Marian P. Merritt - Lagniappe

Where the Bayous Meet the Mountains

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Christmas Extravaganza 2016 - Dana Pratola and Katie Clark

Happy Thursday Morning Readers!

Today, we continue our 
Christmas Extravaganza 2016 showcase.
Each Thursday in the month of December two Christmas titles are featured on Lagniappe!
Today:

The Mayweather Christmas Quest by Dana Pratola




The forecast is for snow—but she's dreaming of more than a white Christmas. Olympia Mayweather is sure there's only one way to find a husband - through a family tradition that says she must kiss the man of her dreams in a Christmas snow. When a reporter comes to interview her for the local paper, she's afraid he's going to make a mockery of her, ruining her chance for a Christmas love. David Santina isn't sure a magical kiss will make Olympia a bride. But spending time with the charming woman and getting to know her just might make David believe in fairy tales. He'll protect her from a tabloid story, but who is going to keep him from completing The Mayweather Christmas Quest?



God gave me a passion to write Christian Romance. These books don’t contain explicit sex scenes, but my characters have real desires, struggles and choices to make. A lot of the time they make the wrong ones. No subject is prohibited, but good always triumphs and God is glorified.

In my personal life, He has also blessed me with a wonderful husband and three dynamic children, all of whom are destined to make wide, colorful splashes in this world. We share our New Jersey home with three dogs. I have no hobbies to speak of, unless you include writing. I don’t.






Radio Wave Romance by Katie Clark

Hit radio show host Annalise Waters is challenged on-air when one of her listeners, social studies teacher Christopher Sanders, accuses her of being cold-hearted toward the needs of the local children’s hospital. Afraid of public backlash, the station arranges a fundraiser for the hospital, with Annalise at the head. But it’s a fundraiser that drags up painful memories from Annalise’s past.

Christopher hadn’t intended to be hustled into a fundraiser—he’d only wanted to make a point. But as he spends more time with Annalise, and realizes his mistaken judgment, he can’t deny the growing feelings for this woman who is anything but cold-hearted. Will she ever forgive his on-air accusations and see the depth of his true feelings?

BUY LINKS:









KATIE CLARK started reading fantastical stories in grade school and her love for books never died. Today she reads in all genres; her only requirement is an awesome story! She writes sweet Christian romance for adults, as well as exciting speculative fiction for Christian teens. You can connect with her at her website, on Facebook, or on Twitter.






Readers I hope you find 
"a little something extra" 
in your life this Christmas Season!

Monday, December 19, 2016

Pamela Thibodeaux - Keri's Christmas Wish

Good Monday Morning Readers!

Today, 
Pamela Thibodeaux 
visits Lagniappe to discuss her latest release, 
Keri's Christmas Wish


Welcome, Pam!

Tell us a little about Keri's Christmas Wish.

In Keri's Christmas Wish we get a glimpse into the life and spiritual practice of an ordinary woman who goes through an extraordinary experience.

Keri Jackson is an accountant who, although she loves Christ, abhors the hype, commercialism and controversy of His birth. As she embarks on a spiritual quest to determine why she feels this way, a rare bacterial infection threatens to take her life before she can find answers.

Jeremy Hinton, a Psychotherapist whose practice is a bit unorthodox as far as the medical community is concerned, has been enthralled by Keri from the moment the two meet. He feels she is a highly intelligent, deeply emotional, intensely complex human being. He has studied the human psyche and spiritual evolution for as long as he can remember. Keri's attitude toward Christmas baffles him, but Jeremy is sure together they can get to the bottom of it. Until she is beset by a rare infection that she may not recover from.

But what Jeremy and the doctors don't know is that while her body is under attack, Keri's soul is alive and well in another realm.

We travel this journey with Keri as she discovers a spiritual truth that is sure to set many people free from preconceived notions about heaven, angels, Christ, Christmas and the value of a relationship with Jesus.


Christian Theme:
The power of faith to heal 
                                        
Tagline:
Can Keri get past her angst over Christ’s birth and enjoy the Christmas season?

Blurb:
For as long as she can remember, Keri Jackson has despised the hype and commercialism around Christmas so much she seldom enjoys the holiday. Will she get her wish and be free of the angst to truly enjoy Christmas this year?

A devout Christian at heart, Jeremy Hinton, a Psychotherapist, Life Coach, Spiritual Mentor and Energy Medicine Practitioner has studied all of the world’s religions and homeopathic healing modalities. But when a rare bacterial infection threatens the life of the woman he loves, will all of his faith and training be for naught?

Find out in Keri’s Christmas Wish

QUICK ANWER
     
Most treasured possession? Although they are not actual possessions, my children and grandchildren are my greatest treasures. If I had to pick a tangible item though, it would be the shadowbox that houses my husbands military flag, our wedding rings and the rock he gave me when we were dating (no, not a diamond – a rock).
  

Favorite food? BREAD in just about any shape and form….white, wheat, pastries, crackers…you get my drift LOL!

Favorite Movie? Can’t name just one because there are two I watch over and over and those are A Few Good Men and Pretty Woman. I know, I know, two different ends of the spectrum but they are my absolute favorites. 

What would be your theme song? On the Road Again by Willie Nelson because I love to travel and do so as much as humanly possible LOL!


LIGHTNING ROUND

Debbie Macomber or Nicholas Sparks? Debbie Macomber
Nora Roberts or Diana Gabaldon? Nora Roberts
Crawfish Etouffee or Seafood Gumbo? Crawfish Etouffee
Plotter, Pantser, or Planser? Panster
Morning or night person? Morning


Do you listen to music when you write? If so, what's on your writing playlist these days?
No, unlike many authors, music playing in my office distracts me because I usually get caught up in the songs. However, I’m OK with the radio playing in another room as it becomes background noise I can tune out.

