Perhaps you were fortunate enough to have seen the cautionary tale from VeggieTales about the Rumor Weed. If so, you know how quickly a small comment can grow into a monster, destroying people’s lives while singing a pretty catchy song (You’re singing it now, aren’t you?)
If you haven’t seen it, well, my guess is that you know how dangerous gossip is without cartoon vegetables telling you so. Of all the sin mentioned in the Bible, gossip is the one I’m most-often tempted to do. It’s so much easier than murder and adultery, and yet, it is listed in the same breath as those “big” sins. In short, gossip kills a person’s character, and it kills relationships. God hates gossip so much, he spirit-breathed two identical proverbs about it: The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts. (Proverbs 18:8, 26:22).
Yes, gossip drills so deep into our being that we can’t not be affected by it.
I experienced this my freshman year of college. My roommate and I didn’t have much in common. Mostly, it came down to this single disagreement: I liked me. She didn’t like me. For five months, I tried my best to make things better by being less me. One night, it was blazing hot in our dorm room, and my roommate was tossing and turning in her bed. I felt bad for her so I cracked the window such a small amount that you couldn’t see through the crack. Later, I was informed that she’d told everyone in the dorm building that I’d tried to kill her by giving her pneumonia. It suddenly made sense why I had so few friends. Any decent character I had couldn’t stand up against her rumor: I’m an attempted murderer. Watch yo self!
And this was all before social media! On there, gossip has no shame. In fact, gossip is celebrated.
That’s the atmosphere in my fictional town of Whisper Canyon, Colorado, too. Everyone has an opinion, especially when it comes to the Haviland family. Mother of five, Nina Haviland, didn’t try too hard to hide her affairs from the public eye. Once the entire truth was revealed, she abandoned her family for years, only to return with terminal cancer and a need for caretaking. The first book in the Whisper Canyon series picks up in the aftermath of Nina’s passing, with all five grown children reeling in the reality and the rumors surrounding their lives.
Haven Haviland is hit especially hard with rumors about following in her mother’s homewrecking footsteps. She takes a job at Aspen Crossroads mentoring human trafficking survivors as they begin a new life. She and Jace Daring, the man who hired her, will have to work double-time to keep the survivors out of Whisper Canyon’s rumor mill, and it won’t be easy.
Because this book covers some heavy topics before hope is restored to the hurting, I balance the hard stuff with some lighthearted humor. Ahead of the release of Aspen Crossroads, I invite you to pop into Whisper Canyon with me for a brief visit to discover what rumors might be stirred up about you!
Click here to take the quiz, then comment below with your answer. One random commenter* will win a Society6 tote bag to carry around your copy of Aspen Crossroads or any other InspyRomance novel this fall!
*Winner must be at least 18 years old. Due to shipping costs, winner must be a US resident. Giveaway is open until Friday, 8/20th at 11:59pm.
Elizabeth Maddrey says
This is adorable and makes me want to read it!
I took the quiz, was on my way to answer and got interrupted by one kid and hubby needing breakfast help and I can’t remember who i ended up. Sandy maybe? She was no nonsense I remember and as that’s me, I was cool with it. :)
Trudy says
I took the quiz, and I got Jace! The series sounds good!!
Lori R says
I got Jace.
Kimberly Rose Johnson says
Love your book cover. I took the quiz and got Sonny.
Natalya Lakhno says
LOL An Accidental Vixen
Megan says
I got an accidental vixen. Thanks for the chance to win!
Courtney Sudduth says
I got Rarity. Something about being a rebel? I am pretty stubborn!
Angeline says
I got Sonny, a no nonsense businesswoman who could use a man
Lincoln says
Hi, Janine!
I’m an accidental vixen, apparently. :-D I suppose taking the quiz as a guy invalidates the whole premise of the thing, so I get what I asked for. Or, as an old gray-beard, I should probably qualify as some of the comic relief! Much more my style.
By the by, did you hear that Edna Whipplestein is giving up gossip in favor of homewrecking? And at her age! Even if she lost about 80 pounds I don’t think she’d find a taker in a hundred miles! Wait…that’s what she said about ME?!?!? Well, I declare! This is war! (That last was pronounced WO-wuh! (of course)) :-P
Alicia Haney says
I got Haven, An Accidental Vixen. This was fun. Have a great weekend and stay safe. Gossip is pretty bad.
