Musings from a Writer’s Brain–Valuable Memories by Anne Montgomery

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Anne Montgomery, diving, essay, Musings from a Writer's Brain, robbery, suspense, women's fiction

from Anne Montgomery

A while back, I returned home to find the front door ajar. My first concern was that my dogs had gotten out, but when I went inside, they both stared at me and wagged their tails. Did I spy a wee sense of guilt on their doggy faces?

Though I saw nothing out of place in the living room, something felt wrong. Then, I approached my bedroom and a chill ran down my spine. The mess inside showed I’d been burglarized. I briefly wondered if the perpetrator was still in the house, but since the dogs were sitting placidly, I realized I was alone.

“Really?” I squinted at my two cattle-dog pups. “You couldn’t bark or something?”

They responded by vigorously wagging their tails.

I turned back to the mess in my room. The drawers had been rifled. The decorative boxes on my dresser had been dumped onto the bed, what remained of my jewelry scattered in glittery bits on the bedspread and floor. It was easy to see that the good stuff was gone. That the really good stuff was in a safe gave me a moment of relief. But then I thought of my ring, the emerald and diamond piece my sweetie pie presented to me on a beautiful day in the desert, an adornment he purchased because of my love of emeralds and because he wanted us to be together forever.

The box where I kept the ring was empty.

It wasn’t until later that I noticed my office had been searched as well, but nothing appeared to be missing.

Sadly, I was wrong. “I can’t find my log.”

“I’m sure it’s here somewhere,” Ryan said.

But we searched and the book was gone. I was heartbroken.

What had disappeared was my dive log, a planner, of sorts, dedicated to those of us who scuba dive. The idea is that when you’re a new diver, reflecting on what happened underwater is a good way to become a better diver. Generally, we document the conditions: water and air temperature, dive site, date, and dive profile. Then we write down what we saw – beautiful jewel colored fishes on a sunlit reef, magnificent sharks, charming dolphins, sea turtles and star fish and eels and nudibranchs.

But we also revisit what went wrong on a dive: losing track of your partner, not paying attention to air consumption, getting caught in a current, misplacing the dive boat. The log contains stamps, as well, verifying special dives on wrecks and others where we descended below 100 feet.

So, the log is a reflection on our dive memories and underwater performance. The idea is to document your first one hundred dives, a milestone I was approaching.

The other day, Ryan and I were walking our dogs. I don’t recall how the question came up, but it hung between us. “Which do you miss more, your emerald ring or your dive log?” he asked.

I didn’t answer right away, but I couldn’t lie. “My dive log,” I said wistfully.

“I knew you’d say that.” Then he smiled.

I’m so glad he understood.

Now, I have a new dive log that Ryan bought me, one with lots of clean, white pages. I guess I’ll just have to start over, so I’ve got a lot of diving to do.

Yes!

Here’s a little from my latest women’s fiction book. I hope you enjoy it.

A woman flees an abusive husband and finds hope in the wilds of the Arizona desert.

Rebecca Quinn escapes her controlling husband and, with nowhere else to go, hops the red-eye to Arizona. There, Gaby Strand – her aunt’s college roommate – gives her shelter at the Salt River Inn, a 1930’s guesthouse located in the wildly beautiful Tonto National Forest.

Becca struggles with post-traumatic stress, but is enthralled by the splendor and fragility of the Sonoran Desert. The once aspiring artist meets Noah Tanner, a cattle rancher and beekeeper, Oscar Billingsley, a retired psychiatrist and avid birder, and a blacksmith named Walt. Thanks to her new friends and a small band of wild horses, Becca adjusts to life in the desert and rekindles her love of art.

Then, Becca’s husband tracks her down, forcing her to summon all her strength. But can she finally stop running away?

Amazon Buy Links

E-Book – Paperback

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anne Montgomery has worked as a television sportscaster, newspaper and magazine writer, teacher, amateur baseball umpire, and high school football referee. She worked at WRBL‐TV in Columbus, Georgia, WROC‐TV in Rochester, New York, KTSP‐TV in Phoenix, Arizona, ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut, where she anchored the Emmy and ACE award‐winning SportsCenter, and ASPN-TV as the studio host for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. Montgomery has been a freelance and staff writer for six publications, writing sports, features, movie reviews, and archeological pieces.

When she can, Anne indulges in her passions: rock collecting, scuba diving, football refereeing, and playing her guitar.

Learn more about Anne Montgomery on her website and Wikipedia. Stay connected on Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.

Musings from a Writer’s Brain –The Danger of “Inspiration” by Christina Sinsi

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Christian Author, Christina Sinsi, essay, Inspiration, Musings from a Writer's Brain, suspense, Sweet Summer Romance, Writer's ideas, writing tips

First, let me thank Catherine for hosting me on her blog. I appreciate this opportunity! Second, also allow me to say that I still myself as a new author even though I have published three books. I feel like there is so much I have yet to learn!

