Several Ways to Win!

Today is a big day for me! I have two new books releasing in December. A Family Arrangement from Love Inspired Historical, and Seven Brides for Seven Texans from Barbour.

There are so many promotions going on, I can hardly keep them all straight! I've teamed up with several authors to bring you multiple ways to win my books, as well as dozens of others. We're also giving away a loaded Kindle Fire, jewelry, clothing, calendars, food and so much more! And it's just in time for Christmas! All these things would make wonderful gifts for you or your loved ones.

Here are all the ways to win! 

Release Party happening on Thursday, December 1st from 3-5:30 pm EST.

Goodreads Giveaway

Giveaway on Coffee Cups & Camisoles 

Loaded Kindle Fire from the Authors of Seven Brides for Seven Texans

12 Days, 12 Giveaways, 12 Winners!

Colonial Quills Facebook Party Friday, December 2, 6-8:30 pm EST

Love Inspired Christmas Party Tuesday, December 6, 4-9:00 pm EST

If you're local, I will be at Good Book & Gift in Little Falls on

Saturday, December 3rd from 10 am - 2 pm signing books! I'll

also be at Bethany Book & Gift in Baxter/Brainerd signing books

on Saturday, December 17th.

I'd love to hear from you! Have you started Christmas shopping yet? Have you finished? Do you enjoy receiving books for Christmas? Do you give books as gifts?

Release Day for A Groom for Josette!

It's an exciting day in my little corner of the world! It's release day for my second published story, A Groom for Josette in The Convenient Bride Collection from Barbour Publishers!! (Insert hand-clapping, cheering, and foot-stomping!) 

 

The real celebration will begin next Monday, July 6th as all the authors in this collection kick off a week-long blog hop. I'll be sharing more about A Groom for Josette next week, with a look at the characters, the setting, and my inspiration for the story.

But best of all, at the end of the week, we're giving away an incredible gift to one lucky winner! A loaded 7" Kindle Fire.

But why wait to give something away??

In honor of Release Day, I'm giving away two books this week!! One lucky winner will receive a copy of both of my summer releases: The Convenient Bride Collection as well as The Most Eligible Bachelor Collection!! I'll pick a winner on Sunday, July 5th and announce the winner on Monday's blog post.

All you need to do is enter the Rafflecopter below!! Thanks for stopping by to celebrate!!

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Galley Edits for Four Brides and a Bachelor

I took one more step towards the publication of Four Brides and a Bachelor. The galley edits arrived!

A collage of the images I used while writing my story.
Starting from left: Hazel, Mary (who is much more subdued
in this photo than she is in the story!), Genevieve & Sarah.
Which one will capture Luke's heart?

After the book is laid out and formatted, a copy is sent to the author and this is called the galley edit stage. According to Wikipedia, "Galley proofs [or edits] are so named because in the days of hand-set letter-press printing, the printer would set the page into galleys—the metal trays into which type was laid and tightened into place—which would then be used to print limited copies for proofreading. The printer would then receive the edits, re-arrange the type, and print the final copy."

Some galleys are printed on paper and sent to the author for final proof, and some are sent electronically, as mine were.

This is the very last time I'll have a chance to change anything in my story. I'm able to make small changes, here and there, but nothing major. The time for the major edits has come and gone.

It's so much fun seeing my story formatted for a book! I thought I'd share the first and last page of the galleys for you. :)

I was especially excited to see the galleys, because it's the first time all nine novellas are in the same place. I was able to take a sneak peek at the other stories in the book! You guys are in for a treat!!

Your Turn: Have you ever heard of galleys before? For writers, what is your favorite stage of the publishing process? For readers, what stage do you think you'd enjoy most?

Thoughts Behind a New Cover

It's exciting to anticipate cover art. A writer wonders if the design team will capture the essence of the story, and if they will convey it in a way the reader will understand. It's even more challenging when the designer has to capture the essence of multiple stories, which is the case in a novella collection.

The Convenient Brides Collection encompasses nine stories, by nine authors, set in nine different locations and eras. The only commonality is the theme, which is marriages of convenience. Here's the back cover blurb the publisher released:

Join nine brides of convenience on their adventures in a variety of times and settings gone by—from a ranch in California…to the rugged mountains of Colorado…to a steamship on the Mississippi…to the dangerous excitement of the Oregon Trail…into high society of New York City. No matter the time or place, the convenient brides proceed with what must be done, taking nuptials out of necessity. . .and never dreaming that God might take their feeble attempts to secure their futures and turn them into true love stories for His glory.

It's amazing how many diverse settings this collection covers! Yet, the publisher had to find a cover image that could convey the heart of the collection. My story, A Groom for Josette, is the one they mention set on a steamship on the Mississippi--yet, in my story, Josette also spends time in a rough river town in central Minnesota, as well as a mission on Belle Prairie.

