Christmas Book Giveaway with Mary Alford

        Christmas blessings, my fellow readers! So many exciting things
happening around the Diamond Mine. As I write, snow is flurrying through my glass doors. Heehee, shhhh, don’t tell anyone, but I LOVE snow!

And, I love giving things away! Mary O. won my last interview's book giveaway with Ann H. Gabhart on Sept. 9th. Also, our $25 B&N Gift Card has found a home with a lucky reader, Roxanne C., and I personally am deep in the midst of planning SO MANY BOOK SWAG giveaways on my own website, I can’t begin to name them! And you are definitely invited to be a part of that. See details below the interview.

But, I digress. Yet I don’t. Because our guest this week, author Mary Alford, is giving away not just a book, but a Christmas book! How fitting is that? Covert Amish Christmas is this week's giveaway. Check it out:

https://www.amazon.com/Covert-Amish-Christmas-Inspired-Suspense-ebook

Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas! So, without further ado, lets turn our sleighs toward Mary Alford’s interview.

                        ____________________________________

PT:  Season greetings, Mary! So happy to have you this week. I have my fireplace DVD on. Come settle by the fake fire and tell us the basics, your background and your genre.

MA: I write Christian and Amish Suspense for Love Inspired Suspense. I was a bookworm for as long as I can remember. I devoured every book that interested me at our public library. Growing up on Nancy Drew, Little House on the Prairie and Hardy Boys to name a few. From there, I graduated to Victoria Holt and Phyllis Whitney’s tales of suspense and romance. When I was a “tween”, I decided to write my own story because I was so sure I knew exactly how to do it. Wrong! It was filled with cliches and sappy romance, but it lit a fire in me that did not die through my teenage years and into adulthood. I tried my hand at different genres, but what I loved reading the most were Christian and Amish suspense. And so, I found my home there.

In 2012, I entered a contest through Love Inspired Suspense entitled, Speed Writing. I was chosen to pitch, then Emily Rodmell requested a partial, then a full, and in December of 2012, I received my first contract with Love Inspired Suspense. Forgotten Past was published in 2014. Since then, I’ve published 10 books through Love Inspired Suspense. The last 3 have been Amish Suspense. In addition, I am an Indie author of several Christian suspense novels. And in 2022, my first Amish Suspense will be published through Revell. 

PT: Wow! Amazing. What a way to begin. I’m sure being chosen was like a gift. Such a fitting story in this gift-giving season. So, do you have a main reason/theme/mantra of writing? Include both Amish/Contemporary if you can.

MA: I think my love for both Christian Suspense and Amish drives me to write in these two genres. I learned early on to write what I loved to read, and it has served me well.

 PT: Are there any characters in your books that resemble you most in personality? What about in Covert Amish Christmas? Or are there any scenes in the book that are taken from reality?

MA: I put a little of myself into every character I write. I cannot say it is one particular trait, but more like how they react to situations they are thrown into. Victoria Kauffman, in Covert Amish Christmas, in particular. And I find my characters usually share my love for coffee and cooking.

 PT: Where did you get the idea for your Covert Amish Christmas?

MA: I love stories involving spies. There is just something about the danger they face that makes for a great book. Covert Amish Christmas is about a former CIA agent who is being hunted by the people she once worked for because of something they believe she knows about a failed mission in Afghanistan. What better contrast for the dangerous world of espionage, than the peaceful Amish community of West Kootenai, Montana, right? And a hero that doesn’t come from a military or intelligence background. Aaron Shetler is a simple Amish furnituremaker who refuses to let bad guys take Victoria’s life. And because of his willingness to help, a love story is born.     

PT: Ah, sounds like the perfect novel to curl up with under a fuzzy, snowflake blanket. What’s the next project you are working on?

MA: Covert Amish Christmas introduces the reader to Aaron Shetler, the oldest of 5 Amish brothers who will be featured in additional upcoming Love Inspired books. The next book, Shielding the Amish Witness, comes out in April of 2021 and features Eli Shetler’s story. And in 2022, my first book from Revell will be released. It is an Amish Suspense, and I am extremely excited to get it into the hands of my readers.   

PT: Exciting! Any special plans you yourself have for this year’s Christmas/or a gift you're planning?

