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Tag Archives: Christian fiction
Introducing Shady Valley Mysteries!
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It’s that time again—a new book releasing! SMALL TOWN SECRETS is based in the fictional town of Shady Valley, but does resemble my hometown of Shreve, Ohio. Except nothing this exciting happens in Shreve–which is a good thing. That’s why I like living there.
But nothing happening would make for a boring book so Shady Valley has a few secrets–secrets that could kill!
On the surface, Shady Valley seems to be the ideal all-American place to live with beautiful flowering trees lining both sides of the street as you enter the picturesque town. Neighbors help neighbors. Doors are often left unlocked.
Serious crimes are practically nonexistent—almost but not quite!
When Angie McVey disappears on her wedding day, rookie officer Cami Martine is determined to find her best friend. Unfortunately, there are no leads to follow.
Angie seems to have disappeared into thin air.
But not everyone in Shady Valley is what they appear to be. Some have secrets—deadly secrets—that they hide behind the masks they wear. If Cami is to bring her best friend home, she will need to discover the deadly secrets of her friends and neighbors and find the one who wears the biggest mask.
SMALL TOWN SECRETS is a fast-paced mystery and suspense novel that will keep you turning pages past your bedtime. It goes on sale October 13th, but you can pre-order the book right now! Just click HERE!
Thanks for all your support. BTW, I just finished final edits on another book–WALKING THROUGH THE RAIN. I can’t wait to tell you more about that as it gets closer to release time!
GOD BLESS & GOOD READING!
Writer of the Day–ANN BRODEUR
2 CommentsANN BRODEUR is an award-winning novelist who writes inspirational and contemporary romances offering sweet hope and happy endings. When she’s not reading, writing, chasing after her kids or enjoying long chats with her husband, Ann can be found drinking coffee, that’s been reheated several times throughout the day. She aspires to someday drink a hot beverage in one sitting. Her debut, SNOWBOUND IN WINTERBERRY FALLS released Nov 6, 2020 by Anaiah Press.
You can connect with Ann at https://www.facebook.com/annbrodeurauthor or by signing up for her newsletter on her website: http://brodeurwrites.com/
Let’s learn a bit more about Ann Brodeur.
How or why did you become a writer? I’ve always wanted to write. A couple of months ago I discovered my diary from when I was ten years old. In it, I’d written how I wanted to become a Christian author someday so that I could tell people about Jesus with my words. Looking back over my career in the non-profit world, I can see how everything I did led me to writing novels (like grant-writing amongst other things).
Why do you write Christian Fiction? I write Christian Fiction because it gives people hope that general market and literary fiction can’t give them. It’s about writing the stories God has placed on my heart and letting Him lead as I write.
In the summer of 2019 I was challenged by a family camp speaker. In his sermon he threw out this challenge – with the little talent God has given you, how can you use it to make the most impact for God? I come back to this challenge every so often to remind myself of why I’m writing the stories I do.
Tell us something interesting about yourself. (Can be funny, serious, or spiritual) I hated chocolate up until my third trimester when I was pregnant with twins – then I couldn’t eat enough!
Tell us a little about your books. (General not a specific book promo but you can list titles.) I write stories with sweet hope and happy endings. My debut novel released at the beginning of November, SNOWBOUND IN WINTERBERRY FALLS, a contemporary inspirational Christmas romance. At the moment, I write contemporary inspirational romances but I do have some other novel ideas I’m eager to jump into which would be considered women’s fiction and historical fiction. Those stories (in my head anyway) don’t have a strong romantic thread and may not even be considered romance by the time I’m done. There will definitely be the hope aspect and at the moment, happy endings for all the stories I plan to write.
Tell us a little about your current book. (1 paragraph) SNOWBOUND IN WINTERBERRY FALLS is a novel about uncovering the pain of the past and trusting God’s leading. It’s a story of redemption and second chances, set in the fictional town of Winterberry Falls, Vermont during the most celebrated season of all, Christmas. A winter storm thrusts my heroine back into a town that only holds bittersweet memories for her, and onto the doorstep of the man who’d stolen her heart and disappeared twelve years earlier. The only way to protect the woman he fell in love with is to stay out of her life, but what’s a guy to do when she shows up out of the blue? And how will he ever keep her safe from the secret that will destroy her family when she’s stuck in town indefinitely?
