Melissa Tagg's Blog

Good morning, dear reading friends . . . 

If you read that greeting in any sort of calm or even-keeled way, I have to happily inform you that I’m nowhere near calm or even-keeled just now. 

OH NO. I am beside myself with excitement . . . because it’s book launch day! Wedding at Sea is officially out in the world and I. am. ecstatic!! It’s out in paperback, ebook and in Kindle Unlimited.

Actual footage of me all day…lol!

OF COURSE if you’ve been around here for any amount of time, you know that a book launch means a giveaway! One lucky person will win the whole Muir Harbor series in paperback plus a $25 VISA gift card. Can you say YAY?? Entry details are below. 

In addition to the giveaway, I also wanted to let you know you have one or two more days left to get the ebook version of Wedding at Sea for the special pre-order price of $4.99. It always takes Amazon a day or two to update the price, so just know it’ll go up soon . . . 

Gosh, I feel like I should come up with something super witty and wise and least poignant to say on this auspicious book launch day. 

But sitting here, trying to write this newsletter, I’m struggling to come up with words to capture what I’m feeling. This Muir Harbor journey has meant so, so much to me. So much has happened in my heart as each book in the series has come together.

And realizing I’ve—we’ve—reached “The End” . . . um, I’m just feeling A LOT.

And, really, maybe there’s no reason to wax oh-so-eloquent. What I should really do is tell you about the book itself and about lovable P.I. Wilder Monroe and staid lawyer Lilian Muir and their enemies-to-friends-to-much-much-more relationship . . . about the mystery that’s twined its way through this whole series and the answers you’re finally going to get . . . about this “found family” stitched together by the love of an adopted mother . . . 

And, ahem, about my favorite chapter. Chapter 12. The chapter I’ve heard about repeatedly from early readers. The one that starts in a houseboat and ends in an elevator and basically had me laughing/swooning the whole time I wrote it.  

And maybe I could also tell you about this: about how God used this story to remind me what it looks like to run after hope . . . in the words of Lilian:

“Hope was stronger when it was chosen and chased and held close despite the odds . . . despite questions that didn’t have answers or answers that were hard to understand. It took effort, it took curiosity—but there was hope to found and cherished in all of it.”

That phrase there at the end—”in all of it”—Lilian is thinking about all the complicated things that have happened throughout the pages of her story. But as I wrote those lines, I was thinking about some of the complicated things in my own life. The unanswered questions or unfulfilled longings . . . the days where my faith feels dry and distant . . . or where I can’t quite see what God is doing. There’s hope in all of it. 

Because there’s God in all of it. He’s here in the complicated present and He’s there in the uncertain future. And when we make the choice to trust Him, we’re taking the first step in a chase after hope. A chase that can be thrilling and surprising and, yes, hard on some days, but joy-filled on others . . . 

A chase that just might have us whispering, “What’s next?” with an anticipation that’s both confident and curious. Confident because we know God is writing a good story . . . curious because we’re still finding our place in it.

Thank you so much to everyone who is celebrating this book launch with me. I pray Wedding at Sea makes you laugh. I pray the mystery makes you wonder and the romance makes you swoon. But more than anything, I pray it finds its way to your heart . . . and stirs your soul with hope. 

Now . . . on to the giveaway!

This book launch giveaway is open today through July 6! There are multiple options for entering. I’ll notify the winner at the end of next week. The prize package includes paperbacks of all three books in the Muir Harbor series and a $25 gift card. (Huge apologies to my international friends, but due to the cost of shipping, this is only open in the U.S.) Just fill out the form below to enter!

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Before I get long-winded, I should tell you two things:
1. The ebook of A Seaside Wonder is still only $4.99 but only until next week.
2. There’s super sweet release day giveaway way down at the end of this post.
Okay, onward… 

A Seaside Wonder is here and I. am. giddy!!

I joked in my newsletter this morning that it’s sooooo tempting to ramble on and on about the writing of this book and how long it took and how emotional I got and . . . yeah. I know. That would’ve been super fun to read. HA!

But honestly, I’m just way too excited and happy and sure, a little nervous, but also totally thrilled to spend forever talking about the book writing process.

