Meghan Carver + GIVEAWAY Winner!

By Kelly Bridgewater

* Winner of the physical copy of Under Duress is mentioned at the bottom of this blog post. Thank you for everyone who entered and created some noise for Meghan's book on social media. I know she appreciated it.

From Meghan

Criminals are trying to kidnap attorney Samantha Callahan's adopted daughter, Lily—and she has no idea why. So when bullets start flying, Samantha and Lily speed off in her car…and crash right into help. Ex-cop Reid Palmer is shocked when former law school classmate Samantha rear-ends his car and then climbs in with her daughter and begs him to drive. Now they are on the run, and Reid will do anything to protect them and figure out why kidnappers are after Lily. As they struggle to evade capture, Reid begins to realize that Samantha is more to him than just a woman in trouble. But with the enemies closing in and their motives finally revealed, will Reid be able to make sure justice is served?

My Thoughts:

My friend, Meghan Carver, had published her first book with the Love Inspired Suspense book line. I have read a number of these short books, so I know what to accept. I accept that a couple that will meet within the first chapter, overcome some struggles, and fall in love by the end of the book. Carver's book, Under Duress, accomplishes just that. 

The tension starts on the first page and doesn't let go really at all. From the first encounter with Samatha, I saw her chasing through the streets of Heartland Hills, racing to save her about to be daughter, Lilly. Luckily, she arrives just in time. For the rest of the book, Carver does not let up on the tension. There is a number of car chases and a bullet wound. Just like I like my suspense books. Non-stop action. 

In most of the Love Inspired Suspense books I have read, I always feel that the romance is too rushed. I know this is what the Harlequin books want, but I could do with a longer courtship. But following the rules of the publication, Carver makes her romance come to life between Samatha and Reid. They get their happily-ever-after.

I really enjoyed the background and job of Samantha. I, however, wished there would have been more of this type of information in the overall plot. Maybe Carver can continue Samantha and Reid's story, so we see more of their interaction. I would definitely like that. 

In conclusion, Meghan Carver's debut novel, Under Duress, will satisfy readers of the short novels Love Inspired Suspense. I can't wait to see what else Meghan creates. 

My Rating:  4 out of 5 stars

Purchase Under Duress

From Meghan

Meghan Carver's Bio:

By sixth grade, Meghan Carver knew she wanted to write. After earning a degree in English from Millikin University, she detoured to law school, earning a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University. She then worked in immigration law and taught Comp 101 at the local college. Now, she homeschools her six children with her college professor husband. When she isn’t writing, homeschooling, or planning the family’s next travel adventure, she is active in her church, sews for her kidlets, and reads.

Where to connect with Meghan:

Website: www.meghancarver.com

Blog: www.meghancarver.blogspot.com 

Goodreads: Meghan Carver

Facebook: Meghan Carver

Twitter:@MeghanCCarver

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Okay, now for the moment you have all been waiting for. . .

The winner of the physical copy of Meghan Carver's Under Duress is TINA!!! Please email me or message me on Facebook, so I can get your email address and mail you your copy of Under Duress ASAP.

***If the winner doesn't claim it within 24 hours, I will pick another winner, so stay tuned.***

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Meghan Carver + Giveaway

By Kelly Bridgewater

I met Meghan at the 2013 ACFW conference in Indianapolis. We have met every year at the Indiana Chapter meetings of the ACFW. We have so much in common, like we LOVE snow and suspense books. Meghan is such a sweet lady, and I'm really glad to call her my friend. So of course, when she announced on Facebook that she signed a book with Love Inspired Suspense, I jumped for joy along with her. I couldn't wait to have her come on my blog and share her writing journey with everyone. Plus, I had to give away a copy of her book (that I bought). Anything to support my writer friends :).

Thank you for stopping by, Meghan. I'm really glad to have you here!!


About Meghan . . .

From Meghan

By sixth grade, Meghan Carver knew she wanted to write. After earning a degree in English from Millikin University, she detoured to law school, earning a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University. She then worked in immigration law and taught Comp 101 at the local college. Now, she homeschools her six children with her college professor husband. When she isn’t writing, homeschooling, or planning the family’s next travel adventure, she is active in her church, sews for her kidlets, and reads.

Where to connect with Meghan . . .

Website: www.meghancarver.com

Blog: www.meghancarver.blogspot.com 

Goodreads: Meghan Carver

Facebook: Meghan Carver

Twitter:@MeghanCCarver

Author Interview:
Meghan Carver

1.)    Tell us a little bit about yourself:  How did you start writing?  What has kept you writing?

I fell in love with writing in the sixth grade during an all-school essay-writing exercise. Perhaps, at first, I just loved the scratch of the pencil across the paper and the fact that the paper was stapled into a cute little Blue Book. (Who remembers those? J) But I also loved being able to express myself in a thoughtful way. Then, a few days later, a teacher handed it back to me with an encouraging comment written in red, and I was hooked.

2.)    What draws you into contemporary romance stories?

Definitely the characters. I love to find characters with whom I can identify, and a quirk or two or unique circumstances also help my interest.