MA: As I’m writing this, I’m preparing to decorate the house for the holiday. Usually, I am struggling with a deadline around the Christmas holiday, so it sometimes feels like I miss out on some of the beauty of the season. But not this year. I plan to enjoy every moment of the season. That, to me, is a gift.  

PT: Yes. That is one thing this year has taught me. Time to enjoy every moment of life. Now, my favorite. It's like yanking down your stocking and finding all the little surprise trinkets inside! Tell 5 things quick about you that have nothing to do with writing.

MA: I am a grandmother of three, a pianist, a HUGE coffee drinker, a want-to-be crafter, and a sometimes-successful gardener. 

PT: Let me ask you a very important question. Do you have a Bible verse that is your current favorite, one that speaks to you right now?

MA: My favorite verse of the Bible is John 14:1-3

 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

What an amazing promise that Jesus Himself is preparing a place for us in heaven. I love that.

PT: I love that verse too, Mary. It speaks peace to my heart in this turbulent time. Thank you so much for stopping by the Mine and sharing your news and exciting giveaway!

To enter the contest, please leave a comment AND your email address. If you don't leave an email address, you will be not have a chance to win.

Also: please go to peggytrotter.com and sign up for my newsletters and automatically be entered for all my 2021 Book Swag Giveaways!

                      ____________________________________

Want to know more about author Mary Alford? You've come to the right place:

Bio:

2-time USA Today Bestselling Author, Mary Alford, loves giving her readers the un-expected, whether it be in a rugged mountain setting or a peaceful Amish community.  

Her titles have appeared on the USA Today Bestselling List, Publisher’s Weekly Bestselling List, and have been finalists in the Daphne Du Maurier award of excellence, The Beverly, The Maggie, and The Selah Awards.  

Mary lives in Texas with her husband, two very spoiled cats, and a sweet rescue dog name Cody. Mary is very active online and would love to connect with readers on Face-book and Twitter or any social platforms listed at www.maryalford.net.

Links:

Covert Amish Christmas:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Covert-Amish-Christmas-Inspired-Suspense-ebook/dp/B086XFR3SS/ref=sr_1_2?crid=32OGNHWSCDJL1&dchild=1&keywords=covert+amish+christmas+by+mary+alford&qid=1606576343&s=books&sprefix=covert+amish+christmas%2Cstripbooks%2C844&sr=1-2

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/covert-amish-christmas-mary-alford/1136826763?ean=9781335403155

Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/covert-amish-christmas

 

Mary’s Website: https://maryalford.net 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaryAlfordAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/maryalford13

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7235798

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mary-alford

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/maryjalfordauth/_created/

Interview with Shawna Robison Young

Welcome back to my tea room friends. Pull up a chair, grab your favorite teacup, and help your self to some scones and whatever's hot that you like to drink. I've always got hot chocolate, coffee, and of course, tea.

Today I have the great honor of interviewing my writing friend and debut author, Shawna Robison Young. 

Shawna is the mother of four, a preschool owner and teacher, and a former children’s minister. She is the wife of a navy veteran and lover of all things chocolate. Whether it’s singing the ABCs, sharing what she’s learned with new writers, or passing along Bible truths to her children’s ministry classes, she’s a teacher at heart. 

Shawna enjoys writing a little bit of the unexpected. Why be normal? In a world of conformity, a touch of something out of the ordinary can make a work of art astonishing.

I am so excited for you to get to know this astounding author. 

GIVEAWAY: Don't forget to comment with your email for a chance to win a copy of her debut novel, The Unsuspecting Heather Meyers.

CC: Hi Shawna! Thanks so much for joining me. Let's start off with what are you reading right now?

SRY: Three Little Things by Patti Stockdale. I love seeing the relationship between Hattie and Arno bloom. 

CC: Oh, that's a good one. In fact, later this year I will be interviewing Patti for the Diamond Mine blog.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

SRY: I’ve loved writing since I was a little girl. I never really thought about it. It was always a part of me, but about ten years ago I began dreaming and writing stories that I’d hope would one day be published. On February 27, 2020, my debut novel The Unsuspecting Heather Meyers releases on Amazon.

CC: It must be so exciting to see your work coming to fruition! I know this journey has been a crazy one. What would you say God has taught you the most through this journey?

SRY: He has taught me to listen and trust His voice. Also, when I know a door needs shut and I can’t bring myself to do it, He will.