I’d rather just talk about the book. About Indi and Philip. Their swoony romance. Philip’s moody sister. Indi’s cute goats. Charming Muir Harbor.

Buy the book

And the mystery! EEK! Goodness, I had so much fun (okay, fine, also so much frustration because plots are HARD) weaving secrets and intrigue and an actual villain into this story.

As a reminder, this is book two in my Muir Harbor series. Although I think you’ll probably have a richer reading experience if you read book one (Autumn by the Sea) first, I’ve been happy to see some early reviews from readers who jumped into this book having not read book one, who said they had no problem catching up. 

If I were to sum this book up in 3 words: Swoony. Mysterious. Soul-stirring. To use a few more words, this a good read for anyone who likes:

Hilarious meet-cutesSweet romanceSmall-town settingsSecrets and intrigueClose-knit family stories

To celebrate its release, I’m hosting a giveaway! Prizes include a paperback PLUS a $50 VISA gift card!

You’ve got one week to enter and a variety of entry options. The giveaway is open through 10/11. The entry form is down at the bottom of this post.

But before I close out (and I would like to give myself a personal pat on the back for not being nearly as long-winded as I could’ve been today!), I’m going to be nervy and ask you for a favor. If you read and enjoy A Seaside Wonder, would you please consider leaving a review on Amazon and Goodreads? It doesn’t have to be long—even just a few sentences mentioning what you liked about the story is great.

Reviews are SO helpful because they help readers discover books and, too, there’s some kind of algorithm magic that happens the more reviews a book has. I’m appreciative of each and every review—and each and every reader who takes time to write out their thoughts. 

Thank you so much to those of you who have already read, reviewed, and/or reached out to me about this book. YOU ARE A GIFT! 

All right, time to get your giveaway entering on. Good luck!

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Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt! If you’ve just discovered the hunt, be sure to start at Stop #1, and collect the clues through all the stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top 5 grand prizes!

The hunt BEGINS on 10/21 at noon MST with Stop #1 at LisaTawnBergren.com.Hunt through our loop using Chrome or Firefox as your browser (not Explorer).There is NO RUSH to complete the hunt—you have all weekend (until Sunday, 10/24 at midnight MST)! So take your time, reading the unique posts along the way; our hope is that you discover new authors/new books and learn new things about them.Submit your entry for the grand prizes by collecting the CLUE on each author’s scavenger hunt post and submitting your answer in the Rafflecopter form at the final stop, back on Lisa’s site. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way!

If you’re new around here, my name is Melissa Tagg and I write small-town contemporary romances. Officially I’m a “USA Today bestselling, Christy Award-winning author” but a much funnier title I saw someone use to describe me recently is “The Queen of Meet-Cutes.” And you know what? I will happily accept that label because writing the moment when a hero and heroine first meet is one of my absolute favorite parts of storytelling! In addition to being a writer, I’m also a marketing and communications coordinator for an awesome nonprofit in Iowa and proud aunt to the cutest nieces and nephews ever.

My newest release, Autumn by the Sea, just released a few weeks ago and it’s the beginning of a brand new three-book series set in Maine.

Abandoned as a toddler, Sydney Rose has spent years wondering who she really is, homesick for a life she’s never lived. When a private investigator crashes into her world, she finds herself heading to a tiny seaside town in Maine to meet a woman named Maggie, who’s searching for the granddaughter she lost decades ago.

If not for Maggie, Neil MacKean might still be back in Scotland, bereft and alone. Instead, he has a full life in Muir Harbor with an adopted family he loves and a blueberry farm to run. But the farm is struggling and strange occurrences have him concerned.

Worried for Maggie, Neil is suspicious of the city girl who shows up at the farm. But there’s something about Sydney that tugs on him. Together, they’re pulled into a mystery complete with a centuries-old legend, unexpected danger . . . and a love as deep and wild as the sea.

One of the really fun pieces of writing this novel was learning all about blueberry farming! Being from Iowa, I thought I had a pretty good handle on what farming life is like…but through researching, I realized blueberry farming is a world all its own!

