The Story Behind the Story | Double Cross by DiAnn Mills

I love getting the scoop on what inspired a story. Whether the setting, characters, main story line, a random tidbit buried in the middle. Getting inside the author's mind is fascinating and often gives me a greater appreciation for the story itself—and always for the author's process!

Take a look at the video below to get a glimpse at the "story behind the story" of DiAnn Mills' newest book, Double Cross, which is available now from Tyndale House Publishers.

The Story Behind the Story | Unplanned by Alana Terry

I'm so excited to be part of the blog tour for Alana Terry's new book Unplanned. If you've read any of Alanna's other books, you know she's not afraid to tackle difficult topics. Unplanned is no different. Keep reading to learn more about the book and to read Alana's thoughts on "the story behind the story." And . . . keep reading to the very end to find out about some freebies!

Now, without further ado, I'll turn it over to Alana!

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A first-year college student adjusting to life in the States.

A brand-new pregnancy center desperate for new volunteers.

A mysterious phone call from a girl who's far too young to be pregnant.

UNPLANNED

from award-winning suspense novelist Alana Terry

After volunteering at a crisis pregnancy center, Kennedy Stern finds herself a pawn in a deadly game of intrigue, at the mercy of those who consider a few innocent lives a small ransom to pay for victory.

(See below to get your own pre-release copy of Unplanned before it hits the bookstores.)

THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY

My husband and I have both been involved in pregnancy center ministry on and off since we got married. At one point, I volunteered to answer a hotline phone like the one Kennedy takes in the first chapter of Unplanned. I still remember the very first phone call I received. My husband and I were in the middle of dinner when I picked it up. The girl was very young and told me she was pregnant.

As we started to talk a little more, it came out that she didn’t know who the father was since both her biological dad and her stepdad were simultaneously abusing her. I shaking by then, and my poor husband could only help by rubbing my back while I tried to help. The girl hung up abruptly before I could get a phone number, a last name, or any other way to identify her.

After talking to the director of the pregnancy center, I placed a call to 911 and was told there was nothing the police could do. They didn't have any evidence that what the girl was saying was true. I held onto the phone for the rest of the weekend, hoping to hear form her again. She did call a few days later to tell me that her dad had overheard our conversation and was taking her to abortion clinic. I urged her to tell a teacher or school counselor, but she was homeschooled and said her parents never let her leave the house unsupervised.

I don’t know what happened to her, but I doubt I'll ever forget that call, which is similar to the one Kennedy receives in Unplanned. I’d like to think that in some way my newest novel might help someone who ends up in a similar situation one day.

WANT YOUR OWN COPY OF UNPLANNED NOW?

Unplanned is the newest Christian suspense novel from award-winning author, Alana Terry. PRE-ORDER the $2.99 ebook today, fill out the form below, and receive:

• a pre-release copy of Unplanned (no waiting for launch day)
• the Unplanned Bonus Materials (go behind-the-scenes with deleted scenes, bloopers, character studies, and more!)
• 30 Days of Prayer to End Abortion devotional
• an exclusive 20-minute video from the author answering readers' frequently asked questions (includes  the story of the mysterious phone call Alana received that was the basis for the novel)

Sound like a good deal? Pre-order Unplanned from amazon, then fill out the form below. You will receive your free pre-release copy and the extra bonus pack materials in one to two days.

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Form not working? Submit your information here, or forward your amazon receipt to alanaterrybooks [at] gmail.com.

The Story Behind the Story | Rhinestone Jesus

Back in the fall, I joined up with other bloggers to assist in a grassroots fundraising campaign for Mercy House Kenya. I was floored by how God used moms, daughters, sisters, women—bloggers!—to raise over $74,000 to provide a new van, generator, classrooms, computer lab, and a second house for theses precious moms and babies.

Kristen Welch, founder of Mercy House Kenya, has written a book called Rhinestone Jesus and it releases today! I wanted to share some of what she recently shared on her blog about why she wrote this book. You know, the story behind the story.

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I wrote Rhinestone Jesus because I want you to know the whole story. 

It’s funny how easy it is to look at someone’s life and even their God-sized dream and think, “I could never do that, be that, have that sort of faith or courage or success  or fill in the blank.”

I’m pulling back the curtains, revealing the dirt under the rug, and I’m telling it all…the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly, the shattered and redeemed chapters of my life. I want you to meet the awkward teen who wore a sparkly Jesus pin to high school because I was too afraid to do the talking myself. I want you to understand I was a dreamer. But instead of chasing dreams, I mostly ran from them.

