This is the official release week for Hidden Secrets, with a physical book launch tonight and the ebooks releasing on Thursday. Print copies are available online now, too.
Why am I telling you this? To let you know the sale pricing for the ebooks will end after August 8. Right now, Unknown Enemy is reduced to $0.99 and Hidden Secrets to $2.99. They’ll move to $2.99 and $4.99 USD respectively. Save money while you can! (Or ask your library to order a copy, and let them pay for it!)
Violence against women, especially sexual violence, scares me. Even in fiction. So why is the heroine in my Green Dory Inn Mystery series a survivor of human trafficking? Short answer: I don’t know. Longer answer. I don’t know, but the idea kept popping up until I decided I’d better cooperate in case there was a …
Click to continue reading at the International Christian Fiction Writers site.
Are you traveling this summer?
Are you looking forward to the journey or only arriving at the destination?
How is vacationing like the writing journey?
We aren’t planning any big trips this year, but I realized on our way to Frankenmuth for a couple of days that I had a choice. I could enjoy the journey or merely endure it.
Writing is a little like planning and executing a vacation.
Decide on a Destination
Unless you’re hopping in the car and seeing where the road takes you, you likely have a destination in mind.
The same should be true when writing. Are you planning to write a book? An article for Medium? A blog post?
Set a Timeline for Each Leg of the Journey
Life happens. Something may come up to deter you from your schedule. However, it’s important to at least have a schedule to keep you on track. (You don’t want to find out the day before you leave for the airport that you should have renewed your passport.)
It’s important to be kind to yourself. Set an achievable pre-journey itinerary, but don’t be so “kind” that you leave everything to the last minute and consider giving up on the idea altogether.
This year I signed up for Camp NaNoWriMo—and, shock of shocks, I edited my manuscript well ahead of schedule. There are several more steps to take before the book is available, but now I know I can actually git ’er done. Now to set a timeline for the next steps.
Gather What You Need
Clothes? Check. Camera? Check. Toiletries? Check. Tickets and reservations? Check. Aforementioned passport? Check.
Gathering what you need for your writing journey can simply mean grabbing a pen and notepad or your phone with its note-taking app, finding an inspiring location to write, and getting at it. Or it may need a reliable internet connection and months of research.
Whichever it is, commit to it and get started.
Start Out
You won’t get any closer to your destination if you gather what you need, pack it in the car, and sit in the driveway.
It may be exciting—or a little scary—to start out on a new journey. But the only way to reach your destination is to set off.
Put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard (thumbs to phone screen?) and begin.
“Once upon a time …”
Recalculate When Necessary
You may find you made a wrong turn or missed the cut-off. But just like the old GPS units used to say, “Recalculating.”
You wouldn’t abandon your idea for a vacation because you had to do some backtracking and recalculating to find your way.
Don’t abandon your idea if the road to publication gets a little bumpy or if you have to find your way through unfamiliar territory.
Ask for Help
When planning your trip, you may hop online to get inspiration or check out customer reviews of accommodations and tourist attractions.
If you get lost (on the road or in the airport), you may have to check with someone in the know.
Even after you reach your destination, you will likely count on dozens of other people to make the trip a success.
Granted, writing is, in many ways, a solitary endeavour, but “no [writer] is an island.”
Writers rely on countless others on the journey from the first spark of an idea to published work—and beyond. Those people may include beta readers, editors, proofreaders, marketing pros, web designers, and many others.
Celebrate Your Arrival
“We’re here!” to a traveler is as amazing as “The End” is to a writer.
Touching down on the tarmac or penning those satisfying words isn’t really the end of the journey. But it is well worth taking at least a few minutes to do a happy dance—literal or figurative.
Finalize Plans
You may have a detailed itinerary in hand, but it’s good to check on reservations and make sure everything is in order. On most trips, adjustments have to be made.
When it comes to releasing a book or publishing a blog post, adjustments may be in order. Or, possibly, if you’re new to the process—or have just been too busy with other things, you may have to create that website, research traditional and indie publishing options, find out how to get your work in front of readers.
