Talkshow Thursday: Meet Colleen Hall

Talkshow Thursday: Meet Colleen Hall

Linda: Welcome to my blog! I look forward to getting acquainted. Let’s chat about your story Wounded Heart. Where did you get the inspiration for the story? 

 

Colleen: When I finished writing Her Traitor’s Heart, I knew I wasn’t ready to let Clint and Coral go. In one scene, Clint had mentioned to Coral that he wanted to go West, so I decided to continue their story there. I set Wounded Heart five years later when the western army’s Indian war was just heating up. The cavalry would need horses for the war, which Clint Logan could supply if he moved West. Of course, I needed a new romance, so I used Clint’s orphaned niece as the heroine in my next story. Wounded Heart became Della and Shane’s love story, and I could still continue Clint and Coral’s story, as well. 

LM: The age-old question for writers: are you a plotter or a pantster? 

Colleen: I’m definitely a plotter, but I’m not wedded to my outline. I lay out a rough sketch of my plot and create a loose outline, so I know the basic shape of the story and how it will end. I even begin to envision scenes in my head that I can use to flesh out the plot. Once I create my characters, they start driving the story, so the finer points of my outline sometimes get changed. My characters become real people to me, and they live, love, feel and suffer. I’ve had to add, change, or delete scenes according to what my characters do. I feel as though I’m just a scribe recording what my characters are doing and saying as I get into their world. 

LM: Research is an important part of writing a book. How did you go about researching Wounded Heart, and did you unearth a particular intriguing fact you knew you had to include in the story? 

Colleen: I knew I wanted Wounded Heart to take place around 1870 and that I wanted to locate Clint

Logan’s ranch in the northeastern part of Colorado, so I began by researching everything I could about that area of Colorado in the year 1870. My husband and I took a research trip across Kansas to Colorado, following the route that Clint Logan’s wagon train would have taken when he trailed the horses to the ranch. Because of that drive across Kansas, I was better able to describe the Plains my characters traveled across in their trek West. One topic that kept recurring in my research was that of the white women who were captured by the western Indians and how white society viewed those women when they were rescued. I knew I had to tell their stories. Shane’s mother is a composite of all those women. 

LM: How do you come up with your characters? Are any based on people you know or yourself? How do you determine their names? 

Colleen: None of my characters are based on real people. I create characters who are products of their world and the society in which they live, yet who will fit into my plot. They behave according to their particular society’s mores. Regarding names, I research what the favorite names were during the time that they lived and choose from that, so my characters’ names are authentic to that period. 

 

LM: What is your favorite part of the writing process? 

Colleen: Wow, that’s a hard one. I don’t think I have a favorite part. I enjoy each step in the writing process. I love the research, I really enjoy creating my characters and watching them come to life, and I love developing the plot. I especially enjoy polishing my manuscripts after I’m done and making them the best that they can be. Each book has an underlying theme--my heroine struggles with some area in her life where she needs to grow spiritually, and I also enjoy developing that. 

LM: What do you do to prepare for writing (e.g. listen to music, set up in a certain location, etc.)? 

Colleen: I have a writing nook at the back of the house. I write at an antique desk--I jokingly told my husband that if I was going to write historical novels, I needed an antique desk to set the atmosphere. He obligingly accompanied me to several antique stores until I found the perfect desk. When I sit down to write, I light a scented candle. “Warm Apple Pie” is my favorite. That gets my creative juices going, and I’m ready to meet my writing goal for the day. 

LM: What is your next project? 

 

Colleen: The third novel in my Frontier Hearts Saga, Warrior’s Heart, will be released on December 7. I recently sent the fourth book in the series, Wild Heart, off to my editor. Now ideas for the fifth and final book in the series are swirling around in my head. 

LM: Where can folks find you on the web? 

Colleen: 

Website:https://www.colleenhallromance.com/ 

Twitter: @ColleenGHall 

FB: @ColleenHallRomance 

About Wounded Heart:

 

Della Hughes longs for adventure and for freedom from the strictness and austerity of 1870s Boston society. When her uncle and guardian, General Clint Logan, uses his fortune to purchase property in Colorado and set up a horse ranch selling remounts to the western army, Della decides she must accompany him and his family to the West. Along the journey, Della encounters more adventure than she bargained for. 

