Get Christian Mystery ebook Manuscript for Murder FREE!

If you PREORDER my Christian Contemporary Romance anthology, Save the Date, you’re eligible to join this limited-run Save the Date newsletter and get a FREE ebook every month!

Each month, we’ll give away an ebook from one of the authors in the anthology. Once you join the newsletter, you’ll get an ebook free every month until the anthology releases!

This month, the free book is Manuscript for Murder by Chautona Havig!

Alexa Hartfield. Author, local celebrity, fashion connoisseur. She chose Fairbury for its close proximity to Rockland, its small town atmosphere, and its low crime rate.

Then someone made her life a literary cliché. A mysterious accident with a light bulb sparked an interesting idea for her latest novel—and for Fairbury’s new serial killer. The first replication infuriated her. The second left an even worse taste in her mouth. The third blasted more than her self-confidence, and the fourth beat her down so far she’s considering giving up writing completely.

Who is killing Fairbury’s citizens, and furthermore, why and how are they using her novels to do it?

Want this ebook for free? Preorder Save the Date and then join this limited-run Save the Date newsletter!

Lady Wynwood's Spies, volume 1: Archer EXCERPT - Chapter 1h

I’m posting an excerpt of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 1: Archer, the first part of my Lady Wynwood’s Spies series!

Part one in a Christian Regency Romantic Adventure epic serial novel with a supernatural twist
Lady Wynwood’s Spies series, volume 1

She met him again by shooting him.

After four seasons and unmarried because she is taller than most of her dance partners, Miss Phoebe Sauber receives the shocking news that she is being callously banished from her father’s estate because he is remarrying. Feeling betrayed by her father and by God, and wanting to escape her family’s presence, she attends an archery tournament with her friends.

But her perfect aim fails her, and her arrow hits a piece of paper held by Mr. Michael Coulton-Jones, whom she hasn’t seen much in society in several years. But strangely, her arrow tears a section of the paper with a partial symbol that looks eerily familiar to her.

He met her again while searching for a killer.

Michael had quit his work as a spy for the Foreign Office when his brother was poisoned. His search for the murderer leads him to Apothecary Jack, a criminal underworld leader with a penchant for poisons, who is gathering a powerful army through an alchemical potion that can give men supernatural strength.

But his path unexpectedly crosses again with Miss Sauber, who saves him from a trap laid by Jack. She and her Aunt Laura, Lady Wynwood, have found a vital connection to Apothecary Jack and the mysterious group he works for.

Now Michael, who had vowed to never again allow civilians to come to harm, must work with a nobleman keeping dangerous secrets, a human lie detector, a chemist, a fellow former spy, and the one woman he’s never allowed himself to get close to.

And it is only this ragtag group that stands against a traitorous organization that could enable Napoleon to conquer the world.

PLEASE NOTE: This is the first book in the Lady Wynwood’s Spies series, an epic serial novel. Each volume has a completed story arc, but this is NOT a stand-alone novel and ends on a cliffhanger.

All the posted parts are listed here.

***

Chapter 1h

They arranged to each take one shot at each of the three farthest targets. Phoebe buckled on her leather arm guard and tightly laced up her leather shooting waistcoat. It served to protect her clothing, but it also flattened her chest to prevent her bosoms—small as they were—from jiggling in the way. Lastly, she slipped on her shooting glove and picked up her bow and quiver. She took a few practice shots at one of the nearer targets, but after only three practice arrows himself, Mr. Vernon rather impatiently stood with his bow tapping against the top of his boot. Phoebe concluded that apparently he was anxious to be utterly destroyed in this competition.

“Who shall go first?” Miss Layton asked.

Mr. Vernon bowed to Phoebe. “Ladies first, of course.”

Phoebe approached the first target. She rolled her shoulders, stretching her neck, shaking out the muscles along her arms. She filled her lungs with air and expelled it. Normally this helped to calm her, but this time the fire in her heart and the boiling in her stomach were clashing in a thunderstorm deep inside of her.

She could not shoot accurately in this state. But she was determined not to lose to someone like Mr. Vernon, a man in a man’s world, who suddenly seemed to represent everything her father stood for.

