Just in Time for the Holidays!

I'm so thrilled to tell you about my new book! A Christmas Peril is Book #5 in my Teacup Novella series and features a "story within a story" with a new twist. Here's the official blurb:

Lucy Alexander’s Teacup Novellas were inspired by a collection of vintage teacups her Aunt Lucille bequeathed to her. She’s excited about writing the next book in the series, a Christmas tale loosely based on her aunt and uncle’s love story set in the 1940s. But when a hostage situation lands Lucy’s boyfriend in the hospital, she sets her work aside to keep a bedside vigil with Mark. As the long hours of waiting stretch on, Lucy starts to read her beloved aunt’s handwritten diary. Shocked to discover a frightening story so eerily similar to the one she’s living, Lucy longs to find hope and encouragement in the pages of Lucille’s diary.

December 1944  - “The most wonderful things seem to happen when you least expect them,” writes Lucille Alexander after a serendipitous meeting with Gary Reynolds, a handsome lieutenant home on leave from the war in Europe. The two are inseparable in the five precious days he has left before heading back overseas just weeks before Christmas. On their last morning together, Lucille accompanies Gary to the train station, already dreading the long separation ahead. But that would be the least of her worries after her brave lieutenant rushes to help an elderly woman in distress.  

Lucy finds a strange and unexpected solace in her namesake’s ink-stained journal. Though seventy years have passed between them, would their stories have the same ending?

 

If you've read any of the other novellas in this series, you may or may not know that I wrote these books as a tribute to my own Aunt Lucille. In real life, Lucille was married to Harold Hale, my father's older brother. That's Lucille and Harold on the bottom section of my book cover (above). Aren't they the cutest?! And that's Lucille in the picture to the left. She always, always wore a bow in her hair made to match whatever she was wearing. I loved those bows. Signature Lucille. As is her beautiful smile!

Now, just so you know . . . A Christmas Peril truly is a work of fiction. That's why I named Lucille's handsome lieutenant "Gary" instead of Harold, because their stories are really nothing alike. So even though I've borrowed a few characteristics and personality traits, and set their story in the early 1940s, the plot line is pure fiction. Good. Glad we've got that settled.

And the pretty brunette on the cover above? That's Lucy! Imagine my surprise to find this stock photograph of someone who's almost the exact, spitting image of the girl who's been in my mind through all these novellas! So tell me. Is this how you pictured Lucy?

Last but not least, we are so excited about the release of The Teacup Novellas Collection - all five novellas in one volume! The Kindle version should be available in just a couple of days . . . BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE!

For all those who've asked for these stories in paperback, we'll be releasing the hard copy version of The Teacup Novellas Collection in time for Christmas! Drop me a line and I'll notify you when they're available. And check out the beautiful cover my daughter Hannah designed while we were in New York a couple weeks ago.

*** Special Christmas offer from OBT Books ... If you've got some book lovers on your Christmas list, we'd be more than happy to send you signed copies of our paperbacks. For more information, email me at the address below.

In the meantime, I wish you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving!

Blessings,
Diane
Email:  dianemoody@comcast.net
Website:  www.dianemoody.net

Elmo's Back!

I'm so happy to announce that Ken (a.k.a. McMillian Moody) has just released Book Three in his Elmo Jenkins series. The Old Man and the Tea takes us on another ride with our favorite reverend and his oddball cast of characters. Here's the blurb:

Elmo Jenkins is back for another fun-filled adventure at First Church. Tag along as his cadre of quirky friends continue to amaze, stupefy, and entertain Reverend Elmo. Be there when Erlene gets thrown in the slammer for conking a policeman with her dentures. Discover how Eddie Hughes breaks both his nose and his big toe. And suffer with Elmo as Bonnie puts him on a health food regimen.

Thurm, Julianne, Father Ted and the rest of the gang are back along with new friends Sergio, the limo driver, and the mysterious Elijah Enoch. Through it all Elmo discovers some life-changing spiritual truths, and chances are, you will too.

It's another hilarious ride through the halls of First Church you won't want to miss. - OBT Bookz

Ken dedicated The Old Man and The Tea to "the elderly saints who take the time and the energy to mentor younger believers." In this day and age when everything has to be cutting edge, it's nice to stop and recognize that we'd never be where we are today without the contributions and sacrifices of those who've gone before us. Elmo's latest adventure portrays the importance of those relationships.

Of course, Elmo wouldn't be Elmo without some humorous predicaments along the way. Some of those situations have been lifted right off the pages of Ken's years in the ministry. But far be it from me to say which ...

The Old Man and the Tea is now available HERE on Kindle. If you haven't read the first two books in the series, you should! Ordained Irreverence, Book One; and Some Things Never Change, Book Two.

Treat yourself to a fun read today!

Tea Time Again!

If you're like me, life has a way of rearranging your schedule and taking all your best laid plans and tossing them into the blender. I used to get really frustrated whenever I'd fall behind on my writing agenda (not to mention my lack of blog postings!) But what's more important - staying on schedule or doing life with those you love?

And so it is, at long last, we're ready to release At Legend's End, Book 4 of my Teacup Novella series. If you know me at all, you know I am NOT a hot-weather girl. Nashville has all four seasons, but I'm always wishing for snow when summer rolls around. Which is why I enjoyed writing this story set in a small fictional town on the coast of Maine. We visited Maine while celebrating our 30th anniversary a couple of years ago and fell in love with Kennebunkport. I couldn't wait to "set" one of my books in a town like it.

