Amy R. Anguish's Blog

What's more romantic than a Christmas wedding? How about a book about a Christmas wedding? Only one (or more) problem. Sarah Anne Crouch had a lot of fun including mischief in this sweet new book of hers. See if her stories of weddings gone wrong intrigues you. Tomorrow—November 25—is release day for A Christmas in Shady Springs!
In A Summer in Shady Springs, Madeleine and A.J. fell in love. Now, in this new installment, wedding bells are finally ringing … and nothing is going quite as planned.
I’ve always adored wedding stories. The chaos, the sweetness, the emotional family moments, the pretty dresses, the decorations. Weddings are such a delightful mix of love and unpredictability. And I love Christmas with just as much enthusiasm: twinkling lights, cookies, carols, memories. So really, what could be more fun than combining Christmas and a wedding into one story?
I’ll tell you what: adding nearly every real-life wedding disaster I’ve ever witnessed into one story.
​All my life, I’ve heard stories of my aunt and uncle’s Christmas wedding—complete with a flu outbreak and an ice storm. At my brother’s wedding, some of the greenery sat a little too close to the candles and caught fire. At my sister’s July wedding in Texas, the air conditioning went out (because of course it did). And at my own wedding, our minister had such severe vertigo he almost had to sit through the ceremony.
Needless to say, I know a thing or two about imperfect weddings.
I felt a lot of pressure to plan a flawless day—while also trying to look flawless. And honestly? That pressure has only intensified for brides in the fifteen years since my own wedding day. But here’s the truth: no one has to give in to the illusion of perfection. Nearly every wedding has a catastrophe, big or small.
What I wanted Madeleine and A.J. to discover, through every unexpected roadblock, is the heart of the story: that God’s light shines beautifully through our imperfections.
So this holiday season, you’re invited to join Madeleine and A.J. in Shady Springs, Arkansas. I can’t promise their wedding will go according to plan—but I can promise a faith-filled, cozy, joyous celebration.

Do you have any stories of wedding plans gone hilariously—or disastrously—awry?
I’d love to hear them in the comments!
A Christmas in Shady Springs

Madeleine Mullins has always dreamed of a Christmas wedding that reflects her creativity and her deep love for A.J. Young. But with only three months to plan and a budget stretched tighter than a strand of lights, perfection seems impossible.
A.J. wants nothing more than to marry Madeleine, but he’s caught between family expectations, church politics, and his desire to give her the day she deserves. As the pressure builds, they’ll both have to decide what truly matters most.
When unexpected obstacles pile up—an invitation mixup, a winter flu, and a surprise ice storm—Madeleine and A.J. must confront a bigger question: Is a flawless wedding the goal, or is their love strong enough to carry them through the imperfections?
Set in the heart of small-town Arkansas, A Christmas in Shady Springs is a sweet Christian romance about love that holds fast, plans that fall apart, and grace that shines even brighter when everything else goes wrong.

​ Sarah Anne Crouch lives in Arkansas with her husband, three children, and thousands of books. She always wanted to be an author, but spent some time as a teacher, earned a degree in library science, and makes feeble attempts to corral her small children as a stay-at-home mom. Sarah loves reading books, recipes, piano music, and emails from readers.

Newsletter:https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/694879/111814952436630870/share
Website: SarahAnneCrouch.wordpress.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/SarahAnneCrouch
Instagram: Instagram.com/SarahAnneCrouch

There is something about spending time with your "people" that makes you feel like yourself again. At least, there is for me.
Last week, I was blessed to be able to attend ScrivCon again--even be a speaker in one of the sessions. My dear friend Jennifer Burrows (pictured above) was my driving buddy and roomie. We soaked up lessons from other authors. We enjoyed playing tourist around Hot Springs, and we absolutely loved being around so many other authors.
What other kind of conference could you go to where you're likely to hear someone say, "I'm bettter at killing them than making them fall in love." Patricia Bradley does write great suspense, if you like those books. ;)
Being able to say something about the voices in your head and have others completely understand--it's amazing. Talking plots and struggles and even marketing and hearing that others are going through similar issues, it validates you in a way nothing else can. We may be more left-brained (isn't that the creative side? I can't remember.), but we're definitely write-minded. See what I did there? 
So, spending a weekend with other authors was exactly what this author needed. All the hugs, laughter, and book jokes was right up my alley. It made it hard to come back to reality, even though I love so much about my life. And missed my husband.
I will say, I have been part of an amazing group of writers here in middle TN for the last few years, and they're like another family to me too. 
So many people say writing is a lonely occupation, but I don't think so. The trick is to find your people.
I had my besties, Jennifer. My besties I don't live near Erin Howard and Heather Greer. And some of my friends I've grown closer to while editing for them, Jenny Carlisle, Tonya Ashley, and Ellen Withers. And I got to meet an author I've grown to love the last few years, Betsy St. Amant. She was so sweet and fun. And that means my circle of people is growing. :)
Have you found your people? Those who understand you like no other? Those who speak your language? If not, I hope you do soon. And that you get to see them more often I see some of mine. Thank goodness we live in such a wonderful age where we can keep in touch through social media and texting/phone calls.

