Hey everyone! I hope wherever you are, you have sunshine and and blue skies. Speaking of sunshine and blue skies, it’s spring time in Mistletoe and love is in the air…along with pollen and some news that will change Audrey’s life forever!
That’s right, Just the Way You Are, book 2 in the Seasons of Hope series has released and is available for purchase for ONLY $2.99! Whaaaaat?! š It can be read as a standalone but why not grab up book 1 Hope Under Mistletoe for only .99 while you’re at it! Two more books in this series is coming. Next is Cassie and Jax (set in fall) and it ends with Sierra and Ezra (set in summer)! I love this small town and quirky cast of characters and I hope you do too!
I’m thrilled to have my dear friend and debut author, Jill Kemerer with me today, to celebrate her Love Inspired novel, Small-Town Bachelor! I loved this book so much. Jill is quirky, fun, and the woman knows how to write romance!
You can win a copy by entering the giveaway below!
It’s been an incredible journey for Jill and I’m so glad that I’ve been alongside her for the last few years.
Let’s all settle in and have a major virtual party.
Chocolate. M&Ms. Champagne. Coffee. Yummy McDonald’s french fries! What’s your poison? Grab it and check out a sneak peek at Jill’s debut! And don’t forget to go buy it! Then we’re going to play a round of Would You Rather!
When Reed Hamilton arrives in Lake Endwell for a family wedding, he expects to do his part as best man then head back to the big city. But when a a tornado postpones the wedding, the town is in shambles and Reed is injured. Thankfully maid of honor Claire Sheffield offers him one of her cottages to recuperate in. Dedicated to her family and her dream job at the zoo, Claire is all about roots. She’s this city slicker’s opposite, yet as they help the town rebuild, Reed is captivated by her stunning looks and caring ways. He can’t ask Claire to leave the life she loves for him, but he also can’t imagine ever leaving her behindā¦
Ah! Doesn’t that sound great? Okay, let the games begin!
Would You
Ratherā¦
ā¦be stuck alone in a tornado or with someone you love in a hurricane?
Jill: With someone I love in a hurricane! Iām a big
baby. I donāt want to be in a disaster all by myself!
Reed: Alone. In both.
Claire: I would want to be with all of my loved ones
in the hurricane, and Iād take my baby otters with me.
ā¦work really hard at an interesting job or slack off at a boring job?
Jill: I have the most interesting job, and itās a
pleasure to work hard at it. A boring job is NOT for me!
Reed: Slacking off isnāt in my vocabulary.
Claire: I worked one summer at my dadās car
dealership. Talk about boring! Never again. I donāt mind hard work when itās
interesting.
ā¦be in constant pain or have a constant itch?
Jill: What kind of question is this, Jessica?? I donāt
like pain, and I donāt like itching. Iām adding a third. A constant massage. J
Reed: My recent experience with a broken leg left me
with both. Iād rather be in pain.
Claire: Neither? I guess the itch. But thatās like
asking if I want to eat moldy cheese or a rancid meatball. Both are pretty bad!
ā¦go through life unable to ask any questions or unable to answer any
questions?
Jill: I have a big mouth. I like to answer questions.
But I ask a lot of questions tooā¦ Letās go with being unable to answer
questions. Iām a mom. Asking questions is what I do.
Reed: As a project manager for a construction company,
I have to be able to ask questions. The answers show up in the end result.
Claire: Oh, this is hard! If I had to choose one, Iād
say Iād rather be unable to ask questions. I love being a sounding board for my
friends and family.
Love these answers! It was a good question! Ha! Jill,
tell us what youāre working on next?
Jill: My second book, Unexpected Family, will
be in stores in September, so Iāve been preparing for that! Unexpected
Family is also set in Lake Endwell and features Claireās oldest brother
Tom, who gets a life-altering surprise. Iām also polishing my third Lake
Endwell book, which is about Claireās brother Bryan and his outdoor adventures
with the new girl in town. Thank you so much for having me today, Jessica!
