Talkshow Thursday: Welcome back Johnnie Alexander!

Talkshow Thursday: 

Welcome Back, Johnnie Alexander!

I'm thrilled to welcome author Johnnie Alexander back to my blog. I've been stalking, er, following her since I read Where Treasure Hides back in 2012! Draw up a chair and learn about this fascinating lady and her books!

What was your inspiration for the story?

The spark for this story ignited more than fifteen years ago, back when writing a full-length novel was still a dream I hoped and prayed would come true. Though When Memory Whispers has had various titles over the years, to me it’s simply “Sparrow,” the codename for the Ohio farm girl with big dreams who became an Allied courier during World War II.

Back to the spark ~ I found a book called Hitler’s Soldiers in the Sunshine State while browsing through the shelves of my local library. Remember this was over fifteen years ago. At that time, I had no idea German soldiers were imprisoned at camps throughout the U.S. and neither did anyone else I asked.

That intriguing book led to my fascination with World War II and a question: what kind of woman would help a German soldier escape from a POW camp?

What sort of research did you do for your story, and was there an exceptionally interesting tidbit you knew you had to include?

I imagined a woman might help a POW escape if she already knew him. But how could an American woman know anyone from Germany?

In my research, I discovered the important and dangerous work undertaken by women during the war as couriers, radio operators, and “femme-fatale” spies. Too many of their stories ended in tragedy as those caught by the enemy were imprisoned and executed.

It made sense that an American woman who worked in England as an Allied courier could meet a

Photo: Pixabay/
Rene Rauschenberger

German who loved his country but hated the Nazi regime. The story continued to grow from there.

Here’s an amusing anecdote ~ the German POWs were fascinated with Florida snakes. They collected skins and made belts out of them to take home after the war. The author of Hitler’s Soldiers writes about a POW who tried to tame a young alligator.

He got bit!

If your book is part of a series: Did you set out to write a series? Why did you decide to write a series?

Way back then, all I wanted was to write a novel and have it published. However, the next novel I wrote, with a major character from When Memory Whispers becoming the protagonist, won the American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis contest and became my debut novel, Where Treasure Hides. Though the two novels share a few characters and a similar timeline, they can be read in either the order they were written or the order they were published.

They are marketed as companion novels in the Echoes of War Series.

How do you come up with story lines?

There’s no simple answer to that question. Where Treasure Hides was inspired by my fascination with the juxtaposition of the hiding of art and the hiding of children from the Nazis. My first contemporary series was founded on my love for a mid-19th-century brick house, rumored to have been part of the Underground Railroad, that I lived in as a teenager.

Most ideas and story lines are God’s answers to my prayers. The process is often slow, but I know I’m on the right track by that strange tingling sensation I feel deep inside myself that whispers, “Yes! This is it!”

What draws you to the time period about which you write?

As I said above, I’ve been fascinated and intrigued by WWII since discovering that book about POWs. Researching that topic led to research on other topics ~ women spies; Nazi art theft; the hiding and rescuing of Jewish children; the Dunkirk evacuations; escaping POWs, both German and Allied soldiers; and more. My other two WWII stories are “Blue Moon,” a romantic suspense novella set in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, which is also known as the Atomic City; and The Cryptographer’s Dilemma, a historical romance based on the true story of an American doll collector who sent coded messages to the Japanese about our naval capabilities. (“Blue Moon” is one of four historical novellas, all titled for 1940s-era songs, in Homefront Heroines).

What is one thing you wish you could do?

Such a fun question! I’d like to live in a picturesque European town for several weeks ~ long enough to live the life of a leisurely tourist.

What writers or books have influenced you?

Ann Tatlock and Davis Bunn were my favorite inspirational authors when I first delved into reading and writing Christian fiction. They write captivating stories with complex characters and in-depth themes ~ the kinds of stories I most aspire to write.

What was your favorite childhood book and why?

How can I choose one from so many?!

City of Gold and Lead by John Christopher may not be my most favorite childhood book, but it was one I checked out of the library multiple times. Around the third or fourth time, I discovered the story was the second in a trilogy. So I read the three in order!

Late last year, I bought the boxed set of The Tripods Series which includes the original three stories plus a prequel the author wrote several years after the trilogy.

As much as I wanted to read the stories again, I feared losing the magic of my childhood memory of them. (That happened with another story I once considered a childhood favorite.)

I needn’t have worried. Even though the stories are post-apocalyptic science fiction—a genre I rarely read now and seldom read as a kid—I enjoyed them immensely.

What is your next project?

Guideposts recently asked me to write a third story for their popular Mysteries of Cobble Hill Farm Series. I’ve already written #4, Three Dog Knight, and #11, A Will and a Way, and am honored to be writing another one.

BOOK BLURB:

What will she risk to save the man she loves?

