International Christian Fiction ~ We've Come a Long Way

By Narelle Atkins

I was recently chatting online with Valerie Comer about how the publishing world has changed and evolved during the last decade.

Back in 2007

Ten years ago I was an unpublished writer on the contest circuit. The vast majority of fiction writers were seeking traditional publishing contracts. Literary agents and acquisition editors at traditional publishing houses often talked about their large manuscript slush piles. Only a tiny portion of the manuscripts that crossed their desks were contracted. Becoming a contest finalist was one way a writer could skip the slush pile and place their manuscript at the top of the reading pile on an editor or agent's desk.

International Christian fiction books were often considered a risky financial proposition. I heard editors from traditional publishing houses talk at conferences about how Christian fiction with foreign settings didn't sell as well as US settings. 

A contest judge in 2007 wrote the following feedback on one of my contest entries:

"If she is an Aussie, you’re going to have a harder time with American publishers. I only bring this up as a published author who loves foreign settings, but knows the resistance of the CBA. Your main characters need to be American. There are exceptions, yes, but overall, this is the situation right now."

Seven years later my contest entry with new title Her Tycoon Hero became my fourth release from Harlequin's Heartsong Presents line. But the contest judge was right: In 2007 it was almost impossible for a debut author to sell a book with international characters and settings to a traditional publisher in the Christian fiction market. 

Fast forward to 2017

We've seen massive market disruptions in the publishing industry over the last decade. Independent publishing and the rise in popularity of ebooks have changed the face of publishing. 

The market barriers that existed in 2007 have fallen away. Authors can publish and sell their books directly to readers using distributors eg. Amazon, and effectively create their own publishing small business. Authors can contract services eg. editing, book covers, book formatting, or DIY. Authors have the option to traditional publish or indie publish or both (hybrid publishing). 

In recent weeks we've celebrated the success of one of our own. Kara Isaac is a double Rita finalist for her debut book, Close to You, set in New Zealand. The Ritas are a prestigious romance book award judged by published author members of Romance Writers of America. We're thrilled for Kara and excited to see an international Christian fiction title final in the Best First Book and Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements categories.

Our International Christian Fiction Writers blog was launched in November 2009. In the last eight and a half years our blog members have published more than 140 books set in more than 30 countries. At least 100 of those books are set outside the US in what is considered a foreign or international setting. Many of the recent releases are independently published. 

Our blog was started by a group of writers who connected in ACFW's Beyond the Border's Zone group. We started with a dream and a vision to see our international Christian fiction stories published and reaching our target audience of readers. 

It's a blessing to see the hopes, prayers, and dreams of our group members bearing fruit. Hopes and dreams that may have seemed almost impossible when we started our blog. My prayer is we'll continue to be inspired and encouraged to write for His glory.   

A fun loving Aussie girl at heart, NARELLE ATKINS was born and raised on the beautiful northern beaches in Sydney, Australia. She has settled in Canberra with her husband and children. A lifelong romance reader, she found the perfect genre to write when she discovered inspirational romance. Narelle's contemporary stories of faith and romance are set in Australia.

Website: http://www.narelleatkins.com

Blog: http://narelleatkins.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NarelleAtkinsAuthor

Twitter: @NarelleAtkins https://twitter.com/NarelleAtkins

How book settings can affect a reader

Back in the 80’s an older lady gave me the first book in the When Calls the Heart series by Jeanette

Oke and it hooked me back into reading. As a child I read all the time but after leaving school, I stopped reading for several years. I read this book and it made me fall in love with Canada and Mounties. It made me want to visit Canada and see the rugged areas and also see a Mountie. Many years later in 2007 I got to visit Canada and while I didn’t see a Mountie in uniform I fell even more in love with the country and have now been back two more times even if the second time was only overnight.

I read a few books by Robin Jones Gunn and after reading here Sisterchicks do the hula I told mum I have to go to Hawaii. Mum’s reaction was less than enthusiastic with a, you are not going anywhere. But the dream was there and I went there for three days before my Canadian trip.  Her other books to the different parts of the world also made me want to see the places. Her book Sisterchicks Downunder had me laughing so much at times cos I had done the same thing she had in a few instances and also her tasting of vegemite was the reaction I have seen by Americans tasting it for the first time. I also had to try chocolate fish and was so excited to find them in a shop in Adelaide.

