Author: stephaniehurt

Stephanie Hurt lives in Georgia with her husband Tommy and their son Hunter, along with two dogs, Daisy and Jake. When Stephanie is not lost in one of the worlds that she creates, she's an accountant and children's minister. She has been writing the stories that fill her mind since she was a teenager. The moment a story comes into her mind, she's mesmerized and soon she's diving into the story with a cup of hot green tea and a notebook. Before long, the story has bones and is ready for the laptop. She happily types away in the early morning and at night. You can always find her with a notebook full of stories that have yet to come to life. Follow her journey in each of her over 40 published works! Stephanie Payne Hurt loves to hear from fans and hopes that she's helped them go to another world for at least a while! Connect with Author: Twitter: https://twitter.com/StephanieHurt4 Email: https://stephaniehurt4@gmail.com Website: www.stephaniehurtauthor.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StephaniePayneHurt Sign up for my newsletter at www.stephaniehurtauthor.com to keep up with upcoming events and new releases.

Sunday Inspirational Talk

Good Sunday Morning! It’s a chilly morning in Georgia. I’ve had two nights of not getting enough sleep. I think my sleeper is broke, but at least it’s Sunday. After I get home from Church I plan to take a nice nap. For now, I’ll be getting an extra couple of cups of coffee before I head out the door.

Now, on to inspiration. I’m elbow deep into Safe, my newest WIP. It’s been quite an eye opener. I never realized how much fun it would be to expand my genre. I call it a genre makeover! And writing suspense in the middle of the night when you can’t sleep makes you a little jumpy. I was writing an intense scene at two thirty this morning when I caught myself glancing up every few minutes. You know you’re into your work real deep when you have to remind yourself it’s just a book.

So, here’s my little tidbit of inspiration for early Sunday morning. If you plan to change your genre in any way, then make sure that you read some books in that genre. Not to mention, watch movies and shows that follow the same genre.

My editor returned the first little bit of editing for this book and she’s excited for where this book is going. This made me happy. Not to mention that I’m loving this book so far. The chemistry between the two main characters is beginning to get edgy and the mystery is deepening.

So, give yourself a genre makeover. It inspires.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Romance for the ages…

Good Thursday morning… Romance, some believe in it, some don’t. It’s up to you. As a writer of romance, I believe in the possibility of romance for everyone. You just have to seek it out. Romance can be found in the simplest of gestures.

For some, romance is candles, wine, dancing … you know, the stuff you see when you look up romance, But to me, it’s in the slight touch of ones hand. It’s the look across the table that says I love you unconditionally. Sometimes romance can be found in a mere word, not just the three words in I love you.

When writing romance, authors have to spread romance through normal channels. In a historical romance, it could be the knight saving the damsel in distress. In a paranormal romance, it could be a ghost finding his or her lost love in the afterlife. In a contemporary romance, it could be as simple as buying a set of books for your love. It’s the simple things in life that bring the best romance. And to me, that’s the true romance, when it’s on a whim, not set up like a movie set.

Romance in it’s truest form can be intoxicating and passionate. Some never seek romance, they only seek love. How is that different? To this romance author, it’s worlds apart. You can love someone without romance. Love comes in many forms. You can love your partner and want to be there for every moment, but there may be no romance there. But when you combine love and romance, the possibilities are endless.

Yes, I’m what some call a true romantic. I strive to add romance in my marriage by the simplest things. Every night I make my hubby a sandwich for him to take to work the next day, and sometimes I add heart on the bag just to remind him of the romance we share. Sometimes we share just the touch of our fingertips as we pass in the hallway and just that mere wisp of a touch brings a warm fuzzy romantic feeling. You may think that’s all sappy, but to us, it’s the small things.

Tomorrow my hubby and I will celebrate 27 years of wedded bliss. I can tell you this, the romance hasn’t died and if I have anything to do with it, the romance never will.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

What it takes to write…

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Good Wednesday! It’s chilly here in Georgia. My fingers are stiff and it makes writing difficult, but I’m forging on.

I hear people all the time say, ‘I can write a novel. How hard can it be?’. Sometimes I just let it blow over my shoulders, then other times I look at them and tell them what it takes to write that novel. Usually by the time I’m done, they have changed their mind. So, let’s go through some things it takes to put those words on the paper.

Now, don’t get me wrong, anyone can put words on a paper, but… Words on a paper… What a concept…

To write a novel that actually makes sense, you have to get it in the right order. Make sure that you don’t bust the bubble too early and lose the reader. You have to focus on the ebb and flow of the story line. If you write in a up and down motion, meaning there is constant conflict, then resolution, then more conflict and more resolution, the reader will grow tired. It’s important to have a story within the conflict and resolution. The reader needs to be pulled into your story. It needs a purpose.

And an important part of writing is patience. The words don’t write themselves. You have to be patient as you put your story together. If you just haphazardly write, then you’ll get the wrong result. The story needs to be polished and ready before you send it out. Believe me, I’ve been impatient before and the results were less than mediocre. I’ll never do that again.

