Author: Betty Owens

Christian writer of historical fiction and general fiction.

Whitewashed . . . by Amy C. Blake

On By Betty OwensIn Amy C. Blake, Christian Fiction, devotional, fiction, Mantle Rock Publishing, suspense, Whitewashed2 Comments


Today it is my great privilege to welcome a guest to my blog. Amy C. Blake has the honor of being my very first critique partner in the writing craft–or rather–I am the one who is honored by that! We commiserated over Genesis entries and submissions to agents and publishers. We cried and ranted and sometimes came “that close” to giving up on this writing thing. But we hung in there and today, several years and many rejections later, we’re not only still here, but we’re both published writers.
Amy and I are no longer “official” critique partners, but we still help each other out occasionally, with a read-thru or a word of advice when needed. And, we help each other with marketing, because a writer can never have too much help with that.–Betty O.

Amy C. Blake–
To me, Easter is all about the intersection of truth and mercy. The truth is, as sinners, we deserve punishment for our sin, including eternity in Hell. The mercy is, as the only sinless Son of God, Jesus took the punishment for Christians and gave us His righteousness instead.
Truth: God is holy and punishes sin. Mercy: Jesus made a way for us to spend eternity with that holy God instead of getting the eternity we deserve.
In my new adult suspense novel, Whitewashed, Patience is a stickler for truth, so much so that when her childhood friend Devon started down the path of drug abuse, she screamed truth in his face and pushed him away. As a student at Verity College, Patience encounters Lily Rose–a young woman with a bad attitude and an abusive boyfriend–and Patience again spews cold, hard truth without considering how her words might do more harm than good.
Yet when Patience endures her darkest moments, trapped by a psychotic killer and on the verge of death, she begins to comprehend the verse her old friend Mabel, a woman caught in the throes of Alzheimer’s, repeated to her the night before: “In mercy and truth atonement is provided for iniquity; and by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil” (Proverbs 16:6, NKJV).
Patience begins to understand that truth and mercy go together to make the way for repentance. As Mabel’s elderly husband Moses says, “The truth shows you the sin you need to root out, while mercy helps you do the rooting.” Patience realizes speaking the truth to Devon and Lily Rose could never be enough without mercy to help them comprehend the truth.
Just as God is a God of truth who showed great mercy to His children through the death and resurrection of Jesus, so we ought to be people of truth who show mercy to those around us.  

Amy C. Blake is a pastor’s wife and homeschooling mother of four. She has a B.A. and an M.A. in English from Mississippi College. She contributed to Barbour’s Heavenly XOXO’s for Women, Book Lover’s Devotional, and Every Good and Perfect Gift. Amy wrote short stories and articles for Focus on the Family,Mature Years, Significant Living, Vista, Encounter, and other publications. She won awards at St. Davids Christian Writers Conference and West Branch Christian Writers Conference. The Trojan Horse Traitor quarterfinaled in the 2011 ABNA contest. Her juvenile fantasy novel The Trojan Horse Traitor, releases in November, 2015, and her new adult suspense novel, Whitewashed, released February 15.

Amy’s Website
Amy C. Blake Facebook author page 
Amy C. Blake Twitter page

Whitewashed

  by Amy Blake

Eighteen-year-old Patience McDonough has a plan. Despite her parents’ objections, she will attend Verity College in Hades, Mississippi, and live with her grandparents. She’ll complete her degree in record time and go on to become a doctor. But things at the college are strangely neglected, her class work is unexpectedly hard, Grand gets called out-of-town, and Poppa starts acting weird—so weird she suspects he has Alzheimer’s. On top of that, she has to work extra hours at her student job inputting financial data for the college—boring! But soon her job gets more interesting than she’d like: she finds that millions of dollars are unaccounted for and that something creepy is going on in the Big House basement. She discovers secrets tying her family into the dark beginnings of Verity, founded on a slave plantation, and she is forced to question the characters of people she has always trusted. Finally, confronted with a psychotic killer, Patience has to face facts—her plans are not necessarily God’s plans. Will the truth set her free?
Buy Links: 

Paperback copy on Amazon
Kindle edition on Amazon
Paperbackcopy on Mantle Rock Publishing


Winter’s Passing … I Hope

On By Betty OwensIn Amy C. Blake, Authorview, Black History Month, Katie Weiland, Presidents Day, Rachel Hauck - Authorview, Siri Mitchell - Authorview, snowmageddon, Valentine's Day, Winter's Passing I Hope2 Comments

In so many ways, February is a great month. Two of our most famous presidents were born in February. My grandmother was born in February. It’s Black History month. We celebrate Valentine’s Day.

