by Karen Witemeyer   When it came time to brainstorm a new historical romance series, I knew I wanted to focus on a group of strong women, but I wasn't sure what their connection would be. Sisters? Friends? Co-workers in a corset factory? I like my heroines feisty and independent, and the more I thought about it, the more I began leaning toward a group of spinsters.   In the 19 th century, women were expected to marry and set up households, often by the age of eighteen. Some

by Toni Shiloh   Rooting for the hero is part of the reading experience that turns a good book into a fantastic read that readers will want to return to time after time. I’ve had many bookish heroes and heroines as I’ve been reading since I was a child: Nancy Drew, Elizabeth Bennett, Gilbert Blythe, Harry Potter, etc. But before I had books and the different worlds they offered me, I had a real-life hero who taught me about the importance of perseverance.   My grandfather has

by Tracie Peterson   Minnesota has always been a fascinating state to me and in particular, the city of Minneapolis has captured my attention. In this new series, A Minnesota Legacy, I was determined to create a generational series set in Minneapolis. Faithful of Heart  is the start of that tale.   1870 Minneapolis offers an interesting setting. The town had its start back in the 1850s wilderness, but by 1870 was a bustling city of 13,000 people. Situated on the banks of the

by Connie Mann   I love asking writers how their stories came to be. Everyone’s process is so different! Though I wish stories appeared in my mind’s eye in one nice, neat package, God’s creative gift doesn’t work that way in my brain. It’s a much more messy, layered process, like a mental crock pot into which I toss unrelated, interesting tidbits of information. After everything simmers a while, I start asking: what if? What if this place could be tied to this fact, could in

by Dana Mentink   Two hours. That’s about the length of time I believe I’d maintain my composure if stranded in the wilderness. It’s possible that number is generous. I have zero sense of direction, and I can’t see beyond the end of my nose. I’m the kind that can’t find her car in the parking lot. The one time I traveled internationally I lost my passport before I even got out of the airport. So would I survive a situation where every means of communication and assistance was

by Elizabeth Goddard   I had so much fun writing Deadly Currents  because I got to include all the adventurous elements I love—and honestly, I figured some of them might get cut. I mean, a ghost ship? Pirates? Wasn’t that a little out of my lane? But somehow, it all worked. I wove it together with the kind of romantic suspense I always write—stories that carry a redemptive thread, often anchored in the theme of forgiveness.   In  Deadly Currents , I wanted to explore forgiven

by Jill Eileen Smith   Most of us are familiar with the story of the Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well. Though her story only appears in the Gospel of John, she is famous (or infamous) for having had five husbands, and the man she had at the time she met Jesus was not her husband.   Many people assume that she was a promiscuous woman. We imagine her getting bored with man after man and changing husbands like we might change clothes or addresses.   When I sat down to s

by Deborah Clack   Where is your happy place? It can be a spot you visit regularly. Or it can be a place that exists only in your imagination. That thing that popped into your head when you first read the question. That place. Maybe you’ve never shared it with anyone. Maybe you, like me, have a penny jar you throw spare change into to save for a return someday.   Wherever that place is … could you write a story about it? Would it be a fantasy formed with a brand-new world? A

by Mary Connealy   Two things drove my interest in The Rocky Mountain Marshals Series. In book 1, Ambush of the Heart , I got to begin that adventure.   The first thing: U.S. Marshals. I did a bit of research and just began discovering how much I didn't know. I mean . . . what are U.S. Marshals? The only one I could think of was Rooster Cogburn in True Grit . But my research was confusing. Yes, there were lawmen out hunting for outlaws. But a lot of that was because back then

by Elizabeth Camden   When I was in college, I used to walk past a gorgeous old house slowly being swallowed by climbing ivy and the passage of time. I’d heard that an elderly man lived there, and that he’d done heroic things during World War I. He was a hero, but not a soldier. A neighbor told me that he’d been a volunteer for a long-forgotten group of Americans who banded together to save an entire nation from famine.   I was fascinated and started researching the group he

by Heather Kaufman   One would think with a series entitled Women of the Way  that my books are about women, and this is partially true. Each book in the series focuses upon a first-century female follower of Christ, but the point of each book is not the woman herself, it’s the one she followed—Jesus. When selecting my heroines, I knew I wanted to choose the “lesser-known” women because every name recorded in Scripture is important. When someone is mentioned only a few times,

by Sarah Monzon   A few years ago, my son was being assessed for a few different neurodiversity disorders and was referred to an occupational therapist to help with some of his sensory needs. The occupational therapist had me fill out an extensive questionnaire while she talked with my son. After the appointment, she handed me an informational pamphlet about sensory processing disorder. I asked her if this was something my son had—a diagnosis that explained his need to only w

by Patricia Johns   Family stories form us, for better or for worse. My family has a rich history of storytelling. My dad’s side of the family is Mennonite, and those tales are noble stories of bravery and valor as our family escaped Russia’s civil war in the 1920s and made their way to Canada. They started from scratch. They farmed the land. They endured. Stories on my dad’s side were for edifying and building up future generations.   My mother’s side of the family has a dif

by Stephanie Landsem   Yellowstone has always held a special place in my heart because it is the setting of many of my most cherished family stories. Yellowstone is where my parents met and fell in love, and where all of my siblings and I were born. Our family lore was that of geysers and bears, favorite horses, elk hunts and camping trips in the wilderness. One much-recalled event was the massive earthquake that shook Yellowstone Park and the surrounding area in 1959.   It w

by Tessa Afshar   I had never heard of Esther growing up, which is ironic since I was born in the land where this Jewish woman became the queen of a vast Gentile empire. For nearly fourteen years I studied the grandeur of Persian kings, yet this extraordinary woman remained a mystery to me.   It wasn’t until I moved to the United States and embraced Christianity that I read the Bible for the first time. That was my introduction to Esther and the biblical world of the Persian

by Patricia Bradley   A lot of authors I know have an arsenal of ideas to pull from a file or drawer when they need it. They have more ideas than they can possibly use in a lifetime. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, I do not. God has blessed me with a story idea every time I’ve needed it, but not before, which is probably good for my ADHD mind. If I had a drawer full of ideas, I would be like a little girl in a candy store who can’t make up her m

by Nancy Mehl   Many years ago, before I began my actual writing journey, I attended a conference for mystery writers. A successful author made a statement I never forgot. Although I can’t remember her name, her words not only resonated with me, but they also helped shape my career. She said, “A mystery novel showcases the battle of good against evil, and good always wins.” I began to understand that writing Christian mystery, suspense, and thrillers is more than entertainmen

by Irene Hannon   Someone once told me that life is comprised of a series of adjustments. That we spend most of our days adapting to new...

by Kate Angelo   If you had told me years ago that the pain and trauma of my childhood would one day inspire a bestselling suspense...

by Jaime Jo Wright   I’m often asked why I write dark and creepy books. I’m also often told, “I’ll never read your books; I don’t do...