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I have recently fallen for Indie books. Based off of my reading list from Goodreads, I read more Indie novels than regularly published novels. It is amazing, the difference a few years make. Honestly, a few years ago I would never touch an indie book (or write one for that matter) and now, they are mostly what I read. Why? This is why:

1. Indie books have no limitations. Having read novels in the Christian publishing world since I was a little girl, I detected a bit of a pattern. Every book was different, but every book fundamentally the same. And I know this because often times my relatives would ask me for a book that was Christian but different, and the only author I could really recommend to them was Francine Rivers (I mean, you just never know what’s going to happen in her books).

2. Spice. I have found indie books to be more romantic. When my cousins wanted a book to read, I knew what they were asking. They wanted the spice of a secular romance tendered with the foundation of Christ and while Christian novels may have the foundation, they often lack spice. So I love that when I read an Indie novel sometimes I don’t know what I’m getting, but I do know that so long as it’s Christian I can trust it will be alright.

3. Sink or swim. Indie books have to sink or swim based off the reviews of the masses. Regularly published novels often get, what I consider to be, false praise from other published authors that leave me thinking, really, you liked this book? Published novels will often have beautiful covers, loads of advertising and nothing substantial between the pages. That’s not to say that Indie books don’t sometimes get inflated reviews, but since they make their bread and butter on reviews, I trust those reviews more than any advertising a company can do.

4. Unique. I really kind of like NA novels. I really kind of can’t stand secular NA novels. Let’s be honest, there are like no regularly published Christian NA novels, but Indie has opened the door for some really awesome ones. I can’t tell you how many times I will read a secular NA/YA novel and discover the author claims to be a believer and I think to myself now if only the Christian publishing world would open up to these kinds of books (assuming the author would make the foundation Christ of course!).

5. Location. I love that not all Indie books take place in small town America. Indie books take place all over the world and even in made up worlds.

I just think that if you had to guess who read Christian romance novels based off of what the publishers are producing, you would think they were older, southern, women who live on lots of land in small towns where everyone knows everyone and everyone looks the same. So thank God for indie which has opened the door to new worlds. Do you like Indie books? Why or why not?

William King and Blake Watt have just settled into their senior year of high school when they receive a call for help–the authorities need to use their computer skills to track down a father who has failed to make child-support payments. The invitation to become cyber bounty hunters is so tempting, they don’t stop to ask why they were chosen for this assignment.

As they learn more about the man they are searching for, they discover the true nature of their mission–to help the founder of a Seattle-based software company prove that he is innocent of a much different charge. But the scariest things they learn are why they were chosen and why they were supposed to remain in the background.

You’ll love following the surprising twists and turns in this fast-paced young-adult thriller from a gifted storyteller who has nearly three million books in print

Review

As I’ve stated previously on my blog, I love Sigmund Brouwer, particularly for his children’s books. Here’s my thoughts on hi YA novel:

What I liked:

After reading the first chapter of this book, I did realize that this was a sequel, but with the exception of a just a few comments, I did not feel that I needed the first book to understand who people were and how they functioned in this series.

King. The main character’s name is William King (called King) and like most of Brouwer’s characters, he is incredibly smart and resourceful and extremely likeable. King is suffering from PTSD (from the first novel), but still has to pull it together to help out the rest of his crew.

The crew. I really enjoyed the characters of MJ and Blake. They added a lot of humor and fun to a book that really dealt with serious CIA issues. MJ, was of course, both annoying and fun. I found that their personalities were really fleshed out well.

Spiritually, the novel is light on things, but it brings up the topic of when is it okay to lie. At what point does God think lying is okay (i.e. Nazis) and at what point shouldn’t you partake in it. Deep stuff.

What I didn’t like:

I found it a bit cliche that these kids are so brilliant that the CIA needs them, but then again the CIA wouldn’t need them if they weren’t so brilliant.

The ending. How the mystery wrapped up was so random to me that it was almost jarring. I was like wait, what?

Romantic scale: 0

Overall, a fun mystery with charismatic characters.