Winnie Thomas says
Well, I guess I’m Haven, an accidental vixen! Who knew? LOL I must admit I’ve never been described that way!
Congratulations on your new book, Janine! It’s fantastic! Now I need to write my review and plaster it all over the review sites!
Trixi says
I got Jace: A Mysterious Stranger with Wicked Intent. I’m not quite sure I agree with this since I am very opposite of his personality, lol! But it is a fun quiz :-)
Teresa Warner says
took the quiz and got Sonny!
Marcie McEachern says
So fun! I got Sonny, and I’m pretty sure it’s because I said I’d pack comfortable shoes. LOL
Lisa Stillman says
I took the quiz, and I got Jace even having packed the comfortable shoes
Ausjenny says
I got Haven, An Accidental Vixen, It was a fun quiz. Congrats on the new book
So sorry you had a bad experience in college.
Debra J Pruss says
I am Sonny. Thank you for the opportunity. God bless you.
Susanne says
Haven – Accidental Vixen
Lelia (Lucy) Reynolds says
Haven….🤣
Shannon Taylor Vannatter says
Sounds like a great series, Janine. And really cute tote bag. Wish I could enter :)
denise says
Jace
Amy Perrault says
It’s a fun quiz!! I like these type of things. I got Sonny.
Sylvain P says
It was very fun to do for sure.
Renate says
Hi Janine! Quizzes are so much fun. I got Sonny, a no nonsense businesswoman who could use a man. Sounds good to this retiree, who lives in a farm community with lots of Farm Stand and loves to cook. My sons always say I should open a restaurant. Enjoy your weekend. Thanks and Best Wishes.
Janine Rosche says
Thank you!
Janine Rosche says
That’s a good thing! Jace is a sweetheart and a hard worker!
Janine Rosche says
Jace is such a hero. That says a lot about you!
Janine Rosche says
Ooh, Sonny is awesome. I admire her!
Janine Rosche says
Haha. We better watch out for you!
Janine Rosche says
You’re welcome! Now don’t go breaking too many hearts!
Janine Rosche says
Woohoo! Rarity is the heroine in book 2. She’s so cool!
Janine Rosche says
Sonny is so admirable. I love her!
Janine Rosche says
hahahaha. Oh, Lincoln, that doesn’t surprise me! You, vixen, you. lol. I LOVE your addition to the rumor mill. Ol’ Whipplestein’s at it again!
Janine Rosche says
I’ll give you a spoiler…the gossipers get put in their place :)
Janine Rosche says
Thanks so much, Winnie! I appreciate you! Now don’t go hurting people… lol
Janine Rosche says
I definitely wouldn’t call you wicked, Trixi! Thanks for playing along.
Janine Rosche says
Sonny is great. She’s the voice of wisdom in the book and I love her.
Janine Rosche says
Hahaha. Comfortable shoes are EVERYTHING!!
Janine Rosche says
Jace definitely respects comfortable shoes, especially if they are boots! Thanks for playing!
Janine Rosche says
Thank you, Jenny! I’m glad you played along!
Janine Rosche says
Sonny is a great woman. God bless you right back!
Janine Rosche says
That really means you are a kind and loving person :)
Janine Rosche says
She’s so sweet though! I adore her!
Janine Rosche says
Thank you! I wish I could figure out giveaways so everyone could enter :(
Janine Rosche says
He’s such a hero! Thanks for playing along!
Janine Rosche says
Thanks for playing along! Sonny is brave and strong. She’s awesome!
Janine Rosche says
Thanks for participating!
Janine Rosche says
Ooooh! If you like my book then I’ll know I actually did a good job! If you have any good recipes from the farm, let me know! I’ll put it in my newsletter!
Dianne says
I got Sonny, brave, strong a nd independent, a reasonable match.
The roommate sounds dreadful, so glad we don’t have that system here.
Jessica B. says
I got Haven. I loved the line about possibly being responsible for breaking up The Wiggles. Now I might have their fruit salad song stuck in my head…
Priscila Perales says
That sounds like an interesting series!
And according to rumors, I’d be Jace, a mysterious stranger with wicked intent. (It was a fun quiz).
Melynda says
Fun quiz! I got the mayor as my answer.
She S says
Your book sounds good and the quiz was interesting lol
Jessica Grewe says
A No-Nonsense Businesswoman Who Could Use a Man
Well, I am still single…hahaha