Interview with Lori DeJong

 

Bio:

 

Lori DeJong (pronounced DeeYung) is an award-winning contemporary Christian romance author who enjoys penning stories full of grace and the redemptive power of God’s love that inspire others to hope regardless of circumstance, find joy in the moment, and grow in their faith.

 

Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Lori arrived in Texas in 2005 and dug those roots right in. She currently resides in beautiful Georgetown, north of Austin, with her husband of thirty years. Other than their two fur-babies, their nest is empty, as their daughter and son-in-law are settled in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.

 

Lori loves to write about love and romance and all that fun stuff, with a firm foundation of faith. Clean but sassy, sparkly, and even goose-bumpy romance, with God in the middle and characters seeking and learning and changing, couldn’t be more heartwarming or spine-tingly.

 

Lori's debut novel, Love's True Calling, released in 2023, was the 2022 winner of the ACFW Genesis Award for Romance, a double finalist in the 2024 Selah Awards, and was named the 2023 Scrivenings Press Contemporary Book of the Year. Love’s True Home, released in June 2024, was also a Selah finalist. Love’s True Measure released in June 2025. Lori's Christmas novella, Jingle Bell Matchmakers, a part of "A Match Made at Christmas" novella collection, is also available and was named a 2025 ACFW Carol Award finalist.

 

Interview:

·       Which of your books was your favorite to write? Why?

o   I think so far, Love’s True Measure was my favorite to write. Shannon, the female protagonist, had been with me since chapter one of the first book in the series, and I knew as soon as she showed up that I would write her story. Hunter, the male protagonist, was a new character and was the only one I’ve written who wasn’t a Christian at the beginning of the book. I just really enjoyed writing their story, from the moment they met through their growing friendship and the way they each grew from start to finish.

 

·       What is your favorite Bible verse? Why?

o   I have so many, but if I had to pick a favorite, I think it would have to be Psalm 46:10. The Living Translation says, “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” We get so busy doing all the “things” we think we need to do to take care of our families, make a living, or even just get through a day. None of those things are bad, unless we don’t take the time first, or at least at some point in the day, to be still before God and simply dwell on Him. His name. Just a time of quiet worship. And I love the next part of that verse because it’s the promise that, even though the world around us may seem like a mess—and it is—someday every nation will honor God. He has already won this war. We just need to be still sometimes and let Him fight it.

 

·       What is your latest release?

o   Love’s True Measure, Book Three of my True Calling Series released in June. That’s Shannon and Hunter’s story I mentioned earlier. But my next release, Mistletoe and Malice, comes out on Tuesday, October 21, the first book of a new romantic suspense series featuring bodyguard protagonists. I’m really excited that one!

 

·       Are you a pantser or a plotter?

o   I guess you would call me a plantser. I plot the five major plot points of a book, then write intuitively (or by the seat of my pants) from plot point to plot point. I love writing that way because things will happen that I didn’t see coming. So even I’m surprised at the way a story might progress. I think that’s so much fun.

Blurb for Mistletoe and Malice:

 

He’s sworn to protect her life … but guarding his heart may be his biggest challenge.

 

After barely escaping an attempted abduction, Houston attorney Riley Hudson is forced to accept her wealthy father's demand for private security. The last thing she wants is a bodyguard—especially one as maddeningly arrogant, bossy … and handsome as Colton Blankenship. Yet as the threat against her escalates, she begins to rely not only on his skills, but his steadfast presence.

 

Colton isn’t thrilled about giving up his hard-earned holiday vacation to protect a spoiled heiress. But he soon learns Riley is nothing like he expected. Fierce, independent, and unwavering in her faith, she’s everything he thought he’d left behind after tragedy shattered his own beliefs. As the unknown threat circles closer, the tension between them ignites into something deeper ... and far more perilous.

 

When a second attempt on Riley’s life nearly succeeds, Colton faces a terrifying truth. Protecting her means risking more than just his life. Haunted by a past he can't outrun, and a faith he’s all but lost, he must decide if he can trust God again ... before he loses Riley—and his heart—for good.

 

Purchase Link:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FN8JY5V5

 

Social Media Links:

 

Website:  https://loridejongwrites.com/

Newsletter:   https://bit.ly/LoriDeJongCommunity

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

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

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

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/author/loridejongwrites

GoodReads:   https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/38460845.Lori_DeJong

Bookbub:   https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lori-dejong

 

 

Mountainside Novelist Retreat

Looking for a writing retreat? 

