Did you win?? And a new book cover!

Last night I participated in the Bethany House Book Banter. Oh my goodness…So. Much. Fun. The questions flew like crazy and I did my best to answer as many as possible. (If you were there, though, and I missed your question, you can find me pretty much anywhere online. Just ask away again and I’ll answer!)

Thanks soooo much to everyone who attended. If you were there, you were entered into a drawing for my new book, Here to Stay. The awesome Amy Green, fiction publicist at Bethany House, drew eight winners. The lucky winners are:

Julianna Rowe
Michelle Lim
Lisa Jordan
Stephanie Puterbaugh
Megan Wilson
Catherine Lee
Josette Downey
Amy Bellaire

Congrats, folks! To claim your copy, just email Amy at agreen@bethanyhouse.com with your mailing address.

During the party, we revealed a couple fun things. First, the title for my novella, scheduled for release in early 2015. Its title is Three Little Words, with thanks to my coworker Cheryl for coming up with that name. I love it!

Second, I finally got to show off my new book cover. As always, I’m incredibly grateful to the artists and creative team at Bethany House. I think I’ve gone on record already calling the couple on the front the happiest couple of all time. LOL!

FromTheStart_300rgb

So happy, yes??

Here’s a little confession about the writing of this story: I’ve had more trouble writing it than I’ve ever had writing anything. But I can’t help hopefully believing that’s because this story just might be, hmm, something bigger or deeper than I’d first envisioned. Is that weird to admit? Or maybe it’s just that God is working on me as I write it. And you know, that’s not always a comfortable process.

But I know at the end of the day, once this book is out in readers’ hands, whatever happens with it…I’ll have changed in some way. It happened with both Made to Last and Here to Stay. As the amazing Susan May Warren says, if God doesn’t change you on the writing journey, then something’s wrong.

Thanks again to everyone who came to the party last night!

OH and I hope you’ll stop by here on Friday. We have a SUPER fun series coming to the blog featuring some of my coolest writing friends and a whole slew of giveaways. YAY!

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    Comments 18

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        Thanks, Beth! Life and laughter, I like that. I feel like each of the covers of my books has very much reflected the feel of the story inside…which is a credit to the awesome artists at BHP for sure!

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    5. I saw the Bethany Book page last night but I think I got on too late. I have not read your books yet and look forward to reading one. Is there a book you recommend to start? I am on the Board of Directors of the Northwest Christian Writer’s Association and we love to meet and promote fellow authors. God’s blessing on you and your writing. May it touch millions of lives and bring hope and healing to the reader.

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        Hi, Gigi! Well, I have two books out currently and technically, Made to Last is first in the series. However, you really could read either one, MTL or Here to Stay, without reading the other and be just fine. Even though they’re technically a series, they can be read as standalones. 🙂

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    6. Melissa, everything is so exciting. Your titles, your cover reveal (happy is right – I adore it when the couples are happy, and you know, like Here to Stay, this one “feels” like a genuine moment), and the anticipation for this book. Cannot wait to read your book – and I know it’ll be wonderful.

      Wishing you all the best with book three – on a VERY small level I can relate. It IS hard work getting a story down on paper, but hard as it is for you now, I bet the end result will be all the better for it. Go you! 🙂

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        I so agree, Rissi–everything IS so exciting. I love moments of getting to share titles or covers. To be completely honest, there are some behind-the-scenes not-so-fun moments when I’m banging my head against the wall in frustration with the story or whatever. So it makes the fun moments all the funner. And yes, I said “funner.” 🙂

        And I totally agree with you…I think when a story is difficult to write, it forces us to dig deeper and results in a better story in the end. Or maybe that’s just what I’m telling myself to make myself feel better. LOL! Anyway, thank you for all your excitement for this book and the cover and everything.You rock!

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    7. That’s exactly–almost word for word–what I said about my latest WIP that is now in my agent’s hands. Only at the end could I see, for me, why it was so hard and what God taught me through the process. My prayer is that other’s are touched by it too:) I always grow through my writing, but man-alive, this one truly was the “death of me” in many ways as God killed of things and started growing some new fruit. Can’t wait to read yours, Melissa!

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    8. *happy dance*
      I love this cover so very much and I agree with you about them being the happiest couple! They look so cute! I also love both of the titles! Cannot wait to read these!

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