HOLIDAY AFTERMATH

Our guest today is Gay N Lewis, a Texas pastor’s wife, author, speaker, and mother. 

A New Year is here. Yay!  We can put away the decorations and look forward to a fresh beginning. Right?

But wait a second—what about the old feelings?  You know what I mean? Those emotions of anger and sadness because someone hurt our feelings last year. Yeah, those.

We experience domestic times at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Those two holidays occurred just a few days ago and were a nerve-racking, merry-go-round for countless folks. Did you suffer disappointments with relatives during those recent festivities?  Does the irritation, anxiety, or pain still linger? Will it last forever?

For many, the discord goes on. I work with an architect whose daughter hasn’t spoken to him in four years. He didn’t know she had moved back to Texas until I told him. He misses her and the grandchildren. I have a friend whose son never sees or visits his ill mother. She cries and prays for him to call her. Another friend hasn’t said a word to her mother in ten years! I have a cousin who was disowned by her immediate family fifty years ago. She left town, and none of us knows where she is to this day.

A famous twin sister duo, Ann Landers and Abigail Van Buren, each wrote newspaper columns. They gave advice to the brokenhearted, but they themselves had separated from each other. Letters poured in to each of them—asking Dear Abby or Ann Landers how to fix a relationship with an alienated relative. The ladies gave excellent guidance, but they never took this advice themselves. They loved each other, but competition had driven them apart. Abby once commented she had a hole in her heart, but I guess it wasn’t a big enough hole for her to mend the situation. After twenty-five years, the sisters had a partial reconciliation, but they never fully regained a closeness.

Why is it family members are toxic and refuse to see each other? Is it personality conflicts? Political opinions? Religious beliefs? Jealousy? Money matters? Rivalry? Control problems?

Whatever the issue, a kinship divided is a painful situation, and families should work at resolution. As we all know, life zooms by at a rapid rate, and our missed opportunities can’t be recovered. A shaky association where people work to connect is usually better than no association at all. Thanksgiving and Christmas will come again. Let’s get the extended family together.

In my book, Family Secrets, Rebecca’s folks wounded her deeply with their deception. Rebecca’s mom and siblings thought the secrets they kept would prevent hurt. When Rebecca heard about her birth, she ran away. (Kind of like my cousin) Anger then kept her from the ones she loved. Rebecca met Marshall, and he along with neighbor Sam, tried to convince Rebecca to reconcile, but Rebecca was stubborn. Did she listen?

I hope you’ll read Family Secrets. It’s a historical novel, and it may help you reconcile relationships.

 You can visit Gay's blog at http://gaynlewis.blogspot.com/   Her novels are on Amazon and other online booksellers. 

Family, Holidays, and Writing Journeys with Debut Author Erin Unger

This week we welcome a debut author to the Diamond Mine that you'll be seeing more of in 2019. Not only because of the books she's got releasing next year (which we'll talk a little later) but also because she's joining the Diamond Mine team!

Let's give a warm welcome to romantic suspense author Erin Unger.

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, Desolate Paths, releases January 11, 2019.

Connect online:
www.erinungerwrites.com
https://www.facebook.com/ErinUngerWrites/
 https://twitter.com/erinungerwrites

https://www.instagram.com/erinungerwrites/

Suzie: Welcome to the Diamond Mine, Erin. We are delighted you could join us for a visit.

An icebreaker is always a fun way to learn a little about a new friend, so let’s start with a game of Would you rather (I promise not to ask about eating anything disgusting)!

Would you rather win a million dollars in the lottery or never have to buy anything for yourself ever again?  

Erin: I’d rather not have to buy anything for myself. I bet that would equal tens of millions, lol.

Suzie: I agree (plus I'm not a huge fan of shopping to begin with). Would you rather be a contestant on a game show or a character in a soap opera?

Erin: A character in a soap opera would be so fun to over act.

Suzie: Would you rather sing like a diva or cook like a 5-star chef?

Erin: A 5-star chef is way more interesting. And it would make my family so happy to have all those gourmet meals every night.

Suzie: A 5-star chef would also produce something delicious. Would you rather have your own boat or your own island? 

Erin: Don’t you think an island would be such a dream come true? Then at least I could hide on it and get some writing done without a million interruptions.

Suzie: I am in complete agreement! Would you rather live a hundred years in the past or a hundred years in the future?
 
Erin: I’d go back to the past for sure. I’m dying to know all the little details of life that we can only guess about.

Suzie: Would you rather never be able to speak what’s on your mind or always speak the truth?

Erin: If I couldn’t speak what was on my mind, I think I’d go crazy!

