Have you ever stepped out into a proverbial canyon, praying the whole time that God will put land under your feet as you go?
That’s a little bit like the writing life. And even though I’ve been a published author for over four years now, every single title comes with a degree of trepidation.
Is it as good as I think?
What if it bombs?
Will this be the one that everybody hates?
I don’t allow myself to live in that place of uncertainty and self-doubt. (I just pass through occasionally.) I’m generally good at taking those thoughts captive and simply resting in the fact that I am doing the very thing that God has called me to do.
Every now and then, though…
I am a contributing author for a box set that was supposed to release in March but that, through a series of events, didn’t come to fruition until the last day of June.
Those extra three months were hard.
I believe God is in control, and I believe in His sovereign timing.
But still…those were some hard months.
I had full confidence in my story and my characters. But then the clock kept on ticking, and as more and more time went by, I became less and less certain. Fear and doubt crept in between the cracks of my writerly thick skin. And before long, I turned into a nervous wreck who questioned every single comma and preposition.
I drove myself a little batty. (I might have driven other people in that general direction, too. Though most of them were too gracious to say so.)
In any event – the box set is here now, and I’m so glad that the season of second-guessing is over. It’s time to let go and let this baby fly.
Or crash and burn.
But I’m really hoping for flight. ^_^
In any event, Skye is book one in the new Rainbow Falls series, and it can be found in the Cherish box set available now.
Here’s some info on the set:
From seven bestselling Christian authors comes a compilation of brand new, never-before-published contemporary Christian romance novels for your summer vacation reading. This multi-author anthology is only available for a limited time, so grab this boxed set while you can!
The Tenderness of His Love by Kimberly Rae Jordan
When Tennyson gives a struggling single mom and daughters a helping hand, he never imagines the impact they’ll have on his life. Having been hurt before by women he’d helped, Tennyson isn’t sure about Olivia’s motives. Is it just gratitude on Olivia’s part? Or is it something more?
A Heart Reclaimed by Elizabeth Maddrey
Two landscape architects and former college rivals work together to restore the grounds at Peacock Hill. Will the garden they plant blossom into love?
His Father’s Son by Autumn Macarthur
Can a small-town single mother regain her lost faith and forgive the past, when her disabled child’s father returns, determined to help the son he unwillingly left behind – and the woman he’s never stopped loving?
Sink or Swim by Lesley Ann McDaniel
Jen’s job at the Inn at Crescent Cove has been a lifesaver, and Luke — the inn’s chef—is her best friend. But she really wants to manage the inn. When another woman arrives to interview for the position but has her eye on more than just the job, Jen questions her own motives for staying. Is it the town…or the promise of love?
Angel Kisses and Riversong by Lynnette Bonner
After a career ending injury, Jett Hudson escapes to a B&B in the mountains of Washington. But when he arrives and has to wake owner Salem Finn, who is sound asleep at her desk, he has second thoughts about his choice of lodging. Sometimes the river of life takes unexpected turns. And sometimes those turns lead to angel kisses…and Riversong.
Skye by Heather Gray
When Skye reaches her limit, she packs a bag and runs away from it all…without realizing what she’s running toward. Sam is the only wrinkle in her plan. What happens when a woman chased by guilt and fear runs headlong into a battle-hardened Marine who isn’t used to backing down?
Ask You Later by Jan Thompson
He lives and breathes expressive art. She has no time for his type of fluff. A struggling artist tries to get his recycled mixed-media art pieces displayed at a local art gallery now run by the owner’s daughter who has zero appreciation for his folk art.
And here’s an excerpt from Skye…
Skye Blue was flying home.
Home.
What a strange word.
Too many years had passed since she’d last set foot in the vibrant but close-knit community of Rainbow Falls, Montana.
They hadn’t been horrible years. Mostly. She’d had a roof over her head and food to eat. She’d gotten an education, been given a job. Life had been stable in Idaho, and that counted for something.
