Love Inspired Suspense Archives | Lynn H. Blackburn

Novelists Unwind Interview

Lynn Blackburn — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 10:00:15 +0000

I first want to say a huge THANK YOU to those of you who have prayed this week as I edit Book 3 in the Dive Team Investigations series.

I have certainly felt your prayers!

My editor, bless her, found a rather significant plot hole. What’s crazy to me about this is that five people have read the book up to this point and none of us noticed! I’m thinking I may need to send her chocolates or something!

Thankfully, after a quick brainstorming session with my friend Lynette Eason (this involved a text where I said, “Can I call you…now?”), the plot hole has been filled. Whew!

Did you know that the editorial process involves a lot of back and forth between the author and editors? The part of the edit I’m working on now is usually the biggest and most daunting, but after this point there will be multiple emails over the next few months as we do everything we can to get Dive Team Investigations Book 3 to be the very best it can be.

So since this week is all about the editing, I’m keeping today’s blog post short and sweet.

I did an interview a few months ago with author Johnnie Alexander and the video is now live at her site, Novelists Unwind. Johnnie was an absolute joy to talk to you! We had such a great conversation! You can hear my southern accent and see how it’s impossible for me to talk without using my hands and also get the scoop on my writing journey, scuba diving, and all sorts of fun topics. I hope you’ll check it out!

Grace and peace,

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Hidden Legacy Fun!

Lynn Blackburn — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 17:35:00 +0000

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

Hidden Legacy

by Lynn Huggins Blackburn

Giveaway ends June 12, 2017.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

I’ve been overwhelmed by the positive response to Hidden Legacy! Thank you all!!

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Hidden Legacy is here!

Lynn Blackburn — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 05:37:00 +0000

The e-book versions of Hidden Legacy released today! The paperback version doesn’t officially release until June 6th, but it has been spotted in my local Walmart. Maybe it’s in a store near you!

If you haven’t read Covert Justice, then I can’t wait for you to meet Caroline Harrison and Detective Jason Drake.

If you *have* read Covert Justice, then you’ll enjoy getting to know Caroline better . . . and yes, you’ll get to spend a little bit more time with Heidi, Blake, Max, and Sara.

If you spot Hidden Legacy in the store, I’d love for you to share a photo with me on social media and be sure to tag me!

And did you know the best way to show an author some love is to leave a review on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBook.com, Goodreads, or anywhere books are reviewed? Well, it is.

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Hidden Legacy Cover Reveal!

Lynn Blackburn — Sat, 04 Feb 2017 09:05:00 +0000

Just wanted to pop in here to share the latest writing news…

My June release has a cover!

Readers of Covert Justice know Caroline as Blake Harrison’s younger sister, and many have been asking for her story. I can’t wait for new readers to meet Caroline Harrison and her long-lost best friend (and not-so-secret high school crush), Detective Jason Drake.

Here’s the back cover blurb:

Arriving home with the baby she’s adopting, Caroline Harrison finds her house vandalized…and an intruder intent on shooting her. She’s saved when police sirens approach, but all signs point to the little boy as the true target—and the assailant won’t give up. Now she has to rely on Detective Jason Drake, the man who once broke her heart, to figure out why someone’s after her soon-to-be adoptive son. Reunited after thirteen years apart, Jason can’t help but hope their love might be rekindled, but Caroline and her son’s safety come first. Because if he wants a chance at a future—and a family—with them, they have to outrun a hit man.

So….What do you think?

Hidden Legacy will hit store shelves in June, but opportunities to win free copies will start popping up as early as April. And all the major online retailers already have it up for preorder.

As always, the BEST way to keep up-to-date is to sign up for my newsletter. I make sure newsletter subscribers get the best info first. (They got an email yesterday with the cover reveal and lots of behind-the-scenes info). You can sign up here.

Grace and peace,

Lynn

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A Few Thoughts….The Selah Awards – Part 2 edition

Lynn Blackburn — Sat, 18 Jun 2016 06:25:00 +0000

A month ago I shared a few thoughts on being a finalist for the Selah Awards in the Mystery and Suspense category. (You can read that post here).

In that post, I made the following statement…“I am not going to win.”

Well…

I was wrong.

To my absolute and complete shock, Covert Justice won the 2016 Selah Award for Mystery/Suspense!

I’ve had almost a month to think about it, to let it settle in my mind, to stop looking at the plaque on my mantle in stunned disbelief, and I still don’t have the right words to describe how I feel.

I’m a writer. I really should be able to handle this.