Suzie: Ok, that was way fun! Now let’s get to some more personal questions. You have a large family. Five kids, y’all! As a single lady, I can’t even imagine! Can you share a couple of your favorite recent family moments with us?   

Erin: I’m so glad you asked Suzie. Last week, I went to visit my army son and his family in Texas. He just had a brand-new baby—my first granddaughter! I held her almost the whole time we were there. And playing with my three-year-old grandson made my year. Top all that off with seeing a bunch of iconic tourist sites and it was by far a favorite trip of all time. 


Suzie: Since tomorrow is Thanksgiving, let’s talk about some of your family traditions for the holiday.

Erin:  Thanksgiving at my house is a crazy mix of family and fun. We cook for days. All my kids prepare a dish or dessert of their choice. And my whole extended family also contributes in potluck style. But I always do the turkey. We spend the whole day together, eating, doing puzzles, and playing games—and getting in a little nap too.






Suzie: Sounds like a great day of family and fun! By necessity (did I mention the five children?), you are a couponer. What advice or insight do you have for someone interested in saving money?  

Erin: I don’t coupon like I used to, but it’s a very important aspect of having a big family. The best advice I have is to always shop at stores which double every coupon. And match them to the sales in the sales ads. I’ve done it for years and saved about 65% on my grocery bill on a regular basis.

Suzie: Thanks for the tip! Now, tell us a little about your writing journey. 

Erin: My writing journey has been...well interesting. It hasn’t been easy or quick. But I’m so glad that God brought me through the difficult years and kept me from quitting many a time. I started writing nine years ago, but it isn’t until this coming year that all my hard work is going to come to fruition. 

Suzie: What a great testament to not giving up. With a full house (and then some), what kind of writing routine—or non-routine—do you have? 

Erin: I’ve been on sabbatical for a month but normally I write three days a week. I spend one day a week doing social media, guest posts, and writer maintenance or editing. And I write the other two days. I don’t always worry about word count because I have days where I work all day and still only get out 500 words.

Suzie: What drew you to romantic suspense? Who are your influences?

Erin: I’ve always been drawn to mysteries and suspense since I can remember. Even as a kid, I was looking for every Nancy Drew book and every mystery story I could find. I’ve been influenced so much by Harlan Coben, Stephanie Myers, Erynn Newman, Lynette Eason, Lynn Blackburn, Ronie Kendig, Dani Pettrey, and so many more. They’ve helped to shape my writing more then I imagined possible.

Suzie Definitely some names I recognize on that list. Romantic suspense intrigues me because of the research into procedures and laws and more. What is an interesting tidbit or experience you’ve come across while researching your books?   

Erin: Because of my novel, Desolate Paths, I learned a lot about alcoholism and how it affects people so differently. Some people can drink regularly for years and not be addicted, while others can drink for only a short amount of time and become alcoholics. Even the types of withdrawal can vary in extremes. And they aren’t necessarily directly related to how long a person drinks.

Suzie: Share with us a little about your debut release (coming January 11, 2019).

Erin: When rehab is Brooke Hollen’s only chance at redemption, she runs straight to it. But can she survive the serial killer who hides amongst the damaged and healing? And can she trust Kyle Reston, another rehab resident, who wants to take her under his wing? Or is he responsible for the residents who keep going missing?











Suzie: Do you have anything else in the works?

Erin: I have five books releasing next year. It’s going to be an exciting year. And, I’m in the middle of writing a series about a tight-knit urban community and its secrets, and I’m so excited about it. I can’t wait to get it in my readers’ hands.

Wow, five books? That is amazing (and goes back to that persistence paying off). Erin, thank you again for your time today! I look forward to reading Desolate Paths soon!

Giveaway

Erin is giving one reader a $5.00 Amazon gift card. To enter, leave a comment below and tell us about your favorite Thanksgiving family tradition. For a bonus entry, follow Erin on social media and tell us you did so in the comments.

 ***Must be five original commentors for giveaway to be valid. 

Life with Shannon McNear (Giveaway!)

Shannon McNear's on the Diamond Mine!

Transplanted to North Dakota after more than two decades in Charleston, South Carolina, Shannon McNear loves losing herself in local history. She’s a military wife, mom of eight, mother-in-law of three, grammie of two, and a member of ACFW and RWA. Her first novella, Defending Truth in A Pioneer Christmas Collection, was a 2014 RITA® finalist. When not sewing, researching, or leaking story from her fingertips, she enjoys being outdoors, basking in the beauty of the northern prairies.

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💖 Featuring an AWESOME Giveaway! 💖

(details after the interview)

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Hello folks, it's another great week on the Diamond Mine! This week, I have the honor to introduce Shannon McNear. I love this lady and I'm sure you will too. Not only is she a talented author, she's an amazing woman. So, without further ado, let's get started with the interview.

