Giveaway and Interview with Jill Chapman!

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

Today we are going to pry into the private life of CHAT with Jill Chapman, author of Seaside SOS!

Jill resides in southern Indiana with her husband of forty-six years. They enjoy their country lifestyle and visiting with their children and grandchildren. She is an avid movie watcher, loves Mexican food, and paints watercolors. Most days, you’ll find her in her studio working on her next adventure story or crafting new projects.

Jill’s interest in books began in childhood when reading provided a wonderful outlet for her wild imagination. She loves to tell stories about her life experiences with humor mixed in to convey the sense of adventure she feels every day. Jill says her life is like a good plate of nachos, with a tiny kick of spice and a whole lotta cheese.

Connect with Jill on her website, Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter)!

Interview ~

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

*drum roll*

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

Don’t hate me, but I’m not a coffee drinker. I love extra spicy chia tea, iced or hot. I’ve also began drinking green tea lately. It’s okay, but extra spicy chia tea in the morning is amazing.

Spicy chia tea is loved here! If you could order anything in the world to eat (we can dream, can't we?), what would it be?

Last year, while on vacation, we ate in a Bolivian restaurant in Fort Walton, Florida. It was amazing! We spoke with the owner. He was so passionate about feeding Americans his special dishes from his country. It was fun to see a young man excited about his culture. I expected the food to be spicy, but it had a delicate flavor. I’d eat from his restaurant again in a heartbeat!

That sounds awesome! Where is your favorite place to write, and why is that your favorite place?

I arranged a room in our house to be my studio. Most days, I’m at my desk in the studio, researching and writing. When I struggle to put a sentence together, I can go to my art table and create something there.

What a wonderful space to create! Do you have an odd habit that is only explained by your bookish, writer tendencies? Safe space. ;-)

I would say my CONSTANT internal monologue. I may be in the room with you, but in my mind, I may be in the woods being chased by a bobcat!

This is the way. What inspired you to write Seaside SOS? 

The Bomb Squad series revolves around the adventures of a boy named Bryan and his three friends. My girls loved to go to the beach when they were growing up, so I decided to have the boys solve a mystery on the beach. When they suspect sea turtle eggs are in danger, the boys must save them. Since sea turtles and ocean life can be so vulnerable, this was a way to have children see ways they can help with conservation.

Love that! What led you to write in this genre?

My desire is to create family-friendly stories filled with adventure for children. When I was teaching, some students longed for friendships but didn’t know how to be friends or develop friendships. Children learn from fictional stories in many ways, so I wrote a story about four boys navigating friendship and mysteries together. My stories have settled in middle grade, although I have plans to publish a YA mystery as well.

That's awesome! What message do you hope to convey to your readers?

Friendship with the element of loyalty is challenging for children today. I want to give children an example of how to be a good friend. My stories aren’t preachy, but they do contain Christian concepts and how the boys struggle with them at times.

It's so important! Can you tell us a little about your next project(s)?

Holiday Havoc is the next adventure with the Bomb Squad. In this adventure, the boys must help prepare a Christmas float for a parade, solve a mystery of stolen presents for a children’s event, and help care for a new pet. All of this while navigating a blizzard. 

Tell Yourself is another project very close to my heart. This testimony/journal book will include personal testimonies from my life while providing space for readers to journal about their own lives. It will encourage people to see how God works in our lives in extraordinary ways.

      Those sound great! Do you have a favorite Bible verse or story that inspires you on a soul level? 

There are so many verses that speak to me and have been favorites over the years. Philippians 4:11 has been my life verse for a long time now.  Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

Life is a challenge for all of us at times. To walk faithfully, we must learn to be content in the knowledge that Jesus knows where we are, and he’ll take care of us. I’ve struggled with feeling out of place or out of touch. This verse helps me remember to be content in where God has me.

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

A book way out of my comfort zone! City of End by Katelyn Pfeiffer is a futuristic fantasy about a young woman who must save her city from an evil that is waging a war on humanity. It’s been an exciting read so far, and I can’t wait to see how it ends.

That sounds exciting! Thanks for answering all of my prying questions, Jill!

