BLESSED TO OFFER THIS DIAMOND MINE INTERVIEW WITH BilliJo Doll!

Good morning to the Diamond Mine. Terry Palmer here. Hope you are busy with shovel and pick, bringing to life the gem which God has given to you. Many years ago this ol’ author searched after and found many a fine rough agate. What a thrill to find that rough cob, knowing the beauty within, then to get that stone polished to a point of refined beauty – much like each of our books on the Diamond Mine.

I’m so pleased to introduce you to my friend and new Rough Diamond Mine author, BilliJo Doll! Our Montana high prairie gal offers us much insight into life on the high prairie as a conservation officer, but her heart is for serving the Lord in ministry. Where does she find the time to write and promote nine books? Find out as we travel deep into–The Diamond Mine!

TP: How about we start with a day in life on the high prairie, a place which few of us might recognize. Is it all dust and sparse grass?

BJD: Not even close. Dust does happen when it is dry–that is the same everywhere. I don't know what you mean by “sparse grass.” There are more species of grasses and forbs in the prairie than in the forest. In my book, My eMpTy Life, I write about Montana and the fullness of life on the prairie, both human life and plant life.

TP: As long as we are in the Diamond Mine and speaking of Montana, are you near some pinnacles where semi-precious stones are found?

BJD: There are sapphire mines in central Montana and there has been significant gold mining throughout the state. In fact, one of the names for Montana is The Treasure State. My newest book, Mara's Murder, addresses gold mining although not specifically in Montana.

TP: You also have youth ministry experience and accepted Jesus in Germany. Ausgezeichnet! (Excellent!) Can you share a definitive moment when the Spirit of God spoke, led, or placed you in a life-changing situation?

BJD: There has been so many. My mind is racing with example after example. I'll share the first and the most recent: when the Holy Spirit spoke audibly to me to go to Bible college was the first such experience. Most recent was to change housing and that hasn't fleshed out yet. I trust God that it will.

TP: You also travel more than a bit, plus have a ranch in Mexico. I’ll bet these lead to some interesting encounters? Can you share a few with us?

BJD: Recently I was in the Mexico City airport waiting for my flight to the US and I got an email from the airlines that my flight out was changed to the following day. Once I was at a banquet in Baltimore when a woman whom I did not know, approached me, after verifying who I was, she said her mother told her to tell me hello. I started to visit with a woman in the Denver airport once, and come to find out, she was my best friend from second grade's aunt. I met and visited with Ted Dekker in a California airport once (and I am not a huge fan of his books). Most of my travel is not noteworthy. However, I have met some interesting and wonderful people from around the world.

TP: Turning to writing and family, many of us are busy in other pursuits too, other than editing and writing, along with a balance of family. Do you also coach and do speaking? What are your sources for balance in life?

BJD: Yes, I am a writing coach/editor/ghostwriter as well as a trauma recovery coach. I have an active speaking ministry. To stay balanced in a very busy life, I start my day in prayer and Bible reading. I also take time mid-afternoon to pray. I eat healthily and make sure I rest. My days are usually 10-12 hour days with frequent 18 hour days so staying balanced is very important so that I do not get burned out. I take to heart Mark 6:31. In fact I want to get to a point where I can offer my home in Mexico as a sanctuary place for Christian workers to go to rest.

TP: In our day and time, our country is a mess and becoming dangerous for a Christian author. What advice would you give to a new author who is just beginning to write their perfect baby to help overcome for Jesus?

BJD: Follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Seek to stay in constant communication with God. No matter what a person says (it does not matter WHO the human is), try everything before Christ. Listen only to the voice of God. Whatever someone says, get that advice confirmed by at least two other Christians. What is most important? Your message or making money? If it is making money, do not write.

TP: Now I’m more than sure, our readers want to know about your writing journey—what genre? You’ll soon have a new book out? Can you give us sneak peak to what it is about? Do you offer other books? Where can we find them?

BJD: I started by writing Christian drama skits; that is how God first spoke to my heart about writing for Him. My first traditional publisher contract was for a young adult science-fiction series. My last book, My eMpTy Life, is a historical fiction. My upcoming book, Mara's Murder, is a mystery. The mystery is not so much a “whodunit” as it is the working of the Holy Spirit in the life of the main character. Most of my books are out of print. All of my books can be found on Amazon either under my name, BilliJo Doll, or under my pseudonym, Anna Schilke.

