Tag: Love Inspired

CELEBRATING JILL KEMERER AND HER DEBUT NOVEL

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

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! 

Buy the book! 

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 behind…

Ah! Doesn’t that sound great? Okay, let the games begin! 

Would You
Rather…
…be stuck alone in a tornado or with someone you love in a hurricane?
Jill: With someone I love in a hurricane! I’m a big
baby. I don’t 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 I’d take my baby otters with me.
…work really hard at an interesting job or slack off at a boring job?
Jill: I have the most interesting job, and it’s a
pleasure to work hard at it. A boring job is NOT for me!
Reed: Slacking off isn’t in my vocabulary.
Claire: I worked one summer at my dad’s car
dealership. Talk about boring! Never again. I don’t mind hard work when it’s
interesting.
…be in constant pain or have a constant itch?
Jill: What kind of question is this, Jessica?? I don’t
like pain, and I don’t like itching. I’m adding a third. A constant massage. J
Reed: My recent experience with a broken leg left me
with both. I’d rather be in pain.
Claire: Neither? I guess the itch. But that’s like
asking if I want to eat moldy cheese or a rancid meatball. Both are pretty bad!
…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 too… Let’s go with being unable to answer
questions. I’m 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, I’d
say I’d 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 you’re working on next?
Jill: My second book, Unexpected Family, will
be in stores in September, so I’ve been preparing for that! Unexpected
Family is also set in Lake Endwell and features Claire’s oldest brother
Tom, who gets a life-altering surprise. I’m also polishing my third Lake
Endwell book, which is about Claire’s brother Bryan and his outdoor adventures
with the new girl in town. Thank you so much for having me today, Jessica!
I’m 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 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 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! 

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photocredit/freedigitalphotos stuartmiles

Giddy Up with Jill Lynn!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
Howdy partners! I say
that because today’s book is set in Texas. I doubt Texans really say that but
whatevs. I’m so stoked to have Jill Lynn on the blog today. I had the chance to
read her debut Love Inspired novel, and it was wonderful, fun, deep, emotional.
All sorts of good vibes coming out of this book! Let’s play a round of our favorite
game with her and her cast!
Would You Rather…
…go back in time and change something in
the past or know something important about the future?
Jill: Neither! Might
sound crazy, but I think everything happens for a reason. And if I knew
something about the future, that would totally mess with me!
Olivia: As you get to
know Olivia, you’ll find she’d do anything to erase the past. Until she begins
to realize that God can use it for good.
Cash: Though Cash
doesn’t hide things like Olivia, he definitely has things to let go of. I’d
have to say change something in the past for him also. Although… he’d love to
see that his sister Rachel’s okay in the future. Tough one!
…spend a week in the mountains or a week
on the beach?
Jill: Beach. Hands down,
no question. J
I love, love the beach.
Olivia: I have to say
mountains for Olivia because she’s moved to Texas in the book and is missing
her Rocky Mountains.
Cash: Mountains. I don’t
see Cash as a beach sort of guy. J
…unearth secrets or bury lies?
Jill: I’m going to say
unearth secrets. And on that note, I must digress into a story. When my son was
around four years old, he had a week when he wasn’t eating very well. I wasn’t
sure what was wrong, but when it came to meal time, he just wouldn’t eat. He
wasn’t hungry. At the end of that week, I found the wrappers for some Z bars
under his train table. When I started looking, I found wrappers stashed
everywhere in our basement. He’d eaten almost a whole Costco-sized box of bars
over a few days. While I was laughing inside, we had to work and work to get him
to tell us the truth. He actually got disciplined more for lying more than he
did taking the bars. I always tell my kids they’ll be in more trouble if they
lie than if they tell the truth. (Me here: That is our rule too!)
Olivia: Bury lies. She
definitely doesn’t want her past found out!
Cash: Definitely unearth
secrets. He’s not a fan of lies of any sort and would rather hear the truth.
Thanks for playing,
ya’ll! Now, Jill, tell us what inspired this story?
Before I became a stay
at home mom, I worked at a crisis pregnancy center. Shame is so prevalent, and
I wanted to write a story of a woman starting over hoping to leave the past
behind, eventually realizing that she doesn’t need to because grace covers
everything.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on a second
book to submit to Love Inspired. It’s about the younger sister in this
book—Lucy. Her story is about learning to accept help, and I have to say, she’s
been a fun character to write.
What is your story about? 

Raising his orphaned
teenage sister isn’t easy for Texas rancher Cash Maddox. The girl tests his
parenting—and patience—at every turn! But when he asks new teacher Olivia
Grayson for help with his sister’s grades and attitude, Cash realizes he’s
facing the toughest trial of all. He made a promise that he wouldn’t date and
get distracted from his mission of being a good father figure. Yet Olivia’s
quick wit is drawing him unexpectedly closer to the caring beauty every day.
Could it be time to make a new vow…one that’ll last a lifetime? 
Jill Lynn writes
contemporary inspirational romance for Harlequin Love Inspired, with her first
book, Falling for Texas, available now. She has a Bachelor’s degree in
Communication from Bethel University and is a member of American Christian
Fiction Writers. In 2013, Jill won the ACFW Genesis award. She lives in
Colorado with her husband and two young children and has a penchant for great
books, boots, and thrift stores.
Connect
with her at Jill-Lynn.com
Or on
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JillLynnAuthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillLynnAuthor
Instagram: http://instagram.com/jilllynnauthor/
Pinterest

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Lakeside Redemption

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
Do you believe this? I do. What a beautiful quote from my friend Lisa Jordan’s newest release, Lakeside Redemption. 
“Can a woman
forget her nursing child,

And not have compassion on the
son of her womb?