Then why, oh why, did leaving it all behind and running away from Boise to Rainbow Falls lift such a suffocating burden from her shoulders?
Or even better, why couldn’t she breathe to begin with?
The only wrinkle in her escape plan was the man sitting next to her.
Her hometown was nestled in the Bitterroot Mountains of Montana, and those mountains — beautiful though they were — created some geographical limitations. As a result, Rainbow Falls boasted only a small airport. And small airports only took small planes. Small, as in seven rows of four seats divided by a center aisle – two seats on each side.
And because fate wanted to punish her for some unknown slight, Skye was trapped in a seat between the window and one of the most formidable people she’d ever encountered.
With one glance in his direction, her protective cloak of confidence fell away. She was once again the small girl watching in terror as police invaded her mother’s home for the first time.
Prickles raced across her skin, heating it from the inside out.
Skye clenched her eyes closed. She could do it. She could block the image running rampant in her mind’s eye. Her hands fisted around her seatbelt. It was the only thing she could hold onto, the only thing to anchor her to this moment instead of the past.
Eventually, her breathing returned to normal and she opened her eyes. The view outside the window drew her attention. The mountains. They had mountains in Idaho, but nothing compared to these. Mountains were vast and immovable. Which only served to remind her of the man sitting next to her.
“What brings you to Rainbow Falls?” His voice held the scratch of a smoker, but the telltale odor was absent.
Click here to find the Cherish box set on Amazon.
In the meantime, have a wonderful day filled with God’s goodness and grace!
One person will be randomly selected to win a $5 Amazon gift card. To enter, just comment below. You can tell me about the weather, the last book you read…or a time in life when you wanted to run away from it all – kind of like Skye in the scene above.
Heather Gray loves coffee, God, her family, and laughter – not necessarily in that order! She writes approachable characters who, through the highs and lows of life, find a way to love God, embrace each day, and laugh out loud right along with her. And, yeah, her books almost always have someone who's a coffee addict. Some things just can't be helped. Despite their different lives and situations, Heather’s characters have something in common. They're all flawed...but loved anyway.
Hi Heather, the new set looks great, I missed that this had released, so thanks for the update:) The weather here is cold! The last couple nights have been pouring rain, but cold, clear blue sky days. We have two weeks holidays at the moment, so I’m enjoying having clear days to enjoy being outdoors- with lots of layers to keep warm!!
God’s goodness and grace to you also:)
I want to run away from it all, all the time. The last book I read was “When Passion Rules” by Johanna Lindsey. The weather here is very hot.
I read Skye and loved it! I have alsoreadall of your Informal books and lved them, too!
Looking forward to getting this box set! I love reading all the inspy romance authors!
Hi Heather! Thanks for the background info on the boxed set Cherish. Sorry that the delay caused you stress and second guessing yourself. SKYE is my favorite inspirational romance in the set. SKYE was a page turner. I identified with the characters and especially the small town setting and mindset of Rainbow Falls. The Rainbow Sisters were unique and lovable. Your approach to the contemporary issue of homeless vets and substance abuse is delicately woven throughout this heart wrenching story. More communities need a Samaritan Reach. Thanks for this inspiring redemption story. Well done. Wishing you a stress free relaxing summer weekend.
Dear Readers: Please purchase the boxed set Cherish and support our Inspy Romance writers. Please start with the story SKYE. As a pastor’s wife in the Chicago area in the 1980s I feed many a homeless person in the church pasonage kitchen and listened to their heart wrenching stories. In the 1990s I was often in Washington DC around Veteran’s Day and saw first hand homeless vets sleeping in our National Parks. Homelessness and substance abuse is a national problem.
I bought the box set and l look forward to reading it.
I’ve enjoyed your stories and look forward to this one as well! I’m thankful that you don’t let the doubts drag you down.
I loved the Skye excerpt and I am going to go check out the boxed set!