Iām stoked to have you here. So proud of you, Jill!
Jill
Kemerer writes inspirational romance novels with love, humor and faith. A full
time writer and homemaker, she relies on coffee and chocolate to keep up with
her kidsā 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 www.jillkemerer.com
and find her on Facebookand Twitter.
Your turn: Answer one or all of the questions in the comments and don’t forget to congratulate Jill!
Hey everyone! I’m over on Thoughts on Plot today giving another Super Sleuth Challenge!
One ridiculous crime. Two fake answers and one real answer. You choose how the criminal was caught. It’s so much fun. See you there.
Also, have you signed up for my newsletter? No? Do it today and receive a FREE novella on April 2nd! Only those Patched In will have this opportunity. Click on “Sign up” at the top right corner. Easy peasy.
When Pastor Gabe asks
Audrey Gilbraith to use her mad florist skills to help him design a prayer
garden, sheās all in, especially since it helps take her mind off the fact
sheās about to lose her job and her apartment. But working closely with Gabe
and not falling for him is complicated. Sheās not pastorās wife material, and
she has the past to prove it.
Gabriel Brookson wants out
of Audreyās friend-zone, but when he pursues her romantically, he ruffles more
than a few feathers in his congregation. How much is he willing to give up for
this wonderful, quirky woman, and will Audrey accept him if he risks it all?
Everyone todayās post is hilarious! They
say first impressions are everything and our lovely Nichole Parks shares hers
today and I laughed so hard, I nearly cried.
Weāre talking all things spies, which as a suspense writer, I happen to
love! Take it away, Nichole.
The time
I accused my brotherās new girlfriend of being a spy was risky. I can see that
now. Back then I only knew two things about Adrian.
She was ānice
and sweet.ā Which didnāt comfort me any. Supposedly, KPās starter girlfriend had been nice and sweet,
and Iād hit her car. Lucky for me, the only thing bent out
of shape was my parents. They decided I bumped Whatās-Her-Faceās car on
purpose.
And maybe
I would have if I had thought of it.
If Adrian
was nice and sweet, she could save it for the rest of the family. I needed to get
to know her beyond two adjectives neighbors use to describe serial killers. This
is my brotherās heart weāre talking about.
After a
stilted Skype introduction thanks to my paranoid bro, I knew Iād have to take
matters into my own hands. I needed something KP couldnāt filter. But what? The
lovebirds study in Missouri and Iām nine hours north in Indiana.
Making
good use of my online stalking skills, I pulled the universityās address. Snail
mail could sneak by KPās defenses undetected.
The thing was: I didnāt want to scare her off. Not really.
One honest conversation. Thatās all I asked. So, ahem, I penned this letter.
Dear
Adrian (if that is your real name),
KP
tells me you are āniceā and āsweet.ā But I know your secret.
Youāre
a spy. A spy on a mission toā¦ Well, I havenāt quite figured out what your
mission at Name of University isāyet.
Regardless, Iāve read too many romantic suspense novels to mistake āniceā and
āsweetā for mere adjectives. Youāre on a covert op, yes? Flying under the
radar? Eh? Eh?
You
can tell me. Or donāt. A good spy never reveals her secrets.
I
would also like to thank you. Thank you for using my brother as part of your
cover. Youāre a smart girl, knowing a couple is less likely to be noticed than
a single blonde. While most sisters would worry about their brotherās safety
under such dangerous circumstances, I trust heās in good hands. You are after
all a spy and probably following in the steps of Cody Banks.
Before
I leave you to your āstudiesā or whatever stakeout you need to be staking-out,
you should know I too have secrets. Since I know yours, itās only fair you know
mine:
I
have a taser. And a spikey flashlight. Please donāt take this as a threat. I
simply want to offer my weapons should they be of any assistance to you during
the stint of your mission.
