Tag: Novelists Unwind

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Interviews Amanda Cox & Joanna Davidson Politano

Amanda Cox recently released her debut novel. The Edge of Belonging, which takes place in both the 1990s and the present day, explores multiple themes through the experiences of two protagonists: Harvey, who grew up in the foster system and is homeless by choice (the 1990s storyline), and Ivy, whose idyllic childhood provided a strong foundation yet didn’t prepare her for the heartache she’d experience as an adult (the contemporary storyline).

Amanda shares her unusual writing journey–she came to an editor’s attention during a Twitter #FaithPitch event–and secured a contract before signing with an agent!

Joanna Davidson Politano has received tremendous acclaim for her writing since the debut of her first novel, Lady Jayne Disappears. She returns to Novelists Unwind to talk about her latest novel, The Love Note, which is just as mysterious and intriguing.

Joanna talks about how both Charles Dickens and Daphne Du Maurier–two authors who seem very different–influence her story-telling. She appreciates Dickens’ characterizations, Du Maurier’s insights, and how both authors love to surprise the reader. These are the elements that Joanna brings to her own writing. We also talk about Joanna’s travels to the historic ruins found in England and Scotland, how these ruins inspire her stories, and the inspiration behind The Love Note. 

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, November 7, 2020 at http://www.johnnie-alexander.com/. Be sure to enter for your chance to win an inspirational novel.

Meet Johnnie

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. She is a best-selling and award-winning author who writes in multiple genres, serves as a board member for Serious Writer, Inc. and Midsouth Christian Writers Conference, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Interviews with Liz Johnson & Jane Kirkpatrick

Liz Johnson shares the story behind the story of A Dazzle of Diamonds, the latest novel in her popular Georgia Coast Romance Series. The story, set in Savannah, is rooted in history and family pride as the protagonist delves into the past to clear his family’s name from scandal.

Before writing her novel, Liz traveled to Savannah. She shares a few anecdotes about her experiences as we talk about Sherman’s March, lost Civil War treasure, and the richness of Savannah’s lore.

Liz is a New York Times best-selling author, a Christy finalist, and a two-time Carol Award finalist. For her next series, she’ll be returning to Prince Edward Island–the setting for her previous Prince Edward Island Dream Series–to write about the Ross brothers and a small fishing village called Victoria by the Sea.

Jane Kirkpatrick talks about her latest novel, Something Worth Doing, the fictional biography of Abigail “Jenny” Scott Duniway who was involved in six campaigns to win Oregon women the right to vote. Beyond that distinction, Abigail was at various times in her life a caregiver, a newspaper columnist, a novelist, and a business owner. For a time, she ran a school from her home. All of this while raising six children and suffering from health issues.

Jane has written several novels based on real-life women from the 19th and early 20th centuries. In our interview, we talk about the qualities that caused these seemingly ordinary women to accomplish the extraordinary despite both social restrictions and personal challenges. I so appreciated Jane’s thoughts on this topic–be sure to listen to the interview to hear what she had to say.

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, October 3, 2020 at http://www.johnnie-alexander.com/. Be sure to enter for your chance to win an inspirational novel.

Meet Johnnie

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. She is a best-selling and award-winning author who writes in multiple genres, serves as a board member for Serious Writer, Inc. and Midsouth Christian Writers Conference, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Interviews Bethany Turner, Cindy Sproles, & Melissa Kosci

Bethany Turner returns to Novelists Unwind to talk about her fun new novel, Hadley Beckett’s Next Dish. The hero and heroine of this story, both celebrity chefs with opposite temperaments, “will either fall in love or run down the kitchen.” For these two characters, Hadley and Max, cooking is a skill, a career, and a sanctuary. Think of the Pioneer Woman and Gordon Ramsey–both favorites who inspired Bethany as she became acquainted with Hadley and Max. Bethany and I also talk about our own cooking experiences. She shares how her microwaved pralines turned out and I admit to burning taco shells.

Cindy Sproles is an award-winning author whose roots run deep into the peaks and valleys of the Appalachian Mountains. Her latest novel, What Momma Left Behind, takes readers back to the late 1800s when dysentery and influenza swept through the area. These diseases often killed adults leaving many children to survive as best they could. Much of Cindy’s research comes from stories passed down in her family and others she meets through her role as an eldercare specialist. Cindy also shares the amazing story–now a family tradition–that inspired the title of one of her devotional books, New Sheets. Truly one of the most unique family traditions ever!

