Interview with Deborah Sprinkle

 

Bio:

Deborah Sprinkle is a retired chemistry teacher turned award-winning author with a modest number of books to her name and more on the way. All romantic suspense and mysteries. She lives in Memphis with her wonderful husband of more than 50 years.  Connect with Deborah at https://authordeborahsprinkle.com/, https://www.facebook.com/DeborahSprinkleauthor, or https://www.pinterest.com/dsprink2.

Interview:

First, I’d like to thank you, Heidi, for having me on your blog. I truly appreciate it.

·                What is your favorite Bible verse? Why?

My life verse is Psalms 28:7. It says, “The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.” For me, this says it all. I can do nothing without Him and He protects me from the enemy. So, I trust Him to keep me in His Will and to help me do whatever He has in mind for me to do. Whether it’s being a wife, mother, or friend, or writing.

·                How many books have you written?

My tenth book came out on October 28^th. I can hardly believe it! It’s the fourth book in my Mac and Sam Mystery series, The Case of the Intentional Accident. I have a four-book series called Trouble in Pleasant Valley and I’ve contributed to two novella collections, Sharktooth Island and Trinity Sands Beach Club.

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

 I don’t have a favorite book, but I have to admit that I enjoy writing the Mac and Sam series more than I did the Trouble in Pleasant Valley one. Only because the Mac and Sam books are mysteries, while the others were romantic suspense. Don’t get me wrong, I love the suspense. It’s the romance part that’s not my favorite. Lol! 

·                What do you enjoy most about writing books? 

I love making up clean stories that are entertaining, exciting, and convoluted about ordinary Christians. 

·                Did you always want to be a writer? 

When I was in high school, I fell in love with chemistry. I earned a bachelor degree in chemistry and worked as a research chemist, an organic synthesis chemist, and later, a chemistry teacher. It was only after I retired in 2004 that I felt called to write, but even then my first novel didn’t come out until 2019. And yes, some of my books have some chemistry in them. Lol! 

·                What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

 I would tell aspiring writers four things:

1.       Learn your craft. You can do this a few ways. Read craft books recommended by other writers, go to writers’ conferences, and/or join a critique group.

2.       Build community with other writers. We need to support and encourage each other. Again, this is where conferences and writers’ groups become important.

3.       Be persistent. Things never go the way you think they will. Most of the time, it takes longer to get that first agent, first publisher, etc. than you think it will. But be persistent.

4.       Pray always. Let the Lord be your guide. Keep your eyes and ears open for divine moments and appointments.

Thanks again, Heidi, for this opportunity.

Blurb:

Several years ago, Private Investigator Mackenzie Love’s parents were killed in a car accident while she was away at college. It wasn’t until last year that her sister told her it wasn’t an accident. They were assassinated. But by whom?

As Mac begins to unravel the clues to who might have wanted her parents dead, two things happen. An electrician friend of hers suffers a shock that puts him in a coma and near death. And someone leaves a threatening note on her car warning her to stop her investigation or else.

Believing her friend’s electrocution is really attempted murder, she and her friends find themselves once more looking into two cases at once. But, when Detective Jake Sanders is seriously injured, most of the work falls on Mac.

Will she be able to solve both cases before she ends up a victim of another intentional accident?

Purchase Link:

The Case of the Intentional Accident (A Mac & Sam Mystery Book 4)

 

 

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

 

 

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  

2023 Pelican Book Group Christmas Holiday Extravaganza Titles by Various Authors

This year, I wanted to feature several of Pelican Book Group's 2023 Christmas Holiday Extravaganza releases. The titles will be released through Amazon and pelicanbookgroup.com on November 1st. 
 
Romantic Suspense:

Carole of the Bells by Clare Revell

Purchase link: https://a.co/d/7A0056L

Blurb:

Carole Quelch's secret must remain hidden at all costs. The price so far has been her home and her career. Terrified it' ll cost her even more, she hasn' t left town or been home in years.
Idris Owen teaches at the same school as Carole. When he finds her in the music room playing the hand bells after school, he nicknames her Carole of the bells and convinces his reclusive co-worker to help teach his class a piece for the school Christmas concert.

There is something about Carole that Idris finds intriguing, but she is hiding something. While he feels an undeniable attraction, he isn't willing to allow love to enter the equation when she obviously doesn't trust him enough to share her past.

But, secrets never stay hidden for long. When this one comes to light, everything will change.

Author bio:

Clare is a British author. She lives in a small town in England with her husband, whom she married in 1992, and some of her now grownup children. Writing from a early childhood and encouraged by her teachers, she graduated from rewriting fairy stories through fanfiction 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. Or being annoyed by the cat and dog.

Her books are based in the UK, with a couple of exceptions, thus, although the spelling may be American, the books contain British language and terminology.

