If anyone has ears to hear...

No, I'm not about to tell you a parable. Instead I'm going to tell you about my latest non-writing-related project - audiobooks! For the past year or more I've worked with several extremely talented narrators to produce many of my books on audio. What a fun project! I've been able to listen to auditions by many awesome narrators, and then select the perfect one for each book or series.

Some of my books have been available on audio for a while. Just As I Am was my first, and I actually recorded that one myself. That was a lot of fun, but while I'm a good reader, I'm not a professional "voice." So from there I was happy to turn over the task to the pros.

Erin Novotny recorded The Days of Noah. She has a voice that is clear and smooth, and at times haunting and tense - perfect for that book.

I partnered with the multi-talented Becky Doughty for the Tales of the Goose Creek B&B books. I love her portrayal of Millie and Al, and especially of Tuesday Love!

The minute I heard Lauren Holladay read a sample, I thought, "Oh my goodness! That's Allie!" Actually, her voice was perfect for all three of the Sanderson sisters. She has that quirky-yet-dramatic tone so necessary for the Sister-to-Sister series. Since this series is very personal to me, I was thrilled to find a Voice who was so perfectly suited to the characters.

I'd never worked with a male narrator before, but since The Amish Widower is written from the perspective of Seth Hostetler, the book really needed a man to record it. You have no idea how thrilled I was to find Logan Harper. He not only has a soothing, easy-to-listen-to voice, he nails the Amish dialect. And his acting experience gave the audiobook a truly entertaining quality that I absolutely love!

Historical novels require a different style of voice than contemporary ones. Sarah Kate has a lyrical, smooth style that was absolutely perfect for the Seattle Brides series. My job during the production process is to listen to the recording and let the narrator know if anything doesn't sound right. With Sarah's narration, I was so caught up in the story I forgot to listen for corrections! And there weren't any.

The Amish of Apple Grove provided some unique challenges for a narrator. First, the Voice must portray both female and male. The male has a Texas cowboy accent - but not too much, which would be distracting. The female is Amish, so the narrator needs to be able to pronounce Pa Dutch terms and read passages from the German Bible. Cecily White contacted me because she is such a fan of Lori Copeland, my co-author on this book. The minute I heard her read a scene from the first chapter of The Heart's Frontier, I knew she had the exact qualities to make these audiobooks a success.

Have I piqued your interest? Then I invite you to visit the Audiobook page on my website for links to all my audiobooks. And for a limited time, you might be able to get a free audiobook by entering the drawing on the Reader Fun page.

What I Enjoyed About Writing A Goose Creek Christmas - #1

It's 7 days until Christmas, and I'm sharing a tidbit each day. The first six are "What I Enjoyed About Writing A Goose Creek Christmas," because it's my most recent Christmas book. Beginning on day 7 I'll tell you six "Things I Love About Christmas."

What I Enjoyed About Writing A Goose Creek Christmas - #1

I loved writing the scene of Christmas morning at Al and Millie’s house, with the grandkids running into the room and bouncing on the bed shouting, “Santa came! Santa came!” Al is an old grouch with a perpetual frown, but inside he’s a marshmallow – especially for his grandkids. And he loves his wife with a passion that at times takes his breath away. His anticipation of the moment she opens her gift from him is priceless.

How about you? Leave a comment and tell me about Christmas morning at your house.

Note: This post first appeared at Marshall Books, when they featured a giveaway of A Goose Creek Christmas. Good folks over there. Check them out!

What I Enjoyed About Writing A Goose Creek Christmas - #2

It's 8 days until Christmas, and I'm sharing a tidbit each day. The first six are "What I Enjoyed About Writing A Goose Creek Christmas," because it's my most recent Christmas book. Then I'll tell you six "Things I Love About Christmas."

What I Enjoyed About Writing A Goose Creek Christmas - #3

Nothing spoils Christmas for me more than gratuitous giving – giving a gift to someone just because you have to put something under the tree. I love giving Christmas gifts that mean something to the recipient. In A Goose Creek Christmas I had a great time helping Al come up with exactly the right present for his wife, Millie.

How about you? Leave a comment and tell me about a gift you received that truly meant something.

Note: This post first appeared at Marshall Books, when they featured a giveaway of A Goose Creek Christmas. Good folks over there. Check them out!