Melissa Kosci and Mike Nappa are the co-authors of A Dream Within a Dream, the third book in Mike’s Coffey and Hill Series. The titles for each novel are inspired by Edgar Allan Poe and one of the protagonists, Trudi Hill, is an avid Poe fan. Melissa and I talk about Poe’s influence on the series, plus the infamous Gardner Museum Heist that’s central to the story. Melissa, who also writes under the name of Melissa Koslin, shares how her experience as a 4th degree black belt and instructor in Songahm Taekwondo helps her write realistic fight scenes.

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, August 1, 2020 at http://www.johnnie-alexander.com/. Be sure to enter for your chance to win an inspirational novel.

Meet Johnnie

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. She is a best-selling and award-winning author who writes in multiple genres, serves as a board member for Serious Writer, Inc. and Midsouth Christian Writers Conference, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Interviews Tom Threadgill and Sara Davison

Tom Threadgill writes “Smart Suspense” inspired by what if questions. The idea for his latest novel, Collision of Lies, happened when he observed a woman at a restaurant staring at her phone. “What if,” Tom wondered, “she got a phone call from someone she didn’t expect?” That question led to another. “What if she got a text from her son . . . and he was dead?”

In addition to writing police procedurals, Tom sits on the thriller/suspense publishing board for Lighthouse of the Carolinas. We talk about current trends in the thriller/suspense market, including the move toward publishing books for what’s typically known as the “clean” market–engaging, compelling stories without offensive language, excessive gore and violence, and gratuitous sex.

Sara Davison has won multiple awards for her romantic suspense novels. She has also been a finalist for the prestigious American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award and for the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence (twice!). She lives in Ontario and is a Mosaic Collection author.

Sara shares how she decided at a very young age that she wanted to write books and how God gave her a story one Easter Sunday. She wrote that story then learned what she didn’t know she didn’t know as she edited it and polished it.

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, June 6, 2020 at http://www.johnnie-alexander.com/. Be sure to enter for your chance to win an inspirational novel.

Meet Johnnie

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. She is a best-selling and award-winning author who writes in multiple genres, serves on the Serious Writer, Inc. executive board, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Interviews Susan May Warren and Angela Meyer

Susan May Warren has written more than 65 novels in multiple genres, won multiple awards including the Christy Award and the American Christian Fiction Carol Award, and sold more than a million copies of her stories. We talk about her latest novel, The Way of the Brave, the first in her Global Search and Rescue Series. Susie describes these and previous series such as her popular Montana Fire and Montana Rescue series as epic romantic adventures. Her fans know that’s truly what they are! Susie also shares her own love for adventure, her worldwide travels, and risk-taking (responsibly, of course!). And we talk about her writing journey and the contest that launched her career.

Angela D. Meyer creates a protagonist, Ginger, who faces the same struggles as many of us–a loved one’s onset of dementia, financial issues with the family business, and overcommitment to church activities–in her latest contemporary novel, This Side of Yesterday. Angela also adds a bit of mystery as Ginger tries to find out what happened to her grandmother, who disappeared shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. In our chat, we also talk about Angela’s writing journey, the fun of brainstorming, and the challenges of coming up with character motivations that make sense for a story both to us and to our readers.

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, May 2, 2020 at http://www.johnnie-alexander.com/. Be sure to enter for your chance to win my newest release, The Mischief Thief.

Meet Johnnie

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. She is a best-selling and award-winning author who writes in multiple genres, serves on the Serious Writer, Inc. executive board, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Interviews Janice L. Dick and Jill Eileen Smith

Janice L. Dick is the award-winning author of The Road to Happenstance, the first novel in the Happenstance Chronicles. Janice shares the story behind her story–how she and a friend brainstormed the characters and what would happen to them. They even drew diagrams of the charming town of Happenstance and of the hotel that plays such a large part in the story. Janice says that Happenstance is also a character in the story–and I agree with her! The people who “just happen” to go through the covered bridge and enter this town seldom want to leave.

Jill Eileen Smith is known for her impeccable research and imaginative flair as she brings Biblical women to life in her novels. During her research for Star of Persia, the story of Esther, Jill read what the Greek historian, Herodotus, wrote about King Xerxes and learned about Xerxes’ wife, Amestris. While many historians speculate that Amestris may have been another name for either Vashti or Esther, Jill doesn’t agree. We talk about why during the interview.

