Dead Reckoning Available for Pre-order!

Check it out, y'all! My spy thriller DEAD RECKONING (March 2010) is now available for Pre-Order from Cokesbury, a partner with Abingdon Press. Below is the text of the back cover copy:

Dead Reckoning is the story of a young woman anxious to abandon the crushing effects of her father’s espionage career only to find herself tangled in the very web of mystery and intrigue that consumed his life.

Underwater archeologist Shiloh Blake is consumed with passion for the water and inflamed at the injustices of life, blaming her secret agent father for her mother's death. When her first large-scale dig traps her in the middle of an international nuclear arms clash, she flees for her life and is followed by an unknown man.

Who is he? How is he always one step ahead?

Reece Jaxon is a former Navy SEAL, who now serves his country as a spy. His mission is threatened by the beguiling Shiloh Blake as he hunts down the sources to a nuclear dead drop in the Arabian Sea. The only way to end this nightmare and prevent a nuclear meltdown is for Shiloh to join forces with Reece. Will Shiloh violate her vow to never become a spy like her father?

Will she reconcile with her father? Will her trust issues destroy her chance for love? And will she allow God to help her through this ordeal?


First...I'm just stoked that the book is showing up on sites. HOW KEWL!!
But to realize you can actually get in line to order it right now makes me giddy.

By pre-ordering, you save FORTY percent off the cover price. That's just $8.49!!! How awesome! (okay, why did that sound like a cheesy late-night infomercial--my book is way kewler than that! LOL)

PREORDER DEAD RECKONING HERE!!

Nightshade Sold in a 4-Book Contract

I am beyond delighted to announce that my fabulous agent, Steve Laube, has negotiated a 4-book contract for the Discarded Heroes series with Becky Germany at Barbour Publishing!! I am so honored that Barbour is allowing this series to come to life. It's a departure from what they've been publishing, and I'm thrilled to join the ranks as one of their authors!

They've championed freedom,

survived the cruelties of war,

and now these heroes return home
...wounded and discarded.

Each of the Discarded Heroes books is a full-length (100k), action-packed story. The first book NIGHTSHADE will release July 2010, with subsequent titles DIGITALIS, WOLFSBANE, and FIRETHORN releasing every six months thereafter.

(and yes...this is the book that big brother John Olson promoted at Mt Hermon and the ACFW Conference last year--I owe him a huge debt of gratitude for so many things, including brainstorming and advocating for me. THANK YOU, JOHN!!):

For anyone still here and reading, here is the blurb for the first book, NIGHTSHADE

After a tour of duty in a war-torn country, embattled former Navy Seal Max Jacobs finds himself discarded and alienated from those he loves when he’s not able to cope with civilian life. His wife, Sydney, files a restraining order and a petition for divorce. Max is devastated.

Then a mysterious message arrives. A deep-six group known as Nightshade offers to help him find purpose in life once again by returning to the one thing he excelled at—war. Unable to resist the call of duty, Max signs on.

Their first mission is riddled with problems—and a set up. Max and the team must ferret a missionary family to safety before a deadly enemy can stop them. During the trek through the jungle something about the missionaries speaks to Max—and awakens the love for his wife he had long-thought dead.

Celebrate with me! This is a dream come true, and I pray that God can use these stories to minister to the heroes who protect our lives and freedom!!

Remembering Those Who Serve

Humbly and with great respect
for all who have served and paved the roads of freedom and the future...
THANK YOU!!

OORAH to my agent!!!

My awesome agent, Steve Laube, was nominated and selected as one of three finalists for the 2009 ACFW Agent of the Year!! This year, they revamped the judging and scoring process, so this is a big feat. Huge applause for my rockin agent!!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS, AGENT-MAN!!!!

Quick thoughts & NovelJourney

First, I have to admit that I didn't want to post.

Why, you ask?

Because...I don't want anyone to forget about BFF Sara Mills and her new journey. So, if you're stopping by for the first time in a while, please take a moment and read the previous post about how you can help my sweet, crazy, Canadian friend.

