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 of Barking Up the Wrong Tree

Janice Thompson's "Barking Up the Wrong Tree" is a cute cozy mystery with a touch of romance.

I chose to read this book from NetGalley because I enjoyed the Weddings by Bella series by the same author.

This third book in the Gone to the Dogs series is set in Texas, and the mystery centers around a stolen show dog named Remington. The majority of the cast of characters work at a veterinarian's office. The book kept me guessing until the end. Thompson does a great job with red herrings, characterization, and voice.

While this is the third book in a series, it can be read alone. I hadn't read the other books in the series but am interested in reading them.

One thing I appreciate about Thompson's books are that they are all very upbeat. Also, Thompson included a recipe at the end of the book.

This book would appeal to readers who enjoy cozy mysteries, romance, and/or are dog lovers or whose hobbies include pet rescue, which is a dominant topic in the book.

I obtained a free copy of this book from NetGalley, but I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Review of What I Would Tell You

Liz Tolsma’s latest release, What I Would Tell You, is a dual-timeline novel, which seems to be fairly popular these days—set in the present, but also around the time of the Holocaust.

In the present, Tessa Payton, a college student, is shocked to learn the results of her genetic test are vastly different from her cousin’s results. From this test, Tessa discovers she is part Sephardic Jew. After learning this, Tessa decides to drop out of college and go to Greece to discover her heritage, much to the disappointment of her stepfather and mother. When Tessa confronts her mother about her lineage, the woman seems to be holding something back.

While Tessa is in Greece, a young man named Giannis gives her a copy of a diary of a woman named Mathilda. In the earlier timeline, readers get to meet Mathilda Nissim, a young woman married without children. In her village, she produces a newspaper that speaks out against the Germans who are now occupying her area. As she continues to produce the newspaper, she risks putting herself, her husband, and her community in danger. The two stories develop until they inevitably overlap.

What I liked about this story was how Tolsma drew upon her personal experience from her visit to Greece. Readers will notice this because of the level of detail the author has included. Also, I like how Tolsma wove various unresolved threads throughout the story, which added to the mystery, and kept me turning the pages. While I wouldn’t say romance is the main thread of the story, it is present in the love stories between Mathilda and her husband, but also between Tessa and Giannis. Finally, I appreciated the strong faith-based elements within the story. They felt organic and not forced. 

This story should appeal to those who enjoy historical fiction, romance, or mysteries/suspense.

*Please note that I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my review. However, I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

**If you enjoy this book and are looking for another suspenseful tale by Liz Tolsma, try The Green Dress. Incidentally, it was the first book in the True Colors (true crime) series that I picked up and happened to read. I enjoyed it, and I went on to read the entire series. 

Review of Stealth by Kelly Anne Liberto

I have the privilege of giving my review of Stealth by Kelly Anne Liberto. I met Kelly through a critique group years ago. She is a great writer, and a very sweet person. Stealth releases on Amazon on January 11th!

Kelly Liberto’s breakout novel, Stealth, features just the right blend of suspense and sweet romance. In addition to the faith message woven throughout the story, Liberto deals with a gritty yet timely topic in a delicate manner. Stealth features well-developed characters and descriptive settings and is sure to please romantic suspense fans.

To connect with Kelly online:

https://www.facebook.com/kelly4him/
https://twitter.com/kellyliberto
Website http://www.kellyanneliberto.com

Bio:

Author and speaker Kelly Liberto has been serving as a biblical counselor for several years. She helped spearhead the mentoring department for Truth For Women of the Lehigh Valley, Pa. Her passion is to see women restored to the destiny they were created to live. At the Truth Home a residential therapeutic home for victims of human trafficking, women are being restored by the truth of God with the help of people like you! It’s Kelly’s prayer that her writing will serve to bring light to the very real pain of human trafficking and abuse.

 

Amethyst Lights--Romantic Suspense/Fantasy by Sharon K. Connell

Today, I want to feature Amethyst Lights, a romantic suspense/ fantasy story by Sharon K. Connell. 

Blurb: 

The village of Amythaseah only appears to the outside fairyland world of Crystandavair for seven days every one hundred years. Lady Jillian, ordered to marry the prince, flees and the prince’s guards pursue her. She happens upon two faery brothers in the forest. The older brother, Lylan, is compelled to aid the beautiful faerylet. But can he save her, or his family, when guards from the royal village descend upon his town of Glistineare? Will Prince Maricent’s minions find the fair Jillian and force her to marry him? What will happen to Jillian if the seven days expire and the village disappears for another hundred years?

