Introducing a Cool New Site for Fans of Christian Fiction

Posted on: October 31, 2012 by Sandra Orchard

Novel Crossing is a comprehensive new website designed to be the go-to place where faith and fiction intersect.

Currently in its beta stage, the possibilities look enormously promising.

Novel Crossing wishes to build a community of Christian fiction readers by offering articles from top Christian fiction authors and others, reviews from readers, popular bloggers and media sources, an extensive database of all Christian fiction titles, and opportunities for readers to discuss Christian fiction.

While this is a project of Waterbrook Multnomah, Christian fiction books from all publishing houses will be included on the site. The database is still in the process of being built so authors who don’t see their books should let them know.

The site promises to be a true social media experience. If you sign up as a member, your home page will be customized with news pertaining to your reading tastes.

You’re supposed to be able to make “Novel Crossing friends” and share updates with them, but I haven’t figured out how. If someone knows, please share in the comments.

If you’d like to get updates on my upcoming releases from Novel Crossing, you can click on my profile, and below the picture and list of current books and a fancy scroll line, there’s a button that says “follow this author”.

You can also create book clubs or join discussion threads.

And…you can write 1-sentence reviews of your favorite books.

If you’d like to add a quick rating or review for any of the books in my Undercover Cops series, here are the direct links to each book’s page:
Deep Cover; Shades of Truth; Critical Condition

You can be the first!

There are many other meeting places for Christian fiction lovers online.

Groups abound on Goodreads. I’m in Christian Fiction Devourers, Love Inspired Books, Christian romance readers, and fans of Christian romance. Family Fiction Magazine and Fiction Finder are other great sites to find information about Christian fiction. Fiction Finder also invites browsers to leave reviews.

Your Turn: Do you have a favorite online source that you consult for the latest in Christian fiction?

Meet the Author ~ Sharon Srock

Posted on: October 24, 2012 by Sandra Orchard

Debut author Sharon Srock is visiting today to tell us a bit about the heroine in her book The Women of Valleyview: Callie.

But first let me tell you about Sharon.

Sharon Srock lives with her husband, Larry, and two dogs in Rural Oklahoma. She is a mother, grandmother, and Sunday School teacher. Sharon has one and three-quarters jobs and writes in her spare time. Her favorite hobby is traveling with her grandchildren. She is a member of ACFW and currently serves as treasurer for her local chapter. Sharon’s writing credits include numerous poems and short stories published in science fiction fanzines.

Take it away, Sharon:

When I first started to write Callie’s story, I had no clue that the characters would become so real to me. I guess that happens to all writers. I think it’s impossible to eat, sleep, and work with people and have it any other way. I’ll admit that I initially fashioned Callie after me in a lot of ways because it seemed like the easy way out.

She’s in her mid fifties, she teaches a Sunday school class. I even gave her a job in an OB/GYN clinic, one of my fondest working experiences. I could identify with this person, I knew who she was (me), I could hear her voice in my head, and I was comfortable in her skin.

Who knew things could get so out of hand? Callie turned out to be a completely contrary individual. She had a story to tell that had nothing to do with me and I wouldn’t get any rest until it was told. She has a depth and strength to her character that I will never see in myself. Her walk with God is closer than my own. I’m an introvert, she’s an extrovert. There are several scenes where she stands toe to toe with one of the other characters in a fashion so bold that it makes me cringe. I hate confrontation. I still don’t know where some of the advice she doles out came from. I’ll never understand how this character, mined from my heart and soul could be so opposite from me.

So, is Callie Stillman Sharon Srock? Only in minor ways. I’ve decided that Callie is who Sharon wants to be when she grows up.

Sandra again. Are you intrigued?

Here’s back cover blurb:
Three dire circumstances. Three desperate prayers. One miracle to save them all.

Callie Stillman is drawn to the evasive girl who’s befriended her granddaughter, but the last time Callie tried to help a child, her efforts backfired. Memories of the tiny coffin still haunt her.

Samantha and Iris Evans should be worried about homework, not whether they can pool enough cash to survive another week of caring for an infant while evading the authorities.