For me, February is a month to endure on the way to Spring. This year, in my little section of the world, Winter hit us with a king-sized wallop in February. #Snowmageddon2015. We got somewhere near twelve inches, which may not seem much to some of you, but in the mid-south, it’s a lot.

Even the squirrels disappeared for several days. When they did come out, they either skittered over the surface of the snow or disappeared beneath.

Having nowhere to go, I stayed inside. About now, I really need to get out, but we have freezing rain. And more bad weather in the forecast. Ack!

I don’t want you to think I’m complaining–I love the snow. My favorite time is at night, when the world should be dark, but it’s not, because the light from the stars and moon reflect off the brilliant white snow. It’s gorgeous. Even though it’s twenty below out there.

Authorview is a great success this year. My first guest was Katie Weiland, author of Outlining Your Novel Workbook and Structuring Your Novel Workbook. You can read her interview here. February’s guest was Rachel Hauck, author of How to Catch a Prince (which releases today). You can read her interview here. How to Catch a Prince is available here.

Coming up in March: Amy C. Blake, author of newly released Whitewashed, will be my guest March 3rd. And my Authorview guest on March 17th is Siri Mitchell, author of Like a Flower in Bloom. 

Guests and guest posts aside, March is big month for me. It’s my birthday month, and I’m going to celebrate by giving away books. So you will want to stop back by in March! There will be several chances for you to win free books.

As always, thanks for stopping by. I appreciate all of you. Hope you’re staying warm and safe!

The Love Boat Bachelor

Romance is a joke.

After the love of Brent Teague’s life came back into his world only to marry someone else, Brent is through with women. He might be through with being a pastor, too.

Brent was so sure that God brought Mara Adkins home to him so they could marry and live happily ever after. Six months after her wedding to another man, that theory is obviously a dud. If Brent could be so wrong about that, who’s to say he’s not mistaken about God calling him to pastoral ministry?

Tired of watching Brent flounder for direction, Brent’s feisty older sister boots him out of Spartanburg and onto a cruise ship. Brent’s old college buddy manages the ship’s staff, and he’s thrilled to finagle Brent into the role of chaplain for the two-week cruise.

As the ship sets sail, Brent starts to relax. Maybe a cruise wasn’t such a bad idea after all. But there’s just one little thing no one told him. He’s not on any ordinary cruise. He’s on The Love Boat.

What’s a sworn bachelor to do on a Caribbean cruise full of romance and love? He’ll either have to jump ship or embrace the unforgettable romantic comedy headed his way.

Now Available – 99¢ on Kindle

Rachel Hauck – Authorview

On By Betty OwensIn ACFW, Buckeyes, fiction, Florida, How to Catch a Prince, Ohio State University, Rachel Hauck - Authorview, Romance


My first introduction to Rachel Hauck’s writing was the book, Love Starts With Elle. I was hooked. Her combination of romance and humor was my cup of tea (or glass of sweet tea, y’all). So I am very pleased and happy to welcome her as a guest here at Authorview. I know you will enjoy her answers as much as I did.
Rachel Hauck
Author/Artist Name:  Rachel Hauck
I am a…Funny girl!
You would like me when I’m…Leading worship or speaking.
You wouldn’t like me when I’m…Tired! Or hungry. Danger Will Robinson!
What qualities I like to see in others:  Honesty, loyalty, one who appreciates a great potato chip.
Favorite way to spend an evening:  With my hubby, watching TV or in a good worship and prayer service.
Who I love to spend an evening with:  People who love Jesus. Really, there’s nothing greater. I like hanging around people who are thinkers, debaters (in the good sense) and want to talk about life, God and the Word.
Am reading (or want to read):  I read about five books at once. Ha! Right now I’m reading The Boys in the Boat and one on English children sent out from London during WW2.
If I had a hammer…“I’d hammer in the morning….”
My favorite genre is:  Romance, baby! Of course! But I love a good literary novel.
My work-in-progress:  I just finished The Wedding Chapel and am looking forward to the release of How To Catch A Prince.
My favorite food is:  Do I dare say it? French fries! And pizza. I mean who doesn’t like pizza?
I’m a collector of:    Ideas!
My favorite happily-ever-after:    Cinderella! Though we don’t know for sure she and the prince lived happily ever after…. But I think they do. 

