Weeds or Wishes with Mary Manners

" The Small Town"

 Life Made for Heaven

Howdy, folks and welcome back to the Diamond Mine for another week of exciting chatter about Christian Fiction. I'd like you to meet a fabulous new friend of mine, Mary Manners. She hails from the beautiful state of Tennessee. In addition to being an awesome writer, she's a generous soul and offered an e-book of her latest release, Promises Renewed in exchange for a few healthy comments. Check out the giveaway details after the interview! How about we get this show on the road?

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Renee: Mary, are you ready?

Mary: Yep, thanks so much for hosting me today. I am thrilled to be here!

Renee: Thanks for stopping by the Mine on this glorious day. I was trying to think about what to ask you first. Writing, playing, then I thought about how I tried to write today and  I couldn't bring myself to do it. It was absolutely gorgeous outside. (Not that I could do a whole lot about it, mind you, but still...) The point is that I could not, for the life of me, concentrate on the computer, much less make sense of the words on it! Not with the warm sun shining all around me. What is your biggest challenge as an author, Mary?

Mary: That would be tough. As for me, my biggest challenge as an author is keeping my cat Colby out of my chair! No, really…protecting my writing time is a challenge. With a dog, two cats, 12 chickens, 13 fish, and a husband, there is always something that needs attention. It takes creativity to adapt to the daily challenges, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Renee: Wow. That would be tough. I don't know if I would be able to keep track of that many animals! Plus a husband? Maybe you could teach me about chickens? I want to have chickens one day. Hey, stop the snickering out there! I can hear y'all! As much as I can hear the amount of work and dedication all of this takes, I can also hear the joy in your answer. What is it about your job or jobs that you like the most? Is there anything you dislike?

Mary: How long do you have? I'm just kidding! Truly? I love the freedom. I don’t have to leave my house and battle rush hour traffic every day. I can (and sometimes do) work in my pajamas. And I can drink coffee all day long. I am my toughest boss, as I really push myself on projects. I love receiving emails from readers…so encouraging! The only thing I dislike about my ‘job’ is that there aren’t enough hours in the day to write all of the stories that are waiting to be told.

Renee: Oh, Mary, I love the way you talk about it. I know you are so grateful to have your life. As I'm sure you are aware, many, many authors dream of such. You are blessed. What is it about your home that is unique?

Mary: I grew up in Chicago but relocated to East Tennessee in my early twenties. I love the scenery of the Smoky Mountains and the small town setting, so that’s where most of my stories take place. It works for me, and readers seem to love it as well.

Renee: Ah! So that's where the small town comes from. I love the Smoky Mountains. I've only been there a time or two but I'll never forget it. I want to visit them again. They are special. What do you like to do when you aren't writing? Do you have any hobbies or anything?

Mary: Of course, I love to read (all writers should do their ‘research’). I also run marathons (a nice balance to the time sitting at my desk) and enjoy mowing the lawn and antiquing. My husband and I are closet pickers!

Renee: How fun! I grew up antiquing with my mom. Marathons, uh, no, but I love to check out auctions. They are cool. Not that I have the money to buy anything but they're still fun! I'm into fun. Speaking of that, if you could spend a week anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Mary: I would love to go out west to Montana or Wyoming and spend a week on a ranch. It is on my bucket list. I am a country girl at heart and love the outdoors.

Renee: Really? Well, I don't know about Montana, but there are some awesome ranches here in Wyoming. It depends on what kind of experience you want...fancy, dude-ish, down-home...Wyoming has it all and everywhere. Uh, except people. We don't have a lot those. More cows are wandering around than people. But you know how that is, right? You're outnumbered at your place!

Mary: (laughing) That is very true. But even with my gaggle of pets—my dog named Axel, two cats named Colby and Jax, 12 chickens (all named, of course), and 13 fish, I am trying to talk my husband into a potbellied pig, but so far no luck. Stay tuned, though…

Renee: Believe it or not, I've seen some pigs around here. No matter where you're from,  Tennessee or Chicago, I think you'd be right at home in Wyoming. I guess we'd better rap this thing up, but before we move on to the giveaway, is there a particular quote or saying that comes to mind during times of need or adversity that you can share with our readers?

Mary: “When you look at a field of dandelions you either see a hundred weeds or a hundred wishes…” Author Unknown. I see the wishes.

Renee: Mary, I want to thank you so much for taking the time to be with us today at the Diamond Mine. You are a blessing to Christian Fiction and I am honored to know you.