TP: And finally, do you have words of encouragement and hope for some of the new writers among us, like me? Words of wisdom from a Biblical Christian and student of the Word?

BJD: Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. My background and training is in natural resource conservation, not writing. Yet, God called me to write and to coach. Run to Him, cling to Him, listen to Him, follow Him.

Keep it simple. You don't need an expensive website. If you are in charge of pricing your books, keep them as low priced as possible. Getting the word out is more important than trying to make money. You need word-of-mouth support. My eighth book sold six copies in three years even though the publisher was highly recommended. Nearly 9,000 copies of My eMpTy Life were downloaded in three months. Make sure your manuscript/book is of the highest quality possible. No one likes a poorly written book.

TP: Do you have a special or favorite verse of scripture that carries you through the rough times, perhaps that remind you of a tough moment when faith in Jesus was your only answer?

BJD: Oh boy, I have many. II Cor 9:8-11 comes to mind, II Tim 1:9, and IS 50:4. A cool study is IS 51:1a, 2a, 7a, 12a, 16a . . .like a hidden code. :)

TP: Thanks so much for joining us on the Diamond Mine, BilliJo! She will be giving a free copy of Mara's Murder. Just leave your email in the comments section. Thanks for joining us today!

Author PJ Gover Steps into Fiction

Good morning to the Diamond Mine. Terry here. Hope each of you are busy with shovel and pick, bringing to life the gem which God has given to you. I’m so pleased to introduce you to my friend and new author, PJ Gover! Our Texas gal has a story to tell which will give our readers a peek into the life of PJ Gover as wife, mother, and writer for our Lord – and maybe an update on her picture mascot, Moo COW!

TP:  PJ Gover, our readers and fellow authors want to know about your call to writing. How did that happen? When did you know you wanted to write and why?

PJG: I sensed God’s calling to teach His Word when I was in College. I am a long-time Bible teacher and never viewed myself as a writer even though I researched and wrote out my own lessons. Due to health concerns, I was unable to continue weekly teaching, although I occasionally substitute for other teachers. Eight years ago, my husband suggested I do my teaching through writing. Two years prior to that, a friend asked me to write weekly devotionals for a group at church. That started my email devotional ministry which led to a Christian book and gift store hiring me to write their one-year devotional book. A spiritual ministry website asked me to serve as their guest devotional writer for about a year. The Secret Place Devotional Magazine and my 10,000 member church’s newsletter and grief ministry website also published my devotionals.

Five years ago, I felt God’s leading to write a novel based on my father and his secret work as a rocket scientist during the Cold War of the 1960s. He was a devout Christian who died under mysterious circumstances. I wanted to honor God and my father with a Christian novel. It turned into a thriller. I have since written a sequel and my literary agent is shopping both to publishers.

TP: Can you share with us when you came to faith and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ?

PJG: I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior as a child. My faith growth is a journey. 2 Corinthians 5:7, “for we walk by faith, not by sight.”

TP:  Many of us are busy in other pursuits, other than editing and writing, or your Wednesday update post? For you, it’s more than the next picture of MOO COW. When you’re not in pounding the keyboard, what occupies your time?

PJG: Family, of course, especially our two-year-old grandson. My husband and I are leaders with college students at our church. We host retreats at our ranch for our church’s college and singles groups. We’ve had more than one couple contemplate marriage while at our ranch! It’s a special feeling pouring into the next generation.

Moo Cow

TP: You have something else to offer to our readers and that is about life on a Texas ranch. Can you offer a story which highlights life in the rugged Texas outdoors?

PJG: No specific stories, but all aspects of the ranch offer inspiration for my writing––devotionals and novels. My devotionals can be found on my website www.PJGover.com. The well-worn trail to the big pond made by generations of Black Angus cattle leads me to consider the Christian legacy I am leaving for generations to follow. The time we accidently left the barn door open and the cows deposited their ‘leavings’ throughout makes me think how we open the door to sin and the residual mess may take months or even years to deal with. Only God can lead us out of sin and into newness of life.  And when the calves get to a certain size they’re shipped to market. The way mama cows ‘cry’ for their babies must be how God grieves when we wander from Him. The ranch also makes an appearance in both of my thrillers.