Marie Wyatt ran away from her farm girl past in search of fame and fortune and found herself in wartime London working as an Allied courier. Whether disguised as a middle-aged British housewife or playing a role on the London stage, she acts her part to its fullest. But when a routine mission turns deadly, a mysterious German agent becomes her unlikely savior.

Plunged into a dangerous game of deception, Marie relies on her acting talent to pass false information to the Nazis. Yet the line between duty and loyalty blurs when the German agent is imprisoned in a Florida POW camp with Axis soldiers who consider him a traitor. Marie embarks on a desperate mission to save him before he’s fatally injured.

In a postwar world still reeling from conflict, the couple’s lives are again threatened by a past enemy. Will they ever find the peace they crave? Or will the echoes of war destroy them?

Plummet into a heart-wrenching tale of courage, treachery, and a love that defies all odds.

BIO & SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
Johnnie Alexander is a wannabe vagabond with a heart for making memories. As a bestselling, award-winning novelist, she has written more than thirty works of fiction in a variety of genres. She is a Mosaic Collection author, co-hosts a weekly online show called Writers Chat, serves on the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference Executive Board, and is a regular contributor to the HHHistory.com blog. A fan of classic movies, stacks of books, and road trips, Johnnie shares a life of quiet adventure with Rugby, her raccoon-treeing papillon. Connect with her at JohnnieAlexander.com.

BookBub http://bit.ly/JA-BBub
Facebook Page http://bit.ly/JA-FBk
Goodreads http://bit.ly/JA-Goodreads
Instagram https://bit.ly/JAInstag

Wayback Wednesday: More Inventions from the Progressive Era

Wayback Wednesday: 

More Inventions from the Progressive Era

Last week I introduced several inventions that patented during the two decades that comprise the Progressive Era, a time period of great social activism, political reform, and technological advances. Here are a few more items that came to fruition between 1900 and 1929:

• Disposable Safety Razor: Most folks living in New England are quite familiar with King Camp Gillette, a traveling hardware salesman who invented the double-edged, disposable safety razor attached to a re-usable razor handle because of the multi-million-dollar company that bears his name and has sponsored the professional football team. Gillette applied for a patent in 1901, and it was granted in 1904.
• Air Conditioning: I had no idea A/C was invented this early in history. Willis Carrier (recognize the

  

  Pixabay/Lucio Alfonso

  name?) actually created his system in 1902 to address quality problems at a Brooklyn printing plant, Sackett-Wilhelms Lithographing and Publishing Company. Humidity and heat were making papers stick together.
• As an HR professional, much of the paperwork that I dispose of gets shredded because of its confidential nature. This handy device is credited to inventor Abbot Augustus Law of Horseshoe, New York. His patent for a "waste paper receptacle" to offer an improved method of disposing of waste paper received a U.S. patent on August 31, 1909.

• 

  Pixabay/Dimitiry

  Binder Clip: Another office product many of you are familiar with was invented in 1911 by Washington, D.C., resident Louis E. Baltzley to help his father, Edwin, a prolific writer and inventor, keep manuscripts in order. The original design was modified five times, but the essential mechanism has never changed.
• Masking tape was invented in 1925, by Richard G. Drew, an employee of the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (3M). He filed U.S. patent #1,760,820 on May 28, 1928, and was issued to him on May 27, 1930. You may remember another 3M invention: the post-it, that was the result of a mistake.
• Kool-Aid: Invented in 1927 by Edwin Perkins of Hastings, Nebraska who had come up with a a method of removing the liquid from a drink called "Fruit Smack." He re-packaged the powder in envelopes and called it "Kool-Ade."

_____________________

Love and Chocolate

She just needs a job. He wants a career. Is there room in their hearts for love?

Ilsa Krause and her siblings are stunned to discover their father left massive debt behind upon his death. To help pay off their creditors and save the farm, she takes a job at Beck’s Chocolates, the company her father despised and refused to supply with milk. Then she discovers her boss is Ernst Webber, her high school love who unceremoniously dumped her via letter from college. Could life get any more difficult?

A freshly-minted university diploma in his hand, Ernst Webber lands his dream job at Beck’s Chocolates. His plans to work his way up the ladder don’t include romantic entanglements, then Ilsa Krause walks back into his life resurrecting feelings he thought long dead. However, her animosity makes it clear she has no interest in giving him a second chance. Can he get her to change her mind? Does he want to?

