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Sherri Wilson Johnson, aka my very talented and very fabulous VA, stops by the show this week to chat about her new book, A Season at the Grand. We talk about her writing process, why she always has to slip a little bit of suspense into all of her books, and what movies she and her husband like to watch. Or rather, what movies they compromise on! Take a listen. You're going to love her and her books as much as I do!

A Season at the Grand by Sherri Wilson Johnson

Can the perfect picture reveal the truth before it’s too late? 

Photographer Amelia Harris has had enough of her aunts' meddling matchmaking. So when The Photographic Times commissions her to spend the summer on Mobile Bay taking portraits of the elite and capturing nature for penny postcards, Amelia happily accepts. But this job is not as simple as it appears, and Amelia must defend against naysayers if she’s to ever gain respect in a man's world. And that doesn't leave any room for romance.

Point Clear Resort General Manager Titus Overton never wanted the position he inherited when his cousin passed away. If it were up to him, he would be traveling with the Audubon Society to far-off places, enjoying the solitude of nature instead of providing relaxation for his guests. And now he has to deal with the big-city photographer stomping her way through sand dunes that house the migratory birds nesting there. But when she reveals an admiration for his feathered friends, it reawakens a longing in his heart he'd buried after the death of his fiancé.

When threats arise against Amelia and the other resort guests, Titus knows he must step in to help. But she insists they trust God for deliverance. How can he turn to a God who took away his first beloved?

As the danger closes in, he must find the courage to overcome his past before someone gets hurt—especially the woman he’s come to love.

Get your copy of A Season at the Grand.

Meet Sherri Wilson Johnson:
I love everything about writing and reading. Books are my favorite!

I love reading books by other Christian Romantic Suspense authors like C.D. Gill, Christy Barritt, Patricia Bradley and Nancy Mehl. I also love Historical Romance by authors like Misty M. Beller.

When I’m not writing, I’m usually working my day job as a virtual assistant to authors and other publishing professionals or designing book coversand helping people realize their dreams of becoming an author by formatting and publishing their books for them on Amazon and other retailers.

I live in Georgia with my husband and our two dogs. I love spending time with my adult children and my friends or curling up with a good book or my current work-in-progress. I enjoy doing jigsaw puzzles in the winter and count the days every year until I can take another trip to the beach.

Visit Sherri's website.

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Leslie Gould is this week's guest on the podcast, and what a wonderful and fascinating guest she was. We chatted about her new book, A Brighter Dawn, which is a dual time Amish novel. Among the subjects we touched on were what life was like for the Anabaptists in Germany just prior to WWII, Dr. Joseph Mengle, if she likes to write the historical or contemporary threads more, and what it was like to be a museum curator. My patrons also got to hear what she likes to read and what she's currently reading. 

A Brighter Dawn by Leslie Gould

"Incredibly well-researched, thoroughly enjoyable, and singularly original."--SHELLEY SHEPARD GRAY, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author

"A beautiful story of love, loss, and the bonds that connect a family to its faith."--SUZANNE WOODS FISHER, bestselling author of A Season on the Wind

Ivy Zimmerman is successfully navigating her life as a young Mennonite woman, one generation removed from her parents' Old Order Amish upbringing. But when her parents are killed in a tragic accident, Ivy's way of life is upended. As she deals with her grief, her younger sisters' needs, the relationship with her boyfriend, and her Dawdi and Mammi's strict rules, Ivy finds solace in both an upcoming trip to Germany for an international Mennonite youth gathering and in her great-great-aunt's story about Clare Simons, another young woman who visited Germany in the late 1930s.

As Ivy grows suspicious that her parents' deaths weren't, in fact, an accident, she gains courage from what she learns of Clare's time in pre-World War II Germany. With the encouragement and inspiration of the women who have gone before her, Ivy seeks justice for her parents, her sisters, and herself.

Get a copy of A Brighter Dawn.

Find out more about Leslie Gould:

My strongest memories from childhood include stories of hope and grace—and how those stories connected me to family and friends. I also soaked up stories of redemption in the small-town churches we attended. 

