Whatever Happens Next (not just a book title) + giveaway

May 12, 2020 Jaycee Weaver28 Comments

Well, it’s release day today for my fourth novel, Whatever Happens Next. Of the whole series, it’s easily my favorite. Not only because it’s my eighth book now, so I’ve learned more and write better. Nor is it the characters, who I absolutely love and were a joy to write. Those are part of why I love this book and am excited to share it with the world.

But the biggest reason? The title prompts me to think and to trust.

Finishing a series is a bittersweet thing. Both author and reader reflect on the books individually and as a unit. We say goodbye to characters we’ve grown to love.

Authors also reflect on our craft. What did we do well? What could we have done better? When should we turn it into a boxed set? And of course—what’s next? Christian authors have the honor and privilege to bring that question to God, trusting Him to guide our steps for the future. What are His plans? What story has He birthed in our hearts? What spiritual truths can we impart to our readers that will inspire, uplift, encourage? We have a lot of praying and trusting to do when it comes to what’s next.

And trust is hard, isn’t it?

In the novel, Air Force TSgt Dyson receives PCS orders that will send him clear across the country just as he’s beginning to care for Jenna. When should he tell her? Can he trust that God’s in control over their relationship the way he trusts God to order the rest of his life? Jenna has a hard time trusting, mostly herself, after a single bad decision left its mark. Change stirs up her life from every direction, forcing her to let go and realize that even if she doesn’t trust herself, she can trust the Lord. Letting go and allowing Him to order her out-of-control life isn’t easy, but it’ll be the most beautiful thing in the world if she can. And wow, does Dyson partner beside her the whole way (well, most of the way, because he’s not perfect and has a lot to figure out himself).

I find in this uncertain season and the utter insanity that has been 2020 so far, a lot of us are asking, “What’s next?” It’s been one thing after another this year, so what awful thing is awaiting us after COVID? Lots of questions. My anxious heart has been encouraged by remembering those three title words in prayer. I will trust the Lord with whatever happens next, because I know He holds me in the palm of His mighty hand.

Deuteronomy 31:8 reminds us, “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you, he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Isaiah 41:10 says, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

So in the midst of all the nuttiness and heartache that has been 2020, I hope these words will be a positive reminder to you. Trust Him with whatever happens next—whether it’s a pandemic, a health crisis, an election year, a job change, fiscal worries, or something else. Be blessed, my friends.

And now, to change the subject a little and celebrate together, how about a quick excerpt from the book?

I hope you enjoyed that little tidbit from Whatever Happens Next. Today’s the last day it will be available for the 99¢ pre-order price, so I do hope you’ll take a chance and give the book a try! It’s not necessary to read the previous three books in order to enjoy this one, though there will be some characters whose stories will be clearer if you have.

To celebrate the release, I’ll be giving away one eBook copy to a randomly selected commenter below who answers this question: when in your life did you feel uncertainty and have to trust blindly with whatever happened next? Did everything work out in the end? Winner will be selected by Friday evening, May 15th, 8pm MDT.

Escape into a Story · Giveaway · Real Life

When Life Impacts Your Reading + giveaway

April 9, 2020 Jaycee Weaver41 Comments

Crazy times we’re living in, aren’t they? As if our world wasn’t overstressed and sending us safe into the escape of fictional worlds already, now we’re facing the uncertainty of a new virus pandemic, quarantine, and a multitude of other new stressors. And many of us are trying to find new ways to cope because the old ways aren’t always working.

Everyone I’ve spoken to (by phone and internet, of course, ha ha!) since this whole thing began has talked about how their anxiety, stress, and even depression symptoms have magnified in unprecedented and unexpected ways. I can certainly vouch for this in myself. One major change I’ve noticed is that I can’t immerse in fictional worlds the way I’ve always done. Books and authors who’ve long been my standbys now can’t hold my attention.

And I found I’m not alone in this issue. A lot of readers I’ve asked are experiencing the same frustration and changes in their reading patterns. Some can’t engage in the story. Some are reading slower. Some find a lack of interest. It’s not fun and throwing many of us for a loop!