Check out Jill's books and a giveaway opportunity! 

Books ~

Bryan and his three friends hop on a plane to Florida for a fun-filled seaside vacation with their families. The Squad arrives with high hopes for a thrilling time on the beach. In typical Squad fashion, things don’t go as planned. Max runs away from his dogsitter back home, Tim tells them he might leave the Squad, and the boys see mysterious lights on the beach.

Before jumping into the waves, the Squad meets a new friend beside a sea turtle’s nest near their condo. Ava tells them her suspicions about egg pirates prowling the beach at night. Together, they visit a Sea Turtle Rescue to learn more about the dangers these creatures face in the ocean and on the beach. When they decide to help Ava guard the nest, the Bomb Squad finds themselves in troubled waters again!

Will Max be found and brought home before he gets hurt? Is Tim really going to leave the Squad? Can the boys join forces with their new friend to save the eggs?

Learn More!

Learn More!

Giveaway Rules, Info, and Such ~

The author is giving away a copy of Seaside SOS!

This giveaway will close on 3/20/25 at 12:00 A.M. for all the night owls.

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

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

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE!

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

Hugs!

~V. Joy Palmer

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

Connect with Joy on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Amazon Author Page!

The Mine Welcomes Historical Western Author Kari Trumbo

This week I am thrilled to introduce you to Kari Trumbo. Kari writes historic western fiction. Her newest series, Seven Brides of South Dakota follows several sisters as they find love in (you guessed it) South Dakota.

Here's a peek at Kari's latest release: Romance in Rapid

Frances Arnsby has only three weeks to learn about romance.

That’s all the time she has before the stagecoach whisks her back to Deadwood. Excited about a glowing future as a romance dime novelist, her hopes are dashed when her manuscript fails to connect. She hasn’t lived enough. Her dream will be over before it even starts if she doesn’t add life, love…passion.

Chief reporter Clive Davidson is intrigued by the vibrant woman submitting her work to the paper. But when his plan to help goes horribly wrong, he must decide if teaching her about romance is worth the risk…to his career and his heart.

As Frances enters a world of upper crust dalliances and deception, she discovers that perhaps Clive was right all along: romance in the stories are just that…fiction. Her career means the world to her, but if she can’t learn what true love really means, it could cost more than she ever thought possible.

Get Romance in Rapid, the fourth book in the Seven Brides of South Dakota Series, by Kari Trumbo. A bit of history, a touch of romance, and a whole lot of fun.

Order here

Series order (which are all available in the Kindle Unlimited program)

Suzie: Welcome to the Diamond Mine, Kari! Thank you for taking the time to join us this week.

Kari: Thank you for having me!

Suzie: Let’s get you warmed up with a couple multiple choice questions. Ballpoint, Uniball, or fountain pen?

Kari: Oooh, tough call. Ball point. I’ve never had a real fountain pen. If I had, that might change my answer.

Suzie: Early bird or night owl?

Kari: I don’t like to get up in the morning, but I do find that I can be productive in the morning. I’m usually a night owl. With 4 kids, that’s when my house is quiet.

Suzie: Fill in the blank: Some day I want to _______.

Kari: be on the USA Today bestseller list

Suzie: Okay, now it’s time to delve deeper into who Kari Trumbo is.
What’s the worst job you’ve ever had? The best one?

Kari: Worst job? I was a telemarketer (don’t hate me!) for a company in the cities who would set up furnace inspections. The inspector’s intent was, of course, to sell a furnace to those people. It felt icky and I only lasted about 2 months.

Best one? I bet you can take a good guess.


Suzie: I'm sure telemarketers have an extremely high turnover rate. I'm not sure I would have lasted two months. 
Do you have any secret talents?

Kari: I can wiggle my ears? I don’t know. I have a lot of things I enjoy doing that I never do in front of anyone else because I honestly have this crippling fear of judgment. I sing, knit, and take pictures, but never at the same time.

Suzie: I can see multitasking with the singing :). 
Name a place you would like to visit that you haven’t been to yet.

Kari: France. I took French for seven years with the intent to spend a semester in France in college. I got married instead. I have no regrets about getting married, but I’d still like to visit France.






