A guest post by novelist Valerie Comer

I write romance because I believe much of the joy in our lives comes from relationships. When we’re young, our relationships with our parents and siblings affect us a great deal. Our adult lives are shaped by our own choices: careers, neighborhoods, churches… and if and whom we marry.

As Christian women, we seek out men who have a solid connection with God, knowing this will give the best foundation for a marriage and family life that can last a lifetime. Sure, that’s idealistic. We don’t always make wise choices, and sometimes things go afoul anyway.

But the most foundational relationship we have is with God, and its strength can make a difference in every area of our lives. I was raised in a Christian home and accepted Jesus as my Savior at a young age. I attended a Christian boarding school and three semesters of Bible college before marrying a Christian man. Imagine my surprise to find out life wasn’t all sunshine and roses!

Thirty-five years later we’re still together and (thankfully) stronger than ever, but I’m not sure it would have happened if we weren’t both committed to Jesus as well as each other. Something I’ve had to learn is how God passionately loves me as an individual. Yes, I was taught that as a child and even believed it, but somehow, in various areas of life, I’ve felt like an outsider looking in. My salvation wasn’t in doubt; I knew Jesus loved the whole world and gave His life for us. It was the personal aspect that didn’t feel real. Zephaniah 3:17, particularly from The Voice and from New Living Translation, has really spoken deeply into my soul.

I find lessons in life are on a spiral, seemingly going in circles yet with a new dimension the next time you face the same thing. So I have grappled with this personal love of God to me at various times in my life. One such time was when I was writing Plum Upside Down.

I don’t do much advance plotting before starting to write. I distinctly remember when I realized that my main character, Chelsea, had a lot in common with my younger self. How could I help her find that deep joy in her relationship with Jesus so that her romance would have a solid footing?

I’m so thankful for the depth of the lessons I’ve learned in the past few months while writing and editing this novel — even though I’m sure I’ll face them again! If you’ve ever struggled in this area of your life, I hope you’ll read Plum Upside Down then email me if you can empathize with Chelsea’s journey.

Plum Upside Down is the fifth book in my Farm Fresh Romance series. It can be read as a standalone, but you might want to start at the beginning of the series. Raspberries and Vinegar, the first book, is a free e-book on Kindle, Nook, iBooks, and Kobo.

About Valerie Comer

Valerie Comer’s life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie and her family grow much of their own food and are active in the local foods movement as well as their creation-care-centric church. She only hopes her creations enjoy their happily ever afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters.

About Plum Upside Down