SORMAG'S PROMOTION CHANGE

Friday I made the decision to no longer promote erotica or any literature with explicit graphic content. This wasn't a decision made lightly or because of one person's opinion. Everytime I featured erotica, I received negative feedback. Which made me realize the readership wasn't ready for this genre.

I have nothing against erotica. I'm not passing judgement on it or its writers. I believe there is a genre for everyone and as writers we are free to write whatever we want.

I had to seriously think about what image I wanted to promote on SORMAG. This is a popular genre and to promote it more would mean taking SORMAG to the adult site level. I wasn't ready for that move.

All I ask is that you respect my decision to promote what I want on my site, just as I respect your decision to write what you want.

Editor Note: It has come to my attention that some feel I'm discriminating against lesbians because in the past I featured erotica. Let me make this clear, this issue isn't about lesbians, man on man stories or even street lit. It's about making SORMAG an adult site or not.

Those who know me, know I believe in promoting everyone and I didn't like the idea of not promoting a genre. However I have to preserve the image of SORMAG and if that means not featuring explicit adult content then that's what I have to do.

GUEST BLOGGER: Brenda Novak

As a writer, I always get asked whether I write from personal experience. In ways, I do, and the new series I’m kicking off this summer is a perfect example of that. TRUST ME (May 27th), STOP ME (June 24th) and WATCH ME (July 29th) are based on a fictional victim’s charity in Sacramento called The Last Stand. The three heroines met at a victim’s support group after each one experienced a different kind of violence. They’re determined to heal, to fight back and to help others do the same, which is why they decide to start The Last Stand.

In TRUST ME, Skye Kellerman was attacked in her own bed. She managed to fend off her knife-wielding assailant, but now her would-be rapist is getting out of prison. Early. And Skye knows that Dr. Oliver Burke hasn’t forgotten what her testimony cost him.

In STOP ME, widower Romain Fornier lost his reason for living the day his daughter was kidnapped and murdered. When the killer got off on a technicality, he used a gun to mete out his own justice. Now that he’s out of prison and free to return to his Cajun roots, the last thing he wants to learn is that he might've killed the wrong man. But that’s exactly what Jasmine Stratford of The Last Stand has come all the way from California to tell him.

In WATCH ME, Sheridan Kohl was just a teenager parked at the lake with a boy named Jason when a stranger wearing a ski mask shot them both. Sheridan lived, but Jason died—and the stranger was never caught. Twelve years later, Sheridan has learned a thing or two about investigating crime. She returns to her hometown, intent on achieving answers at last. But someone doesn’t want the truth to come out. Someone who is willing to resort to murder. Again.

While my fictional charity is geared toward violent crime because I write romantic suspense and thought it would be fascinating to see these women tackle some very interesting and difficult cases, the concept of using personal passion to motivate came from my own desire to make a difference to those struggling with diabetes.

Six years ago, when my youngest son was diagnosed with Type 1, I felt hurt and wanted to fight back, too. Desperately. I just didn’t know how. I had five kids at home and some very tight book deadlines. But then I attended a silent auction at the local elementary school and realized that I could do a similar event on my Web site, where I could utilize the traffic I’d already established.

In my first three auctions, I managed to raise a combined total of $250,000, and the 2008 auction looks as if it will at least match that amount. A shopper’s paradise, it will have plenty items to fit every budget from a drumhead signed by a whole slew of famous music artists (Michael Jackson, Ringo Starr, Bruce Springstein, and far too many others to list) to a treasure trove of miscellaneous items donated by aspiring author Lauren Hawkeye. And that’s not all. For those who are aspiring to become a novelist or to advance their writing career, there will be AMAZING opportunities. Many of the most powerful agents and editors in the business have donated evaluations—some with the promise of a 24-hour response (which is unheard of in the publishing industry).

How does it all work? Just like E-Bay, except this auction runs at www.brendanovak.com and only through the month of May (May 1 – May 31st). Visit that URL to register. When the bidding is over, you can pay with Paypal, credit card or personal check/money order. In most instances the donor even picks up the shipping. And the person who places the highest number of bids over all, even if that person doesn’t win a single item, will receive a fabulous prize package including a brand new camcorder (worth over $1,000), Your Name in My Next Book, an autographed copy of TRUST ME, and chocolate (lots of chocolate!).