Author Bio:

Author Sharon K. Connell has lived in many places across the United States. She retired from the clerical-medical field in 2012, and now writes full time. Sharon lives with her husband in Houston, Texas, from where she writes Christian Romance Suspense, plus mystery, and as much humor as she can get into a story. She has three grown children and eight grandchildren, all living elsewhere in the country.

Sharon attended college in Illinois, graduated from the Pensacola Bible Institute in Florida, and holds a certificate in fiction writing from the International Writing Program through the University of Iowa.

Besides visiting all but six states in the United States, her travels have taken her to Canada and Mexico. The experiences she’s had while visiting and living in these areas has been invaluable in her writing.

        Sharon is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, Scribes Critique Group, Houston Writers Guild, Christian Women Writers, and CyFair Writers. She is founder of the global Facebook Christian Writers & Readers group forum. Her monthly newsletter, Novel Thoughts, goes out every month to its subscribers in all parts of the world, featuring helpful information for writers and readers. She’s also a contributing writer for Faith on Every Corner, a global online inspirational magazine. 

Social Media Links:

Website: http://www.authorsharonkconnell.com
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/sharonkconnell
Facebook Book Page: https://www.facebook.com/averypresenthelpbook1
Facebook Author’s Page: https://www.facebook.com/ChristianRomanceSuspense/
Facebook Group Forum: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChristianWritersAndReadersGroupForum/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SharonKConnell
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/SharonKConnell
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharonkconnell
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/rosecastle1/
Tall Pines Sanctuary Group Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/3450908258475494
Ko'olau's Secret Group Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/1125923617932028
Amethyst Lights Group Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/2383356775135658

Books:
A Very Present Help http://amzn.to/2yuF4eE
Paths of Righteousness http://www.amazon.com/dp/1732923701
There Abideth Hope http://www.amazon.com/dp/173292371X
His Perfect Love http://amzn.to/2iCMALI
Icicles to Moonbeams ~ Christmas Eve Blessings https://amzn.to/2OfcHYi
Treasure in a Field www.amazon.com/dp/1732923736
Sharon’s Shorts~A Multi-Genre Collection of Short Stories https://www.amazon.com/dp/1732923744
Ko’olau’s Secret https://www.amazon.com/dp/1732923752
Tall Pines Sanctuary: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1732923787
Amethyst Lights: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1732923795
Simply Cooking https://www.amazon.com/dp/1732923779

Review of Amid the Cold of Winter by Clare Revell

My Review:

Amid the Cold of Winter is a suspenseful Christmas Extravaganza title by British author Clare Revell. 

In this story, I liked the banter between Zander Ellery and Isabel York. The characters were well-developed. I also liked the spiritual arc and inclusion of the devotional moment at the end. 

I liked watching British shows, and so reading the story made me feel like I was watching one of those programs. I even pictured British actors as I read the story. 

The book starts off with a bang. Kate Dahlbeck is cleaning a church. Her boss is attacked, and there is an explosion. Fearing for her life, Kate pretends to be dead but goes to Zander for help. But she decides not to tell him what happened, and Zander becomes busy with another case. I don't want to say too much more for fear of spoiling the ending. But suffice it to say, be prepared for a very merry happily ever after. 

If you enjoy this story, consider reading other Ellery and York novels by Clare Revell. 

Blurb:

It’s Christmas and DS Zander Ellery is buried in work. He’s tried hard to put the events of Jack’s House, an undercover operation, behind him, yet his thoughts keep returning to Kate. She promised to keep in touch, and she hasn’t.

Kate Dahlbeck left town after the events of Jack’s House. With her past exposed, no home and no job, she fled to her brother to work for him. Now she’s up to her neck in trouble, on the run and can only think of one person to help. Zander with a zed.

Zander and his partner, DC Isabel York, agree to help. It doesn’t take much investigating before Zander understands that Kate’s situation is far worse, far messier, and far more dangerous than he first realised.

Purchase Links:

www.amazon.co.uk/Amid-Cold-Winter-Christmas-Extravaganza-ebook/dp/B0BDHXTDC3

https://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=68_41&products_id=1598

Twenty-five Christmas Reads! (Giveaway Extended)

Every year, Pelican Book Group releases new Christmas Extravaganza titles.

This year, I thought it would be fun to list twenty-five Pelican Book Group Christmas titles (past and present) from various genres: mystery, romantic suspense, suspense, Gothic romance, etc. 