So what do we do when life interferes with our favorite escape method? I have a few ideas for you.

Find a new place to read. I know, options are limited. But maybe move outside. Sit on the balcony or patio or porch. An isolated spot under a tree somewhere.
Read deeper. This one hasn’t worked for me, but it might for you. By this, I mean, find an author or subject that’s more intense, more suspenseful, or longer than your usual choices.
Read lighter. ChickLit. Romantic comedy. Cheesy and predictable. Just find something lighthearted that’s guaranteed to make you laugh.
Reader shorter. Basically, try novellas or short stories for awhile. This one’s been working for me. When I’m stressed or anxious, I need a quick one-sitting book.
Give yourself permission to put the book down. It’s okay to put one book down and grab something different without finishing. It’s okay to put down half a dozen different books and read a chapter of each and rotate through them. You don’t HAVE to finish a book before choosing another. I’m saying this for you type A readers out there who need permission. *wink*
Many of the ARCs can wait. Apologies to all of my author friends out there who have a book releasing soon and are depending on your ARC readers. I’m right there with you, having a new book out on May 12. But right now, knowing you’ve committed to reading a book for someone can place added pressure on a reader’s brain. That pressure of having to read certain books by certain dates can make reading even more difficult for an overstressed mind. On behalf of authors who love you and know we could NOT do this without you, I’m giving permission to set the ARC aside and read what YOU want to for a little bit. The stress will pass. You will faithfully come back to that ARC as soon as you can. Authors trust you with their ARCs knowing you take this responsibility seriously, but we’re readers too. We get it.
Change up reading scripture. Even reading your Bible right now can be tough. I get it. Try changing translations for a bit—the Message and the Voice are pleasantly different.
Take a book break. *gasp!* I know. It’s unfathomable. But sometimes, it’s necessary. Find an Inspy book turned movie and let your brain wander into a visual space. Go for more walks. Play with the kids. Pick up other hobbies you’ve set aside for too long. When you’ve decompressed, your love for literature will still be there.

I happen to know many of our Inpsy Romance authors have a variety of content to offer you in this uncertain season. There’s a great list here. A ton of us are offering additional free books and you’ll find many are pushing to release more rapidly for those who are fortunate to not be experiencing reading distress during quarantine. I hope and pray you’re doing well where you are, and that you’re handling things okay. I’d love to hear your thoughts if your reading has been impacted by stress or other emotional upheaval. What have you found helps?

Let’s leave with a GIVEAWAY today! I’d like to send an advance copy to one giveaway winner. My latest novel, Whatever Happens Next is up for pre-order and releases May 12th, but one commenter will be drawn at random for an advance release copy a whole month early!

She needs to stay. He has orders to go. They’ll have to trust God with whatever happens next.

Growing up in nowhere Oklahoma gave US Air Force vehicle maintainer TSgt Dyson what his momma calls itchy feet. His wanderlust has kept him from romantic entanglements for years, until the day an over-dramatic, strawberry-scented chatterbox slams into him and turns his world upside down.

Jenna Davis was a quintessential good girl, deeply rooted in her family and faith until one mistake three years ago changed everything. Unable to admit her failure, she goes through the motions watching everyone else live their dreams. But it’s hard to find her purpose when opening up to anyone—even God—feels impossible. Then she meets Dyson, who personifies the strong, silent type.

Dyson gets her to open up and begin dreaming again, rebuilding the trust she’s lost in men and especially in herself. But Dyson has something important to tell Jenna, and he knows it’ll be the end of everything they’ve built. After all, how can he ask her to leave everything and everyone behind when he can never stay?

Devotional Thought · Giveaway · Writing Process

Plotting & Pantsing Explained + giveaway

January 13, 2020 Jaycee Weaver22 Comments

Spend any time on social media with your favorite authors these days, and you’ll come across a number of terms the average reader doesn’t understand. Like any field, there’s a bit of lingo involved that can confuse a person on the outside looking in. Always a reader first, I enjoy sharing some of that insider knowledge with other readers. I mean, we read because we love books, right? And not just the story or the characters—we love the literary world, whether we understand it or not.

