we’re a little ways into spring, I’m going to veer a tiny bit away from the “What’s your favorite season question” and instead ask: What do you like and dislike most about our current season?

Erin: What I love the most about spring is the way the grass turns an emerald green here in Virginia just before everything starts to bloom. I look forward to it every year.

Suzie: What has encouraged or surprised you the first (almost) half of 2019?

Erin: My biggest surprise this year was when my son decided to move in with his best friend. He’s a full-time college student, and I assumed he’d be with us until he graduates next year. It’s so quiet at home.

Suzie: I bet it's quiet. Let’s talk books! What are you currently reading or what’s at the top of your TBR?

Erin: I like to read and review books for Christian authors so the next book on my TBR list is Color of Danger by Alexa Verde. 

Suzie: Great title, and since we're talking romantic suspense, give us your elevator pitch for Practicing Murder. (Readers: a more detailed description of the book is below).

Erin: All the money in the world couldn’t make Maddie trust Joze again. But could a stalker?

Suzie: Oh, great pitch! For those who read Desolate Paths, what might surprise or please them about Practicing Murder?

Erin: Another great but hard question. Both stories take place in New England, and I love making it a setting in my stories because of its rich culture and history, and because of the great architectural appeal of that region of the United States

Suzie: Other than the actual writing of the story, what is your favorite part of creating a book and/or its release?

Erin: This is going to be hard to believe but I absolutely love to do edits. It’s my chance to tighten up the story and add a little more spice to it.

Suzie: Edits are usually what end up stalling me. Although, I love editing/critiquing for others, so it's just my own work that hangs me up. Here’s a fun question (and with five books out in the world or in the works, it may be challenging too). Which of your heroes would you most like to date? And which of your heroines would you want to be best friends with?

Erin: Ooh, that is tough! I’d say Joze from Practicing Murder is my favorite because he’s quirky and fun. He’s also a little different from the norm with his short stature. When it comes to heroines, I’d love to be best friends with Shauna from Fateful Fall and Summer Flash Burn which come out in August and October. She’s got a lot of sass but she’s a very loyal friend who loves her besties and protects them even over her own life.

Suzie: Oh, something to look forward to! We’d love to hear what’s next for both you and for readers. Can you share a little about both?

Erin: This year is loaded for me. I’m getting ready to move again in the summer. It’s going to

be tricky doing that and continuing to keep up with releases and edits. My readers are going to get a treat in June. My next book to release is The Cabin. I’m so excited about this novella set in the isolated mountains of Vermont. I’ve always toyed with the idea of writing about two people getting trapped together in a snow storm. But what happens when they are arch enemies?


Suzie: We wish you the best with the move and ALL the bookish work you've got in store. Thank you for spending time with us this week and once again, congratulation on the release of Practicing Murder.

About Practicing Murder

Graduate student Maddie Clare is never talking to her ex-boyfriend Joze Evans or God again. Broken from her past and Joze’s betrayal, she must go home for her Aunt Lonna’s funeral. But after a run-in with a stalker, who insists Maddie knows the secret that had Aunt Lonna investigating him, she’s afraid for her life and must accept Joze’s protection. 


As the stalker draws closer, how will Maddie and Joze face the past and their love that never died? And will Maddie stay out of the stalker’s grip long enough to figure out what secret he possesses?

Purchase: Amazon / Pelican Book Group

Giveaway

Erin is giving one reader an ecopy of Practicing Murder. Enter to win below!

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