This is finals week on campus, and I’m furiously grading as students take finals and pack up their dorm rooms and apartments. At the same time, I’m working on the second round of edits for the sequel to The Vanished while beginning to think about the main characters for the third book in the series. Writing is a lot like juggling.I remember during my MBA project managment class being a bit underwhelmed. My life has always had this element of juggling multiple deadlines and projects simultaneously. Writing requries that. It’s normal to Edit one book while marketing another and plotting or writing a third. Then add in preparing for recording the next season of Book Talk, and it’s a full season right now.
One thing I’m doing this go around is scheduling some speaking events and booksignings. So far, these are primarily in Indiana, but if you have a book club or other organization and are interested in having me speak, please reach out. In the middle of April I keynoted a banquet on campus for over 300 people – honestly, it was a bit daunting, but it has also been fun to get feedback from attendees. That keynote was on Careers and Leadership, and my next keynote in June will be on why Our Story as Women Matters for a women’s alumni conference.
I often tell people I don’t know for sure what God will have me doing in five years, but I am fairly certain that communicating will be a large part of it. It’s the common thread through my passions of writing, teaching, and speaking.
“I was fully invested in these memorable characters who are as colorful as the iconic Starlight’s neon sign.”–Nancy Naigle, author of The Shell Collector
“A charming story set across three generations. . . . Themes of forgiveness, trust, second chances, acceptance, and love will leave you grinning at the last page.”–Katherine Reay, bestselling author of Dear Mr. Knightley and The Printed Letter Bookshop
1987. Supermodel Harlow Hayes seeks solace in a quaint Florida beach town to heal from a heartbreak that shattered her entire world. To her surprise, she encounters Matt Knight–a Hollywood A-lister with a bad-boy reputation–who has returned to his hometown to help his plucky grandmother, Tuesday, save her century-old skating rink, the Starlight.The Starlight holds a special place in the hearts of the community, once acting as a refuge for Depression-era families and bringing the town together with gatherings and celebrations. Tuesday’s determination even protected her beloved rink from her husband’s shady business dealings. Yet when the Starlight is threatened with demolition, Tuesday begins to wonder if an era has come to an end.
“A charming story set across three generations. . . . Themes of forgiveness, trust, second chances, acceptance, and love will leave you grinning at the last page.”–Katherine Reay, bestselling author of Dear Mr. Knightley and The Printed Letter Bookshop
1987. Supermodel Harlow Hayes seeks solace in a quaint Florida beach town to heal from a heartbreak that shattered her entire world. To her surprise, she encounters Matt Knight–a Hollywood A-lister with a bad-boy reputation–who has returned to his hometown to help his plucky grandmother, Tuesday, save her century-old skating rink, the Starlight.The Starlight holds a special place in the hearts of the community, once acting as a refuge for Depression-era families and bringing the town together with gatherings and celebrations. Tuesday’s determination even protected her beloved rink from her husband’s shady business dealings. Yet when the Starlight is threatened with demolition, Tuesday begins to wonder if an era has come to an end.
As Matt and Harlow strategize to save the rink, they find themselves on a journey of surprises, self-discovery, and the kind of healing that leads to love.
I’m delighted to be able to partner with Rachel to giveaway a copy of her next novel. Just use the form below to enter.