When is the last time you noticed a firefly? My children and I love to go out in the yard on summer evenings and catch them, but a lot of times we're too busy. Isn't that true for most of us? Author (and my friend) Tonya Ashley is here today to tell us how she wove these magical creatures into her sweet romance. I can vouch for it--it's a good one! See what you think. Fireflies were one of the first symbols I knew I wanted in this story. Long before Dr. Ben Ewing stepped onto the page or Rebecca Hogue was juggling her family of eight siblings, there was this memory—soft, quiet, glowing. Summer twilights in Arkansas. The hush right before night settles. Fireflies rising like little promises across the grass.
As a child, I found it enchanting. It was a place where wonder lived, where quiet felt expectant. Somewhere along the road to adulthood, I lost that stillness. Life got louder. Responsibilities, expectations, a steady hum of urgency, drowning out the gentle things. I learned to be capable, efficient, “fine.” And I forgot how to sit in the grass and wait for light to appear.
Years later, when life’s challenges began stacking one after another with little time to breathe between them, God invited me back to the quiet through simple moments in nature. Misty morning walks. A cathedral of bowed pine saplings. And yes, fireflies—flickering at the edge of dusk, reminding me hope is still there when darkness begins to settle around me.
Those memories became the heart of the oak grove in Fireflies in Sacred Shadows.

Losing the Stillness… and Finding It Again
When I began writing this story, Ben arrived hollowed by his years in California. He went west as a doctor during the Gold Rush to help where he could, but the experience left him carrying wounds no one could see. He returns home to Van Buren longing for the last place he felt whole—and for the woman he left behind.
Rebecca Hogue has been holding her world together with horsehair sutures: caring for her siblings after their mother’s death, running the boardinghouse, and stepping into the medical role Ben left behind when he disappeared. She’s strong, compassionate, steady—and tired.
Both Ben and Rebecca needed a way to navigate their burdens without losing the Light.
And that’s when the fireflies flitted fully into the story.

Lingering Light
Fireflies are small, but their light catches our attention.
Hope doesn’t always blaze. Sometimes it’s the faintest glimmer on the darkest night.
And healing—real healing—often happens when we stay still long enough for God to sit with us in the dark before He leads us out.
Ben returns home changed. Quiet. Unsure how to move forward after extraordinary pain. His story isn’t about a triumphal return but about a slow, sacred re-entry into home, hope, trust, and a relationship with God.
Rebecca encounters her own places of ache and longing. But in the quiet edges of the oak grove behind Hogue House, fireflies gather in the hush of evening the same way they did in my childhood. That grove becomes a sanctuary because God meets us in the stillness of quiet places with the tenderness and compassion of a loving Father.
And here’s a little moment I didn’t expect:
I chose fireflies long before I learned their population is rapidly declining, and some species are close to extinction. It made the symbol even more poignant. A reminder that light in the shadows is precious. Worth noticing. Worth protecting.

Where God Meets Us
Scripture shows us repeatedly that God comes close not only in parted seas and burning bushes, but also in a gentle whisper and the stillness of dark caves.
That’s the spirit woven through Fireflies in Sacred Shadows:Suffering can be sacred ground when we let Him sit with us there.Light never disappears in the shadows, even when our eyes can’t find it.Hope can be the faintest glow in the darkest caves, but it grows as we stay with Him.Revisiting an emotionally tough place takes courage, but He is with us through it all.An invitation to settle into His presence is often offered instead of escape from our circumstances. And if we can hold onto these things in the darkest parts of our stories, we can offer glimmers of Light to someone else in their darkest hour, just like the fireflies.