I read a series set around National Parks in America and on my bucket list I want to visit Shiloh National Park in Tennessee. I stayed near the border last trip but the park was about 6 hours away and my friend had to work. I still hope to get there on day. I did however get to Washington DC and saw the Lincoln Memorial which was also mentioned in the books.

I have learnt about settings such as Africa, India and Guatemala through books which have been educational about different issues. Issues including corruption in Governments and high places to slavery where whole groups of people are captured for slave labour. I love learning things in books whether good or bad.

As a reader I love being able to read books set is so many different parts of the world. It really enhances the experience of reading. One day I may be in France during WW2 and the next in Canada in present day times to the next being on a ship sailing to the New World. I love how books also make me want to visit different places to see what I am reading.

As a reader do you have any books that have made you want to go visit or fall in love with an area?

JENNY BLAKE (aka Ausjenny) is an avid reader. When not reading she enjoys watching cricket, in fact you could call her a cricket fanatic, scrapbooking and jigsaws. She volunteers at the local Christian bookshop where she can recommend books to customers. Her book blog is where she reviews books and interview authors. Her goal is to help promote new books and encourage authors. Her blog is at http://ausjenny.blogspot.com and is Co-Founder of http://acrba.blogspot.com

Introducing Sapphire Bay (plus Seaside Proposal book giveaway)

By Narelle Atkins

Seaside Proposal, my sixth and final book with the Heartsong Presents line, released last week. Although Seaside Proposal is the third book in my Sydney series, the story opens in the fictitious town of Sapphire Bay. I love creating fictitious settings because my imagination isn’t limited by real life geography.

Tathra Beach, on the NSW South Coast, Australia.

Sapphire Bay is a small seaside town on the South Coast of New South Wales (NSW), Australia. It’s located south of Sydney on the Princes Highway. Named in 1920 after the Prince of Wales who later became King Edward VIII, the scenic coastal highway connects Sydney and Melbourne, Australia’s two largest cities. The South Coast region is a bit of a hidden gem, and not necessarily on the radar for interstate and overseas visitors. A major inland highway is the most direct route between Sydney and Melbourne.

Manly Beach in Sydney, Australia.

Zach and Billie, my hero and heroine in Seaside Proposal, are both from the pretty harbor and beachside suburb of Manly on Sydney’s northern beaches. They are temporarily living and working in Sapphire Bay, and the nearby larger fictitious town of Riverwood, for very different reasons. Despite living near the water in Sydney, they discover the lifestyle in Sapphire Bay and Riverwood is quite different to their suburban home. The pace of life is more relaxed, there’s no rush hour traffic, and the beaches aren’t crowded during summer.

BILLIE RADCLIFFE HAS A SECRET

And she isn’t sharing it with anyone, including Zach Montford. Even though she feels an instant connection with the good-looking banker and youth leader, she’s wary of rejection. Besides she’s only in the close-knit beach community until she meets the one man who can fill in the blanks about her history.

Zach hopes his temporary stint with the church will help him decide whether to go into full-time ministry. Though his career plans are uncertain, he’s sure about his growing feelings for Billie. When a shocking revelation throws everything into question, Zach and Billie have a chance to put the past to rest…and walk into the future together.


In June I’m independently releasing a novella set in Sapphire Bay. His Perfect Catch, a spin off story from Seaside Proposal, is one of nine contemporary Christian romance novellas in SPLASH! The box set is available for preorder on Amazon Kindle for 99 cents.

Today I’m giving away a print copy of Seaside Proposal (worldwide, wherever The Book Depository delivers) to a reader who leaves a comment on this post and enters the Rafflecopter giveaway.

Do you like to write or read stories set in fictional places? Or, do you prefer stories set in real life locations? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

When Writing Dreams Come True + Giveaway

Phew! The secret that I had to try and keep for almost three months is out. Last week I finally FINALLY got to tell the world that I've signed a two-book deal with Howard Books/Simon & Schuster. The first book, Then There Was You, is a romantic comedy about a disillusioned academic-turned-tour-guide and an entrepreneur who knows nothing about Tolkien who fall in love on a Tolkien themed tour of New Zealand. So I'm so excited to be able to share on the blog today about how it all happened :)

I'm going to be honest. Of the four manuscripts I've written, none have broken me quite the way that Then There Was You did. I started writing it in October 2013 after a conversation with an editor at a writers' conference. I was six months pregnant. Nine months, and a new baby later, I finished it in July 2014.

