Guest Author, Sharon K Connell

 

This is a fun and fascinating story by my friend, author Sharon K Connell. Thank you, Sharon, for sharing with us.

 

 

Sharon K Connell was born in Wisconsin, but didn’t live there long. Five days later, her Irish father decided to move to Chicago, Illinois where she went to school through college. She lived there until 1988 when she moved to the south, but has lived in or visited all but six of the states in this country, as well as Mexico and Canada.

 

Sharon is a graduate of the Pensacola Bible Institute and holds a certificate in fiction writing from the International Writing Program through the University of Iowa. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Houston Writers Guild, Christian Womens Writers Club, and CyFair Writers Group.

 

Her genre is generally romantic suspense with mystery, but she does write in other genres as well.

 

A verse that inspires her in writing is “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”  Psalm 19:14

 

Also, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Colossians 3:17

 

Back to Denali came about as all my stories have. The Lord planted an idea for the story in my mind and wouldn’t let it disappear. A few more connected ideas came along and stayed planted in my brain, and pretty soon there was a story that needed to be told. Once the basic story was down, then I really had to go to work.

 

You see, I’ve never even visited Alaska. That meant a lot of in-depth research had to be done. And who would you go to for answers about Alaska and the Denali Park Rangers (both 2 and 4-legged)? Denali Park Rangers, of course. Many emails back and forth with the Denali Park Rangers resulted in a wealth of information about their lives working in Denali and all about the Canine Rangers. They also supplied me with other contacts who filled in the gaps the rangers couldn’t. I can’t say enough about these wonderful men and women who helped me with the details for my book Back to Denali.

 

Back to Denali is my fourteenth published book. That means a great deal to me. God, through the voice and prompting of a long-time author friend of mine, told me I needed to be writing. Fourteen books later, I think I can safely say it was a calling.

 

Back to Denali is a romantic suspense set in Alaska, in & around Denali National Park and Preserve, which encompasses six million acres of Alaska’s interior wilderness. Danger awaits those who are careless or in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

Will Rachel experience heartache all over again when her boss sends her back to home-town Healy, Alaska to write an article for the Fairbanks newspaper about the Denali Canine Rangers? Will she ever forgive herself for what happened in the past? As much as she loves animals, the four-legged Canine Rangers may trigger old memories she’d rather forget.

 

Ranger Liam Chadwick is content to live his life among his canine buddies at the Denali Preserve and Kennels. But his meddling best friend and roommate, a Native American Inuit named Anik, thinks Liam needs more. The lovely Rachel would be a perfect match for his pal. Will she? Has Anik opened a can of worms for Liam and Rachel?

 

Mushers, hikers and mountain climbers in danger, wild animals, poachers, a jealous sister, and a boss intent on dating his star reporter all add up to one exciting story.

 

The purchase link for Back to Denali https://www.amazon.com/dp/1957246065/

 

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/sharonkconnell

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharonkconnell/?hl=en

Facebook Group Forum: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ChristianWritersAndReadersGroupForum/

Facebook Author group, The Works of Author Sharon K Connell: https://www.facebook.com/groups/516338614013516

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SharonKConnell

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/SharonKConnell

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharonkconnell

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/rosecastle1/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sharon-k-connell

WordPress: https://sharonkconnell.wordpress.com/

YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/@authorsharonkconnellcreates

Guest Author Interview With Heidi Gray McGill

 

Kathy: Would you give our readers a brief bio? What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing?
Heidi: That’s a great place to start! I’m Heidi Gray McGill, an author of Christian fiction—both historical and contemporary—with stories centered on faith, family, and second chances. I live just south of Charlotte, North Carolina, with my husband of over thirty years. I’m blessed to be a mom of two adult girls and grandmother of three boys. When I’m not writing, I’m usually reading, playing board games, or spending time with my family. And though I’m legally blind, I still find joy in exploring the world around me—sometimes with a seeing-eye friend, but always with wonder.

 

Kathy: Can you share a little about your writing journey? Any stories that still make you smile?
Heidi: Oh, I love this one. My writing journey began in 2020 when the ESL program I directed had to shut down because of COVID. I asked God, “What now?” and felt His nudge toward writing. So I sat down, opened my laptop, and Desire of My Heart was born. I honestly thought only my mom and her friends would read it—hence including my maiden name so they could find me on Amazon! But God had bigger plans. That very first book became a Selah Award finalist for audiobook, and I still shake my head in awe. It makes me smile every time I hear a reader say it encouraged them in their faith through that story. Being obedient in sharing God’s story and hearing it touched a heart is more than I ever expected.

 

Kathy: How do you share your faith with your writing?
Heidi: I’m so glad you asked. Faith isn’t just sprinkled into my stories—it’s the thread that holds everything together. We all come to God with different life experiences and hurts, so I try to show Jesus through each character’s unique lens. Some see Him as a protector, others as a Redeemer, and still others as the father they never had. I learned this approach from Vonette Bright, co-founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, through her Sister Circle series. Only recently did I discover she wrote a book titled A Place to Belong—the same as my newest release. I’d like to think that’s a little God-wink confirming I’m on the right path.