Maybe This Story Meets You There
Fireflies in Sacred Shadows began for me the same way fireflies appear in summer: slowly, softly, out of the stillness. And even years later, the memory of those twilights—those small lights rising from the grass like promises—remains a reminder that God delights to meet His children in quiet places.
So, if you’re in a season where the world feels harsher than you expected…
If God feels quiet, or you’re learning to sit with Him in the in-between…
If you long for Light that joins you in the dark—
I pray this story finds you like fireflies at dusk.
​
Thank you, Amy, for inviting me to share a peek behind Fireflies in Sacred Shadows. It’s always a gift to talk about the threads God weaves into our stories, and I’m grateful for the space you create for that. Fireflies in Sacred Shadows

​A hidden message. A broken past. A chance to begin again.
Van Buren, Arkansas, 1853.
Rebecca Hogue is doing everything she can to hold her family—and their boardinghouse—together. But when a mysterious spyglass surfaces and her reputation is called into question, the danger becomes far more personal.
Dr. Benjamin Ewing returned to Van Buren with nothing but regrets and a heart still tethered to the woman he left behind. When the spyglass reveals a coded message and Rebecca finds herself in harm’s way, Ben must face the ghosts of California and the emotional wounds he still carries.
Can Rebecca and Ben unravel a tangled scheme, navigate fragile trust, and learn to appreciate walking through hard places together? ​Tonya B. Ashley writes stories that speak to the weary and the wandering—faith-filled fiction rooted in family, redemption, and the sacredness of suffering. Whether she’s unraveling a love story beneath flickering fireflies or tracing grace through grief, Tonya’s writing leans into the belief that hope still flickers in the darkest places.
She is the author of Of Faith and Dreams, Book One in the Lost and Found Series, and Once Lost, Now Found, a prequel novella featured in the collection A Gift for All Time. Her newest novel, Fireflies in Sacred Shadows, can be read as a standalone or as part of the Lost and Found series.
When she’s not writing, Tonya enjoys time with her family, connecting with students, reading in a hammock, and junk journaling with a creative cup of coffee.
Website and Social media links:
https://www.facebook.com/tonya.b.ashley.author
https://www.amazon.com/author/tonya.b.ashley

Have you ever been victim to a matchmaker? Ever played matchmaker to someone else? Julie Arduini is chatting with us today about her new book, part of a series of matchmaking romances. It sounds like so much fun. See what you think.               JoAnn Durgin and Lori Soard are the masters behind the Dogwood Creek Matchmakers series, and they also include Leah Atwood, Robin Bayne, Dawn Kinzer, Lisa Prysock, and me. We release a novella set in fictional Dogwood Creek, Tennessee, an hour outside of Gatlinburg, and each book contains a matchmaker that JoAnn and Lori created.
              Clean Sweep is my first of two releases for the Dogwood Creek Matchmakers. I chose Alicia Caruso as the matchmaker. She hosts the matchmakers at her farmhouse that she shares with her husband Luca, and twin sixteen-year-old daughters, Arianna and Bella. Alicia is also a stained-glass artist.
              The heroine is Abbi Gearheart, a recent Youngstown State grad who was marketing manager for a minor league baseball team outside the northeastern Ohio city. She moves to Dogwood Creek for a fresh start after a humiliating viral moment. She wants nothing to do with sports or athletes, except for the name she gives her new cleaning business, Clean Sweep.
              Clean Sweep’s first client is Alicia, who broke her wrist. As Abbi tries to scrub her heartbreak away, the Caruso family befriends the young woman and helps her heal.
              Seth Chamberlin is the athletic director for the Dogwood Creek school district, and also coaches and teaches. When the school’s top athlete needs tutoring to stay on the basketball team, Seth drives out to the Caruso home to ask Bella if she could lend a hand.
              The Caruso farmhouse is where a lot of the story takes place, so I love the cover. It’s the front door to their home, complete with a stained-glass window with a dogwood. Seth, smitten with Abbi, finds reasons to visit the house because Abbi is often there cleaning. Of course, with the matchmakers also meeting there, you can bet that the ladies are working a plan to help Abbi forget her no sports vow and take a chance on Seth.
              Writing Clean Sweep was a challenge in that, as I was writing the third book in my Surrendering Hearts series, Building Hearts, I learned that the vision problems I had experienced were actually undiagnosed cataracts that I had my entire life. Other issues were going on, so my vision declined throughout the year. By the time I completed Clean Sweep, I had one good eye that was recovering from surgery, and a second eye surgery scheduled before the November 1 release.
              Despite the typos and other vision-related issues, I immediately fell in love with Seth, Abbi, and the Caruso family. The ladies have done an amazing job developing Dogwood Creek. The people are warm, there are great places to visit, and food to enjoy. It was an honor to bring Seth into the fold and introduce Abbi to Tennessee.
              You’re invited to check out Seth and Abbi in Clean Sweep. It can be read as a standalone, but the books are priced so that it’s affordable to start from the beginning.
              I’ll see you in Dogwood Creek! ​Sometimes the messiest moments lead to the most miraculous grace.
After a public breakup leaves Abbi Gearheart humiliated and heartbroken, she escapes to Dogwood Creek, Tennessee, hoping to rebuild her life far from the spotlight—and even farther from athletes. With her new cleaning business and the gentle encouragement of stained-glass artist Alicia Caruso and the fellow Dogwood Creek Matchmakers, Abbi begins to find peace in the quiet rhythms of small-town life.
Seth Chamberlin is a beloved coach, teacher, and mentor at Dogwood Creek High. His faith runs deep, but so do the wounds from a strained relationship with his father. When he meets Abbi, he’s drawn to her strength and vulnerability, but she’s made it clear that friendship is all she’s willing to offer.
A powerful sermon on forgiveness challenges them both. For Abbi, to release the pain of betrayal, and for Seth, to seek reconciliation with the father he thought he’d lost. As they walk separate paths toward healing, could God be gently sweeping them toward something more?
A tender story of grace, second chances, and the kind of love that only grows when hearts surrender.
Small-town charm and rediscovered dreams are always in season in Dogwood Creek, Tennessee.
              To purchase Clean Sweep: https://www.amazon.com/Clean-Sweep-Co...
              To purchase the Dogwood Creek Matchmakers series, including Clean Sweep: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DS1WPYMK
Julie Arduini transforms hearts with faith, small-town love, and chocolate therapy. She’s the author of the series SURRENDERING HEARTS (Anchored Hearts, Repairing Hearts, +four more). Her other romance series is SURRENDERING TIME (Entrusted, Entangled, Engaged). She also co-wrote a YA/Women’s Fiction series with her daughter, SURRENDERING STINKIN’ THINKIN’ (You’re Beautiful, You’re Amazing, You’re Brilliant). Her stand-alone romances include MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN and RESTORING CHRISTMAS. In 2025, she joins Leah Atwood, Robin Bayne, JoAnn Durgin, Dawn Kinzer, Lisa Prysock, and Lori Soard with the small-town romance series Dogwood Creek Matchmakers. Julie maintains a blog at juliearduini.com and Substack. She resides in Ohio with her husband and daughter. Learn more by visiting her at http://linktr.ee/JulieArduini.

