Book Recommendation: Pockets of Purpose

 

This week, I am participating in the blog tour for Laurie Stroup Smith's new Amish fiction release, Pockets of Purpose, Book Two in the Pocket Quilt Series. Keep reading for my review, the book blurb, Laurie's bio, AND a giveaway!

A beautiful Amish story with realistic characters facing unexpected obstacles, who overcome it all by grace and love. Laurie Stroup Smith gives us another great book in the Pocket Quilt Series to remind us that life does not always work out as we planned, but God is still good and makes a way for us. This book can be read as a standalone, but I appreciated getting to see some of the characters from Book One again.


Back Cover Copy: Two years after exchanging her first love letters with Gideon Petersheim, Dixie Yoder tucks his notes into her pocket quilt and travels from Pinecraft to Holmes County, hopeful for a future together. Upon her arrival, their relationship blossoms until the auctioneer has surgery to remove a cyst from his vocal cords. Complications from the procedure interfere with his healing, leaving him searching for his passions and purpose. Instead of leaning on Dixie through this tough time, he pushes her away and turns his back on God. Frustrated and heartbroken, she is torn between staying in Ohio with the new friends she has grown to love and packing her bags. Having lost everything, he must fight his way back to her, but his apology is long overdue. Only a grand gesture to show her how much she means to him will cause her to pause and reconsider.

Available now on Amazon! 

An Abbreviated List From My TBR Pile

Do you have a TBR pile? You know, the books 'to-be-read'? These days, my list seems to be growing faster than I'm reading, and it's been a while since I've shared some of the fiction books I'm looking forward to reading when I finish the semester. 

Here are a few at the top of my TBR Pile from books out in the last year(ish) that I want to catch up on soon. I've provided the back-cover copy from the publisher. 

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1. The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner. 

April 18, 1906: A massive earthquake rocks San Francisco just before daybreak, igniting a devouring inferno. Lives are lost, lives are shattered, but some rise from the ashes forever changed.

Sophie Whalen is a young Irish immigrant so desperate to get out of a New York tenement that she answers a mail-order bride ad and agrees to marry a man she knows nothing about. San Francisco widower Martin Hocking proves to be as aloof as he is mesmerizingly handsome. Sophie quickly develops deep affection for Kat, Martin's silent five-year-old daughter, but Martin's odd behavior leaves her with the uneasy feeling that something about her newfound situation isn't right.

Then one early-spring evening, a stranger at the door sets in motion a transforming chain of events. Sophie discovers hidden ties to two other women. The first, pretty and pregnant, is standing on her doorstep. The second is hundreds of miles away in the American Southwest, grieving the loss of everything she once loved.

The fates of these three women intertwine on the eve of the devastating earthquake, thrusting them onto a perilous journey that will test their resiliency and resolve and, ultimately, their belief that love can overcome fear.

From the acclaimed author of The Last Year of the War and As Bright as Heaven comes a gripping novel about the bonds of friendship and mother love, and the power of female solidarity.

2. Before I Called You Mine by Nicole Deese

Lauren Bailey may be a romantic at heart, but after a decade of matchmaking schemes gone wrong, there's only one match she's committed to now--the one that will make her a mother. Lauren is a dedicated first-grade teacher in Idaho, and her love for children has led her to the path of international adoption. To satisfy her adoption agency's requirements, she gladly agreed to remain single for the foreseeable future; however, just as her long wait comes to an end, Lauren is blindsided by a complication she never saw coming: Joshua Avery.

Joshua may be a substitute teacher by day, but Lauren finds his passion for creating educational technology as fascinating as his antics in the classroom. Though she does her best to downplay the undeniable connection between them, his relentless pursuit of her heart puts her commitment to stay unattached to the test and causes her once-firm conviction to waver.

With an impossible decision looming, Lauren might very well find herself choosing between the two deepest desires of her heart . . . even if saying yes to one means letting go of the other.

3. Autumn Skies by Denise Hunter

From the bestselling author of The Convenient Groom and A December Bride (now beloved Hallmark Original movies) comes the third and final novel in the Bluebell Inn series!

When a mysterious man turns up at Grace’s family-run inn, it’s instant attraction. But she’s already got a lot on her plate: running the Bluebell Inn, getting Blue Ridge Outfitters off the ground, and coping with a childhood event she’d thought was long past.

