25th Anniversary Edition of Left Behind by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins

On a Boeing 747 headed to London, passengers instantaneously disappear from their seats, resulting in terror and chaos for those left behind—not only throughout the plane, but also worldwide as the apocalypse begins.

Included in this 25th anniversary edition is an essay by Jerry B. Jenkins, exploring cultural and spiritual changes over the last quarter century through the lens of this groundbreaking work of fiction.

Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.; Anniversary edition (August 4, 2020)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1496447565
ISBN-13: 978-1496447562

Purchase from:

Tyndale
Christianbook
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Books-A-Million

Book Review: Light Shines on Promise Lodge by Charlotte Hubbard

I never tire of reading Charlotte Hubbard's books because she consistently delivers a phenomenal reading experience. Light Shines on Promise Lodge continues her ability to weave heartwarming stories filled with community, love, and faith.

Abandoned by her husband, Annabelle Beachey sought refuge at Promise Lodge. She learned confidence and self-sufficiency with her new friends, but that is soon threatened when Bishop Clayton King arrives and sets out to change the ways of this progressive community. When her husband, Phineas, arrives and announces he expects her to give up her faith, Annabelle can't imagine how things can get much worse.

Although uncomfortable at first, Phineas can't deny he sees his determined and newly forthright wife in a new way. He also spies how the new bishop seems to have taken a keen interest in Annabelle. As Bishop Clayton attempts to control the residents of Promise Lodge, Phineas and Annabelle must work together to save their new home--and their opportunity for forever happiness.

I loved Light Shines on Promise Lodge by Charlotte Hubbard from beginning to end. I never wanted to put it down. First, you have the return of Phineas and all the emotions this churns up for Annabelle, who has nicely settled into Promise Lodge and accepted her husband left her and his faith. She is slowly carving out a new life on her own. Then, Phineas waltzes in and claims her to be his and wants her to pick up and leave. What would you do in that situation?

You also have two other storylines running throughout the book: the maturing of Gloria Lehman and the unexpected arrival of Bishop Clayton King. Throughout the series, the reader watches as Gloria evolves from chasing after boys into a mature woman who develops her God-given gifts. The arrival of the new bishop threatens everything the Kuhn sisters and Amos Troyer have built since they bought Promise Lodge. Though they have faced difficulties before, this might be the hardest challenge to overcome. With the help of some new friends, they will work together to make sure they follow God's will.

Though you can read this as a stand alone novel, you'll want to meet the residents of Promise Lodge from the beginning. Hubbard is a masterful storyteller who never disappoints. She creates great characters and writes fabulous stories that will inspire and uplift you. I am always eager for Hubbard's next release.


Series: Promise Lodge (Book 5)
Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Zebra (March 31, 2020)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1420145118
ISBN-13: 978-1420145113

I received a copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Mailbox Monday - Dec 16

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Happy Monday, everyone! The countdown to Christmas has definitely begun. I finished shopping yesterday. Hope to wrap everything before we leave for NYC this weekend. Decorations are slowly going up. Cards aren't done yet, but the family needs to come first.

Maybe with the tree skirt placed under the tree, the kittens will stay out of the branches. Someone sent me this funny picture. This is a truly tempting idea. Travis jumped up and almost knocked the wreath off our wall the other day.

I haven't requested any printed books lately since Santa and his elves might gift me one or two. Instead, I picked up these two e-books for my Kindle.

Pelican Book Group is running a Countdown to Christmas sale. Some titles are on sale for 99 cents. 

This book was also on sale, but since I had a promotional credit it didn't cost me anything. 

That is it for me. I hope you have a blessed week.

Mailbox Monday - Nov 4

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Welcome to the first Monday in November. The air has turned cool and crisp here. We had our first frost this weekend. In some ways, I'm glad. I love the fall scents that carry on the wind as I travel around town and visit houses. In other ways, it seems like I've run out of days in the year to accomplish goals I set in January. Some have been met, some are close to done, and some are too far away for me to imagine the end of the year will bring success. Such is the story of life these days. I'm proud of what I've accomplished so far.

In my reading world, I've tried to be kind and not request too many books for review. There are days I've stumbled, but overall I didn't do too badly. Bookworms can never have enough books anyway.

Here are some digital books I recently acquired:

I love children's books, so these will be fun reads. Look for my reviews at The Children's and Teens' Book Connection.

