Saturday, February 15, 2020

Mid-Month Madness Party



 Welcome to the Mid-Month Madness Party! We really appreciate you coming by! We will be giving away six books so be sure to pay attention to how to enter.

To enter to win you MUST leave a comment WITH your email and you MUST ask one or more of the authors a question you'd like to know about them, their writing, or their books.

We are looking forward to getting to know you better and hope you'll get to know us better, too!


BE SURE TO DROP BY THE FACEBOOK PARTY FOR A CHANCE TO MINGLE WITH THE AUTHORS, AND EVEN MORE GREAT GIVEAWAYS! 

IT'S TODAY, SATURDAY FEBRUARY 15TH, FROM 11:00 to 1:30 
PACIFIC STANDARD TIME.



The Daughter’s Predicament 
~ The Quilting Circle Series Book 2



As Isabelle’s romance prospects turn in her favor, a family scandal derails her dreams. Isabelle’s half-sister becomes pregnant out of wedlock and Isabelle—the unfavored daughter—becomes the family sacrifice to save face. Despite gaining the attention of a handsome rancher, her parents are pressuring her to marry a man of their choosing to rescue her sister’s reputation. A third suitor waits silently, hoping for his chance. Will Isabelle capitulate and marry her parents’ choice, or will she rebel and marry the man they don’t approve of? Or will the man leaving secret love poems sweep her off her feet?





Gabriel’s Atonement
Book 1 in the Land Rush Dreams series




All Gabriel Coulter ever wanted was to live a comfortable life as a successful gambler, but a confrontation with a disgruntled cowboy who’d just lost his monthly pay to Gabe leads to a family man dying in his arms. Even though it was self-defense, the only way Gabe knows to get rid of his guilt is to return the money he won to the man’s wife.

Lara Talbot sees Gabe as a derelict like her husband and wants nothing to do with him--not even the much-needed money he's offered her. But as she struggles to provide for her family and makes plans to claim property in the upcoming Oklahoma land rush in hopes of finally having a permanent home, she wonders if God might have sent the meddling man to help.



Double Jeopardy



New York City socialite Becky Campbell inherited more than a speck of her father’s wanderlust. Now his murder bequeaths her a mystery, a ramshackle homestead, and a silver mine. 

Zeke Graumann signs on as Becky’s foreman to save his ranch. He shares the workers’ reservations about a woman boss, especially one who burns water and prances around in dungarees. Even though she did look awful good in them.

When a series of accidents add threat to tension, Becky and Zeke must choose between trusting each other or accomplishing their dreams. Because surely they can’t have both. Or can they?



Leaving Texas



I know the plans I have for you, plans for good, not evil.
Robbed of her true love by his mean-spirited mother, Charity is given no choice but to leave Texas and follow her Prince Charming to the Golden State. Instantly attracted to her, Morgan agrees to help the young beauty on her journey, but where all other ladies paled after first blush, his initial fascination only deepens with every turn of the wagon’s wheels. Though obvious to all those around the two—how perfect they are for each other—will the hard-headed, strong-willed girl ever realize?



Stealing Hearts




When Grace Baxton comes face-to-face with the thief who broke into her uncle's home, she isn't prepared for meeting Andrew Bradenton. The judge sentences Andrew Bradenton to work for the Baxton family, and Grace struggles with forgiveness. Out of guilt, Andrew offers to help Grace search for an heirloom book. When a handsome stranger appears with the book in hand, warming Grace's heart and finding favor with her uncle, Andrew tries to prove the stranger is up to no good. After key documents and money go missing from her uncle's safe, Andrew is seen as the guilty party. Will Grace discover the truth in time?











Bestselling, award-winning novelist MARY DAVIS has over thirty titles in both historical and contemporary themes. She is a member of ACFW and has led critique groups for two decades. Mary lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband of over thirty-five years and two cats. She has three adult children and two adorable grandchildren. She enjoys playing board and card games, rain, and cats. She would enjoy gardening if she didn’t have a black thumb. Her hobbies are quilting, porcelain doll making, sewing, crafts, crocheting, and knitting. 





Caryl McAdoo writes for the Kingdom, praying each story gives God glory. Her highly acclaimed ten-book historical Texas Romance Family Saga is enhanced with six Companion Books featuring ancestors or descendants of its characters. She also writes contemporary romance, Biblical fiction, and for mid-grade and young adult readers. Hear her sing new songs God gives her at YouTube. Sharing four children and eighteen grandsugars with husband of fifty-plus years Ron, she counts them life’s biggest blessings. The McAdoos live in the woods of Red River County south of Clarksville in the far northeast corner of the Lone Star State.