Okay--well, my biggest point for today is that I've got an article posted over at NovelJourney on Psychology in Writing. It's a subject near and dear to my heart since that's what I earned my bachelor's degree in (and hope to get my master's in some day!). I'm not a psychologist, but I believe God gifted me with understanding people, something I believe translates strongly in my writing. So hope on over there and check it out!

And this is just something I gotta share. Mother's Day is coming up, and yeah...we've had a ton of family drama (I'm learning that I've become the "strict" mother whose children are ready to ditch the nest...*sigh* Yeah, I need some ointment for that "burn"!), but it was so kewl when my mother-in-law emailed me the other day. They're celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary with a cruise of the Greek Isles (MAJOR DROOL here, right?!?!?!?).

And guess what my precious MIL requested for Mother's Day--a printed and autographed copy of the Dead Reckoning manuscript(my book that will be released in 2010 by Abingdon Press) to take on the cruise with her and read. HOW KEWL and humbling is that?!?!?

Seriously, it put me to tears. It also scares me. LOL What if she reads it and hates it--or hates ME! (okay, I know that's irrational, but hey, I can't help it.) In reality, this is a good preamble to the reaction of readers at large. I'm nervous, but excited!

Show your support and love for Sara!

It's with a very heavy heart that I blog today. My best bud, Laube Sister (we have the same agent, Steve Laube), and business partner, Sara Mills, has been dealt a blow--her wonderful husband, Keith, died April 7, 2009 from a massive heart attack. I'd do anything for my beautiful friend and her precious children not to have to go through this, for Keith to be back full of life, laughter, and love.


Keith, I am so sorry we never met but thank you for what you did for your family, for my best friend. Thank you for loving Sara so completely. For all the nights I kept her up laughing and giggling...thank you for laughing right along. What a gift you were! Thank you.



Sara so didn't deserve this (I know that sounds lame, but that's what keeps rolling through my head!). Words fail me at a time like this. I keep wanting someone to wake me up and say it's not real, that Sara is just pulling a fast one on me. But it is real. Isaiah, Laura, and Julia are without their father. Sara is without the man she loves.


So grieved by our friend's loss, many of us are doing a blog tour to show our support and love for Sara. This isn't an attempt to trivialize Keith's death--I'd actually think he'd be thrilled to see so many throwing their support behind his beloved wife and the mother of his children.


So, if you haven't heard, Sara writes fabulous mysteries. Her books, Miss Fortune and Miss Match (released through Moody Press) are on shelves NOW! Miss Match, as a matter of fact, just released.

Please, take this opportunity to support a friend, a writer, a grieving family and order a copy of Sara's books! Visit her website or drop by Facebook and befriend her!

Miss Fortune, Allie Fortune Mystery Series #1

By Sara Mills / Moody Publishers

In 1947 Allie Fortune is the only female private investigator in New York City, but she's kept awake at night by a mystery of her own: her fianci disappeared in the war and no one knows if he's still alive. Until Allie finds out, she will have no peace. When there's a knock on her office door at four in the morning, Allie suspects trouble as usual, and Mary Gordon is no exception. Mary claims someone is following her, that her apartment has been ransacked, and that she's been shot at, but she has no idea why any of this is happening. Allie takes the case, and in the process discovers an international mystery that puts her own life in danger.Meanwhile, the FBI is working the case as well, and she is partnered up with an attractive, single agent who would be perfect for her under other circumstances-if only she knew whether her fiancee was still alive.



Miss Match, Allie Fortune Mystery Series #2

By Sara Mills / Moody Publishers


FBI agent Jack O'Connor receives a letter from Maggie, a woman he used to love, saying she's in trouble in Berlin. The FBI refuses to get involved, so Jack asks Allie Fortune to help him investigate. Allie and Jack pose as a missionary couple who want to bring orphans back to the United States. A child finds important documents that everyone in the city - Soviets and allies alike - want for themselves. Maggie refuses to tell Jack what the documents are, saying if things go wrong, they are better off not knowing. Through the course of the search, Allie's past is brought back to her, half a world away from home.


Sara...I'm so sorry, girlie. I know things aren't shiny right now...but I am praying for a bright future for you and your family. I love you.

Happy Birthday, Mom!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!