Book Review of An Aussie Summer Christmas

By Jenny Blake

An Aussie Summer Christmas 

Blurb

Melbourne Memories by USA Today bestselling author Marion Ueckermann 
Escaping his dangerous past, former British rock star Justin “The Phoenix” Taylor flees to Australia. Intrigued by the bearded stranger visiting her coffee shop, Ella Anderson decides to discover his secrets. But when Justin’s past collides with their future, Ella must decide whether they have a future at all. 

Next Door Santa by USA Today bestselling author Lacy Williams 
Will Harris is proud of his no-complications life. So why is he drawn to his upstairs neighbor, who seems obsessed with Christmas? Can Bridie soften Will-the-Scrooge’s heart in time for Christmas? 

Seaside Christmas by Narelle Atkins 
Political advisor and former bad boy Gus Donovan is intrigued by Chelsea Somers, the girl he didn’t call after their one and only date, six years ago. Chelsea is impressed by the new Gus, but can she trust him with her family secrets ... and with her heart? 

A Christmas Resolution by Rose Dee 
Breeah has avoided returning to her Australian coastal hometown of Kiisay Point for ten years—avoided the mistake that changed her life, ruined her friendships, and soured her first love. She’s never returned to Resolution, the island where it all happened. But now she’s back, and having to face up to the childhood she loved, the man she can’t forget, and the future that won’t start until she lets it all go. 

All is Bright by Andrea Grigg 
Amy’s always been a good Christian girl…except for being in love with her brother-in-law. Josh is looking for love again, surprised to find it with his late wife’s sister. But will a mountain of guilt and an unexpected letter stop them from making it to the altar? 

Falling for Maddie Grace by Meredith Resce 
Australia’s first professional female football umpire, Maddie Grace, gets knocked out in an on-field accident, crushed beneath the weight of an athletic sports star. What is it about the visual images that has the media making up stories of a secret love affair? Escaping the paparazzi is one thing, but escaping each other is quite another.

My Review

I really enjoyed this box set. Each story is different but has the Aussie connection and a beach connection.

Melbourne Memories by USA Today bestselling author Marion Ueckermann 

This is the first book and I have to say I wasn't sure how I would like this book as Justin was a rock star and its not my sort of hero but I actually really liked the story. It shows how a chance meeting when someone has hit rock bottom can help change a life. Justin ends up in Australia where he comes in contact with Ella who wants to learn his secrets not knowing how it may affect her. I really loved the way it showed how Justin turns his life around and his wanting to make amends for his past. 

Next Door Santa by USA Today bestselling author Lacy Williams 

I love Bridie, I think I like her cos shes has a job I would love. She is full of life although she has had plenty of heartache in her life. Will on the other hand seems to be more focused on working and not doing much else. We see an incident happen in which the two will be brought together and then need to work together. I enjoyed the story and learning both stories of why they are how they are. It also teaches not to judge by appearances as there is often more to a story than one thinks. 

Seaside Christmas by Narelle Atkins 
In this book we see Chelsea and Gus meet up again after 6 years. Chelsea wonders if Gus really has changed or if its just an act. She is also still grieving the passing of her sister. She has also told her father she will never reveal some of the details to her sisters death. She also wonders if she can handle someone who is in the political arena. I enjoyed their story and seeing how it unfolded. 

A Christmas Resolution by Rose Dee 
Breeah has returned home after the passing of her uncle. She hasn't been back for 10 years and wants to avoid some people. She made a mistake 10 years ago and still feels guilty. This story deals a lot with forgiveness and not just of others but of yourself. In many ways I felt like Breeah found herself in this book along with reconnecting with a former friend.


All is Bright by Andrea Grigg 
Amy feels she is bad because she loves her brother in law, she has loved him for a long time but knew he was off limits and never acted on the feelings or told anyone, she would never to that to her sister. Even with her sister gone for many years she still hasn't told anyone. Josh gets a letter from his late wife which changes everything between them. I actually found this book refreshingly in the way it showed Amy and her feelings and how she struggled with them. 