I literally have no idea how it got written except to say that God carried me. What I remember from the time of sleep-deprived, new baby, haze is a lot of tears, a lot of being talked off the ledge by my amazing writing sisters, a lot of staring at the screen with nothing to write, dreaming up various ways that I could kill Jackson and Allie in a blaze of romantic glory, and a horrible weight that if IF I ever finished it, it would be the manuscript that convinced Chip, my agent, he had made a truly monumental error of judgement in signing me.

And then, somehow, there were 90,000 words on the page. Not only that but, when I read them, to my utter amazement they were pretty good. And once my wonderful sister and writing sisters were through with them, they were better than good. And so, in mid-July, off they went to my agent and the editor who I had had that first catalyst conversation with.

Honestly, I wasn't holding my breath. I knew that the publishing house that editor worked for wasn't currently acquiring contemporary romances and I really didn't think any one else would be interested in it. After years of being told to write stories in America, that international settings didn't sell, here I was pitching a book set in New Zealand about Tolkien and Lord of the Rings of all things, and into a super tough publishing environment against so many other amazing books.

This was the worst part because some of those other amazing books are written by my best friends! I had read their awesome, award-winning, writing. I had critiqued it. I had helped them make it even better so it could beat me! I didn't even ask Chip what other houses he had submitted it to because I was terrified the answer would be that no one else had wanted to see so much as a sentence.

Fast-forward to mid-October. I'm on holiday with my family and get an email from Chip forwarding an email from an editor at Howard saying she loves my proposal but has a few questions. I almost fell over. Howard? The same Howard that publishes some of my favourite authors not only has it but might be interested?

Questions were answered, every word scrutinised, just in case that one particular word might cause her to change her mind. Or worse, a misplaced comma, my particular specialty. Then came a Skype conversation. Then a week waiting in agony for another meeting to discuss my book again.

That meeting was Wednesday 3 December, New Zealand time. Tuesday 2 December in the USA. The best I was hoping for was news that my book might be progressed to the next step in the publishing decision process. I kept telling myself that I probably wouldn't even hear anything that day.

After a morning of meetings, I walk into my next one with fifteen minutes to spare. My writing sisters are checking in frequently, "Anything? Anything yet?! What about now? Now?"

I check my emails. Tell myself not to hold my breath. It's 4.45pm in New York. 1.45pm in Oregon. 10.45am in New Zealand. Even if they have made a decision the editor probably hasn't had a chance to tell Chip yet what it was. Even if she has, he definitely won't have had a chance to email me.

Then my screen flashes. An email from Chip with the subject line "BIG news!!!"

And then, underneath it, in tiny little evil italic font, where the BIG NEWS SHOULD BE are the words "Unable to download email from server."

I try again. Same message. And again. Same message. My colleague walks into the room. I try to act normal and not like the DESPERATE CRAZED WRITER WHO CAN'T ACCESS THE EMAIL THAT MIGHT BE ABOUT TO CHANGE HER LIFE THAT I AM.

I text and Facebook my writing sisters that THERE IS AN EMAIL! I CAN SEE IT BUT I CAN'T READ IT. They make so much virtual noise I think they might melt the internet.

And then, as the people who we're meeting with walk into the room and the meeting begins, the email downloads. Before the screen fades out I catch the words Call... Howard... two-book deal.

I have endured some long stretches of sixty minutes in my life. Labour. Right up there. Trying to finish a marathon while struck down by a tummy bug. Pretty high on the list. But that meeting. Longest sixty minutes ever.

I finally escape Writers' Hades and call my husband. Then my sister (who doesn't answer and who I need to do some screaming on my behalf since my husband offers the to be expected low-key guy response). I buy lunch. For some weird reason something that I don't even like that much. I call Chip. I'm pretty sure my colleague thinks I'm having some kind of family crisis because I bail on our next meeting and keep ducking into meeting rooms to make phone calls. I call one of my writing sisters who is also woefully lacking on the screaming front because it might wake her children. I text another one. Facebook the others. Finally talk to my sister. Who is very obliging with the screaming.