Hope you have a blessed week.

Mailbox Monday - Dec 31

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Welcome to the last Monday of 2018 and last day of the year. I will be hanging out at home. Do you have any fun plans?

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas. The three kids were here on Christmas Eve. Then we traveled to my brother-in-law and sister-in-law's house for Christmas Day. Since I cooked the night before, there was no cooking mess to clean up. I simply brought some leftovers with us to their house. It was so wonderful not staying up late to clean.

As you can tell from the reviews I've been posting, I'm trying to catch up on some reading. I've also got book reviews coming up in January, so I better get started soon.

My mailbox has been busy lately. These are all for virtual book tours:

I also downloaded some Kindle freebies (I guess the other 555 aren't enough to keep me busy).

I will be setting goals for the new year soon. I'm also in the middle of working on my vision board. Still haven't put my 2019 business plan together. That's coming up soon too.

Wishing all of your a happy and healthy new year filled with blessings. 

Mailbox Monday - Aug 13

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists.

The Outer Banks has been very much on my mind this week, so the beach mailbox is back. We're already planning next year's vacation. I would actually love to go down in December if we could do it cheaply enough. Since the Lil' Princess will have several weeks off around Christmas, it would be a perfect time for us to get away. Guess we will have to wait and see what the Lil' Diva's work schedule looks like.

Speaking of the Lil' Diva--she turned 17 this weekend. There are days I wish I could turn back time and make her 5 again. She's already looking forward to college next year.

Here is what my mail carrier dropped off to me this week.

I've read the other books in the series and loved them. This will be a new author to me, so I hope I'll enjoy this installment of The Daughters of the Mayflower as well.

This is a poetry collection that I'll be reviewing at The Book Connection next week. 

This is another poetry collection with beautiful artwork. I think I'm reviewing this one in September. 

I'll be in Devens for a strategic planning event today, so I might be late visiting your blogs. I hope you'll share your mailbox with us. Have a blessed week.

Mailbox Monday - July 23

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists.

Somehow it is Monday again. We had a nice rainy day on Sunday so my garden is very happy. Finally put the fence up around it to keep the critters out. Think the rabbits are stealing my peppers and beans.

It was a totally crazy week. Just got back into the swing of things after vacation and had appointments up the ying-yang. My mother-in-law was here for a few days so I could bring her and my father-in-law to the doctor. The Lil' Diva's senior picture photo session was this week. The Lil' Princess took off for a vacation with a friend on Friday--but not before we had to go shopping for stuff--and I spent two days tossing things into a dumpster at my in-laws' house. At least the end is in sight.

No books arrived in my physical mailbox, but I did download these Kindle freebies:

What was in your mailbox? Anything good you were waiting on? 

Book Review: The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse

The Daughters of the Mayflower series continues with this next exciting installment, The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse.

Faith Lytton Jackson is a friend of George Washington and staunch supporter of the Patriot cause. Living in Boston, she is holding meetings with like-minded women when the British invade. Little does she know that when she agrees to help the cause in a more meaningful--and dangerous--way, she will meet someone who makes her think she could love again.

Matthew Weber is friends with Ben Franklin and his son William, which makes him privy to information on both sides of the conflict. Acting as a spy, Matthew meets his messenger, Faith, and is quickly taken with her.

What will these two people sacrifice for the sake of their fledgling country? Can they find love despite the conflict?

The Patriot Bride is my favorite of the series so far. Woodhouse brings her masterful storytelling back for the fourth book set between 1774 and 1775 when the First Continental Congress has already met but prior to the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. She brought her characters to life against the backdrop of a war that would change everything for the Colonies as the people tired of being ruled from across the pond. Next to the Civil War, this is my favorite time in American history, so it was a thrill to read this novel.

As with the other books in The Daughters of the Mayflower series, the main character is a strong, independent woman who defies conventions in one way or another. The pace of the novel is closer to romantic suspense than the typical romance novel, which may entice different readers. It does, however, stay true to its romance genre as the reader watches Faith and Matthew's relationship unfold. I must applaud the author for creating such fascinating ties for her characters to two of America's Founding Fathers. It's really quite clever.

With every book The Daughters of the Mayflower series gets better. History, faith, romance and adventure are the perfect combination. You can read only The Patriot Bride, but I encourage you to start at the beginning and go from there. You won't be disappointed.