It would be impossible for the publisher to chose an image to convey all these settings, so they find one image that a reader might relate to marriages of convenience, and here it is:

As a reader, I often think of the early American West as a place where many marriages took place out of convenience. Since the publisher couldn't capture every setting, they chose a universal setting. A lone church on the prairie. It's a stunning picture, and so inviting.

I'm excited to be published with Barbour Publishers, and to have my name alongside all these other great authors. My friend, Erica Vetsch, is the lead author in this collection. It's thrilling to see her name at the top! Erica is a fellow Minnesotan and a wonderful historical author.

As the release draws closer, I'll share a little more about my story. It was inspired by a real event that took place in my hometown in the 1850s, and worked so well with the marriage of convenience theme. I can't wait to share it with you.

Your Turn: Do you have any questions about book covers or novella collections? What do you think of this cover? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

* * * *

To Preorder:
A Groom for Josette releases in July. For those in my local area who want to preorder a copy, please consider supporting our local retailer, The Good Book Store. For those outside our area, you can preorder the collection here. Also, please be sure to visit Goodreads and mark this series as Want to Read. You can find it here.

My other novella, Four Brides and a Bachelor, releases with The Most Eligible Bachelor Collection in May. To preorder, you can go here. To mark as Want to Read on Goodreads, please go here.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

ACFW, Writing, & More

It occurred to me that I haven't written a blog post in two weeks! I've been trying to stay consistent, and post on Thursdays, but the month of October has been a busy one.

I returned from the ACFW Conference in St. Louis at the end of September with so many amazing memories tucked away in my heart. I learned from some of the best in the industry, strengthened old friendships, and created new ones. I attended my first author reception with Barbour Publishers, went to my agency's reception in the hotel lobby restaurant, and pitched my story ideas to a handful of editors. I laughed until I cried, I talked about writing for hours and hours, and I watched some dear friends win important awards. I was encouraged by wonderful people who I respect and admire, I was inspired by writers who have paved the trail, and I was humbled by people who went out of their way to help me on my writing journey.

With my GLAM Girls: Lindsay, Alena, & Melissa.



Jeanne Takenaka receiving the MBT Frasier Award.

Two of my favorite historical romance authors (and teachers)!
 Jody Hedlund and Karen Witemeyer.

With Barbour Editor, Annie Tipton, at the Barbour Reception.

With my editor, Becky Germany, at the Barbour Reception.

With my writing Fairy Godmother, Sarah Forgrave. :)

With Susan May Warren, my amazing writing mentor.

The 2014 ACFW Conference was one of the very best. I truly feel as if it could not have gone better.

Upon returning home, I saw my first cover, which was an amazing dream come true. I worked on my second novella, A Groom for Josette, which is due to my editor by November 1st. I also wrote two story synopses to submit for possible future projects, and I started brainstorming my next full length novel. Amidst all of that, I began revising my last full length novel, as well. At one point, I had five different stories bouncing around in my head, demanding attention!

Right now, I'm only working on one of them. All the other things have either been accomplished, or put on the back burner until later. This next week will be dedicated to preparing for my agency retreat in Monterey, California.

When I return from the retreat, I will be prepping to teach my first writing workshops! My good friend Melissa Tagg will be joining me in Minnesota on November 15th to present the workshops. The first is titled: Unlocking the Mysteries of the Publishing World and the second is: 10 Ways to Hook a Reader. I'll share more as the date approaches.

After that, it will be time to start my next full length novel! The one I plan to write has been on my heart for the past couple years. I have great hope for this story. It's unlike any other story I've written, or read. We'll see what God has planned.

Your Turn: What have you been doing this month? What season of the year tends to be busier for you?

First Novella

Two weeks ago I shared some big news here on my blog. I will have two novellas release with Barbour Publishers in 2015. The first, tentatively titled Four Brides and a Bachelor, will release in May.

 

I thought it would be fun to give you a sneak peek into the story. 



Belle Prairie, Minnesota

Four Brides and a Bachelor is set on Belle Prairie, about four miles north of my hometown in central Minnesota. The prairies around here are not like the prairies in southwestern Minnesota or the Dakotas. Our prairies are much smaller, with trees rimming the edges. The photo above is actually taken at Belle Prairie just a few weeks ago. It's now a county park, but in 1852 it was a Manual Labor Mission School operated by Frederick and Elizabeth Ayer.

 

Belle Prairie Cemetery

None of the buildings exist any longer, but there is a cemetery still at the park. We know the mission consisted of a large house (similar to the one below), a New England style barn, and a "commodious" school, which also served as a church on Sundays. About twenty students attended the school in 1852. Some were Indian children, and others were children of fur traders. About half of the students boarded at the mission, helping with farm chores, while the other half lived close enough to walk.

 

1850's House

Along with Mr. and Mrs. Ayer, and their teenage son Lyman, a few married couples lived at the mission. Some were only wintering there in 1852, or stopping over for a short visit on their way further north to other missions.