She chose a calming image. After a long day of swimming in the sheltered cove at Chateau Gardinier, she and Keriah would build a fire on the rocky beach, wrap themselves in wool blankets, and watch the sun set across the water. They talked of dreams, young men, the precious things they still had, and the precious things they had lost.

Phoebe notched an arrow and drew back her right arm. Her dress and pelisse had been especially made for archery, and they were comfortably loose around her shoulders. In her sights, she imagined Mr. Vernon’s face on the target. Deep breath in, deep breath out. She released the arrow and the string twanged close to her cheek.

It was a near-perfect shot. She heard polite applause punctuated by more enthusiastic applause from Miss Layton and Miss Lynn.

Phoebe stepped aside for Mr. Vernon, who seemed to take extraordinarily long to aim. Phoebe could tell that his stance was too tense, his knees too straight, his back too arched. He fired, and the arrow landed perhaps seven inches away from the center, and from Phoebe’s arrow.

In the applause, Mr. Tolberton was especially loud, but that was because of his one hundred guineas.

The second target was farther away, and Phoebe took longer to aim. The wind began to flow through the trees far beyond the target, the same whoosh-whooshing sound as the wind in the trees at Sauber Hill. She would gallop toward a target nailed to an old oak tree, riding astride so she could control the horse with her knees. The pounding of the hooves against the turf thumped in counterpoint to the wind in the trees, forming a rhythm that she absorbed into her body through the horse, through her ears. Using that rhythm, she would aim and shoot at the target from horseback.

She was not astride a horse now, and the target was farther away, but she still felt the beat of her heart and heard the whoosh-whoosh of the wind. She imagined the swirling pattern of the wind, the strength of its invisible whorls, and adjusted her aim. Then she fired.

The arrow landed an inch farther away from the center than it had been on the previous target—not bad considering the farther distance and the wind.

Mr. Vernon seemed distracted by the wind, which unfortunately rose even more as he stood to aim. To Phoebe’s eye, he seemed to be overcompensating, and she wanted to warn him but knew he’d be offended and embarrassed if she did, so she kept her mouth shut. Keriah would be shocked at her restraint, which was usually at a minimum when they practiced archery.

Mr. Vernon loosed his arrow, and Phoebe already knew it was too far wide. It ricocheted off the edge of the target and flipped behind it in a ragged arc.

“Oh, too bad, old chap.” Mr. Tolberton’s voice was too jovial to be sincere.

Mr. Vernon’s round face flushed, looking like a large, overripe cherry. Phoebe began to feel badly for him, because Mr. Tolberton’s teasing seemed to stab sharply into Mr. Vernon’s ego.

However, it was also the archer’s responsibility to attain emotional equilibrium, especially before shooting. As Phoebe aimed at the third target, she reflected that her ability to remain unmoved despite distractions was possibly one of her greatest strengths as a sportswoman.

This time, she imagined her father’s face on the target. She stretched the bowstring taut. But as she drew breath, a voice sounded over her shoulder.

It was considered rude to speak to an archer as they aimed, but Mr. Vernon said in an oily voice, “Miss Sauber, I offer my sincere congratulations. I recently heard in my club that your father is getting married.”

Her entire body jerked as if she were a doll and a little girl had yanked her down from a shelf. Her hand accidentally loosed the arrow and it sailed over the target.

“Oh,” gasped several people behind her, but Miss Layton’s irate voice cut over the murmurs. “Mr. Vernon—!”

Whatever she was about to say was cut short. From the distant tree-line where the arrow had disappeared came a high-pitched shriek.

***

Camy here: That’s it! I hope you enjoyed this excerpt of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 1: Archer!

***

Sign up for Camy's newsletter

* indicates required

Email Address *

Buy Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 1: Archer:
Kindle
Paperback

NOTE: Unfortunately, the book will only be in Amazon for now. However, if you buy a copy on Amazon and would like to read it on your non-Kindle reader, forward the receipt of your purchase to me at camys.loft@gmail.com and I’ll have BookFunnel send you an .epub copy of the file so you can side load it onto your ebook reader. (If you have any trouble downloading your copy, please click the help link at the top of the download page. The friendly folks at BookFunnel will help you get your book.) You might also be able to download a DRM-free copy from Amazon through “Your Content and Devices” page on the Amazon website.