Series: Daughters of the Mayflower (Book 4)
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Barbour Books; Gld edition (August 1, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1683226062
ISBN-13: 978-1683226062

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Book Review: The Captured Bride by Michelle Griep

The Daughters of the Mayflower series continues with The Captured Bride by Michelle Griep.

As the French and Indian War rages on, Mercy Lytton is called to be a scout and accompany a team on a dangerous mission. Raised by Mohawks, her gift of keen sight will be invaluable to them. Along with her friend, Captain Matthew Prinn, and Rufus, the son of Brigadier General Bragg, they are transporting traitor Elias Dubois and a stolen shipment of French gold to Fort Edward.

A woman of duty and honor, she doesn't expect to be attracted to a despised traitor, but she struggles to contain her growing affection for Elias. As for him, he has a plan of his own and Mercy has no place in it. Why then does she steal his every waking thought?

The Daughter of the Mayflower series continues to draw readers in with superb writing, engaging and complex characters, and the rich historical background against which these stories are set. Like other books in the series, The Captured Bride features an independent young woman who rises to the challenges she faces. Her past is well tied into her present and helps define who she became and, ultimately, where she ends up at the end of the novel. If you ever watched, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, you'll find this story has that type of feel to it considering the tense relationship between the white men and the Native Americans.

The Captured Bride is a powerful and engaging new installment in The Daughter of the Mayflower series. One finds history, romance, faith and adventure swirling around to create a fantastic read for any lover of this genre. A total stand alone novel, my recommendation is you start with the first book in the series to truly appreciate all it has to offer.

Highly recommended!


Series: Daughters of the Mayflower (Book 3)
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Barbour Books; Gld edition (June 1, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1683224744
ISBN-13: 978-1683224747

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Book Review: To the Moon and Back by Kathi Macias

To the Moon and Back by Kathi Macias is a story of family, faith and forgiveness.

Rachel's life has changed drastically since the accident that made her husband a semi-invalid. Nothing, however, could have prepared her for the forgetfulness, fear and confusion that seem to happen more and more often. Their daughter, Lilly, lives hours away and is dealing with her own issues. As the darkness threatens to overwhelm them all, they must seek the unconditional love of the One who will never fail them. But how?

Macias has always been one of my favorite Christian authors. It's been way too long since I've read one of her books. When we reconnected on Facebook, she sent me a copy of her latest novel that deals with the effects of Alzheimer's on a small family already struggling with other issues.

The author has a way of writing the most heartwarming stories. It's rare I don't cry somewhere along the line. I've always loved how she writes in conversations with God and shows the characters' journeys back to Christ in realistic ways. One can't help but be uplifted right along with her characters. Reading To the Moon and Back made me realize how much I've missed Macias' writing. I'll definitely need to add more of her stories into my reading schedule this year.


Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (October 19, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1975940237
ISBN-13: 978-1975940232


I received a digital copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Mailbox Monday - November 27

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists.

How can it be the end of November? I swear the year just started.

I hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving. We sure did. Family came over on Thursday and then again on Sunday. In between, we helped with our church's annual Christmas bazaar.

As for reading material, I really made out this past week. This came from an Amazon pre-order....

Millions of readers of Little House on the Prairie believe they know Laura Ingalls--the pioneer girl who survived blizzards and near-starvation on the Great Plains, and the woman who wrote the famous autobiographical books. But the true story of her life has never been fully told. The Little House books were not only fictionalized but brilliantly edited, a profound act of myth-making and self-transformation. Now, drawing on unpublished manuscripts, letters, diaries, and land and financial records, Caroline Fraser--the editor of the Library of America edition of the Little House series--masterfully fills in the gaps in Wilder's biography, setting the record straight regarding charges of ghostwriting that have swirled around the books and uncovering the grown-up story behind the most influential childhood epic of pioneer life.