Warm
regards,
Nichole
Parks
To you, dear person reading, this letter
may seem drastic, even dementedāespecially for a first impressionā¦ And, yeah,
you have a point, but this is girlfriend #3. Seeing as how I fender bendered Whatās-Her-Faceās
car, it’s basically go big or go home at this point.
Less than
a week later, Secret Agent Adrian wrote back. Confident she could trust me to
keep her information classified, she disclosed minor details regarding her
cover, assured me KPās safety was top priority, and inquired about borrowing a
weapon or two.
Something
tells me this oneās a keeper.
Whatās
the craziest first impression youāve made/experienced?
Headshot photo credit: Heidi Abbott
Nichole Parks
majors in dark humor and dark chocolate at Taylor University. She makes her
headquarters at Zondervan Library where she works remotely as Associate Editor
of Splickety Love, blogs at nicholeparks.com, and perfects her application for The
Bachelor.
One of my favorite Old Testament books is Nehemiah. This book has so much to glean, from rebuilding your life, your faith, your church, your community, your leadership skills…the list goes on and on.
Today, let’s talk about prayer. Prayer is essential in your daily life. Key word: Daily. Prayer can do many things. When I pray it builds my faith and dependence on God. It feels good to dump all the things I’m concerned about on Someone who can actually fix me…and the issues. I don’t always see immediate results to my prayers. I don’t always get the answers I want. But God is listening and answering. His way. His time. And if I sit still long enough, I’ll hear Him talk back. Through Scripture. Through ideas that come to mind. Many different ways.
Nehemiah was the king’s cupbearer. He was a trusted servant to the king. And at this time, many were going back to Jerusalem to rebuild what had been torn and burned when God’s people went into captivity.
Chapter 1 is a prayer over the situation. Nehemiah confesses his sin, the sin of his people, and humbly submits his requests to God. Here’s just a portion:
“O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.ā” Nehemiah 1:11
Nehemiah needs success. He’s about to speak to the king and ask to go back to Jerusalem to help rebuild.
Because of prayer three things happened for Nehemiah:
1. Permission: Nehemiah was granted access, permission to accomplish God’s will and to be used by God.
Then the king said to me, āWhat do you request?ā
“So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said to the king, āIf it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathersā tombs, that I may rebuild it.ā
Then the king said to me (the queen also sitting beside him), āHow long will your journey be? And when will you return?ā So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.” Nehemiah 2:4-6 NKJV
When we come humbly before God with His glory and purposes in mind, we’ll find permission from Him and He will grant us access. But it doesn’t stop there!
2. Provision: God didn’t just give Nehemiah favor with the king to grant him earthly permission, but He saw to it that Nehemiah had all the provision he needed to set out and accomplish the God-glorifying task at hand.
“Furthermore I said to the king, āIf it pleases the king, let letters be given to me for the governors of the region beyond the River,[a] that they must permit me to pass through till I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the kingās forest, that he must give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel which pertains to the temple,[b] for the city wall, and for the house that I will occupy.ā And the king granted them to me according to the good hand of my God upon me.” Nehemiah 2:7-8 NKJV
You never need to doubt provision and resources when God gives you permission to move forward. Whether it’s a new job, ministry, move…if God allows it, He won’t set you up to fail but always to succeed! Also a side note: remember to ask for anything! “You have not because you ask not” (James) Who knows what God will grant you, but you can be sure you’ll never receive it if you don’t at least ask!
And the 3rd thing we see is…
3. Protection: God made sure to protect Nehemiah on his journey. Now let me make a note to state this, I am not saying that if God calls you to something that you won’t ever get sick, or struggle, or your car break down. Sometimes that’s part of the faith-journey–trusting God through it all. Even Nehemiah faced serious adversity and opposition, to the point they were building with one hand and holding swords with the other. But there is a measure of supernatural protection. Those men never killed them or defeated God’s purposes, even when they threatened it.
“Then I went to the governors in the region beyond the River, and gave them the kingās letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.” Nehemiah 2:9
Whatever God is asking you to do, know that if He’s calling you to it, He’ll see you through it.
