Throwback Thursday – Mistletoe Ranch

Good morning!

When I started the Mistletoe Ranch series I could see everything. It was as though I was living on the ranch and taking every step the characters did. Every detail was right in front of me. I loved writing this series. The emotions, the highs and lows, and the people, all of it felt real to me. Many of my readers have said that this was the most heartfelt romance series and I have to agree. I put everything inside of me in these books. But I do that with everything I write.

So, if you’re looking for a sweet, funny, heartwarming romance series, then grab all three books in the Mistletoe Ranch Series.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GLNZQJB?binding=kindle_edition&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tkin

Lost work and Writer’s Block

Good morning! It’s been a while since I’ve posted here. I’ve had a lot going on in the background. So, here goes:

I had a computer glitch back in February that had me checking on my backups for my writing. Guess what, my backups were not working due to a file error with an update to my computer. Soooooo, here is what happened. I lost, yes, lost three works in progress. One was almost completely finished and was supposed to be published in February. A writer’s worst nightmare.

Now, you might be saying, why didn’t she have a back up. I did, or so I thought. My writing program Scrivener backs up to my Google drive. But the update to my computers windows program was corrupt and it made the backups look like they were working, but they were not. Am I checking and rechecking now, yes! Almost to a obsessed level.

As writers, we struggle sometimes to put words on paper. And when things are going well and you have all of the right words, then lose them, well, it puts a damper on your writer brain. But there is light at the end of the tunnel, or at least that’s how I feel now. A few months ago it caused major writers block. I had to back track on all three works and remember what I’d created.

One light was that four chapters of the one almost completed had been sent to my editor via email so I do have those to get it back going. Another light was that one of the works had been giving me problems, so I’m going at it from a different angle and I actually like it better now. And another one I lost the whole thing, and will revisit it again one day, but right now I’m focusing on finishing one at a time. This is a major setback on my publishing schedule, but all things happen for a reason. I’ve been forced to sit back and readjust my writing schedule. It’s been a struggle, but I’m starting to get back in the groove.

If someone tells you writer’s block isn’t real, don’t believe them. I’ve never experienced it to such a level as the last six months, but now that I’m starting to see the words in my head again, I know it’s a very real phenomena that wreaks havoc on the writer brain. Some days I would struggle just getting a paragraph on paper. There were a couple of weeks that I didn’t write anything, not one word. My heart has been heavy with unwritten words. Writer’s know what I’m talking about. Our brains work on a different level and when the words back up, well it’s like logs wedged in a dam. The words are there, but they can’t escape. Then one day, boom! The dam breaks and they flood through the gates.

So, hope all has been well with all of you… Oh, and to top it all off, I missed an email from WordPress regarding my email needing to be confirmed, so my domain was suspended temporarily. Yep, when it rains it pours.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Friday Coffee & A Book…

Most people don’t have much time to read these days. Everyone stays so busy that the special moments found inside the pages of a book don’t seem to matter. But let me just say, when I do have a free moment, I try to get lost in between the covers of a romance, mystery, or paranormal book. It takes you away from the world we live in and takes you to another place or time.

So, try to find a few minutes every day to do something for yourself. And yes, I’m guilty of letting life take those minutes from me. I’ve been reading the same book for months and need to get back to it. I’m taking my life back, one page at a time. And that goes for writing too!

If you’re looking for something to fill that space, then check out some of my books. I put my heart in every word and hope that if just for a moment, I can take away the stress of the day for one reader. To start, check out Ridge, the first book in the Five Oaks Ranch Series. It’s Free! And one of my bestsellers!

As always, good writing, and May God Bless You…

When the story can’t go on…

Good morning! Hope all is well… Today I’m talking about that story. You know the one. The story grabs you by the collar and pulls you around until you do something with it. Have you ever had that happen? Most writers have. But today’s story is one that can’t go anywhere. What?

I, as many writers do, have a stack of unfinished manuscripts. The story filled our head and needed to be told, but only a chapter or maybe a couple of chapters in you hit a wall. And every way you try to get around that wall, you only end up digging a hole that just keeps going. So why do you keep trying? It’s the writer in you. The part of the writer’s brain that sees something that could be, but can’t be. You may say that doesn’t make sense, but hear me out.

For example, I had a storyline come to me during my writer’s block that seemed perfect. Almost too perfect. The beginning held so much promise. But as I wrote, the story got fuzzy, almost unrecognizable. All I was doing was putting words on the page just to make it to the next chapter. When I went back to read over what I wrote, well, let’s just say ‘Yuck’. It wasn’t the story I saw in my head. And it definitely wasn’t something I would publish. So, instead of wasting my time, I put it to the side. Maybe one day… But not today.