Dark and light are a part of life, but how is that reflected in fiction? Author Rachel D. Lyne is here today to tell us how it works into her stories, how she lets go of perfectionist tendencies, and what she's working on next. Check it out! Rachel, you have an eclectic repertoire of artistic abilities! Do you tend to prefer one medium over another? Music, design, writing?

It is true that I love all forms of art and connect with them on varying levels. I wouldn’t, however, say I “prefer” one medium over another, but I would suggest that each medium has its own “season.” I used to believe I was a “Jill (instead of Jack – ha!) of all trades, master of none,” but what’s helped encourage me is that I don’t have to master one to feel like I’m using God’s gifts. I can enjoy all forms of creativity in undulating seasons for what God’s already prepared in advance. Thinking of it this way alleviates my perfectionistic tendencies.  Why did you choose to write fantasy-style fiction over another style?

Our human imaginations are God-given and boundless. The greatest story ever told of light vs. dark has already been written – that’s the Gospel. My aim is to REFLECT that story of light vs. dark. So many stories in the Bible already seem like they’re fantasy! Turning water into wine, a donkey talking, angels coming down to greet humans, giants, and so much more. My aim in fantasy is to use the creative ability God has given each of us to tell similar fantastical stories that point to the true Light.

Thinking of all of your characters, is one more like you than another? How so?

All of my protagonists embody a piece of me. Not one fully encompasses who I am. Rather, they each mirror a side of me that has overcome hardship through trials. I relate to and respect each main character I create, and, therefore, it’s impossible to have favorites!

What is one of the hardest parts for you of creating a fictional world?

By far, the hardest part of creating a fictional world is including antagonists and “evil” characters in my worlds. I own such a hope that anyone can be saved, that it’s hard for me to imagine someone with intrinsic harmful tendencies. What’s helped me through this is understanding that no one is fully light or fully dark. We all have varying ingredients of both by design. I also took half a dozen counseling classes in college, which helped me discover how even from birth we are influenced by traumas, neglect, and so much more, that form our mental connections, emotional building blocks, and speech, actions, and tendencies.

Can you give us a sneak peek at what you're working on next?

Absolutely! After the 10/30/25 release of the second book in The Tales of Rizalia Series, “Blind Eye,” I plan on releasing the second edition of my faith-based nonfiction, “The Apple – A Woman’s Battle Plan: Overcoming Forbidden Fruit in Marriage” on 1/1/26. In addition, I have two projects I’ll be working on after The Apple’s release:
* Book 3 in The Tales of Rizalia Series (title is not yet announced ;))
* A 365-day devotional book written not just by me, but any followers, friends, and family who’d like to participate for FREE. Inquiries to Rachel.d.lyne@gmail.com

Last but not least, please leave us with one interesting fact about yourself that very few people know.