I want you to identify with me as a mother –weary and overwhelmed and not always realizing I was seeing the face of God every time I wiped a small smudged one. I want you to see just how damaged my marriage was and how we fought hell itself to love again. I want to show you the ugly places, the unwilling heart, the times I said no–you must see this to get a clear picture of who is really telling this story.

I want you to see past these gorgeous faces full of hope and a future and understand how against all odds, a broken girl with a broken past said yes to God in a most unlikely place. I want you to see that your small every day yes matters so much more than you think it does.

And most of all, when you read about my sometimes chaotic, troubled and imperfect life, I pray it inspires you to look at yours and instead of seeing a mess, you discover the perfect place for God’s glory.

I’ve spent the last year spilling my story onto the pages of this book. It’s not for “just moms” because there’s no such thing. It’s for everyone who has a yes inside them. It’s for women who would like to get their life just right before they feel like they can do something for God. It’s for those who are sick of stuff and the weight of the American Dream. It’s for those who wonder if Jesus is enough. It’s for those who have stopped dreaming. It’s for the broken.

But mostly, it’s for Jesus, not the sparkly one, but the one who rescued me, the Savior who urged me out of my comfort zone into wild obedience. I wrote it for His glory and for all those brave enough to say yes with me.

* Originally posted on We Are THAT Family. Re-posted with permission.  

About the Book
In high school, Kristen Welch wore a big, sparkly rhinestone “Jesus” pin to school every day and carried her Bible wherever she went. (Yes, she was that girl.) But she didn’t realize her faith, though sincere, was shallow; much like her artificial accessory, it would one day tarnish, no longer a true fit for who she was. As real life catapulted Kristen into places and situations she’d never imagined, there came a day when she stood shocked in the slums of Africa and realized in one desperate moment that Jesus wasn’t enough for her. At least . . . she wasn’t living like He was. On the brink of a risk bigger than any she’d ever taken, Kristen knew she didn’t stand a chance—unless she was willing to put aside the rhinestones and get branded by the real thing. Rhinestone Jesus is the story of one woman’s journey from comfortably living a safe, “good-girl” faith that didn’t cost much, to realizing that God was daring her to say yes to a bolder, more authentic, more dangerous way. This story of spiritual adventure throws the doors wide open for any woman who’s ever thought of herself as “just a mom.” Kristen will inspire and empower you to say yes to God right where you are—and stand amazed at how your life will shine.

The Story Behind the Story with Tamera Alexander

I'm so looking forward to reading Tamera Alexander's newest novel, A Beauty So Rare (hoping to get to it next week!!!). As you know, I love hearing authors share a little about the inspiration behind their books, so I'm excited to share this video of Tamera sharing the inspiration of A Beauty So Rare with you!

Have you heard much buzz about A Beauty So Rare? Are you planning to read it?

The Story Behind the Story | Duchess

I love knowing what inspires stories that I enjoy reading. I thought it might be fun to dig a little deeper into The Story Behind the Story of some of the books I'm reading these days.

Today, Susan May Warren shares about her latest historical fiction release, Duchess! Here's The Story Behind the Story ...

There is nothing better than diving into a story like this one, surrounding yourself with research and ideas, the culmination of a storyline you’ve been working on for two years. I loved penning this novel because I knew that after the hard beginning of Heiress, with so much pain and so many mistakes made by Jinx, and the bittersweet middle story, Baroness, where Rosie walks so far away from her inheritance, Rosie’s redemption would be rich and profound. I loved watching her discover that she didn’t need the world’s applause she longed for—that she had it all inside, with the love of God. If you’ve read all three books, perhaps you noticed the themes: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Esme learned this in Heiress, as she discovered that wealth came from knowing your Savior. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”. Lilly learned this in Baroness as she let go of her grief and recognized the comfort of her father, Oliver, and that she couldn’t outrun God’s love. “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” Rosie learned this in Duchess, that inheriting everything she wanted—the applause of earth and heaven—was about surrender and trusting God’s love. The series is named “Daughters of Fortune” not only because of their circumstances, but because I hoped readers might see what a true fortune looks like. What a true inheritance is when a person puts their faith in the Lord.

Duchess, the conclusion to the Daughters of Fortune series, is now available from Summerside Press. 