I email my parents at some point. Three seconds later I remember that my father is the worst secret keeper in the whole world and email him back telling him to shhhhhh. Too late. He's already told every living creature in the vicinity. Fortunately he lives in Cambodia so it doesn't matter.

And then I head off for my next set of meetings and try and maintain some sort of facade of normality and productivity for the rest of the afternoon :)

And then, finally, ten weeks later, with all the contractual ts crossed and is dotted, I get to tell the world. To celebrate today I'm kicking off the first ever giveaway of Then There Was You because i get author copies to do cool stuff like that with (which you won't get for about a year but trust me, I'm awesome with spreadsheets, I will keep track of who you are and one day in early 2016, when you're least expecting it, it will show up in your mailbox!). Just leave a comment with your email address and the winner will be announced in the weekend edition :)

Kara Isaac lives in Wellington, New Zealand where she spends her days working in product management and being double-teamed by a ninja preschooler and his baby sister. By night she writes romantic comedy and still can't quite believe that the world will get to meet Jackson and Allie in 2016. She loves to connect with writers and readers on Twitter and Facebook

Great International Christian Fiction Coming in 2015 + Giveaway!

One of my favourite things about a new year is the anticipation of all the great new books that are going to be released and 2015 is shaping up to be another year of amazing Christian fiction. As an international writer, I'm especially excited by the number of Christian publishers expanding their boundaries to include books set outside of the U.S.

These are four of the novels coming out early-mid 2015 from traditional Christian publishers with setting outside of the United States that I'm really looking forward to reading. Hopefully there will be even more hitting shelves later in the year :)

How to Catch A Prince by Rachel Hauck set in Brighton (okay, I know it's not a real place but I'm still counting it!) (Contemporary Romance, February 2015, Zondervan)

American heiress Corina Del Rey caught her prince once. But the tragedy of war kept her too long in a fog of grief. Now she’s shifting her life forward, reigniting her career as a journalist. Still, nothing can relieve her of the secret and the love she carries in her soul. Prince Stephen of Brighton is one of the world’s most eligible bachelors and a star rugby player, trying to make sense of his life. His days in Afghanistan with the Royal Air Command will mark him forever. And he can’t shake their dark shadow. But when his brother, King Nathaniel, confronts him with a document the prince thought long buried and forgotten, Stephen is forced to face the pain of his past and the love he left behind. With a little heavenly help, Prince Stephen and Corina embark on a journey of truth. But when the secrets are revealed, can they overcome, move forward, and find love again? 

Remember the Lilies by Liz Tolsma set in Japan (Historical Romance, February 2015, Thomas Nelson)

Interred by the Japanese, missionary Irene Reynolds comes across a mysterious note whileworking at the censor’s office. She memorizes the parts she must black out and delivers it to wealthy nightclub owner Rand Sterling. Before she knows what’s happening, she’s drawn into a web of secrets and danger.
Rand Sterling wants nothing more than to reopen his nightclubs once the war ends. But slimy Frank Covey wants his hand in the till—and has news that could threaten Rand’s reputation if it became public. More importantly, beautiful and intriguing Irene Reynolds cannot discover this information if he expects to persuade her to become his wife. When Irene is attacked by a sinister Japanese guard and their secrets are exposed, they must learn the true meaning of forgiveness—if they can stave off starvation until the American troops bring freedom.

London Tides by Carla Laureano set in England (Contemporary Romance, June 2015, David C. Cook) 

Irish photojournalist Grace Brennan travels the world’s war zones documenting the helpless and forgotten. After the death of her friend and mentor in the field, Grace is shaken. She returns to London hoping to rekindle the spark with the only man she ever loved—Scottish businessman Ian MacDonald. But he gave up his championship rowing career and dreams of Olympic gold years ago for Grace ... only for her to choose career over him. Will life’s tides bring them back together ... or tear them apart for good this time?