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, April 4, 2020 at http://www.johnnie-alexander.com/. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of Collision of Lies by Tom Threadgill.

Meet Johnnie

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. She is a best-selling and award-winning author who writes in multiple genres, serves on the Serious Writer, Inc. executive board, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Interviews Lynette Eason and Lorna Seilstad

Lynette Eason has won multiple awards for her heart-stopping romantic suspense novels. In our interview, she talks about her latest novel, Collateral Damage, which is the first book in her Danger Never Sleeps Series. We also talk about the challenges of writing a series, finding a theme, Lynette’s puppy, and her newest hobby–photography!

Lorna Seilstad’s latest novel is an endearing contemporary romance, More Than Enough, about a quirky child life specialist and a hospital accountant. We chat about Lorna’s inspiration for creating a heroine with this unusual occupation and the research she did to create her character. We also chatted about Lorna’s previous career as a “professional wiper”–all moms can relate to that one!

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, March 7, 2020 at http://www.johnnie-alexander.com/. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of Star of Persia by Jill Eileen Smith.

Meet Johnnie

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. She is a best-selling and award-winning author who writes in multiple genres, serves on the Serious Writer, Inc. executive board, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Interviews Author Tari Faris & the Authors of the Homefront Heroines Novella Collection

Tari Faris’s debut novel, You Belong With Me, is a multi-layered contemporary romance that brought tears to my eyes and kept me up past my bedtime. In our interview, Tari shares the inspiration behind one of the story’s charming “characters,” a brass hippo named Otis who mysteriously moves around the town square.

Amanda Barratt, Lauralee Bliss,and Rita Gerlich join me to share a Behind the Scenes look at our latest release, Homefront Heroines. Relive life on the American homefront as four women of the WWII era join the workforce and discover romance in surprising ways in this new novella collection from Barbour.

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, February 1, 2020 at http://www.johnnie-alexander.com/. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.

Meet Johnnie

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. She is a best-selling and award-winning author who writes in multiple genres, serves on the Serious Writer, Inc. executive board, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Interviews Authors Brenda S. Anderson, Amanda Barratt & Regina Scott

Brenda S. Anderson writes gritty, authentic, life-affirming fiction that will touch your heart and your spirit. This is the second time that Brenda has appeared on Novelists Unwind, and I’m so glad to welcome her back again to talk about her role in the creation of the Mosaic Collection and her latest novel, A Beautiful Mess.

Amanda Barratt’s latest novel, My Dearest Dietrich, was on my “must read” list from the moment I first heard about it. Anyone who admires and respects Dietrich Bonhoeffer–the pastor, theologian, spy, and martyr who was executed near the end of WWII–will appreciate this fictional glimpse into his heart. Amanda brings to life the captivating romance between Bonhoeffer and Maria von Wedemeyer, a vivacious woman who was his equal in many ways though she was much younger than him.

Regina Scott has written over 45 stories of warm and witty historical romance. She was awarded the prestigious Romance Times Book Reviews Reviewers Choice Award for best Historical Christian Romance for two of those novels. Her latest novel, A Distance Too Grand, celebrates the Grand Canyon National Park’s Centennial Anniversary. It is the first in Regina’s American Wonders Collection.

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, January 4, 2020 at http://www.novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.

Meet Johnnie

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. She is a best-selling and award-winning author who writes in multiple genres, serves on the Serious Writer, Inc. executive board, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind welcomes Eleanor Bertin, James R. Hannibal, & Deb Elkink

Eleanor Bertin is the author of Unbound, a modern twist on a timeless tale of the unique bond between two widows. That timeless tale is the Biblical story of Ruth and Naomi. As Eleanor’s story unfolds, the reader learns the painful secrets that both Ruthie and Naomi are hiding and experiences the healing power of God’s merciful grace.

James R. Hannibal has one of the most unique bios I’ve ever read. I share it on the video so I won’t repeat it here except for this one little hint: James was chased down a winding German road by an armed terrorist. We talk about this experience, and James admits that his wife gets all the credit for getting them to safety. James is the author of the CIA thriller, The Gryphon Heist.

Deb Elkink received the prestigious Grace Irwin Award for her debut novel, The Third Grace. During our chat, we talked about the Deb’s inspiration for her latest novel, The Red Journal, about the “philosophy of soup,” and how Deb’s ancestor was one of twelve who came from Russia (now the Ukraine region) to spy out what is now Manitoba for settling.

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, December 7, 2019 at http://www.novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.

