Just popping in here to let you know about this fantastic opportunity to win a $200 Amazon card and copies of fabulous novels – perfect for summer reading!

Summer reading is my FAVORITE reading.

I was one of those kids who loved school, but I also loved summers because it meant I could pretty much read all day. Which I did!

As an adult, I love summer reading because when it’s just too hot to do anything else, it makes perfect sense to drop everything and read in the middle of the day. At least, that’s the way I roll in July. 🙂

How amazing would it be for one of my readers to take home the grand prize in this awesome giveaway?! Think of the books you could read! 🙂

Click here to be taken to the rafflecopter form and be sure to let me know if you win!

Grace and peace,

The Best Pajamas Ever

I bought these pajamas on a whim. You’ll have to click here to see them because I love y’all, but I’m not posting a picture of myself in my pajamas! They were at Costco, the price was right, and they were just so soft. Y’all. These are the best! They are lightweight enough not to be stifling in the heat of a Southern summer, but provide enough coverage and coziness to deal with the chill of the A/C that runs all day long here. I now own two sets, and since Costco still had them available online, I’m about to own a few more! LOL!

Kindle Paperwhite

I am on record as being a reader who prefers a real book in my hand. And that hasn’t changed. But…y’all. Getting older does some crazy things to your eyes, and I love the way I can adjust the font/brightness on my Kindle Paperwhite. I also love that it doesn’t function as a tablet (the way the Kindle Fire does) and that I can read outside with ease. The other reason I love it is because it makes it super easy to read books that I download from the Libby app (see below for more details about Libby). 

Libby and Hoopla

This may be old news for some of you, but just in case… if you’re a fan of libraries (I am!) then you need to know about these two apps. These apps work through your library system, so depending on where you live, your experience may vary. The books available for you to borrow will be determined by your library. Where I live, my Libby app allows me to have 10 books checked out and 10 books on hold at any given time. My Hoopla app allows me to borrow 7 books a month. I typically borrow e-books through Libby, and audiobooks through Hoopla. The Libby app allows you to read directly on your phone/tablet, but you can also tell it you want to read the book on your Kindle, and it will push the book to your Kindle app. It is so easy and so convenient! The Hoopla app doesn’t have that capability, but since I mostly use it for audio books, it’s rarely an issue. 

Pomodoros

In a lot of ways, I am still in my post-Covid brain fog. It is lifting, but I still have to push hard to get myself to be as productive as I’m used to being. Enter the Pomodoro Technique. Do y’all know about this? The idea is to spend 25 minutes on something, take a 5 minute break, then go another 25 minutes, then take another 5 minute break. After 4 pomodoros, take a longer break (15-20 minutes). I can usually psyche myself up for 25 minutes of effort, and once I get going, the momentum carries me through several tasks. I usually mix it up. I have a list of things I need to do and spend 25 minutes on one (say laundry or cleaning out a closet), then 25 minutes on another (say meal prep or paying bills) then 25 minutes on something else, then I circle back around. 

Mexican Pizza

While I was a student at Clemson, I probably ate at Taco Bell 2-3 times a week (that might be a conservative estimate). My favorite item on the menu? The Mexican Pizza. Well, imagine my delight when I ran across this healthier version. I’m hooked. So is my husband! I’ve done it with FlatOut flatbreads (my favorite) as well with a regular tortilla. Both worked just fine. 🙂 A little bit of taco meat, refried beans, cheese, your favorite toppings…what’s not to love! 

I’d love for you to share a few things you’re loving in the comments!

Grace and peace,

Update (6/24/21):

I had a BLAST chatting with Cara!

If you missed it, it’s not too late! You can watch on FB, YouTube or IGTV.

FB:  https://www.facebook.com/cara.putman/videos/238207517782106
YouTube:  https://youtu.be/ThSmxs0he5Q
IGTV: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CQcc1Exj9Ni/

Original Post:

I can’t wait to hang out with Cara Putman tonight! We’re going to have a blast and I’d love for you to join us!

I’m completely smitten with the cover for Malicious Intent, the second book in the Defend and Protect series.

Malicious Intent features U.S. Secret Service Agent Gil Dixon and Dr. Ivy Collins. You met them both in Unknown Threat, but it’s been a long time since they’ve seen each other. And when they do? Well . . . all is not smooth sailing.