What Bible verse speaks to you the most?
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster to give you a future and a hope.

Give readers your brand/tagline and share how you came up with it.
“Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ - When I was first published in 2000/2001 I attended a writer’s conference where Susan Grant (Once a Pirate) gave a talk on how important it is to have a tagline/brand. At that time my thoughts were “The Nora Roberts of Christian Fiction.” Not knowing how legal it was to use something like that, or how Ms. Roberts would feel about it, I kept mulling over this marketing concept to try and come up with the perfect line. One day while setting up a book signing, the store manager asked what my books were about. When I told him they had been reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message,” he remarked, “So they’re inspirational with an edge” and that became my tagline/brand from then on.

Do you read your reviews? Do you respond to them, good or bad? Do you have any advice on how to deal with the bad? Sometimes I’ll read the good ones – especially when I need a boost and yes, sometimes I’ll respond. The bad ones sting, really hard. Sometimes I’ll respond. Usually not though. My advice is to do your best to not let the bad reviews discourage you. In some instances, even a “bad” review has a good point – focus on that and, if you can, use something from the review to make you a better writer. DO NOT respond out of hurt feelings! The last thing you want to do is alienate a reader or a potential reader who might be scrolling through your reviews and see the negativity. If you’re going to respond, always, say ‘Thank You’ even if that’s all you say.

 What is your hope for the readers of your books? My greatest hope is that readers will seek/develop a personal relationship with God/Jesus regardless of where they are or what they’ve done.


What can we expect from you in the future?
I always have a ton of WIP’s so hopefully you’ll see more novel/novellas. I’m also working toward publication in shorter markets like Woman’s World Magazine and I’m always open for NF projects.




Award-winning author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux is the Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multi-published in romantic fiction as well as creative non-fiction, her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message.”




Links:
Website address: http://www.pamelathibodeaux.com    
Twitter: http://twitter.com/psthib @psthib
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1jUVcdU 
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/pamela-s-thibodeaux

Ebook Link: http://amzn.to/2ePnias


Enter for a chance to win a FREE copy of Keri's Christmas Wish!




 



Pam, thanks for sharing!

Readers thanks for stopping by Lagniappe.


I pray you find
"a little something extra"
in each of your days.



Marian

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Christmas Extravaganza 2016 - Tanya Hanson and Clare Revell

Happy Thursday Morning Readers!

Today, we continue our 
Christmas Extravaganza 2016 showcase.
Each Thursday in the month of December two Christmas titles are featured on Lagniappe!


Today:

Christmas Lights by Tanya Hanson

The Christmas party at Hearts Crossing Ranch is the highlight of the Season in Mountain Cove, Colorado, but Lori Lazaro longs to be anywhere else.
Until a handsome cowboy driving a one-horse open sleigh starts a journey of the heart. Deep down, she doesn't want it to end, but it must. Heston Calhoun lives life in the spotlight, and after past trauma, Lori needs the comfort of a life in the shadows.
Lori Lazaro stirs Heston like no woman ever has before. Sure, his family stars in a popular unscripted television show about ranch life, but he’s not going to let Lori’s skittishness end their story before it even begins. Having faced dark moments in his own past assures him God can brighten her future. He simply needs to convince Lori that together, they’ll write a happy ending after all.







Purchase link:

California native Tanya Hanson loves cowboys so much she and her husband took a wagon train trip around the Tetons! That awesome experience inspired her Hearts Crossing Ranch series at Pelican Book Group, of which Christmas Lights is the latest installment. Self-described as both a beach girl and country grandma, she loves family, wine tasting, travel, and Jesus.






Down in Yon Forest by Clare Revell

Having suffered a panic attack on stage during a performance, violinist Meredith Stranraer flees to the small town of Paradise where her grandparents live. For some strange reason, they don’t want her around and their rejection is more than unsettling, it’s downright alarming.

Jeremiah Mantle is the local forest ranger. He watches the girl in the grey cloak from a distance, his assignment to protect her as well as the forest. However falling in love is definitely not in his job description.

Thrown together at the annual Christmas ball, things soon escalate. There is something wicked in the woods and a dark past is determined to rip them apart.


Tagline:
There will be trouble in Paradise this Christmas

Purchase Links:



About the Author

Clare is a British author. She lives in a small town just outside Reading, England with her husband, whom she married in 1992, their three children, and unfriendly mini-panther, aka Tilly the black cat. Clare is half English and half Welsh, which makes watching rugby interesting at times as it doesn’t matter who wins.
Writing from an early childhood and encouraged by her teachers, she graduated from rewriting fairy stories through fan fiction to using her own original characters and enjoys writing an eclectic mix of romance, crime fiction and children's stories. When she's not writing, she can be found reading, crocheting or doing the many piles of laundry the occupants of her house manage to make.
Her books are based in the UK, with a couple of exceptions, thus, although the spelling may be American, the books contain British language and terminology.
The first draft of every novel is hand written.
She has been a Christian for more than half her life. She goes to Carey Baptist where she is one of four registrars.
She can be found at:
http://www.revell124.plus.com/clarerevell/
https://www.facebook.com/ClareRevellAuthor
https://twitter.com/ClareRevell
http://telscha.blogspot.co.uk/
https://uk.pinterest.com/ClareLRevell/
https://www.instagram.com/clarerevell/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B005NZT2O2
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005NZT2O2

Readers I hope you find 
"a little something extra" 

in your life this Christmas Season!