Rustlers, Indians, and rattlesnakes add danger to the trek. A persistent cavalry captain who believes Della would make him the perfect wife and a Cheyenne chieftain’s son who tells her she’s brought sunshine to his heart complicate her life. And the handsome army scout who ramrods their wagon train guards a secret from his past that makes him believe he’s not worthy of loving Della. She must meet the challenges of the West and convince the man of her heart that love is worth risking everything to gain.

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B081QL76YR

Release Day: Gold Rush Bride Hannah

 Release Day: Gold Rush Bride Hannah

I am thrilled to announce the release of Gold Rush Bride Hannah, Book1 one in a brand new multi-author series about...you guessed it...female gold rushers. Most of you know about the California Gold Rush of 1849, but did you know there were two significant rushes prior to that? The first occurred in North Carolina in 1799, and the second in 1829 in northern Georgia. Hannah is set during the Georgia rush, and it was fascinating to research this incredible event. I hope you enjoy Hannah's story.

A brand-new widow, she doesn’t need another man in her life. He’s not looking for a wife. But when danger thrusts them together, will they change their minds...and hearts? 

 

Hannah Lauman’s husband has been murdered, but rather than grief, she feels...relief. She decides to remain in Georgia to work their gold claim, but a series of incidents makes it clear someone wants her gone...dead or alive. Is a chance at being a woman of means and independence worth risking her life? 

 

Jess Vogel never breaks a promise, so when he receives a letter from a former platoon mate about being in danger, he drops everything to help his old friend. Unfortunately, he arrives just in time for the funeral. Can he convince the man’s widow he’s there for her protection not for her money? 

 

Gold Rush Bride: Hannah is the first book in the exciting new series Gold Rush Brides. Steeped in romance, intrigue, and history, the story will keep you turning pages long into the night.

Available for purchase and Kindle Unlimited: Amazon

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back, Julie Arduini

Surrendering Control by Julie Arduini 

My tagline is “Encouraging you to find freedom in Christ by surrendering the good, the bad, and---maybe one day---the chocolate.” When I write, there is always a surrender issue and a chocolate mention. As I grow in the craft, I’m learning that the surrender starts with me. 

Three years ago, I had an idea to write a series about sextuplets who stay in the national spotlight after tragedy. I researched. I took notes. I started to write. Then a Christmas project came along that I had always wanted to be a part of. 

Two years ago. I returned to the series. I started over. I revised. Then our daughter and I started a new series for young teen girls and women of all ages. I tried to return to the sextuplets, but we wrote two books of three for Surrendering Stinkin’ Thinkin’. 

Last year the quarantine hit. It felt like the perfect time to return to what I was calling Surrendering

Opinions. Then my daughter reminded me we still had You’re Brilliant to write to wrap up our series. Once that was finished, we had home repairs to tackle. A family reunion. Then my mom became ill and I left home to care for her. When I came back home to catch up, I still had to return for her appointments. Then came the holidays. 

And a week later, Mom passed away. 

That series is now Surrendering Hearts featuring the Hart sextuplets. Although I’m halfway done, my plan was to release Book 1, Anchored Hearts by now. Those were my plans. God’s plans were different. I don’t know exactly what they are, but I had to let go of so much these three years. For someone that likes to think they are in control, that hasn’t been easy. 

That’s what has made writing the heroine of Anchored Hearts, Jordyn Bell Hart, so fun. The first sextuplet, she’s put it on herself to take care of everyone around her. Now that the sextuplets are in their twenties, they are grown and finding their own identities. Jordyn’s not quite ready to let them go. When Spencer Collins enters the pictures, he relates to her. They share grief and loyalty to family. Yet he has an issue he can’t control. And it’s the one thing keeping Jordyn away. 

Although Anchored Hearts isn’t quite ready, I didn’t want to keep readers waiting. I have a series prologue and the first chapter of Anchored Hearts ready as a free preview. I’d love for you to grab a copy and enjoy it. If you do, please follow me across social media so you’ll be the first to know when it’s released. 