Check out the auction, and while you’re at my Web site, enter to win a spectacular trip to Port Orchard and Bainbridge Island (sponsored by Allison Brennan, Debbie Macomber, Susan Wiggs and myself), and receive a $10 gift certificate you can use toward your auction purchases.

Here's to making a difference!

Brenda Novak

TRUST ME, 4.5 stars and a TOP PICK from RT Book Review Magazine, On Sale May 27th!
Don't miss my on-line auction for diabetes research beginning May 1st at www.brendanovak.com

ARE YOU READING THIS?

Through A Glass Darkly
by Anna Taylor

Roxanna Mitchell can’t convince Dr. William McCoy she isn’t a millionaire’s mentally unstable runaway wife. Not when a bedside wedding photo undercuts her claims of abduction and mistaken identity. Not until events force them into an alliance that will lead either to the truth or their deaths.

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Month published: April

ISBN: 1-60154-233-X

Link: http://thewildrosepress.com/publisher/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=712&Itemid=88



Writing under her maiden name, Anna Taylor was born, bred and wed in New York City. An online X-Files fanfic challenge re-ignited her love for writing. A prod from her mother-in-law to write about her own characters resurrected a childhood dream to be an author. Inspired by an 84 year-old shut-in’s love for Harlequin romance and a This American Life segment on Romance Writer’s of America, Anna joined Romance Writers of America in 2004 and prepared to make her childhood dream a reality. Anna holds membership in four of their online chapters. A United Church of Christ clergywoman, she presently serves a Presbyterian church as the Associate Pastor for Pastoral Care and Small Group ministry.

ROMANCE SLAM JAM 2008

The thirteenth annual Romance Slam Jam was held this past week. April 30 – May 4th.

As always it was wonderful to see all the writers and meet all the readers.

I want to thank the committee, - Deatri King Bey, Dyanne Davis, Barbara Keaton, Ann Clay, Lisa G. Riley and the Chicago RAW Sister Book Club.

These ladies know how to throw a party. I have been in need from some serious fun and they showed me the time of my life.

I have some pictures and hopefully a video to share, so for now I will post a link to a site that has theirs online now and who I wanted to introduce to you as another wonderful place to promote books – URBAN REVIEWS

I had the pleasure of meeting the hosts Radiah and her hubby Charles Hubbert. They have some fantastic pictures. You’ll see a few of me in them. As you will see from the pictures we all had a great time.

http://urbanreviews.blogspot.com/

Click on the link and scroll down, there is a post for each day and they have some videos of the karoke session, which was too funny.

If you went to slam jam, please share your experiences.

FEATURED AUTHOR: Megan DiMaria

Megan DiMaria was born and raised in New York State and attended SUNY Plattsburgh where she earned her B.A. Degree in Communications. She has been a radio and television reporter, freelance writer, editor and marketing professional. Her husband’s job moved the family to Pennsylvania, Texas, New Jersey and ultimately Colorado. Megan and her husband live in suburban Denver near their adult children. They often travel back to their roots in Long Island, NY to visit family and get their fill of delicious Italian food.

Megan loves to spend time with other writers and be an encouragement to colleagues on their writing journey. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, HIS Writers, and is assistant director of Words for the Journey Christian Writers Guild, Rocky Mountain Region.

Searching for Spice

Searching for Spice tells the story of Linda Revere, a married woman who wants to have an affair—with her husband of nearly 25 years. Of course life isn’t scripted, and nothing goes according to plan.


What would you like your readers to take away from your book?

Life is hard, and that’s a reality that must be accepted. We shouldn’t be caught off guard when we hit a bump in the road. The message I hope readers gain from Searching for Spice is to know you can trust God despite what your circumstances look like. That was a lesson I had to learn during a difficult valley I walked through. At the time it looked like nothing good could come of that situation, but now I see the hand of God guided me. Equally important to me is the message that marriage is valuable and precious and should not be lightly regarded. Another message I hope readers grasp is that friendship is priceless, and we should cherish the people in our lives.