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Hi Diamond Mine fans. Julie B Cosgrove here. Today I have the privilege of introducing you to a multi-published author named Shellie Arnold.  

So tell us -  Who is Shellie Arnold (inquiring readers want to know)?

Hi Julie. Thanks for having me. I’m a wife, home school mother of three, mother-in-law to Kate (whom I adore), and a lover of movies, Chili Cheese Fritos, power tools, and cuddly critters. We have one dog, two cats, and three bunnies.

Chili Cheese Fritos takes me back to hosting the snack stand as a band parent at football games. 

Good for you for homeschooling. So, tell us, with all you have on your plate, why do you write Christian fiction?

Actually, writing Christian fiction wasn’t on my radar until 2006. Prior to 2002, writing non-fiction about marriage was my goal. I hoped to share everything I was learning the hard way about marriage. From August 2002 to May 2005, I faced a near-debilitating illness that halted all my writing dreams. After God healed me, my husband and I both prayed for eleven months before I began writing anything. I tell people God healed my brain, then turned my head to fiction. I said to God, “That’s not what we were doing.” His response, “That’s what we’re doing now.” So, I write novels about the perfect storms in marriage—what happens when my weaknesses hit yours head-on, and we’re both left wondering if anything can be salvaged. Then I speak and write other non-fiction works about marriage, too.

 Do you write anything else?

I have a blog that I’m sort of re-starting now. Right now, I’m finishing my fourth novel, then I hope to buckle down to write some romances. I also hope to pursue publishing my first non-fiction work next year, as well as launching online courses for those who want to strengthen their marriage.

Tell us briefly about these three novels  you have written and if they stand alone or are sequels you have to read in order?

My first three novels are the first three books in The Barn Church series, a series that focuses on couples who attend The Barn Church in Rowe City, Alabama. Each story highlights a specific couple within that church body. 

My first novel, The Spindle Chair, is the story of Pierce and Laurie Crane. They’re a youngcouple who is desperate to have a child, but they have no idea how their marriage will be threatened when God grants that request.

 Book two is Sticks and Stones, about Rick and Julie Matthews. They’ve been married almost twenty years and have a special needs child. But coping with that unexpected blessing had some negative effects on their relationship that won’t be ignored after Julie is injured in an accident. 

Abide With Me is book three and looks at Nicholas and Angelina Rousseau, a couple who lacks no material thing, but their marriage is emotionally bankrupt. Each of these couples comes to a crossroad where choices must be made, and hopefully I’ve realistically portrayed the various challenges and struggles they face. While it’s not critical they are read in order, a reader might enjoy them better in order, simply because each consecutive book highlights a couple the reader meets in a previous story.

What do you hope your readers will take away from the third book we are featuring today?

First, that no marriage is beyond saving. I believe that with all my heart. It’s why my tagline is “Live Happily Even After.” I truly believe despite baggage, or past mistakes, any marriage can thrive if both parties obey God. God can heal, redeem, and restore anything. I’m living proof.

Second, that God is always there, always trying to speak to us, lead us, teach us, and grow us into becoming more like Jesus and stronger in His love. It’s only when we are growing in God’s love and in relationship with Him, that we can truly grow love in our marriage and our relationship with each other. It’s a win-win that so often gets overlooked when we stare at our problems.

What else is on your to-be-written list?

As I said, I’m completing my fourth novel. It’s my first stand alone. It’s not part of The Barn Church series, although I don’t think I’m finished writing the series. And my non-fiction projects include a book on sexuality in marriage. I think I have a different perspective than most, since I’m not a psychologist or pastor’s wife or even a counselor. I’m a kid from a broken home, as well as a sexual abuse survivor, as is my husband, so I approach the subject from a different place.

When you aren't writing, what do you like to do?

I wasn’t kidding that I love power tools. Home improvement projects are fun to me. Last weekend we hung new drywall in my kitchen ceiling. If I had my way, I’d be renovating and remodeling houses on a regular basis, but so far that hasn’t been God’s path. I enjoy reading and I really do LOVE watching movies. I enjoy watching sports—football, tennis, world cup soccer, the Olympics. Dates with my husband. Shopping with my youngest, my daughter. Writing or working at my desk with the dog or a cat on my lap.

Maybe I'll see you on HGTV? But for now, where can people find you? (Website, FaceBook, blog, etc).

I maintain a web site at www.shelliearnold.com and my blog is there, as well.

On Facebook I’m https://www.facebook.com/shellie.arnold.7

On Twitter I’m @ShellieArnold1

On Pinterest I’m https://www.pinterest.com/ShellieLArnold/

Thanks, Shellie, for reaching out to the Diamond Mine of Christian Fiction. Please let others know about our blog!

