Community

Author life, Christian authors, Christian fiction Comments: 8

It seems that you don’t quite appreciate the power of community until you’re separated from it. Quarantine has been a whole new experience for most of us, and even though we’re not physically together, I’ve been very encouraged to see how we support one another.

  • People from my church are offering to pick and and deliver groceries to the elderly or sick.
  • Folks on Facebook have offered to share everything from toilet paper to diabetic supplies.
  • Most of us have a new understanding of how important our healthcare workers and grocery workers are.
  • Many churches are going to be streaming services. What an opportunity to offer a shining light in times of darkness.

Since writers work from home, our schedules haven’t changed much. Today I’m finished up final proofs on The Amish Christmas Secret. Last week I sent out a newsletter letting readers know that I lowered nearly all of my indie books to 99c. Read the details here. I’ll keep that price lowered until this crisis has passed. I’ve also closed my on-line store for the time being, but we can all keep reading! Sometimes it helps to turn off the news for a few hours and get lost in a story.

I would love for you to comment below with something you’ve seen or heard in the last week that was encouraging–because that is one of the most important things we can do during this crisis: lift each other up, encourage one another, share moments of grace.

May our Heavenly Father surround you with a peace that truly does pass all understanding.

Blessings,

V

Be Encouraged

Christian living, Healthy living Comments: 3

Wow. There’s a lot of anxiety-inducing news going around. Between the corona virus, elections, and winter-time blues (Is it spring yet?) … we could probably all use a little encouragement.

Anyone else keep a gratitude journal? For well over ten years I did. Actually it was a regular journal where I’d make a notation of how many hours I slept, 5 things I was grateful for, and my to-do list. All of those things helped me to juggle two jobs and handle stress from work, family, and world events.

But sometime in the middle of last year, I found myself slogging through the motions of my gratitude. Instead of looking forward to it, I’d stare at my calendar page and think, “Oh yeah. That. I need to be grateful.” I decided it was time to change things up a little. So I simplified. Now each day I write down one thing that makes me smile. Here’s some examples from the last month:

  • hubby’s drone

  • My mom and my son, who share a birthday

    winning at trivia

  • our jigsaw puzzle
  • my friend, JW
  • my son
  • eating pie with my mom
  • A steaming cup of coffee in my fav mug
  • family birthdays
  • my dog flopping over for a back roll

What’s funny about this is that I now catch myself looking around during the day and thinking, “Is this my smile thing? Is that? Oh wait, that made me smile even bigger.” Whether you keep a gratitude journal, write down things that make you smile, or simply say a prayer of thanksgiving to God each day…I think these things encourage us and help us to see the joys and blessings of our lives. So what about you? Anything make you smile lately?

Blessings,

V

Announcements for this week

  • My inspirational romantic suspense, Hidden, is on sale for 99c through March 14th, all ebook vendors. I hope you’ll check it out!
  • I’m participating in a March Madness cross promotion of 25 cozy mysteries. View the entire list of books here.
  • An Amish Picnic is now available in stores and on-line. This is a 4 novella anthology with myself and some of your fav Amish authors.
  • Autographed books, handmade gifts, and free shipping if you order from my on-line store. Books make great gifts!
  • I’m putting the final touches on Daybreak, novella #3 in my Cyber Division series. You can currently pre-order through Amazon, and in a few weeks it will be available through all ebook sites. Pub date is 4-6-20. Midnight Strike is novella #2 in this series, and you can find it on Amazon or any ebook retailers. And if you’ve signed up for my newsletter, you’ll receive the first novella, Fading Into the Night, for free. If you haven’t signed up, but would like to you can do so here in the top right hand box.

What Is an ARC?

Amish fiction, Author life, Christian fiction Comments: 38

Today I thought I’d talk to you about ARCs. Why?  Because I have some to give away!