Consider attending Mountainside Novelist Retreat! 

https://www.blueridgeconference.com/mountainside-novelist-retreat/

Interview with Mary Pat Johns

Bio:

Mary Pat Johns’ writing career began once she retired from teaching speech and writing. She has written devotions for an online publication, had short stories published by Chicken Soup for the Soul, and wrote a column for the Victoria Advocate, a local newspaper.

Countin’ On Jesse, her first novel debuted in 2023. Books 2 & 3 of the Valiant series, Lovin’ On Red and Glitter and the Grouch released in 2024. God put it in her heart to tell stories of brave veterans and their reintegration into civilian life after suffering the traumas of war.

She writes Christian romance because when we view life through the hope of Christ’s sacrifice, we find that happily ever after is God’s idea.      

Mary Pat lives in South Texas with her husband and their two dapple dachshunds. Her grown children and five grandchildren are useful sorts who keep her grounded with her reading/writing obsession. You can find her at the gym, at her computer, or reading a good book.

Interview:

Which of your books was your favorite to write? Why?

My books are like my children. No such thing as a favorite, because each one is unique in its own way. That said, in the Romance in Valiant series, my favorite story to write was Glitter and the Grouch. It’s a novella, so it was half the word count, which was a blessing. Most of the book takes place on the river, and it was fun and challenging to get the plot lined up with the mandatory checkpoints that happen throughout the race. I also enjoyed the tropes—enemies to lovers and forced proximity. Those were new to me.  

·     What is your latest release?

Waitin’ On Paige was released this past July. It’s the fourth and final book of my Romance in Valiant series. Tavo and Paige were part of the close-knit friends group throughout the series, and I was happy for them to get their story, but mercy! It was a mega-rollercoaster ride.    

·    Do you have a daily writing schedule?

For the longest time, I wrote most afternoons, but lately, I’ve flip-flopped my schedule to write most mornings. I start at nine o’clock and take short gotta-move breaks and eat lunch, but around three, I can’t wait to leave my desk and do other things.      

·    What other hobbies do you enjoy besides writing?

Reading is probably my favorite, but I like to putter around in the kitchen and hang out with family too.

Blurb:

Tavo Morales has returned to Valiant, Texas, to stir the embers of a relationship with the woman he has never stopped loving, but hidden reefs from his past threaten to destroy his future.

Paige Muñoz wants her new event planning business to be a success and won’t let anything stand in her way. But the path she’s on to make her dreams come true proves dangerous.

Is the love Tavo and Paige once shared strong enough to survive his secrets and her stubbornness?

Social Media Links:

Website: http://www.marypatjohns.com

FB: https://www.facebook.com/marypatjohnsauthor/

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/marypatjohnsauthor/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/marypatjohnspin/_saved/

Romance in Valiant series:  https://bit.ly/4hhJvLj  

Interview with Sara L. Jameson

 Bio:

Sara L. Jameson won Scrivenings Press’s grand prize publishing contract in January 2021. They released her debut romantic suspense novel, Cruise to Death, in June 2021. Death in High Places, (Book 2 in the Troubled Waters series), released February 2023, followed by Vengeance in Vienna, July 2024. She is currently working on books 4 and 5 of the Troubled Waters series for Scrivenings Press.

In real life, Sara is a multi-published former university professor who writes non-fiction under her real name and edits book manuscripts for other authors. She also pens WWII historical novels. When not at her computer, she enjoys reading, swimming, cooking, and dog-sitting.

Interview: 

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

I would suggest studying the craft to the point of mastery—as much as possible—before seeking publication, whether through agented/traditional houses or self-publishing. Once a writer is published, the pressure is on to produce more books under a tight deadline—whether it’s meeting the publishing house schedule or personally imposed ones via self-publishing. There is always room to grow, but if most craft techniques have largely become second nature, it simplifies the writing process.

Investing in professional edits is a wonderful way to grow through others’ perspectives. Enter writing contests for the same reason. Read, read, read multiple genres and study—dissect—the author’s method of story craft.

What is your favorite Bible verse? Why?

I have many favorite verses, but I’d have to say Psalm 91:1 in the AMPC version is an all-time favorite with its promise to deliver the one who abides in the presence of the Lord. There have been numerous occasions in my life where I was in grave danger, and the Lord spared me from death.

If you had unlimited funds and free time, where would you choose to travel?