 

The Ayers employed a young female teacher from Cincinnati to help establish the school. But in early 1852, Mrs. Ayer went east to secure more funding, and to find more teachers willing to come to Minnesota Territory. Three young ladies returned with her.

 

These ladies were a rarity in Minnesota Territory! At a time when immigration into the territory (which didn't become a state until 1858) had just begun, there were very few single ladies to speak of.

 

Thus, the stage is set for a great story.

 

Four Brides and a Bachelor is inspired by a real event that took place on Belle Prairie in 1852. Miss Harriet Nichols, one of the teachers who had just arrived with Mrs. Ayer, wrote a letter to her brother soon after her arrival and said: "There was romance enough acted here to write as good a story as you will find in any novel."

 

The Mississippi near Belle Prairie, MN

She was referring to the week a missionary named Mr. Lafferty arrived at Belle Prairie. He had heard a single lady had come from Cincinnati the year before, so he traveled one hundred and fifty miles down the Mississippi River with the intent to propose to her. He was desirous to find a wife for his mission work at Red Lake. If she was willing, he would marry her and take her back to Red Lake within the week.

 

Little did he know that Mrs. Ayer had just arrived back at the mission with the three other teachers! When he stepped off the canoe, there were four single ladies--and all of them were desirous to go back with him as his wife!

 

I've taken this fun story and created four brides and a bachelor from my own imagination. Little is known about that eventful week, so I had fun filling in the gaps. Can you imagine the tension between these Mission Sisters as they tried to catch the bachelor's attention? And can you imagine the bachelor's delight?

 

Pins from my Pinterest Board Four Brides and a Bachelor

My story is a work of fiction, though I tried to stay true to the history of the mission, with a few minor exceptions where needed. 1852 in Minnesota Territory was an exciting, dangerous time. It was fun to recreate the location and place the players on the "stage" of my story.

 

As a historian, I love to share facts about real people, places, and events...but as a writer, I love to share a good fictional story, with all the drama and tension needed to turn the page.

 

My novella is finished and I've received wonderful feedback from some of my early readers. I have a few tweaks to make, but then it will be off to the publisher for the October 1st deadline. I'm excited for May when everyone will have a chance to read it.

 

Your Turn: Would you have been brave enough to travel 1,500 miles to teach at a mission school on the frontier? Could you have married a stranger, after only knowing him or her for a week?



A Big, BIG Announcement!

The day I've been dreaming about for over twenty years has finally arrived. Today I signed my first book contract--and five seconds later I signed my second contract! I will have two novellas release with Barbour Publishing in 2015. I'm still in a bit of shock, and very, very excited!

 

The first story is called Four Brides and a Bachelor. It releases in May 2015 with the Most Eligible Bachelor Collection.

The second story is called A Groom for Josette. It releases in July 2015 in the Convenient Bride Collection.

In case you don't know, a novella is a short story. My novellas will be 20,000 words each (or about 75 pages). To give you a frame of reference, the full length novels I write are about 100,000 words (or about 360 pages).

 

Each collection will include nine stories (nine authors), in one book. If you're familiar with Barbour, you know their novella collections are very popular. Whenever I go to Wal Mart, I always check the bookshelves and I almost always see a new Barbour novella collection sitting there.

 

A recent novella collection from Barbour

I'm still in awe of God's hand in all of this. When I was a teenager, I asked Him to place desires in my heart that He wanted me to pursue with my life. He placed the desire in my heart to write stories, and He has lit the path on my journey to publication. The stories I write are an offering to Him, and I pray they bring Him glory.

 

I'm also in awe of His timing. I learned that I had sold these two novellas when my writing friends were in town for our second annual writers retreat! Talk about celebrating! I couldn't have asked for a better time to hear the news.

 

Right after I spoke with my agent, there were hugs and squeals, and lots of exclamation points in our conversation! That evening we went out onto the river and my husband took this picture. It was fun to revel in the moment with Melissa Tagg, Lindsay Harrel, and Alena Tauriainen.

The following evening, they took me out to celebrate at my favorite Italian restaurant. It was so much fun to share this time with them, because they know exactly what this milestone means.

 

I'll be sure to share more about the novellas in the near future, but for now I want to celebrate with all of you!

 

I put together a little gift package from places around my hometown where my novellas will be set. There are two glass mugs from our local historical society at the Charles A. Weyerhaeuser Museum, a ceramic mug and postcard from the Little Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau, a hand-stitched handkerchief from Linden Hill Conference and Retreat Center (two historic mansions), and a 2015 daily calendar that says: "O Happy Day!" from our Christian book store to celebrate my 2015 releases--and this happy day! The winner will be announced next Thursday.

 

 

Thank you for celebrating with me today! I'll be sharing more about the novellas soon.

 

Your Turn: What are you celebrating lately? What dream has God put on your heart?

 

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