Being a reader who reads tons of Christian romance novels, I have realized that there are certain things I like in my Christian novels…one of them being having my heroine as a believer. It’s nice if the hero is a believer, but if I only one of them is a believer, I like for it to be my heroine. Now there can be a couple of reasons for this:

1) Most heroines get on my nerves. They just do. They can be vapid or silly or headstrong or stubborn and if they’re saved that usually adds a system of checks and balances. Without Jesus, they just drive me nuts. And let’s not even begin to talk about the saved guy who diligently pursues the unsaved reckless woman. I think because I’m still single that scenario really bothers me. I. Just. Can’t.

2) I have subconsciously allowed for boys to be boys. It is entirely possible that I can put up with unsaved men longer because society tells me that it’s okay for men to be foolish sometimes and for women to not be foolish. This is possible.

3) We are usually in the heroine’s head and I just plain like having a narrator I can rely upon and a saved narrator is (usually) a reliable narrator.

And so I ask you, do you prefer for your hero to be saved or your heroine? And why?

Thank you so much for willing to be interviewed!

1. What would you say inspired Mercy’s Fight?

Matt started as a secondary character in Splintered Oak (the third book in my Winsor series). When I told his story, I felt this deep longing that he needed his own happy ending. Matt still is my favorite hero I’ve ever written. So, as soon as I finished that book, I immediately started writing Mercy’s Fight. His character was so vivid in my mind that it was easy to find the right heroine and story for him.

2. Of all the books you have written, do you have a favorite? Or one that challenged you the most as a writer?

Each book I’ve written has things I love about it. Shattered Rose was my first book and very truthful to my own struggles, so that one will always hold a special place in my heart. Mercy’s Fight is my favorite storyline in that I really loved all the characters and the uniqueness of the plot. As for the most challenging, I would say my new YA novel that is currently unpublished. It took me the longest of any book to write and I had such a time of writing growth during that book that I can truly say I found my voice as a author. I hope to get that book out to all of you soon!

3. When writing NA fiction, what about the genre, would you say, makes it different from others?

NA is a beautiful period in a person’s life. He/She is often away from their parents for the first time and they truly discover who they are. There are new people and temptations and usually many mistakes are made. My own college experience shaped who I ended up becoming. But the very thing I love about this genre is what makes it flawed. So often the answer portrayed in these books is that a woman finds herself through sex or obsession with a man. I cannot express what a lie that is. Self-worth/value can only come from within and personally, I believe it only can come from God. So, I try to write stories that show the struggles of that season of life, but also expose the truth.

4. What authors would you say have influenced your writing?

My dear friend, Nicole Deese, has been a total inspiration to me. I wrote my first couple of books in a vacuum, and once I met her, she really challenged me to take my writing to a new level—to make every word matter and every sentence count. She also writes NA from a Christian worldview and has been a constant encouragement to stay true to our quest to bring honesty and truth to that genre.

5. Can you tell us what you’re working on next?

I have lots of projects going on right now! My next release will be a summer novella romance series that I’m writing with three other fabulous authors. It will release June 10th, so mark your calendars! I will also be starting a new 10 episode Kindle serial in August. Every month, a new episode will be released. I super excited about this project because I have centered the serial around five friends who have grown apart, but are challenged to mend those relationships with each other. And of course, there will be lots of romance!

Things are happening all the time, so be sure to sign up for my newsletter at tlgray.com or check out my page on Facebook.com/tlgraybooks. I’m also on twitter @tlgraybooks. Can’t wait to meet all of you!

Be sure and check out my review here. This book is only one of my favorites…ever…

Following the harrowing events that brought them to Landale Forest, Jace and Kyrin have settled comfortably into their new lives and the mission of protecting those under the emperor’s persecution. The fast approach of winter brings with it the anticipation of a quiet few months ahead. That is until the arrival of four mysterious, dragon-riding cretes who seek aid in a mission of great importance—not only to their own people, but to all followers of Elôm.

