SUSPENSE SISTERS: FEBRUARY GIVEAWAY

Suspense Sisters: February Giveaway

From Whence do your People Hail?

Sharon Dunn here. At the end of February, my new book Montana Ranch Crime Ring releases. I am especially excited about this book because my source of inspiration was a little different this time, my own heritage as a person of Norwegian descent. Years ago, my older sister put together a book that traced our ancestry on both sides of the family. My great grandmother who came over from Norway as a child used to visit us when we were kids. The story in Montana Ranch Crime Ring is a modern suspense story so it wasn't like I got to write directly about my ancestors, but they served as the inspiration. I include a character in my book who is a great deal like how my great grandmother was. The reader letter at the end of book explains what's real and what's not. 

I've written over 45 books and I can't believe I didn't draw on this as a source for story ideas. The book my sister put together also contained an essay by one of my relatives on my father's side of the family who homesteaded in Montana. Maybe I'll use that in another book. It's my mother's side of the family that came from Norway. Interesting thing about my father's side of the family. My dad always said we were German when we asked him about our heritage but when the bloodlines are traced turns out we're not German at all but English. Funny how stories get passed down that aren't true or only partially true. 

How about you? What do you know about your family heritage? Was there anything you were told that turned out not to be true or only half true? Any outlaws or royalty or important people in your bloodline? Leave a comment down below along with your email address. I'll choose at random several people to receive a copy of Montana Ranch Crime Ring (USA only). 

 

A Road Trip of Unfortunate Events

For several months, we had anticipated taking our young son to see snow in our favorite mountain town of Beech Mountain, North Carolina, a primary setting in my Crossroads Suspense series. 

Two days before our trip, we learned of a blizzard that was forecasted to impact our destination the following weekend (during the end of our trip). So late Tuesday night, we made the decision to leave the next morning: a whole day early. This way, we could enjoy the mountains and get out before the storm.

Were we packed? Not even close. I canceled plans, packed like crazy, and tried to calm my anxious heart. (I’m a hard-core planner, so revamping is not one of my strengths.) But surely, once on the road, everything would be fine.

The eleven-hour road trip started great. We made such good time that we even dared to hope for an arrival well before midnight. 

Then, we hit construction zones. No biggie, at least we were moving. But with a toddler, the stops added up, and our early arrival dreams faded. Okay, midnight it was!

One hour out, we came to a dead stop, and an officer flagged us over. The entire mountain road was shut down. An eighteen-wheeler had crashed and spewed batteries all over the road. The officer estimated the road would reopen in twenty minutes, so we sat there.

Forty-five minutes later, we hadn’t moved, and it was now after midnight. Another officer suggested detouring on a narrow gravel road. It would dump us out just beyond the closed road.

He wasn’t kidding when he said “winding!” It was so narrow that two cars could barely pass each other, but we made it. On the road again!

By now, snow had started falling. When we reached out Airbnb, we wrapped our snoozing toddler in a blanket and hurried to find our room. 

The door code didn’t work. We tried again. And again.

Not only had our son woken up, but he was now shivering. We hurried back to the car while my husband and I took turns trying to reach the rental company.

Finally, someone answered. At one-thirty in the morning, we opened our apartment door and maybe got to bed around two. The road trip of unfortunate events officially sets the record for our worst travel day ever.

But you know what? Our trip was still amazing. We went tubing, sledding, and even introduced our little guy to skiing. We made snow angels and threw snowballs. We ate Fred’s cinnamon rolls and Brick Oven pizza (both of which my characters experience in my Crossroads Suspense series).

What this trip reminded me is that every day is a new day, and that praise God, His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23). Yes, we had the most miserable travel day on record, but the next day held blue skies and snowy fun in one of our favorite places. 

In a way, our road trip was like a suspense novel, full of setbacks and plot twists. Leave a comment for a chance to win a Kindle copy of any one book in my Crossroads Suspense series (winner’s choice). Be sure to include your email.

WHATS NEW IN INSPRATIONAL SUSPENSE

Wondering what's hot in inspirational suspense and mystery? Dana R. Lynn has a brand new suspense, Amish Midwife Witness, recently released from Love Inspired Suspense. 