Blueberries for Beginners . . . and my favorite blueberry recipe

Okay, I’m not actually going to tell you ALL about blueberry farming because let’s be honest, though I might have done my research, there’s sooooo much I don’t know. But I can tell you this: There’s a big difference between the cultivated blueberries you probably buy when you visit the grocery store and actual wild blueberries!

My favorite blueberry lemon scones!
Get the recipe here.

The blueberries that grow on Neil’s farm in Autumn by the Sea are low-bush, wild berries . . . they only grow to about ankle-height and they can grow on rocky soil as easily as flat ground. And though many farmers are now able to machine harvest their barrens, a good deal of the low-bush berries that on craggier ground are actually raked by hand. The best thing about wild blueberries? They taste better! They’re smaller and brighter in color.

A lot of what we buy in the store are high-bush cultivated berries that have been planted in nice, tidy rows. Many big farms in Maine grow these and hey, they’re great too. But if you want a burst of flavor—or just a little grin of satisfaction at knowing your eating something wild and very possibly hand-picked—look for wild berries . . . and maybe give ’em a try in this oh-so-scumptious recipe for Blueberry Lemon Scones.

Here’s the Stop #9 Basics:

If you’re interested, you can order Autumn by the Sea on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or any of these other stores.

Clue to Write Down: a fire

Link to Stop #10, the Next Stop on the Loop: Creston Mapes’ site!

But wait! Before you go, I’m offering three e-books of Autumn by the Sea to three entrants (or choose one of my other books). There are several entry options in the Rafflecopter form below. (USA only)

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I wish I could tell you where I got this recipe…I have no idea where it came from! But I’ve made it many times and absolutely love it.

Scones
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
5 tbsp cold butter
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cup blueberries
zest of 1/2 lemon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Mix dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt and sugar). Cut in cold butter. Mixture should look like course crumbs.

Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk. Fold everything together. Do not overwork. Fold blueberries and zest into batter being careful not to mash them.

Separate dough into two equal lumps. Form into circles or cut into fourths. (I use a cute little mini-scone pan instead.) Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Glaze
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 cups powdered sugar
zet of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp butter

Mix lemon juice and sugar together in a microwave safe bowl. Add zest and butter. Microwave for 30 seconds on high. Whisk glaze until smooth, then drizzle over scones.

Before I get long-winded, I should tell you two things:
1. The ebook of Autumn by the Sea is still only $4.99 but only for a few more days.
2. There’s super sweet release day giveaway way down at the end of this post.
Okay, onward…

It’s release daaaaayyyyyy!!

True story: I wrote a long launch day post for today about how Autumn by the Sea came to be. About how creatively frustrated I was last summer, how hollow I felt, and how, in the midst of some pretty intense anxiety, God gave me the idea for this new book.

It was a long, emotional post . . . which I ended up deleting.

Not because there wasn’t any value in being a bit transparent . . . but because I realized I don’t want to talk about the frustration that led me to write a whole new series in a whole new place.

I want to talk about the joy.

***

Autumn by the Sea is probably my favorite thing I’ve ever written! (Well, maybe tied with Now and Then and Always.)

It has a Scottish hero!
A blueberry farm!
A charming seaside town!
A loving Muir family!
Romance and mystery—multiple mysteries!

And it has Sydney Rose, a woman who doesn’t actually know who she is. She doesn’t know why she was abandoned as a toddler. She doesn’t know where her life is going.

She only knows she’s disappointed. She used to have hopes and dreams . . . now she has hurts and haunting pain leftover from the only few minutes she’s ever spent with the woman who may or may not have been her birth mom.

But then a private investigator comes crashing into her world with news that might change everything. And the next thing she knows, she’s on her way to Maine—halfway around the country—to a big yellow farmhouse by the sea filled with people who will in turn come to fill her whole heart.

Her entire life changes when she meets Maggie Muir and Neil MacKean, when she chases the secrets of her past and, in the process, stumbles into a whole other mystery and even some danger . . . and oh my goodness, I had fun traveling with her.