I had someone ask me the other day what it meant when their favorite author claimed to be a “total pantser.” I can explain, in a nutshell, for those of you who’ve asked the same question.

Many authors consider themselves “plotters,” or someone who plots out their novel before they begin writing. In general, plotters have an outline that falls somewhere on the spectrum from a general outline with a loose structure and character bios, to well-organized, detailed outlines with personality typed character sheets and a fully structured plan from start to finish. I’m in quite a few author groups online, and I’ll tell you, the true plotter is a rare bird.

A bit more common is the “pantser,” or an author who writes “by the seat of their pants.” The most organized that the majority of pantsers get is to work up character bios and a rough synopsis for the beginning and ending, but are completely at the mercy of the process. Typically, an idea for the story comes, and pantsers flesh it out little by little. More often than not, the writing process happens by following a whole lot of rabbit trails.

Occasionally, an author will claim to be a plantser. I’d say this is the most common writing style, but perhaps that’s just my own tendency to walk the line between extremes. The plantser is more organized than a total pantser, but not as rigid and detailed as a complete plotter. Make sense?

So… how does this relate to inspy romance, other than the obvious?

Well, I think it’s safe to say we’re all plantsers in our own ways. Whether you’re a writer, reader, doctor, teacher, stay-home parent, or any other identifier, life never goes as planned. And few people ever fall completely to one side or the other on any issue. Not only that but as Christians, we must allow the author and finisher of our faith (Heb 12:2) to drive the plot of our lives as well as form our character according to His will.

The New Living Translation of Proverbs 16:9 says, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” And 1 Corinthians 10: 31 says, “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Then there’s James 4:15, “What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.'”

Finding that sweet spot between plotting out life and flying by the seat of our pants certainly isn’t easy, and there’s nothing wrong with either side. But I wonder. Is your life your own, being plotted and planned and structured, or are you living by your whims and whatever life throws at you? Or have you found that happy medium where your plans surrender to His will, even when circumstances are out of your hands?

I’ll be honest. I’m a pantser all the way. But with the start of a whole new year, I’m finding He is calling me to become a better plantser—and not just in my writing. I’m ready to add more structure and discipline while surrendering my whims and desires to whatever it is He’s asking of me. In everything—what I write, what I read, as a substitute teacher, a mom, a friend, a wife. It feels like I’m standing on the precipice of something new and beautiful. A lot like the feeling I get when an idea for a new story sparks.

I sure can’t wait to see where He takes me! How about you?

**One random commenter will receive a copy of my first novel, What Could Be, which deals with a young woman learning to let go of her carefully plotted life and surrender to His will.**

Escape into a Story · Giveaway · Story Inspiration

Sharing local holiday traditions in fiction + giveaway

December 10, 2019 Jaycee Weaver30 Comments

Culture is fascinating, isn’t it? I think a big part of what I love about reading is how we can travel anywhere in the world just by picking up a book. And at each stop in our travels, we learn something new and interesting about the culture, the people, or traditions of a place.

I especially love reading Christmas stories. It’s so fun to explore world traditions while also reading about new love or friends discovering new feelings. Some days it’s nice to be immersed in a stereotypical small-town white Christmas story with the vintage red truck and a flannel-wearing hero and his neatly trimmed beard while our big-city heroine rethinks her executive boyfriend and decides to stay and help save the local food pantry. But other days, nothing will do but an escape to some unexplored-but-real locale. An adventure with an unconventional hero and heroine someplace we’ve never been.

Being a lifelong reader and virtual world traveler is probably why I enjoy describing local traditions in my own books so much. As much as I love discovering new places, I treasure my role as virtual tour-guide to my beloved home, Albuquerque, New Mexico. New Mexico is a culturally rich environment with a ton of traditions all year through, especially at Christmas.