Pre-order Link: https://books2read.com/u/mdQerZ

Fiction Friday: An Interview with Ilsa from Love and Chocolate

Fiction Friday: 

An Interview with Ilsa Krause 

from Love and Chocolate

In anticipation of tomorrow’s release, Love and Chocolate, we’re sitting down with main character, Ilsa Krause. Grab a cup of your favorite beverage and listen in…

Hello, Ilsa, tell us a little bit about your family. I’m the eldest and have three siblings, Nadine, Tobias, and Hedwig whom we call Heddie. We are very close and live together on our farm which is located in Cocoatown, Wisconsin. We lost Mama fifteen years ago to consumption, and Papa recently died. He was never the same after Mama died. It’s been very difficult but we’re getting by. I don’t know what I’d do without my siblings.

You went to work for Beck’s Chocolate factory. How is that going? Frankly, it’s a mixed blessing. Receiving a regular paycheck has been our saving grace. We’re able to make regular payments to our creditors. You see, Papa left behind lots of debt, so we made agreements with the men he owed money too. It was rather embarrassing, but they’ve been most understanding. I love the job itself; it’s very challenging, but sometimes there are difficulties with my co-workers. Why can’t they just do their jobs and get along with each other? Who cares if someone comes from another country? At some point, all our ancestors came to America as strangers. {shakes her head} Anyway, I’ve learned a lot which is good.

Did you ever consider leaving Cocoatown? Why or why not? No, not at all. I was born and raised here.

Photo: Pixabay

My family is here. Friends. I can’t imagine starting over somewhere else.

How would your siblings describe you? Probably dictatorial, overbearing, and unbending…{grins}…but hopefully, in an afterthought they say confident, organized, and well-meaning.

What is your biggest regret? Not telling Papa that I loved him. We don’t tend to be a demonstrative family. We don’t hug or tell each other we care or that we’ve done something well. After Papa, I realized how important it was to say those things to him.

Photo: Pixabay/
Jose Antonio Alba

Where is your “happy place?” Between the pages of a good book, most definitely. The actual place doesn’t matter. I can read lying in bed, curled in a chair in the parlor, or sitting on the grass under a tree. When I begin reading, the world fades away.

What is one thing you always carry with you? A book. Not very practical, I know, but having a book with me means I’m never alone.

____________________

Love and Chocolate

She just needs a job. He wants a career. Is there room in their hearts for love?

Ilsa Krause and her siblings are stunned to discover their father left massive debt behind upon his death. To help pay off their creditors and save the farm, she takes a job at Beck’s Chocolates, the company her father despised and refused to supply with milk. Then she discovers her boss is Ernst Webber, her high school love who unceremoniously dumped her via letter from college. Could life get any more difficult?

A freshly-minted university diploma in his hand, Ernst Webber lands his dream job at Beck’s Chocolates. His plans to work his way up the ladder don’t include romantic entanglements, then Ilsa Krause walks back into his life resurrecting feelings he thought long dead. However, her animosity makes it clear she has no interest in giving him a second chance. Can he get her to change her mind? Does he want to?

Pre-order Link: https://books2read.com/u/mdQerZ

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Darlene Turner!

Talkshow Thursday: 

Welcome Darlene Turner!

I'm pleased to welcome Love Inspired author Darlene Turner to my blog today.

What was your inspiration for the story?

My childhood friend kept joking with me about including a malamute in a book since I’ve used other dogs previously. That got me thinking about a storyline, and I thought what better place to include a malamute but on a ranch set in the Rocky Mountains in the winter time! That’s how it all began. I like to create strong heroines and after watching the show Unforgettable, I came up with the idea of my police officer having hyperthymesia but with a twist. And who doesn’t like a hunky rancher/k-9 handler?

What sort of research did you do for your story, and was there an exceptionally interesting tidbit you knew you had to include?

Lots of fun stuff! First…my heroine, Constable Isabelle Tremblay, has something called “hyperthymesia” and that is an ability for someone to remember almost every event of their life in great detail. Izzy has used this “gift” in her police work, but at the beginning of the book something happens, and she’s lost a 3-hour window of time. This totally frustrates her.

I had fun researching different dogs for my K-9 ranch. The “star” of the book is an Alaskan Malamute and she is modeled after a childhood friend’s malamute. Plus, my friend even let me use her name—Névé which means “snow” in Latin. Did you know that malamutes can lift 3,000 pounds when working in groups? WOW! These dogs are amazing.

I also researched electric fences, ciphers (loved writing in that Nancy Drew angle), towns in British Columbia to model my “fictional” town after, etc.

Tell us about your road to publication.

My love of writing began with reading Nancy Drew as a girl, but even though I continued to read, the

writing spark faded, and life happened. I started working, got married, and eventually moved to a different city. I didn’t have time to write…or at least, I didn’t think I had the gift, so I put it out of my mind.

Years flew by, and then the unspeakable happened. I went through some rough times and through my journey, I decided to take a creative writing course. This triggered the idea for the very first book I wrote. That’s when my love of writing re-surfaced and grew. So, God does use ALL circumstances in life to grow us, right?