At the same time, I feel called to discuss the danger of “inspiration.” As a Christian author, I understand that we should be careful when taking bible verses out of context. For example, on my drive to visit a friend today, I heard the lyrics of a contemporary Christian song include Philippians 4:13 NSV “I can do all things through him who gives me strength.” I hope the writers of the song realize that, in context, Paul wrote about being content in all circumstances. He was in prison! He certainly couldn’t do just anything he dared to dream—break the chains (even though that did happen at one point) or just walk out of prison (even though that happened at another time) unless God so wills. We need to remember that we can do all things that glorify God and not just any old thing.

So, now, I get to the topic of writing and inspiration.  In many interviews, I am asked where do I get my inspiration? My go-to answer is everywhere—the newspaper, dreams, other people’s lives and stories, things that happened to me, and nudges from previous stories I’ve written. I have been listening to songs on the radio and the lyrics trigger an idea. Other authors have told me of ideas coming out of nowhere while they are driving, watching television shows, reading other books, you name it. There have been times when I have an issue I need to deal with in my life and a story arises to let me get the hurt out of my system.

I have stacks of folders with ideas just sitting on the shelf. Those folders may contain my notes, magazine or newspaper clippings, and other snippets that are the seeds of a book.

If you’re having writer’s block, I hope and pray that I may have just given you an idea as to where to get an idea.

My point is the next step, however. If you have all those ideas just lying around, how do you choose which one to turn into a short story or book, which one to allow to consume your life for maybe months?

First, you pray. Sorry I didn’t mention that earlier, but of course prayer can and should happen at any and every stage of your calling.

Second, which story is haunting you? Which one comes back to bug you when you’re taking a walk around your neighborhood, when you soak in the tub, or as you’re trying to go to sleep at night? By the way, bed, bath, and bus are famous in psychology as places to stir those creative juices.

Third, which one can you hold up to the light and see how the story might glorify God? This is where I may be different than others in my advice.  Just because a story haunts you, just because it seems like something that could sell, just because you feel the need to write this particular story, doesn’t mean you should. This is the truth I want to leave you with, if I may. Be careful that inspiration doesn’t dictate your writing choices.

In so many areas of our lives, we are tempted. Our temptation sticks around and can be very strong. So, don’t think a particular story idea can’t take the form of temptation.

In conclusion, I think inspiration of any kind can be dangerous if we don’t hold it up to the light and see if it shines.

About the Author:

 A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, Christina Sinisi writes stories about families, both the broken and blessed. Her works include a semi-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest and the American Title IV Contest in which she appeared in the top ten in the Romantic Times magazine. Her published books include The Christmas Confusion and Sweet Summer, the first two books in the Summer Creek Series, as well as the Christmas On Ocracoke and the upcoming Why They Call it Falling. By day, She is a psychology professor and lives in the Lowcountry of South Carolina with her husband, two grown children and Hemingway cat, Chessie.

Connect with Christina on her Website/Blog:   Please sign up here for my newsletter! Facebook:  Instagram: @csinisi123 Goodreads:  

Sweet Summer

By Christina Sinsi

 

Shelby Marano is the youngest of three sisters and was always Daddy’s baby girl–until her father was murdered. Ever since, she’s been running from anyone or anything that could truly hurt her. Instead, she seeks calculated thrills that leave her exhilarated, but when she’s caught outside during a summer storm, she quickly realizes not all adventures are within her control.

Tyler Burgess offers her both refuge from the rain and a safe place to land.

Time spent with Tyler proves him to be much more than just a nerd in a history museum, but what she finds out about him is a deal breaker for her. As Shelby’s perfect little world is threatened by family health issues and an unknown stalker, she learns the hard lesson that no one can hide from the dangers of life. Can Shelby let her sisters, Tyler, and even more importantly, God, show her in one Sweet Summer, that love is worth taking the risk?

BUY LINKS: Find Sweet Summer on Amazon and Anaiah Press

Wednesday Writers-Interview with Alice K. Arenz, author of A Question of Survival

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A Question of Survival, Alice K. Arenz, book excerpt, Christian fiction, faith, hope, interview with Alice K. Arenz, spousal abuse, suspense, Wednesday Writers, Women’s Fiction

Today’s Wednesday Writers guest is author Alice K. Arenz. Today I’m talking with Alice about her latest release, A Question of Survival. Be sure to read to the end for an excerpt from this Women’s Fiction Suspense.

