christian

Interview with Author Katy Eeten: A Stalker to Die For

/ Carol Underhill / 1 Comment

Good morning. Today I’m interviewing author Katy Eeten.

I became acquainted with Katy a few years ago. She is one of my favorite Christian authors.

Katy, thank you for joining me on my blog. I’m really excited to talk about your new release, A Stalker to Die For.

But first, tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’ve lived in southeast Wisconsin most of my life, which is where I currently reside with my husband and our two teenage sons. I work full time as a Senior Office Administrator at a large corporation, but I do my best to squeeze in writing off hours. A Stalker to Die For is my sixth published book and my first attempt at suspense. My other books are all contemporary Christian romances, including three Christmas novellas. When I’m not working or writing, I enjoy playing board games, baking, taking walks, and spending time with my family.

Your new book, A Stalker to Die for, releases today.

What is the book about?

Ashley Morris thought the worst part of online dating was awkward small talk. She was wrong.After one disastrous date, a man named Nick won’t take no for an answer. His calls and texts escalate into threats, break-ins, and a terror that shadows her every move. Desperate for safety, Ashley hires Jackson Russo—a talented painter with a kind heart and a protective streak—to renovate her home. But as their friendship deepens into something more, Nick’s obsession turns deadly.Caught between a stalker’s rage and a love she never expected, Ashley must trust God’s protection and her own instincts to survive. With Jackson by her side, she’ll fight for her life—and for a future worth living.A faith-filled romantic suspense with a slow-burn, closed-door romance and a guaranteed happily ever after. No graphic content. Perfect for fans of Lynette Eason, Dani Pettrey, and Dee Henderson.

I love how you weave your faith into the fabric of your stories. I can’t wait to read this one!

Now let’s do a Q&A so our readers can find out more about you and your writing style:

Are you a night owl or morning person?

Sadly, I don’t consider myself either. Maybe I’m more of an afternoon person? Ha! I typically fall asleep on the couch before 10 PM while watching TV with my husband. And on the weekends, I love to sleep in—although to me, that means 8 AM. I don’t often sleep later than that, and during the week I’m up by 6 AM to get ready for work, so maybe that makes me a morning person? I guess it depends on what you consider early.

Who was your favorite character to create?

Although she’s a very minor character, I very much enjoyed Ashley’s friend Stacie. She’s the comedic sidekick that eases the mood when things get too tense, but she’s also a faithful friend that truly wants the best for Ashley.

How did you come up with the names of your hero and/or heroine?

Jackson is the name of one of my sons. I had already used my other son’s name (Lincoln) in my novella Christmas in Meadow Creek, so I thought I might as well make it fair, lol. And the name Ashley is just one of those names I’ve always wanted to use in a story but haven’t yet. I think the names pair together quite nicely

Are you a plotter or a panster?

I would say I’m a mix of the two! I definitely don’t have the entire story mapped out, outlined and neatly tied together before I start writing, but I do try to have the broad strokes in place before I start fleshing out the details. But the plot often takes a twist or turn I didn’t originally intend as I proceed with writing the detailed scenes. I would love to see what happens in the mind of a true plotter and a true panster as they work through their process!

If you didn’t write books, what would you do for a living?

I feel that I have incredible attention to detail. So, if I could make enough money doing it, I would love to be a proofreader. That way, I’d get to read all sorts of books for a living while making minor edits and helping other authors put their best foot forward.

Do you experience writer’s block? What do you do to get through it?

All the time! I wish I had a surefire method for working through it, but I usually just walk away until I’m feeling inspired again. Since writing is just a side hobby for me and not my full-time job, I can afford to go long bouts without writing. Eventually, the creative muse returns and then I try to cram as much writing in as possible.

How can readers find your new book?

And last question, tell us what’s next for you as an author?

I am working on a Women’s Fiction that’s told in first person present tense from the alternating points of view of four former college friends navigating life, careers, and relationships. It’s been a long time in the making, but I’m excited at how it’s shaping up and hope to get it out in the world someday (and someday soon would be even better).

