Between the Lines

Laugh-out-loud rom-coms are Shannon Sue Dunlap's specialty. In her words, "Books with a dose of laughter and a spoonful of love."

Her latest novel, Hearts Aweigh, releases on May 20th and is available on Kindle and in paperback. This is book two of her Love Overboard Series.

We discussed the challenge of writing, teaching, and caring for elderly parents as she navigates the gift the Lord put on her heart.

Connect with Shannon on her website, Shannonsuedunlap.com where you can get a glimpse of all her books, sign up for her newsletter, and see what's next.

Here is the back cover copy of Hearts Aweigh:

Cheeky septuagenarian matchmakers, the "Shippers" are on a mission to secure a dreamy Mr. Right for Abby O'Brien, a sunny, optimistic childcare worker for Monarch Cruises. She loves her job looking after the children of vacationing parents, but harbors one unfulfilled desire: to be a wife and a mother. With his shy five-year-old daughter in tow, divorced elitist lawyer Spencer Randolph Masterson has anything but romance in mind. His goal on the MS Buckingham is to persuade his mother, Daisy, to leave her ridiculous cruise ship lifestyle and return to New Orleans. But Daisy isn't interested in life on land. Besides, she and her matchmaking posse have a marriage to arrange. When a secret from Daisy's past surfaces and threats of blackmail start flying, the Shippers must protect their own while attempting to convince Spencer's scarred heart to weigh anchor and boldly set sail for a future with Abby.

Author Heidi Gray McGill is a prolific author with works ranging from historical fiction to contemporary romance. Writing is her ministry, and she weaves well-crafted stories with inspiration, encouragement, and the love of Jesus into every novel.

Written on My Heart, the fifth installment of Discerning God's Best, is now available on Amazon in Kindle, paperback, and Kindle Unlimited.

You can connect with Heidi via her website, heidigraymcgill.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter (and receive the prequel Deep in My Heart as a gift) and follow her social media platforms. Be sure to check out the many other books she has available and listen to a sample of her audiobook, Desire of My Heart.

Here is the back cover copy of Written on My Heart:

It's hard to hear God's voice when you've already decided what you want him to say. In the wilds of the rugged West, Betsy Smith discovers beauty in every corner—from the blazing sunsets to the wind murmuring secrets through the mountains. Yet, it's the magnetism of Gabe Manning, with his dark complexion and dashing demeanor, that draws her gaze. Having known him since childhood, Betsy sees in Gabe the embodiment of the heroes she admires from her novels: a stalwart protector of the innocent, a champion of justice, a man of unshakable integrity, and a paragon of honor, guided by principles as steadfast as the mountains themselves— all while reconciling with his Arapaho Indian heritage. Yet, amid her admiration, Betsy longs for God's reassurance that Gabe is the one for her. As deputy of Shumard Oak Bend, Missouri, in 1875, Gabe "Little Sun" Manning sees the allure and harshness of frontier life. Amidst the chaos, he finds solace in the presence of Miss Betsy Smith, a compassionate schoolteacher whose independence and intellect captivate him as profoundly as her beauty. Yet, as their bond deepens, Gabe wrestles with doubts about his ability to fulfill the desires of her heart. Haunted by the secrets of his past and desperate for redemption, Gabe faces his most formidable challenge yet.

Be sure and order your copy today!

Blossom Turner is an award-winning author, multiple-time Canadian Word Guild Awards recipient, and ACFW Carol Award finalist who began her writing career later in life. An adventurer at heart, she enjoys skydiving, gardening, and singing for fun. She has been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul and other anthologies, worked as a newspaper columnist on health and fitness, and ultimately found her true passion in writing fiction with purpose. Her latest series, The Victory Series, brings to life spiritual warfare, weaving love, deep relationships, and hope into every page. She is also the author of the award-winning historical romance series The Shenandoah Brides, featuring five sisters and their love stories. Blossom and her husband, David, have two grown children and live in beautiful British Columbia, Canada, with their Shepherd/Bernese dog, Lacey.

It was a pleasure to interview Blossom for Between the Lines, talk about the inspiration behind The Victory Series, and discuss spiritual warfare, which is the theme of each of the three novels.

