Tag Archives: Christian suspense

NewAm–The Beginning (part 7)

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As promised, here’s the next installment of my free novelette that shows the beginnings of NewAm. the setting of my new Christian series, Messengers that will re-release on July 5th. I hope you enjoy this free novelette- NewAm—The Beginning.

You can learn more about the series if you click on the
link below. Thanks.

AMAZON LINK TO MESSENGERS SERIES

CHAPTER 13

No one spoke.

“Oh my.” Mama Rose patted Mary’s arm. “Oh my. This is…I don’t know what this is. I’ve never…it’s shocking. I…I don’t even know what to say.”

Pops shook his head. “I don’t care what they say. I’m not giving up my guns. I need them to protect my family. This is still America and I have rights.”

“I’m not sure about that, Pops. It sounds like maybe we don’t.” Mary pointed out.

“It sounds bad, Paul, but you heard them. They have our best interests at heart. It’s going to be OK. I think we can trust them.”

“Why? Because they said so. You heard them. They suspended the Constitution of the United States of America. No election. No guns. No rights. That doesn’t sound like America to me.”

“It’s the NewAmerica. Yesa, it’s different than what we’re used to do but they have our best interests at heart. They said so. I believe them.” Mama Rose kept patting Mary’s arm as she talked. “We have to believe them. We were at war. War changes things.”

 Mary didn’t know what to believe. Finally, she managed to mutter, “But I don’t want to go to the Army. I was supposed to go to college after graduation. I want to be a teacher.”

Her mother’s arms went around her. “She’s too young. She shouldn’t have to go to the army. They can’t make her do that, can they?”

Pop’s voice was shaky. “It sounds as if they’re planning on making her do exactly that—no matter what we want.”

Tears trickled down Mama Rose’s face. “What are we going to do? We can’t just let them take her.”

Mary sobbed.

Pops stood us. “Both of you need to calm down. We’ll get through this together. It’s just like they said, it wasn’t a shooting war. There’s no reason to think it will become one. It was a Technology War. They’ll see how smart you are, Mary. They’ll want to give you more training, probably in computers or something like that. We’ll win this war withith technology not a gun.”

“I don’t want to go.”

“And I don’t want you to go.” Pops looked at them. “I just don’t know what to say. Or what to do. But I know I’m not giving up my guns.”

Mama Rose shook her head. “They’re going to come in to our house and look for guns. If they find them, we’ll all be arrested. We’ll all go to jail. Is that you what you want, Paul? For all of us to go to jail?”

“Of course not.” He stood there staring at them. He took a deep breath. “Mary, you’ve been a Christian much longer than us. What do you think God wants us to do?”

“I’m not sure. I know there are verses that talk about submitting to authority.”

Mama Rose still sat on the couch, shaking her head. “We’ll need to read those verses, but right I don’t think we have a choice. We’re going to have to trust the government. Don’t you think?”

“You’re probably right, Rose. We’re going to have to trust the government. After all, they have our best interests at heart. I sure hope that’s true.”

EPILOGUE

In the end, Pops gave up his guns.

In the end, I went to the National Army Headquarters.

In the end, there were no more elections; but the citizens didn’t mind because the government kept their promise to take care of loyal citizens. They provided everything they needed and wanted as long as we were loyal citizens and followed The Guardian Rules.

And the ones who did mind seemed to disappear until there were no more protests—no more opposition. Only loyal citizens were left.

Mama Rose and Pops and I remained faithful to God, but it wasn’t easy as more and more restrictions were placed on the loyal citizens of NewAmerica.

I was sent to our nation’s capital where I worked for the Guardians of Freedom—the first guardians but certainly not the last. That was where I met, fell in love, and eventually married  Walter Matthias—a First Guardian.

I’ve come to the conclusion there are many kinds of truths. The truth you believe from your own experiences. The truth you’re told from those you trust. The truth others want you to believe when in fact it’s not the truth at all.

But in the end, there is only one “real” truth—God’s truth.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

I started these journals by saying I had a secret. I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve never shared it before, even though I know I should have. I was afraid of what would happen to me, but I’m not afraid any longer.