Please share with us a little bit about your family. Are they often an inspiration for your writing? My husband and I will celebrate a milestone wedding anniversary this October! I do find inspiration from him and our daughter (even her dog) for my novels. My main character shares my daughter’s career and looks a bit like her too. I utilize some of their same mannerisms. Neither my son-in-law nor the two-year-old has found a place in my stories. Yet! But I’ve written two books just for the little one!

TP: In our day and time, our country is a mess, the distractions are high for an author. What advice would you give to a new author who is just beginning to write their perfect baby?

PJG: Learn the craft. Read, read, read. Take a course. I took Jerry B. Jenkins Your Novel Blueprint online course. There are many out there to help guide. I knew nothing about plot, structure, and dialogue and needed all the help I could get. But writing devotionals helped me learn to convey my message in a tight and efficient way. Above all, trust God.

TP: Can you share a definitive moment when the Spirit of God spoke, led, or placed you in a life-changing situation?

PJG: When I was a senior in high school I was coming out of a devastating situation. As a high school senior, one night I was in my bedroom sobbing out of deep emotional pain. I had come out of a traumatic situation lasting years. My father had died when I was eleven-years-old. After being raised in the church, my family basically dropped out after his death. I was not praying, reading scripture, or even contemplating godly things that night. God was the furthest thing from my thoughts, and yet, the words of John 3:16 burst into my mind. God’s Spirit brought it back. I immediately looked up and stopped crying. The verse is a salvation verse and one I had memorized in Sunday School as a child, but in that moment, God brought special meaning. He touched my heart in a way I will never forget. The words of the verse, “…shall not perish…” jumped out. In that moment, under the situation, I was perishing. As a child of God, I realized I would neither perish eternally nor in that situation. God was real, His Spirit all powerful. I would survive.

TP: Now I’m more than sure, our readers want to know about your writing journey—what genre? You’ll soon have a new book out? Can you give us sneak peak to what it is about? Do you offer other books? Where can we find them?

PJG: My one-year devotional book, Celebrate Thee Date, is available at https://4homestore.com/devotional-books. My agent is shopping my Long Shadow Series, Christian thrillers based on my father whose life informs the novels. In the first one, in present day his granddaughter searches for clues to clear his name and solve his fifty-year-old murder. The Vice President of the United States, the mafia, and the Russians make an appearance. The second book in the Series involves a woman in present day trying to reconnect with her sons she was forced to abandon during World War II. In the granddaughter’s quest to help the woman, she encounters a German arms dealer and a secret international consortium bent on destroying the nation of Israel. The granddaughter’s faith journey grows from little interest to full reliance on the power of God and prayer. Stay tuned!

TP: And finally, do you have words of encouragement and hope for some of the new writers among us… Words of wisdom from a Biblical Christian and student of the Word?

PJG: We don’t know the plans for our writing, but choose to walk in faith and trust anyway. No matter what happens on our journey, God is still in control. I am not. You are not. He is sovereign and worthy to be trusted and praised. We are to be obedient to His Word, His leading, His wisdom.

TP: Do you have a special or favorite verse of scripture that carries you through the rough times? What about a favorite one you breathe when you’re just thanking and praising God for life’s journey?

PJG: I believe in Scripture memory, so I have a number of verses memorized. It gives me instant access to His Word and allows God another avenue to reach my heart, as evidenced with my John 3:16 experience. A favorite one is Psalm 34:4, “I sought the Lord and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.” Claim a favorite verse and memorize it now.

For praising God, I love Revelation 4:8, 11. “Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God, the Almighty, who was, who is, and who is to come.” V11 “Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory, honor, and power. Thou didst create all things and because of Thy will they existed and were created.”

As a celebration of PJ's new fiction career starting, she is giving away a copy of her devotional book, Celebrate Thee Date. Please leave a comment below with your email to be entered for a chance to win her book! Thanks, PJ for being with us this week.

Shawn Lamb Shares Her Novel, "The Great Battle"

Hello! Terry here. We are pleased this day to welcome Shawn Lamb, a Christian Fiction author who has much to share.