Excerpt - ONE VOW FOR SEPTEMBER (Christian Contemporary Romance)

Today, I’m posting an excerpt from Liwen Ho’s Christian Contemporary Romance, One Vow for September, which will be one of the books in the Christian Wedding Romance anthology, Save the Date.

Here’s the back cover description:

She’s a writer with an unconventional assignment, he’s the jaded coworker playing her husband; together they’re one odd couple about to find out how real love is.

Magazine writer September Yu has a great idea for an article—a “how to” piece on renewing one’s wedding vows on a budget. Her only problem? She’s missing a husband that her boss wants her to bring along for research. With her boyfriend across the country, there’s no other man she can turn to but her annoyingly handsome coworker.

Dumped at the altar years ago, Tristan Hu has sworn off relationships—a decision that should have stopped him from volunteering to help September. There’s no rhyme or reason why he should care, except that he can’t get her off his mind. He just needs to get through one week of playing pretend, a task that seems easy enough until the sparks between them become all too real.

For better or worse, these frenemies will have to work together to overcome the challenges thrown their way—including feeding each other cake! After all is wed and done, will this fake marriage turn into a love that lasts a lifetime?

I interviewed Liwen in a two part interview—part 1 is here and part 2 is here. Be sure to check them out since especially part 2 talks a bit more about One Vow for September.

Excerpt of chapter one:


“Morning, everyone.” Maggie, our boss, calls the meeting to order. “I hope you spent your day off working hard to come up with stellar ideas.” 

The room goes silent as everyone attempts to avoid eye contact with Maggie. She’s the kind of boss who thinks Labor Day is meant for laboring. As usual, she’s all business in a navy pin-striped pantsuit and tortoise shell glasses. The rest of us are just as professionally dressed, except for Tristan. Somehow he’s allowed to live in jeans and black T-shirts and she doesn’t even bat an eye. She does however give him one of her rare smiles. “Let’s start with you, Tristan. What theme do you have in mind for our March issue?”

He rubs his jaw as he looks around the room. All our colleagues are silent and literally on the edges of their seats waiting for his answer. Everyone but me. Honestly, after what he said about Chad, I’m not interested in hearing more of his ideas. But that doesn’t stop him from staring straight at me as he answers, “Relationships. It’s the one thing people need the most help with.”

A round of oohs and ahhs fills the air. I half expect everyone to break out into applause. No matter what Tristan says, there’s always one woman—or five—who thinks he can walk on water. We all know there was only one man who could do that and He was God. Tristan only acts like one. 

My neck grows hot under the collar of my white blouse. His eyes are still trained on my face, studying my reaction. I have a sneaking suspicion the “people” he’s referring to is me. His know-it-all attitude has always gotten on my nerves, but moreso today. My first inclination is to put him in his place. I know I should be the bigger person, but it’s hard to do when his ego is taking up so much space. “We’re already covering love for our February issue. What about something related to the changing of seasons? Like spring cleaning. Our readers love that kind of thing.”

“Out with the old, in with the new? Not bad.” He gives me a condescending smile, like he’s talking to a child. “That idea works well with relationships, too.”

Maggie points her pen in Tristan’s direction. “I like where you’re going with that. Tell me more.”

“With pleasure.” He has the nerve to flash me a smug smile before he continues. “I’m thinking we focus on renewal. Giving up things in our lives that are outdated, unnecessary, and unhealthy. And incorporating new beliefs, habits, and relationships that are good for us.”

He nods and leans back proudly in his chair. One would think he just shared the key to world peace instead of spouting off some mumbo jumbo self-help stuff. I can’t believe anyone is buying his spiel. But everyone around the table is already jotting down notes. 

“Bravo! Yes! Renewal is the perfect theme for the changing of seasons.” Maggie’s hazel eyes light up as she starts clapping. “Well done, Tristan.”

I fight to keep my jaw from dropping. She just gave him credit for my idea! Okay, so it wasn’t completely mine, but I did pitch in. Why does he get all the recognition? Just because he has a sexy voice and smoldering good looks?

“It was a team effort.” He surprises me with a wink. “I’m sure September has more great ideas up her sleeve. Don’t you?”