A gunshot wound has resurrected the past for secret service agent Wyatt Jennings, and a mandatory leave of absence lands him in Bluebell, North Carolina. There he must try and come to grips with the crisis that altered his life forever.

Grace needs experience for her new outfitters business, so when Wyatt needs a mountain guide, she’s more than happy to step up to the plate. As their journey progresses, Grace soon has an elusive Wyatt opening up, and Wyatt is unwittingly drawn to Grace’s fresh outlook and sense of humor.

There’s no doubt the two have formed a special bond, but will Wyatt’s secrets bring Grace’s world crashing down? Or will those secrets end up healing them both?

4. The Restoration of Celia Fairchild by Marie Bostwick 

Evvie Drake Starts Over meets The Friday Night Knitting Club in this wise and witty novel about a fired advice columnist who discovers lost and found family members in Charleston, by the New York Times bestselling author of The Second Sister.

Celia Fairchild, known as advice columnist ‘Dear Calpurnia’, has insight into everybody’s problems – except her own. Still bruised by the end of a marriage she thought was her last chance to create a family, Celia receives an unexpected answer to a “Dear Birthmother” letter. Celia throws herself into proving she’s a perfect adoptive mother material – with a stable home and income – only to lose her job. Her one option: sell the Charleston house left to her by her recently departed, estranged Aunt Calpurnia. 

Arriving in Charleston, Celia learns that Calpurnia had become a hoarder, the house is a wreck, and selling it will require a drastic, rapid makeover. The task of renovation seems overwhelming and risky. But with the help of new neighbors, old friends, and an unlikely sisterhood of strong, creative women who need her as much as she needs them, Celia knits together the truth about her estranged family — and about herself.

The Restoration of Celia Fairchild is an unforgettable novel of secrets revealed, laughter released, creativity rediscovered, and waves of wisdom by a writer Robyn Carr calls "my go-to author for feel-good novels.”

5. Facing the Dawn by Cynthia Ruchti 

While her humanitarian husband Liam has been digging wells in Africa, Mara Jacobs has been struggling. She knows she's supposed to feel a warm glow that her husband is nine time zones away, caring for widows and orphans. But the reality is that she is exhausted, working a demanding yet unrewarding job, trying to manage their three detention-prone kids, failing at her to-repair list, and fading like a garment left too long in the sun.

Then Liam's three-year absence turns into something more, changing everything and plunging her into a sunless grief. As Mara struggles to find her footing, she discovers that even when hope is tenuous, faith is fragile, and the future is unknown, we can be sure we are not forgotten . . . or unloved.

With emotionally evocative prose that tackles tough topics with tenderness and hope, award-winning author Cynthia Ruchti invites you on a journey of the heart you won't soon forget.

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What about you, friends? What are you reading right now? What's on your TBR pile? 

2019 ACFW Mix and Mingle

Hey friends! In a few weeks, I'll be attending the ACFW Conference in San Antonio, and this week, I'm participating in the annual Mix and Mingle, hosted this year by my friend, Janine. 

Name: Laura Brandenburg

Location: West Texas (near Lubbock)

What you write/tagline/trademark: I write feel-good, real-life stories of redemption, forgiveness, and grace. 

Place in the book world: I'm an avid reader. Currently pre-published. My agent and I sent out proposals this summer for my split time novel. 

On a scale of hugger to 10-foot-pole, please rate your personal space: I'm definitely a hugger, but maybe a bit reserved with new friends. 

Something VERY serious: How do you take your Starbucks? I usually get a flat white or a vanilla latte, but it's pumpkin spice latte season, which is my fav! Mmmm.

The unique talking points that will get you going for hours: I love college football and Gilmore Girls and grammar. And like most writers, I love talking about books. I read all sorts of genres for both CBA and ABA markets, but my favorite authors are Kristen Heitzmann and Charles Martin. 

Loved ones at home you’ll be missing: I'll be 31 weeks pregnant, so I'm bringing along my hubs and our soon-to-be daughter, but we'll be missing our Weimaraner, RIzzoli, at home. 

Conference goals we can pray for? I am hoping to have good meetings with editors and, of course, get the request for my manuscript. I also want to meet and connect with authors. I come away from ACFW every year grateful for the new friends I've made. We need each other on this journey, and so I'm praying for re-connections and new connections. 