If you were to write a spin-off book about one of your secondary characters, which one would you choose and why?

Actually, I am! The first book in my new series features my heroine’s sister, Blaire Tremblay. Also, my hero’s brother, Maverick Shaw, Sawyer King, and two of the dogs from the Murray K-9 Ranch will be included in other books. It’s always fun to put secondary characters in other books.

Why do you write in your particular genre?

I fell in love with mysteries from the time I picked up my first Nancy Drew book. That blossomed into reading the Hardy Boys and watching shows like Charlie’s Angels, Cagney and Lacey, then years later, Alias, Castle, Bones, CSI, etc. Writing romantic suspense was a nature fit for me!

What is your process for writing? (do you outline, have a special place or time of day you write, etc.) What is your favorite part of the process?

Every writer’s process is different. I’ll share a bit about mine. I’m definitely a pantser! I come up with a basic storyline and pick the occupations for my characters. Then I take my hero, heroine, and villain through a character sketch to get to know them. This is my favorite part. It’s fun to create their likes, dislikes, fears, quirks, etc. I choose actors/actresses to base their physical descriptions on. I’m a visual person and need to “see” them! After I finish this, I begin chapter one. My first draft sometimes runs over the LIS 55K limit, so I normally have to cut words. I usually go through three to four rounds of editing before I do a read-through and send it off to my beta readers. Once I hear back from them, I finalize the manuscript and read it once more before sending to my LIS editor.

How do you celebrate when you finish a manuscript?

After pressing send, I treat myself! Sometimes to a movie, or sometimes to my favorite latte!!

PIxabay/Robert Sloma

What is your advice to fledgling writers?

Keep at it! I totally understand. My road to publication took 10+ years. There were times I wanted to give up, but then I’d get encouraging words from someone who read one of my blogs. It was like God whispered in my ear, “Don’t give up.” Please, please…don’t give up. God really has the best journey in store for you!

 
What writers or books have influenced you?

DiAnn Mills was a huge influence in my writing journey. I met her while taking a Jerry Jenkins course and she became my mentor. She’s amazing!

What is your next project?

My first ever trade book (published through Love Inspired Trade) is currently with my editor. It’s called Echoes of Darkness and releases in June of 2025. I’m so excited about this story, but it’s a bit grittier (okay more than a bit) than my LIS books.

I also just passed in book one of a brand new LIS series. This is a six-book series centering around the Hoyt family. You met Jayla and Dekker in Alaskan Avalanche Escape and Hazel in Mountain Abduction Rescue. Book 1 in the new series is Dekker’s story. I’m loving writing these stories. You’ll meet new Hoyt siblings, and previous ones will make appearances!

I’ve also collaborated with three amazing Canadian authors on a Christmas Anthology called I’ll Be Home. Each story centers around going home and has a train in there somewhere. My story is called Mystery and Mayhem in the Rockies. It’s my first cozy mystery and has a Hallmarky (is that a word?) vibe to it.

K-9 Ranch Protection

A killer on the loose. A K-9 keeping watch.

Police constable Izzy Tremblay knows her father’s death was no accident, so when she finally discovers a lead and is immediately attacked, her suspicions are confirmed. The ambush leaves her in the hospital with three hours of crucial memory missing, which she knows holds the key to finding her father’s murderer. For protection, she takes refuge with her ex-partner, Austin Murray, on his K-9 ranch while she races to uncover the truth. But with danger still lurking, can they stay alive long enough to take down a killer?

About Darlene:

Darlene L. Turner is an award-winning and a Publishers Weekly best-selling author and lives with her husband, Jeff in Ontario, Canada. Her love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message. You can connect with Darlene at www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders.

Social Media Links:

Website: https://darlenelturner.com/
Facebook (author page): https://bit.ly/2Woy8dK
Facebook (personal): https://bit.ly/3kLG5ST
Twitter: https://bit.ly/2Qso27O
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2UhbelT
BookBub: https://bit.ly/2QrdkhP
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlenel.turner/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19553274.Darlene_L_Turner
Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/Darlene-L-Turner/e/B083RC78GW

Wayback Wednesday: Inventions During the Progressive Era

Wayback Wednesday: 

Inventions from the Progressive Era

The Progressive Era in the United States encompasses the two decades from 1900 to 1929 and was a period of sweeping social activism and political reform across the nation. Per Wikipedia: “Progressives sought to address the problems caused by rapid industrialization, urbanization, immigration, and political corruption as well as the enormous concentration of industrial ownership in monopolies. Progressive reformers were alarmed by the spread of slums, poverty, and the exploitation of labor.”

President Theodore Roosevelt was a leader in the Progressive movement and promised trust-breaking, regulations in the railroad industry and pure food and drugs. Conservation was one of his major focuses, and he established national parks, forests, and monuments. Other well-known progressives include author Upton Sinclair, journalist Ida Tarbell, social worker and reformer Jane Addams, and suffragist Susan B. Anthony.