Welcome, to the blog, Alice, and congratulations on finishing a book that was 40 years in the making. I recently read A Question of Survival, and although it deals with spousal abuse and other heavy issues, I feel it is a well-written, thoughtfully constructed story that can help bring these issues to light. It certainly touched my heart.

Hi, Catherine! Thank you so much for having me on your blog today. AND, for the compliment. You’ve made my day!

1. I know from reading other blogs about your book that A Question of Survival started with stories of your family’s exploration of the snowy Colorado Rockies where you stayed in the car with your 6-month old and waited for their return. Having read the story, which, by the way, kept me up way past midnight, I’m wondering, given the many starts and stops you’ve described, which part of the book came first: the winter storm story or the heroine Jessica’s domestic abuse story?

Sorry about keeping you up—though that, too, is a compliment! 🙂

You’re right, there were a lot of starts and stops through the years—but the answer to your question is an easy one: the original novella started with Jessica snowbound on a mountain pass with the why of how she got there told in flashbacks. I always knew the story wasn’t as complete as it should’ve been, and that haunted me. But, no matter how much I wanted to “finish” her story, something held me back. I believe it was God telling me it wasn’t the right time. Till now.

• From my own experience in writing dramatic scenes I can easily weep at the typewriter. You deal with some heavy social issues in the book—spousal abuse, suicide, miscarriage, and betrayal—how did those affect you while you were writing them?

There were a lot of tears, frustration, headaches, and even more prayer. Every time I tried to return to Jessica’s story, I thought I’d prepared myself for the onslaught of emotions. Needless to say, I never succeeded. It wasn’t until last January when the manuscript came out of the closet once again, that I really listened to God’s leading in finding the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. And with the COVID pandemic, that wasn’t always easy. But He reminded me that until Jessie’s story was completed, she remained in limbo. And, in many ways, so did I.

• You write across the spectrum of genres: Mysteries, Cozy Mysteries, Suspense, Romance, Romantic Suspense. How hard was it, aside from the long writing time, to switch gears and write a Women’s Fiction about abuse?

To be honest, I don’t really think about it. I fully believe that God just takes over. I get hints now and again, like a person’s name, maybe a location (almost always fictional), but that’s about it. When I’ve tried to “go it alone” so to speak, I don’t get very far. Even when signing up to be part of a novella set, I wouldn’t commit until I felt His leading. Most people would think I was nuts for saying this, but it’s true. Hopefully, not the part about me being nuts…

Okay, let me give you an example. When I was about two-thirds into The Case of the Bouncing Grandma, I wanted to know how all the mysteries were going to wrap up, how the manuscript would end. I kept praying for the answer, kept writing what I was given each day, but really, really wanted the answer. I didn’t have a clue! After a day of rapid-fire typing at the computer, I asked God for a hint, something that would show me the end of Glory’s story. In the middle of my shower that night, He finally answered—with one sentence: “And then he kissed me.” A month and a half later, it was, indeed, the end of the book!

You know, when I first started writing Survival, I’d never heard the term “Women’s Fiction.” There was a story that demanded it be told, a young woman whose life was in shambles, and the perfect setting. The moment I saw the vista from that backcountry location in Colorado, shut inside my brother-in-law’s Bronco with my six-month old daughter, I KNEW something powerful had taken hold of me.

• One more question about the book, before I ask some more generic questions. I’m dying to know if you did any tromping around in the snow so you could accurately describe the heroine’s winter snow experiences.

I spent a lot of time on sledding hills in Alaska when I was a kid. 😉 Later, as an adult, I tromped through plenty of snowdrifts, chasing after my kids in Missouri. Once you’ve navigated knee high—and higher—snow with varying degrees of “hardness,” the experience stays with you.

.

• Keep reading because Alice has an excerpt at the end of the interview. You won’t want to miss it! Now on to some fun questions–What snacks, if any, are in your office right now?

I write in the kitchen, so that’s kind of a loaded question. However, if I were in my old office, there wouldn’t be any food around. Only water. Food’s a distraction.

• Are you a morning writer, afternoon, evening, or midnight oil writer?

Any and all of the above. It all depends on how urgent the need to write happens to be.

• What’s the first book you ever remember reading as a child?

I had what I called record books, where you listen to the record—actually a vinyl 45—and follow along with the Little Golden Book. I loved Cinderella when I was very small. Once I learned to read, I devoured anything I could get my hands on.

• What’s the book you are reading now?

Actually, I’m not reading anything. Taking a break. I’ve watched a lot of Hallmark Christmas movies, though.

• Name three interesting things most people don’t know about you.

I love lighthouses, butterflies, and the idea of a unicorn.

1. Is there anything I haven’t asked about your book that you’d like the reader to know?

Um… the subject matter is difficult, yes, but there’s something upon which I focus more attention. I look at A Question of Survival as a story of hope in a future beyond a damaged past. Faith, hope, and determination are all part of Jessica’s story.