The weather in Mechanicsville VA is cloudy and muggy today. Rain poured during the night. I love the sound of rain tapping the roof and the windows, as long as no major storm is forecast. :-)
I could do with a dose of winter – just for a day or two, mind you, but still… A little cold weather could go a long way around here. ^_^ Thanks for stopping by today!!
So glad you could visit us today Lisa! I hear you on the weather – hot, hot, hot! We had fog and rain yesterday…but it was still HOT! ^_^
I’m so glad you enjoyed Skye Debbie – thank you for letting me know! I loved writing this story and getting to know the town and people! :-)
I started reading Cherish right before my phone broke (motherboard was toast, so no saving it there) and now I’m getting a break from my kindle until the replacement arrives (and realizing how much my life was dependent to that small device.. like calendar warnings, alarms, specific apps of sorts and such).
I’ve finished A Heart Reclaimed (really good sequel to A Heart Restored) and started on Skye (yep, I do read out of order depending on my mood when I start), and I was probably going to read The Tenderness of His Love right after (it was actually hard to decide which one to start because they were either sequels to books I enjoyed or, in your case, a book you already talked about in this blog and made me want to read it).
Music to my ears Paula! I hope you enjoy the set!! :-)
Thank you so much, Renate, for your words about Skye and for your support of all the Inspy Romance authors! We work hard to tell the stories God gives us, and sometimes those stories tackle tough subjects like homelessness and substance abuse. One of things I love about Christian fiction is that, regardless of the storyline, writers get to unashamedly share the truth of God’s grace and the redemptive power of the cross – and that always makes for a good story. :-)
Colleen – I hope you enjoy every single story in it! ^_^
Thank you!! We all have to battle doubt now and then. If we’re, anyway. ^_^ In our marriages, as parents, in our jobs…it comes up. I’m thankful to have a God who loves me and is patient and who forgives me my doubts when I let myself get carried away with them. :)
Yay! *happy dance* :-)
I love the sound of rain, too – but I sure do wish it would cool the air down. That sticky, icky feeling of hot & humid isn’t my favorite. ;)
Whenever I’m in a box set, I try to read all the other books in it – but sometimes there are more pages than I have time. The only one (besides Skye, obviously) that I’ve been able to read so far is A Heart Reclaimed – and I loved it! I plan to get to the rest soon…but my computer is in its death throws right now (it’s been a LONG week), and I apparently need to go computer shopping…which means days of adjusting to a new computer when I’d rather do anything else… So I sympathize with your phone story (more than I wish I did). ^_^
I’ve read about half of the Cherish books so far… and am looking forward to “Skye”! Our weather has been lovely – not too hot, not too cold. Our 4th of July fireworks time was one of the balmier evenings we’ve had recently, and the fog didn’t come in until the fireworks were done :-)
Wow you’re a fast reader! Either that, or I’m a slow reader. (The latter is *fairly* likely.) ^_^ I’m glad the fog stayed away until the fireworks were done. The 4th is somehow anti-climatic when you can’t see the fireworks. :-)
Thanks, Priscila, it’s so nice to hear you enjoyed A Heart Reclaimed. If you’re willing to leave a review when you’re finished with the box, I know all of us would appreciate a balanced and positive comment to even out some of the less kind notes that are getting left.
Thanks I am sure I will
Sounds like a fun set of books.
I did purchase this one since you have a story in it. :) I have loved what I’ve read of yours. We are sunny and hot, in my opinion, with it being in the 90’s. I’m currently reading through a Carol Moncado series. As far as running away, yes, have had many such thoughts a couple years ago, but I’d never really up and leave.
Thanks for stopping by today Merrillee!! :-)
We have had too much rain and grass growing tall at my house. The book I am reading is one of Caryl McAdoo’s books in the Texas Romance series, before that were books by Debra Clopton & Karen Kirst.
Hot, Hot, Hot here in Alabama….and humid!
Reading The Beloved Hope Chest.