My jaw does drop now. Is Tristan actually being nice to me, or is he putting me on the spot to make me squirm? I have no idea, but I’m not going to waste this chance. I flash him a tight smile, then straighten in my seat. It’s finally my time to shine. Good thing I did some brainstorming over the weekend for my “September’s Savings” column. Yes, my parents named me after the ninth month of the year. Their reason? The number nine—which in Chinese sounds like the word for everlasting—brings fortune. As far as I’m concerned, the reason I’m debt free is because I’m an expert at being frugal. That’s why readers love my tips. 

“How about home makeovers on a budget? I can talk about using thrift store finds, such as furniture and clothing, and repurposing them. Or we can focus completely on what people already have in their closets.” I suddenly remember an article I read recently. “Did you know there’s a business that helps women upcycle their wedding gowns? It’s a fun and creative way to turn a once-in-a-lifetime memory into a piece of jewelry, an ornament, or a christening gown that can be passed down to future generations. I bet this would be a big hit with our readers.”

I can’t help the grin that overtakes my face. I know nothing about baseball, but I feel like I just hit a home run. Now it’s my turn to sit back and wait for the applause. 

And... nothing. A few moments pass and I look around the room, listening to the sound of crickets. My mouth grows dry. I kind of hope a swarm of locusts will appear to put an end to my misery. 

“Well…” Maggie nods reluctantly, her brows drawn together. “It’s a start. But let’s keep our theme in mind. We really want to drive home the idea of renewal.” 

“Right. We can’t forget about Tristan’s theme.” Oops. My tone is more sarcastic than I intend it to be. Sigh. I really need an attitude adjustment. It’s not like I’m Ms. Perfect. I need God’s grace as much as anyone. So I choose to put on my big-girl pants and focus on doing my job, not keeping score. And that’s when a brilliant idea pops into my head. “Vow renewals! What about a how-to article on renewing your wedding vows on a budget?”

There are gasps of surprise and delight all around the table. Maggie gives me a thumbs-up, making me beam with pride. Her reaction is almost as good as getting The Pulitzer Prize. I’m floating on cloud nine hundred and ninety-nine when she says, “I want you to do some serious research for this, September. It has to be believable.”

“Of course. I’ll call around and get quotes from multiple vendors. I’ll read all of their reviews, too, and make sure they offer quality services. I want this to be a factual and helpful article for our readers.”

“Then I think it’s best if you go in person and try them out. There’s no better way to know what a cake tastes like unless you eat it.”

I wonder if I’m understanding her correctly. “You’re saying you want me to pretend to plan a vow renewal ceremony?”

“Bingo!”

“B-but I don’t have a husband to renew my vows with.”

“Pish posh. You don’t need a real one. Take a friend or a cousin—I don’t care who.” Maggie waves her red-painted nails in the air. “Just write the article and make it good.”

My heart sinks. Other than Chad, the males in my life are my girlfriends’ significant others, and asking for their help doesn’t feel right. The only other guy I know—Mr. I’m Too Sexy and I Know It—is completely out of the question. But something in me—most likely desperation—makes me look over at Tristan.

That’s when I hear his low, confident voice declare, “I’ll do it. I’ll be your pretend husband.”

***

Camy here: Liwen is one of the twelve authors participating with me in the Christian Contemporary Romance anthology, Save the Date, which releases September 15!

If you PREORDER our Christian Contemporary Romance anthology, Save the Date for only 99 cents, you’re eligible to join this limited-run Save the Date newsletter and get a FREE ebook every month!

Lady Wynwood's Spies 3 - cover character

The 3rd book in my Lady Wynwood’s Spies series releases this month! For this book, the model on the cover is supposed to be the character, Mr. Michael Coulton-Jones.

I absolutely love this cover model! His name is Anatolii and here’s the original stock photo. It was really tough to try to decide which photo to use for the cover!

It was a tossup between him and Phoebe for the cover for book 1, but I eventually went with Phoebe. Then in book 2, he was kind of out of the picture. Now that he’s back, he’s on the cover of book 3, although it’s kind of weird because he’s one of the main characters but he doesn’t show up on a cover until book 3.

Once again, Thorne could have been on the cover of the book but he was nixed! Poor Thorne. :( However, I have other books planned that give him and Isabella more page time, so I’ll have them on a cover eventually!

Lady Wynwood's Spies, volume 1: Archer EXCERPT - Chapter 1g

I’m posting an excerpt of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 1: Archer, the first part of my Lady Wynwood’s Spies series!