Falling for Maddie Grace by Meredith Resce 
Now here is a story I can appreciate. While I love cricket more I am an AFL fan. Maddie Grace is a umpire who has the misfortune of being knocked out by a star Zac. The media have a field day with this as Zac is also referred to as the Rev due to studying ministry and being squeaky clean. They know each other from years back when her father was the coach of Zac's team but nothing more. Seeing this story play out was interesting. Once again another good read.

When Good News Comes

Sometimes this writing gig is hard work, isn't it? It's hard work if you're a hobbyist, it's hard work if you're doing it around your regular day job, and it's hard work if it is your day job. There are no guarantees. Some days and weeks go by swimmingly, and other times sales tank, and you have no idea why.

I've had a season of lower sales and, I'll admit it, discouragement. Not discouragement to the point of giving up, but definitely to the point of wondering if it really was all going to pay off in the end. 2015 was a great year. I wrote and released seven titles (five of them novellas) and made a decent income.

But 2016 has been slow out of the gate for me. I released one book in February, wrapping up my Farm Fresh Romance series, and wrote the first two in my new Urban Farm Fresh Romance series. Due to putting the first into a multi-author box set — I've blogged about those here at ICFW before — that didn't release until the end of June, I had a long gap in my publishing schedule: four months! I know. It seems crazy. But in the current digital publishing realm, four months is a long time without a new release.

The timing of the box set, Whispers of Love, was such that I very nearly chose not to participate. I'd intended to release Secrets of Sunbeams in May, and all the files were ready to go. But something special just might happen, and I wanted to be on board, just in case.

Meanwhile, I discovered that Dandelions for Dinner, the fourth Farm Fresh Romance had finaled in the Word Awards (The Word Guild is a Canadian organization for Christian authors). On June 24 I got a text from Janet Sketchley from the Word Award Gala in Toronto saying my title was the winner in the contemporary category! And there was much rejoicing in the Comer household. (Thanks, Janet, for reading my acceptance speech!)

But as cool as that win was — and I'm not downplaying it at all — my eyes were nervously fixed on June 28 and the release of the Whispers of Love box set. We 12 authors had set an ambitious goal: the USA Today best-sellers list, which consists of the top 150 books per week, counted by number of sales across multiple platforms.

There were many unknowns. How many sales would it take this particular week to break into the top 150? As you can imagine, that number varies depending on what else is launching and which older titles are hot. There's nothing controllable about either! Still, we agreed that the more pre-orders we had going into release week, the better our chances would be.

The second question we had is one all authors have. How can we reach beyond our known readers to find new ones that would like us if they only were aware we and our books existed? We had a great start to our 90-day pre-order period. If only we could keep up that momentum, we'd surely land a good spot. But campaigns, like books and authors, tend toward saggy middles. Once our keen fans and followers had reserved their sets, reality set in and the hard work began.

We blogged and guest blogged. We bought Facebook ads. We tweeted. We shared memes in Facebook groups and on our pages. We bought ads on various promotional sites. We shared excerpts. We had a Facebook party.

Frankly, our author friends were beginning to think the set should be named Shouts of Annoyance instead of Whispers of Love.

At the end of the week, we gathered in our corner and waited, (almost) silently. No longer did we wonder what day the USA Today list updated. We knew. Now we wondered what hour. What minute. And we hoped against hope that we'd find ourselves there, somewhere above #150, hanging on by our fingertips.

Instead, God blessed us with a solid landing at #79. All those pre-orders? Enough. All that hustling? Enough. All those prayers? Enough.

Now that the fever pitch is wearing off two weeks later, our author friends are starting to speak to us again. They've forgiven us. They're even happy for us, because a win for twelve indie authors is a win for all authors and readers alike.

Thank you, Jesus. May this bring glory to your name.