I absolutely love the Japanese culture – the language, art, landscape, music, video games (yes, you read that right!), and especially its people. We had 4 exchange students from Japan and my dream is to visit them and their beautiful country someday. 

This all sounds amazing, Rachel. Thanks so much for joining us today.
Readers, keep scrolling to find out more about her Rizalia series and how to follow Rachel.
The Tales of Rizalia Series is a fantasy-steeped, faith-based romantasy series for Young Adults. The island of Rizalia is home to a generational curse born from lost love. From the curse, peaceful countries have been devastated by the wind power that the Clustoian Generals possess. In this series (loosely based on the Fruit of the Spirit and with timeless themes of light vs. dark), readers will be transported to Rizalia through the eyes of various women and men who seek to put an end to the generals' destruction. Pure Heart and Blind Eye are the first two in the series, set ten years apart through the eyes of differing heroines. Rachel D. Lyne is a published fiction & nonfiction faith-based author, educator, and homeschool curriculum editor. She is also an inspirational public speaker for women, youth, and writer groups. Lyne holds degrees in Business from HACC and in Biblical Studies (Biblical Counseling concentration) from Cornerstone College & Seminary. After 25+ combined years of employment in various church administrative and ministry roles, Lyne is currently a homeschooling mother of two and a wife of over 19 years. Her mission through written and spoken word is to "spread hope one word at a time."

https://linktr.ee/rdlyne

November starts in two days. Crazy to think about that. Also crazy that there is no Nanowrimo this year. I've been participating off and on in National Novel Writing Month for almost as long as it has existed. It's where I taught myself to write fast (50k words in 30 days, though I added to the challenge and aimed for over 70k). Almost half my books that are published, including Rendersella, were written during a Nanowrimo challenge. And I need to write another book. What made it so special?
*Camaraderie with other people who all had the same goal. There is something that pushes you when you know other people are doing the same thing.
*The challenge. Who doesn't love a good challenge? A good test to see if they really can accomplish a goal? There's something in it that makes us actually sit down and do it.
*The little green bar that went higher each day as you logged your word count. Yeah. I'm that girl who likes to see my progress in a bar graph. ;)
Does the death of Nanowrimo mean I won't write another book? Of course not. It just means I'm going to have to write it without all of that. Okay, maybe I could make my own bar graph, but it's not the same. LOL
I do have plans to write again toward the end of November. I should be finished with edits for a few minutes at that point and finally able to sit down and start writing Beauty School and the Beast. I don't plan to limit myself to thirty days--though I wouldn't complain if I were able to write the whole thing in that span. I am giving myself through the end of the year. After that, I have more edits that will be waiting.
Think I can do it? Maybe I'll have to post my own updates each day and let you all cheer me on.
Have you ever had to find new ways of doing things because a program ended? What are your biggest tips for reaching a goal?

Did you ever start something only to have to set it aside for a while? Or maybe set it aside on purpose to work on something else? Believe it or not, we authors do that all the time, and our guest author today, my friend Lori De Jong, has one of those projects about to release. I'm so excited for her and if you like a bit of suspense with your Christmas romance, be sure to check out this new book! “Bodyguards? Daddy, you know how I feel about bodyguards. I know I’m a people person, but bodyguards aren’t people. They’re … they’re … tactical gear. And just as cumbersome.”
 
Fiercely independent defense attorney Riley Hudson is not happy when her wealthy, Houston financier father hires a security detail for her after a failed abduction attempt. It was random, she tells him, and highly unlikely the guy would try again after she introduced his kneecap to the chunky heel of her designer boot. Not to mention the manicure she ruined clawing at his hand.
 
So she might need to step up her own efforts to keep herself safe. But bodyguards? Uh-uh.
When Colton Blankenship is called on to lead her detail two days before a well-earned, week-long golf trip to Miami, the last thing he wants to do is spend his days shopping, lunching with the girls, and night-time club-hopping. And from the moment he meets Riley, he’s acutely aware she doesn’t want him around anymore than he wants to be there.
 
But here they are. Stuck with each other.
 
Let the fireworks commence!
 
These two are the very definition of opposites attract, although neither are ready, or willing, to take a chance on the other.
 