As I said, I’m an old lady now. My time here on earth is running out. Soon I will be in the arms of my dear Savior. But before I leave, I want someone to know the truth about NewAm.

Because Walter and I married, I ended up in a unique position to discover some truths about The Guardians of Freedom and NewAm that I’ve never shared—until now.

There was no Tech War.

America wasn’t attacked by enemies who wanted to destroy us. The war was created by those who were in power who didn’t want to give up their power. My husband, Walter Matthias was one of those people.

I would like to say he didn’t know what he was doing. That others tricked him into aiding in the massive deception. but I can’t say that.

He knew exactly what he was doing.

He wanted that power, just as the other First Guardians did.

And then we fell in love.

When I fell in love with Walter, I couldn’t not tell him the truth about God. I had to share my faith in God with him, no matter the consequences. Once again, I trusted God as I had so many times before. I chose to walk in faith not in sight as my Mommy and Daddy taught me. When I gathered up the courage to do so, I told Walter about God.

He believed me.

He became a Christian.

It may be hard to believe that Walter Matthias, one of the First Guardians, believed in God, loved God, and served God by trying to right his wrongs. He tried to mitigate the damage he helped create but to no avail.

By then The Guardians had all the power they needed to quell the truth.

Still in Walter, I saw how God could change a person. Walter went from being a cold and distant husband to the most loving husband I could ever wish for. Others noticed how he changed. They thought it was because of me, but it was all God.

I will end my story by telling you that God loves you and he sent his son to earth so that you could live with him forever in a place called heaven. This is my truth, but it’s also God’s truth.

May God Bless you,

Mary Frances Wayne Matthias

And there you have it! The Beginning of NewAm.

I had so much fun writing this series. It was a complete departure from what I usually write. I hope you’ll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

AMAZON LINK

NewAm–The Beginning (part 4)

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As promised, here’s the next installment of my free novelette that shows the beginnings of NewAm. the setting of my new Christian series, Messengers that will re-release on July 5th. I hope you enjoy this free novelette–NewAm–The Beginning.

You can learn more about the series if you click on the
link below. Thanks.

AMAZON LINK TO MESSENGERS SERIES

CHAPTER 65

Mary stared down at her Bible for a moment and then back at her parents. By the expressions on their faces, Mary could tell they weren’t happy. She wasn’t quite sure what the problem was. “That’s my Bible.”

“Bibles are illegal, Mary. You know that.” Mama’s voice was gentle.

Pop’s voice wasn’t so gentle. In fact it was stern. Which didn’t happen often. At least not to her. “Where did you even get such a thing, Mary? They’ve all been destroyed. The government is very clear about the fact that there is no God and they refuse to allow others to propagate such a myth. Our only loyalty is to the government not some myth.”

She stared at both of them. They weren’t believers like she was. But up to now, they’d never stopped her from believing what she wanted. Of course, it wasn’t something they really discussed. She just assumed they knew she was a Christian. “I’ve had it since I was a little girl. Since I came here. I’ve always had it. I thought you knew I had it.”

“What do you mean you’ve always had it?” Pops stared at her. “Why didn’t we know about it?”

“I keep it in my room. Sometimes in my desk and sometimes under my pillow. Sometimes in the bookcase. I…it’s…” She threw up her hands. “I didn’t try to hide it from you. At least I don’t think I was. I just can’t believe you didn’t know I had it.”

Pops shook his head. “We’ve never tried to stop you from your ridiculous beliefs about your mythical God. Even though you’re very wrong, but…” He pointed at the Bible. “This is too much. This is illegal contraband and if it’s found it wouldn’t just be you that gets in trouble.”

She closed her eyes. Give me the right words, God and the right attitude. “God is not ridiculous. And he isn’t mythical. He’s just as real as you and me.” It was hard being the only Christian she knew. In all the years she’d lived with Mama Rose and Pops, she’d never met another one. In fact, sometimes it felt like maybe she was the last Christian on earth.