I imagine that’s what everyone who deals with a damaged past hopes for, too. Thanks for being part of the blog today, Alice.

Now on to the excerpt!

A Question of Survival

by Alice K. Arenz

Excerpt

Chapter 1

He knew exactly how to hurt me so it wouldn’t leave any marks—at least on the outside. Would I ever be capable of doing the same to him?

I asked myself that question every time he abused me. It didn’t matter whether it was through careless words or deeds… or with his hands. Oh, the hands stung more, but the words stayed with me long after the redness of the slap or the bruises faded away. The comments were like barbed wire poking and sticking me, a constant reminder of all the ways I could never measure up to his level of perfection.

The rhythmic tick of the ceiling fan and clicking of the pull chain from each revolution pierced my brain in much the same way as the harsh hundred-watt bulbs in the light—all things to his specifications.

Too much illumination, too much sound, too many thoughts, too many emotions…

Huddling in the corner where I’d sought solace, Domino, my one true companion, inched forward on her belly. Even my little dog knew to fly under the radar when Jonathan was in one of these moods. Something that happened more and more frequently.

Domino crept onto my lap and whimpered. It was a soft cry, barely audible, something only we could hear—a cry from the heart between the two of us.

I hugged her to me, holding back tears that threatened to fall. Jonathan hated when I cried. Since it would only make him angry and more disagreeable, what was the use?

Burying my face into her soft fur, I thanked God for my little dog and her companionship. I’d never been allowed a pet, wasn’t allowed friends that weren’t preapproved by Jonathan. But even he couldn’t dismiss a gift from my formidable grandmother.

Drawing a deep breath, I peered around the dresser and wished for a way to be absorbed into the wall behind me. A nice thought, but imagination didn’t count when dealing with Jonathan. Once you were in his reality, that’s where you remained.

He’d gone into the bathroom to shower after the … encounter. He’d expect me to be ready by the time he was finished.

You can find A Question of Survival at Amazon.

A note from Catherine:

As someone who has read several of Alice’s books, if feel this is a must-read novel from this author. She handles not just one tough subject, but several, with great care and in a clean, non-graphic manner. Even though I was certain the heroine would find her way out of her situation,  Alice’s writing drew me into the story and had me rooting for Jessica as she suffered and grew and learned how to deal with her fears and trials. I became so emotional invested that I wanted to reach into the pages and throttle Jessica’s abusive husband. Although the story may be hard to read at times, the hope that lies in the book makes it worth the read.

About the Author:

Mysteries, Cozy Mysteries, Suspense, Romance, and Women’s Fiction–writing across the spectrum with a Pinch of Humor and a Twist of Faith.

Alice K. Arenz has been writing since she was a child. Her earliest publications were in the small, family-owned newspaper where her articles, essays, and poems were frequently included. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Arenz is a Carol Award winner and two-time finalist. She writes “clean” fiction as well as Christian fiction in a variety of genres and lengths.

Follow Alice at: Amazon: BookBub: Goodreads

Musings from a Writer’s Brain–My Love Affair with Spiders by Anne Montgomery

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A light in the Desert by Anne Montgomery, essay, Musings from a Writer's Brain, Spiders, suspense

 

from Anne Montgomery

This little guy lives by my dog’s water bowl. We’re all good with that.

Most people spring clean, but I face the webs on my porch in the fall. You see, when it’s fall in the desert, it’s time to clean our yards and outside living areas. To those who’ve grown up understanding the concept of spring cleaning, note that we perform that chore in the fall. It makes sense, since we spend the summers cooped up with our air conditioning – hiding from blast-furnace temperatures – and the winters basking blissfully outdoors.

Every fall I gently move the broom across the ceiling and into the corners, careful not to harm any of the arachnids who’ve made camp by my door. I admonish the tiny ones to run, since I don’t want to injure them.

And, now, you might think me strange, because I could never hurt a spider. Why this is the case, I’m not quite sure. Perhaps it was growing up with Charlotte’s Web. Or maybe it was watching my parents deposit spiders who had found their way inside outside, instead of crushing them into little blobs of spidery goo.

I never thought this behavior odd, until faced with folks who felt differently. There was the tough US Marine who hailed from Trinidad who was my housemate for a while. I had explained about Mathilda, the black widow who resided in a low corner of the kitchen who only came out at night.

“Just don’t walk barefoot by the sink after dark,” I explained.

Then, one day I heard him howling in the kitchen. “You need to come in here! Now!”

I complied and was delighted by gossamer silk threads floating in the air, each speckled with dozens of tiny golden babies holding on like wee surfers. I grabbed some newspapers and corralled the infants and released them outside.