CC: That can be such a hard lesson to learn, but I know that is not all that God has taught you. The Unsuspecting Heather Meyers was a very impactful book to write. How did writing it affect you? What did God teach you specifically in that story?

SRY: The Unsuspecting Heather Meyers healed my heart from some hurtful things in my past. I learned that people can change and that even though the past may affect us deeply, it doesn’t have to define where we are going or who we want to be. Mistakes can be amended. Forgiveness can be found. We don’t have to remain in the bondage of the past.

CC: I really can't wait for others to read this story! Who was the most challenging character for you to create? What made them so difficult?

SRY: Keith Meyers. When I originally started the story a few years ago, Keith was a different man. The kind that JJ (hero) had dreamed Heather would have married. But Heather (heroine) told me the man I pictured as her husband was only the man Keith wanted people to see. Writing the scenes that revealed his true nature took a lot out of me emotionally. Having to show what Heather endured broke my heart.

CC: And I think this is a perfect time to bring in your favorite Bible verse, as it seems to tie in so well with the story.

SRY: My favorite bible verse is Luke 5:31-32 “Jesus answered them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’” These verses remind me that we don’t have to be perfect before we come to Him.

CC: So true. So true. Last question before we share your book blurb, and I promise it's a fun one. If you were trapped on a deserted island, what is the one fictional character you would want to have stranded with you?


SRY: Captain America. Enough said. ☺ <3


I encourage you to check out Shawna's debut below and to ENTER THE GIVEAWAY below by entering your email address in the comments. The winner will be randomly selected on February 12 and notified by email. There must be a minimum of five commenters.

What if you’ve returned home to start your life over, only to discover you’re there to finish it?

Ready for a fresh start, Heather Meyers flees from not-so-sunny California to her hometown in Indiana. But fate has other plans—stage IV cancer and three months to live. Determined that one more kick from life won’t destroy her faith, Heather fights against its schemes. Before she can take her final rest, redemption must be found for someone she loves.

Physical therapist Dr. Jack Jones (JJ) would do anything to change the past, to not have let his high school sweetheart get away. Now that Heather’s back, he’d do anything to keep her from leaving. With her time running out, he may never get his chance to set things right.

By a twist of fate and with an extra dab of this and a little bit of that, nurse Anna Ingram sets out to prove that JJ is more than his past mistakes and Heather can find hope and love in the midst of the biggest battle of her life.

Book buy link:  https://amzn.com/B082S5HDQ9

Social Media Links: 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19874777.Shawna_Robison_Young

blog: http://shawnayoungatheart.blogspot.com

FB link: https://www.facebook.com/shawnarobisonyoungauthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnarobisonyoung/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShawnaYoung6

DON'T FORGET TO ENTER TO WIN A PRINT COPY OF THE UNSUSPECTING HEATHER MEYERS BY 11:59PM ON TUESDAY FEBRUARY 11TH.

Interview with Author Jodie Wolfe!!

Greet author Jodie Wolfe and her new book, Taming Julia!

A gun-toting, breeches-wearing wife wasn't what the minister       ordered!  In 1875, Kansas bachelor Drew Montgomery's sole desire is to serve God, but his congregation's ultimatum that he marry or leave, forces him to advertise for a wife by proxy. 

Jules Walker strides into Drew's life wearing breeches and toting a gun and saddle--more cowboy than bride. After years on the trail, she's not exactly wife material, but she longs for home and family, and will do anything to ensure Drew never discovers what she really is.

Welcome to the Diamond Mine, Jodie! Your new book sounds great! Before I share an excerpt, I'd like to know more about you. What caused you to decide to write books?

When I was in 2nd grade we had to write a poem as a class assignment. I had so much fun doing so, that I soon started writing little stories and making them into books. I was hooked. I knew I wanted to be a writer when I grew up. For me, it's a calling from the Lord.

Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?

Chuckle. Most definitely. It was about my dog Ginger going to the inaugural ball when Jimmy Carter got elected.

I'd love to read that! Sounds adorable!
If you could do absolutely anything right now, what would it be?

Hire a maid to take care of the house so I could get more writing accomplished. :)

Oh, wow! Wouldn't that be great!!
Do you base your characters on aspects of real people or yourself, or are they mostly invented by your imagination?

My characters are a combination of parts of me and also parts of people I know. I'll never tell which part though. :)  Although I'll admit, some are completely made up.