Set against nearly a century of epochal change, from the Homestead Act and the Indian Wars to the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression, Wilder's dramatic life provides a unique perspective on American history and our national mythology of self-reliance. Settling on the frontier amidst land-rush speculation, Wilder's family encountered Biblical tribulations of locusts and drought, fire and ruin. Deep in debt after a series of personal tragedies, including the loss of a child and her husband's stroke, Wilder uprooted herself again, crisscrossing the country and turning to menial work to support her family. In middle age, she began writing a farm advice column, prodded by her self-taught journalist daughter. And at the age of sixty, after losing nearly everything in the Depression, she turned to children's books, recasting her hardscrabble childhood as a triumphal vision of homesteading--and achieving fame and fortune in the process, in one of the most astonishing rags-to-riches stories in American letters.

Offering fresh insight and new discoveries about Wilder's life and times, Prairie Fires reveals the complex woman who defined the American pioneer character, and whose artful blend of fact and fiction grips us to this day.

Then I lucked out at the church's tag sale and found these three from Tracie Peterson's Heirs of Montana series....

This is the blurb for the first book, Land of My Heart:  Adventurers, families, outlaws...all driven west in the 1860s by a longing for endless blue sky along with wild and wide-open spaces. Tracie Peterson, from her own Montana home, paints an unforgettable portrait of this rich, rugged landscape, populated by strong and spirited characters. When Dianne Chadwick urges her family to move west to her uncle's ranch in the Montana Territory, she has no idea that her new life in the rugged frontier ~and even within her uncle's home~ will not be the idyllic adventure she expects. But first she has to survive the arduous wagon journey with the help of guide Cole Selby, whose heart seems to be as hard as the mountains he loves.

Recently, I reconnected with a good friend and talented author who I consider a mentor. She gifted me a copy of her latest book.

Life had changed drastically for Rachel since the accident, but none of the changes had prepared her for what followed. She wasn’t even sure when it started. She knew only that the darkness appeared more often and lasted longer, accompanied by forgetfulness, fear, confusion…even suspicion.

As a result of the accident—which she was certain was entirely her fault—her husband of nearly 45 years was now a semi-invalid, his dependence on her growing by the day. Their only child, a grown daughter named Lilly, lived hours away and was dealing with difficulties of her own, not the least of which was an unwanted divorce. Rachel, however, had no concept of Lilly’s suffering, instead believing her 35-year-old daughter was still a college coed with her entire life ahead of her.

Can this fractured family find its way to a place of healing, or will the darkness prevail, destroying them all in its unrelenting torment? Unconditional love seems to be their only hope…but how are they to get there?

For my Kindle I bought the following inspirational story collection...

and also this book I have been dying to read....

I hope you'll share your mailbox with me too. Enjoy your week!

Book Review: A Simple Wish by Charlotte Hubbard (Giveaway)

We return to Willow Ridge in A Simple Wish by Charlotte Hubbard, the second book in her Simple Gifts series.

Having lived under her father's thumb too long, Loretta Riehl is determined to follow her own path in life. She decides to join Nora in her shop to sell her rugs and teach classes on rug making. She's also got a troubled heart. Drew Detweiler came to Willow Ridge under a cloud, but she can't deny her attraction to him. Will, her former fiancé, certainly isn't liking their growing closeness. When Drew sets out to discover the truth about Cornelius Riehl and his moods, he hopes to fulfill Loretta's wish to live in a peaceful, happy home again.

I simply can't say enough kind things about Charlotte's books. They draw you in right away and you can't help but push aside everything else to read them: her characters are so real; her settings are so beautifully described; you feel that sense of community right from the start. Perhaps the best part of picking up a book by Charlotte Hubbard is she has such a strong sense of genre and what her fan base enjoys that she delivers a great story every time.

With the Simple Gifts series she has created new successes and new challenges for the residents of Willow Ridge. While certainly a stand alone novel, the reader will get a rounder picture if they read the first book in the series before this one.

As I mentioned earlier in the week, Hallmark needs to make a movie out of some of these books. They really are superb.

Pick up a copy of A Simple Wish to find out what the people of Willow Ridge have been up to.

EXCERPT:

Grinning, Drew dropped down from the buggy. As he clasped Loretta’s hand and escorted her to the other side of his open vehicle, she wondered if he was leading her down a path riskier than Will’s and far more dangerous. A path more daring . . . and passionate. When Drew placed his hands on either side of her waist, he paused before lifting her up.

Loretta’s heart went wild. Drew’s sapphire eyes held secrets and intentions she couldn’t decipher, and he brought to mind a fox in the henhouse cornering his tasty prey. Effortlessly he lifted her into his buggy and then hopped in on the other side. “Hope I wasn’t interrupting anything important,” he said as he took up the lines. “If I’m not mistaken, Gingerich looked like a man come courting.”