Book Two, Mara in the Face of Battle, was released on April 22nd, and the ebook is available for the preorder price of only $3.99 until May 22nd.

The endorsement of this book from bestselling author Creston Mapes says it all. "I've been watching and waiting for a powerful new voice in Christian fiction, and I've finally found it in Blossom Turner and her new thriller, Mara – The Unseen Battle. With spiritual warfare comparable to Frank Peretti, this book was powerfully spiritual and chillingly realistic. It had everything I love in a good novel — tension throughout, great pacing, unexpected twists and turns . . . I can't wait to read the second book in the series."

If you need a little more convincing that this book should be your next TBR, here is the back cover copy:

She escaped the darkness once... but will she survive its clutches yet again?

Despite scars both seen and unseen from her unimaginable past, Mara returns to the home that once imprisoned her in secrets, lies, and abuse. This time, she's no longer a victim—she's a young woman transformed by faith and driven by love. Mara is determined to share with her siblings the hope she's found in a God who saved her life and filled it with purpose.

Reminded of her past with every glance in the mirror, Mara's heart finds a home in Lucas, a man who loves her beyond appearances. With him, she steps into a new life of joy, ministry, and the promise of forever.

But an unseen battle rages. Mara discovers the enemy who comes to steal, kill and destroy is closer—and far more dangerous—than she imagined. Armed with prayer and the Holy Spirit, Mara must confront the forces that seek to crush everything she holds dear. When an unimaginable failure shakes the foundation of her faith, Mara faces her greatest test yet.

Can she trust God is good when life is not? Or will the shadows of her past pull her under once more?

A gripping story of faith, love, and resilience. Turner takes us on a journey that will inspire and challenge readers to find hope in their own darkest moments.

To connect with Blossom, follow her social media links, and/or sign up for her newsletter, visit her website, BlossomTurner.com.

I love Lynn Watson's tagline: Stepping through time, stitching stories of faith.

She has written Cinnamah-Brosia's Inspirational Collection for Women with Book 1: Essence of Courage, Book 2: Essence of Joy, and Book 3: Essence of Humility.

Her newest novel, Frayed Promises is Book 2 of her Promised Destiny Book Series. It was released on April 2nd. It is available in paperback, Kindle, and Kindle Unlimited.

You can connect with Lynn on her website, follow her on social media, sign up for her newsletter, and receive a cross-stitch pattern Lynn created as a gift.

Frayed Promises Back Cover Copy:

Frayed Promises: A Life-Affirming Novel and sequel to BookFest Award Winner, Tangled Promises. Her grandmother's last warning spins like a tempest threatening to shipwreck their joy and fray every promise they have made. Clara and Daniel Becker married secretly circumventing nobility's rules. When denial no longer serves her, how does Clara hide the truth of their wedding night conception and their nuptials from her father, the Baron? If Vati sends her away, Daniel promises to follow. Unexpected circumstances bring them face-to-face with the words of Proverbs 16:20. A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. Will Clara and Daniel trust the path ahead? Where will God lead? NOTE: Inconvenient pregnancy, sanctity of life, and past abortion are a part of this story—handled with gentleness and grace.

Megan Soja is a multi-award-winning author who writes stories filled with strong faith, rich history, and sweet romance. Her debut series, Harbor of Spies, is set in Boston at the start of the American Revolution.

When she is isn't writing, Megan enjoys reading, hiking, canoeing and kayaking, and spending time with her family. She is also a musician and has played the French Horn for over twenty-five years. She lives in Western New York with her husband and two daughters.

Megan is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She has been a semi-finalist and winner of several awards including the ACFW Genesis Award, the ACFW First Impressions Award, and the Oregon Christian Writers Cascade Award.

Her writing has been featured in the spring 2024 issue of Spark Flash Fiction, the summer 2023 issue of Adirondack Peeks Magazine, and the Image Bearers Anthology.

In our interview for Between the Lines, we discussed her debut novel Spark of the Revolution now available on Amazon, Kindle Unlimited, and Barnes & Noble.

You can connect with Megan on her website where you can learn more about her, Book 2 in the Harbor of Spies Series (Secrets of the Revolution), and sign up for her newsletter.