Dawn Crandall Returns to the Mine

Earlier this year, Dawn Crandall visited with one of my Diamond Mine co-bloggers. Now she's back (sort of) to share about her newest book in the Everstone Chronicles. Keep reading to learn how you can win a copy of The Cautious Maiden.

About Dawn Crandall:

Dawn Crandall is an ACFW Carol Award-nominated author of the award winning series The Everstone Chronicles, which consists of four books: The Hesitant Heiress, The Bound Heart, The Captive Imposter and The Cautious Maiden.

Apart from writing, Dawn is also a mom of two little ones and serves with her husband in a premarital mentorship program at their local church in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

A graduate of Taylor University with a degree in Christian Education and a former bookseller at Barnes & Noble, Dawn Crandall didn’t begin writing until 2010 when her husband found out about her long-buried dream. It didn’t take her long to realize that writing books was what she was made to do.

Dawn is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the secretary for the Indiana ACFW Chapter (Hoosier Ink), and an associate member of the Great Lakes ACFW Chapter. She is represented by Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary Agency.

Connect with Dawn

Website: http://dawncrandall.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DawnCrandallWritesFirst/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dawnwritesfirst

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/dawnwritesfirst/

Are you wondering about that "sort of" comment earlier? Dawn and I set up this interview months ago. Before a summer field with change for Dawn. She gave birth to her second son, moved, and released a new book. On top of all of that, her computer crashed and she has very limited internet service so keeping up with email and all things online has been a bit of a challenge for her. 

But I've gotten to know Dawn a bit better over this summer via social media and her blog and figured I'd just share what she's shared over a few months in one consolidated place.

• After struggling with not having children, Dawn began to write The Hesitant Heiress (book one in The Everstone Chronicles). Two years and two books later, she signed a book contract and got pregnant within six months of each other.

• Skip ahead a couple years to 2016 and Dawn gave birth to a second baby boy and her fourth book was published.

• Dawn recently learned her new home is in an “unserviceable area” for public libraries. She lives so far on the line between counties and towns that no one claims her and she has to pay an annual fee in order to use the library.

• Each book in the Everstone Chronicles is written from the heroine's point-of-view. Dawn says she chooses this method of writing to allow the reader to fall in love with the hero right along with the heroine.

• Dawn's book outlines start basic with the place, what's going on, and why it's important to the characters. Once that is done with every chapter of the book, she adds layers to each chapter outline. Her outline for The Cautious Maiden was ten single spaced pages and took three months to write.

• Another fun fact about The Cautious Maiden: Dawn mostly wrote it on her phone.

• And she never had a favorite hero in her first three Everstone books but Vance Everstone in book four took that title.

• While Dawn started writing because she wasn't getting pregnant, she doesn't plan to stop now that her family has grown. In fact, she's got plans to write some stories about other characters readers have met in The Everstone Chronicles (these won't technically be a part of the series, though)

Want to win a copy of Dawn's newest release? Here's a little bit about the book.

The Cautious Maiden

Violet Hawthorne is beyond mortified when her brother Ezra turns their deceased parents' New England country inn into a brothel to accommodate the nearby lumberjacks;but when Violet's own reputation is compromised, the inn becomes the least of her worries. In an effort to salvage her good name, Violet is forced into an engagement with a taciturn acquaintance,Vance Everstone. As she prepares for a society wedding, Violet learns that her brother had staked her hand in marriage in a heated poker game with the unsavory Rowen Steele, and Ezra had lost. Now Rowen is determined to cash in on his IOU. With danger stalking her and a new fiance who hides both his emotion and his past, Violet must decide who to trust and who to leave behind.

Available to order here.

Enter to win a paperback copy of The Cautious Maiden by leaving a comment below. In order for the contest to be valid, we must have five entries (comments left by five different people).

The Mine Discovers More than Just a Book with Christine Lindsay (Giveaway)

Christine Lindsay

Please welcome Christine Lindsay to the Diamond Mine! She’s telling us all about her latest release, Finding Sarah, Finding Me. This is a special book for her and we’re going to find out why. I can’t wait! You can even win a copy of this great book…check out the giveaway at the end of the interview. Let’s get started!

Renee: Hello, Christine, welcome to the Diamond Mine, can you tell us how you came up with the idea for your book?

Christine: Thanks, Renee, I’m so happy to be here. I wanted to tell the true-life story of giving up my baby girl to adoption since the very day I relinquished her in 1979 and of our heart-breaking reunion 20 years later. But as time went by I wanted to tell not just my story, but other people’s adoption reunion stories as well so that the issues of adoption and reunion could be looked at from different angles. People are made up of such different emotional stuff. We can’t all be expected to feel the same in shared situations. I had to learn to respect the emotions of my daughter’s adoptive parents when their emotions were so vastly different from mine regarding the reunion. Everyone has a right to their emotions.