Hidden in the vast mining valley north of Valcré, a faithful crete has spent years sharing his knowledge with the destitute miners and their families and is known to possess what may be Arcacia’s last surviving copies of the King’s Scrolls—the Word of Elôm. Joining the cretes, those in Landale must find the crete teacher and bring him to safety, but it is a race against time. Should Daican’s men find him first, execution and the destruction of the Scrolls is certain.

When disaster strikes, all seems lost. Could Elôm have a plan even in the enemy’s triumph?

Review

The first book in this series was one of my favorites last year, so I, of course was thrilled to read this book. My thoughts:

What I liked:

It didn’t take me long to get back in the groove. Maybe it took me two chapters for me to remember everyone, but once I did I was not lost in the either the story, the setting, or the characters.

The plot. Things get intense. More people are introduced, but there was no sense of being overwhelmed. We get more of Kyrin’s family and I was very glad to see them. I will say not everything that takes place in the book is happy, but really that’s to be expected with the circumstances that they’re going through.

Dragons. At first I was like, now how is this going to work. It did. I’ve discovered I like dragons in my fantasy novels.

Spiritually, the novel again raises the idea of what would you be willing to suffer for Christ? And, it shows what real persecution looks like. To be honest, the spiritual aspect of the church almost reminds me of the early church in Acts where each word from the Lord was precious and standing up for Christ could be a death sentence.

What I didn’t like:

I was kind of disappointed with the romance. This is a bit of a personal preference. Unlike most book twos where the blossoming couple is separated, Jace and Kyrin are not separated. But, there interaction with each other is small. I believe there will be a book three and I just felt like if you read book one and then skipped book two and read book three, from a romance perspective you missed nothing. And I really wanted something.

Romantic scale: 5

Overall, I enjoyed this book. The writing was engaging and fun and sometimes intense. If you read book one and enjoyed it, you don’t want to miss this one!

Lately I’ve found that I have become bored….with handsome heroes. I don’t know why, except that in just about every novel I read the hero is devastatingly handsome. I remember when I was in college and my cousin and I came across a picture of some handsome actor and she looked at me and said, ‘chances are our husbands won’t look like this.’

Let’s be honest people, we’re not all going to think our spouses are breathtaking from the moment we lay eyes on them. And frankly, I’ve walked enough of this earth (and hopefully you have to) to realize that we’re not all going to marry the most attractive guy in the room.

But that’s not to say that most men are not without their attractions. Maybe they’re just ordinary initially, but once you get to know them they become breathtaking. That, is the kind of book that I want to read. Frankly, it helps to get rid of the insta-love and lust that often happens in romance novels

And so, has anyone read any books where the hero is not described as super handsome? Any ordinary heroes out there? Anyone else tired of the handsome hero?

Thank you for willing to be interviewed!

1. In your opinion, what is one thing that a romance novel should have in order to be successful?

A satisfying, happy ending. It’s the ending that makes or breaks a novel. It’s what lingers with you long after you close the book. In romance, it’s essential to have an ending that warms your heart.

2. When it comes to writing romance in novels, is there any kind of formula that you follow? Or does it just come together organically?

I’m not a plotter, so for me the entire story comes together organically. That said, it usually takes me numerous draft to get the feel right.

3. Of all the novels that you have written, which one would you say was your most romantic and why?

I’d have to say Shattered. I loved watching Piper and Landon evolve from friends to being deeply in love.

4. Do you have a favorite romantic trope? A least favorite trope?

Fun question. I’m rather partial to Beauty & the Beast. I love seeing a wounded hero find love and restoration. My least favorite…amnesia. It can be done really well, but it’s been used a lot.

5. What are some authors/books that you read when you just want to enjoy a good romance novel?

Becky Wade writes classic, sophisticated, and heartwarming romances.

Karen Witemeyer writes hilarious, moving and always satisfying romances. Those are my top two go-to authors for romance. I highly recommend them both.