To give you peek into Megan's story, here is the back cover copy of Spark of the Revolution:

A spark ignites a flame that could burn down everything they hold dear.

Contrary to her name, Patience Abbott has long felt unsettled and anxious to leave behind her painful memories in England for a fresh start in America. But her new life isn't quite what she expected, and as tension grows in her new home of Boston, so does the distance between Patience and her estranged father. So when Josiah Wagner walks into her life, it finally feels like she's not alone. If only his patriotic leanings didn't put him at odds with her father's loyalties.

Josiah Wagner has spent his life yearning for a true home and family, something he works toward each day, forging tools as a blacksmith, and each night, forging plans with the Sons of Liberty. But when the destruction of tea in Boston Harbor lights the spark of the Revolution, Josiah finds himself drawn into its tumultuous wake, pulling the woman he loves along with him.

As tensions mount, will their search for belonging lead to each other, or will the obstacles between them be too great to overcome? In a land on the brink of war, can they find the home they seek in the One who calls them His own?

Avellina Balestri is a Catholic author, editor, speaker, musician, and historian based in the scenic Pennsylvania-Maryland (Penn-Mar) borderlands, nearby the Gettysburg Battlefield and the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton. Her Italian-American heritage is in synergy with her passion for spirituality and the arts.

Avellina's wide assortment of essays, stories, poems, and interviews have been featured in over forty print and online publications. Her historical fiction novels (chronicling the adventures of 12th century outlaws and 18th century redcoats) and her poetry collections (ranging from historical commemoration to social commentary), as well as various anthologies in which her works have been included, can be found on Amazon and Goodreads.

Avellina is also the editor and one of the contributing authors of the literary magazine Fellowship & Fairydust which follows in the footsteps of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton and others. They also branch out into other storytelling traditions from around the world to cultivate intercultural and interreligious understanding. They accept submissions of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and prose as well as artwork and photography.

Be sure to visit Avellina's website for more information.

While interviewing her on Between the Lines, we discussed her historical fiction novel All Ye That Pass By, Book 1 in her Gone for A Soldier Series. It released last July and is available on Amazon in ebook and paperback formats.

This series deals with characters of different Christian denominations navigating the social and political complexities of Great Britain and the American Colonies as war breaks out between them.

Here is the back cover copy of All Ye That Pass By:

"If you don a scarlet coat at the price of your conscience, the color will only remind you of the wound in your own soul! If you sign away the faith of your fathers, all lesser goods will be forfeited too!"

Young Edmund Southworth could not have foreseen the path his life would take upon befriending Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne, British military veteran and parliamentarian. As Catholic recusants from the north of England, Edmund's once noble family has struggled to survive for centuries in the shadow of the Anglican ascendancy. But General Burgoyne offers him the chance to put past humiliations behind him by joining the Church of England and donning a scarlet coat as an officer of King George III.

Although his conscience is uneasy, Edmund embarks upon Burgoyne's March to subdue the American revolutionaries by splitting the colonies in two. He finds unexpected love in the arms of Abby Vanderkamp, a supporter of American independence, who will do anything to free her father from a British prison hulk or, failing that, strike a blow for the hard-pressed rebel cause. As the British advance through the New York wilderness devolves into increasing brutality and instability, Edmund will have his already divided loyalties tested to the breaking point under the influence of this hostile land which presents him with new challenges and opportunities alike.

Indie author Constance Wyler (pen name C.O. Wyler) shares her two biblical fiction novels, Untaken and Untaken, Too. Although biblically based, they are contemporary settings.

Untaken follows the twelve hours after the Rapture. It was originally published in 2017, but Ms. Wyler updated it and rereleased it in 2023.

Untaken, Too follows the twelve days after the Rapture and was released in March of 2024.

For more information, she encourages her followers to visit RaptureKit.org.

Carrie Walker is an award-winning author who writes the kind of stories she loves to read—those that bring hope to a hurting world. Weaving romance among storylines of characters in struggle, she aims to show God working in all situations.