Even though I knew I wanted to write fiction by the time I was in the sixth grade, as I grew older I pursued other things, such as majoring in history and communications, working as a museum curator, then as a public relations specialist, and finally as a magazine editor. Once I finally started writing fiction, it was another ten years until I sold my first novel. Soon after, I received a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, which allowed me to teach writing at a local university besides writing novels full-time. 

I’ve written a large collection of dual-time, Amish, and contemporary novels, set in a variety of places—from the Pacific Northwest to Amish Country to France to Vietnam. 

My husband, Peter, and I have been married forty years and have four adult children and one grandchild. We live in Portland, Oregon and enjoy traveling, urban hikes, and hanging out with family and friends!

Visit Leslie's website.

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Jocelyn Green stopped by the podcast this week to chat about her new book, The Metropolitan Affair. It's a fabulous book with a female Egyptologist set in New York City in the roaring 20s. We had such a fun talk discussing everything she learned about Egyptology, the real places in New York City that make an appearance, and our mutual love for the Great British Bake Off, including why she'd never attempt a recipe from the show. Patrons also get to hear which is her favorite Broadway show and why. We threw in lots of laughs along the way!

The Metropolitan Affair by Jocelyn Green

Bestselling author Jocelyn Green sweeps you away in a dazzling novel of secrets, betrayal, and romance within one of New York City's most esteemed museums.

For years her explorer father promised Dr. Lauren Westlake she'd accompany him on one of his Egyptian expeditions. But as the empty promises mounted, Lauren determined to earn her own way. Now the assistant curator of Egyptology for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lauren receives two unexpected invitations.

The first is her repentant father's offer to finally bring her to Egypt as his colleague on a new expedition. The second is a chance to enter the world of New York's wealthiest patrons who have been victims of art fraud.

With Egyptomania sweeping the city after the discovery of King Tut's tomb, Detective Joe Caravello is on the hunt for a notorious forger preying on the open wallets of New York's high society. Dr. Westlake is just the expert he needs to help him track the criminal. Together they search for the truth, and the closer Lauren and Joe get to discovering the forger's identity, the more entangled they become in a web of deception and crime.

Get your copy of The Metropolitan Affair by Jocelyn Green.

Jocelyn Green inspires faith and courage as the award-winning and bestselling author of numerous fiction and nonfiction books, including The Mark of the King; Wedded to War; and The 5 Love Languages Military Edition, which she coauthored with bestselling author Dr. Gary Chapman. Her books have garnered starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly, and have been honored with the Christy Award, the gold medal from the Military Writers Society of America, and the Golden Scroll Award from the Advanced Writers & Speakers Association. She graduated from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, with a B.A. in English, concentration in writing. She loves Mexican food, Broadway musicals, pie, the color red, and reading with a cup of tea. Jocelyn lives with her husband Rob and two children in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Visit her at www.jocelyngreen.com.

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Crystal Caudill returns to the podcast this week to chat with us about her new book, Counterfeit Faith. We talk about whether she likes to write heroes or villains more, how she researched Philadelphia in Victorian times, and what board games she likes to play with her family. Patrons get to hear the bonus question about how she names her characters.

Counterfeit Faith by Crystal Caudill

She's losing her faith in mankind. He's lost his faith in God. Can working together restore them both?

As matron of Final Chance House of Refuge, Gwendolyn Ellison has dedicated her life to serving the children deemed delinquents by society. She'll protect them with everything she has. So when she suspects someone is using Final Chance for criminal deeds, she's determined to investigate and put a stop to it. But villains don't like to be crossed--and they're willing to kill to get their way.

Gwendolyn knows she can't quit fighting. More than her own life is on the line if counterfeiters go free. She must find someone she can trust to help her expose the criminals and protect the children under her care.

Charming and chivalrous Secret Service operative Josiah Isaacs has never been able to turn his back on a woman in trouble--and capturing counterfeiters is his job, after all. The danger he's truly worried about is his growing attraction to Gwendolyn when his heart wants to remain faithful to his deceased wife.

As both peril and interest grow, he begins to consider whether a second love may be possible--if they can live through this case. At the same time, he's put off by her faith in a God he no longer trusts. How can a future together even be possible when their beliefs are at odds?

Get your copy of Counterfeit Faith by Crystal Caudill.