Suzie: Oh, France is a good one. Paris, wine country, and more! 
Name one thing that drives you crazy.

Kari: I’m so annoyed by the anti-hero or the emasculated male in fiction. I LOVE to see a manly hero. He doesn’t have to be an alpha, but let him be a good MAN. 

Suzie: Switching gears, tell us a little about your reading habits. What was the first book you remember reading? How about the first one that made you cry?

Kari: That is a tough question. I think my first read was Frog and Toad. The first story that made me cry is easy, Charlotte’s Web.

Suzie: What book do you wish you could have written?

Kari: I don’t have one. Each author is so different.

Suzie. The popularity of Amazon and the book industry as a whole tells us that's a good thing since each reader is different as well. 
Do you have a favorite place to write? A favorite time? Must-have snacks or drinks?

Kari: I get up and track my ads at the same time every day. Then I hit Facebook and make sure I’ve responded in some way to those who have posted to me (that’s an important one). Unless I have a deadline and need to write more than my minimum, I edit during the day. I always have at least 2 books going at the same time. Juggling them between writing and editing. After I’ve hit my goal for editing, I’ll take a break and clean or…something. After supper, I hit the computer once again and get my 3000 words in for the day. I started making a daily goal for myself two years ago and it’s always worked for me. I started with 500 words a day and steadily worked up to the 3000 I’m at now.

Suzie: What is your writing kryptonite?

Kari: Pain. When I’m hurting (physical or mental) I have trouble writing. I’m not one who can focus that feeling.

Suzie: Share with our readers more about your books. Which of your characters is most like you? Which would you accept a date with?

Kari: There’s a little bit of me in all my characters. But with some of them, it’s only a very small bit. A year ago, I would’ve said Margot from To Love and Comfort. Now… probably Frances from Romance in Rapid. She’s an aspiring author and has this hesitancy in her life that is so like me.


Who would I accept a date from? No question about it, Hugh Bradly from Kisses in Keystone. Somehow, every good quality of my husband ended up in Hugh and he was so easy to write.







Suzie: Aww, love that your husband inspired your hero. What is the craziest/most interesting/funniest thing that’s happened to you while researching a book?

Kari: I once read an article on corsetry that said that if a woman just released the busk (the front closure) on a cinched corset, she might pass out from the sudden rush of blood as her body settled back into place. It doesn’t take much, anyone who’s felt light-headed while pregnant knows this. But that ruined all the bodice-ripper fiction I used to read in my late teens. (there wasn’t a whole lot available in Christian fiction at the time) A passed out heroine is not attractive.

Suzie: What’s your favorite part of writing series?


Kari: My favorite part of a series is bringing old primary characters back as secondary characters so readers can see what happened. I love that their stories don’t have to end.

Suzie: That's also what I love about reading series! Which of your books do you recommend first for someone who is just finding you?

Kari: That would honestly depend on who was asking and what they were looking for. For a light, short read, I’d say start with the Cutter’s Creek series. For a nice long series that tackles some tough issues like alcohol, physical temptation, prostitution, and forgiveness, pick up the Seven Brides of South Dakota series.


Suzie: Thank you again for spending some of your precious time with us!! I’m looking forward to the next book in your Seven Brides of South Dakota series!



Here's a little more about Kari (and where you can keep up with her online)

Kari Trumbo is an inspirational romance author, blogger and proud home schooling mother to four great kids. She interacts often on reader groups on Facebook and volunteers at the local library when needed. When she isn’t writing, she is obsessively reading and expanding her skills as a wordsmith. Kari lives in her great-grandfather’s remodeled 1890-built home in central Minnesota with her husband, children, cats, and one hungry wood stove.

GOODREADS | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | PINTEREST | BOOKBUB | WEBSITE

Kari is giving away a signed print copy of Dreams in Deadwood to one of our readers! Earn more entries by following Kari on social media.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules of giveaway: Print copy to US addresses only (electronic copy may be substituted for international entries). Contest is not valid until five (5) different people have left comments. Winner will be randomly on Sept 13, 2017.