ABOUT ANCHORED HEARTS 

Can two go-getters surrender their need to control and find a happily-ever-after? 

Jordyn Bell Hart succeeds in everything she does. Her promotion to morning show co-anchor blossoms her career in the same way her mother’s work did. Jordyn keeps tabs on her family and enjoys helping them grow. When life around Jordyn starts to change, can she surrender her desire to control? 

Spencer Collins knows how to balance a busy life. He has his work as a reporter, his time caregiving for his grieving father, and looking out for his little brother. When he learns he’s the new co-anchor of a morning show with Jordyn Hart, can he handle working with a celebrity who brings a lot of challenges to life on and off the set? 

Read a FREE preview of Anchored Hearts by clicking HERE. Book 1 in Surrendering Hearts, a series about nationally celebrated sextuplets who each discover their own identity and find that special true love like their parents shared.  

Anchored Hearts coming soon.

Follow Julie on Social Media:

Facebook Author Page: http://facebook.com/JulieArduiniAuthor

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BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/julie-arduini

Julie Arduini Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/321e32f02e17/juliearduininewsletter

Mystery Monday: Thirteen Women

Mystery Monday: Thirteen Women 

Most folks are familiar with Myrna Loy’s iconic role as Nora Charles, the rich, plucky, and sleuth-wanna-be wife of William Powell’s detective Nick Charles. But Loy had an extensive film career long before she stepped into the fashionable role created by Dashiell Hammett. She appeared in more than forty films, silent and talkies, by the time she appeared at the Eurasian villain Ursula Georgi in Thirteen Women. 

 

The 1932 film was based on the 1930 best-selling novel by (Mr.) Tiffany Thayer. Made during the pre-code Hollywood era, the movie is a psychological thriller that film scholars claim also contains elements that make it a horror film and a pre-cursor to the slasher sub-genre. 

 

Pre-code Hollywood was “a period between the adoption of sound in pictures in 1929 and the

enforcement of the Motional Picture Production Code censorship guidelines in mid-1934.” (Wikipedia). The code had been adopted in 1930, but enforcement nearly nonexistent. Films produced during these years either depicted or implied sexual innuendo, romantic and/or sexual interracial relationships, mild profanity, illegal drug use, promiscuity, prostitution, infidelity, abortion, violence, and homosexuality. Villains often profited from their actions, many times without repercussions. In Thirteen Women, the rape of Myrna Loy’s character is alluded to during a conversation. 

 

Cited as an early “female ensemble” film, the movie is about a group of women who were sorority sisters at an all-girls college. They keep in touch after graduation through a series of round-robin letters. One of the women gets them involved with a clairvoyant swami who mails them each a horoscope indicating their doom. The swami is under the sway of Ursula who had been snubbed at the school because of her mixed-race heritage; behaviors that forced her to leave school. She now desires revenge and manipulates the women into killing themselves or each other. She even manages to influence the swami to kill himself. Ultimately, a showdown comes between Ursula and one of the women, Laura Stanhope, played by Irene Dunne. 

 

The film was produced by David Selznick (best known for Gone with the Wind and Rebecca) and premiered in October of 1932 in New York City. A month later it was released in LA and a few other cities. The following year saw a limited national release. With the growing popularity of Dunne and Loy, the studio edited out fourteen minutes and re-released the film in 1935 (post-Code).

Have you seen this intriguing movie? Here is a preview clip: Thirteen Women

_____________________ 

Murder at Madison Square Garden

The dream of a lifetime becomes a nightmare. 

Photojournalist Theodora “Teddy” Schafer’s career has hit the skids thanks to rumors of plagiarism. With any luck, a photo spread with Charles Lindbergh at the America First Rally will salvage her reputation. After an attempted assassination of Lindbergh leaves another man dead, Teddy is left holding the gun. Literally. Can she prove her innocence before the police lock her up for a murder she didn’t commit? 

Private Investigator Ric Bogart wants nothing to do with women after his wife cleaned out their bank account and left him for another man, but he can’t ignore the feeling he’s supposed to help the scrappy, female reporter who is arrested for murder at the America First rally. Can he believe her claims of innocence and find the real killer without letting Teddy steal his heart?