The first draft of every novel is hand written.

She can be found at:

http://clarerevell.com
https://www.facebook.com/ClareRevellAuthor
https://twitter.com/ClareRevell
http://telscha.blogspot.co.uk/

My review:

I enjoyed this romantic suspense story about two teachers. My husband and I watch several shows on BritBox, so as I read along, I pictured British actors saying the dialogue. British author Clare Revell did a good job of equally balancing suspense with romance in this story involving two teachers—Carole Quelch and Idris Owen. I liked that the characters were imperfect and relatable. Revell fans will appreciate the Easter eggs (from her Ellery and York series) that she includes in this story.

I received a digital ARC of this book with no expectation in return. The opinions and comments above are mine alone.

 
Underneath the Christmas Tree by Clare Revell

Purchase link: https://a.co/d/2uIU1C0

Blurb:

When Violet Noble begins her new job as council events planner in Winkfield Green, she' s horrified to learn she has twenty days to organize the, as yet unplanned, Christmas Fayre— and it won't be easy. All the files regarding previous events have disappeared, along with most of the decorations. She needs a miracle, but what she gets instead the council' s maintenance man, carpenter and all-around fix-it guy— Derek Xenon.

When Violet turns to Derek for help with the Christmas Fayre, his first instinct is to say no. His regular job is demanding enough without adding the resident damsel in distress to his workload. However, he' s never one to turn down a challenge— even one from Christmas obsessed out-of-towner, and especially when someone seems to want Violet's plans to fail.
Will Violet' s vision of Christmas ever come to fruition, or will she throw in the stocking?

My review: 

This is a cute and humorous romantic suspense tale involving Violet Noble, an events planner, and Derek Xenon, carpenter and maintenance man. Poor Violet is new in town, and bad things mysteriously keep happening to her as she tries to plan a Christmas fayre. Are the incidences coincidence or something more? Once again, Revell fans will appreciate the Easter eggs (from her Ellery and York series) that she includes in this story.

I received a digital ARC of this book with no expectation in return. The opinions and comments above are mine alone.

12 Days by Heidi Glick

Purchase link: https://a.co/d/4Hy0tAw

Blurb:

Scott Newton retires from the sheriff' s office after a fellow officer is killed. Wracked by sorrow and the need for justice, Scott grows distant from his girlfriend, aspiring crime writer, Lindsay Billings. But, when Lindsay goes missing, and Scott discovers her research on the missing person cases thought to be the work of a serial murderer known as the Christmas Killer, Scott vows to find her at all costs. Police have never found the bodies of the people who went missing many Christmases ago, and Lindsay won't become just another statistic.

Then, someone kills again in Blanchardville. Police locate a corpse atop one of seven inflatable swans on a pond, and another body in a pear tree. Scott receives odd texts from Lindsay's phone and deduces they're from the killer.

In order to save Lindsay, Scott agrees to meet the madman and play his game. As time runs out, Scott must learn to trust in God again, no matter what.

 
Romance:

Cactus for Christmas by Karen Malley

Purchase link: https://a.co/d/amhbmYx

Blurb:

Lucy loves her familiar Christmas traditions. But this year, they' re all thrown out the window when she drops everything to drive across the country to care for her sister in Phoenix, Arizona. So much for a white Christmas!

Between her anxious dog, her sister' s thieving kitten, and a way too attractive ice cream truck driver, will she learn that trying something new might just be what God has planned?

Author bio:

Karen is an author of Christian fiction. She lives in Southeastern Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons. She works full time as a scientist, but enjoys writing in her spare time. When not writing (with her left hand), she enjoys camping, hiking, playing board games, and especially reading! She loves reading faith-based stories, because we can all use a happy ending.

Karen loves to hear from her readers. You can connect with her on her website:

 www.KarenMalley.com.

My review:

I liked that this delightful, faith-filled, Christmas-themed romance contained lead characters who were older, proving that romance isn’t just for young people. Lucy is a widow who lives in Pennsylvania. Eventually, she ends up in Arizona for the holidays, where she meets Noah, an ice cream truck driver.

I received a digital ARC of this book with no expectation in return. The opinions and comments above are mine alone.

Christmas in Vermont by Regina Andrews

Purchase link: https://a.co/d/fbJazi2

Blurb:

Returning home to Holly Berry Village and beginning her career as an Estate gemologist, puts Christal Birchwood completely in her comfort zone. But when she meets the new town physician, Cole Townsend, the barriers she has created around herself quickly begin to shatter and fall.

Will she trust her faith enough to carry her into a sparkling, new beginning? And will Cole be able to trust his heart to love again?