Meet Crystal Caudill

Reading and writing are a part of my soul. One look at the yellowed pages of my memory box will reveal words and creativity have sought expression from the moment I held a crayon.

Initially, I read and wrote to escape our family challenges and struggles. If those characters could endure dangerous adventures and hair-raising rescues, I could survive another day. My source of escape grew into a secret passion as I delved into history and crafted my owns stories of hope through danger.

Even after I married and had two wonderful boys, stories flowed from my fingertips. Writing remained my sanity, but more than that, it became the tool through which God taught and spoke to me. The stories came through my fingertips, but they were marked with His fingerprints.

I never dreamed it would lead to something more.

In June 2015, my husband treated me to a writer’s conference. I was excited to improve my writing, but I never had any intention beyond personal gratification. God’s plan ended up being slightly bigger.

Yes, and He continues to prove faithful in my writing. Although not easy, I obediently write. My stories are still filled with danger, struggle, and history, but they are also permeated with the hope and love of Christ. I hope they are dangerously good. Good for the heart and for the soul.

Visit Crystal Caudill's website.

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This week, we have a topic. I asked if you do or do not take part in reading challenges every years, why or why not, and if you do, how many books do you set as your goal. I got lots of great answers that I share with you on this week's show. Perhaps it will motivate you to join a challenge. It got me going on a Goodreads challenge, so follow along with me and see if I meet the very low bar I set for myself! 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5328518.Liz_Tolsma

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Jen Turano returns to the podcast this week, and boy, did we ever have fun! Not only did we talk about her very charming and witty new book, A Match in the Making, but we also chatted about the 1980s big hair (you have to listen to the episode!), where she gets the ideas for the crazy for her characters, and an embarrassing incident that happened to her that inspired a book. My patrons get to hear her hilarious take on her recent trip to Utah. My sides were aching by the time we were done with the interview!

A Match in the Making by Jen Turano
Miss Gwendolyn Brinley accepted a temporary paid companion position for the Newport summer season, believing it would be a lark to spend the summer in America's most exclusive town. She suddenly finds her summer turning anything but amusing when her employer expects her to take over responsibilities as an assistant matchmaker. Tasked with the daunting prospect of attaining advantageous matches for her clients, Gwendolyn soon finds herself in the employ of Mr. Walter Townsend, the catch of the Season, but a gentleman Gwendolyn finds beyond irritating.

Walter Townsend is reluctantly in search of a wife for the sake of his unruly motherless children who cannot keep a governess for long. What he wasn't expecting was Miss Brinley, an amateur matchmaker who turns his quest for a new wife into a complete and utter debacle. Constantly besieged by society ladies on a mission to win his affection, Walter must find a way to overcome their inundating attention--and his unexpected attraction toward Gwendolyn.

The more time they spend together throughout the Newport Season, the harder it is for Gwendolyn to find Walter a wife when she realizes his perfect match might be . . . her.

Get your copy of A Match in the Making.

Named One of the Funniest Voices in Inspirational Romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today Best-Selling Author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publisher Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. She’s been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. When she’s not writing, she spends her time outside of Denver, CO. Readers may find her at www.jenturano.com or https://www.facebook.com/jenturanoauthor/or on Twitter at JenTurano @JenTurano.

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Marilyn Turk joins us on the podcast this week, here to talk about her new book, The Escape Game. She chats about the very interesting history behind the story of how a board game maker used Monopoly games sent in Red Cross boxes to sneak the tools Allied POWs would need to escape. It's so very fascinating. She also shares her in-law's love story and how it inspired the love story in The Escape Game. She's a gracious lady, and this is an interview you don't want to miss. 

The Escape Game by Marilyn Turk

After the Nazis started the bombing blitz of England, Beryl Clarke puts her college on hold to return to Leeds, care for her mother, and work as a secretary at the Waddington game company. While she endures the war at home, her brother James fights the enemy in the air. When he is shot down, injured, and captured, James reunites with a former college friend American POW Kenneth Bordelon, and they plan to escape the Nazi prison camp. Beryl knows there is a board game with escape plans being delivered to POWs by the Red Cross. But how can she let them know about the game's secret without revealing the information to the enemy?

Get your copy of The Escape Game by Marilyn Turk.