Feeling downright wicked—yet too flummoxed to look over at Will on the porch—Loretta let out the breath she’d been holding. “You saved me from a really embarrassing scene,” she murmured as the buggy lurched into motion. “Once upon a time I loved Will with all my heart, but after Dat broke us up and he latched onto Molly so fast—well, I had second thoughts about his . . . sincerity. His true feelings for me. And now, well—”

Loretta faltered. The man beside her had lied to Molly about who he was when he’d gotten her in the family way, before poor deluded Will had married her. Everyone in town had officially forgiven Drew for deceiving Molly, and also for drugging his brother Asa with sleeping pills before he’d tried to marry Edith, but Drew was still a mysterious newcomer who played his cards close to his vest.

If Dat saw whom you were riding off with, he’d be even more upset than when he made you break up with Will.

It was true, yet Loretta didn’t regret what she was doing. For the first in a long time, she felt breathlessly alive.

Order Ebook

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Order Print

Zebra

September 26, 2017

ISBN-13: 9781420138719

ISBN-10: 1420138715

Amazon - Amazon UK - Amazon Canada - Barnes & Noble - Books-A-Million - IndieBound - The Book Depository

Charlotte Hubbard is the acclaimed author of Amish romance and fiction that evokes simpler times and draws upon her experiences in Jamesport, the largest Old Order Amish community west of the Mississippi. Faith and family, farming, and food preservation are hallmarks of her lifestyle—and the foundation of all her novels. A deacon, dedicated church musician and choir member, she loves to travel, read, try new recipes, and crochet. A longtime Missourian, Charlotte now lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, with her husband and their border collie, Vera. Please visit Charlotte online at www.CharlotteHubbard.com.

Facebook:   www.Facebook.com/Charlotte.Hubbard1

Charlotte Hubbard will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received a free copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in anyway. 

New Release: The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck

Tenley Roth’s first book was a runaway bestseller. Now that her second book is due, she’s locked in fear. Can she repeat her earlier success or is she a fraud who has run out of inspiration?

With pressure mounting from her publisher, Tenley is weighted with writer’s block. But when her estranged mother calls asking Tenley to help her through chemotherapy, she packs up for Florida where she meets handsome furniture designer Jonas Sullivan and discovers the story her heart’s been missing.

A century earlier, another woman wrote at the same desk with hopes and fears of her own. Born during the Gilded Age, Birdie Shehorn is the daughter of the old money Knickerbockers. Under the strict control of her mother, her every move is decided ahead of time, even whom she’ll marry. But Birdie has dreams she doesn’t know how to realize. She wants to tell stories, write novels, make an impact on the world. When she discovers her mother has taken extreme measures to manipulate her future, she must choose between submission and security or forging a brand new way all on her own.

Tenley and Birdie are from two very different worlds, but fate has bound them together in a way time cannot erase.

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Zondervan (July 11, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310341590
ISBN-13: 978-0310341598

Order at....

Christianbook.com
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Musical Playbook Review: The Real Star of Bethlehem by Dixie Phillips, Sharon Phillips, Lucy Robbins, & Leslie Trettin

Looking for a new Christmas musical to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas? Pick up a copy of The Real Star of Bethlehem by Dixie Phillips, Sharon Phillips, Lucy Robbins, and Leslie Trettin.

Those of us who are fortunate enough to be in children's ministry enjoy preparing special holiday events for our students as much as family and friends enjoy seeing the children perform. In The Real Star of Bethlehem, when the stars learn a star will be born, they begin competing for their chance in the spotlight. As they are "enlightened" they discover the real star is Jesus.

The Real Star of Bethlehem is a unique and fun way to share the Christmas story. A blend of historical and fictional characters come together in this lively musical that kids will love being a part of. With rhyming shepherds, stars with very human attributes, and a coffee-drinking owl, the authors have created a musical that will capture your heart. You can also pick up a copy of the music CD with tracks of the four songs from the play.

Churches, Christian schools, and families will want to use The Real Star of Bethlehem as a way to focus hearts and minds on the precious gift of our Savior.