Why do you consider this book a modern-day parable? It’s a story most any one can relate to. Have you ever been lied to? Has someone kept something from you as a way of protecting you? Have you ever had that wrestling match with God wanting to do things His way, but just not ready to give up yours?
This story grapples all of those things and more, but through it all there’s a message of hope. If we confess our sin, God is faithful to forgive us. If we follow His lead, blessings will flow.
SNOWBOUND IN WINTERBERRY FALLS
Unwrapping their past – one secret at a time.
Owning her own PR firm is all reporter Stephanie Clark wants for Christmas, but the idea of running a prestigious election campaign in the country’s capital throws her stomach into knots. A last minute vacation road trip to focus and seek God’s direction for her life ends up in disaster when she gets caught in the worst snowstorm to hit Vermont in over a decade, crashing her into a small town and the one person she’d rather forget.
GIVEAWAY!
There’s a BookSweeps going on from Dec 7-16. Category is Holiday Inspirational Romance and my book is up for a giveaway there (as well as a couple of other ACFW writers). The link to include (if you’re inclined to include it, but don’t feel that you have to since Dec 16 is the last day): https://www.booksweeps.com/giveaway/december-2020/inspirational-romance-holiday-extravaganza/
MORE JANE DOE
5 CommentsBy now, you know that I had a new book released last week–JANE DOE.
Here’s the official back cover blurb:
A Broken Body. A Broken Mind. What If She Wasn’t The Last Victim?
Raven Marks survives a brutal kidnapping but just barely. Along with a broken body, her mind is broken. She wants to put the past behind her, but nightmarish memories won’t let her. . .At first because she doesn’t have them, and then because she does.
Even though her fractured memory can’t recall every detail, she’s haunted by one thought: What if she wasn’t the last victim? Her search for answers leads her to the highest politicians in the land. Each reclaimed memory brings her closer to the truth—and to even more danger.
I wanted to share the review Publisher Weekly wrote about JANE DOE:
A woman wakes up in the hospital with no recollection of what happened to her in this exhilarating inspirational from Duncan (Until Death Do Us Part). Suffering from broken legs and a head injury, Raven finds herself in a hospital, where she begins to heal with the support of Gracie, a chaplain. After recovering sufficiently to move into a home close to her sister, Raven’s memories begin to return, and she recalls being held captive but can’t manage to identify the man who kidnapped her. Raven resolves to face her fears in order to discover her abductor’s identity and uncover the reasons behind her kidnapping. She teams up with Hunter, a self-defense instructor and sheriff’s deputy she meets while in recovery, to decipher the clues. After Raven recalls presidential candidate Charles Whitman’s voice as that of her kidnapper and learns she was found unconscious near his hometown, no one is ready to believe her claims that Whitman might be responsible. Raven’s faith, meanwhile, is tested as she wrestles with feelings of shame and guilt over being abducted, and she discovers that, in order to truly heal, she must learn to stop keeping secrets and to trust God. Duncan’s thrilling tale of justice and salvation will be perfect for fans of Terri Blackstock. (July)
In case you didn’t read the very last part, let me show it to you again. JANE DOE will be perfect for fans of Terri Blackstock! YAY! I love Terri Blackstock and her novels. It’s such an honor to have my work compared to hers. Thank you, Publisher Weekly!
GIVEAWAY!
I usually have a giveaway to celebrate a new release and this time is no exception. The first giveaway will be here on my blog, but there will be a second giveaway later, but you’ll have to wait until next week for that information For now, leave a comment on any of my Jane Doe blogs, and you’ll be entered to win one of three $10 AMAZON GIFT CARDS! That’s right–three winners! But wait…there’s more! If you tweet, or post about JANE DOE on your social media, I’ll give you a second entrance. Just enter the link as a comment and you’ll be entered a second time. EASY PEASY!
Here’s a few examples of a tweet or post you can use:
A Broken Body. A Broken Mind. What if she isn’t his last victim? JANE DOE by LillianDuncan https://buff.ly/2Zf6NdV
A chance to win Amazon Gift Cards at Tiaras & Tennis Shoes to celebrate the release of JANE DOE. No purchase necessary to be entered. For more details, go to www.lillian-duncan.com
WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN ON JULY 20TH. PLEASE SIGN UP TO FOLLOW THIS BLOG SO YOU DON’T MISS OUT ON THE WINNERS ANNOUNCEMENT! THANKS.