You have a rich background of animation and writing. How did you use these talents in your recent  'Allon' release?

Writing freelance scripts for children's television during the 1980s helped me grow as a writer in multiple ways. First, it gave me the opportunity to challenge my writing skills. The demand in Hollywood is for fast production. There is no such things as "writer's block" when hitting deadlines. If you missed a deadline or delayed in any way, doubtful you would get another assignment. Second, it taught me how to write for children. Prior to that, I was preparing historical fiction books for adults. There are really only slight differences, but enough to give understanding of how to captivate kids.  Third, it honed by voice and style by learning that I write "cinematically" - like watching a movie. Thus, I tell stories chronological and without plotting. It's all in my head, as often times I had to come up with ideas on the fly. All these things I learned writing scripts, made the transition to fiction very easy.

It takes so much time and energy to write a book. What can you share about the balance of being an author, a mom, wife, Christian writer, and so many other demands?

Honestly, I didn't land my first book contract until I was 50 years old. By then, our daughter was grown and out of college. (She's almost 31 years old ) However, Allon actually became a family endeavor when she was in high school. Yet, even with that blessing, the act of creativity needed to be harnessed so as not to interfere with family life. Scripture says, there is a time for everything. I always believed in God first, my husband, our daughter, and others, with my writing further down the list. Now, we are enjoying the fruit as a family.

We often use the term, ‘Christian’ fiction in many ways. You have found discipleship as a key for you. What can you share about discipleship that helps you every day or more?

For discipleship - or discipline - one needs to understanding their responsibility first God, and then in order of priorities after God. Paul talked about beating his body into submission, well creativity needs to be subjected to life's priorities rather than impulses. Just because I put on my "creative writing hat" doesn't mean all Biblical principles go out the window. Scripture doesn't differentiate between fiction (make-believe) and reality. I'm just as responsible for the words I write, as the words I speak. I don't compartmentalize my life. Scriptural principles rules everything.

So we have your new release. Please give us a fun ‘blurb’, as we reach for it. Where we can find your books, and where is your next book selling event?

"Fun blurb", lol. Well, here's a humorous exchange from "The Great Battle" between Kell, Captain of the immoral Guardians, and his aide, Avatar:

"Describe this beast you mentioned," said Kell.

"Which one? There were three different creatures inside some kind of holding room. A fuzzy worm the size of a large mortal family cat sprayed me with disgusting, stinging, and smelly green goop," said Avatar.

"A gullet worm. The goop is for preparing its prey for eating."

"Wonderful! It thought I was dinner."

The back jacket summary for "The Great Battle."

The vast splendor of the Almighty's compound graced the Region of Sanctuary. With wisdom, compassion, and justice, Jor'el utilized his immortal Guardians as administrators of the kingdom.  For centuries, the mortals lived in peace and prosperity under divine guidance. They went about content with life - or so they thought.  Guardians interacted with mortals on a daily basis. They offered protection and order. They were content in their role - or so they thought. When one Guardian upsets the balance, the consequences are devastating. For the first time ever, Guardians will face each other in war! Can the kingdom survive a battle of immortals?

All my book are available online including Amazon, and from the Allon Books bookstore via the Allon Books website -  www.allonbooks.com . My next personal event will be May 3-4 in Oklahoma City at the Oklahoma Christian Home Educators Convention.

Thank you for your interview. Am very appreciative. Make sure to look up her books at_www.allonbooks.com and thanks for reading.

Shawn is giving away a free copy of The Great Battle! Leave your name and email below in the comments to be entered.

A Non-fiction Appointment with Dr. Michelle Bengston

Today we’re doing a bit of a switch. While we here at the Diamond Mine love our Christian Fiction, we will be focusing on Christian non-fiction this week. Because our world is so full of hopelessness, depression and suicide, Terry has chosen to focus on one person’s struggle through depression.

Please notice our giveaway this week is for everyone! Dr. Bengston's devotions, Prescriptions of Hope are free to download. Make sure you grab the link at the end of the interview.