Meet your Host

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides, made the CBA bestseller list. She writes contemporaries, historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the Serious Writer, Inc. executive board, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

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Novelists Unwind

Novelist Unwind Interviews Shawn Smucker, Stacy Monson, & Rachelle Dekker

Shawn Smucker writes stories with a poetic sensibility that makes me lose track of time and space. His debut novel, The Day the Angels Fell, won the 2018 Christianity Today Book Award and was a Christy Finalist. His next novel, The Edge of Over There, won the 2019 Christianity Today Book Award. We also chat about Shawn’s unique publishing journey, about growing up in the same place where his family has lived for thirteen generations, the trustworthiness of our memories, and the intriguing nature of an unreliable narrator.

Award-winning author Stacy Monson was one of my first guests when I started Novelists Unwind a couple of years ago. it’s such a joy to have her back again to talk about the Mosaic Collection, an international group of authors who have joined together to bring you compelling inspirational fiction. In our chat, we talk about how Stacy’s love of the mountains inspired her setting for When Mountains Sing, a deeply emotional story of a young woman’s search for identity.

Rachelle Dekker, whose debut novel The Choosing won a Christy Award, grew up in a home filled with conversations about discovering spiritual truth through story. In our interview, Rachelle talks about her writing journey–she wrote four novels before receiving her first contract–and what it was like to collaborate with her dad, Ted Dekker, on her latest novel. But it’s not all deep waters! Find out Rachelle’s secret dream job and the stories she loved as a child.

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, November 2, 2019 at http://www.novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.

Meet Johnnie

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides, made the CBA bestseller list. She writes contemporaries, historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the Serious Writer, Inc. executive board, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Interviews Guests Caleb Breakey & Cynthia Roemer

Caleb Breakey and his wife Brittney are so dedicated to pursuing careers as novelists that they spent their wedding money on fifty-two books on writing fiction. Their dedication and perseverance have paid off with the release of Caleb’s debut novel, The String, the first book in the Deadly Game Series.

Caleb also shares how he got into the mind of a psychopath and the importance of writing “stories that don’t shy away from where people really are and where they can go” and to create characters who are bright shining lights.

Cynthia Roemer “sows seeds of hope into the hearts of readers” with her delightful 19th-century romances. She shares the story of how her first novel was researched and written as a college project then put away for about twenty years.

Find out why Cynthia has a character named Jimmy in her first novel and a character named Stew in her third. And also what Cynthia did when she was without internet for two long weeks.

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, October 5, 2019 at http://www.novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.

Meet Johnnie

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides, made the CBA bestseller list. She writes contemporaries, historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the Serious Writer, Inc. executive board, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Talks with Carrie Turansky and Rachel Fordham

This month’s guests

Award-winning author Carrie Turansky, intrigued by a Facebook post, discovered the British Home Children Advocacy and Research Association Facebook group. Her interest in the stories she found there inspired her to write No Ocean Too Wide. From 1869 to 1939, approximately 100,00 orphaned and impoverished children were sent to Canada where the boys worked on farms and the girls worked as domestics. In our interview, we talk about Carrie’s research and the facts behind the fiction.

Rachel Fordham is “a bookworm turned storyteller” who loves delving into historical research. The heroine of her latest romance, Yours Truly, Thomas, is a clerk in the Washington DC dead letter office near the end of the nineteenth century. In our interview, Rachel and I talk about her favorite character from her debut novel, a delightful woman who runs a boarding house and doesn’t listen to anyone (not even Rachel!). She also shares how the wisdom she wove into The Hope of Azure Springs blessed her during a most difficult time.

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, September 7, 2019 at http://www.novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.

Meet Johnnie Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides, made the CBA bestseller list. She writes contemporaries, historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the executive boards of Serious Writer, Inc. and the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Interviews Erin Bartels and the Erie Canal Brides Authors

Erin Bartels, accomplishes the amazing feat of weaving together three stories in her debut novel, We Hope for Better Things. The novel–set in the 1860s, the 1960s, and the present–is tied together by a family home, a box of old photographs, and the kinship between the three heroines.

Four of the authors featured in The Erie Canal Brides Collection met together to give a behind-the-scenes look at how the collection came together and the inspiration behind their individual stories. Join Johnnie Alexander, Lauralee Bliss, Sherri Wilson Johnson, and Rose Allen McCauley on this special edition of Novelists Unwind.

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, June 1, 2019 at http://www.novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.