Part one in a Christian Regency Romantic Adventure epic serial novel with a supernatural twist
Lady Wynwood’s Spies series, volume 1

She met him again by shooting him.

After four seasons and unmarried because she is taller than most of her dance partners, Miss Phoebe Sauber receives the shocking news that she is being callously banished from her father’s estate because he is remarrying. Feeling betrayed by her father and by God, and wanting to escape her family’s presence, she attends an archery tournament with her friends.

But her perfect aim fails her, and her arrow hits a piece of paper held by Mr. Michael Coulton-Jones, whom she hasn’t seen much in society in several years. But strangely, her arrow tears a section of the paper with a partial symbol that looks eerily familiar to her.

He met her again while searching for a killer.

Michael had quit his work as a spy for the Foreign Office when his brother was poisoned. His search for the murderer leads him to Apothecary Jack, a criminal underworld leader with a penchant for poisons, who is gathering a powerful army through an alchemical potion that can give men supernatural strength.

But his path unexpectedly crosses again with Miss Sauber, who saves him from a trap laid by Jack. She and her Aunt Laura, Lady Wynwood, have found a vital connection to Apothecary Jack and the mysterious group he works for.

Now Michael, who had vowed to never again allow civilians to come to harm, must work with a nobleman keeping dangerous secrets, a human lie detector, a chemist, a fellow former spy, and the one woman he’s never allowed himself to get close to.

And it is only this ragtag group that stands against a traitorous organization that could enable Napoleon to conquer the world.

PLEASE NOTE: This is the first book in the Lady Wynwood’s Spies series, an epic serial novel. Each volume has a completed story arc, but this is NOT a stand-alone novel and ends on a cliffhanger.

All the posted parts are listed here.

***

Chapter 1g

Miss Layton quickly instructed her servants to set up the archery targets. There were few people on Hampton Heath, enabling them to practice archery without fear of accidentally hitting anyone. Even so, they set up the targets some distance from the tree-line.

While Phoebe impatiently waited for the targets to be assembled, she noticed Miss Tolberton and her cousin, Mr. Tolberton, standing a little apart from the other guests. They were both new to this circle of archery enthusiasts, although Phoebe had been acquainted with Miss Tolberton since her debut four years earlier, and had been introduced to Mr. Tolberton, just down from university, at a ball the week before. She immediately approached them.

Miss Tolberton smiled. “Miss Sauber, how delightful to see you again.”

“How have you enjoyed your first week in town?”

Mr. Tolberton grinned boyishly. “I have been dragging Emilia everywhere with me.”

“We have been shockingly busy,” Miss Tolberton said.

Phoebe listened to Mr. Tolberton’s excited descriptions of the horses at Astley’s Amphitheatre, plays at the theatre, and the numerous museums to which he had dragged the poor Miss Tolberton. Only required to murmur “Oh, really?” and “How nice” every so often, Phoebe was relieved to be free from Miss Lynn’s avid curiosity about Phoebe’s nonexistent suitors. She knew Miss Lynn was not being unkind, but Phoebe had not inspired a single romantic flutter in any man’s breast in her four other Seasons in London, and was unlikely to do so in her fifth Season unless she did something drastic like sew her mouth shut.

Abruptly she remembered that according to her father, her current Season was being cut short. There was a roiling and seething in her stomach.

She didn’t know when she would be sent to Aunt Bethia, but she intended to enjoy her time today to its fullest.

During a lull when Mr. Tolberton paused for breath, Miss Tolberton asked, “What are your favorite London activities, Miss Sauber?”

“I’m afraid I have not seen as much as you have. I usually only attend meetings at a few associations that I belong to.”

“What sorts of associations?”

“For those interested in cultivating roses. I have an extensive greenhouse in the country.” Even as she said it, she realized she should have said she had an extensive greenhouse. Her hands tightened around her quiver strap. All that would soon be gone for Phoebe.

How could her father do this to her? She felt betrayed, abandoned … and disillusioned. She hadn’t wanted to admit to herself that her father thought so little of her, despite how she had worked so hard for his approval. It had all been for nothing. In his eyes, she was nothing.

The thought did not make her depressed. Instead, it stoked a fire inside of her that smoked and crackled, that roared with an inhuman voice of all the rage she was starting to feel.

