Tag: Jane M. Choate

Handling Life’s Transitions as We Move into the New Year

You know how it goes. You’re cruising along in life, and suddenly the road takes a sharp turn. Perhaps the road signs warned you. Perhaps it came by surprise. In either case, life will never be the same. Consider the roads you have traveled. No doubt you’re facing circumstances today that you hadn’t expected to face 5 years ago, 5 months ago, or even 5 days ago, but here you are. Perhaps you or your loved one has health problems, or you have become a new parent, and you not only have a new little cherub to care for, but your body has changed! It will never be the same, or so you think. Perhaps you have lost a loved one, lost your job or spouse, or are facing other transitions in your life.

The last Christmas with Brian Perri

There are so many life transitions and issues that we must cope with, that if l were to touch on all of them, they would fill multiple books. Instead, Handling Life’s Transitions as We Move Into the New Year is the first in a series that will provide an opportunity for you to reflect on 2023, the transitions you are facing, and hopefully provide general guidelines on getting through them as we move into the new year and beyond. You’ll notice a common theme – controlling the controllable.

The Snowball Effect

If you’re a writer, whether published or not, joining other writers in a writers’ group is highly encouraged. An article written by Amanda Cabot, Thyme with Other Writers is an enlightening article that addresses the importance of being a part of a writers’ group.

Writers' group, writing retreat
Writing Retreat with some members of our writers’ group.

I had been a part of a phenomenal group of writers for 14 years when difficult life transitions hit a number of its members and the group dissolved. This particular group was special and was a source of inspiration and motivation for me. These life transitions snowballed into mine.

controlling the controllable

To get through these transitions and my own, I looked at what I can control – my time, efforts, attitude, and maintaining important relationships–and focused on controlling the controllable.

Although we no longer meet as a group, I have maintained special relationships with a few. These special relationships were the impetus for the motivation, support, and invaluable assistance I received in getting After the Verdict, Book Two in the Search & Recovery International Series, ready for preorder with a January 11, 2024 release date. Thank you, Amanda Cabot, Leslie Sartor, and Jane Choate, for your support, prayers, and the sharing of your invaluable expertise and skill.

What transitions have you gone through in 2023? What can you control?

A missing groom, a murdered attorney, a massive snowstorm—what else can go wrong with what was supposed to be a storybook wedding?

Gutsy Colorado lawyer Briana Bertelli has just successfully prosecuted a serial killer…or has she? Betrayed in previous relationships, she’s vowed to remain single and dependent on no one but herself. All goes according to plan until her best friend’s wedding rehearsal.

Highly decorated, retired Special Forces veteran Kale McLaren has seen much death and is ready to experience a new life.

Now the Chief Operating Officer of a global special ops organization, he’s looking forward to a relaxing weekend at a friend’s wedding. The last thing he expects is to be brought face-to-face with death and the most intriguing woman he has ever met … Briana.

With the highest of stakes and time running out, can Briana and Kale combine forces to discover what happened after the verdict?

You do not need to read the first book in the series, Search Beyond Lies, in order to enjoy the second.

Search Beyond Lies is a work of fiction, inspired by true events.

A suspense thriller with a dash of romance, Search Beyond Lies tells the story

of the search for a missing scientist, a top-secret project, and a ticking clock. Desperate to find his friend and mentor, James Frankel knows that only former Army Ranger, Charlie Sommer can help him. But how can he trust a woman who’s keeping secrets?

As a former Army Ranger, Charlie Sommers garnered the reputation of having the highest search and rescue success rate, but she’s plagued by the one she left behind. Now she’s on the verge of an exciting new beginning as a part of Search & Recovery International where her secrets are safe. There’s only one problem: the new assignment will take her back to Colorado and the loss that still haunts her.

The clock is ticking down. With their lives–and their hearts–at risk, Charlie and James join forces in an attempt to save the scientist and the world from catastrophe while finding the truth beyond lies in this action-packed thriller. It is available at https://amzn.to/3ueVmTO.

RECOMMENDED BOOKS – THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

Good books are the gifts that keep on giving. With the holidays upon us, I thought this was the perfect time to provide a few recommendations to place under the tree if you have one, and if not, to share with a friend to show you care.

The christmas spirit

To get you into that Christmas spirit, there are two books I recommend:

Tick Tock Dead, A Jenna Hart Mystery by L.A. Sartor

If you enjoy cozy mysteries, L.A. has just launched a great new series with this book. I’ve read it and highly recommend it.

It’s Christmas and nestled in a valley between two towering Colorado mountain ranges, the old mining town turned uber chic ski resort of Angelcroft is in a battle for its soul.