“… The effective, fervent prayerof a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16 NKJV
“I know that You can do anything and no plan of Yours can be thwarted.” Job 42:2 HCSB
āBehold, I make a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels such as have notbeen done in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord. For it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.” Exodus 34:10 NKJV
Have you signed up for my newsletter? A new novella is coming to subscribers on April 2nd for a limited time. Grab the chance and sign up by clicking on the Sign Up page above.
If you haven’t read Hope Under Mistletoe, it’s available on Amazon for only $2.99! It centers around Christmas but can be read anytime!
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Hey everyone! Join me over at Thoughts on Plot where I’m talking about Smoochic–creating killer kisses using music to set the mood!
You may not be a writer, but check out my process and maybe discover new music!
Have you signed up for my newsletter? No? Well, you should or you’ll miss out on a FREE novella coming April 2nd to those who are Patched In! Just click on the signup button in the upper right corner. Easy peasy.
When Pastor Gabe asks
Audrey Gilbraith to use her mad florist skills to help him design a prayer
garden, sheās all in, especially since it helps take her mind off the fact
sheās about to lose her job and her apartment. But working closely with Gabe
and not falling for him is complicated. Sheās not pastorās wife material, and
she has the past to prove it.
Gabriel Brookson wants out
of Audreyās friend-zone, but when he pursues her romantically, he ruffles more
than a few feathers in his congregation. How much is he willing to give up for
this wonderful, quirky woman, and will Audrey accept him if he risks it all?
If you’ve known me two seconds, you know that I love Heather Sunseri’s books. Her debut Mindspeak series was off the charts amazing and her newest book EMERGE in a brand new series proves to be just as amazing.
In her true to “science goes sideways” form, she presents the coolest setting, fantastic quirky cast and a story that will rivet her readers. You should be one of her readers. Just sayin.
Happy Release Day! Now go, everyone, and buy the book!
Hey everyone and welcome
to Friday. Today, Bethany Macmanus is hanging out and playing a round of Would
You Rather with us as well as sharing about her new novel, NERVE!
Would You Ratherā¦
ā¦be super strong or super fast?
Bethany: Super fast! I’ve always struggled with time management, so it
seems like being super fast, by default, would help me with that.
Justin: Super strong. If I could cheat out of my nightly gym workouts,
it would really be a time-saver. Having buff cardiac muscles would be awesome
when I’m chasing down a hoodlum.
Wren: I agree with Bethany. Not so much on the time management thing,
but getting my pictures back to my editor faster than the other journalists
would be great. Then I would get first pickings!
ā¦ never
touch another human again or never touch a computer powered device again?
Bethany: The computer thing sounds great,
though I’m not sure how I’d do my job? Maybe write in notebooks and make
copies…but I think Xerox machines are computer-powered…doh.
Justin: Never touch another human again? I’d
die.
Wren: Yeah, I’d pretty much shrivel up,
especially knowing how my arms respond to touch.
ā¦ be
ignorant and happy or be knowledgeable and never fully content?
Bethany: Too much knowledge can be a painful
thing, anyway. Give me stupidity.
Justin: If that would mean I could solve my
cases when first presented with them, it would make my job very boring.
Ignorance sounds good to me, too.
Wren: Oh, but I’d know what was wrong with
my arms! Surely that would make me content. Okay, not to be super-spiritual,
but aren’t we never supposed to be fully content until we reach heaven, anyway?
Hmmm. I’m liking the knowledge thing.
Bethany, tell us about your book! Okay!
It was created to save lives.
Now someone is using it to take them.
When Lauren
“Wren” Masterson discovers her deceased father’s medical invention
has been stolen from her childhood home in Florida, she never expects the officer
assigned to the case will be Justin Breck, who asked her out two years ago.