Author Bio:

Award-winning author Regina Andrews, a resident of Providence, RI, grew up in the nearby seaside village of Barrington. After graduating from Providence College she attended the University of Delaware, eventually earning her master's Degree in American Civilization from Brown University. The author of numerous works, Regina is currently working on the Sterling Lakes Series. In November 2010, Destiny's Designs won the AKW Books 2010 eBook of the Year award for Fiction. Her hobbies include travel, museums, theater, reading, music singing and gardening.

Regina is involved in numerous community organizations, and is a radio host for In-Sight, an association for the visually impaired. She and her husband share their home with a semi-feral cat named Queen Tiana, whom they rescued from a shelter.

My review: 

I really liked the original characters in this sweet, Christmas-themed romance set in Holly Berry Village, Vermont. The female main character, Christal Birchwood, is a gemologist who studied in Switzerland, and doesn’t like to step outside her comfort zone. The male main character, Cole Townsend, is a doctor who was formerly a pastor and missionary, who is trying to get over personal heartbreak.

I received a digital ARC of this book with no expectation in return. The opinions and comments above are mine alone.

Christmas in Garland by LoRee Peery

Purchase link: https://a.co/d/ibxNAtg

Blurb:

Pepper Rainwater is thriving in newfound faith, blooming love, and her own Christmas house. But the appearance of her mother brings back all the ugliness of growing up in a storage unit. Can she face family issues from a new perspective and forgive her parents for the past?

The discovery of Foxx Haven' s true beginnings shatter his sense of security. For the first time, he questions his father' s love and deals with getting to know his birth mother. Did God really plan this mess for his life? He' s such a wreck inside, how can he be the man of faith Pepper deserves?
Their mothers bring challenges and time constraints on Pepper and Foxx. He longs to show his love, she yearns to bask in his attention. How will they help their widowed mothers, make life easier for one another, heal appropriately, and look toward a brighter future?

About the author:

I am thankful my mother read to me, enabling me to read at age four. Life is as hard as it is pleasurable and I love to read stories about true-to-life characters. The desire to write should never be ignored, I am so glad I kept returning to the blank page. I am blessed to live under God's redeeming grace, and to experience Nebraska's sense of place.

My review:

I liked how the characters (Pepper Rainwater and Foxx Haven) in this sweet, Christmas-themed romance were imperfect, and yet, they still followed God. This is a cute holiday romance with a strong faith message about forgiveness and reconciliation.

I received a digital ARC of this book with no expectation in return. The opinions and comments above are mine alone.

The Hope of Christmas by Carol James 

Purchase link:

https://a.co/d/gZnpFlx

Blurb:

Cameron Blake has everything a man could want. Or so it appears. But in the dark of night, the contents of an old manila envelope remind him that the one thing he truly wants is beyond his reach.
Kristin Hansen returns home after a messy break-up. While her parents think she' s returned to recuperate after surgery on a broken arm, she' s actually escaping from an abusive relationship.
When the pastor of a local church recruits Kristin and Cameron to supervise the building of the church' s float for the upcoming Christmas parade, their hidden secrets are exposed. Cam sees in Kristin what he truly desires... but knows he can never have.

As Christmas nears, can Kristin help him find the thing that' s eluded him all these years? The one thing his heart truly desires? Hope.

Author bio:

Streams in the Wasteland, Redemptive Romance by Carol James:
Carol is an author of inspirational fiction. She lives in Lilburn, Georgia, a small town outside of Atlanta, with her husband, Jim, and a perky Jack Russell "Terrorist," Zoe.

Having always loved intriguing stories with happy endings, she was moved to begin writing to encourage others as she'd been encouraged by the works of other authors of inspirational fiction.
Retired from her "real" job, she enjoys spending time with her husband, children, and grandchildren, traveling with friends, volunteering at a nearby school, and serving in the production department at her church.

She is also a soccer fan extraordinaire and keeps her DVR busy recording Atlanta United and English Premier League games.

And, most days in the late hours of the night or the wee hours of the morning, she can be found bringing her newest novel to life.

Follow her on social media: 

www.carol-james.com
Facebook.com/CarolJamesAuthor
https://www.instagram.com/caroljamesauthor
https://twitter.com/CarolJamesAuth
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19149238.Carol_James
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/carol-james
Visit her website at: www.carol-james.com Sign up for her newsletter and receive a free short story.

My review:

I liked the premise of this hope-filled romance set in Texas—the notion of someone receiving the same gift for ten years in a row. I also enjoyed the meet cute between Kristin Hansen and Cameron Blake. Romance fans who are looking for a holiday-themed read should enjoy this story!

I received a digital ARC of this book with no expectation in return. The opinions and comments above are mine alone.

 
To view all of the covers for the Christmas titles, visit my Pinterest board: 
https://www.pinterest.com/sheglick/christmas-extravaganza-2023/