Anything we can celebrate with you? After years of praying and believing God for a baby, we are expecting our first this November! That's not book news, but it's the best news ever. :) (In book news, I finished my third book earlier this year and am working on a companion e-book. :))

One or two ways we can help you build your platform? If you like to read or write, I'd love for you to follow me on Twitter or Facebook or sign up for my newsletter.

I hope to see you in San Antonio! Remember to link back to Janine's page if you're participating in the mingle. 

Fav Reads of 2018

Y'all, 2018 was a good year for books. I surpassed my reading goal for the year (and devoured six books in ten days over my Christmas break! :)) Today, I'm sharing my top-five favorite fiction I read in 2018 and my top five from the TBR pile for 2019.

Favorite Books I read in 2018:

5. Things I Never Told You by Beth Vogt

4. The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah

3. A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner

2. Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

1. Katherine Reay. Yes--not a book, just an author because in 2018, I read everything she's ever written (so far!), and I can't pick just one favorite (Dear Mr. Knightly and Lizzy and Jane and The Austen Escape and The Bronte Plot and A Portrait of Emily Price)

Books I'm excited to read in 2019:

1. The Rancher's Unexpected Baby by Jill Lynn (release date: January 15). (Spoiler alert--I already read this and loved it, but it's not out for all of you until TODAY--Jan 15--so go get a copy! :))











2. The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay (release date: May 14)












3. Moments We Forget by Beth Vogt (release date: May 7)

4. The Memory House by Rachel Hauck (release date: April 2)

5. Summer by the Tides by Denise Hunter (release date: May 21)











What about you, friend? What do you recommend that you read last year? And what books are on your TBR pile for 2019?

Holiday Giveaway - Sign Up Now!

Calling all subscribers! I am getting ready to send out my December newsletter in a few weeks. Are you signed up?

In it, I’ll share some writerly updates, AND I am giving away TWO fun holiday books—A Cliché Christmas, by Nicole Deese, and Falling like Snowflakes, by Denise Hunter.

I’ll pick two lucky winners from my list of subscribers, so if you’re on the list—you’re in the drawing! And if you’re not, trust me—my newsletters may not be awe-inspiring or earth-shattering, but these lovely authors are.

The drawing will be held on or after December 3, so be sure to sign up now by going to my website and entering your email at the top right corner. 

That's a Wrap - ACFW 2018

Another great ACFW conference is in the books. I will try to hit the highlights like I do every year post-conference (see 2015 and 2017), though I am not sure I can do them justice this year.

1. Debbie Macomber delivered our keynote sessions, and y’all she is as cute as her Hallmark movies. While I’ve read a few of her series, I did not know much about her personally, and I so enjoyed her transparency and humor and heart for the Lord.

2. Liz Curtis Higgs received the Lifetime Achievement Award and led part of the workshop track I attended on Friday AND showed up at our Hartline Literary Agency dinner on Friday night (her hubs is represented by Hartline). I tamed my fangirl feels (I think), but I did manage to sneak not one but two pictures with her! Ha!

3. As always, I learned A TON! But my two favorite sessions: getting to hear from the editors at three different publishing houses talk candidly about expectations and preferences and attending Julie Gwin’s session on proposals. I still have much to apply, but I’m grateful for the knowledge!

4. Every year, I make new friends, and this year was no exception. I’m grateful for the catch-up time with my critique partner and the new friendships formed—some of which were social media friends I finally got to meet in person.

5. The Gala must be mentioned because it was so fun! My agent won Agent of the Year, and the shock on his face was priceless. He is a humble man, but so very deserving! Tamera Alexander sat at our same table, and I got to see her win not one but two Carol awards. And I’m still pinching myself two days later that I won the Genesis for the Short Novel category. What a dream come true!

My hubs went with me to Nashville, and even before we left, he kept asking if I was going to prepare an acceptance speech. I dismissed the idea, thinking there’s no way I actually will win. I was pleased to just be a finalist this year. But he continued to say, I really think you should write something down.

When I went to the rehearsal on Saturday afternoon, I was chatting with a fellow finalist, who had won Genesis in a previous year, and she asked if I’d written anything down. When I said no, she said, you really ought to because when I won, I hadn’t prepared anything, and once I got up on stage, in front of all those people, I wished I had.