Technological advances and inventions played a large role during the era with many items still in use today:

• A nickel-zinc battery is a type of rechargeable battery that may be used in cordless power tools,

  

  Pixabay/Thomas

  cordless telephones, digital cameras, etc. In 1900, Thomas Edison filed U.S. Patent #684,204 for the nickel-zinc battery, and it was issued on October 8, 1901. Today’s nickel-cadmium rechargeable battery is very similar with slightly less voltage.
• Fly-swatter: This one surprised me in that I thought it would have been invented long before 1900. The first modern fly-destruction device was invented in 1900 by Robert R. Montgomery, an entrepreneur based in Decatur, Illinois. On January 9, 1900, Montgomery was issued U.S. patent #640,790 for the "Fly-Killer."
• A windowed envelope is a conventional envelope with a plastic window to allow the recipient's address to be printed on the paper contained within. Calling it the "outlook envelope", Americus F. Callahan of Chicago was the first to patent the windowed envelope. U.S. patent #701,839 was filed on December 9, 1901, and issued on June 10, 1902.
• 
  The airplane was invented by Wilbur and Orville Wright of Dayton, Ohio, who made the first powered and sustained airplane flights under control of the pilot in the Wright Flyer on December 17, 1903, in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
• Perhaps mundane, but very important, nonetheless, the flushometer, or royal flushometer is a water pressure system that uses an inline handle to flush toilets and urinals The flushometer is still in use today in homes and public restrooms around the world. The flushometer was invented in 1906 by American businessman and inventor William Elvis Sloan.
• Do you use an electric blanket? The first electric blanket was invented in 1912 by American physician Sidney I. Russell. This earliest form of an electric blanket was an 'underblanket' under the bed that covered and heated from below.
• Traffic circles (AKA cloverleaf interchange) was first patented in the United States by Arthur Hale, a civil engineer in Maryland, on February 29, 1916.

_____________________

Love and Chocolate

She just needs a job. He wants a career. Is there room in their hearts for love?

Ilsa Krause and her siblings are stunned to discover their father left massive debt behind upon his death. To help pay off their creditors and save the farm, she takes a job at Beck’s Chocolates, the company her father despised and refused to supply with milk. Then she discovers her boss is Ernst Webber, her high school love who unceremoniously dumped her via letter from college. Could life get any more difficult?

A freshly-minted university diploma in his hand, Ernst Webber lands his dream job at Beck’s Chocolates. His plans to work his way up the ladder don’t include romantic entanglements, then Ilsa Krause walks back into his life resurrecting feelings he thought long dead. However, her animosity makes it clear she has no interest in giving him a second chance. Can he get her to change her mind? Does he want to?

Pre-order Link: https://books2read.com/u/mdQerZ

Release Day! Love and Chocolate

Release Day: Love and Chocolate!

Love and Chocolate was partially inspired by Milton Hershey and his rise to fame in the chocolate industry. Set in 1914, the story follows a family of German-American siblings in Wisconsin as they try to navigate their lives after the death of their beloved father.

Love and Chocolate: Book 1 of the Chocolate Chronicles

She just needs a job. He wants a career. Is there room in their hearts for love?

Ilsa Krause and her siblings are stunned to discover their father left massive debt behind upon his death. To help pay off their creditors and save the farm, she takes a job at Beck’s Chocolates, the company her father despised and refused to supply with milk. Then she discovers her boss is Ernst Webber, her high school love who unceremoniously dumped her via letter from college. Could life get any more difficult?

A freshly-minted university diploma in his hand, Ernst Webber lands his dream job at Beck’s Chocolates. His plans to work his way up the ladder don’t include romantic entanglements, then Ilsa Krause walks back into his life resurrecting feelings he thought long dead. However, her animosity makes it clear she has no interest in giving him a second chance. Can he get her to change her mind? Does he want to?

Purchase link: https://books2read.com/u/mdQerZ

Talkshow Thursday: Meet Pearl Ada Pridham

Talkshow Thursday: Meet Pearl Ada Pridham

I'm pleased to welcome Pearl to my blog today. Grab your favorite beverage and learn more!

What was your inspiration for the story?

After working at a pregnancy centre that focused on helping women/girls who found themselves in an inconvenient pregnancy, I wanted to write a novel to bring awareness around this issue to churches and families.

How do you develop your characters? (e.g. decide on their vocation, names, etc.)?

I chose names that I liked and that fit in with the place and time. I gave characters vocations that seemed to work for the purpose of the story.

What sort of research did you do for your story, and was there an exceptionally interesting tidbit you knew you had to include?

