A Heroic Christmas

Susan Sleeman here. I've been attending weekly sessions of our local police academy to get insights into the job of  a police officer. I not only get to hear from the fine men and women who protect me, but I'll also get to go on a ride along. I'll spend four hours of a shift with the patrol officer traveling the streets of my city and seeing his or her job first hand. I can't wait. I'm so in awe of our law enforcement officers and the troops who defend our country. I see each and everyone of them as heroes who deserve our utmost respect.

So when my editor asked me to join with Debby Guisti and Jodie Bailey to create a Christmas themed novella featuring military heroes, I wholeheartedly accepted and enjoyed every minute of writing my story, Special Ops Christmas. The book is releasing in a few days and here's a quick description of the stories and I hope you'll look for it in stores or at online retailers.

 

HOLIDAY DEFENDERS 

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, THREE MILITARY MEN OF HONOR MUST DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO SAVE CHRISTMAS

Mission: Christmas Rescue by Debby Giusti 

On the run from a killer, Elizabeth Tate must accept U.S. Army Captain Nick Fontaine’s protection for the sake of her young niece and nephew. Now her life is in the hands of the very man who broke her heart years ago.

Special Ops Christmas by Susan Sleeman 

Researcher Claire Reed’s top secret project is stolen, putting her at risk of being kidnapped to unlock it. Her undercover bodyguard—her former love, Green Beret Travis Chapman—is on his most dangerous mission yet.

Homefront Holiday Hero by Jodie Bailey 

When someone tries to kill the daughter of a military official, U.S. Army major Tyler Rainey must keep Kelly Walters from harm…while guarding his own heart against very unexpected feelings.

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SUSAN SLEEMAN is a best-selling author of inspirational and clean read romantic suspense books. Awards include Thread of Suspicion-2013 Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Best Book Award, No Way Out-2014 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence finalist, and The Christmas Witness-2012 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence finalist. In addition to writing, Susan also hosts the popular website TheSuspenseZone.com. She currently lives in Oregon with her husband, but has lived in nine states. They have two daughters, a son-in-law, and an adorable grandson. To connect with Susan outside of her – Website visit any of these social media sites-

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Christmas comes TWICE a year for Allie Pleiter!

"What?" you say.  "Christmas comes twice a year????"

This year, for me, it does.  I got an extra special early Christmas present - a new cover for my 2009 holiday novel, “Bluegrass Christmas”!  

Seems the Kentucky Corners novel of a Christmas pageant gone horribly wrong (in the way only quirky Middleburg can create) will be available again to Love Inspired readers as a January release.

Here’s what the old cover looked like:

Here’s the new one:

The big change is that that Mac’s showman of a cockatoo, Curly, is missing from the store window.  But it’s a lovely Christmas scene--especially how they captured the look of falling snow.

What do you think?

Christmas Memories

Susan Sleeman here wishing you a wonderful upcoming holiday season and a blessed New Year.

This month I have a romantic suspense book releasing with Love Inspired Suspense called The Christmas Witness. So my mind has been on Christmas much longer this year than in past years as I anticipated the release of the book. All of this got me to thinking about Christmas’s past and some of my favorite memories as a child. So I’d like to share some of them with you going way back to my toddler days.

This picture is of my family before going to Christmas Eve service at church. I’m the one on the right. Both of my parents passed away in the last few years so this picture of all of us together is very special to me. Also special in the photo are our hats. My aunt who lived cross country from us in fashionable Beverly Hills sent beautiful hats to us each year. At this age, I don’t remember enjoying them but as I got older, I really did. Especially the ones she sent at Easter time time with the gloves like my sister is holding in this picture.

Here I am on Christmas Eve after church with all of the kids in our jammies. Our church always did the Christmas pageant presented by the children at Christmas Eve service then we would head home and Santa had visited while we were at church. I’m on the left side in this photo. It was late in the evening after we’d opened a few presents and we were tired, but hanging in there. If you look real hard on the right side you can see a doll I got that year.

As I look at all of these pictures there is one thing in common. Christmas though first and foremost to me is about the birth of our Savior, it's about family to me. I start baking, sending out cards, shopping and all the other busy things of the season early, but it’s only when my daughter comes home from college that Christmas begins in my heart.

What about you? When does Christmas start for you and what are your favorite memories?

SUSAN SLEEMAN is a best-selling author of inspirational romantic suspense and mystery novels. She grew up in a small Wisconsin town where she spent her summers reading Nancy Drew and developing a love of mystery and suspense books. Today, she channels this enthusiasm into writing romantic suspense and mystery novels and hosting the popular internet website TheSuspenseZone.com. Susan currently lives in Florida, but has had the pleasure of living in nine states. Her husband is a church music director and they have two beautiful daughters, a very special son-in-law and an adorable grandson. To learn more about Susan visit:

Her website http://www.susansleeman.com

Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/SusanSleemanBooks

or join her on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/SusanSleeman

Research and My New Release - CHRISTMAS GIFTS - Gail Gaymer Martin

Greetings from Gail Gaymer Martin at http://www.gailmartin.com/

When an idea strikes me for a novel, my mind begins to click with characters and plot, but also with setting. Where should this story take place? So when my agent called to say my editor asked if I would be part of a Christmas Duet novel for this year, I thought a moment--but only a moment--and said yes. I love writing Christmas books and I'd been thinking that I'd love to have a new one. Story ideas came fast, a widowed father with 7 year old twin daughters who were trouble, and a teacher. Perfect.