It was great chatting with you, Katy. Before we go, where can readers find you online?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KatyEeten/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/KatyEeten/

X: https://x.com/KatyEeten

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-eeten-71041844/

Website: http://www.katyeeten.wordpress.com

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Katy-Eeten/e/B0796L1CVK

Friday Feature: The Blessed Bunny

/ Carol Underhill / Leave a comment

Author’s Inspiration:

This book is designed to draw attention to the true meaning of Easter contrasted to the commercialization of Easter.

About the book:

The Blessed Bunny is a rhyming story about a bunny that was taken from a pet store and put in a store with Easter sale items. A little girl chooses him to buy, and the bunny ends up going to a church service with her and her mother. While there, he listens to the sermon and begins to understand the true meaning of Easter.

The book ends with a Digging Deeper section with questions about the story and about the way to salvation, with Bible verses backing up each question.

Excerpt:

The girl picked me up and took me up front while her mom got out some money, and my ears perked up when I heard the clerk say, “What a darling Easter bunny.”

Easter, I thought, so this is the reason for all of these things in the store. My thoughts interrupted, I was picked up again and we headed right out of the door.

I was placed in a car, and we started driving past stores and houses too. Then in the distance I saw a tall steeple as a small white church came in view.

We stopped and got out, and I looked round- about and saw vehicles parked everywhere, and beneath that old steeple, I saw lots of people. The crowd was then hushed by a prayer.

I then heard an old man start talking about a Baby Who was born to this earth and that when He grew up He died on a cross so that sinners could have a new birth.

About the author:

Renee Jensen was born and raised in Michigan. She is married to her husband, Ron, and has two children, Rachael and Ryan, and four grandchildren. Renee is a born-again Christian and has written four children’s books, two of which are published.

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Friday Feature: Love Pact with the Hero

/ Carol Underhill / Leave a comment

Today’s featured book is about high school friends who made a Love Pact to marry each other if they were still single at the age of 30. This Christian contemporary romance by Liwen Y. Ho is heartwarming and a great read any time of year.

Author’s Inspiration:

I was inspired by a web series I saw on YouTube titled Single by 30. That series had the same premise of my story, which is that the main characters made a pact while in high school to marry each other if they were still single by age 30. I thought the idea was sweet and fun and had the potential for a lot of tension and romance.

About the book:

Two best friends. One little girl’s prayers. And a love pact that may be the answer to all of their Christmas wishes.

Haven Alexander used to believe in happy ever afters—before she lost her husband and became a single mom. These days, she keeps herself busy as the event planner at Freedom Ridge Lodge, helping to make other couples’ dreams come true. Her other job? Humoring Miah, her spunky three-year-old daughter, who has a dream of her own: finding herself a daddy. This task proves challenging, though, when Miah sets her sights on Haven’s childhood friend who comes home for a visit.

Jeremiah Gilbert left Freedom a dozen years ago with a bad reputation and an even worse regret: not confessing his love for his best friend, Haven. He has returned, however, older and wiser, and ready to rekindle their friendship—and more. There’s a promise on the line, one they made in high school, that he longs to fulfill. Winning over her daughter, Miah, is easy, but helping to heal Haven’s broken heart proves to be nearly impossible. 

When Miah gets into a dangerous situation, these old friends must put the past behind them and find new ways to trust in each other and in the One able to meet their deepest needs. 

Excerpt:

Her breath caught in her lungs. It seemed like Jess couldn’t have a single conversation without mentioning her twin brother’s name. The guy Haven used to be best friends with and who was responsible for this wedding scheduling fiasco. Partly responsible, at least. She hadn’t seen or spoken to Jeremiah since they were eighteen, but she’d been following him on social media. And the day she’d scheduled December’s events into the computer happened to be the same day she found out he had gotten engaged. That bit of unexpected news had thrown her off so much, she’d gone and made a huge mistake that was coming back to bite her now.

If only she didn’t still care about Jeremiah Gilbert.

Haven decided to ignore Jess’s comment and instead asked the question that had been burning a hole in her mind lately: “Do you know if he’s bringing his fiancée to the wedding?”

“I think they might’ve broken up or will be breaking up soon.”

“Really? You think or you know?”