In publishing, the word ARC stands for Advanced Reader Copy. These are books that are sent out to a variety of people:

  • final proofreaders
  • reviewers
  • bloggers
  • professional book review sites/magazines

It’s understood that these are not the final copy. You might find a wayward comma or a layout error, but overall these books are very close to the final thing. By sending out ARCs, publishers are able to have reviews in place before or on the day the book releases. This helps build excitement around the book, and also helps readers know if it’s the kind of book they’d like to read or not.

So let’s give away some ARCs! As you can see I have 5 copies. Usually I like to let giveaways run for a couple weeks, but since An Amish Picnic releases on March 3rd, I’ll randomly pull five names on Monday. Please only comment if you have time to read this book in the next few weeks and are willing to write an honest review. The winner of the Amish package from earlier this month was Diana F. (Diana, check your email.)

If you’re on social media and would like to share this giveaway, I’d appreciate it.

Blessings,

V

Announcements for this week

  • Someone emailed me, thrilled and surprised that the book they ordered from my on-line store was autographed. Every book in my store is autographed to you (or whomever you instruct me to autograph it to). Books make great gifts!
  • The 5-in-1 bundle for my Pebble Creek series is on sale for $3.99. It includes 3 full length novels and 2 short stories. The sale price is good with all ebook retailers and runs through March 3rd. When I checked Amazon earlier today, they’d lowered the price to $1.99, but I have no idea how long that will last.
  • Have you tried my cyber series yet? Midnight Strike released on 1-3-20. This is novella #2 in my Cyber Division series, and it’s a brand new 60 page story. I hope you’ll give it a try. You can find it on Amazon or any ebook retailers. And if you’ve signed up for my newsletter, you’ll receive the first novella, Fading Into the Night, for free. If you haven’t signed up, but would like to you can do so here in the top right hand box.
  • An Unlikely Amish Match recently landed on the #21 spot on Publisher’s Weekly Mass Market bestseller list. A big thank you to everyone who has purchased a copy, and if you haven’t they should still be available in stores.

 

New Amish Romance Release

Amish fiction, Christian fiction, fiction spotlight, Love Inspired Books, New Release, Shipshewana Series Comments: 86

I’m doing the snoopy dance today. Why, you ask? Because today my 5th book from the Indiana Amish Brides series is available in stores. The ebook will release on Feb. 1, but until then you can order print copies from the usual culprits:

Amazon       B&N       Harlequin

It will also be on shelves in most neighborhood Walmarts.

For some reason I keep embracing humor more in my romances. Susannah and Micah’s story is about how we perceive someone when we first meet them, and how that perception can change with time. It’s a story about second chances, and of course it’s also a story of God’s grace. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. My prayer is that in some way God will use my words to bless your heart. 

Should you feel so inclined… reviews posted to Amazon and Goodreads are especially helpful–and remember a short review is fine!

    So let’s celebrate with a giveaway! My prize package includes a quilted wallet (Amish made), a hot pad with recipe (from Millers in Ohio), an Amish drawn card, and a postcard from Shipshewana. If you’d like to be entered to win, just comment below. We had fun giving away 10 ebooks last post. I really enjoy hearing from you all.

    If you’re on social media and would like to share this giveaway, I’d appreciate it.

    Blessings,

    V

    Announcements for this week

    • The February special in my on-line store is a free book with every order. Purchasing a craft item? This is IN ADDITION to the book you request with your order. Purchasing an autographed book? This is in addition to that book. No coupon code necessary.
    • Midnight Strike released on 1-3-20. This is novella #2 in my Cyber Division series, and it’s a brand new 60 page story. I hope you’ll give it a try. You can find it on Amazon or any ebook retailers. 
    • Dead Wrong is still available in print and ebook, and you can purchase autographed copies from my on-line store. Order only the book or pair it with a Texas package and shipping is always free. Check it out here.

     

    Patience is a …

    giveaway, The Writing Life Comments: 13

    VIRTUE. Or so momma used to say, but when it comes to technology it sure is difficult to be patient. This is a real-time picture of me when my webpage is down.

