Hi there, and thanks for inviting me into your world today! I’ve always heard to “write what you know,” and adhering to this unwritten rule always lends credibility to my stories in terms of plot, subject matter, characteristics (and quirks) of the hero and heroine…and the list goes on. The basic character of Sam Lewis in my debut novel, Awakening, is based on my husband, Jim. Sam displays strength of character, honor, and the desire to serve the Lord, but he’s human and can be impatient, grumpy and make big mistakes (gasp!). The character of Sam’s heroine, Lexa Clarke, is based on yours truly in terms of her feistiness and independence yet also her resilience and resourcefulness. Awakening was written about 12 years ago, but then I put my writing aside for a decade to raise our children. The story of rediscovering my manuscript and then finding my publisher, Torn Veil Books, is on my website at www.joanndurgin.com. I’d encourage you to read it as a testament to the awesome ways in which the Lord opens the “right” doors in His timing and His perfect Will.
Awakening begins The Lewis Legacy Series. My books are what I call “contemporary romantic adventures,” so naming my core characters Lewis and Clarke seemed very fitting. Sam and Lexa are based in Texas, and that’s where I met Jim. Drawing from your own unique experience and background adds color and dimension to your writing and brings your stories to life for your readers. Nothing is more riveting than to feel a writer’s passion through well-drawn characters so real they jump off the page and into the hearts and minds of readers!
My second novel in the series, Second Time Around, released earlier this month. Unlike Sam and Lexa who meet for the first time at the beginning of Awakening, Marc and Natalie Thompson in Second Time Around are newlyweds. Marc and Natalie have it all – Ivy League educations, healthy lifestyle, good looks and an old home they’re renovating in an exclusive Boston suburb. Two months after the wedding, Natalie’s foot catches on a rotting basement step and she tumbles to the hard, cement floor in their basement. When she awakens in the hospital, she has no memory of her groom. For a man who thrives on being in total control of his life, his world suddenly spins out-of-kilter. The book starts out being about the ramifications and fallout of Natalie’s memory loss but evolves into a story of trust, forgiveness and God’s healing grace. It’s very emotional, but told with touches of humor. Life has enough angst and heartache, and while my books have conflict and drama, they also reflect the lightheartedness of daily living and hope. And tons of romance! I want to uplift hearts for Christ and put a smile on my readers’ faces. When Marc calls on Sam and Lexa for help (Natalie has been one of their faithful summer missions volunteers with their TeamWork Missions ministry), it’s the TeamWork crew to the rescue – and off they go to Montana in the freezing cold! Let the adventures begin…
Second Time Around is based on a story I heard on a television program when we lived in Boston – in an old home much like the one where Natalie and Marc live. That “true life” story always stuck in the back of my mind, and the dramatic and romantic possibilities intrigued me. What happens when a newlywed bride can’t remember her groom? To complicate matters, she’s pregnant. Poor Natalie is confused and hormonal and Marc’s frustrated and desperate. Oh, what a tangled web we do weave, but I hope you’ll agree it makes a great story!
Thank you so much for letting me share with you today! Please feel free to visit me on Facebook, or you can send me a message via my website at www.joanndurgin.com.
Awakening and Second Time Around are available in both paperback and electronic versions at all major online book retailers.
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