Meet Johnnie

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides, made the CBA bestseller list. She writes contemporaries, historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the executive boards of Serious Writer, Inc. and the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Interviews Valerie Fraser Luesse and Laura Frantz

Valerie Fraser Luesse, the senior travel editor for Southern Living magazine, writes complex historicals deeply rooted in her own southern heritage of family story-telling. Valerie’s latest novel, Almost Home, is set during World War II and was inspired by a relative’s boarding house, a dear friend’s sense of humor, “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” (a Grimm’s fairy tale), and a river pirate. Besides talking about her writing journey, Valerie gives us a tour in her Story Shack.

Laura Frantz, known for her attention to historical detail and impeccable research, is a direct descendant of George Hume, a Scotsman exiled to the colonies because of his involvement in the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion. In our interview, Laura talks about her George’s connection to another famous George, and how she found a “new” distant relative from a commenter on the Novelists Unwind post!

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, May 4, 2019 at http://www.novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.

Meet Johnnie Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides, made the CBA bestseller list. She writes contemporaries, historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the executive boards of Serious Writer, Inc. and the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Interviews Jill Kemerer, Jessica Patch and Rose McCauley

Jill Kemerer and Jessica Patch join me for a Behind the Scenes look at the Resort to Romance Series—ten contemporary novellas that all take place during the same Matchmaking Week on Joy Island in the Bahamas. See the list of novellas at Resort to Romance.

Rose Allen McCauley writes “Stories from Small Towns with Huge Hearts.” She’s also the one who came up with the idea to write novellas that take place along the Erie Canal system. Historic Zoar, Ohio is featured in Rose’s novella, “Pressing On,” which is one of the seven stories in The Erie Canal Brides Collection. Zoar was founded by German Separatists in the early 1800s. 

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, April 6, 2019 at http://www.novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.

Meet Johnnie

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides, made the CBA bestseller list. She writes contemporaries, historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the executive boards of Serious Writer, Inc. and the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Interviews Mary Connealy and Lisa Harris

Novelists Unwind Guests

Mary Connealy wrote twenty books in ten years–before a single one was published. But her tenacity paid off! The award-winning author now has almost sixty books for her many fans to get lost in. Mary is a Carol Award Winner, and a Rita, Christy, and IRCC Award Finalist. The first book in her High Sierra Sweethearts Series, The Accidental Guardian, is a Romantic Times Top Pick.

Lisa Harris has lived throughout the United States, but her home for the past thirteen years has been in South Africa. For the past nine years, she and her family have lived in Mozambique where they are involved in church planting and humanitarian efforts. In our interview, Lisa shares how the “perfect baby” led to her writing career and what it’s like to research U.S. settings while living on the other side of the world.

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, February 2, 2019 at http://www.novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.

Meet Johnnie

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides, made the CBA bestseller list. She writes contemporaries, historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the executive boards of Serious Writer, Inc. and the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind with Jan Drexler and Regina Rudd Merrick

Jan Drexler lives near in the Black Hills of South Dakota where she often goes hiking when she’s not writing. But her stories often take place in Amish country–Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania. Many of her ideas come from family stories “seasoned with a lot of research and imagination.” Because of her Amish/Mennonite/Anabaptist heritage, Jan understands the history, theology, and diversity of these groups. We talk about these and more in our interview.

Regina Rudd Merrick got her writing start in the world of fan fiction. Disappointed that one of her favorite shows had been canceled, Regina joined an online community dedicated to writing new stories for the characters in the series. Though Regina has lived most of her life in Kentucky, her Southern Breeze Series is set in Litchfield Beach, South Carolina. Her love of the area comes through in her novels.

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, January 5, 2019 at http://www.novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.

Meet Johnnie

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides, made the CBA bestseller list. She writes contemporaries, historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the executive boards of Serious Writer, Inc. and the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind welcomes Roseanna White and Curt Iles

Roseanna White writes amazing historical fiction with complex plots, unique characters–ie family of reformed grifters in this series–and well-crafted writing. But then, Roseanna is a self-proclaimed word nerd who enjoys musing about the etymology of words. She explores the history of “the word of the week” on her blog at Writing Roseanna.

Curt Iles is a master storyteller who writes “memorable stories of the history, culture, and people of Louisiana’s Pineywoods region.” Curt’s great-great-great grandfather came to this area, known as No Man’s Land, from Ireland.