I first wrote this manuscript many (many) years ago before I had joined any writers’ groups. But when I joined one in 2002, I discovered just how hard this writing gig is and that there was a lot I needed to learn. As the years progressed, I would take this manuscript out, tweak it a bit, then put it away. It was originally written for the mainstream market. Then I decided to write exclusively Christian fiction, so I went through it again, added a faith element ... and put it away.
 
Fast forward to January 2020, after having left my writing life eleven years before when our lives went through a long period of upheaval. But by 2020, our nest was empty, and that writing bug began chewing on me again.
 
I pulled this manuscript back out, moved the setting from Boston to Houston … and put it away. I wasn’t sure I would ever pitch it for possible publication. But after I turned in the second book of my True Calling Series, I realized I didn’t have anything scheduled for publication after book three released in June 2025.
 
So out it came. Again. I tightened up the first few chapters, put together a book proposal, and was delighted my publisher wanted it and two more for a series of three! What a breeze, I thought. I would just have to go through and edit it instead of starting from scratch with an entirely new book.
 
Didn’t quite turn out that way. Once I started editing, I found it needed almost an entire re-write, and I only had two months to make it happen. So, I put my head down, kept my fingers on the keyboard, and wrote like mad.
 
Mistletoe and Malice is a bit of a departure for me. My first three novels, and one novella, were decidedly contemporary romance. Moving into romantic suspense pushed me and challenged me, but it also allowed me to grow as an author. I learned so much during the writing and editing of this book, and I’m looking forward to applying it to the next two books in the series.

​Have you ever changed course or tried something new that made you nervous? Excited? Unsure? How did it turn out, or what did you learn about yourself?
Mistletoe and Malice

He’s sworn to protect her life … but guarding his heart may be his biggest challenge.
 
After barely escaping an attempted abduction, Houston attorney Riley Hudson is forced to accept her wealthy father's demand for private security. The last thing she wants is a bodyguard—especially one as maddeningly arrogant, bossy … and handsome as Colton Blankenship. Yet as the threat against her escalates, she begins to rely not only on his skills, but his steadfast presence.
 
Colton isn’t thrilled about giving up his hard-earned holiday vacation to protect a spoiled heiress. But he soon learns Riley is nothing like he expected. Fierce, independent, and unwavering in her faith, she’s everything he thought he’d left behind after tragedy shattered his own beliefs. As the unknown threat circles closer, the tension between them ignites into something deeper ... and far more perilous.
 
When a second attempt on Riley’s life nearly succeeds, Colton faces a terrifying truth. Protecting her means risking more than just his life. Haunted by a past he can't outrun, and a faith he’s all but lost, he must decide if he can trust God again ... before he loses Riley—and his heart—for good. Lori DeJong (pronounced DeeYung) is an award-winning contemporary Christian romance author who enjoys penning stories full of grace and the redemptive power of God’s love that inspire others to hope regardless of circumstance, find joy in the moment, and grow in their faith.
 
Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Lori arrived in Texas in 2005 and dug those roots right in. She currently resides in beautiful Georgetown, north of Austin, with her husband of thirty years. Other than their two fur-babies, their nest is empty, as their daughter and son-in-law are settled in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.
 
Lori loves to write about love and romance and all that fun stuff, with a firm foundation of faith. Clean but sassy, sparkly, and even goose-bumpy romance, with God in the middle and characters seeking and learning and changing, couldn’t be more heartwarming or spine-tingly.
 
Lori's debut novel, Love's True Calling, released in 2023, was the 2022 winner of the ACFW Genesis Award for Romance, a double finalist in the 2024 Selah Awards, and was named the 2023 Scrivenings Press Contemporary Book of the Year. Love’s True Home, released in June 2024, was also a Selah finalist. Love’s True Measure released in June 2025. Lori's Christmas novella, Jingle Bell Matchmakers, a part of "A Match Made at Christmas" novella collection, is also available and was named a 2025 ACFW Carol Award finalist.
 
Social Media links:
Website:  https://loridejongwrites.com/
Newsletter:   https://bit.ly/LoriDeJongCommunity
Instagram:   https://www.instagram.com/loridejongwrites/
Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/loridejongwrites
Pinterest:   https://www.pinterest.com/loridejongwrites
Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/author/loridejongwrites
GoodReads:   https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/38460845.Lori_DeJong
Bookbub:   https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lori-dejong