“It’s an inkling of mine.”

“You and your inklings.” Haven had learned long ago about the bond between the Gilbert siblings. She wouldn’t go as far as to call it twin telepathy, but there was something special that connected Jess and Jeremiah together. “What’s your inkling telling you this time?”

“That his love life’s not going so well. I thought he was finally ready to settle down with Gretchen, but he hasn’t mentioned her recently.”

“Oh yeah?” Haven tried not to sound too interested or excited at this news. She knew she’d never hear the end of it if Jess knew she’d had a crush on her brother since junior high. Had being the key word. She didn’t know Jeremiah anymore, apart from the pictures he posted online of his travels or of the gorgeous women—mostly redheads—that he’d dated over the years. He’d been fairly popular with the opposite sex and had even been named both Class Heartthrob and Class Heartbreaker. Meanwhile, she’d been voted Most Likely to be a Librarian.

It’d been nothing short of a miracle that they’d been friends. Haven chalked it up to the fact that they’d started hanging out before he’d morphed from a gangly, buck-toothed kid into a hot and hunky quarterback. Before he became more social, they, along with Jess, used to do everything together. During senior year of high school, however, they hung out less often when he started running with the wrong crowd. That was around the time Jess and Jeremiah’s dad had left their mom. Jeremiah had taken it hard and started partying and drinking and not caring about his grades. Haven and Jess had prayed every day that he’d find his way back.

Unfortunately, it’d taken a DUI three months before graduation to wake him up. Thankfully, no one had gotten hurt when he crashed his car into the church sanctuary one night, but it had shaken up his family and his future. Mrs. Gilbert moved the kids to California to escape their shame and Jeremiah decided to enlist in the Army to clean up his act.

Haven lost both of her best friends in one fell swoop, but she and Jess ended up reuniting at University of Colorado. They’d been inseparable ever since Jess moved back to Freedom after college. Jeremiah never returned, though, not even for a visit. Haven had lost any hope of seeing him again, especially when he stopped replying to her emails during his first deployment. She’d long stopped asking Jess about him, too, but she had to admit, she was growing more curious, knowing that she’d be seeing him at the wedding. She was about to ask for details about Jess’s inklings when something caught her eye.

Or rather, someone.

That profile looked so familiar. Thick dark brown hair, a straight nose worthy of a Greek statue, and a full beard. She couldn’t stop staring at the tall man standing at the registration desk ten feet away and marveling at how much he resembled Jeremiah. There was no way Jess’s twin would be here at the lodge … right?

Jess suddenly spun in place, her head cocked to one side. She scanned the area with narrowed eyes, looking from person to person, until her gaze landed on the same man Haven had spotted. “Jere?!”

The man turned around at the sound of her voice and sure enough, it was Jeremiah. His whole face brightened when he saw Jess, especially when she ran over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. It was a sweet reunion worthy of a Hallmark movie.

Haven’s steps faltered as she watched her childhood friends hugging. She missed the old days when she’d be in the middle of their embrace. So much had happened, though, since they’d become adults, she didn’t know if their friendships could ever be the same.

But when Jeremiah looked over Jess’s shoulder and locked gazes with Haven, the huge grin on his face made her doubts fall away. It was as if they were eighteen again with their entire future ahead of them. For the first time in as long as she could remember, Haven felt hope stirring in her heart. It was a strange, unexpected feeling that made her want to run over to Jeremiah and wrap her arms around him.

Could she?

 

About the Author:

USA Today bestselling author Liwen Y. Ho works as a chauffeur and referee by day (AKA a stay at home mom) and a writer by night. She creates sweet and inspirational contemporary romance infused with heart, humor, and a taste of home (her Asian roots).

In her pre-author life, she received a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Western Seminary, and she loves makeovers of all kinds, especially those of the heart and mind. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her techie husband and their two children (AKA munchkins).

Learn more about Liwen and also sign up for her newsletter to receive an exclusive free book, news about her upcoming releases, giveaways, sneak peeks and more at liwenho.com.

Media Links:

Website: liwenho.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorliwenho

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/author.liwenho/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/liwen-y-ho

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