Her debut novel Emma's Hero (Faith Endures Series Book 1) released in April and Book 2 Right Before Their Eyes released earlier this month. You can find them both on Amazon in Kindle, paperback, and Kindle Unlimited.

Visit Carrie's website where you can read more about her and connect to her social media links.

Here is the back cover copy of Emma's Hero:

"God won't give me more than I can handle? I'm pretty sure He just did." After a year of loss and bad choices distance Emma Reynolds from her lifelong beliefs, she finds herself pregnant and alone at a twenty-week ultrasound, hearing the words "incompatible with life." When her son, Theo, survives birth, she fights to give him the best care possible. As each day passes, Emma's love for Theo grows—along with her fear of losing him. She can't understand why God allows her son to suffer. Seventeen-year-old blogger, Mason Hughes, feels lonely and worthless after his father left their family years ago. When he ignores his mother's push to "contribute to society," she volunteers him to help Emma each week. Wishing he'd applied for any other job, Mason has no choice but to grocery shop and practice his rusty social skills with a mother and son he doesn't know. Paramedic Ben Sullivan has earned himself the title of "most eligible" bachelor among his friends as they continually set him up on blind dates. While he'd love to avoid the uncomfortable events, his heart can't help but seek the one thing missing in his life—a marriage like his parents have. If only he could find the woman himself. As Theo's tiny life connects them to each other, their loneliness breaks under the love of community, and they will never be the same.

Demi Griffin (pen name, D.M. Griffin) is a prolific author with more than six series available to those who love biblical fiction. Her latest Encounter Series is based on unnamed women of the Bible. Book 4, Return of the Son is available on Amazon along with the first three:

The Crumbs Off Heaven's Table

The Crooked Daughter

Touch of Power

In Demi's words: For me, writing has been a gift that keeps me in step with the Spirit. Every book, each character, and the biblical themes knit my heart together in fresh new ways. I hope that my readers enjoy the same experience when they enter the stories with me. A book that sits on a shelf unread is like a planted seed that never blossoms. Nothing delights me more than sharing a story.

You can connect with Demi on her website where you can access daily prayers, her blog post (Pondering), and sign up for her newsletter.

To peek your interest, here is the Return of the Son BCC:

Her life was perfect. At least her childhood was. Eve never wanted anything except her father's presence. As a prominent advisor to the evil King Herod, Eve's father was split between his duties to the king and his duties as the only living parent for his daughter. With no heir to claim his family's land, Eve's father did what any loving father would do. He arranged for her betrothal. But this wasn't just any betrothal. Her potential husband was related to the king she despised. With a rough marital journey ahead of her, she tenuously clings to the promises of God.

Not sharing her father's enthusiasm or respect for the Herodian dynasty, Eve acted like the spoiled child she was upon first meeting her betrothed. With faulty expectations and prejudiced opinions, she did what she would to ruin the marriage before it began. It wasn't until it was almost too late that Eve's eyes were open and she saw the opportunity to experience love for the divine intervention that it was.

Fraught with political intrigue and personal challenges, would Eve be able to fully surrender to the life God wanted her to live by loving a man she thought she could never love? When that man's shadows chase the family into the future, would Eve's son pay the ultimate price? Or would God intervene there too? Could He? Only a single, unforeseen encounter could answer Eve's impossible question. Does love truly conquer death?

Stacy J. Ladyman is a writer, east coast transplant, food lover, master of small things, and a southerner at heart. Learn more about her on her website where you can connect with her social media platforms, read her blog posts, and discover the heart of who she is. And be sure to follow her Facebook Author Page.

You can purchase her novel Shep and the King of Hearts on Amazon. As of this podcast publication, it was also available on Kindle Unlimited.

Here is the back cover copy of Shep and the King of Hearts:

Chris Warren's structured life as a behavioral hospital administrator is interrupted when her estranged father, Jim, suddenly returns to her life after a twenty-five-year absence.

Jim, a down-on-his-luck old cowboy, tries and fails to hide his gambling addiction. Desperate to help him, she enlists the hospital's unconventional chaplain, Shep. When her father disappears, Chris and Shep set out on a journey to find him in the wilds of Idaho where love unexpectantly blossoms, hope is there for the finding, and hearts have a last chance to heal.