---

Valerie Comer's life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie and her family grow much of their own food and are active in the local foods 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.

Valerie is a USA Today bestselling author and a two-time Word Award winner. She has been called “a stellar storyteller” as she injects experience laced with humor into her green clean romances. Visit her at ValerieComer.com.

Spring Fever e-Giveaways: 1 Box Set, 1 eBook

By Marion Ueckermann

This morning I walked outside, carrying my bowl of rice crispies, and breathed in the awesome freshness of the changing of the seasons as we slowly creep into autumn. Normally my mornings are rushed—once I’m dressed it’s a dash to the car (no time to stop and smell the roses, or the morning breeze), drive to work with my nose stuck in my laptop (no, I’m not driving, hubby is), and then a dash inside the building where I worked. Stay there until 6pm and repeat the sequence in reverse. So I savored the time this morning, because today feels like the first day of the rest of my life—my life as a full-time author.

But, this blog is not about that journey. This blog is about the abundance of spring happening in the northern hemisphere. Love Blossoms is a collaboration by 7 authors from all corners of the globe, bringing readers 7 spring-fresh romances in one neatly packaged box set. And this weekend, this amazing collection went on sale for just $0.99c (an 80% saving off the normal price). But hurry, sale ends today though. If you haven’t yet bought your copy, you can do so now by following this link.

On Friday the authors ran a Bookbub ad, and when we quickly got the Amazon orange ribbon—No. 1 Bestseller—and placed No. 1 in all three categories the set was listed in, the weekend was spent watching the Amazon author rankings for Religion and Spirituality. I started Friday off not having seen the Amazon Top 100 for some time. By Saturday, we were all in the top 18, with five making it to page 1 (top 10).

Forget about spring fever ... we were all Bookbub frenzied. It was so exciting.

But, besides Love Blossoms, I had more spring fever happening last week when I released Spring’s Promise. And to share the fever, I’m giving away one copy of Spring’s Promise, and one copy of Love Blossoms. Leave a comment to be in the draws (and if you only want to be in one draw, please state so in your comment).

1972. Every day in Belfast, Northern Ireland, holds risk, especially for the mayor’s daughter. But Dr. Olivia O'Hare has a heart for people and chooses to work on the wrong side of a city where colors constantly clash. The orange and green of the Republicans pitted against the red and blue of those loyal to Britain. While they might share the common hue of white, it brings no peace.

Caught between the Republicans and Loyalists’ conflict, blue-collar worker Ryann Doyle has to wonder if there’s life before death. The answer seems to be a resounding, ‘No’. His mother is dead, his father’s a drunk, and his younger brother, Declan, is steeped in the Provisional IRA. Then he crosses paths with Olivia O’Hare.

After working four days straight, mopping up PIRA’s latest act of terror, Olivia is exhausted. All she wants is to go home and rest. But when she drives away from Royal Victoria Hospital, rest is the last thing Olivia gets.

When Declan kidnaps the Lord Mayor of Belfast’s daughter, Ryann has to find a way to rescue the dark-haired beauty, though it means he must turn his back on his own flesh and blood for someone he just met.

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

MARION UECKERMANN's passion for writing was sparked when she moved to Ireland with her family. Her love of travel has influenced her contemporary inspirational romances set in novel places. She now lives in South Africa in an empty nest with her husband and their crazy black Scottie, Wally.

You can connect with Marion in the following places:

Website / Amazon / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest

Returning to a favourite series

By Narelle Atkins

I loved writing the books in my Snowgum Creek series, and I was delighted to have an opportunity to return to Snowgum Creek and write a novella.

The Bridesmaid’s Hero is a contemporary Christian romance novella in my Snowgum Creek series. The story is set in a fictional town in the Snowy Mountains region of Australia. I had a chance to reunite with Jack, the hero in my debut book, Falling for the Farmer.