The Reunion

Renee: That sounds like a powerful topic and such a personal one. I can understand why you’d want to write it. How did you pick your title?

Christine: My working title for this book was originally Just Like Hannah because so many of the people in the book referred to their adoption experience—whether they were an adoptive mother or a woman who struggled with infertility, or me as a birth-mom—as “just like Hannah.”

But my publisher suggested the title Finding Sarah, Finding Me because that is the main theme of my personal story—finding my true identity in Christ while I was searching for a love relationship with the child I relinquished.

One other thing you might want to know about this book—100% of author royalties will be donated to the Mukti Mission in India. If you want to know the special reason for this, you’ll have to read the book.

Renee: Well that’s a teaser isn’t it, folks? LOL You have a very giving soul, Christine. On a more professional note, what’s easiest about writing for you?

Christine's daughter, Sarah

Christine: Strangely, I find it easy to be transparent in all I write and when I speak in public. Perhaps that’s because I had to live with a secret for so many years that I felt such freedom when that secret was revealed to the world. My secret was having a baby out of wedlock and keeping that secret for almost 20 years before I could even tell my kids that I later had with my husband. But that was the way things were done back then. I felt that I was living but people didn’t know the real me. I didn’t even know the real me.

So with that background as the inspiration for all I write, I find it easy to delve into those deep human issues and emotions that affect our lives and show us our great need for God.

Renee: Secrets can be destructive. They can cause a lot of pain. How long have you been writing and why did you start?

Christine: That’s a long-held secret for sure. That and my desperate need to tell others that I had another child. I wanted so badly to write that book about my reunion with my birth-daughter shortly after the reunion in 1999, and I completed that manuscript, but no doors to the publishing world opened at that time. That was when I felt the Lord urge me to put the spiritual and emotional healing I had received from my birth-mother experience into Christian fiction to hopefully help others.

That was the beginning of my Christian Fiction career. Then 16 years later, and after the publication of 6 successful novels, my publisher wanted to release my non-fiction book. Finding Sarah, Finding Me is a very different book from the one I wrote all those years earlier though. There was so much to learn, mostly about who I was in Christ and how He used my heartache to draw me to himself in a deeper love relationship.

Renee: How has your life changed over the years in other respects? Do you have any fun hobbies or activities you like to do?

Christine: I’m a grandmother of 5 grandsons, and just two days ago my first granddaughter was born. So I love to spend time entertaining my grown kids and their children. I love to make our home an oasis for our kids to come and relax, so I work on my garden and outside living area as well as making the house as cozy as I can. Cooking large family meals around the holidays and decorating too are what inspire me.

We know you’re a Christian, so I have a couple of quiz questions for you. If you were at a party, what would you do?

I like to meet new people and make them feel welcome. So I’ll go up to strangers and start a conversation, get them to tell me about themselves and their lives. It’s great to see people’s faces light up when someone takes an interest in them.

Oh, you’re bolder than me. I’m not as shy as I used to be, but it’s still hard for me to approach strangers. LOL Has God ever told you NOT to do something you wanted to do?

For sure. He definitely told me back in 2000 that I was not to publish my birth-mother story in a non-fiction format. He wanted me to wait on that book until He had taught me all the deep things of the heart about my daughter being someone else’s daughter. He wanted me to see the situation from their point of view, and that took time. It took time for the heartache to be healed so that I could see things from the Lord’s perspective, and thereby write that story the way He wanted it written.

Thanks for joining us at the Diamond Mine, Christine. It’s been a pleasure and I know your book will be a success!

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I hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know more about Christine Lindsay! She’s also offering a digital copy of her new book, Finding Sarah, Finding Me.

To Enter, simply ask her a question about the interview or leave a comment on the following:

Who taught you the love of God?

(Leave your name and email address with your comment or question to validate your entry. Minimum of five comments required. One winner will be selected by random draw on 9/21/2016)

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About Finding Sarah, Finding Me:

Sometimes it is only through giving up our hearts that we learn to trust the Lord.

Adoption. It’s something that touches one in three people today, a word that will conjure different emotions in those people touched by it. A word that might represent the greatest hope…the greatest question…the greatest sacrifice. But most of all, it’s a word that represents God’s immense love for his people.

Join birth mother Christine Lindsay as she shares the heartaches, hopes, and epiphanies of her journey to reunion with the daughter she gave up...and to understanding her true identity in Christ along the way.