YA/Sci Fi/Adventure with Emma Carrie

Hello, Miners! Welcome to a new week at the Diamond Mine. I'm (that would be Suzie) so excited to introduce you to our guest this week. When I first read Emma's stories in a critique group, I was hooked. So much so, I have continued to read her stories. And now they are out in the world so I get to share them with you.

About Emma Carrie (in her own words)

 Hi! I'm Emma Carrie—speculative fiction author, part-time introvert, and opportunist. I've explored an active coal mine, fired a Gatling gun from a Humvee, hitched a ride on a corporate jet, and wiped out on stage while modeling...just to name a few fun adventures.

I've made it a personal goal to say "yes" to opportunities that come my way...as long as they aren't immoral, unethical, or in any way violate my personal code of conduct, which includes prohibitions like consuming condiments and sour candy.

My background is in engineering, a choice largely inspired by a TV show I adored as a kid. But now I write science fiction and fantasy. All my series have been tested and approved by teens and adults who have offered helpful (sometimes emoji-laden) comments.

Regardless the genre, I love quirky characters fueled by unconquerable determination--the encouragement I hope readers take from my stories. Young or not-so-young, we all need a bit of inspiration.

Visit Emma Carrie at EmmaCarrie.com

Suzie: Welcome to the Diamond Mine, Emma, and thank you for taking the time to visit with us this week. I'm going to dive right into the questions.

With your background in engineering, what was it that drew you to writing?

Emma: My kids and outreach ministry.

I had left my engineering position to stay home with my kids, which also freed me to increasingly participate at church. There, I led outreach ministries, spoke at meetings, and wrote newsletter articles and Bible studies.

On the home front, I spent chunks of time reading books, often with gospel themes, to my kids. As my kids grew, their reading preferences switched to the action adventure, fantasy, and science fiction books their friends were reading—Harry Potter, Hunger Games, Gallagher Girls, Percy Jackson. The stories had redemptive themes, but no Christian grid.

Suzie: Have you done any interesting/fun/challenging hands-on research for your stories?

Emma: In some regards, my research predated my writing. When I was younger, I fired guns, invented sports, climbed trees, and spied on people.

My current story research includes the internet, library, people watching, and—when not one is around—I playact my action scenes. That's resulted in a few minor injuries and damage to a few household items, but for the most part, it's been fun.

Suzie: After reading some of your action scenes, I can see the potential for both injury and damage to objects around you. Some of those scenes are intense!

What does your writing routine look like?

Emma: Routine isn't a good word to describe how I write. Church ministry and family take priority, so I write in spaces of time that are left.

However, when I write, I prefer to start with an outline: a beginning, an ending, and an arc with conflict options. Though I lay out the story chronologically, my imagination develops scenes out of order. Having an outline enables me to fill in the storyline while writing in spurts.

I also involve critique partners early in the process, so each draft incorporates helpful input.

Suzie: I can honestly say I've never developed an outline for one of my stories. I'm impressed with the plotters who lay it out. It probably makes for fewer drafts than I usually end up with.

What do you do for fun when you're not writing?

Emma: I love ministry and hanging out with my family.

I'm blessed to attend an outreach-focused church that cares for people. It's fun to use my skills and energy as part of a team sharing the gospel.

Our family enjoys sports and new experiences. Cramming into a van and embarking on a new adventure—whether it's catching tadpoles, racing go-karts, or exploring a national park—has become a favorite activity.

Suzie: Sounds like lots of great fun that you might incorporate into future books.

As a newer author on the scene, what challenges have you found in writing?

Emma: I've found almost every aspect of writing, from grammar to structure, to be a challenge at first. I'm currently focusing on description and emotion—which I hope to someday master.

Suzie: On the flip side of that last question, what are some benefits or rewards you've discovered in your writing?

Emma: My skills are sharpening, and they transfer to other contexts, like writing for our church, so I'm better equipped to serve. Another benefit is the joy that comes from creating a story and sharing it with others. I'm excited to see my fiction and nonfiction promote the gospel.

Suzie: An excellent goal to have with your writing.

What drew you to young adult and speculative books?

Emma: My kids loved those genres, and I started writing fiction for them and their friends as a means of sharing the gospel in a context they're excited about.