And now the battle has turned deadly.

Lifelong resident Jenna Hart is definitely not sleuth material. In fact, she’s a custom jeweler who loves working with diamonds and brilliant gems, and this is her busiest season ever.

But now her one goal is to find out who murdered her friend.

Enlisting the help of those who know the town’s secrets — even as they seem to hide their own — Jenna digs deep only to find the dire warnings from handsome newcomer, police Detective Derek Tripp, that she could be risking her own life are prophetic.

Nevertheless, nothing and nobody will stop Jenna from finding the truth.Tick Tock Dead is the first book in the Jenna Hart Mystery series. If you enjoy small town mysteries populated with fascinating characters whose lives are far more complicated than what they seem on the surface, join Jenna for an adventure in the charming mountain town of Angelcroft.

Check out L.A. Sartor’s other books at: lesliesartor.com

Christmas Witness Survival by Jane M. Choate

If you can’t pass up a romantic suspense, you won’t want to miss Christmas Witness Survival – a real page turner.

Seeking ranch refuge…


in order to survive

Fleeing after discovering her fiancé is a murderer, Hailey Davenport thinks nowhere is safe this Christmas. Trusting another man is the last thing Hailey wants, but she reluctantly finds refuge in the back of Michael “Chap” Chapman’s truck. The security expert won’t let her face hired gunmen alone—even when danger follows them to his ranch. With enemies closing in, keeping Hailey safe might be the last thing Chap does…

Historical Romance

Against the Wind by Amanda Cabot is a must read, especially if you’re an historical romance enthusiast. Even if you’re not, I highly recommend this book – I couldn’t put it down! Against the Wind is book 2 in the Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing Series. If you haven’t read the first, After the Shadows, I recommend you pick up both!

Amanda Cabot, Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing, historical romance

Doctor-in-training Louisa Vaughn has no intention of remaining in Sweetwater Crossing. She’s just there for a few days to help a friend. But she can’t abandon the injured man she finds at the side of the road. Until his broken leg heals, she’ll serve as the town’s doctor and midwife. She may not be fully qualified yet, but surely she’s better than nothing. Josh Porter’s plans to win his grandfather’s challenge and fulfill his father’s final wish to gain full control of the family business hit a roadblock when he breaks his leg. But his enforced stay in

Sweetwater Crossing gives him new ideas about the expansion of the company into new territory–ideas Louisa could help turn into reality.

If only the town were more accepting of Louisa’s talents! Someone is determined to convince her to abandon her dream of healing others. Can Josh help her uncover the person behind the threats before it’s too late? And is there any future for them together when neither of them plans to stay?

You can find out about Amanda’s other books at amandacabot.com

romantic suspense thriller

Book Two in my Search & Recovery International Series, After the Verdict, is available for preorder. 

A missing groom, a murdered attorney, a massive snowstorm—what else can go wrong with what was supposed to be a storybook wedding?

Gutsy Colorado lawyer Briana Bertelli has just successfully prosecuted a serial killer…or has she? Betrayed in previous relationships, she’s vowed to remain single and dependent on no one but herself. All goes according to plan until her best friend’s wedding rehearsal.

Highly decorated, retired Special Forces veteran Kale McLaren has seen much death and is ready to experience a new life.

Now the Chief Operating Officer of a global special ops organization, he’s looking forward to a relaxing weekend at a friend’s wedding. The last thing he expects is to be brought face-to-face with death and the most intriguing woman he has ever met … Briana.

With the highest of stakes and time running out, can Briana and Kale combine forces to discover what happened after the verdict?

You do not need to read the first book in the series, Search Beyond Lies, in order to enjoy the second.

Search Beyond Lies is a work of fiction, inspired by true events.

On July 5, 2018, Brian Perri was reported missing on Mount Meeker, one of the most dangerous mountains in Rocky Mountain National Park. A selfie revealed his last known location was the summit. Search Beyond is a work of fiction, whose inspiration lies in a rare type of friendship J.C. Fischer and Kimo McEwen had with Brian where they put their lives on hold and jeopardized their safety and well-being to search for him.

The search was covered by news media far and wide. J.C.’s pleas for volunteers brought in many from along the entire Front Range. Why did so many come forward? It was J.C. and Kimo’s care, concern, persistence, loyalty, and dedication to finding Brian that exemplified true friendship—and that is a contagious type of friendship experienced by very few.

If you’re interested in gifting any of these books, just click the title, the link is embedded. Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Happy New Year!