That was a troubling thought for her but then she’d remember that Mommy and Daddy had taught her to walk by faith not by what she could see. So, she’d remind herself that just because she couldn’t see other Christians, it didn’t mean there weren’t any.

Maybe, someday she would meet them.

Pops looked upset as he shook his head. “You’re getting off point. This isn’t about your beliefs. It’s about this contraband that you brought into the house. They could put all of us in jail. Why can’t you understand? He’s not real—it’s just a made-up myth.”

“But it’s been here for years.” Over the years, she’d tried to make her adopted parents understand God was real. They just wouldn’t listen. “Besides, there’s more to this world than what we can see. We have to walk in faith not in sight.”

“I’m not going to discuss this again, Mary. That’s not the point.” Her mother picked up her Bible. “This has to go, Mary. I won’t allow it in my house. Your father’s absolutely right. We would all be arrested. It’s our house so that makes it our responsibility.”

Mary couldn’t believe this. She met Mama Rose’s gaze. “I’m not going to get rid of it. It’s God’s Word. I need it. If it goes, I go with it.”

Her father rolled his eyes. “It’s a fairy tale. Not real. Why would you need it?”

“It’s not a fairy tale. I’ve done what you said, I don’t tell people that I’m a Christian. I don’t talk about God with anyone. Sometimes, I feel like I’m the last Christian in the whole world. And that’s a horrible feeling. But… I need my Bible. It keeps me connected to God.”

“We figured you’d outgrow this old-fashioned idea sooner or later. Now I understand why you haven’t.” Pops held out his hand and Mama gave him the Bible. “Once I get rid of this, you’ll forget all about these ridiculous antiquated and very dangerous ideas about God.”

God expected her to honor her parents, just as if they were her bio-parents. She loved them and had no desire to defy them or to hurt them, but God also expected her to be faithful to him.  She would stand firm, just like her Daddy had told her Mommy when they were sick with the virus.

She had no idea how to handle this situation.

She closed her eyes. Please, God, show me the right thing to do. Give me the right words. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath. “I love you. Both of you. But I also love God. I know you don’t believe he exists, but I know he’s real. The Bible’s taught me to honor you as my parents and I do. If you take my Bible from me, I won’t try to stop you. I will try by best not to be mad about it. And I will still love you, but I’m asking…begging you not to take my Bible.”

Mama Rose looked at Pops and shrugged. “You decide.”

Pops looked at her. “It would have been a lot easier if you’d argued with us like a normal teenager. But no…you tell us you love us. How am I supposed to deal with that?”

“The Bible’s taught me how to act.” She smiled sweetly at him. “If you like the person I am, you can thank the Bible for that. God teaches me so much through the Bible, including how to act.”

Pops sighed. “Fine. I guess you’ve had it all these years and nobody found out about it. I guess you can keep it. Just don’t tell anyone about it and be careful when you have friends over. Make sure it’s somewhere they can’t find it.”

“My friends would never tell on me.”

“I would hope that would be the case but let’s not risk it.” He handed her the Bible.

Her eyes filled with tears as she clutched it to her chest. This book meant so much to her. “Thank you so much. I’ll go put it away and then we can eat the delicious dinner Mama cooked for us.”

When she came back in, her parents were already eating. She sat down. Pops looked at her. “So, your first presidential election’s coming up. Are you excited about it?”

“I don’t know. I’ve been reading about all the candidates. It’s so confusing.”

Mama Rose passed her a bowl of mashed potatoes. “You’re not the only one who’s confused. I’ve never seen such a divisive election before. It’s just horrible.”

“I just vote party lines. It simplifies things.” Dad grinned. “But that’s just me. Of course, the party in control looks like they’re losing ground fast. I know they aren’t happy about—”

The lights went off.

CHAPTER 76

“What happened?” Mama Rose’s voice drifted to Mary in the dark.

“The lights went out.” Pops.

“Duh. Do you think?” Mary.

Pop’s shadow stood up. “I’ll go see if it’s the whole neighborhood. Rose, we got any candles handy? We might need some.”

“I’ll get them.”