Falling for the Farmer was the second book I wrote, and I first started writing it over a decade ago. It was great to see Jack again, and get a glimpse of his life with Kate in-between the first two books in the series.

I've always been a big fan of series books. As a reader, I love visiting familiar settings and seeing characters from previous books after the excitement of their romance and wedding is over. I want to believe that the hero and heroine will live happily-ever-after and their relationship will survive the challenges of life. Series books can provide a window into the lives of the characters we grew to love. They can give us an insight into their new life as a married couple.

Book Description:

Pastry chef Serena Blaxland isn’t staying in the small Australian town of Snowgum Creek. She’s there for her sister’s wedding, and to help out at the family B&B until her mother’s arm heals. Sparks fly when the handsome driver of their bridal car saves Serena from disrupting her sister’s perfect wedding day.

Harry Westmore’s dream of becoming an equine vet was put on hold when his father passed away. He’s working several jobs in his home town to pay his bills and prepare for his future career. He can’t stay away from the beautiful chef when he visits the B&B each day to look after her mother’s horses.

Serena’s home is in Canberra, where she has built a successful career. When Harry’s offered an opportunity too good to refuse, they must decide if their love and faith can overcome all obstacles.

The Bridesmaid’s Hero is a standalone novella and Book 1.5 in the Snowgum Creek series.

The Bridesmaid's Hero is part of the Love Blossoms contemporary Christian romance box set. Marion Ueckermann and Autumn Macarthur also have novellas in the collection, and we add an international flavour to the spring theme.

Here’s a short excerpt from Chapter One of The Bridesmaid's Hero:

Serena Blaxland leaned back into the soft leather rear seat of the white BMW hire car, her bare shoulders tense. Wedding planning had transformed Debbie, her easygoing older sister, into Bridezilla in her quest for a perfect day. She’d never forgive them if they kept her waiting.

The front door of their parents’ Snowgum Creek home remained open. Serena’s younger sister was inside the farm house. Why was it taking Gina so long to find a missing tube of lipstick? She’d been in there ten minutes already.

Serena fidgeted with the hem of her knee-length pale pink bridesmaid dress, her immaculate French manicure catching the early afternoon sunlight. Her nails had never looked this good, but the manicure failed to hold her interest.

The handsome driver of their hire car had captured her full attention.

He paced the length of the front veranda, his elegant suit accentuating his tall, muscular physique. Harry Westmore. The name suited him.

Harry returned to the car and crouched beside her open window, his fair hair ruffled and eyebrows drawn together. “The rest of the bridal party left fifteen minutes ago. Should I find out what’s holding up your sister?”

She shook her head, meeting his concerned gaze. “I’ll give her a few more minutes before I go inside and yell. Unlike Debbie, Gina has no concept of punctuality.”

“The bride was determined to leave on time.”

“That’s Debbie for you.”

His eyes, the color of the cloudless sky overhead, hinted at his impatience.

An idyllic September spring day, and they had a long drive ahead. The bride had left with her parents in a matching BMW. The chief bridesmaid had snubbed Serena and Gina by catching a ride to Sunny Ridge with her boyfriend in his luxury sports coupe. Debbie hadn’t been impressed by Crystal’s last-minute change of plans.

Gina flounced onto the veranda, slamming the front door behind her. Two inch heels didn’t slow her progress across the lawn. “I found it, finally.” She held the lipstick in the air as if it was a precious gem.

Serena let out a deep breath. If Harry drove the speed limit, they should make it on time to Sunny Ridge Community Church in the large town west of Snowgum Creek. Pre-wedding photos were scheduled in the adjoining park.

He opened the car door for Gina and she slid into her seat behind the driver, her skirt a tangled mess around her thighs.

Gina bit her lip. “I hate this skirt.”

“Be thankful it’s not floor length.”

“True, but I wish Debbie had asked what we thought before she chose our dresses.”

“It’s her wedding.”

“And don’t we know it.”