All I know is that when my name was called, I temporarily lost all sense of time and space. It was truly like having an out of body experience. I remember fighting back tears. I remember walking up to the stage. I remember smiling at the camera. I remember stumbling back to my seat and people smiling and congratulating me as I passed. I remember sitting down and realizing that I was trembling from head to toe.

Note the glasses and
goofy grin!

I forgot to take off my glasses (which I hate but am currently wearing all the time because of a tenacious eye infection). If I had been required to give a speech it would have been a disaster because in that moment I wasn’t entirely sure what my own name was. I’m pretty sure I looked like some bizarre version of the Joker because there was this weird grin plastered on my face that I couldn’t get control of.

But beyond that, I’m still processing the whys and hows of it all.

I am so humbled. So stunned. And still wondering if there might have been a judging mistake.

Me with my awesome agent,
Tamela Hancock Murray!

Covert Justice is my first book. I love it. It will always be special and dear, but in the year since it was released I have had so many days when I wondered if this writing thing was just too much to deal with right now. If maybe everyone would be better off if I walked away. (Can you say “Mom guilt”?)

I have prayed so many times for clarity. Not for a sign, really. Just for peace and confidence that this journey was one I should be on.

Being a finalist and then actually winning an award like the Selah makes it hard not to believe that I’m at least moving in the right direction.

So fun to have Shana Asaro, a Love
Inspired editor there!

I know God is up to something with my writing. I have no idea what, but I’m thrilled to be following His lead and I’m excited to see where He takes me next. I’m also terrified! It’s quite daunting to be faced with a very clear directive from the Almighty!

I want God to receive all the glory and praise. I want my readers not only to enjoy the stories I write, but to love Him more and to see Him more clearly than they did before.

This summer, I am waiting to hear about my next book, writing a third, and brainstorming ideas for a new series. I would so appreciate your prayers as I lean hard into the Ultimate Storyteller and seek to craft new stories that will honor Him!

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Read More from Harlequin

Lynn Blackburn — Wed, 11 Nov 2015 01:57:00 +0000

You should be reading more books published by Harlequin.

Really.

As I mentioned in my post a few months ago (this one – I Write For Harlequin – you should definitely read it!), the term “Harlequin” has a tendency to raise some eyebrows. Some people assume that if the book has the Harlequin logo on the cover, it’s one of *those* books.

Many of the women (and men) I know who enjoy a nice Christian romance wouldn’t think of picking up a Harlequin. If that describes you, or if it’s just been a long time since you gave one a shot, let me clear up a few things.

1. They aren’t all like *that* – Yes, some of the lines are, but if you look for the Love Inspired (LI) logo, you won’t find anything in there to make you blush.

2. They are inexpensive – Have you gone shopping for books lately? Paperbacks aren’t cheap. But you can pick up a Love Inspired book at Wal-mart for less than $5.

3. They are short – If you aren’t a fast reader or don’t think reading is your “thing,” these paperbacks aren’t intimidating. If you do prefer a nice long read, I’m with you, but I don’t always have time for that kind of reading. Sometimes, I need a story that can draw me in but that I can finish in just a few hours so I don’t get so busy reading I forget to deal with real life. (This has more to do with my poor self-control than anything else – you may not have this problem).

4. They are small – I know I already said they are short, but they are also a smaller size. They’ll fit in your purse, backpack, diaper bag, or that little pocket on the side of your door…ready for your next wait in car line or piano lessons. They are also light enough for you to hold in one hand while you feed a baby, or stir a pot of chili. Yes, I know that in a perfect world you would spend each second that you are feeing your baby staring into their eyes and babbling at them. In the real world, sometimes that fifteen minutes is the only time you get to sit down. I’ve had three kids. I know. I read a lot of books during nursing sessions. They helped me stay sane!

5. They are shareable – You can let your tween read them. Really. While some of the Harlequin lines are, shall we say, spicy? The Love Inspired lines focus on the emotional attraction – not the physical. Yes, there will be kissing (yeah for kissing!), but the physical demonstrations of affection are not the focus of these books.

6. There’s plenty of variety – I write for Love Inspired Suspense (LIS). My line has the hero and heroine in danger from the first page, and they stay that way (while falling in love) until the end. There’s also Love Inspired Historical (LIH) for all of you (myself included) who occasionally think you would have made an awesome pioneer. And if you love a sweet romance that doesn’t involve bullets and bloodshed, the Love Inspired line is for you. Contemporary characters dealing with real life issues and finding love along the way.

7. There are a LOT to choose from – LIS and LI release 6 new books every single month. That’s 72 books a year. LIH releases 4 a month – 48 a year.