Steve Evans wants a second chance at fatherhood, but his children are missing. And no one seems to want to help the former addict who deserted his family.

For Steve to regain the relationship he abandoned, for his girls to receive the care they deserve, Callie must surrender her fear and rely on God to work the miracle they all need.

Your Turn: Do you have any questions for Sharon? Every reader who comments gets an entry into a drawing for the prize package pictured below. If you wish to be included, please include contact info. On Monday November 19th, Sharon will draw a winner from all names collected during her book blog tour.

You can also connect with Sharon here:

BLOG: http://www.womenofvalleyview.blogspot.com/
Facebook Twitter Goodreads

Treatment for Critical Illness – How far would you go?

Posted on: September 10, 2012 by Sandra Orchard

Each critically ill patient feels differently about what lengths they’re willing to go to treat their disease. Have you ever given any thought to this question for yourself?

Image courtesy of vichie81 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

It’s a question raised in my October release, Critical Condition, and one I first gave serious thought to while reading through the questions in a do-it-yourself Power of Attorney document soon after losing my mother to a twelve year battle with cancer.

Toward the end of my mother’s life, when it became clear that no traditional treatments were working, she was asked to participate in an experimental treatment study, much like one of the doctors in the story supervises.

For the first time in all the years she’d battled the disease, my mom succumbed to depression.

What we didn’t realize at first was that it was a side effect of the experimental treatment. After a few months it became obvious that the treatment was prolonging her death, not her life.

She no longer found joy in life…not even when her young grandchildren visited, which was not like her.

She made the decision to go off the medicine. All medicine. And for six glorious weeks, she was Mom again. She even returned to work and started golfing. She looked great. She felt pretty good.

Unfortunately, but mercifully, the end came quickly after that. I share this as an example of one scenario and one choice.

My dear writing friend who passed away while I was writing the final draft of this story, had a very different type of cancer which she had battled for two decades. She’d tried many, many different alternative and complementary treatments.

These varied experiences prompted me to ask:

What if a patient, her doctor and her loved ones disagree on what they’ll risk for the chance to be cured?

And so the idea for Critical Condition was born.

Book Blurb: There’s a murderer in the hospital, and nurse Tara Peterson is determined to prove it. With mysterious deaths in the cancer ward, anyone could be next. But no one wants to believe her…except for undercover agent Zach Davis. The murderer wants Tara’s suspicions silenced, permanently. To protect Tara, Zach lets her in on his secret, and unwittingly into his heart. Tara and her three-year-old daughter are like the family he lost years before. Zach will risk everything to keep them safe, no matter the cost.

Your Turn: Have you ever faced life or death decisions when it comes to yours or a loved one’s health? What factors would you consider most important in making a decision for, or against, a course of treatment?

Breaking News!

Posted on: February 2, 2012 by Sandra Orchard

I know, I know, I usually don’t post on Thursdays, but…it’s just too exciting to wait.

Shades of Truth won’t be in stores for another 40 days, but it is available NOW from the Harlequin website at 20% off the cover price!!! And I have special coupon codes to save you even more…

For regular or larger print copies, click here, choose the version you want and use coupon code SAVE10AFFO at checkout to save an additional 10%

if you’d rather stock up on your favorite titles, use coupon code BUY2AFFO to buy 2 titles and get one free. Shipping is always free for 1st time customers, or for purchases over a certain amount

For Adobe Epub version, click here, choose the Epub version and use coupon code SAVE10AFFO to save 10%

if you want to stock up on other titles, use SAVE5DOLLARS to save $5 when you spend $15 on Ebooks.

Fun Friday – When Truth is Stranger than Fiction

Posted on: September 30, 2011 by Sandra Orchard

I like to watch people when I’m traveling. It’s a wonderful opportunity to gain character ideas.

I struck gold on my flight home from the ACFW conference this past Sunday.

When the plane stopped, a six foot, broad-shouldered guy sitting in the seat in front of me jumped into the narrow aisle and began tugging his carry-on luggage out of the overhead compartment.

At the same time, the woman across the aisle from him rose to retrieve her bag.