Donna Schlachter writes historical suspense under her own name, and contemporary suspense under her alter ego of Leeann Betts, and has been published more than 30 times in novellas and full-length novels. She is a member of ACFW, Writers on the Rock, SinC, and CAN; facilitates a critique group; teaches writing classes; ghostwrites; edits; and judges in writing contests.





Vickie McDonough is the best-selling author of 50 books and novellas. Vickie grew up wanting to marry a rancher, but instead, she married a computer geek who is scared of horses. She now lives out her dreams penning romance stories about ranchers, cowboys, lawmen, and others living in the Old West. Vickie’s books have won numerous awards including the Booksellers Best and the Inspirational Readers Choice awards. When she’s not writing, Vickie enjoys reading, doing stained-glass projects, gardening, watching movies, and traveling. To learn more about Vickie’s books or to sign up for her newsletter, visit her website: www.vickiemcdonough.com





Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having a very active imagination and cited with talking entirely too much. Today, she has honed those childhood skills to become an award-winning and best-selling author and speaker who is also an advocate for literacy as an educational consultant with Usborne Books. She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, along with their two children and two dogs in Colorado. She has sold twenty (21) books so far and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. 



Direct a comment below to one or more of the authors for a chance to win her book giveaway! And don't forget to join the Mid-Month Madness Facebook party for even more great prizes!
  
Please be sure to include your email address in your comment using at and dot so we can notify you of your prize! Example: janedoe at gmail dot com

43 comments:

  1. My question is directed to all of talented women. When you are doing research for a story, do you ever travel to the local you are writing about?
    mauback55 at gmail dot com

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    1. I've done that several times, Melanie. When my publisher asked me to do a series in North Dakota, my husband I took a trip up there because I knew next to nothing about ND. We've traveled to Texas, South Carolina, and Kansas for research trips. It's a fun perk on being a writer. Traveling to the place you're writing about really helps to make your story more realistic. However, if you're unable to travel that doesn't mean you can't write about place you're unfamiliar with. You just need to do plenty of research.

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    2. I tend to write stories set in places like the ones I've already visited. I am actually going back to the setting for this book, Double Jeopardy, in March. It's Durango/Silverton area.

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    3. Hey, Melanie! So glad to see you here!
      Sometimes, when it's possible. We drove two of the wagon train trials and visited Washington on the Brazos. Some of the places in the stories, We've already been to, and the rest, we "visit" by way off online research, choosing specific places that really existed back in the 1800s to mention in the story. It's almost gotten to "I write to research." :) Hugs and Blessings!

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    4. Melanie, I've definitely done on-site research when I've been able to make the trip. It provides an added dimension to the story when I can visualize the setting as I write. As others have said, though, being there physically isn't always possible. When that happens (as with the books I wrote set in Michigan), I rely heavily on the Chamber of Commerce, the historical societies or museums in those towns, and even insight from my readers who live there. It's amazing how much help so many people are willing to give when they find out you're writing a book set where they live. :)

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  2. I would echo Melanie’s question - I’m quite sure I would enjoy the research part of writing if you did travel to all those places 😀. I have a question for Vickie - Do you ever spend time around horses?
    bettimace at gmail dot com

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    1. Betti, you can read my response to Melanie's question up above yours. I haven't been around horses in decades, but I owned several when I was 11 - 15. I've been so thankful for those years of owning horses. I still draw on the knowledge I gained way back then and my experience riding.

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    2. I know you didn't ask me, but I still have my horse, Betti :) Her name is Bliss; an American Quarter Horse mare. I've loved horses since I was aware of them. Several of my books have some about training them and fun facts I've learned along the way.

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  3. Hi Melanie,
    Great question!
    I have and I haven't. Some stories I have visited the location with the express purpose of research, like Mackinac Island, MI and the San Juan Islands, WA for two different series. It helps me get a feel for the spirit of the place. I never would have known that one of the places on the San Juan Islands had a Great Dane--yes, the dog variety--for a mayor. He was voted in and everything! The only mayor I have ever met.
    I have also written about places I lived. The town of Kamola in my Quilting Circle series is patterned after the town I went to college in, but that was nearly 100 years after my stories take place. Living in an area gives a very different view of an area than merely visiting.
    Then there are the stories that take place in locations I've never been to. I do a lot of research which is never the same as visiting, and then mix that with things that are universal about people and how they interact with others.
    Blessings,
    Mary
    =0)