So far, I’ve written three Christmas novellas, one standalone and two as part of collections. In each, it’s been my pleasure to share such special holiday events as the Old Town stroll and the River of Lights. The Christmas table is often filled with authentic New Mexican dishes such as enchiladas, posole, tamales, and biscochitos. There’s a Twinkle Light parade and a tumbleweed snowman that stands tall by the freeway every year. Other cities have their own special traditions and tourist lures, but none as dear to my heart as the lighting of luminarias on Christmas Eve.

Statewide through the month of December, horizontal surfaces everywhere are covered in lanterns made from plain paper bags filled with sand and a single candle. Rooftops, the tops of walls, along sidewalks, all over. Then on Christmas Eve, the candles are lit and a vigil begins. I could wax poetic on the magic and wonder of our luminaria tours for another five hundred words or more. Instead, I’ll leave you with a few pictures and an invitation to come visit New Mexico in my Christmas stories, where you can visualize the wonder and beauty I see and enjoy with my family every year.

And if you live or have visited somewhere enchanting for the holidays, I’d love to read about it in the comments below! Even if the visit happened literarily, tell me about it! I’ll draw two names from the comments randomly for a copy of Love, Laughter, and Luminarias.

Be blessed wherever you spend this holiday season. May the Lord bless you and keep you, and may your own traditions increase the hope and joy of the season for you and the ones you love!

Devotional Thought · Giveaway · Writing Process

Inside a Writer’s Brain (reader beware)

September 19, 2019 Jaycee Weaver35 Comments

Have you ever read a book and wondered, what on earth must go on inside this author’s mind to come up with this stuff?

Spoiler alert: it’s chaos in there. Most of us aren’t even sure which way is up half the time. Between story ideas, editing, marketing, and obligations to our non-author lives, it can be a bit of a mess.

Before you scroll down to the helpful infographic below, be warned. What you are about to see might horrify you.

Still curious? Just remember what happened to the cat. I tried to warn you.

One more thing. A disclaimer. The inner thoughts you’ll soon be privy to are relevant to the mind of a clean contemporary romance writer (trust me, I’ve done the research). Writers of other genres may include such additions as obscure historical facts, life on other worlds, historically accurate costuming, and creative ways to dispose of bodies.

Did you just shiver? I did. Okay! Fine. If you’re still here, you’re prepared to handle it. Here goes:

The struggle is real, my friends.

It’s a wonder any of us churn out those stories coherently some days. I think it’s all the coffee and rabbit trails that save us most of the time. Or fantasizing all those kissing scenes.

Nah, what really keeps us going are the days we get a good review or a personal message from a reader who truly loved our work. And a whole lot of prayer. And coffee. Yeah, yeah. Don’t even try to tell me that coffee and prayer don’t make everything better. I know the truth.

So. Now that you know the inner workings of the clean romantic writer’s mind, you’re officially grafted into the twisted, gnarled web of insanity with us. What does that mean? It means we need you, dear reader. We need your support in so many forms. See, creative types are prone to rather extreme highs and lows emotionally (and often mentally). Our hearts and souls pour onto the page with every word we craft. We need your reviews–positive, of course, but also sometimes negative. Especially when they’re thoughtfully presented in a way we can learn from.

You can tag us and mention us on social media. Create graphics or post pics of our books out in the wild. We love personal notes and treasure your excitement over a new release. We’re over the moon when you join our reader groups and street teams and engage with our stories and treat our characters like real people.

And most of all, we need your prayers. Inspirational romance writers (well, all of us truly, right?) wouldn’t be able to do what we do if it weren’t for the calling placed upon our hearts by the most Creative One of all. Yes, that infographic is a comical look at the thoughts that flit through our heads. But there’s plenty of truth there, too. As you’re escaping your reality within our created worlds, please take just a moment to remember your favorite authors in prayer. And then send a virtual coffee. Or two.

You might as well just make it a triple and send a funny GIF. Yes!! Do that.

Be blessed, my friends! In honor of kissing scenes and glorious coffee, I’m giving away one eBook of Whatever Comes Our Way to a random commenter below. Thanks for stopping by today!

