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Jean devotes her time, talent, and treasure to rescuing displaced dogs. She finds hope and joy in both her work at the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region and in the lives of her furry family members. She has authored Twisty and True Tales of a Shelter Dog Matchmaker, is an inspiration for pet parents and those searching for their purpose in this world. Jean is the author of the Zuggy the Pug childrens book series.
FEATURED BOOK: Rose by Another Name
AUTHOR: Lee Carver
PUBLISHER: Winged Publications
GENRE: Inspirational Women's Fiction
SERIES OR STAND ALONE: Stand Alone
TARGET AGE: 50 and better
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME AUTHOR LEE CARVER TO THE OVER 50 WRITER. LEE SHARES WHY SHE HAS CHOSEN TO NVEST HER TIME AND TALENT IN WRITING IN HER LATER YEARS.
WRITING IN YOUR “THIRD AGE”
by
Lee Carver
A twinge of envy tickles my aging brain when I read of successful authors who majored in creative writing or journalism. My studies in biology, chemistry, and biochemistry, while thoroughly satisfying at the time, did little to suggest that I, too, might someday be a novelist. I wrote a few short stories and articles as we lived in foreign countries with my husband’s profession, but only after that career did I begin to write fiction for the fun of it.
First there was a slow collection of fun stories about the ex-pat life, now published as The Most Excellent Adventure. But there was true purpose—if you will accept it, a command from God—to write about our “retirement” six years as missionaries in the Brazilian Amazon. (The real geographical Amazon.) The book tells why he took early retirement at the height of his career to be a volunteer pilot, based in Manaus, Brazil. That book about God’s call, our response, and the resulting experiences, Flying for Jesus, is sold without profit. It’s God’s story more than ours.
After re-retiring to the USA to care for his aging parents, a novel plot came to mind. I learned, largely through ACFW, that a grammatically correct dissertation is insufficient as a novel. (We won’t talk about that book.) I’m still working at novel writing and gradually improving. On July 1st, my ninth novel was published, and two more are in the works.
Fortunately, linguistic skills may continue to develop into late age. When a word just won’t come, I type XXX and keep writing. I maintain the creative flow and come back to it later.
The one thing I haven’t done well is marketing, and if I don’t market my books, I may as well not write them. For the most recent novel, Rose by Another Name, I’ve dug in to learn how to effectively use several branches of social media. Each element requires study and just gritting my teeth and discovering the correct buttons to push to make it work. Among His miraculous features, God knows computer science. Prayer for insight and patience do help. So does a request that even I might come to enjoy marketing. After all, He guided me and helped me write the book; He has a stake in its marketing.
Stories of survival and of gradual character growth have appealed to me since I read Robinson Crusoe as a child. In Rose by Another Name, the challenges aren’t how to live on a desert island; they are The Great Depression, physical crippling, hidden guilt, the need for self-forgiveness, Rose’s mother’s widowhood, and The Bad Guy. I truly hope you will find it an enjoyable and uplifting story.
Why do I bother to write into my “third age,” as the French gently put it? My hope as a writer is stated so often that it may sound trite: that God will use my stories to bring others—both believers and non-believers—closer to Him. If you are also a Christian author, no doubt you have the same motivation. As Paul says in, “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” - Phillipians 2:1-3 (ESV).
Let us encourage one another.
Blurb for Rose by Another Name:
A Depression-era newspaper typesetter secretly creates the character she would like to be and dares to hope for the life she may have missed.
Rose Coughlin, injured in the wreck that killed her father, hides more than one secret. As the Great Depression deepens, she covertly submits optimistic articles as Lorraine Summerhill, the most exciting, capable woman she can imagine. Astounded by her success, she awakens to the possibility of walking gracefully and thinking like the fictional Lorraine. But will she lose the income that supports her and her mother if the editor-in-chief discovers he’s paying his minimally educated niece to write articles?
Alice Coughlin lives in the shroud of her widowhood until Rose challenges her to reengage in life and even consider the possibility of marriage again. Rediscovering her passion for accounting, she endeavors to help a friend get his business back on track. While setting the numbers straight, she earns Lawrence’s gratitude and respect, but also the dangerous notice of the embezzler. Could this be living life too fully?
Dan Martin has rarely dated since his career choice of veterinary medicine triggered rejection by his sweetheart. When Rose, whom he befriended in their teens, comes to his practice with a seriously ill pet, their relationship flourishes.
Preparing to move from his parents’ home, he hopes to find a level-headed woman who will be his partner through calving cows, long hours, and midnight emergencies. Can their love of animals fit together his calling and a fulfilling family life? And is Rose too fragile for the path he has chosen?
