Tag Archives: Christian suspense

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!

BROKEN TRUST

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GIVEAWAY NEWS!

My latest book, BROKEN TRUST, will be releasing on March 17. To celebrate I’m giving away Amazon gift cards. There’s more info on that at the end of the post, but first…let’s talk about BROKEN TRUST.

Life is all about choices…and consequences.

Chryssie Mason longs to soar like a butterfly, but a lifetime of bad choices has kept her in the caterpillar stage. After years of struggling, her dreams are finally within her grasp. Her only goal is to graduate from nursing school so she can have a better life—so she can morph into a butterfly.

With her final exam only days away, she witnesses a murder. A butterfly would call the police, but she decides to take the easy way out…once again. Life has taught her to never trust anyone, especially herself. With her freedom and her very life at risk, it’s time to trust.

And that choice changes everything.

 

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:

To celebrate the release of BROKEN TRUST, I’m giving away five $5 Amazon Gift Cards. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post or any of the other Broken Trust posts and you’re entered. Easy Peasy! And because I’m such a nice person, if you tell me that you’ve shared this post on Facebook, Twitter, or another social media site, I’ll give you a second entry. Last day to enter will be April 1–no fooling!

Don’t know what to say–here’s a question: How do you choose a book to read–the cover; the title; the blurb about the book or something else?

GOD BLESS & GOOD READING!

Questions about DEADLY SILENCE

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So DEADLY SILENCE was released a few days ago. I thought you might enjoy a more in-depth look at how it came to be so I imagined what some questions might be regarding it.

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HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE TITLE–DEADLY SILENCE?

First it’s part of my Deadly Communication series so it needed the word Deadly in it. But the more important word is silence. I wanted to explore the idea of silence from several different perspectives. First there’s the silence of being abandoned at the altar without a word of explanation. But Maven is also faced with a different kind of silence as she takes on a new client who is a late-deafened adult. Her client has been thrust into a silent world due to a medical condition. And then there’s the silence from God that threatens due to Maven’s anger and bitterness.

WHAT GENRE IS DEADLY SILENCE?

I’m so glad you asked that! I like to think of my Deadly Communication series as cozy mystery meets suspense. It’s got all the action of suspense but the great characters of a cozy mystery.

WILL THERE BE A FOURTH DEADLY COMMUNICATIONS NOVEL?

At this point I don’t have any plans for a fourth but that doesn’t mean a whole lot. Since I write the stories that come to my head, if another Maven story pops into it, then I’ll write it.

WHAT’S THE TAKE AWAY OF THE SERIES?

My goal was to portray a real woman with real problems. So we saw Maven struggle with depression, the after affects of Bell’s palsy, her weight issues, and then being left at the altar. We also saw her keep going through it all by depending on God.

So that’s the take away–no matter what happens in your life, God will be there to see you through it.

 

YOUR TURN: Do you have a question about Maven and the Deadly Communication series, or one about writing? Leave the question in a comment and I’ll do my best to answer.

 

GOD BLESS & GOOD READING

 

 

 

Even More About DEADLY SILENCE

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Today’s the day! No, I’m not talking about the inauguration, I’m talking about the release of DEADLY SILENCE.

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AMAZON LINK

Here’s the back cover blurb:

FACED WITH ONLY SILENCE.

Her happily-ever-after is shattered when Maven Morris is left at the altar. Without a word of explanation, her fiancé, has disappeared, leaving Maven and the church filled with their family and friends. Maven refuses to give into the darkness of depression. Instead she takes on a new speech therapy client. Layla’s life has been shattered by silence, as well. As a late-deafened adult, Layla needs skills to cope with her now silent world.

TRUST YOUR EYES.

Those are words of advice Maven gives Layla. The words stir up something on the inside of Maven as she realizes there wasn’t a hint that Paul’s feet had turned cold about their upcoming nuptials. And that’s when silence turns deadly.

 

I think you’ll enjoy the latest installment in the Deadly Communication series. If you do, I’d love to hear from you!

GOD BLESS & GOOD READING!

 

More About DEADLY SILENCE

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DEADLY SILENCE, the third in my Deadly CommunicationS series, will release in a few days on January 20. Here’s what people are saying about it:

Jo Huddleston, author of the West Virginia Mountains series of sweet Southern historical romances:

Deadly Silence is a sweet romance wrapped in page-turning suspense. Lillian Duncan paints enough suspicious characters to keep readers guessing who the villain is until the end. Great characterization and setting descriptions in a story sure to please readers who love suspense.

Mary L. Ball- author of Redemption in Big Fork Lake:

A rollercoaster of anticipation from the first page to the last.

Deadly Silence took me on ride filled with tension. Clues were scattered through the chapters that had me blindly believing I knew the end until another twist in the plot made me guess once more, who the villain is.

Lillian Duncan did a fantastic job creating a novel fill with heart fluttering adventure. I cheered with joy and sighed with sadness as I followed the characters on their journey. Weaved in the plot is also a wonderful message about relying on God to be your guide. This is a book you’ll want to read many times.

Bettilu Davies, author of Shepherd’s Song:

Deadly Silence by Lillian Duncan was a good read, logical, suspenseful, and surprising. I enjoyed the book.

 

Thanks to the above writers who took time to read my book and give me an endorsement.

GOD BLESS & GOOD READING!

 

 

 

 

My Friday Friend–MARY ELLIS

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Mary Ellis is my Friday Friend. Mary and I have shared a table at various book events in Ohio. Not only is she good writer but she’s a very nice person who’s fun to be around! Mary’s written a variety of novels. Most of her books have been Amish stories, but in the past few years she’s branched out to historical and mystery novels–all Christian books as well.

You can learn more about Mary and her books at www.maryellis.net.  Her latest book is MAGNOLIA MOONLIGHT.

 

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What Sinister Secrets Lurk in the Shadows of Yesterday?

Natchez, Mississippi—Private Investigator Nate Price and his new wife, Isabelle, need a vacation. Their coworkers generously team up to surprise them with a belated honeymoon…but the happy trip turns sour when Izzy spies her ex-husband, who appears to have taken up his gambling addiction once again.

While the boss is away, Price Investigations remains in the hands of Beth Kirby, a former police officer, and Michael Preston, a former forensic accountant. Hardly a dream team, as Beth resents working with a man who has no experience in his new job.

But Beth and Michael must move past their differences if they hope to uncover the truth behind a beloved Southern preacher’s demise. The preacher’s widow suspects foul play, despite the evidence indicating suicide.
With tension escalating between these investigators and local law enforcement—and new threats arising on all sides—how will Beth, Michael, and Nate hold on to faith and bring the truth to light?’

MY REVIEW OF MAGNOLIA MOONLIGHT

I’ve read and enjoyed some of Mary Ellis’s Amish books so I wasn’t sure what to expect with Magnolia Moonlight. After all mysteries and Amish books are not exactly similar. I was delighted with the characters and even more surprised by the double  plot. She did a great job depicting the southern lifestyle and attitude.

Magnolia Moonlight is an enjoyable book that I would recommend to others. Great job, Mary Ellis!

NOTE: I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

GOD BLESS & GOOD READING!