What did you learn while writing this book?

I think one of the most interesting observations I had while writing this book is what characteristics or traits I personally don’t want to display. You know, you put characters in a situation, and then they react. I often found myself thinking, “No, no, no. You shouldn’t do that. You could be misunderstanding the situation or you could hurt someone with your careless words.”

What is the hardest part about the writing business?

Before I had a contract, the hardest part was writing into “a black hole” and wondering if anyone besides me and my critique partners would see my story. Now it’s just trying to manage my regular schedule, deadlines and marketing responsibilities.

What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?

Without a doubt, it’s that I really am working when I’m home with my laptop. Just because you have the luxury of making your own schedule doesn’t mean you have the luxury of blowing off your responsibilities when you should be home writing.

What marketing have you found that particularly works well for you?

I pass out bookmarks whenever I get that opportunity, which is just about every time I go out in public. I’m the kind of girl who can strike up a conversation with anyone, so it’s not difficult for me to promote my book.

What are three things you wish you'd known before you reached where you are now?

I was fortunate to find American Christian Fiction Writers in January of 2001. This amazing organization does a wonderful job at educating and mentoring writers. I think because I took advantage of all ACFW has to offer and became acquainted with the community of writers, I was fairly prepared for what happened. That said, I believe this business is all about learning, hard work and marketing. People need to know that once you get your contract, you’ve still not arrived.

What’s the most interesting change in your life as a result of being a published author?

I’ve discovered that people perceive that the job title “author” has a certain cachet. They’re more curious about me than if I say I’m a clerk in an office. Other than that, not much has changed. I’m blessed with a wonderful family and incredible friends who see me as the same person who toiled away for 12 years dreaming of being published.

This month our theme is Men In Fiction. Can you give us five male authors you read?

Randy Ingermanson, James Scott Bell, Alton Gansky, Nicholas Sparks, and Michael Snyder’s My Name is Russell Fink is on my TBR list.

Do you have any advice for the aspiring writer?

Write regularly, read regularly, join a writers group or two, hang out with writers, have your work critiqued and attend conferences if you can. I confess, many times in my writing journey I was tempted to throw in the towel. But the moral of the story is, don’t give up. Hold on to your dreams. Press on. Trust God.

How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)

Readers can find me online at my blog at megandimaria.blogspot.com and my website, megandimaria.com. If you want to drop me a line, there’s an “email” button on my site.

FEATURED AUTHOR: David Rivera

David begins and ends his days with one prayer:

May the evil man be good.
May the good man find peace.
May he who finds peace be free; and,
May he who is free make others free."

David Rivera Jr., has been writing short stories for his own entertainment since high school. He has been inspired by the writings of the contemporary black male writers that have emerged in the past few years.

His first book, Harlem's Dragon, has been met with great enthusiasm by other writers – most notably by Zane, as well as literary critics. In a recent interview, David admitted that the sex scenes depicted in his writings are taken from some of his personal experiences and enhanced for the entertainment of his readers. He enjoys the erotic writing of Anne Rice and hopes to master a full spectrum of writing genres just as she has. As a man of color, David has taken on the task of showing African American men in a more positive light in his writing. He believes that every black man has the responsibility of contributing something of worth to his community. The proof that he is doing his share becomes apparent in his writing.

David, the youngest of three siblings, was born in the old Lincoln Hospital in the South Bronx on January 14, 1965. He grew up in the South Bronx and graduated from Norman Thomas High School located in midtown Manhattan in 1982. David has lived in Harlem for the past 20 years. He holds a Bachelors degree in Sociology and a Masters of Science degree in Public Administration.

PLAYING IN THE DARK:

Beautiful women, seductive men and saged priestesses are intriguing characters used to spin this urban legend of seduction, sex and suspense. Return to Harlem, NYC to experience Playing in the Dark, The Emptiness that Love Brings -- another must read erotic thriller by David Rivera, Jr., author of Harlem's Dragon and The Street Sweeper.