Here's what an early reader had to say about it: Vanessa comes from a loving Christian home. Was it accident or rebellion that she fell for the "bad boy" type guy? Whatever the reason, it had disastrous effects leaving her facing a pregnancy and miscarriage alone. To ashamed to turn to her family, it caused a void to develop between them. She changed her plans from becoming a veterinary to being a nurse midwife. It is her way of helping women. Since she can't trust men, she's accepted that she will never become a mother herself.

Carter loves his job, but at home he carries a heavy load. His sister committed suicide due to bullying. His mother, diagnosed with dementia, blames him for her death. In her mental state, she's always berating him and reminding him that he's worthless and untrustworthy for not protecting his sister. he's determined to change her opinion of him someday. Her words not only hurt, but have convinced him that he isn't worthy of a happily-ever-after. He's resigned himself as unworthy for a soulmate and is content to keep helping to capture the bad guys and justice for victims.

Vanessa's peaceful life is upturned when she over hears a phone conversation between her medical assistant and an unknown male talking about kidnapping a baby from Sterling Ridge Medical Clinic. While extremely shocked, she has the security guard to call 911 and stays with her to make sure she doesn't leave. Lt. Flint was the first to arrive. That phone call led to a sniper killing Mandy and attempting to do the same to Vanessa. Vanessa instantly become the hunted. but who is the hunter?

Can Carter change Vanessa's opinion of men? Dare she begin to trust one? Can helping Vanessa make the voice of his mother's sharp tongue in his mind lessen? When it appears there's a leak somewhere, who do they trust? By going undercover and without legal assistance, will it bring them closer to finding out who is behind the illegal adoption ring? With multiple attempts on both their lives, can they survive to find out?

AMISH MIDWIFE WITNESS is a stupendous, suspense filled story that is impossible to put down once you start reading it. Dana R. Lynn gives us a story of overcoming one's past, intrigue, family, forgiveness, suspense, romance, trust and danger while wrapping it in a wonderful thread of faith. AMISH MIDWIFE WITNESS is a FIVE STAR book that I highly recommend to everyone! AMISH MIDWIFE WITNESS is the first book in the Amish Country Danger series, which has this reader very excited at the prospect of the next book in the series.

You can buy Amish Midwife Witness HERE from Christianbook.com 

Have a great week of reading, lovers of inspirational suspense and mystery!

Mary Ellis, Suspense Sisters 

THIS WEEK ON THE SUSPENSE SISTERS

We have exciting things planned for you this week on the Suspense Sisters!

On Tuesday, Suspense Sister Mary Ellis will tell us what’s hot in inspirational suspense and mystery.

Wednesday, author Kristin Hogrefe Parnell talks about “A Road Trip of Unfortunate Events.” Sometimes our best plans don’t work out. So, what do we do? And what do the storms of life teach us? You’ll enjoy her great post. Be sure to enter for your chance to win any book in her Crossroads Suspense series!

Here’s a little something about the first book in the series, TAKE MY HAND:

Don’t find us. We’ll find you.

Trauma therapist Kaley Colbert needs a vacation from her job, and a ski trip with her church singles’ group seems like the perfect way to unplug. But while in the mountains, she learns that her last client was murdered hours after their meeting, and she wonders if the notes she’s receiving from a possible stalker hold a more sinister warning.

On the trip, ex-boyfriend and entrepreneur Reef Mitchell wants to give their relationship another chance, but Kaley questions if his past and priorities could ever mesh with her life. When her client’s underworld connections catch up with her, she has no choice but trust Reef to help her stay alive, solve her client’s mystery, and bring the killers to justice.

ORDER HERE: 

Friday, we’ll hear from Suspense Sister Sharon Dunn. She’ll be talking about what heritage really means. She’s also giving away copies of her book, MONTANA RANCH CRIME RING.

Exposing a smuggling operation
could uncover dangerous secrets.

As veterinarian Erika Gunderson races to save her horses from a burning barn, she is assaulted—and left for dead inside. Newly hired ranch hand Daniel Fowler comes to the rescue just in time. Little does Erika know that Daniel is an undercover ATF agent, investigating gunrunners operating in the isolated Montana wilderness—and considers her a potential suspect. When they unearth a body on the ranch and Erika’s father mysteriously vanishes, hidden family secrets begin to emerge. With more than just their lives on the line, they’ll need to risk everything to take down the smugglers and expose the truth.

ORDER IT HERE:

Don’t forget to enter our monthly contest!

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SUSPENSE SISTERS: JANUARY GIVEAWAY

Suspense Sisters: January Giveaway