What I Enjoyed About Writing A Goose Creek Christmas - #3

It's 9 days until Christmas, and I'm sharing a tidbit each day. The first six are "What I Enjoyed About Writing A Goose Creek Christmas," because it's my most recent Christmas book. Beginning on day 7 I'll tell you six "Things I Love About Christmas."

What I Enjoyed About Writing A Goose Creek Christmas - #3

They say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. What does a small town do when the person in charge of decorating Main Street leans toward ‘tasteless tacky’ instead of ‘tasteful chic’? If you’re an outspoken business owner, you start a war! I enjoyed poking fun at the small-minded residents of Goose Creek. All in good fun, of course.

How about you? Leave a comment and tell me what kind of Christmas decorations you enjoy most.

Note: This post first appeared at Marshall Books, when they featured a giveaway of A Goose Creek Christmas. Good folks over there. Check them out!

What I Enjoyed About Writing A Goose Creek Christmas - #4

It's 10 days until Christmas, and I'm sharing a tidbit each day. The first six are "What I Enjoyed About Writing A Goose Creek Christmas," because it's my most recent Christmas book. Beginning on day 7 I'll tell you six "Things I Love About Christmas."

What I Enjoyed About Writing A Goose Creek Christmas - #4

One of the main characters, Al Richardson, is forced into early retirement at the beginning of the book. He doesn’t want to tell his wife, because then he’ll be forced to help her open a B&B, and he thinks its unmanly for a husband to work for his wife. He goes to outrageous lengths to keep his secret, which of course only digs the hole deeper. Is Al in for a Merry Christmas or a Marriage Crisis? In the end, he learns a painful and very public lesson. I loved redeeming Al and teaching him respect for the truth, and for his wife.

How about you? Leave a comment and tell me about a secret you kept, and how it turned out.

Note: This post first appeared at Marshall Books, when they featured a giveaway of A Goose Creek Christmas. Good folks over there. Check them out!

What I Enjoyed About Writing A Goose Creek Christmas - #5

It's 11 days until Christmas, and I'm sharing a tidbit each day. The first six are "What I Enjoyed About Writing A Goose Creek Christmas," because it's my most recent Christmas book. Beginning on day 7 I'll tell you six "Things I Love About Christmas."

What I Enjoyed About Writing A Goose Creek Christmas - #5

In A Goose Creek Christmas an annoying character, Franklin Thacker, fills every inch of his yard with inflatable Christmas figures, much to the displeasure of his neighbors. I love to drive by houses with that many decorations, but I’m not sure I’d like to have them next door. Franklin’s neighbors feel the same, except for two little boys who decide to ‘help’ him out – with hilarious results.

How about you? Leave a comment and tell me how you decorate your yard for Christmas. Or if you have a neighbor who decorates like Franklin Thacker!

Note: This post first appeared at Marshall Books, when they featured a giveaway of A Goose Creek Christmas. Good folks over there. Check them out!

What I Enjoyed About Writing A Goose Creek Christmas - #6

It's 12 days until Christmas, and I'm sharing a tidbit each day. The first six will be "What I Enjoyed About Writing A Goose Creek Christmas," because it's my most recent Christmas book. (I've only written two!)  Then I'll tell you six "Things I Love About Christmas."

What I Enjoyed About Writing A Goose Creek Christmas - #6

In writing this book, I was able to poke a bit of fun at some Christmas traditions that make me laugh. One is the tacky Christmas sweater. What do you do when a guest gives you a handmade one and is obviously pleased with the gift? A good southern woman smiles graciously and thanks her. And prays she never has to wear it in public.

How about you? Leave a comment and tell me about a Christmas tradition that makes you laugh.

Note: This post first appeared at Marshall Books, when they featured a giveaway of A Goose Creek Christmas. Good folks over there. Check them out!

See where the Creekers hang out!

In every book in the Goose Creek series, we see the Creekers gathering at a favorite watering hole - Cardwell Drug Store's soda fountain. Would you like to see the real-life drug store that inspired the idea? Take a look.