Now where to set the story? A small town was my first thought so I began looking through the Internet for small towns in Northern Michigan along I-23.  I'd driven there a few months earlier to visit relatives and had already considered setting a story in one of these small towns. After investigating small towns on the Internet, I found the perfect spot--Harrisville, Michigan. My husband and I took a weekend and visited the town.

Everyone I meet was pleased to be part of the novel and cooperated fully. I visited the library where many town activities are sponsored and spent an hour or more at the elementary school, touring the building and talking with the principal, office staff, and a second grade teacher. A visit to the Chamber of Commerce provided me with great information especially about their Christmas event, Christmas in the Village. Deidre Gray owner of the gift shop, Maggie’s on Main, answered many questions and served as a liaison, as well as being eager to sell the books in her store, Manny Pompa owner of the restaurant and bakery Flour Garden provided information about the Tree Lighting Ceremony on the highway. Bob and I spent time in the park which provides a scene in the novel, and I drove through neighborhoods taking photographs of houses that I used in the story to create realism. I even called officials to learn their laws about leaf burning in the town.  When I delved into the novel, it was like visiting old friends. I hope you enjoy the novel as much as I enjoyed meeting the townspeople and researching the town.

 CHRISTMAS GIFTS
including Small Town Christmas
Gail Gaymer Martin
Love Inspired Duet - November 2011

Mini-Matchmakers And An Old Fashion Christmas
When the new second grade teacher, Amy Carroll, meets the precocious twin sisters, she knows she has her hands full, but when she learns they live on the street where she is staying with her grandmother and they have a single father who is handsome and needs help, Amy’s hands are beyond full. But Amy’s from Chicago and falling in love with a small town man is not part of her plan. Can God waylay Amy’s desire to return to the big city? Can Mike Russett open his heart to love?

Reveiws:
Martin’s story contains strong characters and touching scenes - Romantic Times

Martin's spirituality and her gift for spinning a story flow through this wonderful Christmas romance novel. A must-buy for any Christian romance connoisseur this holiday season! Reviews by Laura


This duet novel also includes Brenda Minton's Her Christmas Cowboy

Available in all stores where books are sold or at Internet books stores.  Click Here for Amazon.com and a first chapter excerpt.

Christmas Reads

by

Debby Giusti

The days before Christmas are always busy and filled with last minute holiday preparations. In contrast, the week following Christmas is a refreshing pause in the routine of my daily life. I plan to relax in a comfy chair, cup of cappuccino in hand, and read the wonderful Steeple Hill Christmas books out this month.

Margaret Daley and I have a Love Inspired Suspense titled CHRISTMAS PERIL, which features two suspense stories in one book. Margaret’s Merry Mayhem hooked me from the first line. I couldn’t put the book down. Margaret is a delightful writer who has published 66 books, and I know you’ll enjoy her story. Yule Die is the tale I enjoyed telling about two strong-willed characters caught up in a hostage situation that changes their lives forever. Still on sale at your favorite bookstores or wherever you buy books, I hope you’ll consider reading both stories over the holiday.

If you’ve been good, maybe Santa will stuff your stocking with books for your New Year’s reading pleasure!

Wishing you a joyous Christmas!
Debby Giusti

http://www.debbygiusti.com/
http://www.seekerville.blogspot.com/
http://www.ladiesofsuspense.blogspot.com/

KILLER HEADLINE

Book 2 in the Protecting the Witnesses

Love Inspired Suspense Continuity Series

February 2010

Flying like an angel

Janet Tronstad here. I'm excited because this month I have a new Christmas book out that takes me back to the first book I wrote for Love Inspired. 'A Silent Night in Dry Creek' features the pageant made famous in this little town. The pageant was the highlight of my 1999 book 'An Angel for Dry Creek' and in both books the angels really fly (well, with a rope, of course, swinging across the old barn set aside for community events). Ten years have gone by in this town and people have grown. It's a challenge to me to keep remembering that I have to age my characters -- the twins in 'An Angel for Dry Creek' are now teenagers. Yikes! I still mention them here and there in the Dry Creek books and know I need to make sure the mention is age appropriate. I'm frequently grateful I described the town in the first book as being very small. I don't know if I could keep it all straight otherwise. So much has happened in my life too in the last ten years. Children grow. Parents age. Jobs come and go. Sometimes I'm so busy living, I don't take time to look back and see all that has gone on. Do you every look back at the previous decade and wonder where it all went?