Lee Carver is a hybrid author in every sense: fiction and nonfiction, traditionally and independently published. She has recently retired from editing, formatting, and uploading in order to focus on writing her own novels. She sings alto in the choir, plays piano, makes baby quilts with Quilting for Life, and gardens in partnership with her husband Darrel. She is fond of all things chocolate, Christian fiction, and flavored decaf coffee. An active member of ACFW’s chapter in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area (currently treasurer), she’s been married fifty-six years to a very supportive man. They have two adult children and five grandchildren, four to date who have graduated and gotten good jobs!
FEATURED BOOK: Love’s True Home
AUTHOR: Lori DeJong
PUBLISHER: Scrivenings Press
GENRE: Christian Contemporary Romance
SERIES OR STAND ALONE: Book Two of the True Calling Series
TARGET AGE: 18-98
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME AUTHOR LORI D eJONG TO PATTI’S PORCH. LORI SHARE THE PROCESS THAT LED TO THE CREATION OF HER CHRISTIAN CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE SERIES.
LOVE’S TRUE HOME – THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY
by
Lori DeJong
Do you ever wonder where authors come up with their story ideas? I sure do!
Sometimes my head is swimming with ideas and I can hardly get them noted on paper fast enough. Other times I find myself staring off into space wondering where all the “people” in my head went.
Love’s True Home, my latest release, is actually a follow-up to Love’s True Calling, the first book in the True Calling series that released in June 2023. (Book Three, Love’s True Measure, releases in June 2025). Ally and Zane were minor characters in Book One and, to be honest, I’m not sure Ally made the greatest first impression. She was the male protagonist’s ex-girlfriend, you see, and did something from a broken heart she regretted later. Good thing I took a liking to her and decided to give her her own story!
Love’s True Calling actually started out as homework for a writing class I took on how to plot a novel based on the characters’ motivations. I never planned to write that book, but by the time the class ended, I’d fallen in love with Wyatt and Harper and decided to give it a go.
And I’m so thankful I did! Not only did Love’s True Calling become my debut novel, but prior to it being published, it won the 2022 ACFW Genesis Award for romance, and in the past year was a double finalist in the 2024 Selah Awards and finaled in the 2024 Faith, Hope, & Love Christian Writers Readers’ Choice Awards. God most definitely had His hand on that story, and even without the awards, I’ve been so humbled by the feedback I’ve received about how that book touched lives and brought hope to others. That’s always the ultimate goal.
When poor Ally popped up on the scene in Love’s True Calling and tried to win Wyatt back, my heart went out to her. Who hasn’t been an Ally at one time or another, acting from a broken heart and perhaps not making the best decisions? I knew pretty much from that moment she would be Book Two.
All I really knew about her at that point, though, was that she’d been raised on the foreign mission field and had just returned from a year-long stint working alongside her father at his medical mission in Guatemala. That’s it. So, I did a deep dive into her character and found all sorts of interesting facets to her life.
After coming up with her character sketch, I drew up an entire story concept around her based on her time on the mission field. However, since I was still finishing up the first book, I had to set her aside for a bit. Enter Zane Carpenter at the end of Book One. Once he made an appearance, I knew he was the guy for Ally. Which meant throwing out that entire first story concept and starting all over.
I didn’t mind that a bit, however, because once I put these two together, their story was a joy to write. The story of a girl who’s determined to plant her roots in American soil after spending the first eighteen years of her life on various mission fields, and an adventure-loving young man raised in a small midwestern town who dreams of life in foreign missions. When these two fall for each other, they have to come to terms with their differing goals and determine what home truly looks like when God’s already in residence there, whether it means they’re there together or not.
My prayer for Love’s True Home is that those who read it will not only enjoy the journey but will also be inspired to be still in the presence of God, even if already serving in ministry, to see if He might be calling them to something new. Maybe something unexpected. I hope that readers see that God loves each of us mightily and wants to give us more than we could ask or imagine, as long as we’re willing to leave our hopes and dreams with Him.
“Commit to the Lord whatever you, and He will establish your plans” - Proverbs 16:3.
Book Blurb for Love’s True Home:
Allyson Kincaid needs roots. Born and raised on the foreign mission field, all she wants is home and hearth on American soil. Finally, past the break-up with the man she’d thought was the love of her life, she’s ready to put herself back out there. Too bad the first guy who’s made her pulse skip in nearly two years dreams of a life spent in foreign missions. She’s been there, done that, and, although she supports him in his calling, knows his choice means she’ll be laying even more broken dreams, and a newly shattered heart, at the feet of Jesus.