She let Gina’s comment slide. Her younger sister’s relationship with Debbie was fraught with issues, and Harry didn’t need to hear their complaints. He’d already witnessed Crystal’s emotional outburst. Debbie’s best friend had refused to travel to Sunny Ridge in the bridesmaids’ car.

Harry started the car, a quiet purr compared to the cough and splutter of Serena’s aging hatchback. “Ladies, are we ready?”

“Let’s go.” Gina buckled her seat belt. “I hope we won’t be late.”

Serena suppressed a groan. “Me too, because Debbie doesn’t need the extra stress. Harry, I’m ready.”

“Okay.” He maneuvered the luxury car over the cattle guard at the front entrance next to the prominent Blaxland B&B sign, onto a short dirt track leading to the main road. “We have enough time.”

“Oh, good.” Gina stashed her lipstick in her purse. “I’m already in Debbie’s bad books.”

Serena tightened her grip on the door handle. “What did you do this time?”

Read more in the sample at Amazon.com.

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

Book Recommendation: Sweet Serenade and Orphaned Hearts in SPLASH!

Narelle here. Last Tuesday was an exciting day for a few of the founding members of our International Christian Fiction Writers blog. Valerie Comer, Marion Ueckermann, and myself, with a group of nine contemporary Christian romance authors, celebrated the release of SPLASH!

I've enjoyed reading the stories in SPLASH! and I'm sharing my thoughts on Valerie and Marion's stories in my post today. As well as having a water the theme, the box set collection is international with contemporary Christian romance novellas set in Australia, Canada, Zambia, Scotland, Alaska and mainland USA.

Sweet Serenade by Valerie Comer, author of the Farm Fresh Romance series

Book Description: Canadian river guide and canoe builder Reed Daniels stands by as his lifelong friends pair off. After all, he’s waited this long for the right woman… what’s a little longer? But when newcomer Carly shows up at the gang’s bonfire, he’s mesmerized. Could she be the answer to his prayers?

Water-sport enthusiast Carly Thorbergsen is starting over in Riverbend. Hired as a canoeing and hiking guide, she’s ready to focus on work and leave the personal stuff behind. That is until the competition, Reed Daniels, offers her a ride in his cedar-strip canoe. No resisting that!

But no matter how much they have in common, Carly can’t erase her past, and Reed is bound to discover the truth. When a date finds Carly and Reed running rapids on the outside of the canoe, they come face to face with the real reasons their new relationship might capsize.

Narelle’s thoughts: Sweet Serenade is a fun contemporary Christian romance set in a small fictitious Canadian town. Carly’s cousin warns her about getting involved with Reed, who is the handsome, single guy in their church group. Carly can’t help being drawn to Reed, despite the added complication of being employed by Reed’s competitor.

Carly is struggling with guilt from her past and she’s adjusting to life in a small town community. I loved Reed’s integrity and his desire to live out his faith in all areas of his life. The minor characters added a realism to the story that I really liked. The river scenery is gorgeous and I want to go canoeing in a small town just like Riverbend!

Read an interview with Valerie here.

~~~~~~~~~~

Orphaned Hearts by Marion Ueckermann, author of the Heart of Africa series

Book Description: When his wife dies in childbirth, Zambian conservationist Simon Hartley pours his life into raising his daughter and his orphan elephants. He has no time—or desire—to fall in love again. Or so he thinks.

Wanting to escape English society and postpone an arranged marriage, Lady Abigail Chadwick heads to Africa for a year to teach the children of the Good Shepherd Orphanage. Upon her arrival she is left stranded at Livingstone airport… until a reluctant Simon comes to her rescue.

Now only fears born of his loss—and secrets of the life she’s tried to leave behind—can stonewall their romance, budding in the heart of Africa.

Narelle’s thoughts: Orphaned Hearts is a heartfelt contemporary Christian romance set in exotic Zambia on the banks of the Zambezi River. Despite her father’s disapproval, Abigail travels from England to Africa and teaches in an orphanage. She leaves behind an ex-fiance and her luxurious life as Lady Abigail. Simon is a devoted father to Chloe and spends his time caring for orphaned elephants. He is intrigued by the fiesty and beautiful Abigail when she first arrives in Zambia.

A sweet romance develops between Simon and Abigail, and I loved how Chloe bonds with Abigail. Simon is challenged to let go of his grief and rediscover his faith during the story. Abigail has secrets that threaten to destroy her idyllic new life in the small African village. The orphaned elephants are just adorable, and an elephant ride during an African safari is on my travel bucket list!

Read an interview with Marion here.