TP: This is my first blog for the Diamond Mine. I’m so excited to be part of this. I contacted my very good friend and author Dr. Michelle Bengtson about her non-fiction book. She has much to offer and I’m wondering if you will bear with me and read what Michelle has to offer, mostly about her battle to write her book Hope Prevails.

You have a story to tell, about standing up through Jesus, to be able to fight depression.

MB: Yes, there have been many times when darkness has not only loomed but has pushed against me to the point that my back felt pinned against the wall. Right after I told God that I would pen the book He asked me to write, Hope Prevails: Insights From a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression, out of obedience to Him, I became deathly ill. I was unable to take care of my patients in my private practice, required two surgeries, was on medically-induced bed rest for over 5 months, and plummeted from 113 pounds down to a skeletal 74 pounds. This had the enemy’s handprint all over it.

To add insult to injury, the longer I remained ill and in pain, unable to work, the more depressed I got. The enemy had me right where he wanted me, and I began to believe the lie that I was joy-immune.

All I could do all day, every day was lie in bed, watch sermons online, pray, and listen to praise and worship music. A friend called me the night before one of the surgeries, and in genuine love and concern shared a Scripture that I knew I must hang onto.

I began searching for Scripture to help refute thoughts I was having. When I found them (i.e. like John 15:11 “I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow” to refute the lie that I was joy-immune), I wrote them on post-it notes and posted them where I would see them around the house (on my mirror, light switches, dashboard, etc.) and each time I saw them, I recited them out loud. Speaking them out loud was crucial because Scripture says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17).

TP: What Bible verses help you?

MB: The verse I always stand on is Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Even when I look at my circumstances and they don’t seem to make sense from a human perspective, it always helps to know that the situation never takes God by surprise, and He knows what needs to be done and how it will end.

There have been so many times when I have felt the push and press of darkness. I know that evil forces are not pleased that I stand for God, and I expose how evil works. When that push comes, I always remember God’s promise and declare, “no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me," declares the LORD (Isaiah 54:17).

I also declare God’s promise from Psalm 91:5-7, “You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.”

To combat worry and fear, I remind myself of Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

TP: You often meet early in the morning with Jesus, just a private walk and talk with Him, as your stay. Can you give us an example of that truth?

MB: No one wants to be the poster child for depression I had treated patients for over two decades when I became so ill and spiraled down into the pit of depression myself. Sadly, at first, I tried all the recommendations that I learned in school. While they helped, they were insufficient to eradicate my depression. It was only when I began to understand the spiritual root of depression and address that with God’s word, did I experience freedom. But there were days when I can recall thinking, “This is too hard. I can’t do the work today that is required if I want healing.”

Sadly, so many don’t know how to fight depression, and it’s been my mission, if you will, to help teach them. God has given us all the tools we need, but we have to do the work and use the tools in the midst of the battle.

There are days when I just “don’t want to” write or post the daily devotion or provide an encouraging post, but I know “I need to.” It’s that still small sense at my core that someone needs to hear it. I would want others to do that for me, so it encourages me to be obedient to the Father’s prompting. Invariably, someone will comment that it was just what they needed to hear or read that day. I love it when God allows us to partner with Him like that—it makes it all worthwhile.

TP: Darkness doesn’t just strike at us, but also our family. This is a truth for you too, yet in spite of it, how have these experiences brought you closer together?

MB: The day my book, Hope Prevails: Insights From a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through

Depression, released, my husband was diagnosed with cancer. That was no coincidence. All of our attention shifted from book release festivities and launch parties to doctor’s appointments, surgery, and chemotherapy. But together, we have tried not to focus on the problems, the things that seem impossible from our vantage point, and have instead tried to keep our focus on The Problem Solver.

We can choose to look at life and our difficult situations through a lens of worry, fear, and anxiety, or we can choose to live in the peace that Jesus came to give us, and trust that God will work things out for our good and for His glory. It is impossible to serve two masters. Either you trust the enemy (as evidence by worry, fear, anxiety, doubt, etc.) or you trust God.  The enemy is called the Father of Lies—he is incapable of telling the truth. But God is not a man, so He cannot lie. I’m putting my trust in the one who is always true to His word.

TP: Prayer bricks, all around you, building a hedge of protection, to help you overcome. How does this help you? Can you give an example?