Through her story and glimpses into the lives of other families in the adoption triad, readers will see the beauty of our broken families, broken hearts, and broken dreams when we entrust them to our loving God.

Amazon (Paper and Kindle)

Barnes and Noble

About Christine Lindsay:

Christine Lindsay is the author of multi-award-winning Christian fiction with complex emotional and psychological truth, who always promises a happy ending. Tales of her Irish ancestors who served in the British Cavalry in Colonial India inspired her multi-award-winning series Twilight of the British Raj, Book 1 Shadowed in Silk, Book 2 Captured by Moonlight, and explosive finale Veiled at Midnight.

Christine’s Irish wit and use of setting as a character is evident in her contemporary and historical romances Londonderry Dreaming and Sofi’s Bridge.

A busy writer and speaker, Christine, and her husband live on the west coast of Canada. Coming August 2016 is the release of her non-fiction book Finding Sarah—Finding Me: A Birthmother’s Story.

Please drop by Christine’s website www.ChristineLindsay.org or follow her on Amazon on Twitter. Subscribe to her quarterly newsletter, and be her friend on Pinterest , Facebook, and  Goodreads

Getting Personal with Melissa Tagg

If you’ve not found Melissa Tagg on social media yet, you are missing out. Whether she’s sharing about her favorite band (Needtobreathe), her crush on the cover model of one of her books (which in turn led to a fun Christmas novella), her conversations with friends about her characters as if they were real people, or her insights into life, you are missing out. Melissa is honest, transparent, and very often humorous. I’m so excited she’s graciously agreed to spend some time with us here at The Diamond Mine today so our readers can get a little glimpse of the heart of this amazing author!

Melissa Tagg is a former reporter, current nonprofit grant-writer and total Iowa girl. She’s also a multi-published novelist. Her latest book, Like Never Before, was named by Publisher’s Weekly to their spring 2016 “Religion and Spirituality” Top 10 list. Upcoming books include Keep Holding On (Sept 2016) and a sequel to last year’s One Enchanted Christmas, releasing in late 2016. Melissa has taught at multiple national writing conferences, as well as retreats and workshops. When she’s not writing, she can be found hanging out with the coolest family ever–not that she’s biased–watching old movies, and daydreaming about her next book. Melissa loves connecting with readers at www.melissatagg.com and on Facebook and Instagram.

Welcome, Melissa, and thank you for joining us. Since you are the queen of three-word titles (Three Little Words, From the Start, Like Never Before), let’s begin with a lightning round. Give the first three answers that come to mind.

1  3 of your favorite things to have on hand when writing:

Coffee
Diet Coke with Lime
Water

Apparently I’m big into beverages. LOL! Also super important: flannel pajama pants. I’m convinced they help me write better. :)

1    Your 3 favorite movies:

AHHH, this is too hard! I have too many. Like, legit: I could go on and on about this. But here are three I return to constantly:

The Philadelphia Story
What’s Up Doc?
His Girl Friday

(It’s killing me to not also mention Bringing Up Baby, It Happened One Night, Holiday, Roman Holiday, It’s a Wonderful Life, both Anne of Green Gables movies, Sound of Music, My Man Godfrey…I wasn’t joking about going on and on… :) ) 

1    3 books in your TBR (to be read) pile:

Ooh, great question, because my TBR pile is consistently overflowing…can I cheat and mention three books in one series? And it’s even a series I’ve already read! Joanne Bischof’s Cadence of Grace series. I read this series when it first released and completely fell in love with Bischof’s writing and the emotional depth of her stories. I just recently read her latest book, The Lady and the Lionheart, and I loved it so much I read it twice in one week. It made me want to go back and re-read her earlier series again. So all three books in that series are on my TBR pile.

     3 things that make you smile:

My family…which I suppose sounds like a cliché answer, but it’s true. I’m really never happier than when I’m surrounded by the people I love most.

A new story idea…there’s just something so deliciously fun about discovering a new story, peeling back its layers and getting a taste of the storytelling fun to come before I even start writing.

Kind readers…I will never stop being grateful for readers who uplift and inspire me with their kind words, notes of encouragement, gracious reviews and just overall sweetness.

1      3 places you’d like to visit:

Italy! I studied abroad in London in college and while I had the chance to visit several amazing countries, Italy is one I missed out on. I’m dying to go there.

London! Solely because I would absolutely love to see my British friends again. It’s been too long.

The Smoky Mountains in autumn…I looooove the Smoky Mountains. So, so much. But I’ve never been there in the autumn and I have a feeling they’re even more beautiful then.

For our readers, here's a picture Suzie took at Grotto Falls in the Smoky Mountains (She's not visited in the fall either).