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PANDEMIC – Part 3

by Jane M. Choate

Now that we’ve looked at what I am doing, let’s examine what I’m not doing.  Have those things, too, helped revitalize my writing?  Maybe.  So what am I spending less time doing?

Cleaning

I’m spending less time cleaning house.  No, I haven’t let the house be condemned by the Board of Health, but I’m realizing more of what is important … and what’s not. Spending less time cleaning house has been great.  Not only do I have more energy and time for life’s important moments, I also haven’t experienced any noticeable change in lifestyle.  Post-pandemic, the house isn’t perfectly clean; that’s a given. 

Cleaning House

But neither was it perfectly clean pre-pandemic.  I was scrubbing, dusting, vacuuming, etc., all for a false sense of self-worth.  Now, I work to keep the house comfortable and semi-decent.  My happiness level shot up, as did my time to daydream about the next book or noodle around with ideas for trying a different genre.

Accumulating

I’m spending less time accumulating more things. Spending less time in accumulation is just practical.  Having a bunch of things means more dusting those things, more re-arranging those things, more trying to find room for those things.  My time is much better spent playing with grandchildren and writing.

worrying

  • I’m spending less time worrying over if I will sell more books. I will do my best in my writing, but I’m not going to obsess over it. Using less emotional energy to worry over if I’ll ever sell another book gives me the courage to take risks in my writing.  Could I add a more in-depth scene to my latest book and would the editor like it?  We’ll see.
Selling More Books
  • I’m spending less time worrying over what others think of me. Spending less time on this has been infinitely freeing.  (How else could I carry off having blue hair for over two years?)  In my seventies now, I realized I had spent far too much of my life anguishing over what others thought of me.  No more.

FINALLY

I have no presumption that what works for me will work for you.  These are just a few of the things I am doing differently now.  Whether they make me a better writer is yet to be seen, but they are making me a better person.

What works for you?

Jane M. Choate dreamed of writing since she was a little girl and entertained her friends with made-up stories about them.  She postponed her dream of writing to get married and have children.  On one particularly hard day when it seemed all she had done was to clean toilets (she had two small boys at the time), she wrote a short story and sent it in to a magazine on a whim.  To her surprise and delight, it was accepted. 

Jane now writes for Love Inspired Suspense where she combines romance, danger, and faith. Jane is the mother of five children, grandmother to ten grandchildren, and great-grandmother to one adorable baby girl. When she is not writing, she can be found trying to keep up with her grandchildren. (The operative word there is “trying.”)

You won’t want to miss Jane’s latest release–Rocky Mountain Vendetta–A must read that spent 2 weeks on the Publishers Weekly Bestseller List!

(c) 2022 by Jane M. Choate

FACT OR FICTION: THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PANDEMIC Part 2

by Jane M. Choate

In Fact or Fiction: The Other Side of the Pandemic, we were introduced to author, Jane M. Choate and her 3-part series. This article will take a look at what Jane has added.

More family

I’m spending more time with my family, especially my grandchildren.  I’m taking more trips, like a recent one to Utah to see a new great-grandbaby.  (Yes, I have a great-grandbaby, and she is beautiful.) 

Spending more time with family and friends has allowed me to watch the interactions between individuals and then to use that, when appropriate, in my writing.  Our family is messy.  The relationships are messy.  And isn’t that what life is about?  Messy relationships that somehow stick.  Our family sticks together, no matter our messiness, no matter what goes on between us.  We may fight, but let someone attack any one of us and we come together, ready to take on any and all who would divide us.  Since I write mainly romantic suspense, the hero and heroine have a “messy” relationship.  Things don’t come easily to either of them.  They argue; they fight.  More importantly, they fight those who would hurt the other.

more purging

I’m spending more time purging, letting go of what I don’t need and don’t want. Letting go or purging possessions that no longer work for the life I want to have has freed not only space in my house but space in my brain as well.  Both are important.

Too many things create clutter.  After forty-six years in the same house, my husband and I have enough clutter to last several lifetimes.  Getting rid of some of it (I’m even letting go of some books) allows me to see white spaces.  We all know that white space is important in the pages of a book.  We gravitate toward that because we know that white space means dialogue.  In a home, white space means freedom from clutter.  White space in the brain is vital as it creates a blank page for my thoughts to take shape.

More joy

I’m spending more time finding joy in the small things.  Practicing finding joy in small things keeps my “glass half full.”  In order to write, I need to recognize unexpected moments of happiness, of laughter, of love. 