3.)    My latest story can be described by these 5 adjectives . . .

I asked my 16yo this question, since she's one of my biggest supporters and always the first to read a new story, assuming she can wrestle it away from the 14yo. Her adjective choices are exciting, entertaining, amusing (in some spots), creative, encouraging.

4.)    Where did the idea for this novel come from?

From Meghan

By education, I'm an attorney, so I like to have characters who are attorneys. A lot of lawyer jokes are funny because they're sadly true, but lawyers can be terrific, God-fearing and God-serving people, too. I wanted to write a lawyer character who had had difficulty in the past but was still focused on God's will. I ended up with two such characters! The particular type of practice was not difficult to nail down. I didn't want a divorce attorney or a bankruptcy attorney or a defense lawyer. I'm adopted, so I immediately thought of adoption law, and I loved the idea of an adoption lawyer adopting a child.

 5.)    What is one take-away from your book that you hope readers identify with?

God gives second chances. His mercies are new every morning!

6.)    Is there any up-coming projects? What are they?

Of course there are upcoming projects! J Watch my blog or social media for announcements. 

7.)    What books are on your shelf or er-eader right now?

I decided this year to participate in a reading challenge, and I posted about it on my blog. [http://www.meghancarver.blogspot.com/2016/01/2016-reading-challenge-under-duress.html] I read about fifty books a year, although I'm always trying to add in more. (A pitiful amount compared to our host, Kelly! That girl can read!) Most books I decide as I go, but there are always Love Inspired books in the hopper. I also have queued up To Kill a Mockingbird, Jenny and the Cat Club (a children's classic recommended by my 10yo), and a bunch of novella collections.

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Thank you so much for being my guest today, Meghan! I loved getting to know you better and can't wait to read Under Duress. Readers, if you haven't read any of any Love Inspired Suspense novels, you're missing out. They are GREAT books that will appeal to adults and young adults. I have LOVED every single one that I have read. 

Okay, my reader friends, don't miss this opportunity to get your own copy of Under Duress. I am generously offering a copy of Under Duress to one person (limited to U.S. residents only). To enter: just leave a comment, and share this link on social media for more chances to win with my name in the comments, so I can count the shares and put your name more than once in the drawing. The contest runs until Thursday,February 11th at noon. I will pick a winner on Thursday, February 11th and announce it here on the blog Friday, February 12th along with my review of Meghan's book. :)

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My Writing Process: Blog Hop

By K. L. Bridgewater

I was invited by the sweet Emilie Hendryx (whom I had the privilege of meeting at the 2013 ACFW conference in Indianapolis) to join a blog hop. You can see her previous post at www.eahendryx.blogspot.com.

Today I’ll be talking about my writing process and answering four questions. I’m pretty excited to be asked to join, and I hope you learn something more about me as a writer.

1.) What am I currently working on?

          I am working on developing the characters and the twists and dangers for my heroine and hero in a three part book series. The series features Chloe Walker and Devin Sanders, who will be featured in a couple of my future blog entries, so make sure you return to learn more about them. I usually start with an idea of how my book will turn out, but as I write, however, I learn my book wants to head in a different direction, so I steer off course from my outline. Mostly, for the better.

2.)    How does my work differ from others in its genre?

             That’s a good question. I don’t really think I have a good answer. I write suspense with a hint of     romance. But I want my story to focus on the mystery. The romance is important to the hero and heroine, but I don’t want the readers to walk away with a deep sigh of romance contentment like readers of romance do. My overall goal is to have the readers gasp and flip the pages because they can’t put the book down because so much happens to the characters and the readers worry about what happens. I’m sure every suspense writer feels the same way. My story idea is unique but mixes the police with an amateur sleuth working together to solve a dilemma.

3.)    Why do I write what I do?

I write romantic suspense because I love action movies like Fast and Furious, Transformers, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, etc.  As a young girl, I read every Nancy Drew book by Carolyn Keene I could uncover at the local library. Additionally, I enjoy books filled with action, twists, and mystery. I follow the clues presented in the story with hopes of discovering the villain before the end. Dee Henderson introduced me to the Christian suspense genre, and I was hooked. Enjoying these books, I have decided to write my own. Creating the element of surprise prickles my skin as I uncover something new about the plot that I didn’t plan originally.

4.)    How does your writing process work?

I discussed this very issue on my blog post for Tuesday, July 8, 2014. Majority of the time my ideas come to me as an ending. I don’t know what the characters look like. I don’t even know the theme. The ending pops in my head, and I sit down and write the ending, which causes the skin on my arm to grow big enough goosebumps to put someone’s eyeballs out.  So after the last quarter of the novel is written, I usually try to develop my characters with their big lies and their backstory. Then I weave in elements to bring the first quarter of the story to life.

Well, thanks for stopping by the blog. Unfortunately, all my writer friends have already done this, or who I have asked where too busy, or some didn't even reply. So I have no one for you to hop on over and look at their writing process.  

How does your writing process work? Do you see the ending like I do or do the characters or theme walk in front of you? Please comment on how you do write.