~~~~~~~~~~

His Perfect Catch by Narelle Atkins, author of the Snowgum Creek series

Book Description: Sydney girl Mia Radcliffe borrows her cousin’s beach house in Sapphire Bay, Australia, to escape the scandal surrounding her ex-fiancé. Her new neighbor is her secret crush from years ago… and she’s still captivated by the handsome builder who was a youth group leader at her church.

Living next door to Mia wasn’t part of Pete McCall’s plan when he started renovating his beach house. The blonde beauty inspires thoughts of settling down, despite her high maintenance ways and big-city dreams.

Love kindles during their time together and Mia’s heart is set on returning to Sydney with Pete. When new opportunities arise, Pete and Mia must decide if their love is for keeps.

Grab a tall glass of lemonade or iced tea and dip your toes into a cool pool of water on a hot summer’s day while you enjoy the never-before-released Christian romance novellas in SPLASH!

NINE Refreshing Romances Filled with Faith!

Available from Amazon Kindle for 99 cents

http://www.amazon.com/Splash-Refreshing-Romances-Filled-Faith-ebook/dp/B00X4UEK0E/

Think INSIDE the Box!

"My name is Valerie Comer, and I'm a box set addict."

Whew. It feels good to have that out in the open. Anyone who's been keeping an eye on my career in the past six months or more won't be surprised by my admission, though! I credit the first box set I participated in, Love Brings Us Home, with launching my career, even though I had five indie titles for sale before that box set released.

My primary goal was to get the first book in my Farm Fresh Romance series, Raspberries and Vinegar, into as many hands as possible in hopes that many, or at least some, readers would go on to purchase the other two books that were already available.

By cross-promoting with other authors, we'd not only gain access to each others' readerships, but rank high enough on Amazon's bestseller lists that continued organic reach would result. Wow. Did that ever happen! Love Brings Us Home stayed above the #10 spot on the Christian Contemporary Romance bestseller list for nearly six months and dominated at #3 or better for over half that time.

It was a total win/win. Readers got to read seven contemporary romance novels for 99 cents US. The authors split the 35-cents-per-copy-sold royalty and still made money because enough readers took a chance.

This whetted my appetite for a continued reach into the box set market. I contacted author friends and made plans for two sets for the summer season. The first released yesterday after six weeks on pre-order. It's called Summer of Love and contains 6 full-length previously-published romance novels from top-selling Christian authors, several the same as from the earlier set. Wild Mint Tea, the second novel in my Farm Fresh Romance series is included in Summer of Love.

The second summer set, Splash! 9 Refreshing Romance Novellas Filled with Faith contains only new material and will release in June. I'm thrilled my team includes Narelle Atkins and Marion Ueckermann, two other ICFW authors. Autumn Macarthur, from our ACFW Beyond the Borders group, also contributed a novella. This means that almost half the stories in this collection are set outside the USA for a fun international twist.

Splash! contains the following stories and locations:

His Perfect Catch by Narelle Atkins (Australia)
A holiday romance isn’t part of the plan when Mia Radcliffe temporarily moves to Sapphire Bay and lives next door to Pete McCall, her secret crush from years ago. Pete prefers the simple life. Can Mia leave behind her big-city dreams and settle with Pete in the seaside town?