8. They are really good – Ok, I’m biased. I’ll admit it. But it takes skill to develop an interesting story and relatable characters, keep them alive (in LIS) and have them fall in love in 60,000 words. It can be done and it means that the when you pick up one of these books, you won’t find yourself skimming through a bunch of fluff. I’m not anti-fluff, but when time is limited, I’ll pass on the fluff, thank you very much.

9. They stand alone – I personally love a good series, but I have a bad habit of getting sucked in and needing to read EVERY.SINGLE.BOOK in the series. NOW. So it’s nice to read books that don’t trigger that reaction in me.

10. They have some awesome series to choose from – I know I just said they stand alone, and they do. But there are two different types of series with LI. One is similar to what I’m working on now. The secondary characters from the first book get a starring role in the next. You can read any of the books without having read the previous books, but if you fall in love with certain characters (Heidi and Blake, cough, cough) it’s fun to check in with them again later.

The other type of series is a Continuity Series. They are similar to the other series, with secondary characters becoming the main characters. But in a continuity series, each book is written by a different author. So awesome!

Okay – have I convinced you yet?

If not, here’s one more bonus reason. Right now – November 10th -November 17th – 10,000 Harlequin titles are on sale. You can purchase the ebook version for $1.99. This is a HUGE deal!

You have very little to lose and lots of great reads to gain.

Sadly, my book, Covert Justice, is NOT on sale. *Sob*

But you can find a bunch of books from my friend and mentor, Lynette Eason. Her Family Reunion’s series would be a fun place to start. Each one is $1.99 this week only!

And there are literally 1000s of others to choose from. So many awesome authors that I can’t begin to list them all!

I’d love to hear about your experience with Harlequin. Are you a regular reader? Has it been years since you picked one up? Do you have a favorite LIS, LIH, or LI author? Let’s talk about it in the comments!

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10 Reasons to Consider Writing Category Romance

Lynn Blackburn — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 14:00:00 +0000

Covert Justice on the shelf in Wal-mart!

When the idea of trying to sell my book started floating around in my brain, I always pictured it in Barnes & Noble. It would be on an upper shelf on the inspirational aisle.

It would fit right in with books from my favorite romantic suspense authors—Eason, Mills, Hannon, Pettrey, Henderson—and, of course, it would sell a million copies in the first week. I’m kidding. Kinda.

Here’s what I did not picture.

I did not picture my first book not being much bigger than an iPhone 6. (I recently handed it to a friend who turned it over a few times and exclaimed, “It’s so dainty!”)

I did not picture it under the Harlequin banner at Wal-mart. (Did you catch my post about this yesterday? Spoiler: Harlequin does not equal smut.)

The truth is that category romance wasn’t even on my radar. Then I learned a thing or two about publishing and a whole lot about category romance.

AAAHH – I’m guest posting today at The Write Conversation. Click on over to read the rest of the story!

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I Write For Harlequin

Lynn Blackburn — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 12:00:00 +0000

Those of you looking for Covert Justice in your
local Wal-mart may be wondering where to find it.

Look for the big
“HARLEQUIN” banner at the top of the book aisle.

Then look for books with the label “Love Inspired Suspense”
across the top of the book.

Covert Justice should be there.

Wait…did you get stuck on something?

It’s not a typo.

I write for
Harlequin.

Now be honest. What are you thinking?

Are you thinking I’ve crossed over into erotica?

Are you wondering if you really know me?

Are you praying for me to come to my senses and return to
the narrow way?

If you automatically
equate Harlequin with “bodice-rippers” you’re not alone, but you are way off
base.

In order to explain, let me cover a few things that most
people outside of the industry don’t know about Christian publishing.

1.
In
most cases Christian publishing is a business, not a ministry.

For many Christian authors, writing is absolutely a
ministry. A calling. An act of worship. An act of obedience to the will of God
for their lives.

Publication, however, is business. Publishers have
employees, shareholders, and creditors, all of whom expect to get paid. In the
economy in which we live and with the ever-changing face of publishing this
leads us to my next point.

2.
Many
Christian publishers are owned by secular publishing houses.

Once
upon a time, there were quite a few Christian publishing houses, but many of
them have been bought by larger secular publishers. That doesn’t mean they’ve
suddenly stopped producing Christian books. Because again, publishing is a
business, and anyone who knows anything about business knows that the best way
to stay in business is to give the customers what they want.

Which
brings me to point #3.

3.
Harlequin
knows their customers better than just about anyone.

Yes, Harlequin does sell books that might give your grandma
a heart attack.

But they also sell some of the sweetest, cleanest, most
wholesome romances you can find anywhere.

The Love Inspired
guidelines guarantee that the romance you read will be edifying, enriching, and
enjoyable.