He’s changed
since then, seems like he’s hiding something. What happened to his openness,
his no-holds-barred, carefree attitude? She wonders how this new Justin could
possibly accept her imperfections, namely the persistent nerve disorder her
father’s missing invention might cure.
Justin is
learning the darker side of Doctor Masterson’s past life. The hard part?
Proving it to Doc’s adoring daughter, while attempting to win her heart. He
might have some history with her, but Doc’s lawyer, Connor Radcliffe, has more.
As bodies begin to drop around them, will
Justin and Lauren find the invention before the thief uses it to kill Lauren?
(Jess) Whoa! This sounds so great! What are you working on next?
(Bethany) The goal is to release the next suspense
novel in my Habitations series, Seven Sentinel’s Gate, this August. Wish me the
best! š I’ve already revealed the cover on my website, if you’d like to check
over there.
(Jess) I do wish you the best! And, everyone, you can
connect with Bethany in several different ways:
Today, āThe Climbā by
Miley Cyrus is going to help me. Just like Kutless helped me tell one in 2011. READ IT HERE!
I can almost see it.
That dream I’m dreamingā¦
I wrote my first book in
August 2008. I had no idea where it was going to go, but I felt compelled to
write. I gave that manuscript to my mom that Christmas. She cried, but not
because it sucked. Though, I think it might have.
I kept writing. One story.
Another. Another.
I met and pitched to my
dream agent in Feb. 2011. She offered me representation in September of 2011.
She submitted my book
(not my first but 12th) in November 2011. I thought in about a month
or two Iād have a contract, after all this was a God-given dream (insert maniacal
laughter here). I kept working. Revising. We kept pitching. Rejections came.
And came. And came.
There’s a voice inside my head saying
You’ll never reach it
Every step I’m takin’
Every move I make
Feels lost with no direction,
My faith is shakin’
But I, I gotta keep tryin’
Gotta keep my head held high
But I couldnāt quit. Because
no matter how shaken I felt. No matter how discouraged, how frustrated, how
physically painful it was, I couldnāt deny this was what I was born to do. This
is part of who I am.
Twelve manuscripts
turned into twenty.
I met amazing people.
Authors. Unpublished writers. Industry professionals. They sowed into my life.
They taught me. They corrected me. Friendships were bonded. Some of my best
friends live states away and yet a day doesnāt go by that we donāt text or talk on
the phone. A prayer team, I call the Triple Ps formed. These women pray for me
with such intensity and passion, I can honestly feel it when I sit down to
write.
Iāve learned what true
patience, endurance, and perseverance mean. Iāve had years to hone my craft
(though I havenāt āarrivedā Iām always growing and learning). Iāve had years to
discover areas where my pride is Nebuchadnezzar kind of scary. Iāve had years
to nail it to the cross. I do it daily. Iāve had years to learn how to fight fear
with the Truth of Godās word. To battle doubt and confusion.
New stories bring new
obstacles and struggles. Itās a slow climb. Itās a lesson in waiting, in a
culture where we donāt have to wait for anything. Itās a stretch where Iāve
learned balance. Balancing being a wife, mom, ministry leader, friend,
daughter. I asked, āWhy so long? When, Lord? Iām doing everything youāve asked
me to do! How much longer? Iām hanging on butā¦ā
And Iāve cried. Iāve
been exhausted physically, emotionally, spiritually. Worn slap out and feeling
too tired to press on. Too tired to write something new. Too tired to revise what
I already have. Too tired for one more blog post. Too tired for one more
rejection. Too tired for one more person asking me when I was going to get published.
Too tired to roll my eyes when someone mentioned writing was easy. Just type up
a story and slap it on Amazon. Too tired to slap them for saying that. Too.
Too. Too. Tired. Iāve lost the fight.
But God.
Always: But God. He
never failed me. Never let me down. He presented amazing opportunities out of
the blue, right when I needed the encouragement. Every step of the way. Heās
been with me. For me. Beside me. Heās gone before me. And Heās pushed me from
behindā¦straight up the mountain. Not the mountain of publishing per se, but the
mountain of self-discovery. The mountain where Iām pruned. Grown. Matured.