MB: Years ago, when I first started writing this book, God very clearly told me that I needed a group of people praying for me. I didn’t know who to ask, and didn’t want anyone to feel pressured to say yes if I asked them. So I told God I needed Him to bring people around that He wanted to use to pray for my family and me.

I have been fortunate recently to have the support of praying brothers and sisters in Christ. Each morning, I wasn’t sure how I was going to make progress given the physical challenges, but with the prayer support of others, I finished the book on time despite what seemed like an impossibility to me.

Most recently, I received a cancer diagnosis after turning in my newest manuscript to my publisher. This was a complete shock to me. My husband and I were, in fact, on our way to see his oncologist when I received the call from my doctor saying the words no one wants nor expects to hear.

I subsequently underwent surgery and began treatment. I shared with praying friends, and many agreed to pray daily for me. It seemed that evenings and nighttime were the worst for me in terms of pain and side effects. Many nights, as I lay in bed with tears streaming down my face from the excruciating pain, I still experienced His peace, and over time the pain would lessen enough for me to get at least a little sleep. In those times, I knew someone had offered prayer on my behalf, because I couldn’t have made it in my own strength.

TP: Christian music seems to be a big part in your arsenal to overcome darkness. Can you give us an inside story of how Christian music, ‘in the moment’, was there for you?

MB: Many years ago, when I was enduring that life threatening illness and so many months of bed rest, I grew frustrated because I could do little other than pray and watch sermons online. One Sunday afternoon, a friend texted me a message telling me that she’d thought about me while at church and heard a particular song. So she wanted to share it with me. I listened to that song at least a dozen times. In listening to it, my strength and my resolve to fight grew stronger. So I began listening to praise and worship music literally 24 hours a day. Music was constantly playing in my room. I knew I was under spiritual attack, and Scripture says, “God inhabits the praises of His people” and the enemy can’t stand when we praise God, so he will leave. Even when I was in too much pain to verbally offer my praise to God, something would well up inside me and allow me to sing my praise to God in song. That’s exactly why at the end of Hope Prevails,  Hope Prevails Bible Study,

 and at the end of this new book on worry, fear, and anxiety, I included a recommended play list of songs which encouraged my heart in hopes that they will encourage others as well.

TP: Through it all, God is honoring your stand for Him. Now you have opportunity to speak up for Jesus through Fox National Radio tour. Can you tell us that story, how God placed you there?

MB: The real miracle is in the fact that I'm able to stand there and speak at all. Twenty years ago, I was petrified and hated public speaking! I turned down professional opportunities back then as a neuropsychologist for radio and television interviews out of fear. Over the next two decades, God did nothing short of a miracle in my heart. When Hope Prevails was getting ready to release, I was asked to do a radio interview, and I agreed. During that interview, I experienced joy like I had never experienced it before, and can vividly remember telling my husband, “This is what I was born to do!”

Over the last several years, I have had the opportunity and blessing to do many radio, podcast, and television interviews, and to speak to numerous church congregations.
Recently, I was at an event and met an individual who was previously a television journalist. He now owns his own public relations firm, and needed someone whom he could suggest to journalists to interview for health/mental health related issues. That has afforded me to be interviewed on several different topics on various different radio stations across the country, in the hopes that it will increase my opportunities to speak and share about God’s truth in a multitude of venues in addition to radio and television.
There is no greater joy to me than speaking and sharing the hope we have in Christ!

TP: Please join me in thanks to Dr. Michelle Bengtson for her interview today.

You can follow her at https://www.DrMichelleBengtson.com , or on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/DrMichelleBengtson/ , or get her books at Amazon or any major book distributor.

For this interview, Michelle is offering her Devotions of Hope for free for a limited time. https://drmichellebengtson.com/free-offer-prescriptions-of-hope/

Thank you Michelle for you interview.

Dr. Michelle Bengtson (PhD, Nova Southeastern University) has been a neuropsychologist for more than twenty years. She interned at the University of Oklahoma with "The Father of Neuropsychology," Dr. Oscar "Oz" Parsons, and completed postdoctoral training at both the Henry Ford Hospital and the University of Alabama Health Sciences Center. She lives in Dallas/Fort Worth with her husband, their two sons, and three dogs. Learn more at www.drmichellebengtson.com.