God Bless & Good Reading!
Jane Doe or Lillian Duncan?
7 CommentsJane Doe or Lillian Duncan?
I have a little more in common with JANE DOE than I usually have with my characters and I can admit that makes me a little uncomfortable. True the details are completely different but there are some commonalities as well.
Jane Doe also known as Raven Marks survives a brutal kidnapping but just barely. Along with a broken body, her mind is broken. That’s sound like hitting rock-bottom, doesn’t it? Even though, I’ve never survived a brutal kidnapping, I have hit rock-bottom–physically. I was diagnosed with bilateral brain tumors in 2012. They were non-cancerous but they still wreaked havoc on my health. By the end of five years of treatment, I had to use a walker; barely had the energy to walk to the kitchen; was completely deaf in one ear and partly deaf in the other; severe balance issues as well as a multitude of other “little” symptoms.
When you hit rock-bottom physically, it can affect you spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. I’m also sure the reverse is true as well–if you hit rock-bottom in one of the other areas, it can affect you physically as well. When you hit rock-bottom, whether it’s physically or spiritually, that’s when your faith will either grow or you’ll get stuck in the situation.
The choice is yours, just as it was up to me to decide.
I knew I would never be as healthy as I was before the tumors, but I decided I wanted to be as healthy as I could be. That meant believing God’s promises–even when it seemed impossible–even when I wanted to give up–even when I didn’t see any improvement. Hebrews 11: 1 says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” In other words, believing when it seems impossible–believing without seeing.
In JANE DOE, Raven literally hits rock-bottom when she’s thrown off a cliff. As Raven struggles to rebuild her life, she learns that God is still trustworthy; that God is still faithful and loving; and that God is still all-powerful. Her belief in God gives her hope for the future and assurance about what we do not see.
That is faith!
I learned those same things during my journey to a healthy-er me. And that’s what I hope my readers learn when they read JANE DOE!
GIVEAWAY!
I usually have a giveaway to celebrate a new release and this time is no exception. The first giveaway will be here on my blog, but there will be a second giveaway later, but you’ll have to wait until next week for that information For now, leave a comment on any of my Jane Doe blogs, and you’ll be entered to win one of three $10 AMAZON GIFT CARDS! That’s right–three winners! But wait…there’s more! If you tweet, or post about JANE DOE on your social media, I’ll give you a second entrance. Just enter the link as a comment and you’ll be entered a second time. EASY PEASY!
Here’s a few examples of a tweet or post you can use:
A Broken Body. A Broken Mind. What if she isn’t his last victim? JANE DOE by LillianDuncan https://buff.ly/2Zf6NdV
A chance to win Amazon Gift Cards at Tiaras & Tennis Shoes to celebrate the release of JANE DOE. No purchase necessary to be entered. For more details, go to www.lillian-duncan.com
WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN ON JULY 20TH. PLEASE SIGN UP TO FOLLOW THIS BLOG SO YOU DON’T MISS OUT ON THE WINNERS ANNOUNCEMENT! THANKS.
God Bless & Good Reading!
IT’S HERE! JANE DOE!
13 CommentsJANE DOE is my latest novel and it’s a doozy!
What’s the genre you ask? It’s suspense with lots of drama and action…but it also a political thriller…but it also has a lot of mystery components…but there’s the romance element as well… and let’s not forget the spiritual message! No matter what genre you classify it as, it’s one I think you’ll enjoy!
So how did JANE DOE come about? I’d finished all my edits on a current book and was feeling very uninspired. I had no idea for my next story, so I went on FB and asked people to send me an idea for my next suspense novel. An old high school friend sent me the suggestion to write a story where the main character struggled with memory loss. Mmmm… but the old amnesia plot has been done and it’s a big no-no that writing experts warn against.
Still, I took the challenge and wrote JANE DOE.
It’s definitely not your typical amnesia plot, but the main character is haunted by her memories. First, because she doesn’t have them and then because she does!