Sweet Serenade by Valerie Comer (Canada)
Carly and Reed thrive on the rush of running rapids in a canoe until they capsize in both river and romance. Will secrets from the past drown their future, or can this idyllic summer romance lead to a lifetime of sweet serenades?

More than Friends by Autumn Macarthur (Scotland)
When nurse Catriona asks for help with her Vacation Bible School for disabled children, she never imagines how much could go wrong on a simple seaside day out — or that the colleague she's secretly loved for years might come to see her as more than his best friend's little sister.

Love Flies In by Heidi McCahan (Alaska)
He’s a seaplane pilot determined to honor his convictions. She’s a kayak guide who mocked his faith for sport. One small lakeside cabin in Alaska can’t house them both.

Testing the Waters by Lesley Ann McDaniel (Oregon)
After breaking up with her ultra-critical boyfriend, Teresa decides to reinvent herself. She meets a nice guy named Curt on the beach in Crescent Cove, Oregon, and tells him she’s Terése from Paris. Pretending to be someone else is fun until the unthinkable happens — she starts to fall for him.

The Lifeguards, the Swim Team, and Frozen Custard by Carol Moncado (Missouri)
Lifeguard Alivia Collins looks forward to another summer on the guard stand at the Serenity Landing Aquatic Center. This year, she’s going to have to keep herself from falling for the cute, new guard — or realize it’s time to give love another chance.

Time and Tide by Lynette Sowell (Virginia)
When out-of-work fashion journalist Karyn Lewis uses the summer to regroup on the coast of Virginia, she plans to lie low at Pine Breezes campground. She doesn't plan for her heart to be on a collision course with old friend Brodie Reed. They must decide if the past that looms between them will be too much for them to have a future together.

Draw You Near by Jan Thompson (Georgia)
Savannah artist Abilene Dupree keeps her personal life out of her commercial paintings except one. That one painting has now brought Londoner Lars Cargill back to the coastal town and into her art world. Can she hold him at bay before he invades her personal space and her heart?

Orphaned Hearts by Marion Ueckermann (Zambia)
His faith buried with his wife, Simon devotes himself to raising his daughter and orphan elephants. Lady Abigail postpones an arranged marriage, leaving England to teach the children of Africa. Will his past—or her future—keep their hearts orphaned?

Won't you give Splash! a try? You'll find links for pre-order on my website.

Meanwhile, a true addict is always thinking ahead where they might get their next fix. I'm already planning for the Christmas 2015 season!

Valerie Comer's life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. 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.

Valerie writes Farm Lit where food meets faith, injecting experience laced with humor into her stories. Her debut novel, Raspberries and Vinegar: A Farm Fresh Romance, was awarded Best Contemporary Romance published in 2013 by The Word Guild.


Think Inside the Box Image courtesy of digitalart at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

An Interview with Canadian Author Kimberly Rae Jordan

Today I'd like to welcome my friend and fellow Canadian, Kimberly Rae Jordan. She grew up a missionary kid in the Philippines but has made her home in Winnipeg, Manitoba, since graduating from high school. If you look at her photo, you'll think that must have been last week, but no. Kim is the mom of four, one of them in university!

Valerie: Welcome to International Christian Fiction Writers, Kimberly! It's been fun getting to know you in the past few months. How did you become interested in writing fiction?

Kimberly: I have always been an avid reader and as characters and their stories would linger in my mind, I would begin to think about how the story might have gone if this or that had happened. Pretty soon I was creating stories in my head each night before I would fall asleep. Sometimes a story would span a week or so of nights, but then it would be gone. Realizing that I didn’t want to lose touch with those characters, I started to jot down parts of stories when I had the time. I was around nineteen or twenty when I first wrote out a whole story… and I have never looked back!

Valerie: What drives you to write?