That's pretty much how my characters are, too! Do you write from an outline, or by the seat of your pants?

Both. I usually have a rough outline in my head, but my characters have a tendency to take over the story and lead it where they want to go.

Isn't that such an interesting phenomenon? I remember how surprised I was the first time that happened!
Do you work on one story at a time, or do you juggle stories?

Most times I work on one story at a time, but there are times when I'm writing one and editing a different one.

Is writing a daily habit or do you write in bursts of inspiration?

For a long time, it was a daily habit. I need to get back into that again.

It does help to write every day if you can, though sometimes I need to take a break if a story seems to be a bit stuck.
Do you listen to music or something else when writing, or do you prefer silence?

Most times I prefer having music playing quietly in the background. If I have the radio turned up, I tend to start singing along and distract myself in the process.

I can relate to that! So I stick to instrumental and classical most of the time. It's inspiring without the distraction of lyrics!
What do you like most about being a writer?

I love being able to create characters and a story from nothing. I love to see them and their story come to life.

It's so satisfying! I love the process, too!
What do you like least?

My least favorite is the business side of writing - editing, marketing, etc.

I hear you! I'm especially bad at marketing, but I'm slowly learning some of it. What are you working on now?

I'm working on a book entitled Hannah's Quest that's set in the town where I live now. It's set in the 1870s about a girl who is searching for a place to belong.
I love writing historical fiction, too. I especially love doing the research! Thanks so much for the interview, Jodie!! It's been fun getting to know you better. Now here's an excerpt from Taming Julia for our readers to enjoy:

Matrimony News, February 6, 1875 edition

Minister bachelor aged 27, height 5 feet 10 inches seeks genteel, honest and first-rate homemaker with a desire to serve God. Must be willing to marry by proxy and arrive in Burrton Springs, Kansas by May 1.

~*~

Burrton Springs, Kansas, Saturday, May 1, 1875

            Dear Lord, please don’t let that creature be my new wife. Drew Montgomery swiped the sweat trickling a path down his neck and shoved the new hat back on his head. He squinted, taking in the lone passenger stepping from the stagecoach. At least, he thought it was a woman. He shielded his eyes from the sun, taking in the britches.

            Britches? A gun belt strapped to a slim waist. He gulped. A rifle rested on her shoulder, and she wore a Stetson situated low on her brow. The figure shifted sideways, and Drew groaned, fearing his proxy mail-order bride had arrived by the look of all the curves. He squared his shoulders and crossed the street.

            "Are you Montgomery?" Her coffee-brown gaze seared through him.

            He snapped his gaping mouth shut and nodded. "Y-yes."

            "Name’s Jules Walker." She shoved her hand into his and shook it so hard his teeth clattered. "I reckon, Jules Montgomery since we’re hitched." She waved a slip of paper in his face. "Got the paper here to prove it. So are you my husband or not?"

            Drew caught a whiff of dirt. He coughed and cleared his throat.

            She peered at him as if he were a chicken with one leg.

            "I’m Drew." He managed to choke the words out. "Isn’t your name Julia?"

            She scrunched her face, pushed her Stetson from her head, and allowed it to dangle from the string around her neck. Her brown hair scattered in disarray, slipping from a shoulder-length braid. "I can’t remember the last time I’ve been called Julia. Like I said, name’s Jules."

            "But..." Drew let the word hang between them. No matter. "Where’re your things?"

            "Got my knapsack and that there." She pointed to the top of the stagecoach. He expected to see a trunk, but a saddle rested there instead. What kind of woman brought a saddle into a marriage? What kind of woman showed up dressed like a man? No. No. Something was terribly wrong.

Wow! I'm hooked already! Sounds like a wonderful story! Readers, here's a short bio about Jodie, followed by her links!

Thanks again Jodie, for visiting the Diamond Mine!!

Jodie Wolfe creates novels where hope and quirky meet. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), Romance Writers of America (RWA), and COMPEL Training. She's been a semi-finalist and finalist in various writing contests. A former columnist for Home School Enrichment magazine, her articles can be found online at: Crosswalk, Christian Devotions, and Heirloom Audio. She's a contributor and co-founder of Stitches Thru Time blog. When not writing she enjoys spending time with her husband in Pennsylvania, reading, walking, and being a Grammie. Learn more at www.jodiewolfe.com.

