Interview with Jodie Wolfe

What is your latest release?

My book that just released on September 15th is Wooing Gertrude. It first came out as an ebook and then on November 17th, my publisher will also make it available in print. It’s book three in my Burrton Springs Brides Series but also can be read as a stand-alone. Here’s a look at the back cover.

Enoch Valentine has given up finding peace for his past mistakes. He throws everything he has into being the new part-time deputy in Burrton Springs, Kansas while maintaining the foreman position at a local horse ranch. But when trouble stirs on the ranch, he questions whether he's the right man for either job.

Peace has been elusive for most of Gertrude Miller's life, especially under the oppressiveness of an overbearing mother. She takes matters into her own hands and sends for a potential husband, while also opening her own dress shop. Gertrude hopes to build a future where she'll find peace and happiness.

Will either of them ever be able to find peace?

Did you always want to be a writer?

I have. Ever since I was a little girl and had a school assignment of writing a poem in second grade. I wrote about my favorite thing at the time – Snoopy! Soon after, I was creating little stories and illustrating them, making little books.

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

I’d have to say book one in this series, Taming Julia. Julia, or Jules, is such a fun, quirky character. She’s different than any other character I’ve created. She often had me laughing at the things she came up with. 

What other hobbies do you enjoy besides writing?

I enjoy walking, reading, spending time with my husband, and knitting. I’ve knitted many things through the years – slippers, sweaters, blankets, dishcloths, vests, toys, etc. My husband found a guinea pig pattern, so I’ll be attempting that since it goes along with my new release. 

Bio

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

Tagline

The seamstress with a knack for trouble wasn’t who the deputy envisioned.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.jodiewolfe.com

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jodie-wolfe

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

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

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

MeWe: https://mewe.com/jodiewolfe

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodie-wolfe-3955b2bb/

Purchase Links

Amazon

Ebook: https://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1635

Print:

https://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1636

Interview with Author Fay Lamb

I had the privilege of interviewing Fay Lamb and learning more about her and her upcoming release. 

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

Everybody’s Broken is hands down my favorite book. Although, when I was writing the story, I muttered under my breath more than once. The same reason that had me muttering is the same reason that I love the book: the complexity.
 
No kidding. At one point, I had my characters balking at me because of some of the clues I left. I got downright angry because that character was right. I was giving away too much. I had to think myself out of a corner, and imagine the surprise for those characters when I realized there was not one villain but two, and one of those individuals had been around a lot longer than the heroine even knew.
 
The story is also my favorite because it has a Gothic tone to it. You know, old Victorian house and voices coming through the walls, secret tunnels, and all that scary stuff that goes well with a romantic suspense set in the mountains of North Carolina in October.
  
         How many books have you written?

I’ve written twelve full length novels. The first series I wrote was romance called The Ties that Bind and included Charisse, Libby, Hope and Delilah. The second series was my Amazing Grace romantic suspense series, including, Stalking Willow, Better Than Revenge, Everybody’s Broken, and Frozen Notes. I have book one of my Serenity Keys series published: Storms in Serenity, and then there’s my Christmas at Mullet Harbor Series, which includes Christmas Under Wraps and All I Want for Christmas. The Visitor Meets Old Hairy is the second book in The Visitor series.
 
      What do you enjoy most about writing books?

Finishing them. Only kidding.
 
When I sit down to write, I get lost. I’m not sitting at my desk or in my chair. I’m wherever my characters are. I’m the point-of-view character for the scene I’m writing, and I’m engaged in the conflict they’re trying to get through. In other words, I am emotionally tethered to the world I am creating, and I can’t describe the freedom that I feel when I’m there and not here.
 
         Did you always want to be a writer?

I know that some may find this hard to believe, but I have never wanted to be anything else by an author. I spent time at many jobs, but my heart was always with my writing, and when I wasn’t writing, I was miserable.
 
Before I could write, I was telling stories to my neighborhood pals. I dreamed up plays, and they enacted them. As soon as I could scribble words onto paper, I was writing little stories, and today, when I see my old classmates from high school, the one thing they remember about me is that I wrote stories. In fact, some of those stories found their way into a group of vignettes I pieced together, and they eventually become the novel that my publisher tagged as One Small Island, One Epic Tale. The stories I was writing in high school bloomed into my largest project ever Storms in Serenity.