I'm happy to say that the fourth installment in the Tales from the Goose Creek B&B series is now available! Al, Millie, Tuesday, Susan and the whole gang are back again in another hilarious adventure. The book is available wherever you like to shop. Click on the book cover to see it on Amazon.com

Visit Downtown Goose Creek!

I wish I'd kept track of how many people have written me to say, "I want to live in Goose Creek!" Frankly, so do I. And it isn't only the people who live there, Al, Millie, Dr. Susan, Tuesday Love, Mayor Selbo and the rest. It's the town itself.

If you agree, I'm sure you'll enjoy this glimpse at downtown Midway Kentucky, the real life town that was my creative springboard for Goose Creek.


The fourth book in the Goose Creek series, The Room with the Second-Best View, is available on September 1. You can read about the previous ones here. Or Visit my Amazon author page to see all my books, including The Room with the Second-Best View.

Stop by Goose Creek's Whistlestop Cafe!

The Whistlestop Cafe is Al's favorite restaurant in Goose Creek, the setting for my books in the series, Tales from the Goose Creek B&B. The real restaurant is called Darlin' Jean's in Midway, Kentucky. But I will always think of it as the Whistlestop, and see Al and Millie and the others seated there.



The fourth story (or third full-length novel) in the series is available on September 1. I think you're going to love The Room with the Second-Best View.  Buy it on Amazon, or wherever books are sold!

Wanna see the Goose Creek water tower?

I had a chance to visit the small Kentucky town that served as the inspiration for Goose Creek, the setting for my books in the series, Tales from the Goose Creek B&B. Want to see the cause of the town's uproar in The Most Famous Illegal Goose Creek Parade? Take a look:



The fourth story (or third full-length novel) in the series is available on September 1. I think you're going to love The Room with the Second-Best View.  Buy it on Amazon, or wherever books are sold!

Wanna see the Goose Creek water tower?

I had a chance to visit the small Kentucky town that served as the inspiration for Goose Creek, the setting for my books in the series, Tales from the Goose Creek B&B. Want to see the cause of the town's uproar in The Most Famous Illegal Goose Creek Parade? Take a look:



The fourth story (or third full-length novel) in the series is available on September 1. I think you're going to love The Room with the Second-Best View.  Buy it on Amazon, or wherever books are sold!

A 4 1/2 Star Review!

Squeee! I just discovered that my upcoming book, The Most Famous Illegal Goose Creek Parade, received a 4 1/2 star review from RT! And the reviewer loved it! Yippee!

 Read the review here.

Cooking Up a Book

No, not a cookbook. My new series, Tales of the Goose Creek B&B, launches this fall with a short novella that will be released as an eBook to introduce the series. The story will be called Horatio and the Six-Toed Cat. Don't you just love that title? It makes me smile, and since the story makes me smile too, that's perfect.

Like every book in the Goose Creek series, Horatio contains a couple of extras. One is a recipe for cinnamon roasted pecans with a special ingredient. Well, I can't include a recipe unless I've tried it out and experimented with it and made sure it's the absolute best it can be. Right? Here's a picture of my results.

Yummy! Trust me, these wonderful pecans are sweet and savory and cinnamon-y and crunchy.

Excuse me? Did you have a question?

Oh, the recipe? Well you're going to have to wait until August and read it in the book!

(Yeah, that's mean. Sorry! Okay, maybe I'll relent and post the recipe here. But not until closer to the release date!)

Pressing SEND!!!!

I did it! I pressed Send!

Typing THE END!

I recorded myself typing the last few paragraphs of my latest book, The Most Famous Illegal Goose Creek Parade, the first book in my upcoming series, the Tales of the Goose Creek Bed and Breakfast. This is what it looks like when a writer finishes a story.

And, uh, I was so caught up in the moment I forgot about my injured shoulder. There's a cringe-worthy moment in the end, but...all's well that ends well.

What's Cookin' in the Goose Creek Kitchen?

I feel a tiny bit bad about posting this video blog, since I'm going to eat in front of you. If I had my way, I'd invite you into my kitchen and we would sit down together over tea and scones. But since that's not possible, I'll eat the scones myself. (Sorry!)

Enjoy!

Therapy on Halloween - Video Blog Post

My second video blog post in a week. Hey, I think I'm onto something here! And in this blog I have some guest appearances by the staff at my physical therapy office.

Enjoy!