Purchase Link: books2read.com/u/31qK17

Fiction Friday: New Releases

May 2021 New Releases
More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website
Romantic Thriller:
Rising Danger by Jerusha Agen -- t’s up to a K-9 handler and her canine partner to stop a bomber before it’s too late. Someone's planting explosives on dams in the Twin Cities, and Bristol Bachmann and her bomb sniffing dog must move quickly to find them before everything ends up underwater. That means relying on the dams’ supervisor—an ex-boyfriend Bristol never thought she’d see again. Hopefully Remington Jones has grown up from the rakish charmer she knew in her academy days. Because lives now depend entirely on them... (Romantic Suspense/Thriller from Love Inspired/Harlequin)

Dark Threat by Kimberly Rose Johnson -- Reporter Trinity Lockhart pursues a story but then unwittingly becomes the story. Acting on a tip from an anonymous source, Trinity investigates an art trafficking ring at a high-end Seattle gallery. She turns to handsome FBI agent Kyle Richards for help after being spotted by the crooks. Kyle is drawn to the feisty reporter, but he can’t afford a beautiful distraction when lives are at stake. He must trust his friends at Protection Inc. to watch over Trinity while he investigates the gallery. (Romantic Suspense/Thriller, Independently Published)

Contemporary Romance:
Royally Confused by Jill Boyce -- Will this doctor trade in her stethoscope for a tiara? Claire must decide by the night of the Royal Gala if she will accept her place on the throne as the Queen of Amorley--even if she might have to give up medicine or love to do so. Will she return to Boston and pursue her passion for surgery and turn her back on her newfound family, country, and the love of a lifetime? Will Claire trade in her stethoscope for a tiara? Does light overcome darkness? Can Claire learn that her worth does not reside in what she does, but who she is--the daughter of her heavenly Father and part of a royal priesthood. (Contemporary Romance from Winged Publications)

Stealing the First Mate by Tabitha Bouldin -- Sometimes, happily ever after is as elusive as a pirate's treasure. Darcy Riggins dove headfirst into the online dating pool and sank. Every time. Her lifelong dream of becoming a wife and mother becomes more elusive every year. So, taking the lack of a Mr. Right in her life as a decided “No!” from God, Darcy gives up altogether. Being single and content turns out to be tougher than Darcy imagined, and when she begins doubting everything she’s ever known, Nigel decides it’s time to admit his mistakes, tell the truth, and trust God for the outcome. (Contemporary Romance from CelebrateLit Publishing)

Once Upon a Summer by Toni Shiloh -- Embrace the enchantment of summer with these contemporary twists on timeless tales. Let these five sweet contemporary Christian romances take you away this summer. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

General Contemporary:

Shelter in the Storm by Laurel M. Blount -- n this moving Amish romance, two broken hearts find hope in each other after a terrible loss. Unspeakable tragedy strikes the Amish hamlet of Johns Mill when an unstable Englischer opens fire in the Hochstedler’s General Store. In the aftermath, and under the media’s spotlight, Joseph Hochstedler struggles to hold his shattered family together, drawing unexpected comfort from a faithful childhood friend. Born with a serious heart defect, optimist Naomi Schrock has always longed to live a life of service. She rolls up her sleeves, determined to help Joseph cope with this terrible crisis. But dare she hope that his friendship will finally deepen into love? (General Contemporary from Berkley Penguin Random House)

Historical Romance:

Gold Rush Bride Hannah by Linda Shenton Matchett -- Hannah Lauman’s husband has been murdered, but rather than grief, she feels...relief. She decides to remain in Georgia to work their gold claim, but a series of incidents makes it clear someone wants her gone...dead or alive. Is a chance at being a woman of means and independence worth risking her life? Jess Vogel never breaks a promise, so when he receives a letter from a former platoon mate about being in danger, he drops everything to help his old friend. Unfortunately, he arrives just in time for the funeral. Can he convince the man’s widow he’s there for her protection not for her money? (Historical Romance from Shortwave Press)

Mystery:

Three Days Clueless by Luana Ehrlich -- Mylas Grey is determined to find the person who shot a politician in broad daylight. There’s just one problem. The killer left no clues behind. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Mylas gets involved in an intriguing case of MURDER . . .When Mylas arrives in his hometown to spend time with Whitney, he agrees to help his father, a local private detective, examine the files of a politician who was murdered in cold blood. Mylas gets involved in an intriguing case of murder with NO CLUES . . .The wife of the slain politician believes her husband’s murder is connected to his duties as a state legislator, but the police find no clues to his murder and no evidence to support her claim. (Mystery/Crime, Independently Published)

Romance Amish:

The Jam and Jelly Nook by Amy Clipston -- In the final installment of Amy Clipston's bestselling Amish Marketplace series, a young widow struggling to raise her son dreams of one more chance at love. Over time Emory and Leanna become closer friends, discovering how much they have in common. As single parents, they struggle with the limits of what they can provide for their children and feel somewhat responsible for what happened to their respective spouses. The two eventually realize they have feelings for each other-but when they try to date, their children resist. Will God pave a way for them to build a family together, or will hurdles block the path to a second chance at happiness? (Amish Romance from Harper Collins Christian Publishing/Thomas Nelson and Zondervan)

Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:  

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back Allison Wells

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back Allison Wells 

 

Linda: Welcome back! It’s such a pleasure to have you visit again. Congratulations on your latest release, Living Water. The book is a modern retelling of the Woman at the Well in the New Testament. What prompted you to write this story? 

 

Allison: I have always been fascinated by the Woman at the Well. Who was she? What was her name? Why, oh why, was she married FIVE TIMES? What happened in her life for her to become the social outcast she was? So I decided to write her story - albeit a modern version - and explore what happened in her life. 

 

LM: Research is an important part of writing any book. How did you go about doing research for your story? 

 

Allison: I read the story of the Woman at the Well in every Biblical translation I could find. It’s important to get the full picture. In one version, it says she put down her water jar and ran into town to tell them about the Messiah. She, the town outcast, ran! She was the first evangelist in the Bible. Isn’t that amazing? But for the storyline, I drew a lot on my own experiences. Roxie is just about my own age, so her experience with pop culture was just like my own. It was fun to put musical references into the story that were bands I listened to growing up. 

LM: You write contemporary and historical fiction. How do you decide which genre to write next? How do you find writing the two genres different? The same? 

Allison: The research is definitely different. I didn’t need to look up how refrigerators work for a

contemporary piece - thank goodness! I think with Living Water, it’s already an ancient story, so bringing it into the modern-day appealed to me. But regardless, the characters are alive in my head and I can only pray to do justice to their stories. 

 

LM: How do you develop your characters? Are they based on people you know...or yourself? 

 

Allison: I think every main character has a little bit of me in her. Perhaps in mannerisms or something she says. A few side characters might be based on people I know. With Living Water, Roxie’s five husbands are very loosely based on people I knew or currently know. 

 

LM: How do you balance your many responsibilities with your career as a writer? Any advice you’d give to fledgling writers? 

 

Allison: Keep writing, even when it’s hard. Even if you have to put it away for two years because you have four kids running around. I wrote my first book in 2005 and it wasn’t published until 2019. But it was published. You’ll never see your book in print unless you actually sit down and write it. 

 

LM: How long does it take you to write a book from idea conception to publication? 

 

Allison: Way too long. As I said above, I have four children and I’m a freelance writer as well, so it might take me four or five (or fourteen) years to finish a novel. I’m hoping to streamline that a little better now that my youngest is in school. But it’s not about how long it takes, it’s about sharing the story God has put into your heart. 

 

LM: What is your next project? 

 

Allison: I have a series I’m working on that takes place across most of the 1800s in the south, so you can imagine the turmoil that happens there. I’m also working on another contemporary novel about a Christian celebrity couple that’s based on a very famous song. 

 

LM: Where can folks find you on the web? 

 

Allison: http://www.allisonwellswrites.com is my website and you can connect with all my socials and find links to my books from there! 

__________________

 

About Living Water: As the lackluster youngest daughter of a U.S. Senator, Roxie DePrive spends her life thirsting for one thing: to be loved unconditionally. 