Fay's upcoming release is The Visitor Meets Old Hairy.

The Visitor Meets Old Hairy
 
Back Cover Blurb:
 
The Visitor goes camping? Pollyanna Reagan can't wait to take her always-put-together, ultra-professional sister out into the boonies. But when they encounter what they thought was a mythical creature, they might both become sticks in the mud.
 
Of course, when they find a body, a stiff in the mud, Connie shifts into deduction mode. Was the deceased somehow scared to death or possibly attacked by what should be imaginary, or are there other, more human and certainly more vicious, intentions at play?
 
Match wits with The Visitor as she unravels this twisted puzzle and the family drama that surrounds it.

 
Biography:
 
Fay Lamb is the only daughter of a rebel genius father and a hard-working, tow-the-line mom. She is not only a fifth-generation Floridian, she has lived her life in Titusville, where her grandmother was born in 1899.
 
Since an early age, storytelling has been Fay’s greatest desire. She seeks to create memorable characters that touch her readers’ hearts. She says of her writing, “If I can’t laugh or cry at the words written on the pages of my manuscript, the story is not ready for the reader.” Fay writes in various genres, including romance, romantic suspense, and contemporary fiction.
 
If you’d like to catch up with Fay, visit her at her website, on Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter. Also, Fay has become a “novel” gardener, and she shares her adventure in her newsletter, Tales from the Azalea Garden. You can sign up for her newsletter, Tales from the Azalea Garden, here.
 
Links to Social Media:
  
The Visitor Meets Old Hairy: https://amzn.to/3iLN5Uk
Join the Expedition: Enter the contest by guessing at the clues given to you as to the location of each book in The Visitor series: https://www.writeintegrity.com/thevisitor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FayFayLamb
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FayFaylamb
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1482814.Fay_Lamb
Amazon Central: https://amazon.com/author/faylamb
Newsletter, Tales from the Azalea Garden: https://www.faylamb.net/contact

Review: The Souls of Lost Lake

In case you weren't aware, Jamie Jo Wright is quite the storyteller. With her latest release, she had me hooked from the start. My favorite part was the subtext between Eddie and Wren. Overall, Eddie was my favorite character. The Souls of Lost Lake is now my favorite book by this author. 

The novel opens with a campfire ghost story about Ava Coons, a woman who supposedly killed her family like Lizzie Borden. Oh yeah, and there's a creepy, mysterious body of water—Lost Lake, and for any LOTR fans, there are plenty of Tolkien references. Are you with me so far? 

So, if it's so creepy, why should you read this? Well, most Jamie Jo Wright fans know things aren't always what they seem in her stories. ;) I won't say more because I don't want to give anything away. 

It's a time slip novel with dual timelines that focuses on Wren Blythe in the present and the infamous Ava Coons in the past. 

If you enjoy suspenseful stories that are a tad creepy, you might like this novel. Not only is it suspenseful, but it includes romance and history, as well as the faith struggles of the main characters. 

The Souls of Lost Lake is available on Amazon. Bethany House is the publisher. 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09B2Q86C8/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_XWWENQBKQ7N5K091M637

Interview with Author Michelle L. Levigne

Please welcome today's guest, Author Michelle L. Levigne. Her new cozy mystery, The Unwelcome Wagon, came out April 1, 2022. I hope you enjoy my interview with Michelle.

 

 

Which of your characters was/is your favorite? Why?

Right now, my favorite character is M'kar. She's based on my Star Trek "persona," when I was in a Star Trek club in California. We had such fun making up adventures, writing "ships logs" and sometimes utterly silly adventures, where our characters roamed the galaxy. M'kar is a Talent, focused on animals, assigned to the AFV Defender, in a galactic civilization known as the Alliance. (Yes, a lot of similarities to the Federation …) The Defender has a reputation of being a misfit kind of ship, with misfit luck, but they always come out on top despite truly bizarre adventures. The series is called (surprise!) The AFV Defender, and has a Middle-Grade series spin-off called Young Defenders, which is about the children growing up below decks, with all their adopted aunts and uncles teaching them how to be heroes, despite their youth.