The big brave Marine recoiled.

Then there was the evening stroll in the Costa Rican rain forest. My sweetie pie and I joined a small group searching for night creatures with a woman entomologist.

“Oh! Look at what we have here!” She reached into the leaf litter and produced a large long-legged spider. Eyes wide, she grinned like a grandma with a newborn babe. “These are the ones they use in horror movies. Who would like to hold it?”

No one moved. She frowned, disappointed in our little group, so I stepped up and held out my hand. Her eyes sparkled, one of those perhaps-she’s-not-quite-sane looks that made me reconsider our decision to follow her into the jungle in the dark. She placed the beast in my palm.

“So cute. Just like a kitten,” she cooed.

OK, I admit I had a sudden urge to flee, an impulse that had nothing to do with the spider. In fact, the little guy was rather sweet. I silently said goodbye as he scampered off into the undergrowth.

Then there was the football spider and that rascal cemented my love affair with spiders.

Late in the first half of a high school game, Phil, my line judge, ran toward me, blowing his whistle, and waving his arms overhead, killing the clock.

“Tarantula!” He stared wide-eyed and pointed downfield.

My first thought was that the home team had a spider mascot, but that idea was quickly dispelled when I saw a fuzzy creature moving in a strangely robotic motion near the 20-yard-line.

The barrel-chested coach, who’d been on me the whole game, grinned and crossed thick arms. “What are you going to do about it?” he yelled.

As we crouched over the beast, I envisioned some hapless kid with a fist-size spider wriggling from his facemask. I bit my lip and glanced at the players who eyed me from midfield.

Phil and I stared at one another. He raised both palms up.

“What are we going to do?” I asked.

“What are you going to do?” he mimicked the coach.

I took a deep breath and watched the hairy beast inch forward, moving all eight legs in a silent ballet. Did I hear the coach laughing?

I shot my arm into the tarantula’s path. And, without pause, the spider crawled onto the back of my hand and up my wrist, fuzzy feet tickling my skin.

Phil stood and backed away.

“Please don’t bite me,” I silently pleaded over and over, as visions of old horror movies played in my head. While the tarantula traveled up my arm, I walked slowly toward the end of the field. When I reached the outer edge of the track, I bent over and gently dropped the creature near a patch of rocky desert. The tarantula landed upright and marched on.

I swallowed several times, then turned and ran back up field past the coach. I herded the players to the line of scrimmage and took my position behind the quarterback. I blew my whistle, putting the ball into play.

But no one moved.

Then Phil’s whistle sounded and he signaled time-out. He doubled over and I thought he might be ill, but then I saw he was laughing.

“What?” I stared as he ran toward me.

Phil leaned in, then looked around to make sure no players were nearby. The coach said, “She has a pair hangin’ and they ain’t tits.”

I eyed the coach. He nodded toward me, deferential, all remnants of his previously condescending attitude having disappeared with the spider.

For the rest of the game, no matter the situation – whether a flag went for or against his team, whether he agreed or disagreed with a ruling – the coach only addressed me with two words.

“Yes, ma’am,” was all he said.

Perhaps now you can understand my love affair with spiders.

Here’s a little from my suspense novel based on a true incident. I hope it intrigues you.

As a Vietnam veteran and former Special Forces sniper descends into the throes of mental illness, he latches onto a lonely pregnant teenager and a group of Pentecostal zealots – the Children of Light – who have been waiting over thirty years in the Arizona desert for Armageddon.

When the Amtrak Sunset Limited, a passenger train en route to Los Angeles, is derailed in their midst in a deadly act of sabotage, their lives are thrown into turmoil. As the search for the saboteurs heats up, the authorities uncover more questions than answers.

And then the girl vanishes.

While the sniper struggles to maintain his sanity, a child is about to be born deep in the wilderness.

BUY LINKS

Amazon Paperback – Kindle – Midpoint Books

 

Anne Montgomery has worked as a television sportscaster, newspaper and magazine writer, teacher, amateur baseball umpire, and high school football referee. She worked at WRBL‐TV in Columbus, Georgia, WROC‐TV in Rochester, New York, KTSP‐TV in Phoenix, Arizona, ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut, where she anchored the Emmy and ACE award‐winning SportsCenter, and ASPN-TV as the studio host for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. Montgomery has been a freelance and staff writer for six publications, writing sports, features, movie reviews, and archeological pieces.

When she can, Anne indulges in her passions: rock collecting, scuba diving, football refereeing, and playing her guitar.

Learn more about Anne Montgomery on her website and Wikipedia. Stay connected on Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.