Okay, I’m tiptoeing out on a limb here, operating on the premise of unlimited funds, and dreaming BIG. At the moment, this sounds like fun: staying in five-star or historic hotels all over the world, as long as the location interests me. I’d include travel on every continent and country where being an American wasn’t a serious liability. And I’d fly business/first class. After all, as a novelist, I spend my days in imaginary situations and exotic locales. 

Did you always want to be a writer?

Secretly, yes. But I had this mental image that writers lived in dismal garret apartments, were chain smokers and alcoholics. To me, not an appealing lifestyle. And from a very early age, I dreamed of becoming an opera singer, a career I did pursue, which developed mastering technique and persevering through numerous setbacks and challenges. All of which are part of a novelist’s toolkit.

Blurb for Vengeance in Vienna:

A moonlight sail. A sniper on the shore. A terrorist financier determined to kill Jacob and all he holds dear.

Interpol Special Agent Jacob Coulter and his fiancée Riley Williams set out on a moonlight sail, but a sniper turns their idyllic Austrian vacation into a deadly nightmare.

On temporary assignment to the Vienna Interpol office, Jacob must apprehend a notorious terrorist financier and uncover his operations in Austria. But the financier is determined to destroy all Jacob holds dear. And that includes his kid sister and his fiancée, Riley Williams.

Opera singer Riley Williams is tired of dodging terrorist attempts on her life. When she insists on helping Jacob catch the financier and his henchmen, she gets into more trouble than she bargained for.

But the financier’s tentacles of evil reach far deeper into the Austrian economy than Jacob and Riley suspected. What they uncover appalls them. The clock is ticking. Can Jacob find them before it’s too late?

 

Social Media:

You can connect with Sara on:

Sara LJameson, Author (Facebook)

saraljamesonauthor (Instagram)

https://bit.ly/SLJGRPage (Goodreads)

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sara-l-jameson

 (Bookbub)

@saraljameson (X)

https://amzn.to/4jpSgmV (Amazon Author Page)

https://bit.ly/SLJCommunitySignup (Newsletter Signup)

www.saraljameson.com

Interview with Susan Page Davis

Bio: 

Susan Page Davis is the award-winning author of more than 100 novels and novellas. Born in Maine, she now lives in western Kentucky with her husband, Jim, a retired news editor.

Interview:

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing stories since I was a child, but this is the first one I’ve written with my daughter Page. I’ve also enjoyed writing two historical novels with my son Jim and three cozy mysteries with my daughter Megan.

I have six grown children and twelve grandchildren. All of my kids were home schooled. Before becoming a fiction writer professionally, I held diverse jobs, including shoeing horses (I am a certified farrier) and writing news as a local correspondent for a daily newspaper.

Which of your books was your favorite to write? Why? 

It’s hard to pick one, but I think maybe The Lady’s Maid. I also made the journey to Oregon as a young woman, though not in a covered wagon. I loved writing this historical series (Prairie Dreams). This one combines British Aristocracy with the American frontier.

How many books have you written?

More than 100 novels and novellas, nearly all in the Christian genre. I write mysteries, historicals, romance, and romantic suspense.

What is your latest release?

Down in the Dumpster, co-authored with my daughter Page. We’re now nearly finished with the rough draft of the sequel, Dumpsters and Dragons.

·    Are you a pantser or a plotter?

I used to think I was a pantser, but I realized I was plotting stories out in my head in great detail, even if I wasn’t writing it down. After a publisher required me to submit a detailed synopsis before they would look at the book, I became a confirmed plotter.

Blurb:  

You never know what you’ll find in a Dumpster.

If Cassie had known the misadventures she’d get into on her stopgap job, she would have kept checking the help wanted ads. With her crabby dispatcher hounding her, she collects the rubbish from a senior citizens’ complex in her garbage truck.

When she empties the dumpster, a witness sees a body fall into her compactor. How will she explain this to Mac? And just as important, can rubbish and romance mix?

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F8GJQTFX 

Social Media Links:

Website: https://susanpagedavis.com

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Susan-Page-Davis/e/B001IR1CGA

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/susan-page-davis

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/255473.Susan_Page_Davis

Interview with Jen Dodrill

Author bio:

Jen Dodrill is living out her dreams on the pages of her books, bringing readers compelling stories of inspiration and hope for good times and bad. 

Her family-focused novels depict her values of cooperation, connection, compassion, and community, demonstrating the importance of helping one another brave the waves of the world together. 

As a mother of five, family life and travels have left her with decades of stories to tell, and she cherishes the time she has now to tell them, in between her honored role as Grandma, her passion for reading, and her adoration of all things coffee. 