Purchase Links for Taming Julia:

https://www.amazon.com/Taming-Julia-Jodie-Wolfe-ebook/dp/B083L8MDD5/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=taming+julia&qid=1578503989&sr=8-1

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taming-julia-jodie-wolfe/1136004491?ean=9781522302711

Website: https://www.jodiewolfe.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jodie-Wolfe-553400191384913

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JodieAWolfe

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15220520.Jodie_Wolfe

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jodie-Wolfe/e/B01EAWOHXO/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Interview and Giveaway with Clarice G. James!!!

Hi guys! V. Joy Palmer here! Since we are all friends here, you guys can call me Joy. ; ) And since we are all friends, one of my favorite things to do is talk with my friends, family, the teens I mentor, and everyone else at coffee shops/bookstores. Books and yummy drinks are the perfect combination, after all. So, consider this our virtual coffee shop. I’ll wait a second for you to get your warm drink and a fuzzy blanket before we chat with today’s guest. ;-)

We're going to pry into the private life chat with Clarice G. James! I got to meet Clarice in person a few months ago, and she is so kind! I'm looking forward to our chat! <3

Clarice G. James writes smart, fun, relatable contemporary women’s fiction. Readers are likely to find a thread of romance, a sprinkling of humor, and/or an element of mystery throughout each story. Her novels include Party of One, Manhattan Grace, Doubleheader, and The Girl He Knew. When she’s not writing, Clarice is reading or encouraging fellow writers.

Clarice grew up on Cape Cod and raised her three children there. Eight years after she was widowed, she was blessed to remarry (Ralph) David James. She and David live in Southern New Hampshire. They both enjoy the writing process and host a critique group in their home. Counting their five married children, ten grandchildren, and extended family, they have relatives in eight states. Clarice says, “So, you know what our vacations are like.”

Connect with Clarice on her website, Facebook, Twitter, or via e-mail!

Interview ~

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

Hot black coffee in the morning. No coherent conversation until after the second cup.

Tea and scones at my favorite tea shop while visiting with old friends.

Hot chocolate always tastes best after skating on a frozen pond. (Of course, I haven’t done that since I was sixteen.)   

I like your system! LOL! On to our second most important question: if you could order anything in the world to eat, what would it be?

Veal Oscar, a classic French dish, made with tender veal cutlets, crab meat, blanched asparagus, all smothered in a rich bearnaise sauce. The last time I had this dish was when I worked at a Cape Cod restaurant over 30 years ago—but I still remember the mouthwatering flavors.

 I am drooling. Yeah, that's happening. That sounds AMAZING!!! Where is your favorite place to write, and why is that your favorite place?

My husband built an office for me in our dry and heated basement. That might not sound very glamourous, but the space is decorated in a feminine and colorful style that makes me smile. It’s also quiet, so quiet.

  

That sounds wonderful! And quiet is always good! LOL! Confession time! Do you have an odd habit that is only explained by your bookish, writer tendencies? Safe space. ;-) 

Every Sunday, I edit the church bulletin and the song lyrics … during the service … when no one’s looking.

 Hehehehe! This is one of my favorites! <3 What inspired you to write Doubleheader?

The first novel I wrote was Party of One. The protagonist ANNIE was based loosely on me, and her daughter CASEY had some of the character traits of my daughter. When readers wanted to know more about ANNIE’S daughter,” I decided to give CASEY her own story, and Doubleheader was born. The first edition came out in 2015. The current and updated version includes the 2018 Boston Red Sox World Series Championship. (Don’t worry. The book isn’t really about sports.)

That's so much fun! What led you to write in this genre?

Every one of my books has a little of me in them, so it was natural for me to write contemporary women’s fiction, which is also mostly what I read.

  

That's awesome! I love it when I can see the author's heart in the story! What message do you hope to convey to your readers?

Let go and let God. His plan is way better than anything you can come up with.  

Yes and AMEN!!! <3 Can you tell us a little about your next project?

My fourth women’s contemporary, The Girl He Knew, will be released this September. Set in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Charlie Dawson’s grief over losing his wife to a drug overdose is compounded as he struggles to understand how the girl he knew, the one he married, could have let this happen.

Sounds like it's going to be a powerful story! Do you have a favorite Bible verse or story that inspires you on a soul level?