The irresistibly sexy, Chemah Rivers is in pursuit of a ruthless killer whose sole purpose is to destroy the highly celebrated NYC detective. The ensuing chase blazes an international path of deception and destruction strewn with broken bodies and souls. There are no limits to the quest for ultimate possession, including using those Chemah holds most dear as pawns in this deadly game of cat and mouse.

From the opening seduction to the final love scene, Playing in the Dark is a cover-to-cover read - sure to keep new readers up well past their bedtimes and draw avid Chemah fans deeper into the Dragon's den

What would you like your readers to take away from your book?

I want my readers to feel like they’ve just returned from a mini-vacation – relaxed and generally in a good mood. Although you can find different meanings in my stories, I write purely for entertainment purposes. I want my stories to give readers with a good excuse to kick back, take a deep breathe and live vicariously through normal people placed in very abnormal situations. I want my readers to have a cathartic experience – having the opportunity and space to laugh out loud, cry tears, and most importantly want to make love.

Can you tell us about Chemah Rivers and what inspired him?

Chemah was inspired by my desire to recast men of color in a positive light through urban literature. I was careful not to make him “a dream” or “perfect” – because, as men … we just aren’t. Although he struggles with age-old issues of manhood, fatherhood and brotherhood, he’s innovative in his thought and approach to these issues. He’s a 21st century superhero – fighting bad guys at all hours of the day and night, while finding time to brush his daughter’s ponytails, be a role model for his son and a sensitive partner to his lady.

What did you learn while writing this book?

In my previous books, I didn’t do a whole lot of research. With this book, I spent a lot of time researching various aspects of the story. I was very deliberate in my attempt blur fact and fiction as much as possible. The results of the research greatly enhanced the overall imagery in the book.

What is the hardest part about the writing business?

Maintaining the creative edge – although the genres stay the same the challenge is to remain relevant to everyday life which changes constantly. What’s funny today may not be funny tomorrow.

What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?

Writing is a process – it’s not as easy as it looks.

What marketing have you found that particularly works well for you?

Word of mouth

Book Club Discussions and Appearances – I will readily visit any book club that invites me.

What are three things you wish you’d known before you reached where you are now?

I really didn’t know anything about the business of writing so I am still on a really steep learning curve. If I have to narrow down to three things, they would be:

1. Fortune does not come with fame – I’ve been a lot of different places where people recognize me, ask me for my autograph and even take pictures with me, but I haven’t made any money yet.

2. Writing for publishing purposes is a purely entrepreneurial undertaking and should be approached with the same level of professionalism and effort as managing and operating your own business.

3. Each project feels like your definitive work – while you’re working on it. When the project is finished, then you feel as though you could have done better and that you will do better the next time. There’s always “the next time.”

This month our theme is Men In Fiction. Can you give us five male authors you read?

Walter Mosley, Paulo Coelho, Stephen King, Dan Brown, John Grisham

Do you have any advice for the aspiring writer?

Writing is a creative process that takes extraordinary discipline. Set aside one hour a day and do nothing but write. Be exact about what time you will begin and end – if you go over the time, that’s fine. You should write without any expectations, sometimes you won’t get what you want – you might only get a sentence, you might write 20 pages, but end up with only three sentences, but those may end up being the most important three sentences in the book.

If you don’t write something, you’ll always have writer’s block.

How can readers get in contact with you?
Direct email address: setodavid@aol.com

Website: davidriverajr.com

EXCERPT: PLAYING IN THE DARK

PLAYING IN THE DARK
by David Rivera

Beautiful women, seductive men and saged priestesses are intriguing characters used to spin this urban legend of seduction, sex and suspense. Return to Harlem, NYC to experience Playing in the Dark, The Emptiness that Love Brings -- another must read erotic thriller by David Rivera, Jr., author of Harlem's Dragon and The Street Sweeper.

The irresistibly sexy, Chemah Rivers is in pursuit of a ruthless killer whose sole purpose is to destroy the highly celebrated NYC detective. The ensuing chase blazes an international path of deception and destruction strewn with broken bodies and souls. There are no limits to the quest for ultimate possession, including using those Chemah holds most dear as pawns in this deadly game of cat and mouse.