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  4. I have questions for all the writers. How long does it take you to finish your novels? What's the hardest part - the beginning, the middle or the end?
    wvsmarties(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. Hi Janet,
      For me, some novels write faster than others. Some I've written the rough draft in a couple of months while others have taken a year. It depends on the story and what kind of chaos is going on in my life at the time.
      The most challenging part is usually the middle. Developing the middle at good pace to not be boring but also to not rush things or give too much away too early. I often write the beginning to get things set up, and as I'm doing that, I envision how the end needs to be, and so I'll jump to the end and write it. Then while I'm writing the middle, I can write the the ending I already wrote. And if the end needs to change by the time I get there, that's fine. But if I'm writing toward the end that is already there, then it usually mostly stays the same.
      Blessings,
      Mary
      =0)

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    2. Hi Janet, I've written a novella in as little as six weeks, but I usually take about 3 months to write and edit a novella, and 2-5 months to write and edit a novel. I don't write full time, however, usually M-F, for 2-4 hours per day.

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    3. Hello, Janet!
      I just finished a 25K book (the smallest I've ever written--it's for a collection) and it took twenty-seven days. A novel, say 300-page book can be finished in nine weeks, but that's a pretty strict schedule, I usually take twelve on those.

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    4. Hi Janet. That's a great question, and one many readers like to know. Before I began writing professionally, I wrote a full novel (about 80K words) in 18 days, about 1-1/2 chapters each day. Now, this was a VERY rough draft that saw multiple revisions before it ever crossed anyone else's desk, but from start to finish, it was written.

      I *have* written and edited a 25K word novella in 3 days, but that was in the midst of absolute chaos in my life and running up against a deadline where my husband took 100% care of the kids and left me free to do nothing but write for 3 days straight.

      Normal time-frame for me is anywhere from 3-6 months to write a full novel and about 1-1/2 months to write a novella. Lately, though, with the demands of my family and work, I'm struggling to even finish 1 novel in a year. When I first began writing, I was writing 3 novels each year. Life certainly changes and throws curve balls when you're not looking. :)

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  5. for all the writers: how do you stay focused when you write? thanks <3

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    1. Great question, Charlene. I am very "badge oriented", and I put writing time on my calendar like an appointment. So my day doesn't end until everything on my calendar is done. Usually. Self-appointed deadlines help, and real editor-imposed deadlines really help!

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    2. Hi Charlene,
      Stay focused? Hmm. A deadline really helps me stay focused. When I don't have a hard deadline, my focus tend to wan--Did someone say glitter? I love sparkly things and doing crafts. And then there is my cat. She can be pretty demanding at times. I really should organize my office. What was the question? Focus, right. I can focus when I write.
      Seriously. When I'm really into my story and my characters are talking to me, and to each other, and arguing with me, and I get into the flow of the story, I'd have to work at not being focused on my story.
      Blessings,
      Mary
      =0)

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    3. God writes the story as we go, so it would be just like how you stay focused on a book you're reading. From page one, I get invested in the characters and come to love them! Then it's just writing to see what happens; what the characters are going to do or say! And I can hardly wait. :)

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    4. Charlene, a deadline definitely helps! Otherwise, there are times when I've written a simple text message and gotten so distracted I forget to send it. Lol! I have 2 kids who are almost 11 and 9, 2 dogs, and a husband who all demand my time or attention at any given moment. I also work as a substitute or guest teacher at my kids' school and run a business from home in addition to managing the home and taking care of the finances and everyone's schedules. Unfortunately, my writing time isn't much these days, but I do what I can. Focus isn't easy. I have to be very protective of my time and adamant to my family. This usually means leaving the house if anyone is home and sometimes checking into a hotel room for a weekend to get some alone time. I know this season is only temporary, so I try to treasure it. A definite challenge when my heart longs to get lost in the pages of the stories playing themselves out in my head all the time.

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  6. Question for Donna: Where did you find your pen name? I write haiku poetry and post that with related nature photos daily.My social media followers know me in that regard. If I write a fiction book I may need a pen name. What do you think? My email address is: jsmithg(at)hotmail(dot)com Janice Garey

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    1. My first agent suggested that if I wanted to write contemporary and historical, I needed a pen name so readers weren't confused. Lee is hubby's middle name, Ann was his mom's middle name, and Betts was my mother's nickname in nursing school. I think you'd need a pen name if you thought your poetry readers might get confused if you published fiction. But if you keep your covers completely different between the two genres, I think you'd be okay with one name. The thing is, two personas require two FB, two Twitter, 2 websites, etc. Double the work.

