- “Lynn Blackburn’s done it again. She made me read way past my bedtime and owes me several hours of sleep! What a fabulous story with characters who will live in your head—and heart—long after the last word. I’m eagerly awaiting the second book so I can return to Gossamer Falls and catch up with all of my new besties!”Lynette Easonaward-winning, bestselling author of the Lake City Heroes series
- “With an exceptional gift for writing relatable characters who touch deep places of the heart, Lynn Blackburn’s voice is unrivaled! I quickly fell in love with Landry, Cal, Eliza, and, in fact, the entire compelling cast of characters in this brand-new romantic suspense series. A must-read, Never Fall Again delivers the emotionally gripping romance, riveting suspense, and captivating characters readers love!”Elizabeth Goddardbestselling author of Cold Light of Day
- “Lynn Blackburn is a rising voice in romantic suspense! This book had it all—a delicious romance, obsession, found family, redemption and reconciliation, edge-of-your-seat suspense, and the kind of ending we all root for! Don’t miss this first book in what I believe will be a fantastic series.”Susan May WarrenUSA Today bestselling and RITA Award–winning author
- Malicious Intent has an addictive plot that delves into the dangerous underworld of digital crime, and the protagonists’ chemistry, brewed during a lifetime of friendship and romantic longing, positively sizzles.Booklist
- This book will grab you from the beginning and keep you captivated until the end.Interviews & Reviews
- Blackburn's Defend and Protect series is off with a bang in Unknown Threat. This heart-racing romantic suspense is one for the keeper shelf! Don your tactical vests and get ready to engage a compelling story that will forbid you from abandoning its pages. Do. Not. Miss. This. One! Ronie Kendig Bestselling, award-winning author of The Tox Files
- Unknown Threat is a fantastic read! An action-packed opening and sharply drawn characters drew me right in and held me captive. Blackburn has an exceptional gift for weaving twisting plots with characters that walk right off the page. I absolutely adore Faith, the bright and stalwart FBI special agent. I love the attention to detail regarding Secret Service operations. The swoon-worthy romance between Faith and Luke is the perfect slow burn. Unknown Threat is an exciting start to a thrilling new romantic-suspense series!Elizabeth GoddardAward-winning author of the Uncommon Justice series
- In Unknown Threat, Lynn Blackburn has created a page-turning novel with all the elements I've come to love in her books. The hero and heroine are unique and compelling, while surrounded by a rich cast that adds depth to the story. The suspense thread is intense and pulses with energy and pressure. And the romance? It's perfection, with tension to keep me rooting for the characters. It's a perfect read for those who love engaging stories that are threaded with hope.Cara PutmanAward-wining author of Flight Risk and Imperfect Justice
- Lynn Blackburn has skyrocketed to the top of my favorite romantic suspense authors list! In Too Deep was much anticipated and it did not disappoint! I literally devoured this book in one sitting! Filled with suspense, action, and danger, this book kept me anxiously wondering what would happen next! I love the balance between suspense and romance! And this gang of characters, the dive team, is everything! BringingUpBooks
- Leigh’s ability to rescue herself, Ryan’s respect and support, and a terrific cast of law-enforcement and hospital personnel make this vivid start of Blackburn’s Dive Team Investigations series a real page-turner.Booklist
- Fans of Dani Pettrey’s “Alaskan Courage” thrillers will enjoy this nail-biter of a series opener, which will also be appreciated by romantic and psychological suspense fans.Library Journal
- The author balances the personal relationships and the mystery well. Her descriptions are so vivid and accurate that you can see the scenes playing out before you . . . Lynn is definitely going to be a great new author to follow.More Than A Review
- Watch out readers. Lynn H. Blackburn is a new voice on the scene of Christian Fiction and has a bright future as a successful author.Lynette EasonAuthor
- Kept me on the edge of my seat...Mary GoodwinAmazon Reviewer
Hi Everyone!
Andrea Merrell
I have a treat for you today. Andrea Merrell is an incredibly talented author and editor. Her new book, Marriage: Make It or Break It released this summer.