This is largely related to spending time with grandchildren. Who can resist a hug from a four-year-old blue-eyed blonde granddaughter who calls me “Meemaw?” These little scraps of joy remind me that the world is full of things to write about.

more fun

I’m spending more time having fun, like dying my hair blue.  Spending more time in having fun and doing silly things, like dyeing my hair and eyebrows blue, has awakened that part of me that used to do such things on a regular basis.  With that, I was able to add bits of humor in my last book, which garnered favorable response.

saying “no” more often

I’m saying “no” to requests upon my time and energy more often.  Saying no to unreasonable requests upon my time and energy has freed up both. 

In our service organization, we practice what we call a ministering program.  It’s a good thing to be able to help others, and I try to do what I can.  However, when my husband and I were assigned to one lady who every week had more and more things for us to do, requested more and more things which required ever-increasing physical and emotional strength than we had to give, we finally asked to be released from that particular assignment.  Though she was a nice enough woman, she had no sense of boundaries.  She took and took, leaving us with little left over for ourselves or anyone else. Post-pandemic, I have found more courage to speak up and say what’s working for me and, also, to say what’s not working.  Reclaiming that energy and time gave me the same to devote to my family and my writing.  For a while, I felt selfish in saying “no,” but then I realized it wasn’t selfish but practical to take care of myself.

What are you doing more of?

Find out what Jane’s NOT doing in the last article in this series. You won’t want to miss it.

Jane M. Choate dreamed of writing since she was a little girl and entertained her friends with made-up stories about them.  She postponed her dream of writing to get married and have children.  On one particularly hard day when it seemed all she had done was to clean toilets (she had two small boys at the time), she wrote a short story and sent it in to a magazine on a whim.  To her surprise and delight, it was accepted. 

Jane now writes for Love Inspired Suspense where she combines romance, danger, and faith. Jane is the mother of five children, grandmother to ten grandchildren, and great-grandmother to one adorable baby girl. When she is not writing, she can be found trying to keep up with her grandchildren. (The operative word there is “trying.”)


You won’t want to miss Jane’s latest release–Rocky Mountain Vendetta–A must read that spent 2 weeks on the Publishers Weekly Bestseller List!

FACT OR FICTION: THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PANDEMIC

In the first Fact or Fiction article, I introduced a new series to reveal how authors use real life characters, places, and events to write fiction. The series was targeted to what was fact and what was fiction in Search Beyond Lies, a romantic suspense thriller inspired by true events.

Search Beyond Lies — Fact or Fiction

I’ve had so much interest from my readers, that I’ve invited some favorite authors to share the inspiration behind their novels and reveal the facts behind their fiction. My plan is to publish the Search Beyond Lies Fact or Fiction series every other week and share guest articles on the alternate weeks. Some weeks 2 articles will be released.

Our first guest is Jane M. Choate, author of 41 romantic suspense novels, the latest being Rocky Mountain Vendetta – a definite must read that spent 2 weeks on the Publishers Weekly Bestseller List.

This article is the introduction, the first in a three-part series by Jane that will look at how the pandemic affected the creative writing process in developing the story, characters, and “Aha” moment.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PANDEMIC

BY JANE M. CHOATE

On the Other Side of the Pandemic

We are now on the other side of the pandemic (at least until a new one or another life-altering thing hits).  What do we do now?  If you’re like me, you’ve faltered, may have doubted yourself, even questioned whether you could or should continue writing at all.  We get it.  We’re all feeling our way to a new kind of living, a new kind of dressing (how many of us have pretty much lived in pajama pants over the last couple of years?), and, for the writers among us, a new kind of writing.

Creative Commons License, copyright

How do we find our way back to our writing or forging a new path in that writing? This may be changing genres or it may be developing a new schedule or changing how we look at the world.  It may be letting go of something that fit the you that you were and finding something different that fits the you that you are now. 

In the last two-plus years, I’ve been practicing new life skills, adding some things, subtracting others.  How are any of these things helping with my writing?  Truthfully, I don’t know how much they are helping, but I can see and feel a difference in myself.  They are helping me keep myself in balance.  And that’s important.  For my writing.  For my life.

In the next article, I’ll discuss what I’ve added.

Jane M. Choate dreamed of writing since she was a little girl and entertained her friends with made-up stories about them.  She postponed her dream of writing to get married and have children.  On one particularly hard day when it seemed all she had done was to clean toilets (she had two small boys at the time), she wrote a short story and sent it in to a magazine on a whim.  To her surprise and delight, it was accepted. 

Jane now writes for Love Inspired Suspense where she combines romance, danger, and faith. Jane is the mother of five children, grandmother to ten grandchildren, and great-grandmother to one adorable baby girl. When she is not writing, she can be found trying to keep up with her grandchildren. (The operative word there is “trying.”)