***

I resonated so much with Sydney as I wrote this book, even though my story looks nothing like hers. But writing her story taught me something . . .

For Sydney, the revival of her hopes and dreams took a massive life change . . . a huge leap of faith.

For me—I think, for many of us—it’s not necessarily about the huge leaps or massive changes. It’s about the little choices. The little jumps. The little moments of trust, however fragile.

When I was hard-core frustrated last year, I remember so many moments of thinking, “That’s it! I should quit writing!” or “That’s it! I should quit my day job!” or “That’s it! I should quit everything and move to England!” Some of that was just my dramatic and sometimes stormy Enneagram 4-wing taking over (lol!) but I think some of it was this sideways belief I didn’t fully realize I carried—a belief that in order to get out of the rut, to be happy or successful or both, I had to make big, huge changes.

But then I started brainstorming this story . . .

And instead of setting it in Iowa like so many of my books, I gave in to my own creative wanderlust and set it in Maine. Instead of a straightforward contemporary romance, I let myself follow unexpected twists and turns until I realized I was writing an actual mystery. On a complete whim, I let myself give Neil a Scottish accent *swoon* and wrote a ghostly old legend into the story . . .

They were little changes. Little choices. Little new things. And in them, I found a new storytelling joy.

***

I don’t know where you’re at in life as you (hopefully!) crack open the pages of Autumn by the Sea. But just in case you find yourself in a season similar to where I was last summer or where Sydney is at the opening of this story, I just want to encourage you today to embrace “little.”

A little change.
A little new thing.
A little moment of trust.

Two of my favorite lines in Autumn by the Sea are on page 310:

Maybe there were times when her deepest desires were the echoes of divine whispers. And maybe it was time she finally listened.

I’ve repeated those lines to myself so many times since they first found their way onto the page, reminding myself that my desires and dreams didn’t come from nowhere . . . often, they’re God’s whispers and nudges in my soul. And it’s more than okay to listen to them . . . it’s good. It’s vital, even.

Desire for change and renewal is what led me to write my favorite book yet! And yet, it didn’t take huge leaps to get me there. It took little steps and little moments and little changes. (And lots of prayer!) Sometimes we need the big, sweeping life change. But sometimes . . . sometimes the joy is found in the “little.”

What’s your divine whisper? What’s your desire? Is there a little that might help lead you there?

I hope you find it.

Just as I hope you find wonder and intrigue and exhilaration in the pages of this book of my heart. Thank you for the joy of getting to share it with you.

p.s. It’s my birthday today! If you’d like to give me one of the best, best gifts possible, well, a) I’m just gonna say it—I’d be so grateful if you’d buy my book! but also b) leaving a review on Amazon, Goodreads, BookBub and elsewhere is so very helpful. It doesn’t have to be crazy long or in-depth…but it helps other readers find the book. Thank you!

Okay, this prize package is pretty great, if I do say so myself! In addition to a $50 VISA gift card and a paperback copy of Autumn by the Sea, one winner will receive a cutting board and fall house artwork—both hand-lettered and lasered by Nicole Letters, who also happened to letter the title for my new book! You’ll also get a couple of fall candles, a bookish magnet and a bookmark. You’ve got through October 8 to enter.

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Can I tell you a little story about a story real quick?

About three months ago, I was at the end of my writing rope. I’d been trying to write Some Bright Someday, the second book in my Maple Valley series, for nearly nine months. I was frustrated and discouraged . . . and frankly, a little upset at myself for being so upset! After all, struggling to write a book is nothing compared to what so many people have faced in 2020.

But after talking with some of the most encouraging people in my life, I made a decision. I decided to take two weeks away from my day job. Hide out from the world. Basically start over and try to write this book one. more. time.

If it didn’t go well, I thought, then I’d consider that God’s way of saying maybe it was time to let it go. Move on. Do something else.

And if it did go well . . . well, if it did, I would celebrate.

I spent my first week of that writing binge at a goat farm, and I journaled every day I was there. In fact, I did kind of a silly thing where I opened my Bible each day just to see if I’d land on a relevant verse. No joke, guess what verse I opened to my first day there?