Some say marriage is a dying institution. Others say, “Stop the bus and let me get off.” But Andrea Merrell—after forty-plus years of marriage—believes this God-ordained institution is one of His greatest gifts to men and women. Marriage: Make It or Break It is a result of keen observation, years of studying God’s Word, and a lifetime of trial and error. With her signature dash of humor, she takes a candid look at attitudes and behavior that can make or break a relationship, the difference in how men and women think and approach life, and the importance of honest communication. You’ll find danger signs, roadblocks to bypass, and Scriptures to personalize and pray on a daily basis.
This journey won’t be perfect, and the road is guaranteed to be full of potholes. But if you’re ready to learn a few truths that will make marriage strong—and a lot of things that will destroy it—buckle your seat belt and let’s get this bus moving.
I’m thrilled to welcome Andrea to Out of the Boat today!
Who then is that faithful and wise steward?Luke 12:42 NKJV
“You want us to do what? You’ve got to be kidding!”
That was my response when my husband first suggested we live on a budget. We were barely getting by, our paychecks spent before we ever saw them. The thought of taking our meager income and slicing and dicing it into categories seemed ridiculous.
After many discussions about this new financial strategy, I finally relented. I was willing to give it a try, if only to prove it wouldn’t work. When I sat down with my checkbook, calculator, and notebook—stretching a few dollars into categories such as tithe, housing, utilities, food, insurance, car, and miscellaneous—the numbers were comical.
“This is crazy,” I said. “We’re in worse shape than ever.”
My husband just smiled that knowing smile of his. “Be patient. It may take a few weeks to get us on track, but we’ll be better off.”
Better off? Right. Be patient? Easy for him to say. How was I supposed to pad those pages and pay our bills at the same time? I balked. I complained. I wrung my hands. Then I did what I should have done in the first place—I prayed. Lord, if this is the right thing for us, please show me what to do.
It’s amazing what God will do when we invite Him to get involved in our stuff. In less than a month, the balance in our checkbook went from less than $100 to over $1,000. Our bills were all paid on time, our other needs met, and there was even money left over toward the next month’s expenses. We could also see exactly where our money was going, eliminating a lot of waste.
What appeared to be financial bondage actually turned out to be financial freedom. For the first time in our lives, we didn’t have to wonder where the money would come from. In a very short time, my categories were full, and I even added savings and vacation. My years of worry over having enough money to survive had come to an end—thanks to God and my wise husband.
It’s been over thirty years since I created that notebook, and I still use it to this day. In fact, I can’t imagine not being on a budget, especially in this crazy economy. It has provided tremendous peace of mind.
If you’re in a hard place financially, living paycheck to paycheck, give budgeting a try. It might be difficult in the beginning, but the benefits will be well worth the effort.
Andrea Merrell is an associate editor with Christian Devotions Ministries and Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. She is also a professional freelance editor and was a finalist for the 2016 Editor of the Year Award at BRMCWC. She teaches workshops at writers’ conferences and has been published in numerous anthologies and online venues. Andrea is a graduate of Christian Communicators and a finalist in the 2015 USA Best Book Awards. She is the author of Murder of a Manuscript and Praying for the Prodigal. Her newest book, Marriage: Make It or Break It, is now available on Amazon. For more information visit www.AndreaMerrell.com or www.TheWriteEditing.com.
If you’ve hung around the writing world for long, you’ve heard it before . . .
- Being a published author does not magically fix all your problems.
- Being a published author does not mean you’ll spend your days fending off random fans when you’re buying groceries.
- Being a published author does not mean you’ll spend your days in a lovely office overlooking a serene pastoral setting as you churn out novel after novel.
But . . . come on. It has to help. Right? It has to be more good than bad. At least when you get “The Call” or reach new writing milestones, there will be parties and well-wishes and celebratory balloons falling from the ceiling. Right?
Well . . . I did hear one story where an author went to check in for a flight and the ticket clerk looked at her license, and then looked at her, and then promptly bumped her to First Class after telling her that she reads everything she writes.