As a child, Curt sat by the fire listening to the grown-ups reminisce, and as a teen he began writing these stories in a journal given to him by an uncle.

We chatted so long, I divided the interview into two episodes.

 

 

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, December 1, 2018 at  novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.

 Meet Johnnie

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides, made the CBA bestseller list. She writes contemporaries, historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the executive boards of Serious Writer, Inc. and the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

 

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Welcomes Melody Carlson

Novelists Unwind Guest

Melody Carlson has written over 200 books but is especially known these days for her Christmas novellas. Her latest story, A Christmas by the Sea, was inspired by her own family’s experience of finding hundreds of sand dollars one Christmas while staying at a cabin along the Oregon coast.

New Releases

The authors featured in past interviews have been busy writing new books! Check out a few of the latest releases on Novelists Unwind.

New Releases from NU Featured Authors

More New Releases from NU Featured Authors

Novelists Unwind Giveaway

Congrats to Mary Roberts Smith who won Falling for You by award-winning author Becky Wade.

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, November 3, 2018 at novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.

Meet Johnnie

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides, made the CBA bestseller list. She writes contemporaries, historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the executive boards of Serious Writer, Inc. and the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Interviews Lynette Eason and Becky Wade

Romance with suspense or romance with glamour?

Why pick one when you can have both?

Lynette Eason

I met Lynette a few years ago at a writers retreat, and our paths have crossed again at other conferences. She’s a kind-hearted, humble, and talented writer. So it was a delight to chat with her about her latest novels in the Blue Justice Series. The first book in the series, Oath of Honor, is a page-turner with an intricate plot. And a cute little dog named Mozart.

Becky Wade

Becky and I discovered we have something in common—we’re both the oldest of our siblings. And so is her heroine in Falling for You, the second novel in the Bradford Sisters Romance Series. The paths of a famous model and a famous football player cross again when they’re enlisted to help a young girl solve a family mystery. Will the love they experienced before be rekindled? This story is a page-turner, too!

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, October 6th, at novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.

Meet Johnnie

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides (Tyndale), made the CBA bestseller list. She writes contemporaries, historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the executive boards of Serious Writer, Inc. and the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

 

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Interviews Heidi Chiavaroli and Bethany Turner

I’m excited to share two debut author interviews with you. Heidi Chiavaroli and I chatted a few months ago about her compelling time-slip novel. More recently Bethany Turner and I talked about her delightful romantic comedy. In between the two, the Novelists Unwind site got an update. Hope you like the new look!

Heidi Chiavaroli loves to seek out “places that whisper of historical secrets.” Her acclaimed debut time slip novel, Freedom’s Ring, is set in both Revolutionary War-era Boston and in contemporary Boston.

In our interview, Heidi talks about the fun and frustrations of writing one award-winning story with two very distinct heroines. Her latest book, The Hidden Side, released in May.

Bethany Turner writes romantic comedies a la You’ve Got Mail and While You Were Sleeping (two of my faves!). But within the breezy humor, pop culture references, and rollicking fun of The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck, Bethany delves into deep waters.

The Romantic Times Top Pick reviewer wrote: “The romance is both scorching-hot and completely appropriate, which is a difficult task to pull off, yet Turner does so amazingly.” Yes, she does!

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, September 1st, at novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.

Meet Johnnie

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides (Tyndale), made the CBA bestseller list. She writes contemporaries, historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the executive boards of Serious Writer, Inc. and the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Interviews Jill Eileen Smith and Sarah Sundin

This month’s guests are both best-selling, award-winning authors who are renowned for their diligent research and compelling stories.

Jill Eileen Smith was inspired to write Biblical fiction after reading Two from Galilee by Marjorie Holmes. In our interview, Jill shares her long journey to publication and the challenges of researching Biblical history.

Her latest novel, A Passionate Hope, tells the story of Hannah. Jill’s depth of characterization is superb–she even had me feeling sorry for Peninnah!

 

Sarah Sundin writes about the Drama, Daring, and Romance of World War II. Two of her novels were named to Booklist’s 101 Best Romances of the Last Ten Years.

While Sarah and I chatted, her Labrador retriever decided to be part of the show. You can see Daisy’s tail wagging as she passes behind Sarah’s chair on her way to the kitchen . . . to get into the trash!

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, August 4, 2018 at novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win The Sea Before Us by Sarah Sundin (courtesy of Revell).