A Christmas Musical
Category: Angelic Harmony
Author: Dixie Phillips, Sharon Phillips, Lucy Robbins, and Leslie Trettin
Playbook ISBN: 9781616337308 1616337303
eBook ISBN: 9781616337315 1616337311
Music CD ISBN: 9781616337322 161633732X

I received a free digital copy of this playbook and a track from the publisher. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Mailbox Monday - June 6

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists.

Happy Monday! I hope life is treating you well. Things are great here, just very hectic.

School is almost over, which means dance recital and year end activities are pulling me in different directions. I also have numerous closings this month and another house I just sold last week.

At least life isn't boring.

Not a ton of reading going on, but I did get a chance to breeze through Real Estate Rules! by Debbi DiMaggio. My review will be coming soon.

Another new arrival in my mailbox:

I also picked up these Kindle freebies:

What was in the your mailbox? 

Author Interview: Jill Kemerer, Author of Unexpected Family

Jill Kemerer writes contemporary Christian romance novels with love, humor and faith. A full time writer, she relies on coffee and chocolate to keep up with her kids’ busy schedules. Besides spoiling her mini-dachshund, Jill adores magazines, M&Ms, fluffy animals and long nature walks. She resides in Ohio with her husband and two children. Jill loves connecting with readers, so please visit her website, jillkemerer.com.

Thank you for having me today!

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in farm country. We lived a few miles from Oakley, a small town in mid-Michigan. I spent a lot of time running around barefoot, playing with my sister and cousins and sitting around reading. We moved to Saginaw, Michigan when I was twelve, and I think I’ve been moving ever since!

When did you begin writing?

It was a cold January day. I was twenty years old. I’d finished my college homework, so I read a romance novel. Well, I didn’t like the book and figured I could do better than that! I grabbed a cheap spiral notebook and began writing. My characters would fall in love, and they wouldn’t have all those pesky problems the other fictional couples seemed to have. Twenty-two pages later, the book ended. Turned out the problems were the point! Yes, I had a lot to learn, but once I started writing romance, I never looked back. I’ve been writing them ever since.

Do you write during the day, at night or whenever you can sneak a few moments?

I write my books during the day, but I write blog posts, short stories and other projects whenever I can sneak a few moments.

What is this book about?

Unexpected Family is about a single mom who finally gets the guts to tell her ex-husband they have a daughter. Here’s the back-copy:

His Surprise Daughter

After five years apart, Tom Sheffield is shocked to find his ex-wife, Stephanie, on his doorstep. The news that they share a child he's never met sends him reeling. Four-year-old Macy has his eyes, his mouth and, from their first encounter, his heart. Things with her mother are much more complicated. He doesn't understand what went wrong between them or why she kept their daughter a secret. And he's afraid of falling in love all over again. Yet he feels a glimmer of hope that somehow he can convince Macy and Stephanie to stay in Lake Endwell—and with him—for keeps.

What inspired you to write it?

Inspiration comes at the worst time! I was trying to fall asleep, and all of a sudden, I thought what if a guy got a call from the police saying, “Your wife and daughter were in an accident,” and the guy responded, “But I don’t have a wife or daughter”?

I got up and wrote it down. The idea would not go away, and the basis for Unexpected Family was born.

Was the road to publication smooth sailing or a bumpy ride?

The road to publication was not only bumpy, it was steep! I wrote twelve novels and submitted nine before getting a contract. I’ve been writing for over twenty years, but I’ve only been writing full-time for eight. Last year, I finally got the call I’d been waiting for. My debut novel, Small-Town Bachelor, released in April. It, too, is set in Lake Endwell and features Tom Sheffield’s sister, Claire.

If you knew then, what you know now, is there anything you would have done differently?

No. God used the time to draw me closer to him. I gained humility and confidence in my writing. I’m thankful for every step of my journey.

Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?

Readers can find purchase links to all major booksellers on my webpage for Unexpected Family. Paperbacks are available in stores such as Walmart, Barnes & Noble, Kmart and local grocery stores.

What is one piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring authors everywhere?

Never give up! And don’t let worries and doubts keep you from writing. Some authors get published with their first or second book. Some self-publish. But if you’re like me and want a traditional publisher, just keep trying. I’m living my dream, and you can too!

What is up next for you?

The third book in the Lake Endwell series will release sometime next spring, and I’m currently writing the fourth book. I love my job!

Thanks again for having me today!