I have a lot of fun with M'kar because she comes from a barbarian culture. Her father is a mountain of a man, and when he left his homeworld to protect his half-breed daughter and her scientist mother, he chose to become a writer of children's books and poetry, just to defy the stereotyped barbarian image. He's loud and outrageous and children adore him. M'kar is snarky and can't quite understand why the children on the ship adore her. She teaches them self-defense and survival skills and growls a lot. I am currently working on the 3^rd AFV Defender book, titled "All the Boys I've Loathed Before," which follows M'kar's growing up years and all the problems she has being a half-breed, and all the power-seekers and politicians who try to use her questionable status for their own profit. Until she gets the better of them. Somewhat by accident.

Do you write in more than one genre? If so, which genres?

Oh, yeah. Science fiction, fantasy, romance -- and then variations in Young Adult and Middle Grade, romantic suspense, inspirational romance, and now my newest foray, cozy mystery, with The Unwelcome Wagon, Book 1 of the Book & Mug Mysteries.

What made you decide to become a writer?

Short answer: Semester exams.

Long answer: I went to a college prep high school, and we had semester exams, 2 a day for a week, very important part of our grades. I had a bad habit of finding a movie or TV show or book that snagged my imagination and just daydreaming variations of the story, rewriting it, or coming up with new adventures or episodes. Well, semester exams were coming up and I needed to study. So, I had always managed to kill stories before when I wrote them down, so I wrote this book idea down …. And that was more than 40 years and 100-plus novels and novellas ago.

I LOVE story. I love adventures, and putting characters into situations and seeing how they react and survive. Or not survive. It's an obsession, sometimes. The rest of the time, writing is my mental health exercise.

Which authors have most influenced your writing?

Homer -- although maybe I should really blame the Kirk Douglas movie, "Ulysses," because it snagged my interest when I was in junior high, I did some research and learned about The Odyssey, and found  a really good translation and read it and one of my first published novels was Penelope's side of The Odyssey.

CS Lewis -- of course -- reading about Narnia and the Space Trilogy "baptized" my imagination, much as he said George MacDonald baptized his. I wanted to go to other worlds and explore and have magical adventures. Some of my favorite books that I've written have some aspect of a portal fantasy in them.

Terry Pratchett -- silly, snarky British humor

Neil Gaiman -- have only read a few of his books, but they're awesome. I especially love listening to him read the audiobook versions of his own books. Gave me the courage to do my own narrating, turning my own books into audio.

David Eddings, Anne McCaffrey, Janet Evanovich, Meg Cabot, Lois McMaster Bujold, Ann Crispin, Mary Stewart, Patricia Wrede, Diane Duane -- each have contributed something to my imagination, and given me imaginary worlds to explore or characters to want to be like when/if I ever grow up ….

How many books have you written?

Last time I stopped to count, over 100. A good number of them are out of print, and I'm hoping to "redeem" and revise most of them and get them back into print.

 

BLURB:

Saundra Bailey has a rough few first days after moving to Camden Township to be the new children's librarian. First a strange man who smells of cheap cigars tries to get into her apartment, then she’s caught between two Welcome Wagon teams, which results in her feeling rather unwelcome. When Cigar Man later tries to steal her purse, she meets Kai, owner of Book & Mug, a coffee shop and bookstore. Cigar Man tried to break into the building Kai owns with his cousins, Eden and Troy, after trying to hire Eden, an investigator, to find lost family documents.

As Saundra settles into her new job and home, she learns about the political and social feuds and alliances in town. Then Cigar Man breaks into the Book & Mug building in the middle of the night, falls from a fire escape, and dies. The hunt is on to figure out what he was looking for, who was the other man with him when he fell, and whose side the mysterious accomplice is on.

Head Trustee Roger Camden, descendant of a founding father, has a growing list of grudges against the cousins and gets in the way of their investigation. Their building used to belong to his family. He accuses them of being in league with Cigar Man, who apparently was seeking Camden family documents. The foursome scramble to put together clues and identify Cigar Man’s accomplice before he hurts more people and makes more evidence and clues vanish.

Available on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Unwelcome-Wagon-Book-Mug-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B09T3VJT2D/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1649350600&sr=8-1

BIO:

On the road to publication, Michelle fell into fandom in college and has 40+ stories in various SF and fantasy universes. She has a bunch of useless degrees in theater, English, film/communication, and writing. Even worse, she has over 100 books and novellas with multiple small presses, in science fiction and fantasy, YA, suspense, women's fiction, and sub-genres of romance.