Mary: I appreciate you inviting me, Renee. To the readers, thanks so much for joining us today. I am always happy to hear from you, my reader friends. I’d love to give away an ecopy of my latest release, Promises Renewed.

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E-BOOK GIVEAWAY

Comment below (on blog) to enter giveaway!

(Leave your name and email with comment to validate entry)

One winner selected by random draw on 5/23/18 from valid entries and notified via email. Prize will be awarded by Mary Manners via email within 15 days of selection and includes one e-copy version of Promises Renewed.

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About the Book:

A heartbreaking secret stands between Brianna and Jackson, and she plans to keep it that way...

When Brianna Caufield hosts an online auction to raise money for her fledgling youth center, the last thing she expects is to be matched for a date with Jackson Reed. Lured by the fame of an NFL career, the hometown hero and all-star quarterback broke off their engagement without so much as a backward glance. Now, washed-up and wiser, Jack’s come home with renewed faith and a changed heart—and he wants Brianna back. 

No matter how much she still cares for Jackson, Brianna knows the secret she harbors will destroy any chance of a future together. Can Jack find a way to coax the secret to the surface? And if he does, will forgiveness draw them closer together…or will their love be shattered forever?

About the Author:

Mary Manners is a country girl at heart who has spent a lifetime sharing her joy of writing. She has two sons, a daughter, and three beautiful grandchildren. She lives in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee with her husband Tim and their rescue dog Axel, two rescue cats, Colby and Jax, 12 chickens and 13 fish.

Mary writes stories full of faith and hope. Her books have earned multiple accolades including two Inspirational Reader’s Choice Awards, the Gail Wilson Award of Excellence, the Aspen Gold, the Heart of Excellence, and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award.

Mary loves long sunrise runs, Smoky Mountain sunsets, and flavored coffee. She enjoys connecting with reader friends through her website: www.MaryMannersRomance.com.

Your Rough Diamond Miner:

Pharmacist by day, by night and any other time she can spare, Renee Blare writes Christian romantic suspense from her home in the foothills of the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming where she lives with her husband, crazy dog, and ornery cat. She loves to fish, hunt, or pick away on her old guitar…most of the time next to a mountain lake. 

Life is tough, but Renee finds great joy in it by letting the Lord lead her pen and writing about Christians and their exciting journeys. Most of these tales take place in Wyoming, God’s country. She invites you to come along for the ride and discover for yourself what it means for the wild to meet the Forgiven...

You can always find Renee at her website, blog, or on social media where she loves to interact with readers.

Website/Blog: Wyoming Walkabouts

A Chat with JoAnn Durgin

Welcome to the Mine, JoAnn! As you know, we’re digging for diamonds in Christian fiction, and your books are gems. Would you say they’re diamonds?

Thanks so much for hosting me today! My theme verse in my writing journey is based on Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (NASB).

I like to think my writing shines and resonates with the truth and hope to be found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It’s my hope that my unique writing voice holds gems of truth from God’s word. When panning for gold at the “diamond mines” in Tennessee, you sift through the sand and dirt to hopefully discover hidden treasure buried beneath. Likewise, I love layered stories where the characters eventually discover those invaluable nuggets of truth . . . but they often have to go through the refining fire before they emerge whole and strong. 

Refining fire and layered stories… your books sound awesome already. I know you write contemporary romance as well as a series. How did you start writing and did it evolve into a series or was it planned that way?

My joke is that I wrote Awakening in two weeks and it took 12 years for it to be published. The full story is on my website at www.joanndurgin.com. In short, it was the last book I wrote before putting my writing aside—but not the passion for it—for over a decade. When I pulled it back out (literally from under the bed and blew off the dust bunnies), I started to look it over. Having written it so long ago, it was like looking at it through fresh eyes, and it was almost as though someone else had written it.

Although I only found half of it (you must read the story on my website to see how the Lord gave the rest of it back to me!), I could tell it would be a good beginning for a series where the core characters could become mentors to the volunteers of their Christian workers called TeamWork Missions. Each subsequent book contains the love stories of one (or sometimes more) of the TeamWork members. The fifth book in the Lewis Legacy Series releases late this month. The entire series is written but needs significant editing. Then I have another series lined up behind it…

Quite a project… sounds interesting. And I love how your first book was written! I think I wrote my first book in almost three weeks. Of course, it was very rough. Kind of like yours, I bet. Do you have any books out there not related to the Lewis Legacy Series?