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. ~ Colossians 3:17

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

Between the book club I belong to and the requests I receive to read and endorse books, I read a variety of titles and genres. In the few weeks, I read the women’s historical, The Mending of Lillian Cathleen by Linda Brooks Davis. Linda is such a gifted wordsmith.

Then I followed that up with the heart-wrenching memoir, When Sunday Smiled by Andy M Davidson. Trying to cope with the loss of his first-born son, Davidson hikes the Appalachian Trail to work out his grief.  

Pine Cone Mountain, a romance, by Sherri Gallagher came next. Sherri did a wonderful job creating authentic conflict and tension and realistic resolutions.

I have Devotedly by Valerie Elliot Shepherd and The Baggage Handler by David Rawlings waiting by my reading chair.  

I love your busy TBR!!! I can relate to that life! <3

Thank you so much for hanging out with us and answering all of my prying questions, Clarice!

Giveaway ~

Clarice has generously offered to giveaway one of her published novel's (Doubleheader, Party of One, Manhattan Grace) to a winner in the continental US!

Featured Novel ~ Doubleheader

Casey Gallagher credits her carefully crafted game plan for a solid marriage, a lucrative marketing career in Boston, and the popular sports column, Doubleheader, which she writes with her brother, Griffin McGee. When she discovers her late father, the one man she idolized, had an affair which produced a son he never knew about, Casey’s determined to identify this so-called brother before he sullies her father’s reputation.

For more information about Clarice's other novels, check out her website here!

Rules, Info, and Such ~

The author is giving away one book to a winner in the continental US. The winner gets to choose between Doubleheader, Party of One, or Manhattan Grace.

This giveaway will close on April 17th, 2019, at 12:00 A.M. for all the night owls.

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

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

Enter using the handy Rafflecopter here ~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Hugs,

V. Joy Palmer 

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

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

Interview and Giveaway with Author Peggy Trotter!!

Enter the giveaway for a free copy by leaving a comment after the interview.

Today on The Diamond Mine, we welcome back author Peggy Trotter, one of the founding members of this blog! I feel so blessed to have met Peggy years ago through our ACFW critique group. Peggy has an awesome talent for creating moods and characters that really grab your attention. Her latest novel, out today, is The Secret Storm. 

Here's a short description:

Within the cozy coastal town…secrets abound. Stormi Zobroski’s life is finally on track. Her immoral life decisions, stemming from a dysfunctional childhood, are nothing but a bad memory. New town, new life. Or so she thinks. When a new friend, Ake Pearson, is belittled, Stormi conjures up the perfect plan. Yet, how could a little face-saving kiss cause so much harm? Now, she will do anything to fix it.

Ake Pearson is a simple man. Faith, family, and fishing. Even if everybody calls him “Dummy,” he’s content with his lot. Only when Stormi thunders into his life does he realize what he is missing. Family disapproval and misunderstandings threaten to tear Stormi from him. But when a long kept secret surfaces, Ake may lose his very life.

Well Peggy, this sounds like a great read! Can you tell the readers something about your new release and what inspired you to write it?

I wrote it for people who have left the rails. Their life is off-kilter and out of God’s will. They’re making bad choices because they have lost their way. Or perhaps they’ve grown up in a dysfunctional family that veered them from the path God intended. They are angry and bitter and try to carve their own way through life. Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

I always want to show people that no one is beyond God’s ability to restore them. No secret sin is too big.

That's so true, and a message that people really need to hear.

So, without further ado, here's an excerpt from The Secret Storm:

Ake took a deep breath. “They think I want you as my girlfriend.”

A laugh burst from Stormi, but his lowered head frightened the mirth away. “I’m sorry. I’m not laughing about that, really, just it sounds like high school.”

Ake gave a small smile. “Yeah.”

The sadness written on his face sobered her. “Really, Ake. I wasn’t laughing at the thought of us being boyfriend and girlfriend.”

He nodded. “It’s okay. I only had one date my Senior Prom. Hoge found a girl to go with me, but she said it wasn’t like that either. She did it as a favor. I understand.”

Fury and sorrow fought a battle in Stormi, and she shoved her mittened hands into her pockets. The men returned from the grill with hot drinks, pounding Ake on the shoulder again and laughing. It took a large amount of control not to knock those two down the stairs. When the two men made it to the dock, one of them handed a Styrofoam cup to Ake’s brother. More scowls.

What complete blockheads. As if Ake didn’t deserve a normal blissful life of marriage and a family. A perfect plan began to formulate in her mind. “You know. We could pretend.”