Her official launch into publishing came with winning first place in the Writers of the Future contest in 1990. She was a finalist in the EPIC Awards competition multiple times, winning with Lorien in 2006 and The Meruk Episodes, I-V, in 2010, and was a finalist in the Realm Awards competition, in conjunction with the Realm Makers convention.

Her training includes the Institute for Children’s Literature; proofreading at an advertising agency; and working at a community newspaper. She is a tea snob and freelance edits for a living (MichelleLevigne@gmail.com for info/rates), but only enough to give her time to write. Her newest crime against the literary world is to be co-managing editor at Mt. Zion Ridge Press and launching the publishing co-op, Ye Olde Dragon Books. Be afraid … be very afraid. 

SOCIAL MEDIA:

www.Mlevigne.com
www.MichelleLevigne.blogspot.com
www.YeOldeDragonBooks.com
www.MtZionRidgePress.com
@MichelleLevigne
 
Look for Michelle's Goodreads groups:
Guardians of Neighborlee
Voyages of the AFV Defender
Neighborlee Streets

NEWSLETTER:

Want to learn about upcoming books, book launch parties, inside information, and cover reveals?
Go to Michelle's website or blog to sign up.

ALSO BY MICHELLE L. LEVIGNE:

Guardians of the Time Stream: 4-book Steampunk series
The Match Girls: Humorous inspirational romance series starting with A Match (Not) Made in Heaven
Sarai's Journey: A 2-book biblical fiction series
Tabor Heights: 20-book inspirational small town romance series.
Quarry Hall: 11-book women’s fiction/suspense series
For Sale: Wedding Dress. Never Used: inspirational romance
Crooked Creek: Fun Fables About Critters and Kids: Children’s short stories.
Do Yourself a Favor: Tips and Quips on the Writing Life. A book of writing advice.
To Eternity (and beyond): Writing Spec Fic Good for Your Soul. A book defending speculative fiction.
Killing His Alter-Ego: contemporary romance/suspense, taking place in fandom.
The Commonwealth Universe: SF series, 25 books and growing
The Hunt: 5-book YA fantasy series
Faxinor: Fantasy series, 4 books and growing
Wildvine: Fantasy series, 14 books when all released
Neighborlee: Humorous fantasy series
Zygradon: 5-book Arthurian fantasy series
AFV Defender: SF adventure series
Young Defenders: Middle Grade SF series, spin-off of AFV Defender
Magic to Spare: Fantasy series
Book & Mug Mysteries: cozy mystery series starting in 2022
Quest for the Crescent Moon: fantasy series starting in 2022

 

Blue Christmas by Clare Revell

Blue Christmas by Clare Revell 

        If you enjoy mystery, suspense, and romance, try Blue Christmas by Clare Revell. Most of the stories I read are set in America, so it was refreshing to read a story set in a different locale. As a writer and reader, I enjoy learning about different cultures. 

        Clare's settings are very descriptive. As I read, I felt as if transported to the UK. Also, I appreciate the character of the protagonist--the way he treated his female coworkers. The mystery of the missing girls will keep readers guessing until the end. Also, readers will enjoy the romance between Jenica and Aidan. 

           Blurb:

St. Morien, Cornwall. Beautiful. Peaceful.

Deadly.

Detective Inspector Aidan Urquhart has a mystery on his hands. Three young women  reported missing back in the summer have been found dead; all still wearing the clothes in which they vanished; all frozen solid on the cold shore.

When Jenica Zimmerman realises her sister is missing, she heads to the Cornish coast where the police have few clues. The DI leading the case warns her not to take chances, to go home and leave the case to his team. Determined to stay, Jenica takes a room at a local inn and attempts to find her sister herself.

With Christmas fast approaching, all she wants is a happy ending. But when a fourth body is discovered, all tidings of comfort and joy seem far away.

Author Bio:

Clare is a British author. She lives in a small town just outside Reading, England with her husband, whom she married in 1992, two of their three grown children, unfriendly mini-panther, aka Tilly the cat and newest member Ty the dog. Clare is half English and half Welsh, which makes watching rugby interesting at times as it doesn’t matter who wins.