I’m looking forward to my next post, with a fiction author.

Interview by author and speaker Terry Palmer.

Four New Members Join the Diamond Mine in 2019!

Happy New Year! I hope the year 2019 greets you with love and joy that lasts and blesses you throughout the entire year!

We here at The Diamond Mine are very blessed also. We are welcoming in four new writers who will be conducting new interviews of Christian Authors throughout the new year. Sadly we've said good-bye to several and we will miss them greatly. But, please help me herald in a new wonderful bunch of writers! Karla Akins, Crystal Caudill, Terry Palmer, and return blogger, Erin Unger!

Karla Akins

Karla Akins is the author of A Pair of Miracles, the story of raising her twin sons with autism. Akins is also the author of several history books for homeschoolers including O Canada Her Story, Sacagawea, and Jacques Cartier. Her work has also been published in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and she currently writes for Spirit-Filled Woman Magazine. Her first novel, The Pastor’s Wife Wears Biker Boots includes a character with autism. Karla is a full-time special education teacher. She loves writing with her fur kids on her lap: a pug, a Boston Terrier, and two tuxedo cats. When Karla isn't writing she's dreaming about writing and making movies. Karla lives with her husband, twin adult sons with autism and her mother-in-love in rural Indiana.

You can connect with Karla at: KarlaAkins.com, https://www.instagram.com/karlaakinsspedwriter/, https://www.facebook.com/KarlaKAkins/, https://twitter.com/KarlaAkins.

Crystal Caudill

Crystal Caudill is a tea-drinking, book-hoarding, history nerd. Her parents had no idea what a monster they were creating when they took her to her first history museum. From that moment on, she has researched and crafted stories filled with danger, love, and history.

Her latest project won the 2018 RWA Wisconsin Fab Five, came in second for the 2018 RWA Touched By Love Contest, and was a finalist in the 2017 ACFW Virginia Crown Award.

You can connect with Crystal at: www.crystalcaudillwrites.com, https://www.facebook.com/crystalcaudillauthor/, https://twitter.com/ccaudillwrites, https://www.pinterest.com/crystalcaudillwrites/, Instagram:@crystalcaudillauthor, Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/c9n-7P

Terry Palmer

Author Terry Palmer lives in Rosemount Minnesota with his author wife Leann. Seven busy grandchildren are a constant source of amusement, source of stories, and source of mischief – like papa. No writers could be farther apart in style. Leann loves to write in her romance style, with the deeper feelings of life painted into her stories. Terry has to have some action/adventure, with disaster after disaster which makes the characters face those tough choices in life while on the run. But both are also the same. From separate points of view, our books bring the reader to one essential truth - ‘How to overcome adversity and darkness through a step of faith in Jesus Christ.’ You see…only by going through some tough challenges and finding out that it’s all about Jesus, about our worship and relationship with Him that makes the difference of either fear or peace, of either chaos or contentment. Last Christmas, Terry placed A Night to Remember into the market and ranked as high as #5 in the children’s Christmas books category. A Night To Remember is actually a gospel tract. The cute Christmas story leads right into ‘how to’ accept Jesus Christ as told by my characters. Right now Leann is trying to finish, ‘Strength For today’ in her romance voice and Terry is trying to get Shaken to market in his action/adventure voice.

So pleased to be part of the ‘Diamond Mine’.  Such a gathering of great voices for Jesus is like a literary choir of praise to Him and amen for that.

You can connect with Terry at: https://chroniclesoform.wordpress.com/.

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 grand kids. She has won several writing awards. 2019 is a busy year for Erin. Several of her books are releasing. Her novel, Desolate Paths, releases January 11, 2019 and Practicing Murder, releases March 29, 2019. Be on the look out for a few other novels of hers next summer and fall.

You can connect with Erin at: www.erinungerwrites.com, https://www.facebook.com/ErinUngerWrites/, https://twitter.com/erinungerwrites, https://www.instagram.com/erinungerwrites/.

In celebration of inducting these 4 new Christian authors, we are giving away a $25 Amazon card. Please leave your email in the comments and become one our our readers to qualify. Welcome aboard authors and thanks for reading!