       

   That was fun, but let's dig a little deeper. You admit to loving the editing process of writing, which can become a tedious process for authors. Why do you enjoy this part of creating your stories?

Honestly, I think I love editing because it finally allows me to feel a bit more “in control” of my story and my characters. Whenever I’m writing a first draft, no matter how much I’ve brainstormed and plotted and planned, the story always ends up getting away from me…which is actually kind of cool when you think about it. The characters start saying and doing things I never expected…which is, on the one hand, completely awesome. Anytime the story starts telling itself, I know there’s more at work than my own brain. But it’s also scary and messy and frustrating at times.

When I’m editing, I feel a little more in control…a little less unnerved. J BUT it’s also the part in the process when I discover nuggets in the story I didn’t even realize were there the first time around. And it’s often during edits that I realize why I’m writing this story at this time. I often discover the hidden spiritual theme that was there all along…and it’s like God sending an arrow straight to my heart.

As much as I do try to write for readers, I think I also write for myself…for my own heart. I feel like writing stories is my lifeline to God. And I always see that in action most clearly during editing.

 I love reading your social media statuses and blog posts because your share life with your followers and readers. You share your insights, your struggles, and your obsessions. And very often, I’m laughing out loud at what you’re sharing (hello, baby goats?). Even though we’ve not met in person, I feel like you’re a friend because you share things with your readers and you’ve got a talent for using social media as a promotion tool.

Awww, thank you for saying that! <3 

That’s a long build up to the next question…Do you ever need a break from all things social media?

Yessssss!! In fact, I’ve gotten more and more consistent about taking social media breaks. It’s always hard at first to break away…because, honestly, I love the interaction! I love chatting with friends…I love the opportunity to connect with people I wouldn’t have even met if it weren’t for Facebook or Instagram or my website or whatever.

But man, it’s so easy for my headspace to get cluttered. I don’t know if other people have that problem, but there are times when I struggle to be present in my everyday life. To be present with the people actually physically around me. To hear my own voice or God’s voice or the voices of my characters. Social media breaks go a long, LONG way in curing that. 

In addition to your job as an author, you also work for a homeless nonprofit and take time out to speak at events and retreats. First, if someone is interested in having you attend one of their events, how should they contact you about that? Second, how do you balance getting your writing in with the other everything else pulling at your time?

Ooh, I LOVE speaking at events and retreats. The two easiest ways to contact me are by email (melissa@melissatagg.com) or via the Contact form on my website: http://www.melissatagg.com/contact

As for balance, I honestly feel like I’m still learning there. A couple years ago, I was big into hustling…fitting every single thing in to every last minute of the day. I would get up before work and write…then work eight hours…then come home and write some more. I spent tons of Saturdays and Sundays writing. And I tried to convince myself it was worth it and I was happy.

But it wasn’t worth it and I wasn’t happy. In fact, after writing my third book, From the Start, I felt so drained, stressed and unlike myself, that I decided I’d go ahead and write my next contracted book and if something didn’t change, I’d quit writing books and focus solely on my day job (which I love) and getting back to being even-keeled, happy Melissa. :)

Thankfully, God did a mega turnaround in my heart. I feel like He just completely gifted me with the writing of Like Never Before. Sure, it was still hard and stressful at times…but it was nothing like the last one in terms of, oh, me falling apart. LOL! And then toward the end of last year, I made some decisions and changed up some priorities in my life in an effort to be more balanced. Instead of forcing myself to write every day, I’m now taking long weekends every now and then to do a bunch of writing at once. I’ve cut down on conferences, blogging and other industry-related stuff. I’ve stopped feeling like I have to DO everything.

And the super funny thing is, I’m now writing more, faster and happier than I was before. It’s like, as soon as I decided to take a couple risks, stop pressuring myself and just trust God, things started falling into place in a new and much more balanced way.

(Sorry I got so ramble-y here!)

Can you give our readers who have not read your books a quick overview of the Walker Family and Maple Valley?

Absolutely! Maple Valley is a made-up town in Iowa, lightly based on a couple real Iowa towns (Boone and Webster City) as well as a fictional town—Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls. It’s quirky, it’s charming, it’s eccentric. Everyone knows everyone and there’s some kind of town festival, fair or event, like, every other weekend. Haha!

The Walkers are so ridiculously real to me. The dad, Case, is a widow and former Army soldier turned diplomat who now runs the Maple Valley Scenic Railroad and Museum. Case’s children, in the order of their books, include:

Kate—a screenwriter of Hallmark-type movies with heartbreak in her past, the main character in From the Start 

Logan—the oldest, a political speechwriter, the fictional love of my life, father of a little girl named Charlie and main character in Like Never Before

Beckett—the mysterious son! All you know in the first couple books is that he’s a lawyer in Boston and he hasn’t been back to Maple Valley in years. He’s the main character in my upcoming book, Keep Holding On

Raegan—the youngest who still lives at home. She’s 26 and works a slew of part-time jobs. She’ll be the main character in the final Walker book next year. She’s pining for a recurring character named Bear.