Wednesday Writers–The Pink Bonnet by Liz Tolsma

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excerpt from the Pink Bonnet, Liz Tolsma, suspense, The Pink Bonnet, Wednesday Writers

Today’s Wednesday Writers guest is Liz Tolsma, who will be talking about how she got into writing suspense. She’s also sharing an excerpt from the Pink Bonnet, so keep reading to the end. Welcome, Liz!

 

I wouldn’t consider myself a suspense writer. Not at all. I don’t even read suspense. Give me a sweet romance with a hunky hero and a happy ending, and I’m good to go. But then I started writing WWII fiction and discovered that I love writing a story that is going to get your heart pumping and that will leave you breathless.

Fast forward to about a year and a half ago when I got an email from my agent. Barbour Publishing was looking for suspenseful writers for a new true historical crimes series. My agent thought of me and how I write WWII and believed I could write this type of book. Barbour listed several different crimes, and my agent urged me to send in a couple of synopses.

I did, never thinking I’d be offered a contract for either of my ideas. Imagine my surprise when I got a contract for both of them! I had to get busy reading suspense novels (I now kind of like them) and learning how to write them. The Pink Bonnet underwent an overhaul halfway through the writing of it, with just eight weeks until the deadline. But I got it done!

The story about a woman who has her child stolen from Georgia Tann of the Tennessee Children’s Home Society in the 1930s was difficult for me to write. I’m an adoptive mom, and the idea of such widespread black market adoptions during that time was hard for me to stomach. And I had to change my point of view from an adoptive mom to a birth mom. It really gave me pause and some food for thought. I hope that I presented all sides in a thoughtful, careful, and non-judgmental manner. Enjoy this preview!

 

The Pink Bonnet

By Liz Tolsma

 

How far will a mother go to find out what happened to her child? Widowed in Memphis during 1932, Cecile Dowd is struggling to provide for her three-year-old daughter. Unwittingly, she trusts a neighbor who puts little Millie Mae into the clutches of Georgia Tann, corrupt Memphis Tennessee Children’s Home Society director suspected of the disappearance of hundreds of children. With the help of a sympathetic lawyer, the search for Millie uncovers a deep level of corruption that threatens their very lives.

EXCERPT:

“Have a seat.” Mrs. Ward hardened her gray eyes the same way Momma used to when she was upset with Cecile.

She thumped into the well-worn chair, and Mrs. Ward settled beside her. “I’ve seen how hard it’s been on you, darlin’, since your husband died. Bless your heart, Millie is a handful, and you need more work to support yourself.”

“We’re managing.” They were for now, but how much longer could she go on this way?

“Remember I mentioned the Tennessee Children’s Home Society a few days ago?”

“Yes.” What was this about?

“It was for the best, dear.”

“What was?” Her middle cramped. Where was Millie?

“I couldn’t bear to see you struggling. And with you having to work, the child needs to be cared for.”

“I’ll figure it out.” She swallowed hard.

“I called Miss Tann.”

Cecile jumped from her seat, her heart doing the Charleston in her chest. “You did what?”

“She’ll take care of Millie. Find her a good family, one who can give her the things you can’t.”

A buzz filled Cecile’s head, drowning out the rest of what Mrs. Ward said.

“Millie is . . .” “With Georgia Tann. She does such wonderful work for children.”

Cecile again lost track of Mrs. Ward’s words. Millie gone? That couldn’t be. She was Cecile’s daughter not Mrs. Ward’s. “You had no right. How could you give away my child?”

Now the old lady had the decency to study her short fingernails. “Well, I . . . It was quite easy. And Miss Tann told me it was fine. That we had to do what was in Millie’s best interest.”

Cecile’s chest was about to explode. “Her best interest? What about being with her mother? A mother who loves her more than the sun and the moon? What did you do, forge my signature?”

Mrs. Ward picked at a hangnail.

Cecile grabbed Mrs. Ward by the shoulders and almost shook the stuffing from her. “My baby! My baby! Where is she? I have to get her back.”

“I don’t know.” Mrs. Ward leaned back in her chair.

Cecile released her grip. “How could you? That woman kidnapped my baby.”

“Don’t get yourself in a fuss. Think of Millie. She’s the most important person in this horrible mess.”

“She’s mine. No one else can have her.”

“You’re hysterical. Let me get you a drink of water.”

“Water isn’t going to solve my problems. I need my daughter back. Millie! Millie!” She ran from the apartment, down the stairs, and to the street.

“Millie! Millie!” No sweet chatter. No big hugs. No snuggles in the night. Nothing.

Cecile fell to her knees in the middle of the walk. “Millie, oh Millie!” She sobbed for a long while. When she’d exhausted her store of tears, she wiped her eyes and raised her focus to the heavens. “I promise, Millicent Mae, I swear to you, I will find you and get you back. I will never give up on you.”