“God will give you the right words at the right time.” -Matthew 10:19 

Now, let’s be real: I know Jesus wasn’t talking about writing a contemporary romance novel when He said those words. BUT STILL. I decided to take them to heart. And I started writing . . .

AND IT WENT WELL!

It’s book release day!! (So of course, there’s a giveaway…more info below!)

Royally Yours—a collection including stories by me, Betsy St. Amant, Liz Johnson and Ashley Clark—is available in paperback and ebook (and in Kindle Unlimited too!) and oh my goodness, this snuck up on me so quickly.

Like, whoa! It feels like it was just summer and I was joyfully typing away, imagining snow-capped mountains and cobblestone streets, getting all caught up in the wintry, Christmasy feel of Jonah and Rowan’s story and racing toward The End…

…and then squealing out loud and floating on air when I reached those two beautiful words.

Get Royally Yours Here

You know, usually I try to have something poignant to say on the release day for each book. But today, all I can really think about is how much giddy-like joy went into the writing of One Royal Christmas (which is the title of my installment in this Christmas collection*). Truly, I just had a blast writing it. I giggled and swooned and absolutely delighted in the process.

And God surprised me time and again as I got to know my hero—who is both a king and a bookworm, be still my heart—and my heroine, a librarian who I relate to so deeply. Writing about Jonah temporarily abdicating his throne and Rowan trying to save her little cottage library felt like a fun little adventure to me, complete with those unexpected moments of personal poignancy.

One of my dear author friends, Rachel Hauck (She’s a New York Times Bestselling Author! Read her books, guys! They will blow you away!) was one of the earliest readers of this story. She told me that one particular spot in the story made her weep.

And when I read that text from her, I wanted to weep. I thought, “This!! This is why I write!” Because even a Christmas novella—something a little shorter, a little sweeter—has the power to touch hearts. To reveal spiritual truths. To point to a Father’s love that’s truly the greatest gift we’ll ever receive…at Christmas and anytime. That’s what writing One Royal Christmas did for me.

And I’m praying, as it goes out into the world today, it does the same for you.

I hope, like Jonah, you’re reminded that you’re not alone…that the wonderfulness that is Emmanuel, God with Us, sinks into your bones and fills you with the truth of your worth and value.

I hope, like Rowan, you’re reminded that your hopes and dreams matter…and that you’re never too stuck for God to surprise and use you. After all, a new adventure might be right around the next corner…

By the way, I’ve got a pretty snazzy release day giveaway going on over at my website! Prizes include a paperback copy of the collection, a $15 Target (aka my home away from home) gift card, a Christmas decoration and ornament! The giveaway is open for one week, so enter away using the form below!

Thankyouthankyouthankyou for reading!

Many blessings,

 

 

*Ummm, if you’ve paid any attention to the titles of my past Christmas books, you may thinking to yourself that this title is super similar to those older ones. You may be thinking I don’t have all that much creativity left when it comes to titles. You may be…entirely correct.

I took this pic last week on the day my first official author copies arrived. I was barely wearing any make-up and I hadn’t bothered putting in my contacts and my hair was still half-wet … but I didn’t even care because I was sooooo excited to see how pretty the book turned out!

It’s here, it’s here, it’s here!

Now and Then and Always has (finally!) made its way into the world and I…totally treated myself to Lucky Charms for breakfast this morning. (There’s currently like 30 people who will get why that’s significant. If you read the book—which I really hope you do—you’ll get it too. Haha!)

To celebrate, I’m doing a book release giveaway and you’ll find all the details below. But if you’ll indulge me for a few minutes, I want to tell you just a little bit about how this book came to be…

Man, this book took a long time to come to life. I actually started writing it in January 2018. It was a snowy day and I was sitting in front of the fireplace in my old apartment, feet propped up on an ottoman, and the first words of a story I’d brainstormed almost two years prior found their way onto the page.

I was so excited about those first few paragraphs that I sent them to some author friends and I still have their sweet email replies (*waving at Susan May Warren, Rachel Hauck, Beth Vogt, Lisa Jordan and Alena Tauriainen*) but what I didn’t know then is that it’d be an entire year before I’d be able to fully focus on writing this book. Sure, I wrote a few more chapters here and there in 2018, but eventually a big move to my hometown and a house renovation pretty much took over my life.

