The title was a clever play on words when juxtaposed with the quirky cover images. The combination screamed "Cozy mystery," but the synopsis, categories, and opening chapters argued back. "No! Suspense!" Of course, that meant I was riveted, right? Not only that, the writing kept me riveted, Continue Reading
Because Fiction Podcast
My First “Top Book” of 2021 Begins HERE!
The cover got me first. It was "my" Madeline, but of course, no one could tell if they didn't know the photographer's work. So, combine WWI, poppies, and "my" Madeline... well, I had to read it, right? Yeah. Among the Poppies (review here) by J'nell Ciesielski was the best debut novel I've ever Continue Reading
When Your Creativity Fails, Kill a Beloved Character:
Get your safety harness strapped on because this book will take you on a roller coaster ride of suspense, action, and all the feels. I’m talking about Jennifer Pierce’s, Deadly Connection, and today I’m talking with Jennifer Pierce herself! We talk about her love of fiction, her iffiness with Continue Reading
Why This Is My Favorite Book of This Year!
Some books are "once-in-a-lifetime" books. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is one of mine for reasons I talk about in THIS post. Recently, I read what for me has become another one. Bleak Landing In what feels like a delightful moment of happenstance, I saw it offered for just $1.99 on Amazon, and when Continue Reading
I Love This Author’s Work but It Makes Me Uncomfortable
Why did I like the book? The point-of-view character wasn't likeable (for a LONG time), made stupid choices, used language I didn't appreciate (not constantly but there were a few words here and there that made me squirm), and basically made me uncomfortable. Of course, that was the point. By Continue Reading
Why This Is My #1 Christmas Book Recommendation This Year
Journalist, podcaster, and multi-genre author of Saving Ebenezer, S. Daniel Smith is this week's guest and here to talk with us about: His articles regarding missions during the Covid-19 pandemic His podcast and writing about science fiction and fantasy His fabulous Christmas Continue Reading
What Does Christian Romance Offer That Readers Need?
One of the coolest things about having this podcast is the opportunity to talk with authors, see what inspires them, discover how they fell in love with writing. Some people decided to write as a child. Others had a teacher who inspired them. But I've noticed one common thread despite the Continue Reading
Why Amish Fiction Is Crazy Popular & More
Amish fiction tends to be a bit polarizing. Readers tend to love it or hate it. Are the criticisms valid? One has to wonder because, despite the naysayers, Amish fiction has a huge following. What is so appealing about Amish fiction, what do readers expect, and is the claim that "If you've read Continue Reading
What Is This NaNoWriMo Thing All About?
I blame MSN Messenger. Well, maybe it was my friend who used the messenger as the conduit for her crazy idea. Okay, so it wasn't exactly her crazy idea, but she did tell me about it. Millions of people writing fifty-thousand words in thirty days. During the month of November. Yep, November--you Continue Reading
5 Cheap & Easy Ways to Feed a Book Habit
Book habits can be expensive, especially when you like REAL books to hold in your hands, but there are ways to save money on paperback books, and I thought it would be fun to share a few of my favorites—five, to be exact! Before I get into them, though, I want to point out that this is episode is Continue Reading
All the Great Christmas Collections Coming Out This Year!
So if there's one thing I LOVE it's Christmas fiction. So, this week, I'm going for maximum Christmas fiction impact--collections. Four, five, ten, fourteen books in one nice little file--often available on Kindle Unlimited! Who could ask for more? Every year, dozens of these fabulous collections Continue Reading
Why It’s Always Good to Make Dreams Come True
On Amazon, every time I went looking for a book, there it was. The Orphan Beach. I'd not read anything by the author, Laura Thomas. Each time I started to click through, something distracted me. Then, I had an opportunity to interview her, and when I discovered that it was that Laura Thomas, Continue Reading