Thank you Andrea! These days, my idea of running away involves my local coffee shop and my laptop. ;)
Sounds like some great reading! ^_^ As for tall grass…I told my son he needed to mow today…and then it rained. I’m pretty sure I can SEE the grass growing!
Hot & humid…sounds like Virginia! A perfect recipe for bad asthma and frizzy hair. ^_^
This looks like a good group of books. Your excerpt was intriguing. Weather in Missouri is hot and have had showers for most of a week. I am reading a medieval trilogy from Jody Hedlund. Thanks for the update of those books!
Well, I do run away to our local Frozen Yogurt place at times, for about 1/2 hour or so. They don’t have A/C though, so that’s not an option atm, lol.
Always looking for new good books to read, I’m going have to go find this one to read!
I would love to visit Montana someday. The pictures I’ve seen look beautiful.
It’s hot and humid in my part of GA! Would love to read these stories!
Frozen yogurt without air conditioning!? But people only go for frozen yogurt when it’s hot outside….and they want air conditioning with their frozen treat. At least that’s how it is here – with the exception of a couple of outdoor ice cream shops. ;)
I minored in history in college and specialized in the medieval period. Even though that’s long behind me, I still love reading a good medieval novel. ^_^
Woohoo! I’m glad it sounds like a good read to you. :)
Montana is gorgeous. There’s no piece of that state that isn’t lovely. I think everybody should get to visit there at least once in their life. ^_^
Hot & humid…sounds like the rest of the east coast. Blech. Give me a nice, dry, cool breeze! ^_^
Heading to the beach tomorrow. It should make good beach reading. (On the balcony, I’m not brave enough to take an ereader on the beach. I’ve seen someone sitting in the surf with an ipad. I tend to take used or on sale paper backs.) Thanks for writing!
Heather, I can relate to stepping off a cliff without knowing if you have a foothold under you! I’ve been there many more times then I like to think about. But I’ve learned that if God calls me to step out in faith (cliff), He’ll have me landing on solid ground. I just have to take that first step and TRUST :-) Is it still scary…oh yeah! I have no clue and I don’t like knowing things, lol! If I’m called to trust God though, He has to make me walk out in faith and take that leap. Sometimes He even gives me a gentle nudge!
Second guessing ourselves is also something I sometimes struggle with as well. My husband tells me not to do that because not only will I drive myself crazy, but he reminds me every time I’ve done that, I’ve regretted it. And you know something, he’s right! (Shh, don’t tell him I said that though, lol)
For whatever reason this will no longer let me post long comments. I’ve had to split them in two, and no idea why. Let me finish my thought:
I love reading author stories like this. Where God has the right story for just the right time and not always in the time the author thinks it should happen. I’ve read so many testimonies of how God moves in the “waiting” period. I’m sure it’s not fun in that unsure time, that time of self-doubt, and self-guessing. God has a perfect plan for all of us! We just have to trust Him in it. :-)
And yay, for the new book bird…er baby…lol! Sounds fantastic!
Ha! You and me both! I *would* feel brave enough toke an e-reader on the beach if I sat way back…but I don’t sit way back, so that’s not happening. ;)
Thank you for stopping by, Trixi, and for your reminder about God’s greatness! When we moved from Idaho to Virginia, a friend told me that trusting God was a lot like stepping out into a canyon on a moonless night – It’s so dark that you can see nothing below, but you trust that God is going to raise something up to meet each of your footfalls and so you walk out into the nothingness with no visible proof of His presence. I still use that visual in my own mind when I need to remind myself that He will always be there ahead of me whenever I walk where He has called me to go. (And don’t worry. I won’t say a word to your husband. He need never know you said he was right…) ^_^
That’s kind of sad to hear, Elizabeth. I’m really sorry. I pre-ordered the box set because it was a collection of authors I enjoy reading and can’t think I’d be disappointed.
The book set sounds great! Wish I had more time to read all I wanted…
I would love to enjoy this set on our summer trip to the mountains. I live in Florida so its hot year round!