Autumn, switching gears, being inspired, plus a drawing for a free book .....Roxanne Rustand

Autumn is settling into the Midwest, with cooler days and chilly nights.  Jacket and sweater weather is what I look forward to during hot summer days!  

With some trees already starting to turn to their fall colors, it's my favorite time of the year for switching gears, too. Something about it--the beauty perhaps, or the anticipation of bringing out the flannel sheets and down comforters, just makes me feels inspired. Is it a remnant of looking forward to the first day of school when I was young?  So much has changed this year, with the uncertainties of Covid. How about you--do you look back at those days and remember that sense of new beginnings each fall?  

This year has has been tough for so many.  The awful news about the pandemic and the horrific weather disasters across the United States has had me in the doldrums.  Though it didn't make national news,  Iowa was hit with sustained 100-140 mph derecho winds--a forty-mile wide swath coming through our area-- that severely damaged or destroyed over 8,000 homes and flattened--destroyed--550,000  acres of corn crops.  

How about you--have you been in the path of the terrible forest fires out west? The hurricanes? Drought? I hope you are safe and well.

Despite it all, there's always hope for new beginnings.  

Being able to attend church online gives me a sense of peace. Reconnecting with old friends on long phone calls is uplifting. What about you--are you finding ways to deal with all that has been going on? Have you found yourself picking up old hobbies, reading more, starting something new?  

During this time spent isolating at home, my dear friend, Lyn Cote, has been spending a lot of time with me on the phone, coaching me on the world of indie (self)  publishing. I'd dabbled a bit before, but I love writing for Love Inspired and didn't keep up with the rapid evolution going on in the world of self-publishing. Thank goodness for Lyn's patience with me!  I now have six Christmas novellas coming out between October 8th and early December.

This is the first one, which is on preorder for 99 cents. Here are its Amazon link and another for the other major online booksellers, in case you'd like to read about it.

https://tinyurl.com/The-Mistletoe-Puppy-Rustand
UBL: https://books2read.com/u/mqrP7Z

Anyone who leaves a comment will be in a drawing for a free copy of The Mistletoe Puppy.

Best wishes to you all,

Roxanne Rustand

Interview with author Lyn Cote, and a drawing for a free book!

Roxanne Rustand here, happy to share an interview with award-winning Christian author Lyn Cote!  For those who leave a comment or a question for Lyn, there will be a drawing for a free e-book!

Tell us about yourself.  What led you to become a writer? I was born to be a writer. I discovered this in 5th grade!

What is your writing schedule like? I'm beginning to slow down from 5 or 6 a.m. to breakfast to lunch to 2 p.m. After 45 books, I have decided to write less and live more!

What is the hardest thing about writing?   Has that changed, over the years? The hardest thing about writing is that so many people don't understand writers. They think coming up with the idea for a book is the hard part. That's easy. I have thousands of ideas. The hard part is putting it down on the page so that when a reader picks it up, she/he gets exactly what's in my mind--sights, sounds, feelings.

Tell us about this book. This is one of my most dear books. It is set in the place I love, the Northwoods, and is about real people facing danger and the demands of loving.

What inspired you to write it? 

Watching snowmobiles zoom past me on a frozen lake.

Give us some insight into your main character.

My main character is Wendy who never knew her father and whose mother didn't recover from this loss till Wendy was an adult. Wendy has to be "mother" to a younger sister and raise herself in the bargain and it makes her a strong and compassionate nurse.

What are you working on at the moment, that we can look forward to? 

I am polishing up a cozy romance (mix of the two genres) also set in the Northwoods. Again it's a heroine who has overcome personal tragedy and yet can love. It's had elements of coming of age too. (And her hero is dreamy)

8. Anything else you'd like to share?  Anything humorous about your writing life? 

The only thing I can think is that I like to include bits of humor in my writing. Laughter is so important to us all. 

Also, Winter's Secret is FREE on all online retailers. Here's the link https://booksbylyncote.com/SWBS/book-table

About Lyn Cote:

USA Today best-selling author of over 40 romances, Lyn Cote writes award-winning contemporary and historical romance. Her brand is "Strong Women, Brave Stories.” Her books feature a strong heroine, usually a multi-cultural cast of characters and authentic history or contemporary life. She lives with her real life hero in a lakeside cottage in the Northwoods with two fun cats. Visit her website/blog at http://www.LynCote.com and sign up for her newsletter. Also look for her on Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest and Twitter

Website https://www.BooksbyLynCote.com/SWBS
Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/LynCoteAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LynCoteWriter
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lyncote/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/101121.Lyn_Cote
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Lyn-Cote/e/B001ITROW4/