* Originally posted on Susan May Warren's website. Re-posted with permission.

The Story Behind the Story | A Noble Groom

I love knowing what inspires stories that I enjoy reading. I thought it might be fun to dig a little deeper into The Story Behind the Story of some of the books I'm reading these days.

Today, Jody Hedlund shares about her latest release, A Noble Groom! Here's The Story Behind the Story ...

A Noble Groom is the story of a German immigrant farming community in central Michigan during the 1880s. I was drawn to write this novel for a number of reasons. One is that I live in central Michigan and am fascinated by the history of the area. Since there have been so few novels set in Michigan, I’m delighted to pioneer the way into bringing my state’s history to life for today’s readers.

Another reason I chose to focus on this immigrant community is because of my own German roots. My father’s family emigrated from Germany and eventually many of them became farmers.

In my research I ran across a group of German immigrants that settled in the Thumb area of Michigan. This particular group had emigrated from Saxony Germany to Sanilac County, Michigan, and formed Colonial Saxonia. As miners they had originally intended to settle in the Upper Peninsula and mine there, but due to reports on the severity of the weather in the northern part of Michigan, they decided to settle instead farther south, in Forestville.

The land around Forestville had once been a former logging community and was covered with a tangle of dead trees, stumps, and fast-growing brush. The soil was rich for farming, but it would take hard work to make it ready. In writing A Noble Groom, I wanted to bring to life this era and the difficulty these immigrants faced in settling in a strange land.

I pray readers will find the story of these immigrants inspiring as they persevere through their own challenges. It’s my hope that the courage of the immigrants will give readers fresh determination and hope.

Most of all, I want them to know God does indeed care for them. Even when He seems busy with more important people and matters, I hope readers will have a new awakening of His nearness, especially during their darkest moments of pain.

A Noble Groom is available from Bethany House Publishers wherever books are sold. Believe me, this is one book you do NOT want to miss!

The Story Behind the Story | Take a Chance on Me

I love knowing what inspires stories that I enjoy reading. I thought it might be fun to dig a little deeper into The Story Behind the Story of some of the books I'm reading these days.

Today, Susan May Warren shares about her latest contemporary release, Take a Chance on Me! Here's The Story Behind the Story ...

We live in a blame world. For some reason, over the past two-three generations, we’ve turned into a society that points fingers, that seeks out someone to accuse. We’ve all heard of the crazy accusations—hot coffee spilled on a lap at McDonalds causes a lawsuit. People trespass onto property and the owner is sued for a slippery sidewalk. We blame creditors for extending us too much credit—as if it is their fault we overspend. But what about the big events, the ones that truly cut into our lives. School shootings. Gas explosions. Car accidents. The truth is, the chaos of the world is frightening, and when something terrible happens—accidents, mistakes, even tragedy, it simply feels better to blame rather than forgive. Forgiving takes a part of us that feels too overwhelming. It might require us to look at ourselves, and see if we have a part in the story.  One might even suggest that some sins aren’t forgivable. It’s too much to ask. More, in a society that rushes to blame, we destroy any hope of sorrow—there simply isn’t room for it when we’re too busy defending ourselves from blame.

We’re quickly spiraling into a society without mercy. Without grace. Without forgiveness.

A few years ago, we had a tragedy occur in our town not unlike the events of this story. Different players, different situations, but I used this concept to explore what happens when grief and anger takes over and ignites an ember of hatred inside. We lose perspective. We lose our hold on grace.

Hatred turns into a peet fire in our heart, burning away at our insides. The only hope to snuff it out it forgiveness. Grace. A hard look at ourselves to see if we are measuring others by the measure by which we want to be judged. Or are we measuring them by the pain they caused?

I am thankful that God doesn’t measure us by the pain we caused Him. Still cause Him. I am thankful that his measure is Jesus. His measure is Grace.

I am excited about this series! I’ve longed to write a story about a northern Minnesota family and their adult children. We’re in this season of life – parenting our adult children. As a parent, you nurture your children, then guide them, then walk beside them … and finally stand back as they walk into life. And then you really start praying! These books are about those years ... watching, hoping, praying your adult children into a legacy of faith. Thank you for taking this first step on the journey with the Christiansen family. I hope you will continue with me as we “Come Home to the Christiansens.” 

Take a Chance on Me, the first book in The Christiansen Family series, is now available from Tyndale House. 

* Originally posted on Susan May Warren's website. Re-posted with permission.