Although some discarded manuscripts do become a reality. One such manuscript was ‘Ghost Lover’. It was my first published manuscript. But the story started out over twenty years earlier. I had a vision but for some reason, it faded. I placed that manuscript in a desk drawer and left it there. I thought of it often but didn’t pick it back up until 2012 when my niece found it along with many other manuscripts. She read what I had on paper, yes it was typed on a typewriter, you know, old-school writing. Well, she said that it had a lot of promise.

I began to read the manuscript and realized, she was right. The story began to blossom inside my heart and poured out like water from a fountain. In only days I’d written over 30,000 words. So, from a discarded manuscript, one I thought couldn’t go anywhere, came one of my bestselling novels and my first published book.

So, my advice is this. If you have a manuscript that doesn’t seem to go anywhere, don’t totally give up. Just set it aside and come back to it later. It’s possible that it might become your bestseller one day or just collect dust in a drawer.

As always, good writing, and May God Bless You…

P.S. If you’re looking for your next read, give one of Ghost Lover a try!

Thursday Throwback… My 1st published book…

It’s hard to believe that I’ve been publishing books since 2012. Ten years! To say it’s been an experience is just the tip of sword. This has been the best, most rewarding experience. I’ve enjoyed meeting so many people through this journey. And some of those were authors I admired, which has been an absolute thrill.

My first published book was Ghost Lover. This book started when I was a teenager, but was put in a drawer for over many years. When my niece found all of my stashed manuscripts and wanted to read them, I was like, ‘sure, why not’. But after three days, she came to me with a plan. I was skeptical, but now I’m glad I took the leap. Ghost Lover became my first bestseller.

Here are the many covers over the years that have graced Ghost Lover… The changes have been many, but the story has stayed the same. It’s one of my favorites and I’ll never forget the feeling I had as a teenager when I first penned the words that became the book. And when I say penned, I mean, pen and paper.

The first Ghost Lover cover… Let’s say I’ve learned a lot about cover design since this one!

Cover 2 was quite exciting. I received a lot of response when this new cover was revealed.

And this cover was born after I revised the first edition. Many changes, but still the heart of Ghost Lover remained…

The current cover. Let’s see who haunts your dreams…

If you haven’t read Ghost Lover, then give it a try. This book will take you on an emotional roller coaster. Enjoy! https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Lover-Revised-Stephanie-Hurt-ebook/dp/B00NDI5AYW

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Technically, it’s my Monday…

Good morning! I do hope everyone had a safe and Happy 4th of July! It’s always rough the first day back to the real life after a three day weekend. So, as the title suggests, today is my Monday. And of course I’ll have to wrap up two days in one.

As for my writing, well… Yep, got another chapter finished and I’m on the final stretch to the finish line. This book is pulling me from every direction. It’s been a wild ride into a new realm. I’ve written western romance as well as historical, but never about a wagon train. The things I’ve learned have been eye opening.

Television can romanticize the old west and the wagon train experience. But the facts are staggering and sad. Life on a wagon train was hard. The struggle to get to a new life was tough, but many made the trip.

I’ve tried to keep it as close to real as possible, but at the end of the day, it is fiction. And that brings me to another subject. Why do reviewers continue to say, ‘this book doesn’t fit into real life or real life scenarios’? Think about it. If you write fiction, it’s just that, fiction. In the world of fiction, anything can happen. If not, we wouldn’t have some of the best books out there. And if you think some of that really happens, then I need to enlighten you. It can’t.

Writers open up themselves to scrutiny every time they hit publish. Whether it’s a blog or book. But it’s part of it. And as a fiction writer, there will always be something that doesn’t really happen in real life. The reader wants to be taken to another place or time. They need that out of this world experience, if only for a moment.

So, take this from my post. Yes, most writers try to keep close to real life, but in fiction, the rules go out the door.

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…

Monday Coffee Talk…

Mondays are made for coffee and contemplating the new week. Some Monday’s are harder than others. But somehow we get through them, one coffee at a time. Now, if you know me, you know I love my coffee. It’s what keeps me going on Monday’s like today. After a busy weekend, this might take the whole pot and then some…

Now, as for my writing. I’ve been a little off my game lately. Today is a new day and my WIP needs some attention. So, I’ll say good morning and happy Monday. Now on to getting some words written before I go to the office.

Good writing and May God Bless You…

Saturday Promotion

It’s Saturday morning, so I’m sitting here sipping coffee and writing. One of my favorite things to do on Saturday morning is to work on my current WIP and maybe dabble with something new in the works. But this morning I want to talk about my In Harm’s Way Series. Three in the series have been released, but there are two more to come.

This Christian Suspense Romance series has surprised me. When I stepped out of my usual sweet romance style writing into something a little more edgy, I was scared. But the response from my fans has been wonderful. I even get emails asking when the next one will be released. And I have to admit that writing suspense and mystery is fun. There’s so many twists and turns.