“Emilia likes gardening—” Mr. Tolberton started to say, when Phoebe was startled by a voice behind her.

“Miss Sauber, how lovely to see you again.”

“Mr. Vernon.” Phoebe suspected her forced smile looked rather gruesome. “Are you acquainted with Miss Tolberton and her cousin, Mr. Tolberton?”

After greeting them, he turned back to Phoebe. “I was hoping, Miss Sauber, that you would be willing to engage in a friendly competition today? I feel I did not shoot my best at our last tournament.”

She was exceedingly prepared to wipe that condescending smile off of his face. “I assure you, Mr. Vernon, the outcome will remain the same.”

“I say, this will be quite the spectacle,” Mr. Tolberton said. “I have heard from Miss Layton that you are an excellent shot, Miss Sauber.”

“You simply wish to wager on the outcome,” Miss Tolberton accused her cousin.

“And why not? It can only add to the fun.” He gave an incorrigible wink. “What do you say, Mr. Vernon? A hundred guineas that Miss Sauber will get the best of you out of three shots.”

Mr. Vernon colored at this insult to his accuracy. Phoebe refused to feel sorry for him—after all, he had quite deliberately brought up the subject of the competition himself. Mr. Vernon managed a tight smile for Mr. Tolberton and a handshake in acceptance.

“Did I hear correctly?” Miss Farrimond came up to them, followed by Miss Layton and her sister. “A competition between Mr. Vernon and Miss Sauber?”

“Simply a friendly game between friends.” However, Mr. Vernon’s smile toward Phoebe showed entirely too much teeth.

“This will make the gathering even more exciting,” Miss Lynn said.

“Miss Sauber is certain to perform admirably.” Miss Farrimond’s voice flowed sweet like honey. “Her wide, strong shoulders make her an excellent markswoman.”

Phoebe’s jaw clenched. She and Miss Farrimond had debuted in the same year, and while Phoebe’s manly height and muscular arms explained her lack of suitors over the previous Seasons, Miss Farrimond had only her unpleasant personality to blame for her lack of marriage offers. After the shocking news she had just received, Phoebe was not in the mood to even attempt to be polite to Miss Farrimond. “Why yes, Miss Farrimond, I practice archery all year long at Sauber Hill, and in the summer I swim at my friend Keriah’s seaside estate, Chateau Gardinier, so I am quite strong by now.”

Miss Farrimond smiled politely but seemed disappointed that Phoebe had replied so boldly, lacking any shame.

***

Sign up for Camy's newsletter

* indicates required

Email Address *

Buy Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 1: Archer:
Kindle
Paperback

NOTE: Unfortunately, the book will only be in Amazon for now. However, if you buy a copy on Amazon and would like to read it on your non-Kindle reader, forward the receipt of your purchase to me at camys.loft@gmail.com and I’ll have BookFunnel send you an .epub copy of the file so you can side load it onto your ebook reader. (If you have any trouble downloading your copy, please click the help link at the top of the download page. The friendly folks at BookFunnel will help you get your book.) You might also be able to download a DRM-free copy from Amazon through “Your Content and Devices” page on the Amazon website.

Interview with Liwen Ho part 2

Today I’m continuing my interview with Liwen Ho! (Part 1 of the interview is here.)

Liwen’s bio:

Liwen Y. Ho works as a chauffeur and referee by day (AKA being a stay at home mom) and an author by night. She writes sweet and inspirational contemporary romance infused with heart, humor, and a taste of home (her Asian roots).

In her pre-author life, she received a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Western Seminary, and she loves makeovers of all kinds, especially those of the heart and mind. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her techie husband and their two children (AKA munchkins).

Camy here: Liwen is one of the twelve authors participating with me in the Christian Contemporary Romance anthology, Save the Date, which releases September 15.

And now, here’s me and Liwen again!

Your new book One Vow for September will be coming out as part of the Save the Date anthology. Tell us about it.

My novella is a rom com featuring an alpha male and a girl next door type of heroine. They’re coworkers at a women’s magazine where Tristan, being the only male of their department, is a “star”. He’s a bit jaded about love after having been dumped at the altar, but he volunteers to help September do research for an article she needs to write. The fun part of the story centers around the adventures they get into posing as a married couple for said research. I had a lot of fun developing their characters and making them come to life and fall in love.