When Zane Carpenter relocates to Arlington, Texas, his seventh move in thirteen years, his only thought is to meet his obligation with Becker Ministries in a few months, then take a foreign mission assignment, his dream for the past several years. But working so closely with Ally in student ministry has him feeling things he’s never experienced. He’s ready for a future with her, until he accepts an opportunity to work on foreign soil and Ally stays behind. He knows God put him there for a reason, although his heart still longs for the girl back home.
Purchase Links:
Lori DeJong is a contemporary Christian romance author who enjoys penning stories full of grace and the redemptive power of God’s love that inspire others to hope regardless of circumstance, find joy in the moment, and grow in their faith. She resides in Georgetown, Texas, with her husband and is the mother of one grown daughter. Lori's debut novel, Love's True Calling, was released in June 2023, Love’s True Home released last month, and Love’s True Measure will release in June 2025. Lori's Christmas novella, Jingle Bell Matchmakers, releases as part of A Match Made at Christmas, a romance novella collection, in October 2024.
Connect with Lori:
FEATURED BOOK: Matters of the Heart
AUTHOR: Kelly Irvin
PUBLISHER: Zondervan
GENRE: Amish romance
SERIES OR STAND ALONE: 2nd book in Amish Calling series
TARGET AGE: 16 and up
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME AUTHOR KELLY IRVIN TO PATTI’S PORCH. KELLY TALKS ABOUT HOW SHE USES HER PERSONAL STURGGLES TO ADDRESS DIFFICULT QUESTIONS OF FAITH IN HER FICTION.
EXPLORING THORNY FAITH ISSUES IN FICTON
by
Kelly Irvin
I often work out (or try to work out) my thorniest spiritual questions by writing stories. All of my novels have spiritual themes running through them—from why do bad things happen to good people to how God calls us to forgive the unforgiveable. Matters of the Heart is no exception. It deals with the question of how we continue to have faith even in the face of devastating loss. My definition of faith is believing (or trusting) in a God you can’t see.
Declan Miller is in danger of losing something he holds dear. He can’t understand why God would allow this to happen. I’ve faced a similar situation. Ten years ago, I suddenly lost my ability to walk normally. Two years later I was diagnosed with a progressive motor neuron disease and stage 4 ovarian cancer within a month of each other. I thought I was a solid Christian. I attended church and Sunday school regularly. I helped with our ministry feeding people experiencing homelessness. I made sure my kids went to church and youth group. And yet, when my health fell apart, I railed at God. I shook my fist at the sky. I cried out. It turns out I was a fair-weather Christian. My Sunday school teacher asked me if I still believed God was good. Of course, I said yes because that’s what believers say. But I wasn’t so sure. I was in fake it until you make it mode.
It’s taken a long time—and I still have days when I argue with God about it—to mean it when I say God is good all the time. I don’t like this lesson I’m still learning daily. Neither does Declan. He can’t believe a good God would allow him to lose the occupation he’s centered his life around since he was a child. Bethel struggles with the knowledge that her future children will likely be born carrying a genetic mutation that will result in a terrible, progressive disease. How can she bring that fact into a relationship with Declan. It’s not right.
Matters of the Heart is the story of how these two believers come to see God’s hand moving in their lives. It’s also a sweet romance and full of humor. Readers will see that Declan maintains a tenacious grip on his sense of humor. A gift from God, no doubt. Bethel learns that sometimes laughter is the best medicine.
Here’s a excerpt from Matters of the Heart:
“I’ll start then.” Her [Bethel’s] heart thrummed against her rib cage. The breeze failed to cool the sudden heat that rushed through her body. “Have you decided to not let your cancer stand in the way of courting?”
“The scan didn’t have any of those pesky cancer cells. The chances of it coming back are small.” Shadows hid Declan’s expression. “Have you decided to not let your family’s genes stand in the way of courting?”
“I can’t change my heredity. I see other couples having boplin and not worrying. I reckon I’ll have to learn to do the same.” It was either that or remain a single Plain woman who deprived herself of the most important things in life every Plain person wanted—marriage and children. “Have you decided being friends—if it’s even possible—isn’t enough for you?”
“Have you?”
“Jah.” Bethel whispered the single syllable and let it ride on a sudden gust of wind that carried it away into the treetops and across the sky. “I have no choice. My heart refuses to let my head win the argument.”
Declan chuckled softly. “Mine either.”
“So what now—?”
Declan’s lips covered Bethel’s. The kiss was soft, deliberate, almost a question. Bethel turned so she could slide her arms around his neck. Question answered. Declan’s embrace tightened. Uncertainty fell away in a rush of heat from a flame that burst from dry kindling at the first struck match. Soft turned fierce, deep, determined. Don’t ever let him stop. Don’t ever let him stop.
Declan leaned back. “I’ve wanted to do that since fourth grade.”