From the opening seduction to the final love scene, Playing in the Dark is a cover-to-cover read - sure to keep new readers up well past their bedtimes and draw avid Chemah fans deeper into the Dragon's den

Chapter 1

Genesis 19 ½

Bereft wound his way through Sodom's crowded streets. He was enjoying the powerful new body he recently acquired. It belonged to a Kemetan slave trader who strayed too far from the spiritual path of his ancestors. Bereft could only possess and corrupt the wayward, but that was not a problem as he could identify those who were open to him easily enough. He had found this one in a house of the most ill repute. The Kemetan was brutally bending the fallen woman's body to his will and Bereft decided to continue fornicating with the whore when he entered the slave trader. The Kemetan was holding her one leg behind her neck and was convulsing a torrent of semen into her when Bereft entered him. The pain in her face was intoxicating to Bereft. The woman was a worthwhile prize and Bereft would have taken her instead if not for her missing leg and his need for a male body at this time. The woman noticed the change in her temporal lover instantly when she saw the passion in his eyes replaced by malice. Bereft would have gotten pleasure from choking the life from her at that moment, but decided to save her for another time. Maybe tomorrow he would come back and break her other leg off. He would fuck her with it, he thought, as he jumped off of her laughing. The woman scampered across the dirty floor to the farthest corner in the hut. Bereft laughed at her fear, absorbing the power he drew from this human emotion.

Bereft's promise to Lot's daughters was a simple one. He would come back to them in a form other than that of the woman he seduced them with the night before. In return they would allow him to secretly observe their father's consecration rituals for fellowship with God. Bereft was convinced that if he could understand God's relationship to men, specifically why God granted them so much mercy and how Lot received his power from God, he would be able to somehow take the power away, harness it for himself, thereby guaranteeing his control over Sodom.

In this city, where every soul was doomed to be lost, any and all spirits could run rampantly without ever being contested, but that freedom was not enough for Bereft. He wanted the absolute authority that came with sovereignty that came with deification. Bereft was recklessly ambitious, he wanted to be more than king of Sodom. He wanted every soul in Sodom subject to his will. He wanted to be a god—adored and worshipped incessantly. Bereft and his four brothers made a grave wager that had driven all but him from this city thus far. It appeared to be an easy bargain. Each brother had one attempt at separating Lot from God. A failed attempt meant banishment from the city forever. His brothers had tried and all had failed. Bereft was the last to try. His attempt at seducing Lot had to be calculated and precise, lest his try at the halo over Lot's head be as futile as his brothers' had been. If he failed this one time, the wager would be null and his brothers would be allowed to return and the city. Sodom would never be his to rule alone.

Lot's daughters, Shelena and Miriam, were waiting for Bereft behind the small shack where the animals were kept. The girls, who were ages twenty and twenty-one respectively, were no match for Bereft's seductive nature. He winked and smiled at them and they knew him as soon as they met his gaze. His eyes were always the same. They smoldered with malevolence. The icy evil in his eyes had a chilling but hypnotic effect on all who looked into them. Despite Bereft's transformative powers, he could not change his eyes or their sinister gaze.

Shelena and Miriam were old maids by the standards of their tribe. Most considered it a sin that they lived with their father without husbands or children. They felt it was disgraceful that their father had not already married them off. They were more beautiful than any other women in the city and they looked so much alike that everyone thought they were twins. Both had olive skin that held no blemishes, their eyes were green like emeralds in pools of water. Their mouths were full and red, yet they wore no paint on their faces. Each had hair so black and thick that all women who saw them were instantly jealous.

Their father, Lot, left them and their mother on many occasions while he went into the mountains to commune with God. When he was gone for long periods, the girls secretly watched their mother entertain assorted men in their father's bed when she thought they were asleep. She allowed men to put the hard fleshy meat they kept between their legs into the soft wet opening between hers. At first, the exhibitions frightened them, the way she would grunt and scream when the men with the biggest flesh under their robes would ram themselves into her. After a time they came to realize that those were the men their mother favored the most. She enjoyed spending time with them and the girls watched and learned the joys of being with men through their spying.