That sounds like such a great story premise! Are there any symbols or themes in One Vow for September that you want to emphasize, point out, or elaborate on?

Since both of the lead characters are Chinese, I did include some things in the story to highlight the Chinese culture. One thing is the symbolism behind the number nine, which is considered a lucky number because it means “everlasting” in Chinese. If you read the story, you’ll find out why September was given that particular name (and it’s not because that was her birth month). I also address the theme of second chances and trusting in God, especially with Tristan’s storyline where he needed to let go of his past relationship and the fears surrounding it in order to move on.

That’s so neat! I totally didn’t know that about the number nine! (I’m Japanese while my husband is 3rd generation Chinese.)

What do you hope people will take away from this book?

I hope readers will enjoy some good laughs, but also recognize the power of God’s redemption to change our hearts and turn our lives around.

I love redemption books! I find I tend to write that theme quite a lot.

What are your characters' weirdest habits?

September has a slight problem with static electricity, so she carries around a dryer sheet to destatic herself. (I got the idea from a girlfriend who used to do this in college!)

That’s so cute!!!

Do you prefer coffee or tea and why?

Tea all the way!! I love tea—hot or iced, depending on the weather. If iced, I prefer boba tea.

I love boba!!!! Fortunately, we have a really good boba place near our house, but not near enough to walk or bike, which is good for the size of my butt!

You know (or maybe you don't know) how much I LOVE FOOD. One of my favorite restaurants is this Vietnamese sandwich shop that makes a pork and pate sandwich with cilantro on fresh-baked baguettes (dreamy sigh). What's your favorite ethnic food to eat and why?

Yum! That sounds SO good, especially the fresh-baked baguettes. For me, I love sushi. (Which, by the way, is why your Sushi series caught my eye!) My hubby actually worked as a waiter in a sushi restaurant for a few years before we met, so he’s the one who took me to my first sushi place when we were dating. I just love the fresh fish and the different kinds of sushi rolls, including reading their unique names. I also love the tea sushi restaurants serve.

How cool! We should go eat sushi together sometime!

If you could vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

Anywhere with a beach, preferably with an ocean warm enough to swim and snorkel in. I love Kauai; I went there on my honeymoon and we’ve taken our kids there as well. I’d love to visit Fiji and stay in an overwater bungalow.

Ooh, an underwater bungalow sounds so neat!

What's your favorite karaoke song and why?

I love “Stop” by the Spice Girls. It’s just a fun song to sing with my girlfriends when we karaoke. The video is cute and the little dance the group does is fun, too.

I remember that song! That’s such a fun song!

If your husband suddenly turned into a piece of furniture, what would he be and why?

This question is hilarious! Does the fridge count? He’s always snacking! I guess that’s more of an appliance though. LOL

LOL My husband is always snacking too!

What childhood books were your favorites?

I loved the Anne of Green Gable series. My best friend and I read them together. I also enjoyed the Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley High and some mysteries as well.

I loved Anne of Green Gables, too!

You're off the hotseat! Any parting words?

Thank you so much for this fun interview, Camy!

Camy here: Thanks so much Liwen!

Next week, I’ll post an excerpt of Liwen’s book, One Vow for September, which is one of the twelve stories (along with mine) in the Christian Contemporary Romance anthology, Save the Date, which releases September 15!

If you PREORDER our Christian Contemporary Romance anthology, Save the Date for only 99 cents, you’re eligible to join this limited-run Save the Date newsletter and get a FREE ebook every month!

Sale on Asian Romance ebooks! (not just mine)

Since this is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, I’m participating in a special ebook sale on Bookfunnel! All the ebooks in the promotion are wholesome, sweet, or Christian romances that feature Asians!

My Christian Contemporary Romance, Weddings and Wasabi, is on sale for 99 cents! This is the first time I’ve had this book in a Bookfunnel promo, and also the first time it’s been on sale in several years.

Also, my Christian Romantic Suspense, Unshakeable Pursuit, is also on sale for 99 cents! (I know a lot of you already have this book, but if you know anyone who doesn’t, this is their chance to pick it up for a sale price!)

Click here to check out the Asian romance ebooks promo!