I researched laws in the time and place of the novel that had to do with teen pregnancy and how it was dealt with. Also, part of the book takes place in Europe, so I watched travel documentaries about those countries and even made a trip there.

Tell us about your road to publication.

At first, I wanted to use a Canadian publisher, as I am Canadian. But I found there are not many traditional

Pixabay/Sabrina

Christian Canadian publishers. I met my publisher through an ACFW Zoom conference.

Have you ever considered writing under a pseudonym? Why or why not?

I write under my maiden name, Pearl Ada Pridham. I wanted to use my original name.

How are your characters like you? Different?

The main character, Alison, is like me in being a little naïve, on the introverted side, and leaning into prayer when she needs support. She isn’t like me when she makes big travel plans with her friend from French class in high school. I didn’t like French class back then and wasn’t ambitious enough to travel to Europe. However, now as a senior, I have travelled to Europe twice and am grateful for those five years of high school French.

If your book is part of a series: Did you set out to write a series? Why did you decide to write a series?

My book is part of a series. Originally, I didn’t set out to write a series. However, a couple of years ago, during a covid shutdown, I participated in NaNoWriMo as a personal challenge. My debut novel was finished, although not yet published, so I decided to write another book from the POV of the main character’s grandmother. I am still working on finishing and publishing that one.

After publishing my debut novel, I wrote a prequel from the POV of the main character’s father, which takes place five years earlier. That story, Ed’s Hopeful Journey, is shorter and therefore published only as an e-book.

How has your book changed since your first draft?

I changed the ages of the main characters at the request of my publisher. At first, I thought that would present logistical problems and I’d have to make major changes in the story line. However, once I resigned myself to attempting it, I found I only had to make minor tweaks in the story line.

About Something I Haven't Told You

Alison, now a happy mother of two, recalls her teen years when a mistake of love led to unfathomable distress.

Faced with pregnancy at the age of fourteen, she deals with shame, her father’s rage, choices, and decisions that jerk her into adulthood. But, with her sister as her biggest supporter, along with her mother, friends, a counselor, and a school program for pregnant teens, she found what was really important in life to her, and succeeds in fulfilling her dreams.

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4e3j7TF

To learn more about Pearl visit her website: https://pearladapridham.com/

Fiction Friday: September New Releases!

September 2024 New ReleasesMore in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website

Contemporary General:

Kristen by Dawn M Klinge -- In this heartwarming tale, discover the extraordinary potential that lies within embracing the present and opening one's heart to the unanticipated blessings of life's sweetest surprises.(Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Contemporary Romance:

Escape to Whispering Creek by Barbara M Britton -- Can a gregarious office manager and rehabilitating business owner find love while fighting accusations of white-collar crime (Contemporary Romance from White Rose Publishing [Pelican])

Before We Were Us by Denise Hunter -- A temporary position at a rustic resort leads Lauren to the love of her life and a drastic career change. But on the eve of her engagement, an unfortunate fall leaves her unable to remember any of it. (Contemporary Romance from HarperCollins Christian Publishing)

The Farmer and Adele by Candice Sue Patterson -- Second chances aren't for the faint of heart. (Contemporary Romance Independently Published [ACFW QIP])

Historical:

Patriot at the River by Jayna Baas -- With the help of some unlikely allies, a young Patriot militiaman must save his settlement from the man who had a hand in his father’s death. (Historical, Independently Published)

New Star by Lana Christian -- You may know about the Wise Men’s part in Jesus’ story—but do you know the Wise Men’s story? (OR) How far would you go to protect what you believe in? (Historical from Scrivenings Press)

Historical Romance:
The Gamekeeper’s Reluctant Bride by Elva Cobb Martin -- She fled from a gilded cage, only to find herself trapped in a marriage of obligation. (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)


Love and Chocolate by Linda Shenton Matchett -- She just needs a job. He wants a career. Is there room in their hearts for love? (Historical Romance from Shortwave Press)




Virginia by Shannon McNear -- Return to the “what if” questions surrounding the Lost Colony and explore the possible fate of Virginia Dare--the first English child born in the New World. What happened to her after her grandfather John White returned to England and the colony he established disappeared into the mists of time? Legends abound, but she was indeed a real girl who, if she survived to adulthood, must have also become part of the legacy that is the people of the Outer Banks. (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)


A Token of Love by Carrie Turansky -- In this heartfelt dual-time tale, bestselling author Carrie Turansky weaves a story of two women whose lives intertwine through their shared pursuit of love, truth, and justice (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker Publishing Group])

Middle-grade Chapter books:
Freedom Through the Narrow Gate by Mark David Pullen -- Follow Jacob as he leaves the safety of the mouse village for a taste of blackberries and a daring adventure, only to come face to face with the menacing Swamp Rats and their vicious leader, Caine. (Middle-grade/Chapter Books from Morgan James Publishing)