        Writing from an early childhood and encouraged by her teachers, she graduated from rewriting fairy stories through fan fiction to using her own original characters and enjoys writing an eclectic mix of romance, crime fiction and children's stories. When she's not writing, she can be found reading, crocheting or doing the many piles of laundry the occupants of her house manage to make.

        Her books are based in the UK, with a couple of exceptions, thus, although the spelling may be American in some of them, the books contain British language and terminology and the more recent ones are written in UK English. 

        The first draft of every novel is hand written.

        She has been a Christian for more than half her life. She goes to Carey Baptist where she is one of four registrars. 

        Purchase Links:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Christmas-Clare-Revell-ebook/dp/B09J1Q61LM

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Christmas-Clare-Revell-ebook/dp/B09J1Q61LM

Interview with Kristen Joy Wilks

Recently I interviewed Kristen Joy Wilks.

If you had unlimited time and money, where would you travel? 

If I had unlimited time and money ... I would want to go to either Chichen Itza on the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico, the ruins of Nineveh in Mosul Iraq, or to Ireland for a long castle tour. The first two locations were researched for books and the last just sounds so fun. Way back in the day, my family came to the U.S. from Ireland so it would be special to see that area. 

How many books have you written? 

I have written twelve books, but only three of them are published with one more due to be published in June of this year. The first book that was published was my fourth manuscript. I learned a lot writing those first three and it showed in that fourth story. 

What is your favorite book of the Bible? 

As far as my favorite book of the Bible, I love the book of Job. When I set out to start reading the Bible as a girl, I asked my mom where to start and she said "Anywhere, but Job. What about John." I immediately rushed out to read the book of Job. It is a long and difficult book but holds such depth for times of hurt and confusion. Does God still care when everything is going wrong? The book of Job is actually in epic poem that addresses this question. Like Job, I have found comfort in the knowledge that God is creative and powerful, we do not know all of the story of what is going on around us, and that God does indeed love us. 

Trailer for Athens Ambuscade: https://youtu.be/8pxgdimJrNI 

Blurb for Athens Ambuscade: 

What happens when a strapped-for-cash bridal designer needs a stuffed animal...and fast? Up-and-coming bridal designer, Jacqueline Gianakos must fly a Montana taxidermist to Greece in order to stuff her Grandmother’s cat. If Chrysanthemum isn’t preserved within two days' time, Jacqueline will lose the home that was her childhood sanctuary. But will she survive the next 48 hours when the taxidermist ignores her pointed request and then shows up wearing flannel?

Other books By Kristen Joy Wilks:

Review of In Too Deep

Review:

In the novel In Too Deep, Grace Stone, a safety-conscious young swim instructor butts heads with her new boss (Kye Campton), the director of a fledgling camp, as Kye wants to introduce extreme sporting activities, which Grace finds dangerous. But as financial struggles and sabotage threaten to close the camp, the unlikely duo must band together. The story had good pacing and likeable characters, plus the setting and plot were unique. The author did a good job of creating sufficient conflict to keep readers turning the pages. This book would appeal to adults who enjoy reading romantic suspense.  

Blurb:

Like an anchor wedged in the lake floor, Grace Stone's heart is submerged in the past. Drowning in guilt over the role she played in her father's and sister's deaths, Grace prays that launching her water survival program at Camp Moshe will properly honor their memory and enable her to move on. But success depends on Grace risking everything on the man hired to rebrand the Christian camp. Kye Campton's usual confidence wavers when his extreme sports campaign lands him in hot water with the cautious instructor and it becomes increasingly evident that Camp Moshe's fight for survival is against more than a declining economy. Will Kye be able to save the camp—and Grace—from a saboteur determined to close the camp at any cost?

About the Author:

Stacey Weeks is a novelist, writer, and painter of everything. She rotates between fiction and non-fiction work, loving the unique features of each. When not writing, she is usually painting or renovating something in her home. Visit www.staceyweeks.com for more information.

Interview with Stacey Weeks

Recently, I interviewed Stacey Weeks.