Bio

Blessings,

Dani 

www.danipettrey.com

Giveaway

Dani Pettrey has graciously offered to giveaway an autographed copy of her novel Sabotaged. The rules are as follows:

If this book has captured your fancy (and I hope it does!), there’s an opportunity for you to win your own copy! *Note you must be a US or Canadian address. All you need to do is leave a comment in the comment section of one of the interviews this month (February) with your email address. The giveaway ends on March 13! The winner will be randomly selected. If you win, you have 48 hours to respond to the notification before I will choose another winner. Happy Reading!

Life has taught Miska Tomlinson that there are no honorable men. Her womanizing brothers, her absentee father, and Mark, the married baseball player who claims to love her—all have proven undependable. But Miska has life under control. She runs her editing business from her luxury condo, stays fit with daily jogs along Chicago’s lakefront, and in her free time blogs anonymously about life as a kept woman.

Enter new neighbor Dillan Foster. Between his unexpected friendship and her father’s sudden reappearance, Miska loses control of her orderly life. Her relationship with Mark deteriorates, and Miska can’t help comparing him to Dillan. His religious views are so foreign, yet the way he treats her is something she’s longed for. But Dillan discovers exactly who she is and what she has done. Too late she finds herself longing for a man who is determined to never look her way again.

When her blog receives unexpected national press, Miska realizes that her anonymity was an illusion. Caught in a scandal about to break across the nation, Miska wonders if the God Dillan talks about would bother with a woman like her—a woman who’s gone too far and done too much.

Review

This is another book that I put off reading because of the hype (I know, so strange, you want to know what’s good, but don’t want to read what everyone is gushing about) and because I thought it would be a more modern telling of Francine Rivers’ Redeeming Love. Here’s what I ended up thinking:

What I liked:

That it wasn’t like Redeeming Love. I love that even though Miska is in a relationship (if you can call it that), it is she who wants to pursue Dillan and Dillan who is running away. It was such a nice twist.

Dillan. I really liked Dillan because he was a character I could totally relate to. He has been raised a certain way and is a bit uptight and yet loves God and is trying to navigate the murky waters of avoiding temptation and showing the love of Christ. While some people might find him judgmental (and he does have his moments), I found him to be realistic. It’s not easy to be in this world and not of it without coming across as judgmental.

The romance. I thought it developed realistically. You could see Dillan and Miska slowly becoming friends and then that friendship slowly turning into something more. Well done!

Secondary characters. My goodness, I was so invested in Dillan’s brother and Tracy. I kind of want them to get their own story.

Spiritually, I loved the theme of grace and forgiveness that really permeates this book. What does grace look like really? This book will show you.

What I didn’t like:

Someone in this book really turns all villian-y and I didn’t really see quite how their personality progressed that way.

Also, I did want to note that I personally don’t think you’re being judgmental if you don’t want to marry a person who has sexual baggage (or any kind of baggage for that matter). Sometimes, I felt like the author was trying to make me feel bad about Dillan’s hesitation, but I don’t care how saved you are, when you get married, that person’s baggage becomes yours and it’s okay if you don’t want to walk that road.

Romantic scale: 9.5

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It’s definitely worth the hype!

Anyone who has been keeping up with my blog knows that I am asking my readers the same or similar questions that I’m asking my authors this month. Today’s question is:

Do you have a favorite romantic trope? A least favorite trope?

   A trope is a common recurring literary device. In other words, a commonly used form of writing. Some romantic tropes are: Millionaire Playboy, Reformed Rake, Girl/Boy Next Door, love triangle, opposites attract, secret pregnancies, etc. I think you get it, if you read enough romance novels you will come across the same or similar plot lines. That said, some of those same or similar plot lines are what gets me to buy a book.

So, my favorite romantic tropes are: arranged marriages and forbidden love. Mostly because if done right, the couple has to get know to each other well before falling in love. There should be some kind of underlying theme of friendship. But I also like the hate to love romance novels and sometimes the reformed rake.

My least favorite is of course, the love triangle and probably the girl/boy next door (for me this trope is usually boring.)

And now I ask you:

Do you have a favorite romantic trope? A least favorite trope?