Raven Marks survives a brutal kidnapping but just barely. Along with a broken body, her mind is broken. Even though she can’t remember the details of her kidnapping, she’s haunted by the thought that someone else is being victimized by the kidnapper she can’t remember.
Her journey to discover the truth leads her to the highest politicians in the state and then the country. Each reclaimed memory brings her closer to the truth—and to even more danger.
I’m not going to give away the plot, but there’s plenty of twists and turns to keep you reading late into the night!
GIVEAWAY!
I usually have a giveaway to celebrate a new release and this time is no exception. The first giveaway will be here on my blog, but there will be a second giveaway later, but you’ll have to wait until next week for that information For now, leave a comment on any of my Jane Doe blogs, and you’ll be entered to win one of three $10 AMAZON GIFT CARDS! That’s right–three winners! But wait…there’s more! If you tweet, or post about JANE DOE on your social media, I’ll give you a second entrance. Just enter the link as a comment and you’ll be entered a second time. EASY PEASY!
Here’s a few examples of a tweet or post you can use:
A Broken Body. A Broken Mind. What if she isn’t his last victim? JANE DOE by LillianDuncan https://buff.ly/2Zf6NdV
A chance to win Amazon Gift Cards at Tiaras & Tennis Shoes to celebrate the release of JANE DOE. No purchase necessary to be entered. For more details, go to www.lillian-duncan.com
WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN ON JULY 20TH. PLEASE SIGN UP TO FOLLOW THIS BLOG SO YOU DON’T MISS OUT ON THE WINNERS ANNOUNCEMENT! THANKS.
God Bless & Good Reading!
STANDOFF by Patricia Bradley
Leave a commentThis is my first Patricia Bradley novel but it won’t be my last! I love the way she weaves the romance into a suspense novel. But make no mistake, suspense is definitely the shining star in STANDOFF–just the way I like it!
I don’t like to give away plots in my reviews but I’ll tell you this much. The story centers around Brooke Danvers who is about to become a park ranger when her father (a park ranger) is found dead. His death is ruled a suicide but Brooke knows her father well enough to know that’s not true. And she plans on proving it–even if she is a rookie. Her old flame, Luke, shows up. Brooke thinks he’s a bartender but he’s actually working undercover.
And that’s all the teaser I’m going to give you. But there’s plenty of suspense and action to keep you turning the pages. Bradley is an award-winning novelist and it shows in STANDOFF. I quite enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys suspense and mysteries.
I was given this book by the publisher for an unbiased review.
GOD BLESS & GOOD READING!
THE LAST CHRISTIAN SERIES
Leave a commentI’m so excited about The Last Christian series. It’s filled with lots of drama and suspense but has a deep spiritual message that is very relevant to the times we’re living in right now. When I started writing these stories, I had no idea that they’d be released in the middle of the pandemic when so many people are so afraid and worried about the future. Magdalena and her friends learn a valuable lesson throughout The Last Christian series.
God promises never to forsake his children even in the darkest of times–and he always keeps his promises!
The first story, THE LAST CHRISTIAN is a short novella to introduce NewAmerica–a country where even saying the name of God is a crime! MESSENGER introduces Magdalena Denton, the main character in the last three stories. She’s an unlikely messenger, but when God has a message he always finds the right messenger. UnCitizen follows Magdalena to prison. Prison in NewAmerica is nothing like prison in America. It may sound grim, but it’s really not. I’m in the middle of writing the fourth (and probably final) story–EXILE.
GOOD NEWS!
THE LAST CHRISTIAN is FREE today (Friday) and tomorrow.
Here’s the link:
If you enjoy it, please leave a review on Amazon. Thanks!
GOD BLESS & GOOD READING!
Round Lake
1 CommentRound Lake is one of my favorite places!
It’s a church camp for children but I never went there as a child.
But it’s still one of my favorite places.
Even though it’s for children, twice a year (Memorial Day and Labor Day), they have something called Family Camp. People from all over Ohio come for a weekend of camping with their church family. It’s a wonderful and very special time. I’ve learned many things while having a fun time at Family Camp. Maybe, I’ll write another post called Lessons from Round Lake, but not today.