She had to act. Fast. Before Miss Tann snatched Millie away forever.

 

About the Author:

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, prairie romance novellas, a romantic suspense, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a U.S. Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. Please visit her blog, The Story behind the Story, at http://liztolsma.com/ and follow her on Facebook, Twitter (@LizTolsma), and Pinterest. She is also a regular contributor to the Midwest Almanac blog.

 

 

A Writer’s Garden–Orchids with Elizabeth John

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A Writer's Garden, Author Catherine Castle's garden blog, Elizabeth John, Forever Hold Your Piece, mystery, orchids, pictures of orchids, suspense, Sweet romance

Welcome to A Writer’s Garden where writers who are gardeners or just love gardens will be sharing their garden and flower stories, as well as a bit about their writing gardens—aka their books.

Today’s guest is Elizabeth John. She will be sharing orchids with us! Welcome, Elizabeth.

Thanks, Catherine.

For this blog post, I had planned to write about orchids. I know nothing about orchids, and you might wonder why I would choose this topic. The reason is simple. I love flowers and plants, including orchids, and have beautiful gardens on my property. But life changes.

Last year, much to our surprise, my husband and I became empty-nesters with no warning. Our son went on vacation to Texas and never came back. He enjoyed the area and decided to live there permanently. Our daughter began a new job and moved into an apartment closer to work. With this new found freedom, we suddenly found ourselves in a big, empty house.

Teaching full-time and writing keeps me super busy. The large yard requires a lot of maintenance. The vegetable garden needs constant weeding. The potted flowers want daily watering. Exhausting!

I’ve decided to downsize, and the first place I started was with the landscaping. I hired a company to put decorative stone in my front yard gardens and add low maintenance plants. My husband has been traveling so much for work, he didn’t plant his annual vegetable garden this year. Despite cutting back, the backyard has many bushes, trees, and flowers that are overgrown. We will tackle that project in the fall.

The problem is we want to see flowers. One solution we find helpful is to visit gardens. We adore Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania and especially like to go when they have their orchid display. Here are some pictures of orchids I took on my trip. (The orchid at the top of the page is also from Longwood Gardens)

 

 

 

 

 

My husband developed a passion for orchids and decided to try his hand at growing his own plants. Now, he’s a bit of an expert and has several growing in his business office. These are on his desk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soon he will be moving out of the building where he works and will bring his orchids home. He’s already buying attractive pots to transplant his orchids and getting ready to display his beauties in our house.

So much for downsizing the flowers.

Maybe I should sell the furniture first.

 

About the Writer/Gardener

Gardener/writer Elizabeth John has been gardening ever since owning her first home. Her favorite thing about gardening is seeing pops of bright colors in her flower beds. When she’s not gardening she’s writing sweet contemporary romances and cozy romantic suspense novels. You can learn more about her at http://www.elizabethjohn.com/

 

 

Forever Hold Your Piece

by Elizabeth John

Lily Becker believes the worst day of her life was when her fiancé stood her up at the altar. That is, until she stumbles upon his dead body in her family’s bridal shop. The shop becomes a crime scene, her business expansion plans tank, and brides demand back their deposits. Confused, scared, and certain that she is being watched, Lily struggles to keep her business and her life afloat.

PI Jake Ward, hired to find a priceless stolen painting, tracks the thief’s location to Lily’s small coastal town. As part of his cover, he leases the vacant bait and tackle shop next door to hers, unaware that she and her sisters had planned to rent the place.

The Chief of Police worries that someone close to Lily murdered her ex and he fears for her safety. The chief, a surrogate father to Lily, asks Jake to act as her bodyguard. Jake agrees and pretends to work on his business but never leaves her side. Although annoyed that Jake interfered with her family’s business plan, she admits that Jake makes her feel protected.

Jake and Lily can’t deny their attraction to one another. Lily decides to trust again as their relationship grows serious. The more time they spend together, the more they realize they are perfect for each other. Guilt eats at Jake’s conscience since he must lie about his true identity. Can he solve his case before he’s free to tell Lily the truth and she learns of his deception?

Forever Hold Your Piece, releasing September 12, is currently available for presale on Amazon.

Warning to readers: While this a sweet romance, the book may contain mild language in this book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth John
Tender Romances with a Touch of Intrigue

www.facebook.com/elizabethjohnauthor
@elizabethjohn34

 

Wednesday Writers–A Day in the Life of Romantic Suspense Author Leeann Betts

Tags

A day in the life of a romantic supsense writer, Catherine Castle's Wednesday Writers blog series, Hidden Assets, Leeann Betts, mystery, romantic suspense, suspense, women slueths

Today, Wednesday Writers welcomes Leeann Betts to the blog. A romantic suspense writer, with book number 6 out in her By the Numbers suspense series, Leeann will be giving us a glimpse into her daily life as a romantic suspense writer. Welcome, Leeann.