All the characters from Unknown Threat – U.S. Secret Service Agents Luke Powell, Zane Thacker, Tessa Reed, and FBI Agent Faith Malone – are back, as well as some special appearances from the Carrington Dive Team investigators. It’s going to be a long wait, but I hope you’ll agree that it’s worth it! I love this story, and I can’t wait for you to read it. 

Here’s the scoop….

Dr. Ivy Collins, founder and CEO of Hedera, Inc., is ready to begin clinical trials of her company’s cutting-edge prosthetic. Her work has been heralded by government, medical, and advocacy groups and everyone hopes the device will be a success. Well, almost everyone. Someone is trying to sabotage Hedera and the launch, but to what purpose—and how far will they go to get what they want?

Meanwhile, U.S. Secret Service Agent Gil Dixon can’t believe he’s finally been reunited with Ivy, his childhood best friend. Now that he’s found her again, Gil intends to spend the rest of his life with her. But it will take all his skill to uncover the truth in time to save Ivy’s life, her life’s work, and the innocent lives caught in the crossfire.

Perfectly balancing chilling suspense and uplifting romance, award-winning author Lynn H. Blackburn delivers a story of revenge, greed, and overcoming that you won’t want to put down no matter how late it gets.

My back deck:

I got a wild hair Mother’s Day weekend and replaced our back deck furniture. It’s now my favorite place to start my morning. The colors make me happy. The table is a great spot to spread out a Bible study or pound out a few words. The rocking chairs are perfect for claiming a few moments of peacefulness when the inside of the house is in full-blown morning chaos. 

Worship playlist:

I’m a big fan of Spotify and have a lot of playlists saved there. But lately I’m really enjoying the Sunday Setlist – a playlist put together by our church that includes most of the songs from our Sunday morning worship. And when there’s a particular favorite on there, or a new song that really spoke to me, I can easily add it to my personal playlists. 

Califia Farms Unsweetened Creamer:

Okay, this will probably only be interesting to you if you can’t have dairy, but I am shocked by how much I love this coffee creamer. I don’t eat coconut, and I’m not a huge fan of coconut cream … as in, I pretty much only like it in curry or spicy dishes where there are lots of strong flavors to mask it. But I love this creamer. It’s a blend of almond milk and coconut cream and it has that lovely “mouth feel” that comes from real cream but is entirely absent in abominations such as “fat-free half and half” that are so thin they make coffee cry. LOL! I love that it is super low in calories so I’m not blowing my WW points first thing every morning! Because I need my coffee, and I need a lot of it! 

Watering flowers:

I have a black thumb. Really. My ability to kill plants is … disturbing. But that doesn’t stop me from trying. Over the last few weeks I have enjoyed the simple practice of walking around the house and watering the flowers I’ve put on the front porch, the side porch, and the back deck. I’m not sure why, other than that it is simple and the flowers haven’t died yet (probably because … wait for it … I’m remembering to water them). I’m never going to be a gardener – I don’t enjoy it that much! But a few pots that bring some color and life to random spots around the house? I think I can manage that. Maybe. 🙂 At least I’m trying. 

Novella collections:

My love of long books is well-established. I like to fall into an epic and hang out for a while with the characters in a story. But recently, I’ve stumbled into novella collections, and I’ve enjoyed them immensely. I usually find them because one of the authors in the collection is someone I already read, but then I read the others just to see if they interest me. And they usually do. When I’m crazy busy and can’t risk the commitment required from a long book (or, let’s be honest here, the way I’ll ignore my other responsibilities until I finish the story), a short novella hits the spot! 

Bundt cakes:

I’ve made a lot of these lately. In Unknown Threat, Marty (the office manager) makes a chocolate bundt cake for Special Agent Luke Powell, so of course I had to make a few different varieties. For research. Yeah. That’s it. Research purposes. 😉 I made this Oreo Cheesecake version recently and it was a huge hit. If you want to find some other flavors, there are several saved on my Defend and Protect Series pages on Pinterest. 

I’d love for you to share a few things you’re loving in the comments!

Grace and peace,

He is more faithful than I am distracted. 

Jim Thompson, one of our teaching pastors, said this yesterday during the Sunday sermon, and it has been on repeat in my brain ever since. 

There’s so much hope here. So much freedom. And wow, do I need that.