Suzie: What an honor to share this journey with your kids. You not only write for youth, you also incorporate their input as beta readers. I loved learning this! How has working with teenagers improved your writing?

Emma: They're wonderfully honest about what they like and dislike, and their comments have led me to rewrite scenes, alter characters, and incorporate better ideas.

After giving my first manuscript to a teen, we met so she could give me feedback. She loved the story but couldn't visualize what the characters and setting looked like because I hadn't bothered to include the details. She recommended I change that.

After reviewing the next version, she said there was too much description to week through and wondered if I was bipolar.

Teens are great.

Suzie: What about you? Do you read? What's your favorite book?

Emma: The Bible aside, I read young adult science fiction and fantasy. In part, it enables me to

discuss the stories with my kids, but I also love the genres.

A favorite book is hard to pick. As a preteen, I would have selected A Wrinkle in Time. As a teen, Fahrenheit 451. Since reading my kids' favorites, I now lean toward the Harry Potter series.

Suzie: The Tacket Secret is a serial (several shorter releases before the reader gets the full story). What was your reasoning behind releasing this as a serial as opposed to one book?

Emma: Stylistic preference and learning curve.

Superhero, spy, and detective TV shows inspired this series. In general, these contain an overarching story arc, which is advanced by weekly episodes, which each have a story of their own. I think of it as a layered storytelling. I attempted to copy that style with this series.

Additionally, it's quicker and maybe easier to learn how to publish novella series (~25k words per book) than a novel series (~100k words per book) because the time involved in some steps is less. So the learning curve occurs in shorter installments, which fits into the small pockets of time I work in. After I've learned the process, I should be in a position to publish longer books while still working in small chunks of time.

Suzie: I'm a huge fan of superhero shows and movies. I like that you use the popular shows and current trends in your writing decisions.

When this series if complete, what can readers expect next?

Emma: This series may be the first "unit" for these characters. I'm playing with branching into new adventures with new villains, but that would be over a year out if it were to happen.

In the meantime, after the 7 novellas of The Tacket Secret series are published, I plan to focus on a 4-novel fantasy series I've drafted currently call The Rebel Mission. Each novel is close to 100k words, and it's allegorical pieces are powerful.

Stay tuned.

Suzie: You guys, I've gotten to peek at The Rebel Mission and you are in for a treat! It's different than the Tacket series but an engaging read that's got lots of action in it.

Emma, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to hang with us this week. I wish you the best as you continue writing and spreading the gospel through story.

Miners, here's a look at the first installment of The Tacket Secret:

Out of the Shadows (The Tacket Secret Book 1)

A teen assassin on the run. A rogue general on the hunt. And a skeptical detective sucked into the chase.

Three years ago, Emily Brelin escaped the general who trained her. She fled across the globe to Golden City, New York, where she sought anonymity and redemption. There, she found a professor who kept her location and genetic enhancements a secret.

But now her murky past is about to catch up with her.

When the professor dies, her will names Detective Victoria Tacket as the new guardian. Emily worries her secrets will be exposed, and she fears the general will kill anyone to recapture her. So rather than risk the detective's life, she plans to run away.

Detective Vick Tacket is shocked when she learns her best friend has died. She's even more stuneed when she learns her friend had a hidden dependent and named Vick—a single woman with no maternal interest—as the girl's guardian. Convinced she'd be a terrible mother, Vick plans to decline guardianship, until the teen disappears.

Vick scours the streets of Golden City, searching for Emily—but what she discovers threatens both their lives.

This book is free for Kindle Unlimited Subscribers or you can order on Amazon.

If you don't have a Kindle Unlimited subscription (or a Kindle for that matter), Emma is giving away an eBook version of Out of the Shadows. Your choice of a .mobi or .pdf version. All you have to do is leave a comment below. Tell us about your favorite YA book or even your favorite superhero. be sure to leave your email address so we can contact you if you win.

***Giveaway valid with 5 valid comments with contact information. Giveaway ends Wednesday, 5/10/17

Dumpster Dicing with Julie Cosgrove on the Diamond Mine (with Giveaway)

No…not dumpster diving. Climb on out of the garbage, and let’s get started. It’s time for fun and mystery with Julie Cosgrove on the Diamond Mine.