Begin Planning for the Next Journey
It took about five minutes before I started planning our next trip to Newfoundland when we were there last summer. Since our son and daughter-in-law live in Scotland, I thought it would be a wonderful location for a family gathering. They wouldn’t feel like they’d left home—except, of course, for the hours of travel and the money spent.
Even if you’ve arrived at your writing destination, you likely have plans for several other projects. While you want to relax for a while and enjoy the moment, you just may want to grab that note-taking device and outline the next journey.
Wherever you are along the way, take a deep breath, and marvel at the fact that yes, you are a writer. And it’s one of the most exciting journeys you’ll ever take!
Tweetables:
How is vacationing like the writing journey? [click to tweet]
9 ways travelling is like the writing journey. [click to tweet]
“We’re here!” to a traveler is as amazing as “The End” is to a writer. [click to tweet]
Take a deep breath, and marvel at the fact that yes, you are a writer. And it’s one of the most exciting journeys you’ll ever take! [click to tweet]
As an editor, Steph Beth Nickel has the honour of coming alongside writers to help them polish their work. As the coauthor of Paralympian Deb Willows’s memoirs, Steph has been blessed to work with this amazing woman. And as a future self-published author, with the Lord’s help, Steph has taken brave steps toward publication.
If you would like more information about her services, you can contact her at stephbethnickelediting@gmail.com.
You’re invited to visit her website: http://stephbethnickeleditor.com/.
You can join her Editing Tips Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/418423519384351.
Touched by Eternity, by Susan Harris (White Lily Press, 2019)
I was eager to read this book, since I’ve communicated enough with author Susan Harris to respect her Christian faith and her integrity. Despite the popularity of books recounting near-death experiences (NDEs) I’ve avoided them until now because I had no way to verify the writer’s trustworthiness.
Subtitled “A True Story of Heaven, Healing, and Angels,” Touched by Eternity is a memoir of the author’s three NDEs and related visions and how these events have shaped her life. A nonfiction author with an analytical mind, she relies heavily on details (including her hospital records and notes taken at the time) to anchor her personal experiences in as much fact as possible.
At the same time, the events themselves make the book as easy to read as a novel.
An experienced speaker, leader, and teacher, Susan Harris makes no claims to having touched Eternity by her own merit or strength. Instead, as one would expect with a near-death experience, her moments of greatest physical pain and weakness have been the gateways to the spiritual realm.
She writes with honesty about her personal failings and about her struggle to understand what happened and to accept the disappointment of tasting Heaven and then being returned to earthly life.
Christians can be uncomfortable discussing NDEs out of fear of drifting into heresy or false teachings. The Bible shows people being brought back from the dead, but we don’t get their testimonies of what they saw while they were gone.
I appreciate how Susan Harris finds biblical connections for many of her observations and how she’s careful to present her interpretations as her own and not as doctrine or fact. Her stated purpose in writing this book is to stimulate discussion, encourage the faith of Christians, and inspire non-Christians to seriously consider Jesus’ words about Heaven and Hell.
It’s interesting to read that in her research into other NDE accounts, she found similarities and yet differences, as if individuals were seeing part of a much-greater whole.
Favourite line:
My whisper was hoarse, the broken kind He hears because He Himself had hung ragged on a rugged cross. [Kindle location 2284]
No matter how much or little pain we’ve endured, Touched by Eternity reminds us that it’s in our brokenness that we’re closest to God. It challenges us to take time alone with Him, to remember what He’s taught us in the past, and to obey anything He’s called us to in the present that we may have been neglecting. Our time on earth is limited, and we need to be about our Father’s business before that time runs out.
Other books by Susan Harris include Little Copper Pennies (a history of the Canadian one-cent piece) and Remarkably Ordinary. She currently hosts a television show called ETERNITY. For more about the author and her work, visit susanharris.ca.
[Review copy provided by the author. My opinions are my own.]
Preparing for the release of her debut novel, Love and Other Mistakes, on July 30, author Jessica Kate somehow squeezed in time for one more interview—provided we kept it to three questions. You’ll find her author bio and the details of her book below, but first, let’s hear from Jessica herself.
Janet: On the internet, we’re citizens of the world and often don’t know which country people call home. So for those who don’t know, I want to celebrate that you’re an Australian author. What’s something you love about where you live?