When Bereft left Shelena and Miriam yesterday, they were in a sweated heap on the floor of the stable behind their home. He had introduced them to his body, which at the time was that of a twenty-five-year-old woman whom he had possessed after watching her fornicate with her husband's best friend. First he plied them with wine, knowing that after their hard work with the animals, it would be enough to erase all of their bewilderment at the responses their bodies would have to the lewd acts to be performed. He teased them both with his fingers, simultaneously entering them with the longest digit of each of his hands as they lay on the hay-strewn floor with their legs opened wide. When he brought them to the edge of ecstasy and they could take it no longer, Bereft bent his head to Shelena's venus and placed the full mouth that was now his against the lips that hid her birth opening. Miriam recognized the look on her sister's face immediately. She had seen that look of rapture on her mother's face quite often. She couldn't wait to have this woman's mouth on her birth opening too. When it was her turn, she thrust her hips into the face of the wanton woman boldly. She spilled such copious amounts of fluid into the woman's mouth that she thought at one point that she might be urinating unwittingly.

Now Bereft came to them as a large, onyx-colored male with the features of the royal family of Egypt plainly upon his visage.

"Do you recognize me, Shelena? Miriam?" he addressed one, then the other.

The two young women spent last night in the corner that they shared in their father's hovel, quietly giggling at the crazy woman's claim of having the ability to change her form to that of a man. They discussed, in hushed tones, the experiences they had sharing their bodies with the woman who called herself Bereft and how she succumbed to their beauty, devoutly worshipping their flesh. They fell asleep in a dilemma of guilty pleasure, vacillating between dread for the acts they committed and desire for another encounter with Bereft.

Now Miriam and Shelena stood still as Bereft came toward them. The sisters were frozen in fear. There was no doubt in either of their minds that the entity in front of them and the being who had seduced them yesterday were one and the same.

Bereft held his hand out to Miriam and she could not stop her feet from going to him. Shelena wanted to run, but she found his eyes latched on to her soul and knew that her will was his. When Miriam reached the spot where Bereft stood, he only slightly touched the top of her head and she dropped immediately to her knees in front of him. The front of his robe was frighteningly extended from his waist and she knew the man flesh beneath the robe was more than she or her sister had ever witnessed while watching their mother's affairs. Bereft grabbed a handful of Miriam's hair and pressed her face into his groin. She felt the length of him press against her face, from the tip of her jaw past the top of her head. He kept her face pressed against him as he pulled his robe over his head with his other hand. The fabric of the tunic was rough, scraping her lips raw as he drew it up slowly over his head, taking care to ensure Miriam could not move away. As the fabric gave way to flesh, Miriam's mouth dropped open in astonishment.

"Oh."

Bereft wasted no time. He saw the chasm of her mouth and thrust forward. Miriam's mouth snapped closed in time to keep from being filled.

FEATURED AUTHOR: Amy Wallace

Amy Wallace is the author of Ransomed Dreams and Healing Promises, a wife, homeschool mom of three, speaker, Bible study leader, and avid chocoholic. She loves crafting high-action suspense that delves deep into heart issues. But who she really is can be summed up in a few short words: Amy is a daughter of the King learning to live and love with laughter.

Healing Promises, book 2 in the Defenders of Hope series:
Healing Promises is a high-voltage romantic suspense novel which explores how a life-threatening medical diagnosis and the search for an elusive serial kidnapper affects even the most solid, loving Christian marriage and poses a key life question: Can God be trusted when things don’t go the way we prayed?

Healing Promises

Facing a new threat. When FBI Agent Clint Rollins takes a bullet during a standoff, it might just save his life. But not even the ugly things he’s seen during his years working in the Crimes Against Children Unit could prepare him for the overwhelming powerlessness of hospital tests revealing an unexpected diagnosis. If only Sara weren’t retreating into doctor mode…he needs his wife now more than ever. Frozen in fear. Sara Rollins is an oncologist with a mission–beating cancer when she can, easing her patients’ suffering at the very least. Now the life of her tall Texan husband is at stake. She never let the odds steal her hope before, but in this case, the question of God’s healing promises is personal. Can she hold on to the truth she claimed to believe? Faith under fire. As Clint continues to track down a serial kidnapper despite his illness, former investigations haunt his nightmares, pushing him beyond solving the case into risking his life and career. Clint struggles to believe God is still the God of miracles. Especially when he needs not one, but two. Everything in his life is reduced to one all-important question: Can God be trusted?