So, it happens! But my highly (un)scientific research has revealed that these kinds of events happen about as often as a total solar eclipse traverses the entire country.
In the interest of bringing you the true side of the publishing life, here are a few representative samples of the real, (un)glamorous lives of published authors.
I’m starting a new book today.
Oh, I’ve been working on it for weeks, but today is the first time I’m taking the ideas and brainstorming and plots and characters and putting them on the page.
Today, I’m turning these characters loose and letting them come alive – and hanging on for the ride they will take me on.
Everyone approaches their writing a little bit differently. No writer has exactly the same method as another. For me, staring at the very first blank page is humbling. And terrifying.
So before I put a word on the screen, I offered all of it up to the One I write for. I recommitted myself, my words, my stories, and my characters to Him. I asked Him to use all of it – every word – for His Glory and to fulfill His purposes.
I prayed for my readers, my publisher, my editors, my brainstorming buddies, and my sources. I prayed for endurance and focus and I asked for an outpouring of creativity from the Creator.
And now, I ask you, to join me. Every stage of a book has it’s own issues, but for a recovering perfectionist like me, the beginning is fraught with challenges. Would you pray specifically over the next couple of weeks that a solid foundation will be laid for this story?
In addition, there is a very difficult topic at the heart of this book. The research I’ve done and continue to do is hard. I covet your prayers as I dig deep into a very real and present evil in our communities. There are things you can’t “un-know” and whether this story changes anyone else, writing it absolutely will change me. I pray it does.
This book is due in early December which means I want to finish it by the end of September so I have a couple of months to do the revisions before it goes to my editor. So when I’m not running kids to camps and swimming pools and football fields, I’ll be working on this story. What are your plans for this summer? How can I pray for you? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
Grace & peace,
Lynn
There’s a lot going on in the Hidden Legacy world this week! Paperback copies have been flying off the shelf in my local Walmart. If you spot it in a store, I’d LOVE for you to take a picture and send it to me!
Tuesday (paperback release day!) I’ll be participating in a Facebook party with fifteen Love Inspired authors.
I’ll be chatting from 5:30-5:45 p.m. and we’ll be talking about my hometown, the wonder that is Hot Dog World (yes, it is a real place and it’s fabulous!) and what it was like to bring the secondary characters from Covert Justice to life in Hidden Legacy.
If you’ve never participated in one of these parties, you’ve really should stop by! It’s a great way to meet authors and have a chance to win free books!
Over on Goodreads I’m having a giveaway! I’d love for you to enter to win one of two copies of Hidden Legacy!
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Goodreads Book Giveaway
I’ve been overwhelmed by the positive response to Hidden Legacy! Thank you all!!
The Write Conversation has been recognized by Writer’s Digest as one of the top 101 Best Writing Websites!!! It is an absolute privilege to a be a monthly contributor to The Write Conversation. I’ve been posting on the first Thursday of the month since 2010 and the posts I share there are some of my favorite things I write each month.
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Don’t Overlook Valuable Writing Connections
Last month I wrote about some of the things I wish I’d known when my writing journey began. Today, I want to share something else that may be beneficial, whether you’ve only dipped your toes in the writing waters or have been swimming along for a while now.
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| The contract! |
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been thinking a lot about my early years as a writer. I had no idea what I was doing and I was so eager to learn. I took courses and went to critique groups and attended conferences, all in an effort to figure out how to do this writing thing right. And do you know what I remember most about that time?
- Outlines are a must. Outlines are evil.
- Read everything. Don’t read much at all.
- Write in the morning. Write at night.
- Write every day. Write 1000 words a day. Write 2 hours a day. Write at the same time every day.
- Edit as you go. Finish your first draft before you revise a word.
- Use Scrivener. Only use Word.
- Critique groups are a must. Critique groups are a waste of time.
- Join ten different professional organizations. Don’t join any.
- Get an agent. Don’t get an agent.
- Traditional! Indie!
Just wanted to pop in here to share the latest writing news…