So, when someone says they could write a novel, explain to them the process. And I’ve only touched on the many intricacies of getting a story completed that will sell and bring you joy. There are so many facets of the writing process that it would take many posts to accomplish.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Groundhogs…Coffee…Writing

It’s Groundhog Day! Let’s hope it doesn’t go like the movie. Anyway, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, so six more weeks of winter. Whether you believe the groundhog or not, it’s fun to see what he does and if his predictions come true. But, whatever happens, we can’t do anything to change it, so life goes on.

Here in Georgia we’re finally seeing the sunshine this morning. As I sip my second cup of coffee, I’m reviewing two more chapters of Safe, my current work in process. With temperatures in the upper 20’s, this coffee helps warm me up. These hardwood floors are mighty cold this morning. But, one step outside and I’m reminded how warm it really is inside. The icy air hits your face like a ton of bricks. So, wrap up and stay warm today.

As for writing, this is the month for romance. The question of the day is this, can you squeeze in romance in a crime thriller? The answer is yes. Even a horror can have some romance element without taking away from the story line. For me, adding an element of romance just makes for a better story. Of course, that could be that I’m a romance writer and I try to put romance in everything I do.

With that being said, my new WIP is coming along quite well. It’s full of suspense, dabbled with excitement and a couple of spine tingling moments. I’m starting to really enjoy this new added genre in my romance books. The thrill of mystery keeps my fingers typing and my mind working. I was so enthralled in the story last night that the dog barked and I almost jumped out of my skin. But that’s what makes it fun, to get lost in the story.

In other news, I’ll have a featured article in the Southern Writer’s Magazine a couple of days before Valentines Day, so keep watching for it. It’s such an honor to be able to talk writing on such a wonderful platform. As writers, we need to be able to spread our wings.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Monday Mystery Writing…

Can you believe it’s already February? And here in Georgia it’s cold and blustery! January seemed to fly by. Now you see it, now you don’t. It’s kind of like writing mystery romance. You may see it, but it may not be what it seems.

Since I’m writing a new series and it’s a suspenseful mystery, I thought I’d do a post on mystery writing. I was a little apprehensive of changing my genre slightly, but when your muse is headed down that road, you follow. And I’m delighted with this new road. It’s been so fun getting elbow deep in the mystery of this story line.

Now, writing mystery is a nail biter. You’ve got to keep up with all of the new leads, new evidence, and new elements of mystery that come into the story. It’s not unlike romance where you keep up with new happenings. But then again, it’s so different.

I wrote my first spine tingling scene and was so pumped when I finished that I went back and read it multiple times. There was a chill that went down my spine which had me smiling broadly. I think I may have found my new genre.

So, I hope you guys have an amazing Monday!

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Sunday Morning Inspiration…

Do you get joy from writing? Some will say they write because they have to and that doesn’t bring joy. But for the majority of writers, you write because you love the art of putting words on paper. Keep that joy and your writing will fill you with such pleasure that you’ll always find inspiration in the small things.

Inspiration can come from many sources, so go out into the world and explore. Go for a nature walk. People watch. Listen to music that inspires you. But always strive to find joy in what you do.

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:11

Saturday Night Thoughts…

Description is key! What am I talking about? Well, if you want a reader to take the journey of your story with you, then you need to help kick their imagination in gear. So, take them there with words. If the walls are red, then tell them. Because the reader can’t read your mind. Show don’t tell… Just my thoughts…

Sweet dreams…

Coffee is better on Saturday morning…

It’s Saturday, if you haven’t noticed. Why is coffee better on a Saturday morning? Here are my thoughts on that.

On Saturday morning you can sit and enjoy your coffee without being in a hurry.

On Saturday morning, life is just calm and beautiful. (Most of the time)

On Saturday morning you get to sleep in, so you’re refreshed when you take that first sip.

On Saturday morning you don’t have to go to work, so everything seems better.

What am I saying? Coffee is good on any day!

Have a blessed Saturday morning…

Happy Release Day…

There’s several reasons to smile today. One, it’s Friday. Two it’s release day for Double Take At Mistletoe Ranch. It seems like just yesterday I was announcing the first book in the Mistletoe Ranch Series and now the series is complete. Wow, time flies when you’re having fun!

So, if you haven’t met Denver and Maddy, then grab all three books and fall in love again. Their love story is one that will have you laughing, crying, and rooting them on.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Wednesday Coffee Ramblings…

We’re halfway to the weekend, so that’s something to smile about. Have you noticed how fast this year is already going? Or is that just me? It seems like we just said, Happy New Year, and now we’re almost to February.

With that being said, my newest release comes out tomorrow. What! Double Take at Mistletoe Ranch releases tomorrow. As I sit and sip my coffee, I’m thinking about all of the trouble Denver and Maddy have gotten themselves into. But they’ve also found the most amazing love. Their story is so sweet and I’m honored to get to be the one that brought to life.

If you’ve ever read any of the Mistletoe Ranch books, you’ll laugh, cry, and sigh as you read this last installment. It’s such a sad time as I say goodbye to Denver and Maddy, but as a writer, you never know when they might get revisited one day. Hey, stranger things have happened.

So, as you get your day started… Sip some coffee, you deserve it… Take the time to enjoy the morning… Tell someone how special they are to you… And just focus on having a wonderful day. You’ve got this, so go out there and be the best you can be.

As always, good writing and May God Bless you…