Let me explain:

A few years ago, my sister and I took our mom to the pinball museum in Asheville, NC. A flat rate gets you in the door and unlimited play time on a slew of pinball machines – old and new – as well as some classic video games like Pac-Man and Donkey Kong and Tetris. 

We had a blast. But I have to tell you that as much fun as it was, after about an hour, my introverted, HSP self was on the struggle bus. The lights, the sounds, the constant tapping as players hit buttons and pinballs raced around the machine . . . my brain was overloaded! At one point I had to go sit outside to give myself a break. 🙂 

I don’t know about y’all, but I feel like the past year has been like living in an emotional and mental pinball museum. I’m supposed to be loving my spouse, educating my children, caring for my friends and family, writing books, exercising, eating right, and the list goes on. But my brain hurts from the chaos and the noise of a world that I don’t recognize anymore. 

When I sit down to write, when I try to focus on my usual day-to-day activities, when I read my Bible or pray, I struggle in ways I never used to. I know I’m not alone. Almost every writer I’ve spoken to is struggling to find words. Most moms are exhausted from whatever school situation they’ve found themselves in this year, along with all their other responsibilities. And many followers of Jesus know He’s there, but can’t seem to hear His voice in the tumult swirling around us.

My knee-jerk reaction to this is to try harder. Strive more. Figure out a solution. I know better, so I should do better. 

But the better option would be to snuggle in and find rest in the only place it can be found. To lean into the Faithful One. To take my wandering, distracted, bruised heart to the One who loves me so much He died for me, and who promised me that He will never, ever let me go. 

My ego says, “Pull yourself together. It’s been a year. Get a grip, already.”

My Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” 

Yesterday, when Jim said those words (along with a bunch of other great ones that you can hear here), I heard my Savior whispering to me. There was no “Get a grip” or “Seriously, how many times do we have to cover this before you get it” or “I’m losing patience.” No. None of that. No condemnation.

It went something like this. “That line? That was for you, sweetheart. I know where you are. I know where you’re struggling. I know why. I see you. I’ve got you. I love you.”

It’s Monday morning. The distractions haven’t gone away. In fact, they’re pretty much off the charts. So far I’ve dealt with everything from eggs cracked on the floor to trinomial algebraic expressions (for the record: I prefer the algebra to the eggs) all while sneezing and coughing due to pollen overload, managing some insurance drama, scheduling kids’ activities this week, and meal planning for a week that includes 4 baseball games. 

Y’all, it isn’t even noon! 

Thankfully, He is more faithful than I am distracted. 

So I’m resting in that today. I hope you’ll do the same.

Grace and peace,

Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt! If you’ve just discovered the hunt, be sure to start at Stop #1, and collect the clues through all the stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top 5 grand prizes! 

  • The hunt BEGINS on 3/18 at noon MST with Stop #1 at LisaTawnBergren.com. 
  • Hunt through our loop using Chrome or Firefox as your browser (not Explorer). 
  • There is NO RUSH to complete the hunt—you have all weekend (until Sunday, 3/21 at midnight MST)! So take your time, reading the unique posts along the way; our hope is that you discover new authors/new books and learn new things about them. 
  • Submit your entry for the grand prizes by collecting the CLUE on each author’s scavenger hunt post and submitting your answer in the Rafflecopter form at the final stop, back on Lisa’s site. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way!

Hey y’all!

My name is Lynn H. Blackburn. I write romantic suspense because my childhood fantasy was to become a spy, but spies have to be brave and I’m terrified of dark basements, cockroaches, and running out of peanut butter M&Ms while on deadline. You can learn more about me and my books here on my site. To stay up-to-date be sure you sign up for my newsletter and follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, BookBub, and Pinterest. My new Defend and Protect series kicked off in March with Unknown Threat. Here’s what it’s about: 

US Secret Service Special Agent Luke Powell knows it’s not a coincidence when three friends and fellow agents die in unusual circumstances within weeks of each other. As more agents are targeted, the stakes become higher than ever. FBI Special Agent Faith Malone is placed in charge of the investigation and must work with Luke to bring the killer to justice before any more names are added to the Secret Service Wall of Honor.  

Faith and Luke will have some help with this investigation. They’ll be calling on Luke’s fellow Secret Service agents and a few other friends and family members will play crucial roles because I love writing novels where the hero and heroine are backed up by an ensemble cast. 