What do you do when the main goal of your life has been accomplished? Our guest author today, Janelle York, is chatting about how she incorporated some of those themes in her new book, The Day Sarah Ran Away. It sounds wonderful. See if it resonates with you too. I was surprised when I pitched my book at a Chicago writers’ conference how many people resonated with my topic: empty nest. Since publication, I’ve received numerous phone calls, texts, and messages regarding the personal struggle of empty nesters.
Finding purpose and meaning after your children grow up and leave home can be difficult to navigate. Joining the gym, starting a new hobby, or finding ways to stay busy doesn’t fill the void, especially if you’ve enjoyed raising your kids. ​
I love this quote, “A mother’s job is to teach her children not to need her anymore. The hardest part of that job is accepting success.” - Unknown
In my book, The Day Sarah Ran Away, Sarah, has no clue what to do with her life now that her only daughter has left home. In one of the chapters, she shares her struggle with her new-found friends.
Sarah’s friends explain to her the three stages of a woman’s life. Act one – childhood. Act two – marriage and raising a family. Act three is described in the excerpt below.
“After a few moments, Delores is poised again and clarifies, 'I think what Bea means to say is the third act can be spent doing the things you didn’t have the time, energy, or resources to accomplish when you were younger. You need to ask yourself: With all the wisdom and experience you now have in your arsenal, how will you use the time you have left?'
Sweat pops out on the back of my neck. Her pale-blue eyes seem to pierce my innermost thoughts. She leans in closer. 'What dreams or goals have you left unfinished? Who do you want to be in this last stage of your life, Sarah?'
I give her my honest response. ‘I have no idea’.”
I too struggled when my kids left home. Writing this book was therapeutic. Besides writing about a familiar topic, I enjoyed placing little tidbits throughout the story that paid homage to my dad and grandma. It was fun adding small details I knew my family would recognize and enjoy when they read the book.
I enjoyed going through my scrapbooks as I wrote, reliving our family vacations taken at the settings described in the book.
Even though it has some heavy themes, I intertwined several humorous scenes. It was fun to write about women my age, taking adventures and enjoying wonderful comradery with each other. I hope my readers enjoy Sarah’s journey.   
The Day Sarah Ran Away

Sarah Goodwin loved her life as a stay-at-home mom, pouring her heart into every moment with her only daughter, Emma. But now, Emma is off at college and rarely visits or answers her calls, leaving Sarah feeling adrift in a sea of routines—no more soccer games, fundraisers, dress shopping, or birthday parties. As each monotonous day blends into the next, Sarah longs for something more.
When Emma announces she’ll be home for the summer to plan her wedding, Sarah is thrilled at the thought of shared dreams, endless to-do lists, and the promise of reconnecting. But her perfect summer quickly unravels when unexpected events send her on a daring journey with new companions—an adventure filled with twists, revelations, and surprises she never saw coming.
As Sarah journeys west, questions loom. What will her husband do when he discovers she’s gone? Where will this journey lead her? And most importantly, what lies ahead for Sarah now?

Janell Goodrich York is a retired high school guidance counselor. She was born in Indiana, but raised in a small town in Southwest Missouri. Janell loves to travel, especially to beach destinations. She loves to hang out with her family and spoil her two dogs. Janell is a girl mom of three awesome adult daughters and Meme to five “perfect” grandkids. Janell lives in Missouri with her wonderful husband. Her debut novel, The Day Sarah Ran Away, was published by Scrivenings Press August 2025.

​Links:
Website: https://janellyork.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/janellgoodrichyork_author
Facebook: https://facebook.com/janellgoodrichyorkauthor
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/janellyorkauthor
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/janellyorkauthor
Bookbub: bookbub.com @JanellYork

Today, we have the blessing of getting to know Sue A. Fairchild a bit more. She's an editor as well as an author (as am I, so excited to find out there are more out there!) and has a heart for God. And she's giving us a peek into her newest release--perfect for this time of year. We're so glad to have you here today! Can you tell us how you got started writing?

A church friend told me that a story I told in Sunday school would make a good devotion, but I didn't know what a devotion even was! She invited me to her writing group and taught me how to write it and get it published. Since then my group has helped me publish numerous devotions, newspaper articles, and six books, the sixth of which is an Advent devotional coming out soon. 

I know you're an editor too. What are some ways that being an editor makes your writing stronger? Does being an author make it easier or harder to be an editor?
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Being an editor has definitely helped me with my writing because I am constantly learning about writing rules to help my clients. I take what I've learned and apply it to my writing. I know it's helped me be a better writer. But it can also make it harder to be a writer because I'm quite meticulous, some would say a perfectionist, which can cause me to stall my writing endeavors. One of your books is set in the Outer Banks. Can you tell us what drew you to that location for your setting?