Marilyn Turk loves to study history, especially that of lighthouses and the coast of the United States. To date, she had written the Coastal Lights Legacy series – four Civil War era historical fiction books set around Florida lighthouses, and two historical suspense stories set in WWII America, The Gilded Curseand Shadowed by a Spy.  Her historical romantic novella, The Wrong Survivor, is part of the Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides Romance Collection. In addition she has written Lighthouse Devotions – 52 Inspiring Lighthouse Stories, based on her popular lighthouse blog. (@ https://pathwayheart.com)

The Florida resident and Louisiana native is a graduate of LSU’s School of Journalism. After moving from the Atlanta area to Florida, Marilyn retired from a career in food service sales and began her next career as a writer.  Her work has appeared in a number of inspirational publications including Guideposts magazine, A Joyful Heart, A Cup of Christmas Cheer, Daily Guideposts, The Upper Room, Clubhouse Jr. Magazine, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and Lighthouse Digest magazine.

Marilyn is also director of the Blue Lake Christian Writers Retreat.

Marilyn has always liked lighthouses, but when she saw her first lighthouse in person, the Pensacola lighthouse, she was hooked. Now her husband Chuck is also a lighthouse enthusiast and the couple has visited many lighthouses in the country. In 2015, they traveled to Michigan where they saw over forty lighthouses and stayed in one that had been converted to a Bed and Breakfast. And in the summer of 2016, they traveled the east coast where they visited lighthouses from Maine to the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

To find out more about Marilyn’s new releases, sign up for her newsletter at [email protected]. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Marilyn is a popular speaker and is available to speak on motivation, writing, and lighthouses.

Visit Marilyn's website.

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It is my true pleasure to welcome Amanda Cabot to the podcast this week. She's a returning guest, but she has a new book out, After the Shadows, and it's the first book in a new series, "Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing." She once again has created this lovely fictional town, and she shares with us the story behind the house on the book's cover, we talk about all the ways you can pronounce Cabot, and what her most memorable trip was. For my patrons, you get to hear about her brief stint (and mine) as a playwright. 

After the Shadows by Amanda Cabot
A brighter future awaits--if she can escape the shadows of the past

Emily Leland sheds no tears when her abusive husband is killed in a bar fight, but what awaits her back home in Sweetwater Crossing is far from the welcome and comfort she expected. First she discovers her father has died under mysterious circumstances. Then the house where the new schoolteacher and his son are supposed to board burns, leaving them homeless. When Emily proposes turning the family home into a boardinghouse, her sister is so incensed that she leaves town.

Alone and broke, her family name sullied by controversy, Emily is determined to solve the mystery of her father's death--and to aid Craig Ferguson, despite her fears of men. The widowed schoolmaster proves to be a devoted father, an innovative teacher, and an unexpected ally. Together they must work to unmask a killer and escape the shadows of their own pasts in order to forge a brighter future.

Bestselling author Amanda Cabot transports you to 1880s Texas Hill Country for a brand-new series that will have you flipping pages to solve the mystery and get to the happily-ever-after you long for.

Get your copy of After the Shadows by Amanda Cabot.

Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of more than forty novellas, eight novellas, four nonfiction books, and what she describes as enough technical articles to cure insomnia in a medium-sized city. Her stories have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists, have garnered a starred review from Publishers Weekly, were a Woman's World Book Club selection, and have been finalists for the ACFW Carol, the HOLT Medallion, and the Booksellers Best awards. 

A former director of information technology for a major international corporation, Amanda is now a fulltime writer living happily ever after with her husband in Cheyenne. 

Visit Amanda's website.

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Forged in Love by Mary Connealy

When sparks begin to fly, can a friendship cast in iron be shaped into something more?

Mariah Stover is left for dead and with no memory when the Deadeye Gang robs the stagecoach she's riding in, killing both her father and brother. As she takes over her father's blacksmith shop and tries to move forward, she soon finds herself in jeopardy and wondering--does someone know she witnessed the robbery and is still alive?

Handsome and polished Clint Roberts escaped to western Wyoming, leaving his painful memories behind. Hoping for a fresh start, he opens a diner where he creates fine dishes, but is met with harsh resistance from the townsfolk, who prefer to stick to their old ways.