Not by Sight by Kate Breslin set in England (Historical Romance, July 2015, Bethany House)

With Britain caught up in WWI, Jack Benningham, heir to the Earl of Stonebrooke, has declared himself a conscientious objector. Instead, he secretly works for the Crown by tracking down German spies on British soil, his wild reputation and society status serving as a foolproof cover. Blinded by patriotism and concern for her brother on the front lines, wealthy suffragette Grace Mabry will do whatever it takes to assist her country's cause. When she sneaks into a posh London masquerade ball to hand out white feathers of cowardice, she never imagines the chain of events she'll set off when she hands a feather to Jack. And neither of them could anticipate the extent of the danger and betrayal that follows them--or the faith they'll need to maintain hope.

Let's chat. What novels are you most looking forward to reading this year? All comments with a contact email address go in the draw to win your choice of one of the four titles above :)

Kara Isaac lives in Wellington, New Zealand where she spends her days working in product management and being double-teamed by a ninja preschooler and his baby sister. By night she writes romantic comedy and was the 2014 winner of the RWA Lonestar Contest (Inspirational). She loves to connect with writers and readers on Twitter and Facebook.

Loyalty or Royalty?

With the release of Wild Mint Tea on March first, I've had the privilege of being interviewed on or writing guest posts for dozens of blogs. Yes, dozens. It's been a wee bit crazy, quite frankly.

Readers are loving Claire and Noel, and that is so gratifying to an author! The feedback has confirmed what I suspected, that this story is "better" than the first book in the Farm Fresh Romance series, Raspberries and Vinegar. By better, I mean that Claire is a sweeter person than Jo, and readers find it easier to root for her.

A question I often get asked is why I write stories set in Idaho when I live in Canada. There are levels to the answer.

One is that if Green Acres Farm were a real place, I could drive to it in twenty minutes if border traffic was light. Yes, my home in southeastern BC is that close to Idaho. The landscape and climate are the same as home, which is very helpful to me being as I write about farming and gardening.

Another answer is that when the Farm Fresh Romance stories began to form in my mind several years ago, Americans, who form the largest market share of English-speaking readers, often passed up foreign-set books in preference for the more familiar. This is, in fact, one of the reasons the International Christian Fiction Writers blog was formed: to help spread the news that authors from other lands might offer great stories set in other places, and weren't something to be feared or avoided!

To make my series the most appealing to a wide readership (which included agents and editors), I chose to set my stories in the USA. Ultimately I signed a contract with a small new American publishing house, Choose Now Publishing, who might've been open to a Canadian setting. As well, the doors to foreign settings have started to crack open. I chose not to submit the two completed novels in the series to an international overhaul but to stick with the way they'd been written in the first place.

In an exchange with Janice Dick, a fellow Canadian author who writes historical fiction, she said she had to choose "royalty over loyalty." The phrase stuck with me. I'd done the same. In an effort to have the best chance to actually sell my novels, I'd chosen that as more important than loyalty to a Canadian setting.

I make other choices for the "royalty" reason as well. I make sure my contemporary romances are written in both the heroine's and hero's point-of-views. I write to a standard romance formula, finding it doesn't strangle my stories at all. I make sure there's a happily-ever-after, which I prefer anyway. I make sure the word count is within the acceptable range for my genre.

God didn't give me "Canadian" stories. He gave me stories with universal topics and themes. The hope, the sense of belonging, the joy of being sought by God, the wonder of human love…these are all things that everyone can relate to. They're far more important to me than the little spot on the checklist that says where the story is set.

Sure, I have ideas for novels set in Canada. A couple are even written and waiting their turn for revision. Meanwhile, I have more contracted stories to write in the Farm Fresh Romance series…both because I want the royalties and because I want to reward the loyalties of my increasing fan base.

What about you? Do you find the setting as important to you as the themes, genre, and story line in a novel?

Valerie Comer's life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance and farm lit. Like many of her characters, Valerie and her family grow much of their own food and are active in the local food movement as well as their church. She only hopes her creations enjoy their happily ever afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters. Visit her website and blog to glimpse inside her world.

The second novel in Valerie's Farm Fresh Romance series, Wild Mint Tea, released March 1, 2014.

Meet Jennifer Delamere author of A Lady Most Lovely

I am delighted to have Jennifer Delamere visit with us today to tell us a little bit about herself and her fabulous new novel, A Lady Most Lovely, set in London, England.