Mary stayed in her seat and kept eating. No reason to let her food get cold. Fried chicken really was her favorite. The lights would probably be back on before Mama even found the candles.

But she was wrong.

Just as her mom lit the three candles on the table, Pops walked back in. “It’s the whole neighborhood. Might be the whole city. It’s really dark out there. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it quite that dark before.”

“Sit down and finish eating. There’s nothing we can do about it right now. No reason to let your food get cold.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“This chicken is so good, Mama. It might be the best chicken you ever made.”

Mama Rose laughed. “I doubt that very much. You say that every time, but thanks.”

Mary stood up. “I’m finished eating so I’m going to go check my phone. See if anyone else is sitting in the dark.”

“Good idea.”

She walked over to where she’d left the phone by the chair. She picked it up. Across the screen, it said, NO SERVICE. She walked back over to the table. “That’s odd. The phone says it’s out of service too.”

“Strange. Must have something to do with the electricity.” Dad explained. “Who’s up for a little candlelight card game?”

“Me. Just let me clean up the table first, Pops.” Mary took her plate to the sink. She turned on the water.

Nothing happened.

She walked into the dining room. “Hey. The water’s not working either.” Mama Rose looked at Pops. “That’s strange. That doesn’t usually happen just because the electricity goes off.”

Don’t you just hate it when the electricity goes out? I know I do! The next installment will be here soon. In the meantime, you can pre-order all three books on Amazon at AMAZON LINK.

NewAm–The Beginning(part 3)

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As promised, here’s the next installment of my free novelette that shows the beginnings of NewAm. the setting of my new Christian series, Messengers that will re-release on July 5th. I hope you enjoy this free novelette–MESSENGERS–THE BEGIINNING.

You can learn more about the series if you click on the
link below. Thanks.

AMAZON LINK TO MESSENGERS SERIES

CHAPTER 4

Mary hated living at Miss Sophie’s house. There were lots of kids here and most of them were mean to her—and to everybody else. Nobody hugged her or told her that they loved her like Mommy and Daddy always did.

Mary sat on the couch in Miss Sophie’s office. Her suitcase sat on the floor beside her. She didn’t know why she was here. Miss Sophie told her to put on her best clothes and to be nice.

She was alone in the room, so she didn’t know who she was supposed to be nice to. But she always tried to be nice. Because her Mommy and Daddy told her that’s what Jesus wanted her to do. And Mary wanted to make Jesus happy.

The door opened.

Miss Sophie walked in with two people. She smiled at Mary. “This is your new Mommy and Daddy.”

Mary glared. “I don’t want a new Mommy and Daddy.”

Miss Sophie moved toward her and grabbed her arm then whispered, “You better be nice. This is your last chance. If they don’t want you, you’ll be going to the next proof. Do you understand me?”

Mary nodded.

The woman knelt down in front of her and smiled. “Of course, you don’t want a new Mommy and Daddy. We understand that. You loved them but they’re gone, and you need someone to take care of you. We want to take care of you now, Mary. Would you like that?”

The woman smelled pretty, but Mary didn’t want—didn’t need a new Mommy and Daddy, but she was tired of living here with Miss Sophie.

Miss Sophie wasn’t nice—at all.

Mary didn’t think she even liked kids.

Mary looked past the woman and then at the man. He waved. Mary asked, “Do you like kids?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I never had any before but…you’re not just any kid. I can see that you’re a very special little girl and I like you very much.”

Daddy always told her she was his very special little girl.

She looked back at the woman. “I’m not going to call you Mommy.”

“How about Mama Rose?”

“And you can call me Pops.”

Mary looked back and forth between the man and the woman. “I guess that would be OK.”

“Great. Let’s go home.” Mama Rose reached out her hand to Mary.

Mary took it.

CHAPTER 54

Mary sat in the chair with her legs folded under her and her phone in her hand. She was texting four different people at the same time. One of them in France. She couldn’t wait for him to come to the states so they could meet.

Her adopted mom stuck her head in, “Mary, time for dinner.”

“In a minute, Mama Rose. I’m texting something important.”

“How could you have something that important to say when you just saw them a few hours ago? Come set the table, please.”