And when I finally got back to the story in January 2019, I was sitting in front of a different fireplace this time, with my feet up on a different ottoman…feeling different feelings this time.

Because this, I realized, was a different story.

For one thing, though I’ve had little mystery threads in a couple past books, in this one, the mystery is probably as prominent as the romance. But more than that, this story would be going to some deeper, darker places. The grief and loss faced by the hero (Marshall Hawkins 

Guys! Did everybody have a great Thanksgiving? Did anybody else spend the weekend decorating for Christmas?!

I may have been a teensy bit overly excited to decorate my new house. And I’m super happy with how it turned out. You can see pics on my Instagram or Facebook if you’re interested. Tell me if you can spot the goat ornament…lol!

I think the joy of jumping into the Christmas season (complete with tons of twinkle lights!) calls for a giveaway…don’t you think? The giveaway is open now and runs through the end of the day on Sunday, Dec. 2. Prizes include:

Paperback copy of my ENCHANTED Christmas Collection
$25 Target Gift Card
25 Hand-lettered Advent Cards designed by Nicole of Nicole Letters (they’re so pretty!)
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year” coffee mug

You’ve got multiple entry options below. Happy entering…and Merry Christmas!

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Five years ago today, my first book—Made to Last—launched into the big, wide world.

I was nervous and excited and happily overwhelmed…and oh, what a great excuse it gave me to eat like a thousand cookies. (No but seriously…we had this intensely fun launch party, thanks to my amazing family and friends, and there were so. many. cookies.)

One of my favorite pics from the party! We had a photo booth with a bunch of construction props and my family had a hilarious time taking pics. We were just missing my brother, Nathanael, who lives out East.

Five years ago.

It feels like forever ago and it feels like yesterday. It feels like everything changed that day or maybe nothing at all. I was the same laidback Iowa girl—still a lover of stories, both real life and imaginary—and a different one, now living on the other side of a dream-come-true.

You know what, guys?

Dreams-come-true are so wonderful, but if there’s one thing my own has taught me, it’s that our dreams aren’t so much about the what and the when…but who we become along the journey. I chased a publishing contract for a couple of years before God opened that particular door…and even after the door opened, I sorta felt like I kept running for awhile. Chasing the next “thing”—good reviews, awards, lots of readers, another contract…

But in the past few years, man, God has done a number on my heart. He’s reminded me—sometimes in big, un-ignorable ways and other times in little whispers in my soul—that it was never about chasing the dream. It’s about chasing Him and becoming the person He always planned for me to be.

I’ll confess that’s a perspective I haven’t always held on to…and whenever I don’t—whenever I start comparing my road to another’s or fixing my eyes on the next “thing” instead of the One who promises the kind of fulfillment that “thing” could never bring on its own—it just leads to burnout and stress and unnecessary striving.

Five years later, I know I’m not all the way there yet. I’m not sure we ever fully get there while on this earth.

But with each year and each bend in the road, if we stay open and flexible and humble, He’ll guide us and grow us and teach us until, like sunflowers bending toward the sun, our natural instinct is to lean into Him…

And that’s when our dreams will most flourish.

Our souls will replenish.

Our creativity will soar.

Because we’re tucked close to the most creative One of all.

*****

A five-year anniversary calls for a little celebration, yes? I think I’ll eat some cookies.

But for everyone else, how about a giveaway??

This giveaway includes some happy autumn stuff! One person will win:

Paperback copy of my debut novel, Made to Last …
…plus the autumn-y sequel (in which the heroine’s name is actually Autumn!), Here to Stay .
A super cute fall mug designed by my talented artist sister, Nicole of Nicole Letters
A pretty fall scarf! (I want this, you guys. I might need to go back and buy a second one.)
A pumpkin candle that smells like heaven
Dove chocolates that taste like heaven

You’ve got one week to enter via the form below with multiple entry options. I’ll announce the winner on Monday, Sept. 24.

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