Kathy: Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantster?
Heidi: That’s such a fun question. I’m a happy middle-grounder—a plantser, if you will. I absolutely need an outline, and I spend a lot of time developing my characters’ backstories and spiritual arcs. I know where they’re starting, where they need to end up in Christ, and a few mile markers along the way. But I leave room for those divine surprises—those “wow” moments when a character does or says something I didn’t see coming. That flexibility keeps my stories—and my faith—alive.

Kathy: Do you have a writing schedule that works for you? How do you balance writing with other responsibilities?
Heidi: Oh, balancing is an art I’ve yet to master! I’m a laser-focused person—I’ve never learned to knit or cross-stitch because I simply can’t multitask. If I’m writing, that’s all I’m doing. I write in short bursts throughout the day, but my best creative time is late at night. While most people are winding down, my brain is revving up. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve climbed out of bed at 1 a.m. and written until 4. When a story won’t let me sleep, I know it’s worth telling.

Kathy: Where do you find your story ideas?
Heidi: What a wonderful question. Honestly, some stories just show up unannounced. One recent example came from a dear writing friend of mine, Tema Banner, who was developing a “reader magnet” story to offer to new subscribers. As she shared her premise, something clicked, and I thought, “Mary and Melvin Trexler—two of my original characters—need to tell their engagement story!” I’ll be sending this exclusive story to my newsletter subscribers soon. If readers aren’t on my list yet, they can sign up at heidigraymcgill.com/free_book and not only receive my prequel Deep in My Heart for free (in both ebook and audiobook), but also get this new story as soon as it’s ready!

Kathy: Tell us about one of your favorite authors.
Heidi: Without a doubt—Michelle Shocklee. Her writing is rich, layered, and full of grace. I love how she takes deep historical themes and threads them with faith in a way that’s powerful but never preachy. Her characters feel real, her prose is poetic, and I always come away with my heart stirred and my faith strengthened. She inspires me to keep raising the bar in my writing.

Kathy: Can you share with us about your latest book? Or two?
Heidi: I’d love to! My newest release, A Place to Belong, is a Christmas novella in my Discerning God’s Best series. It’s the story of Josephine, a woman who’s run out of grace—until grace finds her on the edge of a snowy town. It’s a tale of redemption, second chances, and the family God builds when the one you were born into falls apart. It’s available through the end of November in eformat for $0.99.

 

I’m also working on Book 6 in the series: Keeper of My Heart. This one features Cecelia Shankel, a strong-willed frontier woman with no desire to settle for less than God’s best, and Jimmy Reeves, a brilliant but awkward pharmacist with his own wounds to heal. It’s an opposites-attract romance that’s full of grit, growth, and unexpected grace. It’s available for preorder now.

 

All of my books are available on Kindle Unlimited, and for binge readers, that’s a great way to read the full series. And just a gentle tip: Amazon pays authors through KU per page read, so if you borrow one of my books, please scroll all the way to the last page. It’s like leaving a tip for your server—and we’re so grateful when you do.

Thank you for having me, Kathy. I so appreciate your friendship, your keen editing eye, and the way you consistently bless me through the writing process. It’s a joy to share this journey with you.

 

A Place to Belong link: https://amzn.to/44ZBm9o

Keeper of My Heart Preorder Link: https://amzn.to/4llhfJX

Desire of My Heart Audiobook Link: https://youtu.be/U8Q0u5H0wGU

Sign up for my newsletter: https://heidigraymcgill.com/free_book/

 

Places to follow me on social media:

Fusing Faith and Fiction™

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorHeidiGrayMcGill/

https://www.instagram.com/authorheidigraymcgill/

http://www.youtube.com/@AuthorHeidiGrayMcgill/?sub_confirmation=1

https://heidigraymcgill.com/

https://x.com/heidigraymcgill

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/heidi-gray-mcgill

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20851872.Heidi_Gray_McGill/

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B08N37J954/allbooks

A Few Great Gift Ideas

Special Friends at Home by Sara J. Yoder. I read the first couple chapters of this while grading a braille document. It’s a fun children’s Amish story about a family on a farm. I didn’t get to read the whole book, but it looks like fun. The children get to meet interesting friends, and their parents teach them that God loves everyone and wants them to love people too.

 

Drums of change: the story of Running Fawn by Janette Oke. In 1870s Canada, the Blackfoot tribe finally has to settle on a reserve when the buffalo are gone. A young missionary joins a small band, offering stories of God’s love and education to children. Eventually the two best students are sent to a mission school. The young man soaks up the education and pays close attention to the teaching about Jesus. The young lady resists leaving behind the Blackfoot ways and returns early to her tribe to care for her ill father after her mother dies. She continues to stubbornly refuse to listen to the Christian faith, though she is friends with the local missionary. When her father tells her that he has chosen the Christian faith, I found myself crying.