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    2. Thank you for your enlightening answer. The double duty social media is a great obstacle unless one has a personal assistant!

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  7. I love that you all seem so different but can write books in a collection that seem to be so similar! Love your writing!
    Email is: lindave.palmer@gmail.com

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    1. Thanks, Linda. And yes, although we're different, the stories are always founded in God's redeeming grace, so they just seem to come together.

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    2. Hi Linda,
      When we put together a novella collection, we generally start with a theme so the collection has some cohesion.
      And then as Donna said, the Lord may pull seemingly unrelated stories together to make them all work together.
      Blessings,
      Mary
      =0)

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    3. Thank you! While the books we promoted today may be in a collection, they aren't in the same one :) We do all write clean/Christian historical romance and suspense, etc., and we all love history! Are historicals your favorites, Linda?

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    4. Is it Linda, or Lindave? Anyway, as the others have said, our books aren't all in the same collection. They ARE historical fiction and clean stories from a Biblical worldview, but they aren't connected specifically in any other way. That being said, several of us here have written together in collections in the past, and it never ceases to amaze me how such different writers can come together, write how the Lord leads, and find a cohesive set of stories that flow well. God is definitely in the details.

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  8. A great line up books to add to a never ending TBR list, that will never be mastered due to all the new releases.

    My question is to each author: Do you have other relatives that are authors?
    What was the draw to write historical fiction versus contemporay fiction in similar plots? Blessings on all your writing.
    marilynridgway78[at]gmail[dot]com

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    1. Hi Marilyn,
      I don't have any published author relatives. I once started writing a book with my sister, but it lost steam. This was back in the dark ages when we were sending stuff back and forth through snail mail. Too much happened in between sending and receiving a reply back. And then life and children.
      My daughter has a bit of the writing bug and does a good job, but her two jobs and a hubby keep her too busy to do anything with it right now. I hope she is able to get her stories written.
      Historical verses contemporary. Why choose? I have written both historical and contemporary, but always romance. My first published novel was a contemporary romantic comedy, followed in that same year with a historical romance. I wrote both for several years. Then my agent at the time told me to pick one or the other to focus on. Since I had a couple of historical contracts and had won an award for a historical, I figure the Lord was nudging me in that direction.
      I love writing both and will probably continue to do so.
      Blessings,
      Mary
      =0)

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    2. My maternal and favorite grandfather wrote a children's novel---like a fantasy-fairytale. And my mother also wrote a book "So You Want to Know God and Hear His Voice; Here's How"! Some title, huh? :) So I come from writers, but neither of them got published. I'm especially blessed. <3 I pray you are, too.

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    3. Marilyn, a never-ending TBR list is a given for any voracious reader or committed writer. We authors are duty-bound to provide those new releases so you never run out of something to read. :)

      Author relatives? I actually met my husband at a writer's conference, and he published his first novel 3 years after I published my first. He's written a sequel and several short stories since then, but nothing else has been published. His demanding job and other hobbies have taken the forefront. Our daughter definitely has the writing bug, but she's just shy of 11 and still learning the craft. :) Other than that, there are no other authors on either side of our family, but there ARE some fantastic storytellers!

      Historical versus contemporary? I have always had a passion for history and sometimes have wondered if I was born in the wrong century. Starting out with historical fiction seemed a natural thing to do. However, I have also written some contemporaries along the way. Those were usually at my agent's or editor's request. The majority of my writing is historical. Not sure how well my author voice would resonate with contemporary readers if I were to attempt that on a regular basis. I think I might be a bit too formal. (winks)

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  9. I have a cousin (now with the Lord) who wrote several non-fiction books for fans of X-files, and my brother wrote a technical book on engineering stuff that I don't understand. And, although I was his ghostwriter, my dad's memoirs for the family have been published, too.

    For me, historical and contemporary aren't mutually exclusive, since I write both. My draw to historical came in the form of a "chance" meeting with Mary Davis where she told me about a project she was working on centered on the Pony Express. I wanted in. So hubby and I did several road trips for research, and I fell in love with the Pony Express and with history.