So, when her first boyfriend turns into her first marriage, Roxie's life undergoes a drastic change. And when that first marriage doesn't work out, she marries again. 

And again. 

Until Roxie marries five times. The first marriage is puppy love, then dangerous love, convenient love, wishful love, and one that might possibly be the real deal. 

And yet, none of the men she marries can quench the thirst she feels in her heart. It's only when she meets a man who knows her entire life and all her mistakes that Roxie learns the power of something else-the deep and abiding peace of Living Water. 

A modern retelling of the Woman at the Well in the New Testament, Living Water shows us that no matter our past, it's God's love that truly quenches the thirst of our souls.

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3uFIzHS

Traveling Tuesday: 19th Century Travel

Traveling Tuesday: 19th Century Travel 

 

Until the recent pandemic, most people took travel for granted. Jumping into the family vehicle or on a plane for a quick getaway was done without a lot of forethought. Living on the east coast, I can get to numerous states in just a handful of hours. 

 

Two hundred years ago, travel was much slower and more difficult. Roads were generally rutted and rudimentary, muddy quagmires when it rained, and choking dust trails when dry. Vehicles were few. Children and poorer adults walked everywhere, and only the more successful farmers had horses and wagons. Most freight was moved by oxen-driven carts. A trip from Boston to New York by horse could take four to six days, depending on weather (and that was on some of the best roads that ran between major cities). 

 

Between 1790 and 1820, “The Transportation Revolution,” occurred. Roads were rebuilt and extended. Over 3,700 miles of turnpikes (toll roads) were constructed in New England alone. Through the 1840s, country and town roads were also improved. As a result of the ability for faster travel with these better roads, the number of vehicles on the roads increased. Stagecoach lines spread across the Northeast, the name coming from the concept of using continual relays or “stages” of fresh horses spaced out every forty miles or so. Not necessarily more enjoyable, the stagecoaches averaged eight to nine miles an hour which reduced travel time. 

 

By the early 1800s, the use of steam became an emerging technology used in railroads, boats, and the

building of canals – all designed to move goods, produced and passengers. Although dangerous because of potential fires and explosions, steamboats could run on tight schedules with greater speed than overland means of travel, and became popular in a short time. 

 

The British had developed a system of canals decades earlier, but the Americans didn’t begin their infrastructure until the mid-1800s. The Erie Canal, in particular, was a great success among the American canals. Crossing the breadth of New York to connect Albany and Buffalo in 1825, it opened up the agricultural hinterland for trade with New York City and England. 

Train lines began to develop in the 1830s, with small locomotives that pulled a handful of cars over uneven track. Traveling fifteen to twenty miles per hour, train speed was twice as fast as anything Americans had experienced to date. However, most lines ran between large cities, most of them concentrated in the Northeast. Travel between New York City and Boston took less than a day using a combination of rail and steamboat. 

The first transcontinental railroad would not be completed until 1869, so westward expansion which began in the 1820s was done primarily by “prairie schooner,” large canvas-covered wagons that resembled the ocean-going vessels of the same name. A journey from the Atlantic Ocean (the eastern border of the U.S) to the western territories took months, and travelers carried as many supplies as they could, supplementing their food by hunting or foraging along the trail. 

I’ll try to remember that the next time I complain about the snacks served during an airline trip. 

____________________ 

Gold Rush Bride Hannah

A brand-new widow, she’s doesn’t need another man in her life. He’s not looking for a wife. But when danger thrusts them together, will they change their minds...and hearts? 

 

Hannah Lauman’s husband has been murdered, but rather than grief, she feels...relief. She decides to remain in Georgia to work their gold claim, but a series of incidents makes it clear someone wants her gone...dead or alive. Is a chance at being a woman of means and independence worth risking her life? 

 

Jess Vogel never breaks a promise, so when he receives a letter from a former platoon mate about being in danger, he drops everything to help his old friend. Unfortunately, he arrives just in time for the funeral. Can he convince the man’s widow he’s there for her protection not for her money? 

 

Gold Rush Bride: Hannah is the first book in the exciting new series Gold Rush Brides. Steeped in romance, intrigue, and history, the story will keep you turning pages long into the night.

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3350ID7