Thanks, Catherine,

When I was growing up, I loved to watch movies where a writer was involved. I particularly enjoyed watching about women from small towns who made up stories about love and happily-ever-afters and handsome cowboys and men who were true heroes.

So when I grew up, it seemed only natural to write those kind of stories. And because of the support of the best gift God could give to me, my husband Patrick, I can do that.

Sometimes I have to pinch myself because I feel like I’m living out my dreams. And not because I live in a castle or have nothing to worry me.

I’m living my dream because I know I am right where I’m supposed to be. God has called me to be a writer. I’ve taken that calling seriously and “gone back to school” by attending a number of writer’s conferences, by being a member of several critique groups and applying feedback, and by writing.

That may seem like a strange thing to say, that as a writer, I write.

But how many people have you met who say they’re a writer, but you never see word one from them? Or who haven’t gone to a conference? Or won’t join a critique group? Or won’t even let you see what they’ve done?

As writers, we must be willing to be transparent to God, transparent to other writers, and transparent to our readers.

This dream life I live includes spending most of every day in the same room as the love of my love, my husband. Our marriage and our romance thrives on being in close contact. For the first five years we were married, we never went anywhere without the other. Friends used to tease us that we were joined at the lip and the hips.

Hubby and I spend time in devotions, prayer, and scripture reading every morning, in addition to our own individual quiet time. Then we work from home together, and often work together in ministry in the evenings.

My day, once we’re done with devotions, usually begins with writing something. Emails, blog posts, social media posts, perhaps a synopsis for a book proposal, and then actual words in a manuscript. On Mondays, I meet several writer friends at a coffee shop and we all write together. That time is a set-in-stone appointment in my calendar.

Do I write all day every day? No, I don’t. But even when I’m not sitting at my computer, I’m thinking about the story. Keeping the story in my head helps keep me anchored in the story, so I don’t have to spend so much time reconnecting before I write.

But here’s one thing I do before I start on my story: I pray. I thank God for letting me be the first person to see and hear this story. And I ask for faithfulness as I transcribe the story that He wants to tell.

Because I truly believe that without Him, no story is worth telling.

I write romantic suspense because I like justice. I want the good guys to win, and the bad guys to get what they deserve, always keeping love and compassion as my guides, of course. I also like mysteries, and I love answering the big What If? Questions, getting my characters into more trouble, and getting them out.

Because I know the trouble I got myself in, and what God had to do to get my attention. What Jesus had to do to redeem me. And what the Holy Spirit goes through in dealing with me day after day.

As I said at the beginning, my hubby is my biggest fan and supporter. He believed in me before I ever believed in myself, and he not only encourages me, he takes on tasks around the house when I’m under deadline. He supports me financially; I don’t have to work outside the home because he wants me to write. That doesn’t mean I don’t contribute to the household. I do. I work one day a week for a company that produces legal transcripts. I am the main cook, cleaner, grocery shopper.

But without his love and faith in me, I couldn’t do what I do.

Just as without God, I’d never be living my dreams.

Here’s the Blurb from Hidden Assets by Leann Betts

 

Carly Turnquist, forensic accountant, responds to a call from her friend, Anne, who is in the middle of a nasty divorce, and travels to Wyoming to help find assets Anne thinks her husband has stolen. But the mystery begins before Carly even arrives when she sees a man thrown off a train. Except there’s no body. Husband Mike uncovers an illegal scam in a computer program he has been asked to upgrade, and then Anne is arrested for her ex’s murder. Can Carly figure out what’s going on, and why a strange couple is digging in Anne’s basement? Or will she disappear along with the artwork, coins, and money?

 

About the Author:

Leeann Betts writes contemporary suspense, while her real-life persona, Donna Schlachter, pens historical suspense. She has released five titles in her cozy mystery series, By the Numbers, with Hidden Assets released the end of June. In addition, Leeann has written a devotional for accountants, bookkeepers, and financial folk, Counting the Days, and with her real-life persona, Donna Schlachter, has published a book on writing, Nuggets of Writing Gold, a compilation of essays, articles, and exercises on the craft. She publishes a free quarterly newsletter that includes a book review and articles on writing and books of interest to readers and writers. You can subscribe at http://www.leeannbetts.com/ or follow Leeann at http://www.allbettsareoff.wordpress.com/ All books are available on Amazon.com in digital and print, and at Smashwords.com in digital format.

CONNECT WITH LEEANN ON: Facebook: http://bit.ly/1pQSOqV

Twitter: http://bit.ly/1qmqvB6

Books: http://amzn.to/2dHfgCE

 

Mystery, women sleuths, suspense,