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  10. Hello Amazing Authors! If you could have dinner with an author living or not, who would you choose and why?

    psalm103and138atgmaildotcom

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    1. Hi Caryl,
      Interesting question. I'm not sure. I have already eaten meals with many great authors at writing conferences. I'm a major introvert, so doing the extrovert thing to have dinner with someone I don't know could be a bit anxiety inducing. Some of the big-name authors who I enjoy their books, I wouldn't know what to say to them and so would probably sit there like a bump on a log, feeling silly for not knowing what to say. Any question I would think to ask would seem dumb.
      I know that doesn't directly answer your question, but I can't seem to pluck that one great name out of the pool of a gazillion authors. The ladies who participated in this Mid-Month Madness would be fun to dine with.
      Blessings,
      Mary
      =0)

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    2. David! I absolutely LOVE, ADORE, and THRIVE on his Book of Psalms! It would be divine to sup with the king! We'd surely sing afterwards, write a few new songs and worship together in the beauty of God's Holiness!

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    3. That is such a difficult question to answer. Far too many from which to choose, and all for different reasons. I know I couldn't narrow it down to just one, but among the top 10 would definitely be King David or King Solomon. The beauty and poetry expressed in their writing inspires me in so many ways. Dining with either of those kings would be a treat! For modern authors, I've had the privilege of dining with dozens and have loved all of my interactions with them. It's an honor to be counted among some of my favorites.

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  11. To all the wonderful authors! What prompted to to start writing? rose Blackard at Gmail dot com not sure my first question came through)

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    1. Rose, I didn't see your question anywhere else, so glad you posted again.

      I began dabbling in writing for fun around 5th grade, but I've always been a storyteller, often accused of "embellishing" the truth when retelling experiences or adventures. :) My first short story was published in an anthology of other middle-grade student stories in 1988 as a result of a regional contest where you could submit your writing to be edited and judged. There were 3 of us from my school who were among those selected.

      From there, I dabbled in it only for fun as a hobby. Had I paid attention to my English teachers in school, I might have pursued it more seriously, but it wasn't until fellow author Tracie Peterson set me on a path toward publication that I actually gave it a whirl. Twenty-two books later, I guess it stuck. :)

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    2. Hi Rose,
      I blame my mom. It was her idea. =0D
      As long as I can remember, I've had characters talking in my head. Soon after I got married, I wrote and illustrated a book for my new husband about a corduroy bear. I even made a stuffed bear out of corduroy to go with it. The illustrations were marginal at best; I'm no artist. When my mom saw it and read it, she said I should get it published. So I dabbled in children's fiction. Then I shifted to Christian romance and began to get published.
      Blessings,
      Mary
      =0)

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  12. It was my husband Ron who started writing. I'd told him when we were young I wanted to write, but family and Little League and making a living . . . it never happened. Then we got sideways with the IRS after closing the doors on a business in the boom-n-bust 80s, and he drove a taxi for awhile because they couldn't garnish the daily cash, and we had lots of bills to pay and needed to keep the lights on.

    This gave him time to renew his love for reading. He read voraciously until coming across a book titled Noah, but---as he's said so often---the author should've named it Joe and the Big Boat because it had N*O*T*H*I*N*G to do with the famous, Biblical Noah. It made him think if SHE got that published, he and I could write a book together. So he started writing longhand in a Scribbletex tablet. He brought the pages home to me and I would "fix" them, adding to the story as much, sometimes more than he'd written. That's how it all began almost forty years ago!

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  13. Sorry I'm late to the party!! I am amazed at Caryl's series, plus the fact that she did spin-off stories as well. I'd like to ask her and all the ladies whether writing in series makes it easier or harder? Congratulations on all the books, ladies!!! They all sound interesting!
    bcrug at twc dot com.

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    1. Hi Connie,
      Great question. Is writing a series easier or harder? Yes. It's both, but in different ways. Some aspects are easier because I have created my world in the first book and then add to it in the following books. I don't have to keep recreating worlds.
      It's harder because, I need to keep all the details straight from one book to the next. Was Aunt Henny's house yellow or green? Does she have a fence? What kind of flowers are in her yard. Is she 5'5" or 5'2"? Did I describe each of the deputies in books 1 as they sauntered through a scene? If so, I need to go back and see what color hair they have or whatever else I used to describe them. Various other side characters that play a larger role in a different story or how I described buildings from one story to the next.
      Often while I'm writing one novel in a series, a side character strolls onto the scene, and I know that they need their own story and romance. That gives me a jump start on the next book. One of the suitors in book 2 in my Quilting Circle series, I fell in love with and knew he needed his own romance. I won't tell you who, because it could spoil book 2 for you. A gentleman, side character, in book 3, needs his own story, but sadly that's not his destiny in book 4. If I do a book 5, he will find love.
      Thanks for participating in our Mid-Month Madness.
      Blessings,
      Mary
      =0)

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