Developed.
There’s always gonna
be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose
Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waitin’ on the other side
It’s the climb
And then halfway up the
mountain, God gave me a new vision. A new direction. One I hadnāt jumped on
before. But I obeyed. Because if Iāve learned anything in 7 years, itās trust and
obey. I wrote one more book. And you know what? I had it in me to do. Because in my weakness, He is strong. And His grace is sufficient for me.
Price of Betrayal was
born. I sent the proposal to my agent on February 27th, 2014. On
March 19th, the editor requested the full manuscript.
On March 26th,
my agent sent it to her.
And guess what? I
waited.
And waited.
And waited.
I wrote two more books
for this line while waiting in 2014.
On October 10th,
2014, the editor sent back a request for revisions. So I went to work. Again.
We sent those revisions back on November 3rd, 2014.
And guess what? We
waited. I waited. I revised. I put out a free Christmas novella to subscribers.
I decided to create a series of novellas. I shopped for presents. I checked my
email like a freak of nature.
On January 29, 2015, I
got THE CALL. My amazing, wonderful, encouraging agent sat on the other end of
the phone while I hit my knees sobbing. A week after that I had the chance to
talk with my editor from Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense. Sheās super nice and
fun to talk to. And her revision requests were insightful and spot-on.
Price of Betrayal
(tentative title) will hit shelves in early 2016. Yeah, another year of waiting
while Iām working. But Iāve learned waiting is worth it.
New struggles will come.
New challenges. More mountains to climb. To make move.
The struggles I’m facing
The chances I’m taking
Sometimes might knock me down, but
No I’m not breaking I may not know it, but
These are the moments that
I’m gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep goin’,
And I, I gotta be strong
Just keep pushing on, ’cause
Maybe youāre trying to
make a mountain move. Take the steps. You move. And God will move the mountain.
Keep on movin’
Keep climbin’
Keep the faith baby
It’s all about, it’s all about the climb
Keep the faith, keep your faithā¦
Never ever stop
dreaming. Never ever give up. Keep reaching. Keep climbing. Keep stepping.
Climb tired. Climb when it hurts. Climb when you feel rejected. Climb when youāre
discouraged. Climb when you canāt see. Climb through the tears. Climb when you
want to quit.
Push on. Press in. Pray
forward.
When you reach the summit,
youāll look back and see Godās fingerprints all over the journey.
Itās not
about fast. Itās about faith.
If God is in it, you canāt
lose.
Thank you to everyone
who has stuck by me and encouraged me. It aināt over yet! And listen to the song. You’ll be glad you did.
It’s easy to do go about your daily life and settle into the fact that what you see is what you get. We say we walk by faith and not by sight but if we don’t daily remind ourselves of that, we forget. And what you see is what you get.
This passage of scripture really stood out to me this past week.
“Then the Lord asked him, āWhat is that in your hand?ā
āA shepherdās staff,ā Moses replied.
āThrow it down on the ground,ā theLord told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Moses jumped back.
Then the Lord told him, āReach out and grab its tail.ā So Moses reached out and grabbed it, and it turned back into a shepherdās staff in his hand.” Exodus 4:2-4 NLT
All Moses saw in his hand was a shepherd’s staff, a rod…a piece of carved wood. A dead stick if you will.
But was it?
The minute he obeyed God and threw it down it became a snake. I’m not so sure Moses didn’t jump back like a flash of lightning over the fact it was a snake as the fact he was shocked out of his gourd. He wasn’t expecting a petrified piece of wood to become a living, moving thing.
What you see isn’t always what you get. Not when God is in the mix.
You may think you’re holding onto to something that can’t move, breathe, live, or become something else. You may be discouraged, disappointed, and depressed over it.
But what you see…well…it isn’t what you always get. Walk by faith. Trust God to take what you think is dead and turn it into something that will blow your mind!