There’s also Seth Walker, a cousin, who is the main character in Three Little Words—a free prequel novella!

The Walkers are a super close-knit family with lots of quirks and lots of love for each other. They all miss Flora Walker, Case’s wife who passed away years ago, and continue to be impacted by her legacy and love.

It’s been a pleasure visiting with you today. Thanks again for taking time out of your schedule to chat with us.



About Melissa's books

Three Little Words

Ava Kingsley and Seth Walker might be the most unlikely friends ever. The only thing these two polar opposites have in common is a knack for wordsmithing. Back in college, they were known for their written sparring in the campus newspaper's popular "He Says/She Says" column. 

At their ten-year college reunion, they pick up right where they left off. Except this time their squabbling leads to a surprising turn: friendship and a year-long exchange of emails. So when Ava approaches a crossroads in her athletics department career in Minnesota, Seth is quick to offer the open apartment above the restaurant he's been remodeling in Maple Valley, Iowa.

Ava doesn't know where her career will lead her next, but she's starting to suspect she might see Seth as more than a pen pal. Which would be exciting...except for the fact that he only sees her as a friend. As Maple Valley grows on her, Ava wonders if there might be something here for her even though Seth is unavailable. And maybe, just maybe, after all the words the two of them have exchanged over the years, they'll finally be able to say the three that matter most.

Three Little Words is an e-only novella that gives an exciting introduction to Melissa Tagg's new series about the charismatic Walker family and the endearing town of Maple Valley!

From the Start

Kate Walker used to believe in true love and happily ever after. While her own love life may have left her brokenhearted, it hasn't kept her from churning out made-for-TV romance movie screenplays...until a major career slump and a longing to do something meaningful send her running back to her hometown of Maple Valley. 

Permanently sidelined by an injury, former NFL quarterback Colton Greene is temporarily hiding out in a friend's hometown to avoid the media and the reminders of all he's lost. Maple Valley seems like the perfect place to learn how to adjust to normal life. The only trouble is he's never really done normal before.

While Kate plays things safe and Colton is all about big risks and grand gestures, they both get what it's like to desperately need direction in life. An unexpected project gives them both a chance to jumpstart their new lives, but old wounds and new dreams are hard to ignore. Starting over wasn't part of the plan, but could it be the best thing that's ever happened to them?

Like Never Before

Maple Valley became Amelia Bentley's haven after her heart and her dreams of a family were shattered. But her new life as a newspaper editor is shaken when the small-town paper is in danger of closing. Her one hope: A lead on an intriguing story that just might impress the new publisher...if only she knew who he was.

After his biggest campaign success yet, widowed speechwriter Logan Walker now has the chance of a lifetime--a spot on a presidential campaign. But his plans are interrupted when he finds out he's inherited his hometown newspaper. He travels home intent on selling the paper and spending some much-needed time with his young daughter before making the leap into national politics.

But instead of a quick sale and peaceful break from his hectic career, Logan finds himself helping Amelia chase her story. She's scrappy, but wounded. He's dependable, but lost. They may butt heads more than expected, but a series of leads on Maple Valley's quirky unsolved mystery is just the start of the sparks that fly in the office and in their hearts.

Keep Holding On

(available Sept 27, 2016)

Beckett Walker hasn't stepped foot in Maple Valley in years. There's no getting past the painful memories, and there's every chance he'll be arrested as soon as he shows his face. Which is exactly what happens when he finally returns. Suddenly his dream of adventure as a military lawyer comes skidding to a halt.

Horticulturist Kit Danby has spent too much time missing home and her childhood best friend--Beckett Walker. Now she might have a shot at reclaiming both. After years of living abroad, she returns to run her family's apple orchard. She has one season to turn a profit and impress the father she barely knows. But she can't do it alone.

It should be simple: Beckett needs community service hours. Kit needs a helping hand. But there's more at stake than either of them planned. With a tangled past and futures that look nothing alike, they'll have to find a way to weather the storms of the present . . . or risk losing everything.

Would you like an opportunity to win one of these wonderful books? Melissa is giving away a digital copy of her newest, Keep Holding On, to one lucky readers. All you have to do is leave a comment below. All comments left before midnight PST 9/14/2016 are eligible.

(Minimum of 5 comments required to validate contest. Please include your email address with your comment to facilitate contact if you are selected as the winner.)