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

In Too Deep was my second book, and my favorite book to write.  I learned so much writing my first novel that by the time it was ready for publishing I was quite tired of the characters. In Too Deep came together faster than my third novel and felt easier (for lack of a better word). I’ve always loved the water and I expect part of the reason I love In Too Deep so much is because the story is set on the beach.  You can read the first two chapters for free on my website: https://staceyweeks.com/books/in-too-deep-fiction/

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

I would tell them to be teachable. Eventually, someone will tell you that you’ve made a mistake. You’ll learn a new grammar rule or an old grammar rule and recognize the dozens of ways you’ve mishandled the English language. You can be embarrassed. You can get angry (at yourself). You can run and hide and vow never to publish again. Or, you can be teachable. You can hear, apply, learn, and grow. You can read more advice for authors on my website: https://staceyweeks.com/category/for-writers/

What is your favorite Bible verse? Why?

1 Corinthians 10:31, “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” This verse has become my life verse because it reminds of why I write, why I serve in our church, why I parent with such purpose, and why I remain committed to furthering my study of Scripture. Whatever I do, whatever opportunities God has given me, I am to pursue them for the glory of God. All that matters in the end is if the Lord is pleased with my service for Him.

How many books have you written?

I’ve written five books, two novels that are published, The Builder’s Reluctant Bride (2016) and In Too Deep (2017), my third novel, Lethal Legacy, is currently under consideration by my publisher, and I have authored two non-fiction books, Glorious Surrender (2017) and a photo driven devotional Unexpected Love (2016).

The Builder’s Reluctant Bride was named Best Christian Romance at the 2017 Word Awards. Glorious Surrender won the 2016 Women’s Journey of Faith award. Unexpected Love was a finalist in the 2017 Word Awards. In Too Deep has been entered into the 2018 Word Awards.

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

I probably wouldn’t travel. I would love to attend a seminary class on studying and teaching Scripture. I’ve taken online classes and really enjoyed them, but I would really love the feedback a professor or classmates would provide.

What do you enjoy most about writing books?

I love how it allows me to freely express myself and work through personal issues. It lets me experience things I would never consider without the excuse of book research. I love brainstorming with other writers. It is so much fun to plan a friend’s book because I can let my imagination run wild and carry none of the responsibility of pulling the story together.

Website: www.staceyweeks.com - I post weekly devotionals and regular home renovation projects.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/writerSWeeks - This is where I post questions and collect feedback for projects.

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cZgDb9  The newsletter is emailed once every spring, summer, fall, and winter and is full of information, deals, and opportunities available only to subscribers.

Twitter: @WriterSWeeks 

Review of Deadly Doll by Brooke Cox

Review:

Deadly Doll by Brooke Cox is a fun read. The story is set in the ‘80s and involves two teenage girl cousins attempting to solve a mystery related to a doll given to one of them. Born in ’77, I appreciate the ‘80s references.

The author does a good job with character development and wrapping up all subplots at the end of the story. Also, she does a good job of presenting a Christian message that flows naturally throughout the story and doesn’t feel forced.

This book should appeal to readers who enjoy mystery and suspense, as well as those who enjoy ’80s nostalgia. 

Author bio: 

My name is Brooke Cox and the one thing that I have never inspired to be is normal.  Normal is a setting used for appliances.  I loved being quirky (fun while being different) and creative.  In fact, Deadly Doll came from my desire to reach out to others who don’t quite fit in with everybody else.

Also, I wanted to write a mystery.  I thought of my great grandfather.  He really did work in Alaska from the early 30s to the mid 50s.  And he really did send a handmade Alaskan doll back to my mother when she was a small child.  She still has it and it’s on the cover.  That story always fascinated me and I wondered, “What if…”

Deadly Doll was a 2016 Selah Finalist for Debut Novel.  And it also made the Inspy 2016 Mystery/Thriller Longlist. 

Blurb:

Adventurous twelve-year old Brooksie discovered a hidden room in her grandparent’s attic. She opened up an old hat box and found her mother’s favorite childhood doll wrapped up inside. Brooksie’s great-grandfather sent it from Alaska and it was believed to have burned in the trash pile years ago. After showing it to her father, he takes it from her. A few days later he was murdered and the doll becomes a faded memory until it reappeared six years later after a freak accident. What was it about the doll that people kept hiding it? Could finding the doll have played a part in her dad’s murder? If the doll had remained hidden would he still be alive? Brooksie and her best friend Darlene delve deep into the doll mystery which has them learning about a past that Brooksie never knew existed. Along the way, Brooksie’s thirst for adventure and acceptance has the girls stumbling on the edge of danger. What shocking family secrets might she find and could they change her life? Will she finally understand why God made her so different from the rest of her family and will it draw her closer to Him? Can Brooksie finally accept who she is?

www.amazon.com/Deadly-Doll-Brooke-Cox

Interview with Tanya Stowe

This week, I interviewed author Tanya Stowe.