The next thing we know she’s gasping for air!

The man’s shoulder has her face pinned to the overhead compartment. I’m talking her cheek smushed against the plastic, her body shoved halfway underneath.

And he doesn’t realize it!

Neither does her husband who is still in his seat texting on his cell phone!!

My seatmate laughed so hard she cried. (After the woman was unpinned, of course. Then we were wishing we’d gotten it on video!)

This is definitely proof that broad-shouldered men do not necessarily a hero make. 😀

Your Turn: Have you witnessed an unbelievably bizarre or comedic moment?

Join me…

Posted on: September 20, 2011 by Sandra Orchard

at Margie Lawson’s Alumni Blog today where she’ll be dissecting samples of Deep Cover using her deep editing methods and talking about (I hope!) how I empowered my character’s emotions using the methods she teaches.

Jessica Nelson also has a profile of the book up on her blog called Booking It. Thanks Jessica!

And Susan Sleeman of Suspense Zone wrote a review. Yee! This is a cool site for lovers of Suspense.

And…I missed announcing an interview of my HERO this past Sunday. I’m so ashamed. Poor Rick. You’ll find it here: http://craftieladiesofromance.blogspot.com/2011/09/featured-book-deep-cover-by-sandra.html

WHY SOME TITLES ALMOST ALWAYS SELL WELL

Posted on: September 19, 2011 by Sandra Orchard

For the past week, my editor and I have been mulling over title ideas for the third book in my undercover cops series.

Killer Bunnies

We all know that titles are meant to hook readers into picking up the book. Some titles shock, others offer an intriguing play on words, some tug at our heart strings. What many readers don’t realize is that oftentimes, an author’s suggested or preferred title is not what goes on their book.

A lot of factors play into this. The publisher may have already published a book with that title—a common issue with Love Inspired since they publish so many books. Or there may be another title slotted for the same month with a word in the title common to the second author’s choice. Or perhaps, too many recent releases have already shared the word in common.

Her Only Protector

In addition to those factors, my publisher wants the title to convey what the story is about. So for example, my original title for Deep Cover was Shades of Gray. I liked this on a couple of levels, because the hero’s last name was Gray and he’s an undercover cop living different lives (shades of his life). He also must tell half truths and lies of omission to do his job—more shades of gray. And ultimately, he learns that while he may have to lie to do his job, there is no room for shades of gray in his heart.

The problem with the title is that it didn’t convey what the story was about.

Since no requests for new title suggestions were made for my third book at the time of contracting, I thought yay! I get to keep this title, too. The book is about an undercover cop who poses as an IT consultant in a hospital to determine if a string of mysterious deaths were murders, as an outspoken nurse insists–a nurse who soon finds herself a target.

I called it Dose of Deception, thinking that “dose” hints at the medical setting, and that “deception” hints at the role of the undercover cop and the villain. But alas…last week, I was asked to suggest alternatives.

With suspense on my mind, I proposed titles that included words like: killer, murder, lethal, mystery etc. To my surprise, I learned that books with those words in the titles don’t sell as well for Love Inspired Suspense. It made sense, once I thought about it. Readers are looking for “romantic” suspense.

Lone Defender

I, too, tend to gravitate to the titles that have words like protector or guardian or hero in them. The problem is the line has already used almost every possible combination of great hero descriptors like that. So I’m stumped…

Your turn: What key words in a “romantic suspense” title grab your attention?

Fun Friday – Getting into Character?

Posted on: September 16, 2011 by Sandra Orchard

Let me start by assuring you that I DID NOT duct tape my daughter to the chair. Honest!

And isn’t Bella a true hero–um, heroine–to try to free her?

Before I tell you what’s going on at the whacky author’s house, I want to give all of you a chance to guess. Let’s have some creative fun.

Your turn: What do you think is going on?

Then…join me tomorrow at Jaunty Quills where the answer will be revealed, and one lucky commenter will receive a signed copy of Deep Cover.

Also until Sunday, at Margaret Daley’s blog, tell me what undercover cop assignment you would find most intriguing to read about for another chance to win a copy.