Road Trip Return by Becca Wierwille -- A twelve-year-old boy must save his brother from making the biggest mistake of his life—even if that means embarking on an international adventure to the last place in the world he wants to go. (Middle-grade/Chapter Books from Beloved Chronicles LLC)

Romance:
A Journey for Amy by Diane Craver -- As the feelings between Amy and Joe grow deeper, can they overcome their dissimilar faiths, or will their differences pull them apart? (Romance from Vinspire Publishing)

Romance - Amish:

A Lancaster Amish Christmas by Anne Blackburne, Amy Clipston, Amy Lillard and Mindy Steele -- Four Stories of Romance by Four Authors set in the Heart of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania's Amish Country. (Amish Romance from Barbour Publishing)

Romantic Suspense:

Lethal Standoff by DiAnn Mills -- A female negotiator and a male investigative journalist work place their lives in danger to seek the release of undocumented immigrants hostages from kidnappers who harbor desperate secrets. (Romantic Suspense from Tyndale House)

K-9 Ranch Protection by Darlene L Turner -- Police constable Izzy Tremblay knows her father’s death was no accident, so when she finally discovers a lead and is immediately attacked, her suspicions are confirmed. For protection, she takes refuge with her ex-partner, Austin Murray, on his K-9 ranch while she races to uncover the truth. But with danger still lurking, can they stay alive long enough to take down a killer? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

No Forgetting Providence by Lee Wimmer -- Running from faith led DR on a path of untold success, but also put crosshairs on him, is it providence, or is it something else? (Romantic Suspense from Hightower Publications)

Western:

Heidi’s Faith by Jill Dewhurst -- God uses a painting and a young man helping his neighbors to strengthen a young woman’s faith and enable her to overcome debilitating fear following a traumatic event. (Western from Independently Published)

Young Adult:
The Immortal Abyss by Katherine Briggs -- Nations rise and fall in the aftermath of war over the Eternity Gate. The corrupted desert throne stands empty, and the Immortal Abyss awakens. Drought ravages the continent, and people long for the rebirth of a starpalm, who will rise from among mortals and end their judgment. (Young Adult from Enclave Publishing [Oasis Family Media])

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

Murder Goes Caroling by Malissa Chapin -- Ringing in the holidays just hit a sour note. With mayhem threatening to turn festive carols into dirges, can a gifted pianist unmask a nasty scrooge? (Cozy Mystery)

The Italian Musician’s Sanctuary by Danielle Grandinetti -- Romance, history and intrigue at Our House on Sycamore Street. (General Historical)

The Marble Hill Crime Blotter by BD Lawrence -- Life in a small town isn't always as serene as one might think. The Marble Hill Crime Blotter is a series of thrilling stories that follow Police Chief Tom Petrosky and State Police Forensics Specialist Patricia Johnson. (Mystery/police procedural)

La Elegida para Harley by Heidi Gray McGill -- Esperaban una novia por encargo y obtuvieron más de lo que esperaban. (They were expecting a custom bride and got more than they bargained for.) (General Historical)

Hidden Danger by Gail Pallotta -- Left at the altar, Emily Hanover flees to Sky High Campground to put her life back together, but danger strikes in the night. Harassed by a man who seems to disappear into thin air, Emily and Nick, the security guard, discover a sinister plot, never dreaming danger could bring romance. (Romantic Suspense)

Captured in Frame by Laura Thomas -- Desperate to begin a new chapter after a heartbreaking betrayal, Canadian photographer Georgia Brooks retreats to her quaint English cottage—only to discover she could be in possession of incriminating evidence framing a criminal ring in the ugly underbelly of the art world (Romantic Suspense)

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back, Shannon McNear!

VIRGINIA by Shannon McNear

What was your inspiration for the story?

I took the most commonly known myth surrounding Virginia Dare—the legend of the White Doe, which came from a poem written by Sallie Southall Cotten in 1902, and put my own spin on it.

What sort of research did you do for your story, and was there an exceptionally interesting tidbit you knew you had to include?

I studied the Tuscarora people—their language, what we know of their customs and history—and the Spanish exploration of what is now the southeast United States. After focusing on the eastern Algonquian-speaking people for the last three stories, I knew I wanted to branch out and study those who were considered mysterious but definite enemies—and to include the Spanish element. But the tidbit that seemed hardest to work in—but that I HAD to use—was the Tuscarora’s use of “Indian hemp”—what we know as common milkweed—in fiber arts, both as cording and eventually textiles. It’s actually where the original name of the tribe, the Skaru:re (sgah-ROOO-rah) comes from.

Tell us about your road to publication.