“I didn’t just see all of them. We’re texting with Jean-Claude. I can’t wait to meet him when he comes to America next month. Who knows maybe we’ll get married someday and I’ll have little French babies.?.”

“Until that day, I want you to set the table Mary Francesis Wayne.”

“I will. I will. I promise Just give me a minute.”

Mama walked in from the kitchen and gave her the look—the mama look that Mary knew better than to argue with. She put the phone down on the stand but rolled her eyes wheen Mama Rose walked back in the kitchen. “OK. OK. I’m coming.”

“Thank you.”

Mary walked past her and kissed her on the cheek. “No, thank you, Mama Rose. You’re such a good mom. I love you very much.” And she really did. As much as she missed her real Mom and Dad, God had blessed her with wonderful adopted parents.

She hadn’t been very lovable when they brought her to this house. But Mqama Rose and Pops been incredibly patient and kind to her. Slowly, Mary had learned to trust them and then love came after the trust.

Mama Rose flipped the dish towel at her. “What do you want now?”

“Who says I want anything?”

“I say. What do you want?”

“Nothing really. It’s no big deal.”

“No big deal, huh?” Her mom walked back over to the stove.

Mary moved closer as Mama Rose flipped the chicken. “That smells awesome. Fried chicken is my favorite.”

“Like I don’t know that. Now, what do you want?”

“Not much. We want to go to the Friday concert this week, but I got no money.”

“I don’t have any money.” She corrected her English.

“Same problem here.” Mary laughed. “That’s why I need some from you.”

Mama Rose shook her head but smiled. “If you can talk Pops into giving you some, I’ll drive you and your friends to the concert. But I’m not guaranteeing he’ll give you any. That’s between the two of you.”

“Why not? He always does.”

“True but… I’ll just wait until he gets here. We need to have a serious discussion.”

“About what? I didn’t do anything bad at school today. Did I? I don’t remember doing anything bad.”

“Set the table. We’ll talk about it later. After dinner.”

“No. Tell me now. I want to know what I did.”

Pops walked in. “What did you do now?”

“That’s what I want to know, too. Mama said I’m in trouble, but I don’t know what I did. I really don’t remember doing anything bad—at least not too bad.”

“I didn’t say you were in trouble. I said we had something to discuss with you. There’s a difference.”

“We do?” Pops shrugged. “That’s news to me. But if Mama says so then it must be so.”

Mama Rose sighed. “We’ll talk after dinner.”

He looked at Mary. “I guess we have something to discuss with you.”

She winked at Mama Rose. “Before we get to dinner, can I have some money so I can go to the Friday Concert in the Park.?”

“I thought the concerts in the park were free.”

“They are but we want to go for pizza before. And I might want to buy a T-shirt.”

“Trying to hit me up before we have the discussion?”

She grinned and shrugged. “Of course.”

“Smart girl. I’ll give you a tentative yes on that. Let’s see what we have to discuss first. Rose, what is it that we need to discuss?”

“I should have waited until after dinner to bring it up. I don’t want the dinner ruined. I worked very hard making fried chicken.”

“Too late now.” Pops walked over the refrigerator and pulled out a two-liter of soda. “You’ve got both of us curious. And I’m sure Mary won’t be able to enjoy her favorite dinner without knowing. You wouldn’t want to ruin her dinner, would you? Might as well tell us now.”

“Fine.” She walked out of the room. When she came back in, she said, “This is what we need to talk about.”

Mama Rose set Mary’s Bible on the table.

IT’S ONLY FICTION…BUT COULD IT HAPPEN?

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I’m excited to announce that my MESSENGERS series is being re-released on July 5th by my publisher. I love this series. t’d never written a dystopian (futuristic) novel before so it was a learning experience for me. Here’s a little bit about the series. Read to the end for a surprise!

My new MESSENGERS series is fiction…but could it happen?

Life is perfect in NewAm: no crime; no poverty; no war; no discrimination, but also no God. The government decides where a citizen works, where a citizen lives, and how a citizen thinks, even though the Guardians would deny this.