Jessica: Oh, great question! I love Australia’s weather (visiting the USA I’m often surprised at how much more extreme the temperatures are), beaches and relaxed vibe. The more I visit beaches overseas the more I realize how ours really are among the best in the world.
Janet: How did an international author catch the attention of an American publisher?
Jessica: I guess the story starts with first getting an agent. I met Chip MacGregor at a writing conference in 2015. While I didn’t have an appointment with him, I went to his class on book proposals and used the question time at the end to show him mine and ask what he’d improve. He looked at it and liked it, and long story short he wound up my agent.
Once we’d worked on the book for a while (quite a bit of re-writing and polishing which really strengthened the book) Chip sent it out to multiple publishers. I met many of them, either in formal meetings or again stalking at writing conferences, and then they got the book proposal.
I think it helped that I have an Aussie accent and was wearing a bright red dress at the time. It meant they could remember me more easily. 😊
After a long wait, Thomas Nelson made an offer! I was so excited!!!
Janet: Love and Other Mistakes looks like a light-hearted read, perfect for summer. What do you hope readers take away from the story?
Jessica: Hope! The book combines humor with a lot of family and romantic drama, and some messy situations. But at the end of the day, God is bigger than our messes.
Janet: “God is bigger than our messes” – that gives hope, all right. Jessica, thanks for taking time to chat today, and all the best with your writing!
Jessica: Thanks Janet!
There’s a fine line between love and hate…. And for the last seven years, Natalie Groves has hated Jeremy Walters.
Natalie Groves was meant for great things. But soon after her fiancé left, Natalie’s father was diagnosed with cancer. Suddenly her grand plans evaporated…and God felt very far away.
Fast-forward seven years, and an internship presents Natalie a chance at her destiny – but she needs a job to work around it. And the only offer available is worse than a life sentence. Her ex Jeremy, now back in town, is desperate for help with his infant son and troubled teenage niece, Lili. And Natalie may be just the one to help Jeremy…provided they don’t kill each other in the process.
When Jeremy and Natalie join forces, sparks fly. But will either of them get burned along the way?
Kimberly Foster needs help from the last man in the world who would give it.
She and Samuel Payton fought so much during their three-year stint as colleagues that they now reside in different halves of the globe. She’s still the business director of the Virginia-based youth ministry that Sam founded, while he’s back at his family’s farm in rural Australia.
But Kimberly can’t find a suitable replacement for Sam, and the ministry is in trouble. She needs him back. What she doesn’t know is that the Payton farm’s finances are scarier than statistics on Australian spider bites.
She and Sam strike a deal: if she can use her business savvy to save the farm, he’ll return to Virginia and recruit and train his replacement.
Soon Kimberly’s on the edge of the Outback, working more closely with Sam than ever before. Can she protect his family’s legacy, the ministry, and her heart?
Australian author Jessica Kate is obsessed with sassy romances.
She packs her novels with love, hate, and everything in between—and then nerds out over her favorite books, movies and TV in the StoryNerds podcast. When she’s not writing or discussing fiction, she’s hunting the world for the greatest pasta in existence.
Her debut novel Love and Other Mistakes releases July 2019, while A Girl’s Guide to the Outback hits shelves in January 2020.
Receive her sassy short The Kiss Dare FREE when you sign up for her newsletter at jessicakatewriting.com.
Love and Other Mistakes – https://books2read.com/u/3L06gJ
A Girl’s Guide to the Outback – https://books2read.com/u/b570Dl
Facebook and Instagram: Jessica Kate Writing
StoryNerds podcast: Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and at www.storynerds.podbean.com.
Far Side of the Sea, by Janice L. Dick (Tansy & Thistle Press, 2019)
Danny Martens, now a man, was an infant when his Mennonite parents fled the USSR to China in the 1930s. The refugees became farmers, then refugees again. At long last, they’re in a refugee camp in Germany—far from their promised destination in Oregon.
Far Side of the Sea is book 3 in the In Search of Freedom trilogy, beginning in 1951 and spanning 40 years to bring this multi-generational family saga to a satisfying conclusion.
I appreciate the characters, especially Rachel and Luise. Despite their many hardships, these two women live a sincere faith. They don’t deny the pain, but they choose to let it press them closer to their Saviour. Danny carries trauma he won’t share with them, and in his anger at God he bears it alone.