Devotional Thought · Giveaway · Real Life

Perfect Love in an Imperfect World

June 18, 2019 Jaycee Weaver13 Comments

You know that verse, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)? Man, it’s so easy to get stuck on those middle two words “fall short,” isn’t it? Especially if you’re a recovering perfectionist like me. Failing and falling short are hard to come to terms with when you’re striving to be the best version of yourself.

And when you consider that many translators have misinterpreted Matthew 5:48, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect,” well, it’s easy to see why so many Christians out there have resorted to a rather hypocritical version of faith, keeping their sins and struggles and shortcomings hidden behind closed doors and putting up walls that make talking about a lot of things taboo. Which, of course, leads to other people perceiving the Church as fake and insincere and self-righteous. And face it, too often, we are. It’s sad.

Now, why am I bringing all of this up on an Inspy Romance post? To put it succinctly, 1 John 4 repeatedly tells us “God is love.” And later, that “perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.”

So many Christians are trying to be perfect that we begin to fear failure. We fear being a bad example to the world. We fear being exposed, raw, vulnerable. And yet, that’s the ultimate display of love, isn’t it? “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). That’s not necessarily a literal meaning–we lay down our lives the minute we put self-preservation beneath connecting to others in love and in lovingkindness (intentionally one word, it’s a thing). When you “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31), you put others’ needs above your own. Make sense?

That’s what makes love perfect. When, like Christ, we don’t hesitate to show that we can be patient, kind, honoring, selfless, calm, forgiving, truthful, protecting, trusting, hopeful, and perseverant (1 Cor. 13:4-7 paraphrased). Those are the things that drive out fear. His love in action.

A lot of romance novels, including Christian and inspirational ones, feature characters who have to overcome their fear before finding love. That’s real life. And it goes beyond the meet-cute and dating. Marriage also requires us to step out of fear and into perfect love–selfless, 1 Cor. 13 love–continually. Yet, because we’re human and therefore imperfect, we’re going to fall short. Continually.

But in Christ, we only need to love and accept grace. Extend it to ourselves and to others. Quit nipping at each other when others fail or fall short or struggle. Because there’s no way anyone can measure up to a literal standard of Matthew 5:48 above. Perfection isn’t attainable this side of Heaven.

Most of my characters struggle with accepting some element of this post, as I think most of us do in real life. In What Could Be, Brynn has struggled with her own bit of perfectionism and fear of failure. In Whatever Comes Our Way, Gina falls for a youth pastor who shows her that love is bigger than fear or anxiety, bigger than the past. And in my latest, What Makes a Home, a lost young woman discovers what the Bible says about love and can’t help but fall in love first with God, then later, her neighbor. People who put her needs before their own inspire Jobie to do the same because if that’s love, then it’s revolutionary.

I’d like to live a revolutionary love. Wouldn’t you?

If God is love and we are made in His image, then it stands to reason, we should be love, too. So whether it’s in a romance, among friends or family, or to the stranger down the street, be love.

Love never fails. So says 1 Corinthians 13:8. So even if you fall short of His glory, in Him, with His love, you can’t possibly fail. Get up, shake off the mistakes you and others make, take courage, and just love some more.

Now, just to lighten up an otherwise heavy post, I’d like to give a copy of What Makes a Home to one reader this week. Simply comment below with one way you relate to this post, and someone will be chosen at random to win an eBook!

(All verses quoted here from the NIV.)

Giveaway · Real Life

Plan Your Summer Book-cation

May 22, 2019 Jaycee Weaver26 Comments

May is nearly over, people! Can you believe it? The second most jam-packed month of the year is almost done. School will be out soon, vacations are being planned, and the weather is finally warming up after the eternal winter we had this year. Can you tell I’m excited?!

I don’t know if you have kids at home or not, but I have three girls all in the throes of tween and teen hormonal chaos. Add in all the family birthdays and Mother’s Day, graduations, baby showers and weddings, field trips and finals…whew! It’s enough to make a girl long for her cozy corner, some coffee, and an invisibility cloak so she can just read until everything settles back down.