THE ENSEMBLE CAST 

In television and movies, an ensemble cast is one where the main characters are all assigned roughly the same amount of screen time and importance to the story. I’m a huge fan of ensemble casts and while I didn’t set out to do it, I soon realized that I write my novels with an ensemble cast of characters.

Of course, the hero and heroine get most of the attention (as they should!) but I’m intentional about bringing the heroes and heroines from all the books in the series to the page early and often so readers get to know them as well. My characters wind up becoming a found family, bound not by blood but by mutual respect and genuine affection. This give me wonderful opportunities for both humor and drama, as well as delighting readers when their favorite heroes and heroines from previous novels return to the page.

This does make it challenging to write each novel in a series so they stand alone and can be read out of order (although, I’ll be honest, the thought of that makes me twitchy!) but it’s worth the extra effort. In Unknown Threat, I’ve introduced an entirely new cast of characters to my readers and brought a few from previous novels in for cameo appearances. I’d love for you to meet them! 

Here’s the Stop #9 Basics:

If you’re interested, you can order Unknown Threat at your local bookstore or on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD or you can listen on Audible! You can find links for ebooks and indie bookstores here!

Clue to Write Down: filled

Link to Stop #10, the Next Stop on the Loop: Roseanna White’s site! 

But wait!

Before you go, I’m offering three books to three entrants—any one of my Dive Team Investigations or Defend and Protect Series. All you have to do is sign up to get my newsletter (top right of my home page) or note that you’re already a subscriber. Additional points for those who follow me on BookBub, Instagram, or who join my private Facebook group, The Deep Divers! (USA only) 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It’s probably no surprise to any of you that two of my favorite things are reading books and writing books.

If I’m not reading or writing, there’s a decent chance that I’m talking about reading or writing, which is part of what makes doing interviews for my books so much fun. 🙂

I’ve compiled a running list of all the places where you can see/hear/read about everything from my feelings on dogs and cats to how I do my research. All of these interviews have been tied to the release of Unknown Threat in some way.

If you click on this page and scroll to the bottom, you’ll find a plethora of interviews. Some are video, some are written, and some are links to specific podcast interviews. I’ll be updating this list weekly, so be sure to check back from time to time!

And speaking of Unknown Threat – y’all! The response has been amazing! As of this writing we are only 2 weeks past the release and there are already 105 reviews on Amazon and it has 4.8 stars. My mind is blown, my heart is full, and it makes me ridiculously excited to dive into writing the next book in the series!

Grace and peace,

 

My publisher, Revell, is offering a Spring Suspense giveaway. I’ve read several of these books and can’t wait to read the rest of them! I’d love for one of my readers to win this awesome Suspense Bundle!

Click here for all the details!

The giveaway is live now and runs through March 20th!

It’s hard to believe, but Unknown Threat officially releases on Tuesday, March 2nd.

Many readers who pre-ordered have already received their copy and will be reading this weekend! Yay!

I wish I could read along with you, but this weekend, I’m busy putting the finishing touches on the 2nd book in the Defend and Protect series. It’s headed to my editor on Monday. Y’all feel free to pray for me! 🙂 

I’d love for you to join me Tuesday night on Facebook at 8PM (Eastern) to celebrate the release of Unknown Threat. We’ll chat about the story, the new series, the characters, and I’ll give away a few goodies. I hope to see you there!

More about Unknown Threat:

US Secret Service Special Agent Luke Powell is lucky to be alive. Three of his fellow agents have died in unusual circumstances in the past ten weeks. Luke is devastated by the loss of his friends and colleagues, and his inability to locate the killer feels like a personal failure. He’s an expert at shielding others, but now the protectors are in need of protection.

FBI Special Agent Faith Malone is driven to succeed and confident in her ability to solve every case she’s assigned. She’s been put in charge of the investigation into the unprecedented attacks, and with Luke’s life in danger, the stakes have never been higher. But it’s hard to know how to fight back when you don’t know who the enemy is.

As more agents are targeted, Luke and Faith will have to work together to bring a killer to justice and prevent any more names from joining their fallen brothers and sisters on the Secret Service Wall of Honor.

Award-winning author Lynn H. Blackburn pulls out all the stops in this brand-new romantic suspense series that will have you holding your breath one minute and swooning the next.

Grace and peace,

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