About Rachel:
Rachel Hauck is an award-winning, best selling author of critically acclaimed novels such as The Wedding Dress, Love Starts with Elle, and Once Upon A Prince.
She also penned the Songbird Novels with multi-platinum recording artist, Sara Evans. Booklist named their novel, Softly and Tenderly, one of 2011 Top Ten Inspirationals.
A graduate of Ohio State University with a degree in Journalism, Rachel worked in the corporate software world before planting her backside in an uncomfortable chair to write full-time in 2004.
She serves on the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers and leads worship at their annual conference. She is a mentor and book therapist at My Book Therapy, and conference speaker.
Rachel lives in central Florida with her husband and pets, and writes from her two-story tower in an exceedingly more comfy chair. She is a huge Buckeyes football fan. 
Now Available!        How to Catch a Prince
She caught her prince once. 
Can she catch him again?

American heiress Corina Del Rey’s life was devastated by war. Every thing she loved was lost. But after five years of grief, she’s shed her grave clothes and started over in the sunshine along the Florida coast.
But some things are not so easily forgotten. When a secret from her past confronts her face to face, she realizes she must follow her heart. Even if it cost her everything.
Prince Stephen of Brighton Kingdom is a former Royal Air Command lieutenant turned star rugby player, trying to make sense of his life after the devastation of war.
When his brother, King Nathaniel, discovers Stephen’s pre war secret, he must deal with an aspect of his life he longed to forget. But how can he do so without exposing the truth and breaching national security?
Yet, true love has a destiny all it’s own. As the cathedral bells peal through Cathedral City, Corina and Stephen must chose to answer the call of love on their hearts.
Or let it be lost forever?

Next month on Authorview — Siri Mitchell

Port of Call Valentine’s Day

On By Betty OwensIn contest, love, Love Boat Bachelor, the bachelor, Valentine's Day, Write Integrity Press

In the wake of my work on The Love Boat Bachelor … I have a confession to make:

I get seasick walking on a pier. I have to ingest heavy doses of ginger to go canoeing or ride on a ferry. For this reason, I have never wanted to take a cruise vacation. I’ve walked plenty of beautiful beaches, and driven over the amazing bridge connecting the Florida Keys. Stood at the southernmost point of the continental USA. I’ve even sailed on a clipper ship–heavily dosed with anti-vertigo medication–as long as I’m pro-active, I’m fine.

Confession: The closest I’ve ever been to a cruise ship.

Though I’d never been on a cruise, I was intrigued by the story idea for The Love Boat Bachelor. After I read Jerusha Agen‘s opening chapter, I knew–I did not want to miss this one, with its ample opportunities for humor and romance. I jumped in head first and had a blast.

Caribbean beach scene

Choosing a destination was difficult for me. They were all so beautiful, but I had never been to any of them. So I went via Google and Pinterest. Each location had its own flavor, offering the best snorkeling, the best dolphin-viewing excursions, the best surfing, etc. So I took the dartboard approach. I landed on … well, you’ll find out when you download the Kindle version of book. The download is FREE for the first three days.

I love an adventure, so if someone offered me the opportunity to go on a cruise, I’d be all in. Maybe I would like it so much, I’d be like the elderly lady who lives on one instead of in a retirement home. Think of it! An attentive wait-staff, housekeeping, all the food you can eat. New adventures every day, new people to meet and get to know. An extrovert’s dream-come-true! But I think even an introvert like me could find something to love about a cruise.

This is my second excursion into the world of collaborative storytelling. And I loved it. It’s a writing prompt. You’re given the details and asked to create a story within certain parameters. It kind of takes the pressure off, but it’s challenging, too. Your chapter becomes a piece to a puzzle that will fit perfectly to create a whole, complete story.

Many, many thanks to Tracy Ruckman of Write Integrity Press for including me in this latest adventure. This is my fifth release and each one is more exciting (for me) than the last. I hope you’ll enjoy reading the finished product, as Brent Teague sets out on the adventure of a lifetime. Settle in, and enjoy the cruise!

The Love Boat Bachelor will be released–with its final chapter–on Kindle. Watch for it there.
Release date: February 14, 2015
Available as a FREE download for three (3) days! –I can’t wait.