Round Lake is special, not just to me, but to everyone who’s attended there over the years. In fact, I’ve heard more than one person describe it as “Holy Ground.” The first time I heard it described that way, it resonated in me. Round Lake truly is Holy Ground. Over the years thousands of children have been taught about God there; but even more important, they met God at Round Lake.
As a writer, something that special doesn’t go unnoticed to me. For more years than I can remember, I wanted to write a story that included Round Lake. I sort of knew the premise of the story I wanted to write but never did anything about it. Until now! Last year after I finished and submitted this year’s books to my publisher, I decided it was time. So I wrote part of the story and got stuck and then I’d write a little more and get stuck. Again and again.
It was really frustrating! I usually can write the first draft of a novel in about a month but not this time. To say it was slow going would be an understatement. But when something’s important to me, I don’t give up too easily. So I kept plugging along. And still there was nothing in it about Round Lake and no way to get there. Yet. But then the story started falling in place. It’s ended up in a series I titled THE LAST CHRISTIAN. I released the second story–MESSENGER–before the first story–THE LAST CHRISTIAN. But I’ve got it all arranged now. THE LAST CHRISTIAN–MESSENGER–UNCITIZEN–EXILE in that order.
The first three books have been released–and still no Round Lake. The first story, THE LAST CHRISTIAN is a short novella to introduce NewAmerica–a country where even saying the name of God is a crime! MESSENGER introduces Magdalena Denton, the main character in the last three stories. She’s an unlikely messenger, but when God has a message he always finds the right messenger. I’m in the middle of writing EXILE now. And I’m getting very close to Round Lake–or maybe I should say the characters are getting very close to Round Lake.
I’m so excited about The Last Christian series. It’s filled with lots of drama and suspense but has a deep spiritual message that is very relevant to the times we’re living in right now. When I started writing these stories last year, I had no idea that they’d be released in the middle of the pandemic when so many people are so afraid and worried about the future. Magdalena and her friends learn a valuable lesson throughout the stories. God promises never to forsake his children even in the darkest of times–and he always keeps his promises!
GOD BLESS & GOOD READI
NEW BOOK ALERT! MESSENGER
2 CommentsI’m so excited to let everyone know that the first in my MESSENGER Series will be releasing on February 29! As of now, it will be a 3-book series, the second will be UNCITIZEN and the third, EXILE.
This story has rattled around in my brain for a long…long time. It’s not my usual suspense but it has a lot of suspense and action in it. It’s a dystopian novel. In case you don’t know what that means, it’s when a novel is set in an imagined society where there is great suffering or injustice. So that definitely means lots of action and suspense.
Magdalena Denton is an unlikely messenger since she’s grown up in the godless country of NewAmerica where all religion has been banned even saying the name of God is punishable by death! But when God has a message, he will always find a MESSENGER!
Life is perfect in NewAmerica. No crime. No poverty. No war. No discrimination.
Life is perfect as long as you’re a loyal citizen.
Life is perfect as long as you follow The Guardian Rules without question.
All religion has been banned, even uttering the name of God is a crime punishable by death. Magdalena Denton is an unlikely messenger, but when a patient braves the consequences to tell her The Guardians have deceived everyone about God, she’s determined to discover the truth.
Life is perfect in NewAmerica until the moment you wonder…is there a God?
Magdalena lives in a society that is controlled by The Guardians. The Guardians are in control…of every aspect of a person’s life. In return, loyal citizens are provided with all that they need for a good life; housing; clothing, food; and entertainment. Magdalena knows she should be happy, but she’s not. When a patient tells her that God is real and he loves her, she wants to know the truth–no matter how dangerous it is. And it’s very dangerous!
Even though I’ve classified the story as YA novel (young adult), but it’s not just for the young. In fact, it’s a timeless story that people of any age will enjoy. There’s two aspects to MESSENGER. There’s the literal plot with lots of suspense, action, and a little romance. But then there’s the spiritual lessons that are a part of the story as well.
I usually have a giveaway to celebrate a new release and I do this time but…. the giveaway is on my new blog–MODERN DAY PARABLES. To learn about the giveaway, go to Modern Day Parables and leave a comment under the MESSENGER POST. And while you’re there, sign up to follow the blog so you don’t miss any other giveaways! Thanks,
God Bless & Good Reading!
Tiaras & Tennis Shoes 