I’ve been writing stories since I could first string sentences together in third grade. Eventually started my first novel at age 15—then rewrote that one about 20 times in as many years. I submitted it to various editors and even made honorable mention in a contest once (this was back in the day when you had to mail the entire typed-out manuscript and then wait months, even years, for a reply). Eventually I took a few years off from writing fiction while my older kids were small. When my youngest son was a baby, a friend asked me to accompany her teen daughter to a writing conference for homeschoolers, put on by Stephen Bly and Nancy Rue. Steve’s approach to story and writing intrigued me, and after several months of reading his work (he wrote Christian westerns—absolutely wonderful stories!), I started feeling the nudge to pick up my own again. I had to pray hard over that, since I had a houseful by this time and was expecting again! But the Lord made it clear I was to take that step of faith. So that was about 2003. I attended my first writer’s conference (Writing for the Soul in Asheville NC) and started applying myself to really learning the writing craft. I finished six more novels before the Lord popped open the door to publication through a dear friend of mine—Elizabeth Goddard, who at the time wrote for Barbour in their Heartsong Presents line, and who encouraged me to respond to a call for submissions for “pioneer Christmas” stories. That led to my first novella contract in 2012. So I tell people that from the time I started my first novel, the Lord made me wait 30 years to be published. 😁 A long road but the waiting on Him was absolutely worth it!

If your book is part of a series: Did you set out to write a series? Why did you decide to write a

Pixabay/Georgia Evans

series?

Originally I thought I had two, maybe three stories in the series, max. My editor at Barbour had invited me to consider the concept of the Lost Colony … and these were the characters who introduced themselves to me as I was researching and brainstorming. 😊

Why do you write in your particular genre?

I love breathing new life into history and making it fresh and relevant for the modern reader. To show how human struggles of the past relate to our lives now, and to current events.

How does/did your job prepare you for being a novelist?

I love this question—because the hardest job I’ve ever loved (to borrow that old Army slogan) is being a mother—and particularly a mother of many. I’ve given birth nine times (six of those at home), learned human nature in a uniquely hands-on way, and in all of it my children have taught me more about the Lord and His love, mercy, and grace than I feel I’ll ever teach them.

What are common traps for aspiring writers?

To get so caught up in perfecting a sentence that you miss the overall picture in the story. It took me forever to learn the infamous GMC—Goals, Motivation, and Conflict, and how they drive the story. Also, in this day of quick and easy self-publishing, to publish before the story—or writing—are really ready. Take the time to learn your craft! Don’t be afraid to seek hard feedback! (Entering contests can be a great place to find some.)

What writers or books have influenced you? What was your favorite childhood book and why?

I combined these two into one because they have similar answers for me. Early on, I loved the Little House books and Misty of Chincoteague—those two tie for favorites. Both imprinted me with a love for historical fiction (especially Little House—oh, and it had to be the books!). Later came Tolkien and Lewis—especially the latter. I love his Space Trilogy, and devoured his nonfiction works. (I remember reading Mere Christianity in high school … such a nerd.) I also loved Mary Stewart and Georgette Heyer, and many others that my mom had collected. Oh, and Alexandre Dumas, The Three Musketeers.

What books are on your nightstand right now?

I’m working my way through Watership Down, an old favorite I haven’t revisited in many years, and Lightning Strike, a mainstream crime drama by William Kent Krueger. He’s a newish author to me. In Christian fiction, next up is Darkness Calls the Tiger by Janyre Tromp and The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz.

About Virginia

The White Doe of the Outer Banks Grows into Womanhood

Return to the “what if” questions surrounding the Lost Colony and explore the possible fate of Virginia Dare--the first English child born in the New World. What happened to her after her grandfather John White returned to England and the colony he established disappeared into the mists of time? Legends abound, but she was indeed a real girl who, if she survived to adulthood, must have also become part of the legacy that is the people of the Outer Banks.

In the spring of 1602 by English reckoning, "Ginny," as she is called by family and friends, is fourteen and firmly considered a grown woman by the standards of the People. For her entire life she has watched the beautiful give-and-take of the Kurawoten and other native peoples with the English who came from across the ocean. She's enjoyed being the darling of both English and Kurawoten alike--but a stirring deep inside her will not be put to rest.

One careless decision lands her and fellow “first baby” Henry Harvie, along with their Kurawoten friend Redbud, in enemy hands. Carried away into Mangoac territory, out of the reach of Manteo and the others, she must learn who she truly is—not only the daughter of Elinor and Ananias Dare but also a child of the One True God, who gives her courage to go wherever the path of her life might lead.

Connect with Shannon:
Website: http://shannonmcnear.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ShannonMcNearAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shenandoahdawn/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/shenandoahdawn/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6880909.Shannon_McNear
Bookbub: http://www.bookbub.com/profile/shannon-mcnear
X / Twitter: http://twitter.com/shenandoah_dawn
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00BK9VRZ2