1. Dark Streets Shineth by Clare Revell

2. Christmas Hideaway by Wendy Davy

3. All I Want for Christmas is Johnny Rocker Dead by Lillian Duncan

4. Blue Christmas by Clare Revell

5. A Christmas Stolen by Lillian Duncan

6. Christmas Passed by Anita Klumpers

7.  A Texas Christmas Mystery by Anne Greene

8. Amid the Cold of Winter by Clare Revell

9. Holly in December by Clare Revell

10. Gold, Frankincense, and Murder by Barbara Early

11. The Christmas Stalking by Lillian Duncan

12. No Home for the Holidays by Lillian Duncan

13. A Blessed Blue Christmas by LoRee Peery

14. Candle for a Corpse by Marilynn Leach

15. Murder on Birchardville Hill by Ruth Buchanan

16. All's Fair in Love and Arson by Sharon McGregor

17. Plundered Christmas by Susan Lyttek

18. Chasing Christmas by Steven Hunt

19. Christmas in Coyote County by Mary L. Briggs

20. Down in Yon Forest by Clare Revell

21. Once Upon a Christmas by Clare Revell

22. Season for Miracles by Clare Revell

23. Clear as Ice by Penelope Marzec

24. Undercover Santa by Wendy Davy

25. The Volk Advent by Joy Wilks

I’m giving away two copies of a CD containing thirteen Pelican Book Group stories, including my suspense novel, Dog Tags, and three Christmas stories (two mentioned in this post). The CD contains three electronic formats of each story so you can enjoy the books on almost any device. *The giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only.

*Update - Giveaway extended*

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this blog post by December 1, 2022 and include your email address. You may spell it out: yournameatgmaildotcom. On December 2, 2022, I will choose a winner randomly and then announce the winner.

The CD includes the following stories:

·         A Texas Christmas Mystery—Anne Greene

·         After the Fire—Clare Revell

·         Christmas Ivy—Judy Ducharme

·         Clear as Ice—Penelope Marzec

·         Dog Tags—Heidi Glick

·         From Scratch—C.E. Hilbert

·         Girls of Summer—C.E. Hilbert

·         Island Charm—Audrey Wick

·         Just One Kiss—Wendy Davy

·         Rose in the Desert—K.M. Daughters

·         Rose of the Adriatic—K.M. Daughters

·         Someone to Trust—Lesa Henderson

·         The Inheritance—Pamela S. Thibodeaux

Review of Range by Ronie Kendig

I'm a Metcalfe fan. I can admit it. So I was super excited that the third book in The Metcalfes series, "Range," was available on Amazon. This weekend, I went ahead and gave myself an early Christmas present and purchased the Kindle edition. 😊

In this third book, Range Metcalfe is trying to locate and capture a high profile madam in Afghanistan (who engages in human trafficking), but Range's plans go awry. Things are not what they seem. In this story, just as with the others in the series, be prepared for a wild ride...lots of adventure with a side of romance, plus a great spiritual arc. In particular, I like how Ronie circles back to the characters Canyon and Dani from the Discarded Heroes series, which I highly recommend.

With this series, Ronie does a good job of providing a gritty, realistic view of a delicate topic (human trafficking). She doesn't hold back with her portrayal and exposes hypocrisy.

One thing about fiction is that writers are told to wrap things up quickly and include the HEA at the end of a story. But I appreciate when it's done well, and Kendig handled this ending realistically.

If you enjoy action, adventure, romance, and don't shy away from sensitive topics such as human trafficking, this book should appeal to you!

To purchase this book on Amazon, click here. 

 

Review of Deception

Deception, the fourth book in Patricia Bradley’s Natchez Trace Park Rangers series, is a romantically suspenseful, fast-paced tale featuring a ranger who works with the Investigative Services Branch (Madison Thorn) and park ranger, Clayton Bradshaw. The book starts off with a bang and continues to feature plenty of action to keep readers turning the pages. The ending contains several twists, which will keep readers guessing until the very end. The spiritual theme of the book is forgiveness, which is handled well and woven organically into the story. Additionally, the book deals with the topics of addiction and adoption. While this is the fourth book in the series, it could be read stand-alone.

 To watch the trailer for Deception (on Twitter), click here.

*Please note that I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my review. However, I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own. 

Moon over Montana

My review:

As a girl, I enjoyed riding horses, so Moon over Montana, a contemporary tale about wild equines, resonated with me. 

After a broken engagement with Rex Carson, Megan Donovan feels a strong pull to visit her grandfather’s farm, located in Five Forks, Montana. Despite her mother’s complicated feelings surrounding the inherited estate, Megan decides to travel to the small town. While there, she meets a spunky cowboy, Cam (David Campbell), and their first meet is anything but love at first sight. As the story progresses, Megan tries to unravel the mystery surrounding her grandfather’s business dealings, all the while, examining her growing feelings for Cam. 