You can let your Granny read it (mine really enjoyed Covert
Justice!) and you can also let your teenage daughter read it. There’s no inappropriate behavior. There’s no
foul language. The romance leans heavily toward an emotional attachment, rather
than a sensual attraction.

(That’s not to say there’s no attraction! Characters will
hold hands, hug, even…dare I say it…Kiss! (gasp!) It is a romance novel, folks.)

There are three “Love
Inspired” lines.

Love Inspired books are contemporary stories.

Love Inspired Historical books are, obviously, historical
romances.

Love Inspired Suspense books are contemporary stories where
the hero and heroine are in danger and will spend most of the book trying to
stay alive. I’m biased, of course, but these are my favorite!

So don’t let the
Harlequin banner scare you off. Use it to help you find some great reads
that will encourage you in your faith …. And maybe make for a great
conversation starter when you read them on a plane or at the beach or in the
doctor’s office.

****

There’s another Goodreads Giveaway this week. You could win a free, autographed copy of Covert Justice! Check it out!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Covert Justice

by Lynn Huggins Blackburn

Giveaway ends June 07, 2015.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to Win

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Release Day!

Lynn Blackburn — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 12:00:00 +0000

It’s here!

Covert Justice is officially available for purchase!

I found Covert Justice a few days early at our local Wal-mart. And it was on sale. I do love a good sale!

If you spot it at your local Wal-mart, please post a picture on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram and be sure to tag me! I’d love to see it!

A friend of mine just got the notice from Amazon that her pre-ordered copy will arrive on her doorstep between June 9-13 so if you’ve pre-ordered, look for it in about a week and a half.

For those of you who prefer e-books, you should be able to download the Kindle/Nook/iBook version today!

I’ll be doing many Covert Justice related posts this month to celebrate the release. It’s going to be a great month and I’m looking forward to sharing it with you!

If you’re in Greenville, South Carolina, don’t forget about the book signing event on June 13th! I’ll have plenty of copies of Covert Justice to sell that day. We’ll have door prizes, gift baskets, and fun!

Thank you for sharing this experience with me!

Grace and peace,

Lynn

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Writing Update and Links I Love

Lynn Blackburn — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 23:55:00 +0000

Writing Update

I’m working away on a new novel. A secondary character from Covert Justice just showed up on the front porch and sent things in a very interesting direction. This guy is persistent! I looked at him and thought, “I’m so glad you’re here, but I wish you’d let me know you were coming!” (I realize for those of you who don’t write, this may be a bit disturbing…welcome to my world!)

My author copies of Covert Justice should be arriving soon. I’m insanely excited to see them and hold them and put one on my bookshelf! I’m up to my eyeballs in promotion work for Covert Justice and excited to offer some fun treats for my readers!

For those of you who might not know, my publisher is Love Inspired Suspense and they offer a book club. If you sign up, you receive new releases in your mailbox 2 months before they are released to the public. This means that book club members will start receiving Covert Justice in just a few weeks! AAAGGGHHH!

Be on the lookout for an opportunity to join my prayer team. I’m convinced that there is NO WAY I can do this without having a strong team of prayer warriors behind me. I’ll be giving you the opportunity to commit to praying for me, and for the readers of Covert Justice, in the months ahead.

On Wednesday (April 1), we’ll be celebrating the first #KillerVoices book releases on Facebook with an all-day release party. Follow me on Facebook and join in the fun!

Some Links I Love for your Weekend:

Family

I loved this. We’ve all got strengths so let’s stop comparing! No, You’re Not More of a Real Mom Because Your House is Messy

Yes! Yes! Yes! I prefer books over Kindles – this explains it so well. Why Digital Natives Prefer Reading in Print – Yes, You Read that Right

Faith

Wisdom from my dear friend @LoriRoeleveld The Day God Forgot His Call On My Life

Fiction

A must read, whether you write or not. The Trajectory Principle

Useful for all suspense writers. Writing Spies – Which Agency Does What To Who?

Food and Fitness

We love our foam rollers. Do you have one? 2 Things You Should be Doing on Your Foam Roll (That You Aren’t Doing Now)

I couldn’t decide if I should post this under food or fun! Yeah for coffee! 3 to 5 Cups of Coffee a Day May Lower Heart Attack Risk

Wanting to give spaghetti squash a try? This recipe is a staple at our house. We add pepperoni! 5 Ingredient Pizza Spaghetti Pie

Fun

A little bit of salty language. Don’t read this one if you never make snide remarks – it’s high on the snarky scale! 17 Motivational Posters for Sarcastic Parents

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