With this novel, we move from a foreign setting to the western US, and from the 1950s (which are still in the historical genre) to 1990, which is recent enough for me to remember. Readers with longer memories will enjoy recognizing nods to their past.
While you could enjoy this novel as a stand-alone, I recommend beginning with book 1, Other Side of the River. Take time to savour the Martens family’s full experience. As difficult as parts of their journey are, there are also moments of laughter. And some well-turned phrases.
Some of my favourite lines from this book:
As Rachel watched Luise from day to day, the older woman grew more tired, more worn. But then, they all felt weary after years of homelessness, persecution and fear, as though their souls were getting thin.
He didn’t even say amen, because now that he’d begun a conversation with God, he didn’t think the dialogue was over. [Danny, after a brief, desperate prayer for help.]
“A broken heart does not heal quickly, but it does mend enough to allow us to live again.” [Brigette, another favourite character, who doesn’t appear often.]
Historical novelist Janice L. Dick has also written Calm Before the Storm, Eye of the Storm, and Out of the Storm, a Mennonite historical series set during the Russian Revolution. For more about the author and her work, visit janicedick.wordpress.com.
[Note: I received an advance review copy from the author. My opinions are my own.]
Both ebooks in the Green Dory Inn series are discounted this month!
First, Unknown Enemy is 99 cents CAD/USD or equivalent. For that price, you can start the series at the beginning.
Second, Hidden Secrets is now available for preorder at $2.99 CAD/USD or equivalent (digital list price $4.99 USD).
International buy links for Kindle, Kobo, Nook, and Apple:
Or visit your favourite online ebook seller.
Hidden Secrets will release August 8, 2019 in ebook format, and I hope the print release will be close to that. There’s no preorder option for the print version.
Don’t want to wait another month to start Hidden Secrets? You can read the first two chapters here: sample chapters.
Meanwhile, the characters are starting to talk to me… time to start brainstorming book 3!
More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.
Hometown Hope by Laurel Blount — In the three years since her mother’s death, widower Hoyt Bradley’s daughter, Jess, hasn’t spoken—until she suddenly begs him to save her favorite bookstore from closing. Hoyt is desperate to hear his daughter’s voice again, but he and the bookstore’s pretty owner, Anna Delaney, share a less-than-friendly past. Working together is complicated enough…but can they avoid falling in love? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])
A Heart Surrendered by Joy K. Massenburge — Since her teens, pastor’s daughter Sharonda Peterson devoted her life to church service and solitude after the one night she gave Carl Ray Everhart everything. Sobered by a near-death experience, prodigal Carl returns home from an acting and singing career to serve as the worship leader at Sheronda’s church, and she finds that it takes every ounce of her resolve to resist his pursuits … not to mention memories that threaten to overturn the delicate balance she’s created. Can she finally surrender the one thing she’s tried all these years to protect: her heart? (Contemporary Romance from Harambee Press [Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas])
Starting Anew by Melanie D. Snitker — He’s afraid to trust. She has a secret that could change everything between them. Will they let go of their fear, or allow it to rob them of their chance at happiness? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)
Underestimating Miss Cecilia by Carolyn Miller — Can shy, sweet Cecilia overcome her family’s prejudice to see a future with the recently returned prodigal son from next door? (Historical from Kregel Publications)
Benaiah: Might Man of God by PH Thompson — A novel of Biblical, historical fiction about Benaiah, one of King David’s mighty men, examining the premise: What happens when the king’s most obedient soldier is issued a wicked command? (Historical/Biblical from Word Alive Press)
Waltz with Destiny by Catherine Ulrich Brakefield — When the men and women of World War II marched off to war, they didn’t know what lay ahead. All they knew was that upon their young and inexperienced shoulders rested the plight of the free world. (Historical Romance from CrossRiver Media Group)
Thimbles and Threads by Mary Davis, Grace Hitchcock, Suzanne Norquist, and Liz Tolsma — Enjoy four historical romances that celebrate the arts of sewing and quilting. When Tilly, a schoolteacher; Alice, a bridal shop owner; Sarah, a seamstress; and Melissa, a rag doll designer, put needle and thread to fabric, will their talents lead to the surprising gift of love? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)
