INTERTWINED - Jennifer Slattery - One Free Book

Welcome back, Jennifer. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

Hopefully, He’ll continue to open doors for publication! I have another book releasing in January titled Breaking Free, and I’m waiting to hear back from my publisher regarding a sequel I proposed to Beyond I Do. You might remember that title; I visited your blog last October, I believe, to talk about it.

Many readers asked me if I had a second book planned, and the answer is yes! Not only was it planned, it is now written and waiting somewhere in pub-board land. :) Operating on optimistic thinking, I’ve begun writing book three, which I’m really excited about, and I’ve been doing a lot more speaking. So in answer to your question, I hope there will be a lot more releases and speaking engagements on my horizon, as I really enjoy both!

Of course, I remember featuring you with Beyond I Do. Tell us a little about your family.

I’d love to! My husband and I have been married for twenty years. He’s my real-life hero. I like to call him my warrior. He earned that nickname last summer when he donated a kidney (in a large part because of Intertwined! Long, amazing, miraculous story I’ll have to share with you and your readers soon.) to a teenager he hadn’t met and didn’t meet until the Sunday before the surgery. My man is such a giver! That’s what I love about him most.

Our daughter, aged 18, has begun her first year in college, so that’s an adjustment. I’ve heard parents talk about how, once their kids reach their senior year in high school, they’re ready for them to launch from the nest. That has not been the case at all for us! Our daughter is such a joy to have around it’s always strange when she’s absent. But luckily, her university is only a forty-five minute drive away. I foresee lots of dinner visits in our future!

I’m married to a giver with a servant’s heart. Men like that are real heroes. Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

Sometimes. I’ve always been an eclectic reader, and that hasn’t changed. But I do find I can be a bit more critical, now that I know so many “rules.” When that happens, I don’t enjoy the story as much and I have to remind myself to turn off my editor brain and turn up my imagination.

What are you working on right now?

I sort of answered this in the first question, but I’m in the first draft stage of a novel called A Different Kind of Love (wt), which I hope to be book three in a proposed series I’ve tentatively titled the Midwestern romance series (contemporary). Here’s the working (not edited or final) blurb:

Though she stands for everything he’s against, his heart won’t let him walk away.

All Robby wants to do is serve God, grow a godly family, and make a positive impact on the lives of others. But when a pregnant abortionist and a soon-to-be paroled father ignite the pain from his past, his mercy-filled love is overshadowed by a bitterness that threatens to destroy him. At what point can he walk away for good? And what will it cost him if he does?

That sounds powerful. What outside interests do you have?

Hm … Is there life outside of reading and writing? And Facebook? Ha ha. Let’s see … I love going for walks and bike rides, especially when my husband joins me. I also love picnics and day-road trips into the country. Actually, those are more romantic to me than a fancy steak dinner! And you’ll often find me at one of the many coffeehouses in my area, sipping a flavored latte. (I have a slight … um … fierce addiction to froo-froo coffee!)

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Sometimes the story will dictate the setting, like in my last novel, which began with a mandatory hurricane evacuation. Because of this, I wanted it set on the Gulf Coast. Since then, I’ve been writing novels set in the Midwest because one, that’s where I live, and two, I’ve fallen in love with this area with its four distinct seasons, thriving art community, and amazing churches.

If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?

Outside of Jesus—oh, wait, I get to spend time with Jesus daily. Ha! I’d have to say Paul, or maybe President Lincoln. Hm… This is a hard one. Harriet Tubman would be a fascinating and inspiring dinner guest! I have such admiration for courageous people who risk their lives for the sake of others!

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

I’m not sure I’d like to have learned anything ahead of time as I may have been overwhelmed. I love how God leads us step by step, giving us the information, strength, and skill set we need for whatever lays directly ahead without overwhelming us with details of the future. In so doing, He helps us keep our eyes on Him, which is where our focus must remain, especially if we want to write for Him.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

Surrender and perseverance. Oh, and to be slow to speak and quick to listen. All three of those seem to be lifelong lessons for me. Hopefully, I’ve grown in those areas but man-oh-man, do I still have a long way to go! Surrender, I think, permeates everything I do. The greater my surrender, the easier my journey in writing and life. And yet, I’ve found, ironically, surrender takes a great deal of strength. And trust. But when we remember who God is, what He’s done, and what He’s promised, it becomes easier.

What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

I’d say make your relationship with Christ your top priority. If He called you to write, He’s gifted you and is committed to perfecting that which concerns you. But His timetable and route to publication might be different from what you expect. That’s where trust comes in. Rest in His love, sovereignty, wisdom, and attentive care. And obey fully, giving Him your best in everything you do … because the King of Kings deserves our very best.