Moon over Montana is a sweet romance with a touch of mystery. Published by Pelican Book Group, the story is available from various online retailers.

 

Author bio:

Mary K. Marelli lives with her husband on a private lake nestled in the foothills of the Pocono Mountains in eastern Pennsylvania.  Her writing is inspired by a variety of true life experiences, and a cause dear to her heart, the preservation of America’s wild horses.

Blurb: 

What do you do with an inheritance that no one wants?

Megan Donovan’s broken engagement has left her aimless with only one place to go: Montana. Her estranged grandfather has left the broken-down ranch of her mother’s youth. Trouble is, Mom’s memories of that time are so tainted that Megan doesn’t want anything to do with the place.

The wild horses that David “Cam” Campbell protects from rustlers need a sanctuary to roam free. What better location than Old Man Jenkins’ acreage adjacent to his own successful ranch? But Cam’s gotten off on the wrong foot with Megan, and that gal’s not selling—not unless Cam can convince her that it’s best for everyone involved.

But is giving Megan a reason to leave, really the best he can do?

Social media links: 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14144916.Mary_Marelli 

https://twitter.com/MarelliMary

https://www.facebook.com/mary.marelli.9/

https://www.marymarelli.com/

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. All of my opinions are my own.

Interview with Author Anita Klumpers

Please welcome today’s guest, Anita Klumpers. Her new suspense novel, “A Murder of Crows,” came out April 22, 2022. I hope you enjoy my interview with Anita.

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

“Buttonholed” has to be my favorite. As usual, I had no idea where the story would go when I agreed to write on the theme “Whatever is of good repute.” Hey, I didn’t even have a story! But on a short trip to Nashville we visited Andrew Jackson’s home and learned about duals.

My story, setting, and characters were birthed in pretty short order.

So a book set in a fictional eastern Tennessee town, peopled with southern ladies and gentlemen and sensibilities, was created by a Midwestern grandma who’d never lived further south than Denver and still has her mom’s Chicago-girl accent.

It was fun to write and research and invent and to give life to the characters.

Since I usually write suspense-romance and get myself utterly tangled in plot devices of my own making, a straightforward humorous romance was so much less stressful!

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

Elise, in “Hounded.” She is so different than my other female protagonists! They all have a bit of me in them—anxious to please, a little insecure, sometimes a bit klutzy. And always trying to be kind.

Elise is strong, opinionated, beautiful, abrasive, and a real mess. It was fun to write about someone I personally have noting in common with, except a love of dogs, our parents, and a need for a Savior.

Which authors have most influenced your writing?

Mary Stewart. She had a strong sense of location, a gracefully intelligent writing style and genuinely suspenseful stories with just a thread or two of romance woven through.

Josephine Tey wrote glorious mysteries but her strong and sympathetic portrayal of characters make me admire her books even more.

Dorothy Sayers was a strong, intelligent and articulate Christian who didn’t write “Christian” fiction but her faith and belief system seemed the foundation of her novels.

“A Murder of Crows” Blurb:

Teacher Paulina Deacon lives in a quiet North Dakota town. Newcomer John Tolen shows interest in her and Pauli senses some delightful changes in her future. But a murder of crows and the murder of John Tolen snatch that future away in an instant. Leaving everything, including her name, behind, Pauli flees to the woods of northern Wisconsin.

Hal Karlsen’s life work at the clinic in tiny Brier is to change lives of those with various addictions. Few people from the outside find the little town. Until a young woman with a deadly secret arrives. And Hal has no idea what to do with her.

A menace followed Pauli into the woods, and grows stronger each day.

Can Hal protect Pauli? Will Pauli stay alive long enough to convince him she means no harm? And will those deadly crows drive her mad before either can occur?

Anita Klumpers Bio:

Anita Klumpers’ previously published novels are “Winter Watch,” “Hounded” “Christmas Passed,” and “Buttonholed.”  She lives in south central Wisconsin with her husband (of Dutch origin) and her dog Trudy (of questionable origin).

When not fervently wishing she had a more organized approach to writing, Anita spends time with her family, including three sons who should be used to her by now since she homeschooled them forever. She dotes on three lovely daughters-in-law and seven of the cutest grandkids you ever did see. Her church family is absolutely amazing and she thanks God for blessing her so abundantly. Whenever possible, she enjoys time with her husband and friends, all of whom are also pretty cute. Her deepest joy comes from the grace and knowledge of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Buying Info:

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Crows-Anita-Klumpers-ebook/dp/B09TGNZ5T7

Social Media:

https://www.facebook.com/Anita-Klumpers-Author-1720236094863202