Refiner’s Fire by J.M. Hochstetler —
Will the promise their hearts cling to finally find joyful fulfillment, or will war’s refining fire separate them forever? (Historical Romance from Sheaf House Publishers)
Where Dandelions Bloom by Tara Johnson — To escape an arranged marriage, Cassie Kendrick enlists in the Union army as a man, taking the name Thomas Turner. On the battlefields of the Civil War, keeping her identity a secret is only the beginning of her problems, especially after she meets Gabriel Avery, a handsome young photographer. Anxious to make his mark on the world and to erase past guilt, Gabriel works with renowned photographer Matthew Brady to capture images from the front lines of the war. As Gabriel forges friendships along the way, he wonders what the courageous, unpredictable Thomas Turner is hiding. Battling betrayal, their own personal demons, and a country torn apart by war, can Cassie and Gabriel forgive themselves and trust their futures to the God who births hope and healing in the darkest places? (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker])
The Express Bride by Kimberly Woodhouse — Jacqueline Rivers manages a Pony Express station in 1860 Utah territory after her father’s death. There are daily stresses placed on her in this unconventional role—and now a government official is asking her to sniff out counterfeiters. When Elijah Johnson passes through on the stage while on an exhausting quest to find his boss’s heir, he doesn’t want to leave the beguiling station manager. In fact, he may never leave when caught in the crossfire of the territory’s criminal activities. Can she remain strong when secrets of the past and present are finally unearthed? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)
Legacy Rejected by Robin Patchen — She’s not giving up her home, no matter what threats come against her. Realtor Ginny Lamont’s family has abandoned her, leaving her with nothing but a warning that she’s in danger. But Ginny’s built a home in New Hampshire. After a childhood of nomadic living, she’s not running again, certainly not because of some nameless, baseless threat. Real estate developer Kade Powers is thrilled to go out with Nutfield’s beautiful new real estate agent. But the prowler they surprise after their first date offers a glimpse into Ginny’s past and the legacy of lies her parents left her with. She brings a mystery, one he’s determined to help her solve. With Kade’s help, Ginny searches for the truth of her parents’ criminal activity while her enemies close in. When mobsters show up in her quaint New England town, will she find a way to bring them down, or will she lose the home—and the man—she’s come to love? (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)
Storm Rising by Ronie Kendig — Mentioned in the pages of the Old Testament but lost to history, the Book of the Wars has resurfaced, and its pages hold secrets–and dangers–never before seen on earth. Tasked with capturing the ancient text, former Navy SEAL Leif Metcalfe is once more given command of his own team. But their best efforts are ruined when a notorious Bulgarian operative known as Viorica snatches the volume right out from under them. Iskra “Viorica” Todorova is determined to use the book to secure the thing that matters most–freedom. But a series of strange storms erupts around the globe, and the coming dangers foretold in the text threaten crops, lives, and entire nations. Though both are haunted by secrets of their past and neither trusts the other, Leif and Iskra must form an uneasy alliance to thwart impending disaster. However, the truth hidden in centuries-old words could unleash a storm of their own destruction. (Suspense from Bethany House [Baker])
The Story Raider by Lindsay A. Franklin — Deceiving an empire is a treacherous game. Tanwen and the Corsyth weavers race to collect the strands of an ancient cure that might save Gryfelle. But Tanwen has a secret–Gryfelle isn’t the only one afflicted by the weaver’s curse. As Queen Braith struggles to assert her rule, a new arrival throws her tenuous claim to the Tirian throne into question. Braith’s heart is turned upside down, and she’s not sure she can trust anyone–least of all herself. The puppet master behind Gareth’s rise to power has designs on Tanwen and the story weavers, and will stop at nothing to reclaim the throne. A plot to incite the angry peasants of Tir takes shape, and those dearest to Tanwen will be caught in the crossfire. As the fight for Tir consumes the realm, no one can remain innocent. (Speculative from Enclave Publishing)
What does summer mean to you?
Enjoying the longer days and warmer weather?
Occupying your children?
Heading away on vacation?
Kicking back and enjoying a slower pace?
Reading more books?