So here’s a look at the three that are out:

Hadley never thought she’d be living out one of the stories she wrote. Not until one trip to the park changed her whole life. She finds herself in the middle of a horror story. One that will change the way she looks at everything and everyone around her. If she lived through this, it would be a miracle. She had one chance at safety, but he was making her break out of her comfort zone.
Drew left everything to find solace on his Wyoming ranch. His world had been filled with espionage, murder, and keeping the country safe as a member of an elite Navy Seal team. But now, all he wanted was peace. That would change in an instant with one meeting with Hadley. Drew couldn’t go back to that life, but now he has no choice if he was to keep her safe.
They are thrown together to solve a mystery, one that could change her own past. Both have their own inner demons to get past. Can her faith help her, and can she teach Drew to have faith? As they get closer, both realize that there is more than just investigating happening between them. But Drew knows that it’s something he can’t explore, and Hadley doesn’t understand when he pushes her away.
This novel is a faith-based suspense romance. If you’re looking for a clean, faith-oriented thriller novel, then look no further than one of the In Harm’s Way novels.

Abusive husband… Old love… Tested Faith…
Harper…
Harper was trapped in a nightmare. Every morning she woke expecting it to be her last. How could she have married a monster? The only light in her dark world is the faith that she holds close to her heart.
Reid…
Reid has struggled for years to forget the one woman that was everything to him. While doing rounds at the hospital, he comes face to face with her. He sees the truth to her injuries, but she quickly denies them, leaving the hospital before he can convince her to get help. Now he can’t get her out of his head. She’s in trouble and he needs to help her.
To his surprise, she shows up at his front door needing his help. She risks everything to get help. When she learns more of her husband’s secrets, she knows she must leave Reid forever to keep him safe.
Reid is frantic to find her before her abusive husband does. Will he be too late to save her? With not much to go on, the police extend the search, but they may not get there in time. Reid fears he’ll never see her again.
This is a story of abuse, suspense, faith, and lost love…

Ginger just wanted to get to the photoshoot safely. She leans on her faith and takes a chance driving into a blizzard. But when she becomes snowbound, her only place to take refuge is an old cabin she saw before she ended up in a snowbank.
Dakota can’t believe who’s at the door during the worst snowstorm in years. The woman that had haunted his dreams since that fateful trip to Paris. Now he was on the run from the law, but he couldn’t just close the door in her face.
While they are stranded, they begin to grow closer. A call informs Dakota that the men after him are headed in his direction. Dakota must keep Ginger safe, but how? They are forced to take a chance and brave the frigid cold to get to safety. When tragedy strikes, Dakota must step out of hiding to get her help. That one move ends with Dakota behind bars for murder.
There is more to what’s happening than anyone would believe. And Ginger must prove it, or Dakota will never be free again. She’s forced to step out of her comfort zone to help this man. She leans on her faith and begins to piece things together. But nobody expected what would happen next. Not to mention what is revealed about Dakota’s identity.
It all comes down to the place it all began for Dakota and Ginger. Will their faith help them find each other again or will they lose everything?
A Christian Suspense Romance that will keep you guessing up until the end…

So, if you’re in the mood for some suspenseful reading this weekend, then grab one or all three.

As always, good writing and May God Bless you…

Sleepy, but writing! Dawgs Win!

Good morning! Sipping my coffee as I write this post. Some days coffee is needed more than others. If you’re a Georgia Bulldog fan, then most of you need a lot of coffee this morning. It was a late night, but a good one. But with the morning light, I have some words to put in before I head to the office.

The week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve I sat down and made my writing schedule for the year. Of course, it can change in the blink of an eye. Kind of like that score last night. I have two new series coming out this year and will be finishing up In Harm’s Way. So, it will be a busy year.

What are you up to this cold morning? Have you penciled in your writing schedule?

As always, good writing, and May God Bless You…

Friday writing…

It’s been a long week of getting my mind back into my current WIP. I’ve struggled to get back to my writing schedule after a couple of busy weeks. Between tax season deadlines and planning a baby shower for my coming granddaughter, I’ve had little time for anything else.

And if you’ve read any of my blog posts, you know that my writing is my sanity. So, that tells you my current state of mind. But I’m back at it and the story is coming back to me. It wasn’t lost as I’d feared, but it was hidden behind my busy schedule.

Now, on to my current work. It’s the 3rd book in the In Harm’s Way Series. The book is called Storm. And yes, it has weather related storms in it, but there are also storms of the heart and storms that bring about danger. Yep, using storm as a metaphor is always fun. Now, back to the writing. Oh, and don’t forget, if you haven’t checked out my podcast, first episode, then check it out. I have another episode coming in mere days.

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1500070/episodes/9161209

As always, good writing and May God Bless You…