If you've read my other Teacup Novellas, you know they are "stories within a story" written by Lucy Alexander, an author who suffered horrendous writer's block until she inherited a collection of vintage teacups from the estate of her beloved aunt. In At Legend's End Lucy introduces us to Olivia Thomas, a never-married 40-something who's weary of the rut she's in ...

When her best friend prayed for God to “blow your socks off,” Olivia Thomas had no idea that prayer would be answered only a few hours later. Stunned by such an unexpected gift from someone she’d helped years ago, Olivia suddenly finds herself with unlimited possibilities. She packs her bags and heads to Caden Cove, a tiny coastal town in Maine, where she hopes to figure out what to do with the rest of her life. Little does she know her reservation at the Captain MacVicar Inn has put her in the path of a historic legend.

Trevor Bass owns Caden Cove’s only bookstore and dabbles in real estate. All the locals know the grouchy bookseller is an avowed bachelor, which explains their utter shock when he invites a “tourist” to visit their book club. The mere hint of romance sends the town into a frenzy wondering if the object of Trevor’s affections could be the next victim of the legend’s curse. Will history repeat itself once more in Caden Cove?

Part of the fun of writing these stories is  researching the history of these teacups. In this story, I enjoyed learning about Josiah Spode who was the first potter to commercially produce underglaze blue-printed earthenware. You'll just have to read my story to find out the significance of this particular teacup's role in the history of Caden Cove. How's that for a teaser?

For a limited time, At Legend's End will be available on Kindle at Amazon.com for 99 cents! Click HERE to check that out. I hope you enjoy your trip to Maine with Olivia as much as I did!

Oh, and one more thing ...

Look for Teacup #5 later this fall, in time for Christmas. I don't know about you, but I think it's time to see what's going on with Lucy and her UPS guy ... and that's all I'm gonna say about that!

Happy reading!
Diane

 

 

 

Teacup Novella #3 is Brewed & Ready!

At long last, novella #3 in my Teacup series just released! It's called Home to Walnut Ridge.

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The idea for this story first came to me years ago when I envisioned a middle-age pastor roaring through a little town like ours on a Harley. Preachers, pastors, and other ministers come in all shapes and sizes, of course, but I wondered how that would go over with church members - especially in a small town? That alone isn't much of a plot, so I decided to give some challenges to Buddy, my former-pastor biker. A wife who left him while he was on a mission trip overseas. A spiteful deacon who rallied his fellow church members to give Buddy the boot. And just for fun, I threw in a few oddball biker pals who join forces to do random acts of kindness in their small town. He dubs them his "Elders."

But the real story is about Buddy's youngest daughter. Leaving Washington after her dream job turned into a nightmare, Tracey Collins has come back home again to Walnut Ridge, her family's estate. Her life is about to take a dramatic change with both a new career (restoring old furniture with her sister Alex) and a most unexpected romance with one of her father's Elders. Two years ago attorney Noah Bennett traded his BMW for a Harley and hit the road, leaving behind a past he hasn't yet resolved. He ended up in Tennessee where he met up with an unusual group of bikers led by a guy named Buddy. Then Buddy's daughter Tracey moved home and his life would never be the same.

Oh, and did I mention there's a mystery of historic proportions surrounding the discovery of a rather unusual teacup? Sorry, but you'll have to read the book to find out what that's all about.

This novella was truly a collaborative effort. My good friend Sharon Jacob (for whom the fictional town is named) taught me all about furniture restoration. Sharon and her friend Julie are the amazing duo behind Vintage Shabby Chicks. These two aren't just talented painters restoring furniture.They also serve on the board of Beautiful Feet Global Outreach which helps support the Rose of Sharon Orphanage in Zimbabwe, Africa. Sharon and Julie donate a percentage of their profits from Vintage Shabby Chicks to BFGO which was founded by our mutual friend, Melissa Irwin. Love you, ladies!
 

Sharon also introduced me to Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paints. Marian Parsons, a.k.a. Miss Mustard Seed, kindly allowed Tracey and Alex to use her beautiful products on their projects. Let's just say I can't wait to set aside my keyboard for a while and get all painty-chippy on some projects of my own.

 

Buddy and his biker friends wouldn't know squat about motorcycles if not for Terry Young, my friend of almost 30 years from Naples, Florida. Terry and her husband Ivan are long-time Harley riders who graciously tried to educate me on all-thing-Harley as well as the unique camaraderie among bikers. Who knew that rumble you hear when Harley riders first rev up their engines is likened to potato-potato-potato? I love that! That's Terry and Ivan to the right. Pretty hot, huh?

Then last January I had lunch in historic Leiper's Fork, a charming little town near Franklin, Tennessee. While there, I stepped inside the cutest little barn and immediatelyb knew I'd found the perfect setting for Tracey and Alex's new shop. The actual barn is home to David Arms Gallery, a gifted artist whose unique work is so much more than just art. I wish I could take you there right now and let you experience the faith and hope message so beautifully conveyed in each of his paintings. Lucky for you, you can visit his gallery, read his story, study his symbolism, and enjoy browsing his website. I invite you to take some time and visit every single page. I promise you'll love it. We were so thrilled when David gave us permission to use the picture of his cabin on our cover art. Thanks, David!

That just about covers it. Home to Walnut Ridge available on Kindle at Amazon.com. I hope you like this newest novella in the series! Tomorrow I start work on Teacup #4!