Her first book, Birds Alive! An Empty-nesters Cozy Mystery was released in 2024. Book #2 in the series, Where’s the Quetzal, was released February 25, 2025. Book #3, No Egrets, will be published in 2026. Jen has co-authored a novella collection, Trinity Sands Beach Club, with Deborah Sprinkle and Sharon H. Carpenter. It released June 17, 2025.

Interview:

What is your latest release?

Trinity Sands Beach Club novella collection, the first in the Second Chances: Romance & Mysteries series, just came out June 17^th! My writing friends Deborah Sprinkle, Sharon Carpenter, and I got together and “invented” an island just off the coast of Destin, Florida – Trinity Sands Island. Then, we each wrote a romantic suspense novella set on the island.

We had a lot of fun. We all live within 30 minutes of each other, so occasionally we met for lunch (more like 4-hour visits!), but usually we Zoomed. We critiqued each other's work and worked out details involving characters we all had in common – the grocery store owner, the police, and the lady who cleaned. Those little details matter to readers, and they mattered to us.

What’s really exciting to me is that our characters are all women and men of a certain age, 50+. We need more books written with older characters!

This was my first novella collection, but we’ve received the green light to write another one. It is scheduled for release in the fall of 2026, so be watching for Bedlam in Bridal Falls!

What do you enjoy most about writing books?

I love the creative aspect where I come up with an idea and then it morphs into a real book. That sounds like it’s easy, but it’s not. I love seeing God using my imagination in one part of the book, and then it ties into another part in a way I never saw coming.

Another favorite thing about writing books is meeting other writers and encouraging them. It’s such a reciprocal relationship!

Are you a pantser or a plotter?

Definitely a pantser. I tried plotting for my 3^rd cozy mystery, and it just didn’t work out. I’ve listened to many plotters explain how to do it, and I understand that part. It just simply won’t work for me. I do use beat sheets to keep me on track of what should happen where. They’re very helpful, especially in the saggy middle part.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Seek out writers online or in your area. They don’t have to write the same thing as you do. Find some accountability with them, or even better, a critique group. Attend conferences – preferably in person. There is nothing like meeting other writers in person! You don’t have to start with the bigger, more expensive ones. Just look for some classes that will help you and dig in.

This spring, I was way behind on writing my 3^rd cozy. I mean, way behind! For a bit over two weeks, I committed to writing 2k words a day, and I did it! I told my husband and my kids, and then I made it happen. Sometimes I had to go back to the computer after dinner, but it got done. What I’m saying is you truly have to write your book. ;)

Blurb: 

What do a widow, a newly divorced woman, and a retired professor of art history have in common?

They all came to Trinity Sands Island to find a simple life without any entanglements. But instead, they are each confronted with a mystery and another chance at romance. Will they be brave enough to face the possible dangers of solving a mystery and losing their hearts?

This collection includes three novellas:

“Trinity Sands Treasure Hunt” by Sharon Carpenter—Retired art professor Claire Anderson inherited all of her uncle’s worldly goods. Arriving at his Trinity Sands Beach Club bungalow, she faces the daunting task of sorting through the boxes and bags that he left behind.

When someone tries to break in and steal seemingly worthless items, Claire calls Chief of Security, Ben Hastings and sparks fly. Claire and Ben realize all is not as it seems when they set out to discover who is targeting the house.

In their search for answers, will the attraction between Claire and Ben deepen into real treasure?

“SeaBreeze Obsession” by Jen Dodrill—Newly single Karah Halyard returns to her beach cottage and starts “SeaBreeze Designs,” a business specializing in beach decor. But beneath the tentative peace of her life, unresolved feelings stir as she considers reconciling with her ex-husband, Gage, who is in town doing research. When a secret admirer confronts her on the beach, Karah defends herself and runs. That night, he’s found dead. As she and Gage face a murder investigation, they must confront their past and unravel the mystery of the real killer.

Can they solve the crime and reconcile their fractured relationship?

“Searching for Serenity” by Deborah Sprinkle—Grace Caldwell hasn’t been to their beach house since her husband passed away three years ago. Her grief has kept her from moving forward with her life. But, when a letter arrives from her friend, Serenity James, saying something strange is going on at the Beach Club, Grace decides it’s time to head south. However, when she arrives, Serenity has disappeared, and no one knows where she is. Detective Peter Young gets involved and, as Grace and he work together, a mutual attraction blossoms—one that takes Grace by surprise.

Will Grace find love again while solving the mystery behind Serenity’s disappearance?

Purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/Trinity-Sands-Beach-Club-Dodrill-ebook/dp/B0F89NL3CT/ref=sr_1_1

Social media links:

For more information about Jen, her books, writing tips, and author interviews, check out her blog: https://jendodrillwrites.com/

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

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

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jen-Dodrill/author/B0CSDW3CHR

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/47887511.Jen_Dodrill

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jen-dodrill

Interview with Ellen E. Withers--Show Me Skulduggery

I’m pleased to interview Ellen E. Withers for Sleuths and Suspects for a second time. Last time, Ellen shared about her latest nonfiction release. Today, I am spotlighting the latest book in Ellen’s Show Me Mysteries series. 

Interview:

·         What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

o   Learn everything you can and never give up. One of the many things I love about writing is that there is always something to learn. I attend writing conferences, both in person and online. I also take writing classes on zoom. The “never give up” part comes from the time (over twenty years) I spent learning the craft of writing. Then God placed a Christian publisher in my path and my dream became a reality.

·         How many books have you written?

o   Scrivenings Press has published three mystery novels, one Christmas novella, and one nonfiction book about how to win writing contests. I’m in the process of writing a new mystery series set in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and a romantic comedy novella, all to be published by Scrivenings Press within the year.

·         What do you enjoy most about writing books?

o   I love the process (in my head) of developing the storyline. This starts before I even begin to list my ideas. It’s fun to roll ideas around in my head and see if I like where they go.

·         What other hobbies do you enjoy besides writing?

o   For twenty-five years, I’ve been a member of Top of the Rock Chorus, a Sweet Adeline affiliate chorus. I also sing in a competitive quartet, too.

·         How much time do you spend in research before you write a story?

o   With this book, I spent many more hours than the previous books. Because the focus of this book was on the local area (and world famous) Saddlebred horse trainers spanning over 100 years, I had a lot of research to do. I enjoyed every moment of it.

·         What is the most interesting thing you have learned from your research?

o   Even though I grew up in a town filled with Saddlebred horse trainers, I didn’t know any of the processes to actually train the horses besides riding them. For example, some horses have a sway in their walk or trot. Trainers use carts to train the horses to keep their body straight. I found these things so fascinating and included a lot in my first draft. One of my editors had to tell me to remove some details because they were slowing down the storyline. She did it in a humorous way. She said, “You’ve done your homework. Good girl. Now take it out.”

Bio:

Ellen E. Withers is a fiction writer, freelance writer, and retired insurance fraud investigator. Her award-winning mystery dual-time series, Show Me Mysteries, published by Scrivenings Press, is set in her picturesque hometown of Mexico, Missouri. The third book in the series, Show Me Skulduggery, debuts May 2025.

Her nonfiction book about winning writing contests is Magic Words: How to Enchant Judges & Conjure Contest Wins, inspired by her writing contest column in the digital writing magazine Writers Monthly PDF.

Coming in 2026, Ellen will have a dual-time mystery series, Spa City Mysteries, set in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Contact her at www.ellenewithers.com.

 

Book Blurb:

Death comes knocking once again in Show Me Skulduggery, the captivating third book in the award-winning Show Me Mysteries series. These mysteries involve two eras, early 1900s, and contemporary times, featuring a famous Saddlebred horse stable in Mexico, Missouri. Intrigue, deception, underhanded behavior, and murder will keep you turning pages.

Present day: Because of her behavior, the disregard of the needs of her tenants, and her penny-pinching ways, everyone despises slumlord Katherine Mull. When a killer emerges and acts upon their desire to end Katherine’s life, Liesl, Kurt, and Nicole must race against time to identify the killer before this madman kills again. Can they track down the killer before someone else dies? Do they have the skills necessary to identify the killer before they become the target?

1920 through 1953: Mexico, Missouri is famous for being the “Saddlehorse Capital of the World” thanks to world-famous owner/trainers Tom Bass, C.F. Clark, Joseph Potts, George and William Lee, Robert Stewart, and Art Simmons. Each has built upon the solid, respected reputation of the previous trainer at these beloved stables until now. Who can discover and stop sabotage at the stables? Will the Saddlebred trainers be bankrupt if the breed’s sterling reputation is destroyed? Is murder the ultimate act of an evil man seeking revenge?

 

Social Media Links:

Website: https://ellenewithers.com/

Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100071728886831

Amazon profile: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BWZ1G7JS

Instagram profile: https://instagram.com/lnwithers?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/33215146.Ellen_E_Withers

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/ellen-e-withers?list=about