Two years ago, my hubby and I went to Alberta for two weeks. Dave had wanted to take me to Jasper since we were married over 35 years ago. It was wonderful!
Last year, we did a whirlwind road trip to all the Maritime provinces. I’d never been farther east than Quebec, and Dave had never been to Newfoundland. It was an adventure for both of us.
And this year … Well, we are spending a couple of days in Frankenmuth, Michigan. My hubby loves Christmas and he loves Bronners, the Christmas Store.
We may camp for a couple of weekends, but this summer will be far more low-key.
Winters don’t typically weigh me down emotionally. This past winter, however, was different. I found myself sleeping much more. I had zero energy to write and edit in the evenings.
And then spring arrived. My spirits lifted and I became more productive—somewhat, at least.
I made the mistake of blinking, and now, it’s summer.
I have a lengthy list of goals to accomplish in the next couple of months, including participating in Camp NaNoWriMo and finally finishing the edit for the first book in my Nurture and Inspire series.
I also want to get the first draft of the follow-up to Paralympian Deb Willows’s memoir, Living Beyond My Circumstances, complete—or close to it—by the end of August.
I would like to get back to work on the first novel in my Hard Choices series if at all possible.
There are also other projects I want to tackle, but I’ll spare you the details.
So, will my summer be lazy? For the most part, I don’t think so.
How about hazy?
That’s how my brain feels at the end of my church office workday. If I exercise more, eat better, and get adequate rest, I should be able to fight the haziness. Weatherwise, it’s beyond my control, however.
And now, to the craziness …
I pretty much covered that when I shared my list of goals. Those goals plus editing my client’s 100+K fantasy novel would, to many people, be the very definition of craziness.
How do you determine when your schedule is too crazy?
Do you feel overwhelmed just making the schedule? Yes? Then it’s likely time to pare down the list.
Do you have a realistic view of what you can accomplish in a day? A week? A month?
Even knowing you have unrealistic expectations, do you still include too many things on your To Do list?
Is there any time to recharge your batteries on your schedule? Recharging and refreshing are not selfish. We have nothing to give if we don’t do so.
Is there time to simply enjoy being with family and friends? Whether your household is swarming with children or you’re an empty nester … whether you come from a big family or it’s just you … summer is the perfect time to enjoy time with your favourite peeps.
Whether your summer is shaping up as lazy, hazy, or crazy, I pray you have a great one.
Blessings, one and all!
Tweetables
Overwhelmed just making your schedule? Time to pare down. (click to tweet)
Recharging and refreshing are not selfish. (click to tweet)
Summer: the perfect time to enjoy time with your favourite peeps. (click to tweet)
As an editor, Steph Beth Nickel has the honour of coming alongside writers to help them polish their work. As the coauthor of Paralympian Deb Willows’s memoirs, Steph has been blessed to work with this amazing woman. And as a future self-published author, with the Lord’s help, Steph has taken brave steps toward publication.
If you would like more information about her services, you can contact her at stephbethnickelediting@gmail.com.
You’re invited to visit her website: http://stephbethnickeleditor.com/.
You can join her Editing Tips Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/418423519384351.
Belinda Blake and the Snake in the Grass, by Heather Day Gilbert (Lyrical Underground Books, 2019)
Fun start to a new series. Belinda Blake rents a carriage house on the luxurious Carrington estate, but she’s a casual country girl at heart. Her relaxed clothing and gamer tee-shirts don’t exactly match the designer shoes on the corpse she finds in the garden.
The Carringtons’ son, Stone the fifth, persuades Belinda to help him investigate because the dead woman was his friend. But is the charming heir using Belinda to hide his guilt?
Between the mystery, the challenges of pet-sitting a large tropical snake, and Belinda’s sense of humour, the pages fly past. And although this is a light-toned cozy mystery, there are some thoughtful observations of human nature. Nothing’s simple, and not much is as it seems.
The book includes a sneak peek at the second installment in the series. Belinda’s next pet-sitting assignment? Wolves. I’ll be in line to read it when it releases.
Heather Day Gilbert is an award-winning author of Viking historical fiction and contemporary suspense as well as the Belinda Blake, Exotic Pet Sitter cozy mystery series. For more about the author, visit heatherdaygilbert.com.
[Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.]