Prism Book Group brings us a brand new series called the Bunco Biddies and Julie’s chattin’ it up on the Mine. Join us as we talk about this new book as well as her writing. Oh…and check out the fabulous giveaway at the end of it all!

RB: Hi Julie, welcome to the Diamond Mine. I’m so excited about your new release! I know it’s a cozy mystery and a series…can you tell us how you came up with the idea?

JC: My sister knows how much of a mystery buff I am and challenged me to write one. I mulled over it for some time and came up with a plot about a group of retirees in a Plus 55 Community. Being in the early stages of that age group myself, I wanted to honor them. They’re not “out to pasture” but life-wise, fun-loving and creative folk. Sixty is the new “forty.” People are living longer and those in their last decades still have a lot to contribute. I write about their common trepidations about aging and diminishing, but also to show they are still vital members of society.

I queried an editor at a conference and she confirmed I had the basic formula for a cozy mystery—an untrained sleuth solves the murder through observation and common sense.  I knew I wanted to make it light-hearted…yes, murder can be just that, in a quirky sort of way. It is not the act of murder that draws the reader in because that has already occurred. It is the interaction of the loveable characters as they slowly unravel the reason why it happened. That’s why they are fun to write, and read.

RB: Oh, I love mysteries. I like to try to figure them out as I go. Do you have a favorite part?

JC: Janie, one of the Bunco Biddies, is a widow of an Austin Police Detective. Now her daughter is married to the Chief Detective Blake Johnson of Alamoville, which is a booming bedroom town nearby. Janie sees him overworked and unable to spend quality time with his family. His marriage is suffering for it, so she rallies the Bunco players in her retirement community to help her solve the crime for him, without his permission of course. My favorite scene is between her and Blake when he begins to realize she truly has a knack for crime solving.

RB: I love it! “Without his permission…” I bet they have him chasing his tail! These characters sound absolutely amazing! Can you tell us about your characters?

JC: I love all the main Bunco Biddies—Janie, Ethel and Betsy Ann. Janie is smart, a natural born leader and determined to do things her way, thank you very much. Ethel is the quieter book worm but has some great insights. Betsy Ann is a bit ditzy but “has a heart as big as Dallas”, as they say in my neck of the woods. Together, they each bring their talents to the table.

RB: With these awesome Biddies, how on earth did you pick a setting?

JC: Texas has a good many retirement communities which cover acres and acres of land. They are like small towns. They have graduated living from independent to full nursing care. Many have amenities such as golf courses, tennis courts, hike trails and even their own libraries, beauty parlors and recreation centers. Sunset Acres is fictional, but it is based on one of these communities where I did a book signing a few years back.

RB: Well then…that’s that! You’re so smart! One more question about formulating the book before we move on…how did you come up with your awesome title?

JC: I wanted to make it “punny”, to show the light-humored aspect of the book. So I chose a play on words. Dumpster because that is where the body is discovered and Dicing because he was chopped up, but also because Bunco is a dice game.

RB: I’ve never played Bunco. You’ll have to fill me in on the rules, but that’s for another time. Can you share something special story about writing this particular book? Did you learn anything in particular? 

JC: My previous publisher, Prism Book Group, has never produced a mystery series before, even though some of their authors write them.  I assumed they wouldn’t be interested. I wrote out the synopses and the first three chapters of the first book, Dumpster Dicing, and then spent months querying other publishers. I got “nibbles” but nothing solid. I almost chucked the idea for the three books in the trash. I began to think I was shooting beyond the moon. Why did I think I could write a cozy mystery? I slunk into a pouty pity party. Then I prayed on it and got the message—query your editor at Prism. What can she say? No?

Okay, God, but…to my surprise, my editor loved the synopses of each and within two days I had a three book contract. Then with trepidation, I sent the manuscript to four renowned mystery writers and they all gave me glowing endorsements, including Mary Daheim, my personal favorite cozy mystery writer. Wow.

It just goes to show you have to be bold enough to pray and then act on the message you receive. Don’t let negative thinking shackle you.  