Yes—Changing Tides. I set this story there because it's based loosely on my marriage and my husband and I love to vacation in OBX. Avon, NC was the first place we ever went on vacation together, in fact. And the coffee shop in the book is similar to one we like to visit there. The Outer Banks is such a lovely, peaceful place, and I wanted to have this backdrop of something beautiful in contrast to the hard things my main character goes through with the loss of his wife. Plus, we always joke that we'll retire to the beach someday and Avon seems like a place that would be good for that.

Of all your characters, which one is most like you and why?

Well, I've written a few books based loosely on my own life, so I'm a bit like Emily from What You Think You Know and also Summer Stewart from Summer's Refrain. Emily is me when I was younger. That story is based on my teenage years. Summer is more like me in my early twenties. She is constantly running away from things, thinking it's easier than sticking it out in the hard times. That was a lot like me at one point in my life. But if I had to say one of my characters that is most like me, it would be Ellie from Changing Tides since that character is truly based on who I am right now. I guess I put a little bit of myself in a lot of my characters!

You have several books published already, including a young adult one. What's next for you? Can you give us a sneak peek?

I've just released an Advent devotional called More than A Manger. This book came about from that same friend who first encouraged me to write a devotion and get it published. She and I worked on Advent readings for our church for several years. In the process, I've learned so much about Jesus and his birth and I wanted to share it with others. There is so much more than just what we see in Christmas plays or in movies. I've also published a companion journal readers can purchase to go along with the devotional. I wanted readers to have a place to write down all they learned as they also dig into the story of Jesus's birth. I've put a fiction novel on hold to finish this book, so we'll see if God leads me to finish that one next. It would be the third in my "Changing" series.

What is one thing you discovered while editing that you found absolutely fascinating?

I love fact checking as part of the editing process. I've learned so much as a result. One time I was proofreading a book set in the Thousand Islands in the early 1800s, I think. The author spoke about Adirondack chairs which weren't invented until the 1900s! I wouldn't have known that but something just told me to look it up and I did. I'm not sure if the author changed it, but I hope so.

Any tips for those who aspire to be authors?

Know that it's hard work. Writing can be fun and therapeutic and even rewarding, but it takes a lot of effort to publish things with integrity and excellence. As a Christian author, I write to put God's message out into the world and I want to ensure I do it with the utmost quality so the light I shine on him is clear. But no matter what or who you write for, know your stuff. Take classes. Go to conferences. Seek the wisdom of more experienced writers. Be willing to learn and open to critique. I've done those things and am a better writer because of it. But I know I still can learn and grow more.
More than a Manger

A Christmas nativity set traditionally includes a barn-like setting, Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus, one shepherd, a few animals, and three wise men. But Jesus’s birth is about more than just the manger and those who were (and were not) there. Jesus came to earth for more than just one day and for more than that manger scene.
Delve into the Christmas story with twenty-five short Advent devotions designed to draw you closer to God and show you so much more than the typical manger scene. Author Sue A. Fairchild explores texts from both the Old and New Testament to show readers the intricate story of Jesus’s birth and his love for us. Separate companion journal also available.  Sue A. Fairchild is an editor, writer, and speaker. In 2024, Sue traditionally published two Christian Contemporary novels, one of which, Changing Tides, won honorable mention in the AWSA Golden Scrolls awards and was a finalist in the American Legacy Book Awards. When she is not writing her own books for God’s kingdom, Sue loves working with clients who are working toward the greater good of sharing God’s message in this world. Sue is also the Faculty Coordinator of the St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference in Meadville, PA. Learn more about Sue on her website sueafairchild.wordpress.com or on Instagram @suefairchildedits or email her to talk about working together sueafairchild74@gmail.com.

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"Mom, can you send my teacher your website? She wants to order one of your books."
That's not necessarily something I expect to hear every day. Though it also didn't catch me terribly off guard. For years now, my kids have been some of my biggest marketers. As early as kindergarten, my daughter saw one of my bookmarks on my husband's desk and decided to take it to her teacher.
Sure, the teachers could see my signature line in my email responses to them too. But how much attention do you pay to the signature line in an email? If you're like me, probably not much.
So, when my son came home the other day and told me that his teacher wanted to buy one of my books, I knew it was because he had been talking about how "my mom is an author." Not a bad feeling. It's nice to know my children are proud of me. ;)
Then, when I sent a bookmark with my son, my daughter decided she needed one for her teacher too. And the tradition continues.
Later that day, my son's teacher texted me and asked which book was my favorite because she wanted to buy one to support me. I joked that it was hard to pick, but mentioned Rendersella was my latest and was really fun. She said, "That's what Alex suggested too."
Apparently, my son is not only recommending my books in general. He's giving titles. How cool is that?
What's a way someone has learned of you that caught you off-guard? Did your kids ever brag about you to their teachers?