Catching Serenity, my latest release and the book I’m highlighting today, was written with the idea of giving my readers something apart from my series. I’m happy to say it’s also been quite successful for me. It’s a standalone, full-length novel with mystery as well as romance. All of my books feature an element of humor mixed in with the adventure and drama—all the elements I believe you need for a satisfying story: (1) it makes you laugh; (2) it makes you cry; and (3) it makes you think.

I’ve also published a couple of fun Christmas novellas with Pelican Book Group (the third in that series to release this year) and I have an upcoming novella, Echoes of Edinburgh, also releasing with Pelican in late September.

Wow! Books, books, everywhere! How in the world did you write (and publish) all those books?

First of all, I couldn’t write and publish books without the Lord’s sustaining grace. I’ve never suffered from writer’s block, and I pray I never do. Writing and publishing involves long hours and a dedication to see a project through to completion. A measure of talent, a willingness to be teachable and accept criticism all factor into the process, as well as dedication, perseverance and commitment truly makes all the difference.

What a blessing… I would love to be able to write like that. I’m sure every writer would. Thank you for sharing your words with the world, JoAnn. If you had one thing you could say through your books, what would it be?

God demonstrated His great love for us by sending His very own beloved, precious Son to die for us. That is the greatest love story we’ll ever know, and from that redeeming love stems our capacity and ability to love others as He first loved us.

What’s your latest book about?

The best way to tell you about it is to give you the blurb for Catching Serenity (what you’d read on the back cover). Here it is:

A woman torn apart by secrets.

A man held prisoner by the truth.

Can the greatest love of all

set them both free?

Serenity McClaren had it all before her life crumbled around her like the sand castles on her beloved beach, causing her to flee Croisette Shores and the only home she’d ever known. Nearly five years later and living in Atlanta, she receives a mysterious, unsigned note: Come home, Serenity. Things aren’t as they seem. Time to find your answers. Returning to South Carolina, she prepares to face her demons and the ailing father she left behind, hoping to make peace with both.

Child psychologist Jackson Ross is a man with a surprising past. He’s ready for the quiet life and  eager to establish his practice in the quaint, coastal village. After he hires Serenity to decorate his new office, he’s drawn to the beautiful and enigmatic woman yet sees she’s haunted by a past she can’t escape. Wanting to help her, he begins to suspect one of his young patients may hold the key to unlocking Serenity’s secrets. Jackson follows his instincts and discovers the shocking truth, but how can he tell the woman he’s grown to love what he knows—and set her free—without compromising his professional ethics and losing her forever?

Can we get a glimpse?

Gladly, and here’s a portion of the first chapter.

Come home, Serenity. Things aren’t as they seem. Time to find your answers.

Ever since she’d received that unsigned, cryptic note in Atlanta six weeks ago—scrawled in loopy, cursive letters with no clue as to its sender except the postmark from Croisette Shores—the words lingered in Serenity’s mind, never far from her conscious thought. Lifting her face to the early May sun, she dug her toes in the sand, luxuriating in the sensation as the warm grains filtered between her toes. How she’d missed her lovely little South Carolina town.

The slight breeze lifted strands of her hair in an airy dance and a happy squeal caught her attention. A pregnant woman held the hand of a toddler girl who skipped beside her, giggling when the gentle waves kissed her toes. Uninhibited and joyful, the sound of the child’s laughter transported Serenity back in time to the carefree days when she’d played alongside her parents on this same stretch of beach. Days when it seemed the world was ripe with possibility and opportunity. Days when making a sand castle and discovering a beautiful seashell, simple yet intricate in its complexity, thrilled her like nothing else.

“Freud!”

Shielding her eyes with one hand, Serenity scanned the beach. Freud? A gorgeous gray and white Siberian husky skirted the shoreline, dodging the seaweed and marine life deposited by the receding waves. A magnificent creature, grace in motion, but who would name a dog Freud? In its own way, though, it was rather cute. She couldn’t remember ever seeing this particular breed of dog in Croisette Shores before. His coat was well-groomed and short, and thank goodness she sat far enough removed to avoid the sand he sprayed in his wake.

“Come here, boy!” The man jogging behind the dog captured her attention as he slowed to a walk, a red Frisbee tucked under one arm. The last time she’d given any man more than a passing glance seemed like a lifetime ago. In some ways, it was. This one definitely stood out in the small crowd of beachgoers. Tall, broad-shouldered and muscular, his wavy dark hair was long enough in back to curl over the collar of his light blue polo. She guessed he must be late twenties or early thirties. Barefoot with the bottom of his khakis rolled on his calves, he looked the part of a well-to-do tourist renting a luxury cottage on one of the private beaches. Cheeks flushed with color, he hadn’t yet developed the sun-kissed tan of the locals.