The youngest child of a Navy pilot and a journalist, Jennifer acquired a love of adventure and an excitement for learning that continues to this day. She’s lived in three countries and traveled throughout the United States. Her debut novel An Heiress at Heart was chosen by Grand Central Publishing to be the first inspirational romance for their Forever imprint and was a 2012 RITA® Award finalist. Her follow-up novel, A Lady Most Lovely, earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly. Jennifer loves reading classics and histories, which she mines for the vivid details to bring to life the people and places in her books.

Jennifer, please tell us a little more about yourself. 

I was raised in a military family, so we moved a lot when I was young, including a short time spent in Panama. I currently live in North Carolina, and like many writers, I have a “day job.” I edit educational materials for standardized school testing. I’ve been a Christian since high school, when a friend invited me to her church’s youth retreat. Ever since then, my love for God and His Word has influenced every major decision in my life.


Tell us about your latest book.

Margaret Vaughn is the wealthiest heiress in London—or so everybody thinks. Saddled with debts and facing financial and social humiliation, she finds an unlikely savior in Tom Poole . . . After surviving a shipwreck and amassing a fortune in the gold fields of Australia, Tom Poole is the toast of London society. Yet despite his new found fame, he’s never forgotten his own humble beginnings. When he learns of Margaret’s plight, he offers her financial assistance—but his interest is not strictly business. This rugged adventurer now seeks a different kind of gold. Although many men pursue Margaret’s hand because of her beauty and lands, can Tom convince her it’s her heart he’s after?

Is there any scene in your book that came from a real-life happening?

There are two, actually. The first is the story of Tom’s horse surviving a shipwreck and swimming seven miles to shore. That actually happened off the coast of Australia in the 1800s. The second is the funeral for the Duke of Wellington. In a suspenseful scene in A Lady Most Lovely, Tom must cross town quickly to help someone whose life is in danger, but the streets are choked by millions of people who turned out for the funeral procession.

What inspired you to write this particular book?

It’s a follow-up to An Heiress at Heart, although each book stands alone as a complete story. I love “marriage of convenience” plotlines, and I found it worked well for telling Tom and Margaret’s story.

What are you working on right now?

I’m finishing the final book in this trilogy. The hero is James Simpson, a lighthearted and loveable rogue who thinks he is a confirmed bachelor. No one will be more surprised than he is at the woman who finally steals his heart!

Ooh, that sounds like fun. Where do you get ideas for your books?

I often start with some tidbit from history and build from there. For example, An Heiress at Heart was partially inspired by a true story about a medieval Frenchman who for a time was able to successfully impersonate someone else.

That's really interesting. What are your favorite themes to write about?

I find that I keep returning to themes of forgiveness and putting the past behind. Although the events of our past inform and shape who we are, they do not have to dictate our future. Psalm 103 says that God throws our sins as far away as the east is from the west and remembers them no more. With God we can always find a new beginning if we so choose.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us? Maybe a writing tip or advice for aspiring authors?

When I was first starting out, a fellow author gave me this tip, which I have followed with great success: Don’t worry about what is or is not trending—just write the book you want to read.

Where can fans find you or your books on the internet?

For book excerpts, ordering links, to subscribe to my mailing list or read my blog, visit my website: www.jenniferdelamere.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jennifer.delamere

Twitter: @JenDelamere

Jennifer, thank you so much for visiting with us today at ICFW. And congratulations on that awesome PW review! 

Thank you so much for inviting me!

Blog readers, you can click through the links I included in the introduction to read the review and to purchase the book from The Book Depository that offers free international shipping with no minimum order. 

But...Jennifer is also giving away a copy of A Lady Most Lovely right here. This giveaway is open internationally!  

Please leave a comment or question for Jennifer, if you'd like a chance to win, and please leave your email address so that I can contact you if you do. I'm sure she'd love it if you'd like her FB page, too. I know that I always appreciate it when people like mine ~wink~  

The blessed recipient will be announced in the comments on Sunday, so if you prefer not to publish your email addy be sure to check back and then email me through my website: SandraOrchard.com

 
Sandra Orchard is an award-winning author of inspirational romantic suspense with Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense imprint, and Revell Publishing. She is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America and The Word Guild (Canada). A mother of three grown children, she lives in Niagara, Canada with her real-life-hero husband and now writes full time…when not doting on her young grandchildren.  You can learn more about Sandra’s books and bonus features at www.SandraOrchard.com or connect at www.Facebook.com/SandraOrchard