Life is perfect until the moment you wonder…is there a God?

God will not be defined nor confined by man’s law.

Magdalena Denton is an unlikely messenger. She’s grown up in the godless world of NewAm where even saying the name of Jesus is a crime. But when God has a message, he will always find a MESSENGER.

All three books in the series are releasing at the same time so you don’t have to wait for these exciting stories.

MESSENGER (Book 1) Magdalena Denton is an unlikely messenger. She’s grown up in the godless world of NewAmerica where even saying the name of Jesus is a crime. But when God has a message, he will always find a messenger.

AMAZON LINK

UNCITIZEN (Book 2) Magdalena Denton’s bright future is gone. She’s been deemed an UnCitizen because she refuses to deny God. Her new-found faith is challenged as she struggles to stay alive, but God promises to never forsake his children.

AMAZON LINK

EXILE (Book 3) After a daring escape, Magdalena and friends face life in the Empty Lands—even more hostile than imagined. They discover that when you walk in faith, miracles become a reality.

AMAZON LINK

We’d like to believe that something like this could never happen in America, land of the free, but in my lifetime I’ve seen so many of our freedoms slowly being stripped away. A little here, a little there. Not enough to notice until it’s too late.

Yes, it’s fiction, but could it happen?

So here’s the surprise. I’ve written a short story about the beginnings of New Am. Over the next few weeks, I’ll share a few chapters to get you ready for the Messenger series.

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!

MORE JANE DOE

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By 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?

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Jane 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!

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JANE 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!

 

 

TRAPPED–The Hero!

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So who’s the hero in TRAPPED? Without a doubt, Nate Goodman. You can’t help but love him. He’s a small-town policeman, believer in truth, justice, and Jesus! After some horrific experiences as a Chicago police officer, he comes back home to the sleepy town of Mt. Pleasant, Ohio to work because nothing ever happens there…until it does!

Angelina Matthews has everything—rich, famous and beautiful—until the day she’s kidnapped and trapped in a basement with a madman, wearing only a T-shirt. The dirt was his; the blood is hers. Knowing she’s going to die, she cries out to God. Help comes in the form of Nate Goodman., but that’s not what makes him a hero. Nate becomes the hero when he goes beyond his duty as a police officer to help Angelina who is trapped in the memories of her ordeal and can’t move forward. Want to know more?

You’ll have to read the story!

Here’s the AMAZON LINK.

To celebrate the release of TRAPPED, I’m having a giveaway! Actually two different giveaways.

One lucky winner will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card as well as a choice of one of my books (e-book only) through CelebrateLit. Click Here to enter that giveaway.  https://promosimple.com/ps/e958/trapped-celebration-tour-giveaway

I’m also having a giveaway here on my own blog.  One person will win another $25 Amazon gift card and five lucky winners will win their choice of one of my e-books . To be entered all you need to do is leave a comment under any of the TRAPPED posts. Don’t know what to say as a comment, how about we do something fun–ask me a question and I’ll answer it or tell you it’s none of your business–just kidding–I hope!

GOD BLESS & GOOD READING!

God, Writing, & Me!

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I love the way God shows up when I’m writing a new story!

Unlike many writers, I don’t create an outline before I write. I think about it and then I sit down and write. I started working on what I thought would be a Christmas novella (for next Christmas not this year.) but it seemed very dark. A baby is kidnapped a the beginning of the story. Not a light topic–nothing fun about that.

I like my Christmas novellas to be suspenseful but still show the Christmas spirit but this story had a different feeling than my other Christmas-themed suspense novels. And I didn’t particularly like it. Lately my writing has taken on a different style so I started to think my days of writing suspense and mysteries might be numbered. As I thought about this story, I really thought that might be the case.

So I prayed about it and did a little meditating on it as well. My conclusion, I would write the story God gave me and see what happened. Stories can change a great deal from the first draft to the final.

Anyway…this morning as I was working out and listening to Joey + Rory’s Hymns album, I was inspired on how to fix the story so that it kept the Christmas spirit and still had suspense.

God is an awesome God!