Bethel drew a shaky breath. “You have not.” Her voice sounded high, like someone else’s. “Okay, maybe you have, but I wasn’t thinking about it in grade school.”
“Miss Prim and Proper.” Looking mighty satisfied with himself, he grinned so wide his dimples nearly popped. “I happened to know from eavesdropping on my schweschdre and their friends, that girls do wonder what it’s like to kuss a guy . . . and such.”
“I didn’t say I didn’t wonder about it.” Bethel managed a weak laugh. “I said I didn’t think about kissing you.”
The heat roasting her cheeks rose another hundred degrees.
The chuckle turned into outright laughter. “Fair enough.” Declan drew closer. So close Bethel could see a tiny scar over his left eye she’d never noticed before. “As long as you think about it now.”
The second kiss went on and on. Declan’s hands ran down her arms, touched her hands, then clasped her face and held her there. She couldn’t have moved if she wanted to. She definitely did not.
Everything about it was so perfect. Danki, Gott, danki.
Was it right to thank God for kisses?
Startled, Bethel opened her eyes.
Declan did the same. He let go. “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing. Nothing, I, we should probably slow down a bit.”
Declan touched her face and let his finger trail down her cheek and across her collarbone. Sparklers danced across her skin in the wake of his touch. He picked up her hand and kissed her fingers. This had to be what grasping a live wire felt like. “You’re right.” He slid farther away. “It’s just that I’ve waited so long for this I sort of exploded. I’m sorry if I got carried away.”
“You didn’t. I promise you didn’t.” Bethel clasped her hands to keep them from reaching for him. Even distance couldn’t dampen the fire. “I think you have so much pent-up emotion from everything going on in your life that it all came rushing out at once.”
“There might be truth in that.” Declan leaned back and stared at the sky. Then at Bethel. “But my feelings for you were driving that train.”
His tone was matter-of-fact. No embarrassment. A simple statement of truth. “That’s gut.” A laugh burbled up in her. “I’m glad to hear it. It was nice.”
Declan’s eyebrows rose. “Nice?”
“Gut. Wunderbarr. There’s no word in Deutsch or English or German to describe how it—how you make me feel.”
“We should probably try courting before we do that again.”
“That’s a gut idea.” So why did it take every ounce of self-restraint to keep from sliding across the bench and kissing him again? “What did you have in mind?”
“I think we should take a walk down to the creek.” He dug around under the seat and came up with a flashlight. “Then if I get fresh with you, you can shove me in the water to cool me off.”
“Or vice versa.” Bethel laughed. Laughter never felt better. “You keep your distance. I’ll keep mine.”
Blurb for Matters of the Heart:
He’s the joking auctioneer of the community.
She’s the serious nursery worker who cares for her siblings.
What future could they have together?
Declan Miller has always had feelings for Bethel King. Back when they were in school, she was the smartest girl in the class—and, in his opinion, by far the prettiest. Now the two of them are in their twenties and while the attraction is still there, Declan is as hesitant as ever to let Bethel know how he feels. His wisecracking personality covers a heart that’s afraid of rejection.
Bethel can’t deny that Declan is nice, funny, and pleasing to the eye—a perfect match if you asked any girl in the area. But marrying Bethel would also mean marrying into her family. Two of her younger siblings have muscular dystrophy, and her sister Claire is now showing signs of having the same disease. Fiercely loyal and nurturing, Bethel has promised herself that she will always care for her family members. And with a good chance that she carries the gene and could pass it on to her children, Bethel has tried to convince herself that marriage and family just aren’t in the cards for her.
When a devastating diagnosis of his own turns Declan’s world upside down, Bethel is the friend he looks to for understanding, compassion, and a realistic outlook. As they share their dreams and fears and grow together in faith, a bond begins to develop between the two. Perhaps their combination of optimistic extrovert and thoughtful introvert really isn’t such a bad thing—perhaps it’s actually a part of God’s beautiful design.
Declan Miller is the joking auctioneer of his Amish community. Bethel King is a serious caregiver for siblings coping with a degenerative disease. Yet every time their paths cross, the sparks fly. Is there a future together for them?
Award-winning author Kelly Irvin has written more than thirty books and novellas, including Amish romance, romantic suspense and her debut women’s fiction title The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos released last year. Her latest Amish romance, Matters of the Heart, released July 16. She has published seven romantic suspense novels. The best-selling novelist worked as a newspaper reporter before spending more than twenty years in public relations. Kelly now writes fiction full-time. She lives with her husband, photographer Tim Irvin, near San Antonio. They are the parents of two children, four grandchildren, and two ornery cats.
Connect with Kelly:
Website
Facebook
X @Kelly_S_Irvin
Instagram @Kelly_Irvin
TikTok @kellyirvinauthor
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