Even if that’s not likely to happen anytime soon, you’ve still got all summer to get in some quality reading time. Whether you’re staying home, playing hometown tourist, or gearing up for a big vacation, I have some suggestions for enjoying a nice summer bookcation. It’s the perfect time to change up your reading habits and discover something new.

I’d like to challenge you, dear Inspy Romance reader, to spend some time outside this summer–outside of your comfort zone, that is! There’s a whole bookish world out there, just waiting to be explored and enjoyed. Here’s my list of ideas to get you going:

Pick up a novella. Novellas are often overlooked by serious readers. I’ve heard all the reasons, believe me. But I have to tell you, novellas have come a long way. Most of our Inspy authors here and quite a number of other authors have put out some excellent titles with well-developed characters and storylines. Roughly 20-40,000 words or 75-140 pages, give or take, novellas are perfect for a summer afternoon when you want to finish a book in one sitting without taking all day (or all night!) to do it.
Try a new trope. What is a trope? It’s that basic story idea that sucks you in every time. Think friends-to-more, second chances, secret baby, or marriage-of-convenience for example. Whatever your reason for avoiding a specific kind (I get it, secret babies are so not my thing), give one a chance this summer! You might just enjoy the frivolity of that handsome undercover billionaire who falls for his old sweetheart again after she shows up in their small town with a kid he never knew about. (I’m totally winking here.)
Discover a new-to-you author. This should be a no-brainer, but it’s easy to get comfortable with the handful of favorites you usually reach for. And I get it. It’s a scary world out there with a whole lot of unfamiliar names–taking a chance when time and budgets are limited is a risk. But here at Inspy Romance, we’ve got over two dozen authors and I’m sure you haven’t read everyone just yet (we’ve had a lot of new faces come since April, including me!). To find some other good options, check out the many Inspirational or Christian Romance reader groups on social media (like ours HERE).
Explore a slightly different genre. Clearly, if you’re here, you enjoy contemporary romance. But did you know some of our authors also write historical? Or romantic suspense? Have you considered cozy mysteries? What about exploring young adult fiction? And with that one, if you find a clean, inspirational YA fiction you really enjoyed, please, PLEASE send me a message. I’ve got three readers with a long summer ahead of me and I’d love to recommend books that are *safe* and worthwhile.
Read in a different format. If you just LOVE paper, give an eBook a chance. If that’s your usual, pick up a paper copy! It’s a little odd at first, getting used to the nuances of a different format, but in doing so you might just re-discover why you fell in love with reading in the first place. Maybe the paper satisfies your nostalgia. Or you’ll find the e-reader makes packing books for your next trip a whole lot lighter (more room for souvenirs!).
Give Kindle Unlimited a free trial. No one here is officially endorsing KU or receiving a kickback for mentioning it. I discovered it a few years ago and haven’t looked back. Nearly all of my favorite authors have at least one book enrolled. With an internet connection and your device, getting books is easy (up to 10 at a time). It’s not for everyone, but it’s all the perks of a library card with even more choices. And free 30-day trial? Yes, please!
Revisit your local library. You might practically live there, but I, for one, have trouble getting over to the library during the school year. It’s always a special treat to take the kids and let them choose books or participate in summer activities there while I get to look around, too!
Make reading a social thing. Join a book club or start one with some girlfriends. Or go on social media and join some avid reader groups. Swap books with a friend, your teenager, or grown child. Even introverts enjoy talking books with other people sometimes.
Cozy up in a new spot. Yeah, I know. That chair you love is so snuggly and the light is just right. But what about those summer days as a kid, leaned up against a tree? Or next to the pool while the kiddies are watched by a lifeguard? And the backyard sounds pretty nice for a morning retreat, listening to the birdies, right? The world’s a great big place, which means the possibilities are endless. Ah, sigh. I can’t wait!

Have more ideas for enjoying your summer bookcation this year? Comment below! I’d love to hear them, and I’m sure our other readers would, too.

And to help you get started with a new-to-you author, I’d like to offer a free eBook of my latest novel, What Makes a Home. One winner will be chosen at random and announced during the next Sunday edition!