So, you know, an hour before the Gala, I’m getting ready and jotting down some notes. No time like the last minute, right?!

When the announcer called my name, Howell leans over to whisper “I knew it!” in my ear. He captured the entire speech and had texted it out to everyone we know before I could even get back to my seat. I sure love him and love his support for me. (If you want to see the video, it's on Facebook here).

I’ve been overwhelmed by the congratulations I’ve received, the videos and text messages and social media comments. God really does get 100% of the credit in my mind. It’s His gift and all for His glory!

If you attended this year, what are your favorite moments? 

Recommended Reading--June

We're halfway through the year. Hard to believe, huh?

I've shared with you already how reading is changing my writing. Books have always been my thing. In fact, as a kid, I was grounded from reading--the only consequence my parents could think of that removed what was dearest to me.

But now I'm reading as a writer, and it's rocking my world, in a good way. :) I set a goal to read 50 books this year, and I'm already at 35 books--70% of that goal. (Time to up it?) I've read all five of the books on my "can't wait to read in 2018" list, and they did not disappoint.

It'll be hard to narrow 35 books to my top five favorites, but here's what I'd recommend so far:

1. Dear Mr. Knightly by Katherine Reay. I am so glad someone recommended Reay to me. I am in love with her books and am tearing through everything she's written. So, so good. Unique. Clever. Well-written. If you have any affection for Jane Austen or British literature references, you'll love these books.

2. Lizzy and Jane by Katherine Reay. Read this one with a Kleenex, but the emotions are so worth it. My family has experienced breast cancer, and Reay captures this journey well.

3. Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate. I loved the way this plot was presented with two story lines. I couldn't put it down. Heart-wrenching, especially that it's as much fact as fiction. But a powerful ending.

4. Sweetbriar Cottage by Denise Hunter. I loved both of these characters immediately and wanted them to make it. A great message of hope for marriage, even when it feels hopeless.










5. A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner. Similar to the Before We Were Yours contemporary / historical flashback style, the plot for this book is brilliant, weaving one thread through 100 years. My heart ached for the 9/11 connections, but beauty despite tragedy is a powerful message.











What about you, friends? What are you reading right now? What's on your "to be read" list?

Recommended Reading: Her Texas Cowboy

I'm excited to recommend my friend Jill's latest book, Her Texas Cowboy, which will be in stores on April 17. This is the third book in a series set in Fredericksburg, Texas, but you don't have to have read the others to enjoy this one.

From Goodreads Review:

Jill Lynn has a way with words. Her characterization and wit impress me every time. I loved getting to see Rachel’s story, and I felt every conflicting emotion that both she and Hunter experience. My favorite lines:

“He’d been teasing her about something, and the next thing she knew, he’d stopped, buried his hands in her hair, and kissed her. Kissed her as though she was oxygen, and he needed to breathe.”

 “Whatever happened, she reacted strongly. If she shut down, it was with ten locked doors and a No Entrance sign. If she let someone in, it was like seeing the sun up close and not getting burned.”

Jill subtly weaves in messages of God’s love and grace while painting an accurate picture of the doubt and fear that plagues many of us. If you’re looking for a well-written love story that’ll keep you turning pages, I highly recommend Her Texas Cowboy.

*I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

About Jill Lynn:

Jill Lynn Buteyn is a co-author of Just Show Up with Kara Tippetts, and the author of the inspirational romance novels (as Jill Lynn), Falling for Texas, Her Texas Family, and Her Texas Cowboy. A recipient of the ACFW Genesis award for her fiction work, she has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Bethel University. Jill lives near the beautiful Rocky Mountains with her husband and two children. Connect with her on social media or at Jill-Lynn.com.

Awards:

• Just Show Up--2016 Selah Award for Non-fiction General and Book of the Year.
• Falling for Texas--2016 Booksellers' Best Awards Finalist for Best First Book

p.s. I'm also a big fan of her novella, The Start of Us, which is a prequel to this series. :) 

Some Writerly Updates

I’ve been quiet on the writing front lately, so I felt it was time for a few updates. At the moment, here’s a picture of my writerly life:

1. Waiting with bated breath to hear from a publisher. As you may know, I signed a contract with an agent last fall after the ACFW conference. He and my amazing critique partner helped me get one of my manuscripts polished and the proposal and sample chapters sent off to a potential publisher.