    If you tried to comment on my latest blog, you probably received an error message. I believe the wonderful tech support people have fixed the problem, so please do try and comment again. You can access the original blog here.

    And remember, I’m giving away 10 copies of my latest release, Midnight Strike, in e-book format. Leave a comment even if you’ve already read it. If you win, you can gift your copy to a friend.

    Thank you for your patience.

    V

    E-book Giveaway

    giveaway, New Release, Novellas, romantic suspense Comments: 35

    How is your new year going? I thought I’d start the year with a giveaway. Interested? Read on, my friend. Read on.

    This week I released the 2nd installment in my cyber series. You might be wondering why I hopped into something so different.

    • The shorter length is a fun break from a full length book.
    • I enjoy researching disaster scenarios (I know that’s weird).
    • My interest in the subject came from my research on my Remnant series.
    • I’m a bit of a news junkie, so I’ve kept up with recent cyber attacks.
    • I honestly believe that God’s provision is sufficient–in any scenario.

    These novellas are approximately 60 pages in length, and they don’t have to be read in any particular order. Currently they’re available in ebook only (all vendors). Once I’ve completed the series, I’ll release it in a combined/print book.

    So let’s give some away! If you’d like a copy of Midnight Strike (book 2) or Fading Into the Night (book 1), comment below with which book you’d like to receive. If you’ve already read it and I draw your name, you can gift it to a friend. I’ll draw 10 winners and contact you in the next week. If you’re on social media and would like to share this giveaway, I’d appreciate it.

    Blessings.

    V

    Announcements for this week

    • Midnight Strike released on 1-3-20. This is novella #2 in my Cyber Division series, and it’s a brand new 60 page story. I hope you’ll give it a try. You can find it on Amazon or any ebook retailers. 
    • An Unlikely Amish Match, book 5 in my Indiana Amish Brides series will appear in stores beginning Jan. 21st. I’d love to hear if you see it in a store near you. Available for pre-order through Amazon or other retailers.
    • Dead Wrong is still available in print and ebook, and you can purchase autographed copies from my on-line store. Order only the book or pair it with a Texas package and shipping is always free. Check it out here.
    • Have Christmas cash to spend? I have lots of new stuff in my on-line store. Check it our here. The discount code 15%Holiday2019 will be good for a few more weeks–15% off any order.

     

    Year of Jubilee

    Christian authors, The Writing Life, Uncategorized Comments: 24

    Happy new year! I’m a couple of days early, but it’s the thought that counts. Right?

    Raise your hand if you like making resolutions. I’m a big resolution-maker. I usually have a chart. It might be color-coded. I keep a journal on my resolutions. It’s possible I go a little overboard.

    But as I thought and prayed about 2020, I knew I wanted to make some changes. In 2019, I discovered that I have fairly severe osteoarthritis. I was relieved on the one hand, because some of my tests indicated lupus. On the other hand, Continue reading →

    Clean Romantic Suspense

    Amish fiction, romantic suspense, The Writing Life Comments: 3

    An emerging genre in Christian fiction is something called “clean romantic suspense.” Basically it has a little more tension in the plot, but there’s no graphic violence, no adult language, no bedroom scenes. I’ve written a few of these (Hidden and Protected are 2 good examples). They’re always fun to write, and they give me a nice break from Continue reading →

    Why Cozy Mysteries

    Amish Bishop Mysteries, Amish fiction, Amish Village Mystery series, Author life, Christian fiction Comments: 8

    Sometimes I’m asked, “Why do you write cozy mysteries?” Occasionally the question is a bit more pointed. “How can you combine murder and Amish? That’s terrible!” Since my new Amish cozy mystery, Dead Wrong, just released, I thought I’d share with you how I happened to become a cozy mystery writer.

    In early 2010 I was a new writer who had one book contracted. It wouldn’t be published until October of that year. It was a one book contract. It was my only Amish book. I wasn’t sure what was next for me Continue reading →