Kimberly: It seems to be the burning need to give my characters life. It is through the words I write that those characters become real to me and — hopefully — the reader. As I get to know each character that I write about, their story just begs to be shared. Whichever story I’m working on is present in my thoughts night and day. Somehow it just needs to be told, and I’m happy to oblige! I find that if I go more than a day or so without writing on a current work-in-progress, I start to get antsy.

Valerie: How many books do you have out now?

Kimberly: I currently have ten full-length contemporary Christian romance novels, one book of Christian romance short stories and a sweet Christmas romance novella.

Valerie: What are some common themes?

Kimberly: Family is probably my most common theme. My two series are both based around siblings. Another common theme is trying to show a realistic Christian walk. Whether that is a character who is currently struggling a lot with their faith or someone who is confident in their faith but still dealing with the daily struggles we face as Christians.

Valerie: Which story is your favorite?

Kimberly: My favorite so far is probably The Long Road Home, which is Book 4 in my HOME TO COLLINGSWORTH series. Cami, the heroine, was one that wasn’t very popular with readers in previous books of the series. I knew that in writing her story, I would have to really work to gain the readers’ sympathies for her. It’s a romance after all! If a reader doesn’t like the hero or heroine, the story is basically a flop. It was a challenging story to write, and I worried a lot about how readers would react to it. I prayed each night that God would use the book to encourage and uplift people even as it entertained.

The day that book was published until the first review came in were torture for me. A few weeks after it was published, I received a review from a reader who said that they only bought the book because they’d read the other three but weren’t thrilled to read Cami’s story. However, when they finally did read it, her story became their favorite in the series! I am glad that even though it was a rough book to write at times, I pushed through with God’s help. It is one that will always be with me.

Valerie: Readers, you'll get introduced to Cami in Home is Where the Heart Is if you pick up the Love Brings Us Home box set for only 99 cents. I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to place my novel Raspberries and Vinegar in the same limited- time collection. But there's more!

Love Brings Us Home contains SEVEN sweet stories celebrating love and home in one amazing collection!

Greater Than Rubies by Hallee Bridgeman: Antonio Viscolli asked and Robin Bartlett said "yes!" Soon, she will say "I do." Or will Boston's "Royal Wedding" leave someone standing at the altar?

Raspberries and Vinegar by Valerie Comer: Josephine Shaw, a feisty environmentalist and local-food advocate, falls for Zachary Nemesek, the junk-food-loving reluctant farmer next door.

Awakening by JoAnn Durgin: When Lexa Clarke tumbles from the top beam of a house and straight into the arms of TeamWork Missions Director Sam Lewis, Sam suspects his life will never be the same.

Home is Where the Heart Is by Kimberly Rae Jordan: Free spirit Violet Collingsworth never expected to return home to live. But when she goes back to attend her grandmother’s funeral, she meets the sheriff and begins to reconsider.

Wildfire Wedding by Lynette Sowell: During the height of Texas wildfire season, Krista and Luke prepare for their wedding while battling past guilt and future fears, when a fire breaks out, threatening the town.

Cowboy by Staci Stallings: To all the world, Ashton Raines has it all: fame, money, and the adoration of millions of fans. Then one night he walks away from it all. Can down-on-her-luck waitress, Beth, let God work through her to lead Ashton back to hope and faith?

Reunited at Christmas by Debra Ullrick: Shelby Davis thought she’d never again see the ex-fiancé who dumped her. Then Ryker Anderson gets lost in a blizzard, and she’s on the snowmobile search and rescue team. Now what?

Now what? That’s easy! Pick up this digital-only box set from Amazon, Kobo, or Nook and enjoy seven novels from some of the genre's most popular authors. I'm thrilled to be included!

Valerie Comer's life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. 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.

Valerie writes Farm Lit where food meets faith, injecting experience laced with humor into her stories. Her debut novel, Raspberries and Vinegar: A Farm Fresh Romance, was awarded Best Contemporary Romance published in 2013 by The Word Guild.