2. Editing an old manuscript. Over the last several months, any free time has been spent reading and re-reading authors I greatly admire, and I believe it’s improving my ability to revise my own writing. I now see sentence patterns and repetition in a way I never did before, and I’m re-working my first manuscript with a slight cringe at the weaknesses there. But I’m not discouraged! In fact, I’m all the more encouraged to see the caliber to which I want to raise my writing. Now to practice until it gets there… (p.s. Once this manuscript is revised (thanks again to my awesome critique partner ;)), my agent and I will work to get it ready to send to another potential publisher.)

3. Writing a new book. My progress is minimal at this point, but I am having fun crafting a new story. These new characters swim in my head throughout the day, as I get to know them, their quirks, their reactions, their motivations. My goal is to have a first draft completed by the end of June.

Whether I’m reading the old ms or working on the new project, I’m excited to see how my writing has progressed. I know I still have so much to learn (and so much to edit), but I’m a life-long student. Learning is my thing. :) 

If you think of me, please continue to pray for God's favor and grace throughout this journey. May it always and forever be about Him.

My "Want to Read" List for 2018

Since I shared last time about my favorite books from 2017, I thought I’d also offer you my “want to read” list—so far. :)

Books I’m geeked about reading in 2018:

5. Beth Vogt’s – Things I Never Told You (May 2018)

It's been ten years since Payton Thatcher's twin sister died in an accident, leaving the entire family to cope in whatever ways they could. No longer half of a pair, Payton reinvents herself as a partner in a successful party-planning business and is doing just fine--as long as she manages to hold her memories and her family at arm's length.

But with her middle sister Jillian's engagement, Payton's party-planning skills are called into action. Which means working alongside her opinionated oldest sister, Johanna, who always seems ready for a fight. They can only hope that a wedding might be just the occasion to heal the resentment and jealousy that divides them . . . until a frightening diagnosis threatens Jillian's plans and her future. As old wounds are reopened and the family faces the possibility of another tragedy, the Thatchers must decide if they will pull together or be driven further apart.

4. Francine Rivers – The Masterpiece (February 2018). 

A successful LA artist, Roman Velasco appears to have everything he could possibly want―money, women, fame. Only Grace Moore, his reluctant, newly hired personal assistant, knows how little he truly has. The demons of Roman’s past seem to echo through the halls of his empty mansion and out across his breathtaking Topanga Canyon view. But Grace doesn’t know how her boss secretly wrestles with those demons: by tagging buildings as the Bird, a notorious but unidentified graffiti artist―an alter ego that could destroy his career and land him in prison.

Like Roman, Grace is wrestling with ghosts and secrets of her own. After a disastrous marriage threw her life completely off course, she vowed never to let love steal her dreams again. But as she gets to know the enigmatic man behind the reputation, it’s as if the jagged pieces of both of their pasts slowly begin to fit together . . . until something so unexpected happens that it changes the course of their relationship―and both their lives―forever.

3. Jill Lynn - Her Texas Cowboy (April 2018)

When Rachel Maddox returns to her hometown of Fredericksburg, Texas, avoiding her ex is much easier said than done. Still nursing the broken heart Rachel caused years earlier, rancher next door Hunter McDermott figures he can be cordial for the brief time she’s in town—maybe they can even be friends. But how do you forge just a friendship with someone you’ve always pictured as your bride?

2. Terri Blackstock - If I Live (March 2018)

Casey is hiding again—in Memphis this time—but it’s different now. She knows without a doubt that Dylan believes her and is doing all he can to help bring Brent’s killer to justice. He’s become an unexpected friend . . . and even, maybe, something more. Hope makes everything more bearable.

Casey makes a deal with the DA to turn over all the evidence she and Dylan have gathered against Keegan and Rollins—only to discover that the DA is in league with them too. After a desperate escape, who can they possibly turn to now?

Time is running out for Casey, but master suspense writer Terri Blackstock will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the last, utterly satisfying page.