Tell us about the featured book.

How about I give readers the text from the back cover?

Abandoned by her husband for another woman, Tammy Kuhn, an organ procurement coordinator often finds herself in tense and bitter moments. After an altercation with a doctor, she is fighting to keep her job and her sanity when one late night she encounters her old flame Nick. She walks right into his moment of facing an unthinkable tragedy. Because they both have learned to find eternal purposes in every event and encounter, it doesn’t take long to discover that their lives are intertwined but the ICU is no place for romance …. or is it? Could this be where life begins again?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Sure!

Tammy pulled into her garage and stared at the entrance door to her home with a heavy sigh. Most likely, her husband Brody was asleep. Or zoned out watching television.

           

Completely oblivious to their rapidly decaying marriage. 

           

She paused to read the verse taped to her dashboard:

           

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy…it is not easily angered . . .”

           

A similar verse was tacked to the door leading into the house, and another one stuck to her bathroom mirror.

           

They weren’t helping. Nothing was. No matter how hard she tried, how fervently she prayed.

           

With a heavy heart, she glanced back at her two sleeping kids. Tylan’s chest rose and fell, his small lips slightly ajar. Beside him, Becky’s strawberry-blonde head leaned against the window, her bangs splayed across her forehead. Such precious little angels.

           

She reached back and squeezed her daughter’s knee. “Hey, sweet girl, we’re home.”

           

Becky stirred before opening droopy eyes. Strawberry blonde hair muffed, she glanced around, yawned, then got out, shuffling forward in a semi-alert state.

           

Tammy moved to the rear passenger side of the car to retrieve her sleeping son. The buzz of cicadas filled the thick Missouri air, ushering forth memories of lazy summer evenings. Back when she and Brody were still in love. Was it too late to rekindle their romance? To begin again?

           

As if to answer, the door to the kitchen creaked open, and Brody appeared. 

           

“Hey, Dad.” Becky stopped in front of him as if waiting for a response.

           

“Hey.” Brody stepped aside to let her pass.

           

No, How was your day or hello hug? When had he become so cold, so uncaring? Swallowing past an unsettled stomach, Tammy offered him what she hoped to be a welcoming smile. “Hi.”

           

He nodded, stepping into the garage and continuing to the car. “I’ve got Tylan.”

           

She studied his face. The normal edge was replaced by dull eyes and a slackened mouth. “Rough day?”

           

He held her gaze for a moment, causing the knot in her gut to twist tighter. “We’ll talk later.” 

           

Nothing good ever followed those words, but whatever it was, they’d get through it.

           

Right?

           

Her pulse quickened as she followed her husband, carrying a sleeping Tylan, down the hall and into his bedroom. Crossing the room in three long strides, he laid the child on his comforter, decorated with the Royals’ logo. He stirred, and his eyes fluttered open, before closing once again. A slight smile emerged as he rolled on his side.

           

Tammy unfolded a quilt on the foot of his bed and spread it over him, tucking the edge around his shoulder. She brushed a kiss against his temple. “Good night, sweet boy.”

           

Behind her, Brody’s footsteps receded.

           

She exited Tylan’s room and paused in the dimly lit hall to brace herself against an impeding argument. Brody’s words replayed through her brain. “We’ll talk later.”

           

Whatever he had to say, she would respond with love.

           

The floorboards creaked as she continued down the hall. She popped her head into Becky’s room to say goodnight before entering the dark living room. Brody sat with his back to her, in his favorite chair—one she and the kids bought him several Christmases ago.

           

Not wanting to see her husband’s loveless eyes, she kept the lights off.

           

She sank into the corner of the couch across from him, drawing up her knees and hugging them. Brody stared at his hands, twisted his wedding ring. Silence stretched between them.

Used by Permission. Intertwined: A Novel, by Jennifer Slattery (New Hope Publishers, Birmingham, AL) NewHopePublishers.com

How can readers find you on the Internet?

They can visit my devotional blog at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud, they can connect with me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JenSlatte and on twitter at @JenSlattery

Thanks so much for having me on your site, Lena! I always love visiting with you and your readers!

And thank you, Jennifer, for sharing this new book with us. I love hosting you, and my readers enjoy learning about you and your books.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Intertwined - Christianbook.com
Intertwined: A Contemporary Romance Novel - Amazon
Intertwined: A Contemporary Romance Novel - Kindle

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