“Huh?”

“We could give them a real show. Shut them up for good.”

Ake’s eyes crinkled. “I don’t follow you.”

Stormi scooted closer and shot Ake a grin. “We could pretend we were together. A couple. Then they wouldn’t tease you.”

He shook his head with a start of a smile. “I’m not much into pretending.”

“It wouldn’t be complicated.” Brilliance lightened her demeanor. She arched closer and tilted her head coquettishly, the flirt that never failed to provoke a man’s attention. “You wouldn’t have to say anything about us. You could just shrug it off. Or just smile. What’s between a man and a woman is private, after all.”

His dark eyes, open and trusting, glued to hers. “I don’t know how that would work.”

“I do. We could kiss.”

Well, that surely makes me want to see how all this turns out! So Peggy, what sort of a writer are you?

Do you schedule your writing time or do you write in “bursts” of inspiration?

Both. But mostly bursts of inspiration. I am not a scheduled kind of person. I need to be. I try to be, but I am just a live-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of person, LOL. I finish things by each deadline. There is good and bad things about that. I suppose it means I’m a creative person. But it also means that mostly the squeaky wheel things get done, prioritized by time. I’ll skip meals, stay up until two in the morning when inspiration is whispering in my ear and not even notice the time. Or my stomach. J

It's amazing isn't it? You can lose yourself in the writing process and time just melts away!

Did you always know you would be a writer?

No. It seemed too far-fetched. Sure, I dreamed of it even as a very young child. I remember writing my cousin when I was about twelve telling her I wanted to be a writer. Then the writing bug bit me pretty hard when I was fourteen and totally obsessed with horse novels. Until I realized, after three pages of pounding out my “novel” on a manual typewriter, writing was hard!

But writing has never left me. It’s been quite handy in other job situations. I’d write a poem here for an event, a play here for a preschool, a silly story for a niece and nephew. I scribble a chapter here and there as my kids grew. But writing was always this nagging thing in the back of my mind that never went away.

I think that's true for many writers. And I'm so glad you stuck with it so I can read your stories!

What do you like best about writing and what do you like least?

Oh, best by far is when inspiration has you by the horns and I am pounding out words as fast as I can. When my characters are thick in tension, love, and overcoming the worst possible situations. That is like the sweetest candy. The worst is marketing. Trying to get your novel out there in front of the people who need it. I suppose that matches my personality as well, LOL. Writing is creating while marketing is planning.

Boy, do I hear you on that one. Marketing is not a strength of mine, either! But I guess we have to keep learning about it so we can get our stories in front of  more people.

What are you working on now?

Well, I just finished my fourth book which comes out tomorrow. The Secret Storm is the second in the series of Unchained Souls. I am working of the third of that series called, The Secret Mirage, with the hopes of a fourth after that. I am also working on taking my Historical and possibly turning it into a series. That is, if my publisher goes for that, LOL, therefore I have two others that I am working on right now in the historical category. So I’ll be back in the writing cave. Yay!

You said it! The writing cave is such a great place to be! Peggy, thanks so much for this interview. And readers, don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of Peggy's book! 

Now, here's a bio of Peggy, followed by her social links:

Peggy Trotter, a semi-retired teacher, is on a continual quest to find one of her many pairs of glasses. But once those readers are parked on her nose, she‘s immersed in a story scene of some sort, always pushing toward that miracle happy ending. On a dusty shelf lies a couple of writing honors like the prestigious ACFW Genesis Award, Novella category, even though she writes full-length historical, contemporary and suspense Christian Fiction.

She has two amazing grown children, two terrific children-in-laws, and two unbelievably fantabulous grandchildren, who deserve way more than the average amount of adjectives and adverbs. Her Batman of 34 years, whose cape is much worn from rescuing his wife from one scrap or another, is the delight of her life. She’s a smoldering pot of determined discombobulation who, by the grace of God, occasionally pulls it together to appear in public as a normal confident woman while privately craving a few hermit hours to woo the printed word.

Links:

peggytrotter.com

peggytrotter.blogspot.com

diamondsinfiction.blogspot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Peggy_Trotter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PeggyTrotterAuthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25294770-year-of-jubilee

Amazon Author’s Profile Page:  amazon.com/author/peggytrotter.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peggytrotterauthor