1. Charles Martin – Send Down the Rain (May 2018)

Allie's second husband is killed tragically when his 18-wheeler crashes into the rocks near their home in Cape San Blas--the tanker was full of fuel and the explosion could be seen on overhead satellites. She'd already lost the beloved waterfront restaurant her parents started and now losing her husband, no matter how unfulfilling their marriage was, might just push her over the edge.

Joseph's time in Vietnam left him with scars that never seemed to heal. No matter how he's tried to love or what he's tried to do since then, he can't pull himself out of the wreckage of his former life. His trust and security shaken, he isolates himself in a cabin. But every morning, he faithfully pours two cups of coffee, drinking his while he sits with the second, and then pouring out the full cup.

It's no small coincidence that Joseph found a mother and her two young children lost in the woods near his cabin. Or that when he helps them return to family in Florida, he's near enough to see that explosion. Near enough to know it's close to home. Near enough to know that his childhood sweetheart needs him.

The years have built so much distance between them, but it's the secrets that may be their final undoing. Send Down the Rain reminds us of the beauty of truth . . . and the power of love to wash away the past.

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What about you, my friends? Any books you want to read this year?






*The blurbs are from the future back covers, listed on Goodreads.

Favorite Books of 2017

2017 was a big year for my writing. I wrote a new book, and I semi-finaled in Genesis with my first novel and finaled in First Impressions with the second one. I also got an agent, and he and my critique partner helped me make revisions to the second book and proposal before sending it to a potential publisher.

Last year was also a big year for reading, for me anyway. I read almost 50 books, and while that number might seem high or low to some, it was huge for me. Since grad school (cerca 2007), I’ve been lucky to read about a dozen books a year, and some years, even less than that.

But everything I’ve read, every conference or workshop I’ve attended all suggest that if I want to improve my writing, I should also read more, inside and outside my genre.

So, I went to work in 2017. I set a reading goal on Goodreads for 20 books, and when I passed that in the summer, I made it 30 books, and then 40, and then 50.

I had a hard time narrowing my favorites (and I cheated a little by listing an entire series for two of them), but here are my top ten from 2017:

10. Three Little Words. I read this book because my best friend recommended it. Written as a memoir, it reads like a novel. Ashley Rhodes-Courter has a sequel to this book, and I can’t wait to get it. (*This novel contains language)

9. The Western Star. Craig Johnson is so talented, and Howell and I soaked up his latest novel in the Longmire series. The audio version of these books are fantastic; it feels like I’m listening to a movie. Now to twiddle our thumbs until the next book comes out… (*This novel contains language)

8. With No Reservations. This debut novel by my friend Laurie Tomlinson is fantastic. The story is clever and unique. (If you’re interested, I have an interview with Laurie here and a full review here.)

7. The Book of Unknown Americans. Wow. This book will pull on your heartstrings. But it’s so, so good. Read it with Kleenex. I’m actually ecstatic to get to hear Cristina Henriquez at a convention this March! (*This novel contains language)

6. Talking as Fast as I Can. I think Lauren Graham is hilarious, and in her first nonfiction book, she does not disappoint. If you like Gilmore Girls, you’ll especially appreciate the inside scoop.

5. Christiansen Family series. I’m a new reader to Susan May Warren, but I’ve discovered she’s a prolific writer! I absolutely loved this family series. I think I read all six books in less than a month.

4. Present Over Perfect. If you’ve read my blog last year, you know this book by Shauna Niequist rocked my world. In a good way. It changed how I approach work and my time. Such a good read. (See my other posts here and here.)

3. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. This book is hardly new, and truth be told, I should’ve picked it up years ago. I’ve never read Stephen King’s books, but he is obviously doing something right. This book motivated me to get back on track with a consistent, DAILY writing schedule. (*This book contains language)

2. The Start of Us. I loved Jill Lynn Buteyn’s other novels, so I was excited when I heard my friend had written a prequel as a novella. The characterization is wonderful and the voice, unique and witty. I absolutely loved it!

1. If I Run series. Y’all, I think Terri Blackstock is the QUEEN of suspense, and she delivers in this latest series. The last book comes out in March, but I read these first two books in a day. One. Day. I couldn’t stop myself, and I highly, highly recommend.
















Reading has improved my writing for sure. I’m learning a lot, and I’m realizing I still have a lot to learn.

But I #amwriting… :)