Stopping, he tossed the Frisbee and laughed as the dog darted after it, venturing into the tide. Amazing a dog that size could jump so high. Serenity sat up straighter, fascinated, as the two repeated their game. The man moved a bit slower, appearing to favor one leg, and a slight grimace creased his attractive features. Was he in pain? She startled a few seconds later when the Frisbee skidded to a stop at her feet, showering her with sand. Freud lunged in her direction—quickening her heart rate tenfold—and scooped the plastic disc in his mouth before bounding off again. Willing her pulse to slow, Serenity brushed sand from her shorts and tugged down on her pink cotton tee.

“Sorry!” the man called to her with a friendly wave. “He’s harmless. Hope he didn’t scare you. Are you okay?”

She waved back. “I’m fine, thanks.” She wasn’t worried about the canine so much as her reaction to Freud’s companion, but how nice of him to consider her feelings. The guy had a killer smile and strands of dark hair whipped over his forehead. Couldn’t he at least have a high-pitched or nasal voice? No, it had to be deep, smooth and rich as melting chocolate. Good thing she generally avoided chocolate.

When do you find time to write? (The pharmacist said to the author…)

Wow, a pharmacist? That’s amazing. Ever tried penning a medical thriller? I think your profession would open a world of writing ideas! I’m an estate administration/wealth transfer paralegal in a large law firm in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. However, I spend nearly every lunch hour working on my current manuscript, writing blogs, or doing some type of marketing work. My mind is almost always spinning with plotlines, characters or something related to my writing. I spend many hours in front of my computer at home or with the laptop in my bed. But the Lord’s given me this desire to share stories and He keeps me going. Writing energizes me like little else and it’s my passion.  

I guess I’ve never thought of penning a medical thriller before, although I do have a pharmacist as one of my characters. Can’t get too far away from my roots, huh? Anyway… Do you have a marketing strategy—well, other than tossing the pages into the wind and praying they find some eager hands?

That image makes me laugh. Sometimes it does seem like that’s what we do, doesn’t it? Since my former publisher turned over the rights to me for my Lewis Legacy Series books at the end of last year, and with Catching Serenity being independently published, I’ve enjoyed having complete control over the marketing and advertising (not to be confused with being a control freak, of course). Unlike some authors, I love marketing. The Lord knew the best marketing “job” for me is marketing my own books! I’m navigating the waters now, but I’ve found a several websites that have been tremendously successful for me. Awakening was offered free on one website a couple of months ago and more than 47,000 readers downloaded it! That was astounding to me, and it served to multiply the sales and increase the visibility of all of my books as a whole (including a boxed set of the first four series books).

What a great idea! I’ll have to remember that and Isaiah 55:11. After all, the Lord’s Word doesn’t return void…even if it is free. Thanks for stopping by the Mine. I believe we have a diamond, folks. Are you open to questions, JoAnn?

Of course! I love interacting with readers and would be happy to answer any questions. Thanks so much for inviting me to visit. Many blessings to all of you, and thanks for your support of Christian fiction and its authors. We couldn’t do it without you!

GIVEAWAY ! ! !

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Book:

A poignant story of faith, hope and love, 

and discovering the everyday miracles 

from an all-powerful God.

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Catching-Serenity-JoAnn-Durgin/dp/1940727022/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1402166442&sr=8-3&keywords=JoAnn+Durgin

http://www.inspyromance.com/

About the Author:

Catching Serenity is JoAnn Durgin’s fifth published, full-length novel. She is the author of THE LEWIS LEGACY SERIES: AWAKENING, SECOND TIME AROUND, TWIN HEARTS, and DAYDREAMS (Torn Veil Books), and Christmas novellas, MEET ME UNDER THE MISTLETOE and its sequel (coming for the 2013 holiday season), STARLIGHT, STAR BRIGHT (Pelican Book Group/White Rose Publishing). An estate administration paralegal in a Louisville, Kentucky law firm, JoAnn lives with her family in southern Indiana. A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (national and Indiana chapter) and the Louisville Christian Writers, JoAnn’s prayer is that her contemporary romantic adventures will touch hearts and lives with the redeeming love of Jesus Christ. She’d love to hear from you at www.joanndurgin.com or via her "Author JoAnn Durgin" page on Facebook.