Meet Johnnie

Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides (Tyndale), made the CBA bestseller list. She writes contemporaries, historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the executive boards of Serious Writer, Inc. and the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

 

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Interviews Brenda S. Anderson and Brennan McPherson

Shortly after I interviewed today’s featured authors, I learned they are in the same critique group! Not only that, but the group also includes two other authors I’ve interviewed: Stacy Monson and Michelle Griep. Wow! Such a talented group!

Brenda S. Anderson is drawn to stories that reveal God’s healing of broken families. So it’s no surprise she loves writing family dramas!

I read Pieces of Granite, the prequel to her Coming Home Series, and was caught up in the family dynamics of her characters. The rest of the series is definitely on my TBR (to be read) list.

Brennan McPherson, the author of the Fall of Man Series, writes intriguing stories about ancient events and the people who lived during those mysterious times. God’s mercy is woven throughout his imaginative stories.

I’m currently reading The Flood: The Story of Noah and the Family Who Raised Him. It’s a compelling novel that’s hard to put down.

You can get a free ebook copy of Adam, the prequel in the Fall of Man Series on Brennan’s website.

Giveaway

The next giveaway for an inspirational novel will be announced on Saturday, July 7th on Novelists Unwind.

Meet Johnnie

Award-winning author Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. This month she is imagining life along the Ohio-Erie Canal in the 1850s as she writes a novella for Barbour’s The Erie Canal Brides Collection to be released in March 2019.

She’s also attending a training class with Griff, her happy-go-lucky collie, and still unpacking from her recent move (okay, it was three months ago!) to Broken Arrow.

Connect with her at johnnie-alexander.com and on other social media sites via Linktree johnniealexndr.

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Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind by Johnnie Alexander

Jane M. Tucker & Family Charm

Genre: Historical Fiction

 

The charm and fascination of her husband’s large family inspired Jane M. Tucker as she imagined the series that begins with Lottie’s Gift.

An Iowa farm,

Family reunions.

A gazillion aunts (LOL!)

All these went into the “idea hopper.”

[bctt tweet=”Join Jane M. Tucker on #NovelistsUnwind @JaneMTuckerAuth #ChristFic” username=”@A3Authors @JaneMTuckerAuth”]

In our interview, we also talk about the dynamic between sisters, the publisher’s suggestion that made Jane laugh, and the Great River Road.

Connect with Jane on her website, Postcards from the Heartland, or on Facebook.

Purchase Links: Lottie’s Gift and Lottie’s Hope

Lottie’s Gift

Despite the Great Depression, Lottie Braun enjoyed a happy childhood in rural Iowa. Her mother had died, but her father and sister, her aunts, uncles and cousins surrounded her with their love. But her quiet, idyllic life ended with tragedy, and a secret that tore the two sisters apart.

Forty years later, Lottie is a world-class pianist with a celebrated career, but an empty personal life. She moves from city to city, guarding her privacy with fierce vigilance, all to protect herself from the past.

One sleepless night Lottie lets herself remember, but she discovers that memories, once allowed, are difficult to suppress. Can she make peace with the past? And will she ever find her way home?

Lottie’s Hope

After forty years as a world class musician, Lottie has come home to Iowa, where a lovely old house and a new job await. Grateful for this fresh start, she sets out to show the town of Collison that there’s an approachable side to The Great Lottie Braun.

Nobody thinks she’ll stay: Not the surly young neighbor whose garage band plays late into the night. Not the stoic contractor who agrees to build Lottie a music room. Certainly not Lottie’s angry niece, who refuses to move her belongings out of the house.

Lottie is determined to prove them all wrong—and then the trouble starts. At first she shrugs off the incidents as random petty crimes, but as they increase in intensity, she must face the fact that someone wants her gone for good.

Can Lottie sort her friends from her enemies before it’s too late?

Your Novelists Unwind host:

Best-selling author Johnnie Alexander imagines heart-tugging stories in multiple genres. Her debut novel, Where Treasure Hides, has been translated into Dutch and Norwegian. She also wrote the Misty Willow Series: Where She Belongs, When Hope Arrives, and What Hope Remembers. Since Johnnie loves to talk about writing, she interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind, co-hosts a weekly online show, Writers Chat, and teaches at writers conferences and on Serious Writer Academy. Johnnie recently moved to Oklahoma with Griff, her happy-go-lucky collie, and Rugby, her raccoon-treeing papillon. Connect with Johnnie on her website or her Facebook Author Page.