 

Thirteen at Dinner by Agatha Christie. This book was originally published in 1933. I enjoyed reading this good old fashioned mystery featuring investigator Hercule Poirot. I love to try to figure out a good mystery, and I was delighted not to know for sure whodunit until almost the end.

 

This Promised Land by Cathy Gohlke. This is a golden story. A number of family members find their way home, some who have never met before. They struggle against their past, struggle with the conflicts between them. Then together, and with the grace of God, they work against those who attack them from outside, until they come together in a wonderful, surprising kind of new family.

 

'Twas the night before Christmas in Missouri by Jo Parry. A fun retelling of the story for young Missourians.

 

Millie’s Christmas by Kathy McKinsey.

https://www.amazon.com/Millies-Christmas-Kathy-McKinsey/dp/B09HQBTL7J

A sweet story about family gathering close to support each other, told in the voice of the family cat.

  

Psalm 29, Worship

A psalm of David.

Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;

    the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.

The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;

    the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

He makes Lebanon leap like a calf, Sirion like a young wild ox.

The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning.

The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;

    the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.

The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare.

And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;

    the Lord is enthroned as King forever.

The Lord gives strength to his people;

    the Lord blesses his people with peace.

 

Father, we worship you. Because you are powerful. Because you are mighty beyond our words. Father, we worship you, because you strengthen us when we are weak. Because you give us peace. 

In Everything Give Thanks

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18:

Rejoice evermore.

Pray without ceasing.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

 

Sometimes I’ve wondered about how I could follow this verse. But on October 18 my mom passed away, and on that day, I realized how this verse can really ring true.

 

Mom was 88 years old. For the last couple months, her health has been going quickly downhill. Some days when I called her, she didn’t answer the phone. Other times when I did talk to her, she was weak and not very clear-headed.

 

On Friday morning, her heartrate went very low, and she was sent to the hospital. By Saturday morning, October 18, my brother Jim said I could probably call and talk to her in the middle of the morning.

 

I did call her, and it was a good conversation. She was alert, aware of all that was going on, and she seemed to have energy. I can never thank God enough that he allowed me to have that last conversation as my final memory with her.

 

In the summer of 2020, Mom had knee surgery, and while she was in the hospital and rehab, I called her every day. Then I asked myself why I just didn’t always call her every day. Long distance phone calls no longer cost extra.

 

So, rather than think how silly I was for not thinking of that sooner, I am just thankful that I’ve talked to Mom almost every day since then.

 

Sometimes we had a hard time thinking of things to talk about. We discussed my kids, my brothers, what I was working on, what we were having for dinner. After she moved into a nursing home three years ago, we talked about the activities they had there and the friends she was making.

 

My husband Murray reminded me of how in our faith, we believe Mom is with Jesus now. That’s true. Mom was a Christian. I told Murray, “I’m not sad for Mom. I’m sad for me.”

 

We had Mom’s funeral service at her small country church in Missouri this past Saturday. Murray said there were maybe 125 people there, to honor Mom, to support my family. This included relatives, members of the church, people from the community. One lady told me she was Darlene, who used to ride the school bus with me. My high school English teacher. Seemed like so many cousins, my three aunts.

 

The minister, Mark, asked people to share stories and memories about Mom.

 

My brother Jim told some funny stories. My cousin Michelle said Mom inspired her to learn to quilt. Several people mentioned Mom’s quilting skills.

 

Murray stood up and said, “Kathy and I met when she was a secretary at the university and I was a student. We decided to get married pretty fast, so she took me home to meet her family and told them we were getting married.

 

“So here was this funny-looking kid with red hair and a blue earring, and Kathy’s mom pulled her aside into the kitchen and asked, ‘Does he have an income?’”

 

Everybody laughed.

 

Mark asked, “Well, did you?” Murray said he held his two fingers out, about a quarter of an inch apart.

 

Mark shared Psalm 23, John 14:1-6, and verses from the last couple of chapters in Revelation, about no more sadness, no more crying.

 

We played the song Mom asked for for as long as I can remember, “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.”

 

It was wonderful to be hugged by my brothers. That small church has a precious ministry for funerals held there. They prepare a full lunch for anyone who wants to stay for it. I didn’t know if I could, but I was able to eat and enjoy conversation with people.

 

I told Murray it would be a big change in my life when I couldn’t talk to Mom on the phone every day. I have thought of things to be thankful for, but I know for a long while, I’ll feel a spasm of emptiness in the afternoon at the time I’d usually call Mom.

 

Mom had a rough time with her health during the last few months, and there were surely days when she was discouraged. But just in the last couple weeks of her life, she would talk to me about the occupational and physical therapy she was having. She said, “I like it.”

 

She was hopeful that she would be able to move around her room more by herself and do more for herself. She even said she hoped she would walk again with her walker.

 

That’s how I want to live, hopeful to the end, planning for life.