RB: You’re so right, Julie. We are our own worst enemies. I don’t know how often I’ve written something and tossed it in the trashcan. I wonder if I’d only kept going, or passed it by my critique group, it may have been something amazing. That piece of “garbage” could have turned into a book. Instead, I gave up. I did the one thing I tell new writers NOT to do. Speaking of new writers, do you have any advice for those trying to find their legs in this field?

JC: Three things:

1.      Write it. If God is calling you to do so, then you should obey.

2.      Master the craft. Join a supportive critique group with published authors and listen to their advice, even though they may hurt your feelings in the process. If there isn’t one in your community, go online. Attend what conferences you can afford and read books on the art of crafting a good story. DiAn Mills’ The Dance of Character and Plot is good, as is Richard Maas’ Writing the Breakout Novel. Talent has to be developed.

3.      The third thing is to realize that writing the novel is just the beginning. I liken it to the honeymoon and conception. Prepare for at least nine months of development before it is “born” or it may be immature and not thrive in the marketplace. Land a traditional publisher or hire a great editor who will work with you.

RB: What’s your biggest challenge as an author?

JC: Social media marketing—the necessary evil. It can suck your time away from writing. The world is inundated with novels nowadays due to the ease of indy-pubbing. Amazon produces more books in one day than it did in a year two decades ago with almost solely traditional publishing methods. However, fewer people are reading as a hobby. So it is harder and harder to get your works noticed. That is why I am thankful for fellow authors like you, Renee, who help get the word out.

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MAGNIFICENT MYSTERY GIVEAWAY

Two eBooks of Dumpster Dicing are up for grabs! Comment below for a chance to win!

Two winners will be chosen from the blog comments by random draw one week from blogpost date.

(Special note: selected winners are eligible for a free eBook of Baby Bunco, the next release in the series if he (she) posts a review on Amazon.com and on Goodreads by September 2016.)

Minimum of 5 comments required to validate contest.

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About the Book:

                      

As Janie and Betsy Ann go for their morning jog, the city sanitation vehicle follows its normal five-mile Tuesday morning route through their retirement community of Sunset Acres. The two Bunco-playing biddies spot a leg dangling out of the dumpster when the truck lifts the trash container high in the air. Someone diced up one of their newest residents—a grouchy loner named Edwin Newman. Did he unpack too much of his dicey past when he moved in last weekend?

About the Author:

Freelance writer, author and speaker Julie B Cosgrove leads retreats, workshops, and Bible studies. She writes regularly for several Christian websites and publications.

Besides freelance writing and helping newbie writers on their path to publishing, Julie has personally published three Bible studies,two inspirational works, a devotional and a novel - Focused (2012), as well as the following through Prism Book Group: Hush in the Storm (2014) and Legitimate Lies (2015- Best 2016 Religious Fiction Award), Freed to Forgive (2015 - Grace Award Finalist) with Greener Grasses, Navy Blues, Hill Country Homecoming and a three book cozy mysteries series, The Bunco Biddies coming in 2016-2017.

She is a member of North Texas Christian Writers, Texas Association of Authors, Advanced Writers and Speakers, American Christian Fiction Writers, Toastmasters International, Daughters of the Holy Cross and several web-based author groups Julie has one grown son and lives in Fort Worth, TX with two cats.

Visit her website at www.juliebcosgrove.com or her blog: WhereDidYouFindGodToday.com.

Books published -

P.R.A.Y.I.N.G.- Bringing Power and Purpose to Your Prayers (2009)

Song Notes - Devotionals from Verses in the Psalms (2010)

What Can She Tell Us? (2011)

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Find Your Happiness (2011)

Focused-A Novel (2012)

Between the Window and the Door (2012)

Squeeze More God-time Into Your Day (2013)

Hush in the Storm (August 2014)

Legitimate Lies (Jan 2015)

Freed to Forgive (October 2015)

Experiencing the Present of God's Presence (2015)

Navy Blues (May 2016)

Greener Grasses (Feb 2016)

Dumpster Dicing (June 2016)

Hill Country Homecoming (Nov 2016)

Baby Bunco (Jan 2017)