Surely they may forget,Yet I will not forget you.

 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of
My hands;…” Isaiah 49:15-16 NKJV
God’s love for us is intense. So intense that He’s carved our names into His palms. He can’t uncarve them. He doesn’t forget us, even when we feel like He has.
“So,
what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God
didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition
and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything
else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with
God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger?
The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of
God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be
able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not
trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying
threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:

They
kill us in cold blood because they hate you.
We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
None of
this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that
nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or
low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get
between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced
us.” Romans 8:36-39 MSG
Nothing can keep us from God’s love. What I love so much about fiction is while the characters and even the setting might be pretend, the message is truth. It’s hope. It’s grace. And it can help us see God in a way we didn’t before! So I encourage you to pick up Lisa’s book either online or any in bookstore (they’ll only be in paperback on shelves this month then you’ll have to order it as an ebook or a paperback online). 
Here’s a peek! 
Buy the book! 
Zoe James is starting over. She’s worked hard to get past
the foolish mistakes that landed her in trouble four years ago. Now the young
mom is back in Shelby Lake and ready to reconnect with her son. When she bumps
into old friend Caleb Sullivan and his two adorable girls, she sees the
possibility of a happy future. Caleb has always secretly loved Zoe, but her
turbulent past brings up tough memories of his own. As they spend time together
training his girls’ new puppy, Zoe and Caleb will learn that if they can
forgive themselves, they might have a chance at a new life— and new
love—together.
Visit @lisajordan on twitter,
facebook, and her website! 

If you were sitting in one of those chairs on the cover of the book, who would you be sitting next to and what would you be chatting about? 




Jodie Bailey and the Cast of Crossfire!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
@JodieBailey
Website
Hey everyone! Guess who’s in the house today?
That’s right the amazing, fabulous, wonderful Jodie Bailey! I am so glad I know
her. And I’m so glad she writes wonderful books I can enjoy. She’s about to
play a few rounds of Would You Rather with us, along with her main characters
in her newest Love Inspired Suspense, Crossfire. Doesn’t that sound awesome?
Well it is. I’ve read it!
Thanks for being here today, Jodie!
Would You Rather…
…feel pain (emotional) or nothing at all?
Jodie: At one time, I would
have said “nothing,” but I’ve learned that nothing is far worse than something,
even when something is hard.
Andrea: Nothing. It would be
amazing to wipe away the hurt and go numb.
Josh:  Until I crossed paths with Andrea again, I’d
have told you nothing. That’s a battle I’ve fought far too long, but now… I’m
starting to think it’s worth facing the pain if it means feeling so much more.
…change something about your past or see what your future
holds?
Jodie:  Am I allowed to say neither?  My past has made me who I am today, and I’m
finally able to say that. People say all the time they want to know the future,
but I’m pretty sure they don’t. I guess if I could change one thing it would be
how I handled a particular family relationship early on so that maybe it would
be more healed today.
Andrea: I’d save my
brother.  Knowing what I know now, I’d
have paid a lot more attention back then and he’d still be alive today.
Josh: When Andrea’s brother
came knocking on my door that day, I’d have dropped everything for him.  It would have saved two lives and changed
everything about mine too. Worst decision I ever made was telling him I’d talk
to him “tomorrow.” It cost all of use everything.
…sing every word you speak or always speak in rhymes?
Jodie:  Trust me, you don’t want to hear me sing.
Andrea:  Uhm, this question has me a little bit
concerned. I have an opening two days from now and we could talk about this.
Josh:  Neither. I’d be out of the Army so fast or on
a psych profile so fast I wouldn’t know what hit me. Not to mention, my guys
would have zero respect for me. I can’t imagine how that would play out in
battle. You’ve got to be kidding me.
(Jess here! Josh, you’re so breaking the rules.
And for a military man…tsk! ;))
…be able to fly or read minds?
Jodie:  Fly. 
I’m pretty sure I don’t want to know what people really think all of the
time. And I could get to the beach even quicker!
Andrea:  Read minds. It would help so much in a
counseling session to know what a patient was not confronting. Wow. Do you know
how much faster my patients would be healed if we could get to the bottom of
things in session one?
Josh: Fly. No doubt. That
would be awesome.  Man, no one could ever
hit a home run over an outfielder who can fly.
…rather
run out of oxygen on Mount Everest (slowly but surely) or underwater?
Jodie:  Mt. Everest. 
I’d feel totally trapped underwater. 
At least on Everest it would be wide open with a great view.
Andrea:  Do you think about death a lot? I still have
that appointment open in two days. Maybe I can clear something this afternoon
for you instead.

Josh:  On Mt. Everest.  It’d be like that movie where Tommy Lee Jones
played an astronaut and ran out of oxygen on the moon.  At least he finally made it to the moon and
died with a smile on his face. But, honestly, if I knew my oxygen was running
out, I’m pretty sure I’d turn around and head down. Definitely not going to
take a seat and wait for it to happen. 
Oh my goodness, that was so much fun! Loved your answers, Jodie. Thanks to you, Andrea, and Josh for playing!
Here’s a peek at Crossfire!
Buy the book! 

A DANGEROUS REUNION 
After he couldn’t save her brother, army first sergeant Josh Walker isn’t about to let anything happen to Andrea Donovan. Josh may have saved her from one attack, but drug smugglers are desperate to get information about one of Andrea’s patients—a patient who’s disappeared without a trace. Despite the danger, the beautiful counselor refuses to hand over confidential files. Now Josh and Andrea have no choice but to battle on for their lives—and their love—or they’ll be the latest casualty to get caught in the crossfire.

So, answer one or all in the comments!