Clint and Mariah are drawn together by the trials they face in town, and Clint is determined to protect Mariah at all costs when danger descends upon her home. As threats pursue them from every side, will they survive to build a life forged in love?

Get your copy of Forged in Love.

Preorder The Laws of Attraction.

Preorder Marshaling her Heart.

Get to know Mary Connealy:
I wrote for ten years before I got my first book published. When I did get my first contract I had twenty finished books on my computer at home. I had just enough encouragement through those ten long years to keep me going.

I discovered ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and entered my manuscript Petticoat Ranch in their unpublished contest. I was a double finalist in 2004, another book of mine, Montana Rose, was in the running, too. (Montana Rose released in July).

Every year at the conference the acquiring editor for Heartsong Presents gives a contract to an unpublished author. I was so hopeful! I knew there was a chance it could be me. The Heartsong editor, Tracie Peterson, said someone else’s name, so okay, I’ve been rejected before. I kind of expect it. 

And then she said, “And this year we’re giving two contracts to first-time authors. We’re offering a contract to Mary Connealy.” I get chills saying that! It was a wonderful, thrilling shocking moment. I had to go up and get the contract, in front of 350 other writers, all clapping. A great, great moment in my life.

With numerous books published, I’ve also had the honor of being a Carol Award winner and a Rita and Christyand IRCC Award Finalist. Subscribe to my email newsletter for the latest information. You’ll also find me on Seekerville, Petticoats & Pistols, and my blog. More details are on my media kit page.

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If you're a fan of Christian Historical fiction, no introduction is really needed to this week's guest, Tracie Peterson. She has written well over 130 books and has more to come. Join us as we chat about her writing day and how she puts a book together, what her research for Remember Me  was like, and my patrons get to hear her thoughts on one day hanging up her laptop.

Remember Me by Tracie Peterson

From the Yukon to Seattle, the hope of a new beginning waits just around the corner.

Addie Bryant is haunted by her past of heartbreak and betrayal. After her beau, Isaac Hanson, left the Yukon, she made a vow to wait for him. When she's sold to a brothel owner after the death of her father, Addie manages to escape with the hope that she can forever hide her past and the belief that she will never have the future she's always dreamed of.

Years later, Addie has found peace in her new life as a photographer, training Camera Girls to operate and sell the Brownie camera. During the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Expo in Seattle, Addie is reunited with Isaac, but after the path her life has taken, she's afraid to expose the ugliness of her former life and to move toward the future they had pledged to each other.

When her past catches up with her, Addie must decide whether to run or to stay and face her wounds in order to embrace her life, her future, and her hope in God.

Get your copy of Remember Me  by Tracie Peterson.

More about Tracie.
Tracie Peterson gave her life to Jesus at the age of six. Tracie knew at an early age that God was calling her to ministry, and writing for Him has allowed her to offer the Gospel message and encourage people to hope in the Lord. Her motto in writing, as well as all other aspects of life is Soli Deo Gloria—For God Alone the Glory.

Often called the “Queen of Historical Christian Fiction,” Tracie Peterson is an ECPA, CBA and USA Today best-selling author of more than 110 books, most of those historical. Her work in historical fiction earned her the Best Western Romance Author of 2013 award from True West magazine and the USA Best Books 2011 Award for best Religious Fiction for Embers of Love. She was given the Life Time Achievement Award from American Christian Fiction Writers in 2011 and the Career Achievement Award in 2007 from Romantic Times, as well as multiple best book awards.Tracie received her first book contract in November 1992 and saw A Place To Belong published in February 1993 with Barbour Publishing’s Heartsong Presents. She wrote exclusively with Heartsong for the next two years, receiving their readership’s vote for Favorite Author of the Year for three years in a row. Eventually, Tracie also managed Barbour Publishing’s Heartsong Presents book line—overseeing the production of 52 books a year.

In December 1995 she signed a contract with Bethany House Publishers. Tracie now writes exclusively for Bethany House Publishers/Baker Publishing Group. She has co-written with a variety of authors including Judith Pella, Judith Miller, James Scott Bell, Kimberley Woodhouse, and Tracie’s daughter Jennifer.

Tracie, a Kansas native, now makes her home with her husband, Jim, in the mountains of Montana.

Visit Tracie Peterson's website.