What would you like your readers to take away from your book?

My prayer is that as readers become involved in Clint and Sara’s journey, they'll experience a deeper sense of the goodness and trustworthiness of God, even when life doesn’t go the way we prayed. I also hope readers will see that at the end of ourselves only one truth remains—God is good. What we do with that fact changes everything.

What did you learn while writing this book?

Writing this story brought to the forefront some painful memories. But as I typed and cried out to God, He taught me again how true Job 1:21 is. The Lord gives and takes away. But in it all, blessed be His name. It took me a long time to experience the truth of that verse when I lost a dear friend after praying for his healing for over three years. It took a longer time to bless His name when I lost a baby. But looking back I see even more clearly that I never walked a step of this journey alone. And very often, I didn’t even do the walking because God carried me.

What inspired the Defenders of Hope series?

Long before I had any idea I’d become a novelist, I sat glued to my TV, watching with the rest of America as the events of 9-11 unfolded. I stayed transfixed and crying for over a week, numb and yet so full of pain at the same time. But while watching the firefighters, police, military and FBI being real-life heroes, a deep desire to pay tribute to them started to grow. I had no idea what God would do with that desire. All I knew was He had planted a seed. Not long after, God watered that desire with a literal dream, an amazing husband who believed in me and an awesome federal agent contact. That long-ago seed of an idea grew into the three-book Defenders of Hope series.

What is the hardest part about the writing business?

The hardest part about this business is fighting the lies the enemy whispers at every turn. Lies about worth, ability and just about every detail of the writing life. But praise God, there’s an answer for every lie. And that answer can be summed up with remembering who we are in Christ and that He has called us, not according to our works, but according to His purpose and grace which He granted us in Christ before the beginning of time. (paraphrase of 1 Timothy 1:8-9)

What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?

I wish non-writers understood that the voices in our heads don’t qualify us for a mental health assessment. Although…. ;-)

Seriously, I do wish non-writers understood how much blood, sweat and tears we put into our work. We’re not in this for the money, but to honor the One who called us and to share the story that’s birthed from the deepest parts of our souls.

What marketing have you found that particularly works well for you?

I love doing blog tours and interviews—online, TV and radio. They’re an opportunity for me to spend a few minutes with readers connecting, sharing and hopefully encouraging them to dream big and seek the Lord in all they do.

I also really enjoy speaking to book clubs. What a great way to further the conversation between author and reader that begins when someone picks up a book.

I never imagined I’d enjoy marketing. But it’s become something I enjoy because I’ve learned it’s not about selling books. It’s about connecting with readers and sharing what God has done as I walk through the doors God opens and trust Him with the outcome.

What are three things you wish you'd known before you reached where you are now?

I wish I’d known that a closed mouth gathers no problems.

That a good night sleep is far more valuable than one last scene written at 1 AM.

And that God can do more in five minutes than I can in five hours of stressing.

This month our theme is Men In Fiction. Can you give us five male authors you read?

One of my favorite authors is Mark Mynheir. I also enjoy Creston Mapes, Brandt Dodson, C.S. Lewis, and Max Lucado.

Do you have any advice for the aspiring writer?

Tell your story. And in so doing, worship. The writing life is a tough journey filled with sacrifice. That’s why I love 2 Samuel 24:24—I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God that which cost me nothing. When you consider your writing and all the good, bad and ugly of it, lay it at the feet of Jesus. Then rest, knowing your sacrifice is well received by the One who smiles and loves you more than you can imagine.

How can readers get in contact with you? (mail, email, website)

I love to hear from readers, and I’d be honored if you’d drop me a note when you visit the Heart Chocolate site www.amywallace.com. Another awesome way to keep in touch is to join the Dark Chocolate Suspense newsletter. I look forward to hearing from you!