On your blog you mention, “Have motorhome will travel.” Where have you traveled thus far?

We just retired a little over a year ago so we haven’t been far. Last summer we planned a trip from California to Florida. It was going to be a nice leisurely drive but my husband needed surgery. They scheduled it for August so we ended up driving home with the motorhome in one week. Long daily drives. Not much fun. But we saw lots of amazing country and before that, we flew our granddaughter out for a graduation present and went to Disney World in the middle of July. I thought I’d be miserable since I have an aversion to bugs, humidity and alligators but I loved it. Florida is beautiful. It rained every day. The clouds were so close to the ground it felt like you could touch them. And the lightning! I had no idea Florida was the lightning capital of the U.S. Our return trip was rushed but I have every intention of going back through the Gulf States at a much slower pace and enjoying those areas as much as I did Florida.

But I have to say our most interesting trip last year wasn’t in the motorhome. We had an opportunity to tour China and we jumped on it. The best impulsive idea we’ve had in a long time! China is fascinating. I’ll be blogging about it for many months to come.

You’re a multi-published author. Which book has been your favorite to write?

Every book is your baby so it's hard to pick just one. But I have to say the one that was the most fun to write was Santa Fe Sunrise…simply because I love everything about Santa Fe. The scenery. The history. The food and clothes. Even the music. I’d put on my Nouveau Flamenco tunes by Ottmar Liebert and start typing. That book just seemed to flow. It might not be my best book or the most compelling but it was fun to write.

Did you always want to be a writer?

I wrote my first book when I was eleven years old. It was about a princess named Shalimar set in Ancient Egypt. So yes, I’ve always wanted to write. And it’s interesting to note that my first published book was a time travel romance about…you guessed it…an ancient Egyptian slave girl named Mara caught in a plot to murder the Pharaoh.

You have a large family. How do you find a good balance between family and writing? 

What is balance? Is there really such a thing? Lol. I think balance is a lot like a faith walk. You stumble and fall. Get back up and start again. It’s the getting up that’s important not the state of being “balanced.”

Having said that, I will tell you I’m a list maker. Always have been. Lately I’ve found a planner that incorporates all aspects of my life, work, relationships, faith, chores, appointments. It even has a scripture passage for each week. I sit down on a Sunday night, name all of my goals and tasks for the week then plug them into a daily calendar. I find that if I get busy and drop the ball, it’s on the planner and I can pick it up the next day or the next week. Things I need to do don’t disappear into the ether, especially those important writing or PR goals I need to meet. I also find that my daily to-do list that seems overwhelming in my head isn’t such a monster when it’s down on the page.

Tanya's latest release, Mojave Rescue (Love Inspired Suspense), is available on Amazon. 

Review of An Unexpected Legacy by Amy Anguish

Review:

In An Unexpected Legacy, an intriguing tale by Amy Anguish and set in Texas and Arkansas, Jessica Garcia and Chad Manning are drawn to each other, but a family secret threatens to keep them apart. Thus, the main characters are forced to unravel this mystery before moving forward in their relationship. Along the way, the novel delves into the topic of forgiveness. I liked this because the topic wasn't just glossed over; the author demonstrated how an unforgiving spirit can harm others, including the person who chooses not to forgive. This book should appeal to readers of Christian fiction who enjoy romance and mystery.*

Author Bio:

Amy Anguish grew up a preacher's kid, and in spite of having lived in seven different states that are all south of the Mason Dixon line, she is not a football fan. Currently, she resides in Tennessee with her husband, daughter, and son, and usually a cat or two. Amy graduated with a degree in English from Freed-Hardeman University and hopes in all her creative endeavors to glorify God, but especially in her writing. She wants her stories to show that while Christians face real struggles, it can still work out for good.

*I received a copy of this book from the author and this is my voluntary review.