About Deborah Raney

COMPLETE LIST OF NOVELS

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REMEMBER TO FORGET A Clayburn Novel (Howard Books/Simon & Schuster)

Who hasn't dreamed of getting a chance to reinvent yourself and begin a brand new life? That's exactly what graphic designer Maggie Anderson is offered when a terrifying carjacking leaves her stranded a hundred miles from her New York apartment—and her abusive boyfriend. When a kind stranger offers Maggie a ride, she begins a cross-country journey that ultimately lands her in tiny Clayburn, Kansas. Reinventing herself as Meg Anders, she is welcomed with open arms at Wren’s Nest, in exchange for helping Trevor Ashlock remodel the cozy inn. But can Maggie trust Trevor? Trevor has always been Clayburn's favored son, but tragedy has put his faith in crisis, and now he has trust issues of his own. Once Maggie realizes Trevor is for real, she falls for him...hard. But if she confesses all the lies she’s let him believe about her, she will lose his trust and destroy everything she's worked so hard to build. Meanwhile, Kevin Bryson isn't crazy about the fact that his girlfriend and erstwhile punching bag has disappeared. When he unearths a clue to Maggie’s whereabouts, her life may depend on revealing the truth to Trevor.

AWARDS:
• 2008 Christy Award Finalist

NOW IN BOOKSTORES EVERYWHERE!

LEAVING NOVEMBER A Clayburn Novel (Howard Books/Simon & Schuster)

Daughter of the town drunk, Vienne Kenney has escaped Clayburn for law school in California. But after failing the bar exam—twice—she’s back home with her tail between her legs, managing Latte-dah, the Clayburn café turned upscale coffee shop. Jackson Linder runs the art gallery across the street and Vienne has had her eye on him since she was a skinny seventh grader and he was the hunky high school lifeguard who didn’t know she existed. Now it’s his turn to fall for her and suddenly Clayburn seems like a pretty nice place to be...until Vienne discovers that Jack is fresh out of rehab and still struggling with the same addiction that ultimately killed her father.

COMING MARCH 2009:
YESTERDAY'S EMBERS A Clayburn Novel (Howard Books/Simon & Schuster)

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WITHIN THIS CIRCLE
sequel to A VOW TO CHERISH from Steeple Hill

Within This Circle continues the story of John Brighton and Julia Sinclair. After a tumultuous courtship, John and Julia Brighton have a second chance at happiness, a fresh marriage and, now that their children are grown, a new era in their lives to revel in the promise of the future. Only such a promise is never guaranteed. And life can change in a heartbeat. The Brightons' life is turned upside down when John's daughter, Jana, abandons her husband Mark and three-year-old daughter. As Jana struggles through delayed grief over her mother's death, her actions put her marriage and her own daughter in danger. John and Julia reach out to little Ellie, to give the young couple time to heal, but the little girl is confused and longing for her mother. How much sorrow and stress can both fledgling marriages endure? Two very different couples–each with only their love and faith to guide them–can only pray it will be enough.

(A Vow to Cherish released in mass market format recently. This beautiful book duo would make a wonderful Christmas gift for your favorite reader.)

NOW AVAILABLE IN MASS MARKET SIZE!

BUY A Vow to Cherish

A VOW TO CHERISH
(Steeple Hill Books 2006; mass market size new 10-07)
When his wife of thirty years receives a devastating diagnosis, John Brighton's love is tested as never before. While Ellen slips away from him day by day, a young widow, Julia Sinclair, becomes John’s confidante. She seems to understand his pain as no one else can, and John finds himself confronted with a weakness he never realized he had. Torn between doing what he knows is right and what his heart tells him can not be wrong, John soon discovers that the heart cannot be trusted where true love is concerned.

A Vow to Cherish was the inspiration for World Wide Pictures’ acclaimed motion picture of the same title. This edition of the novel from Steeple Hill is an updated and expanded version from the original published by Bethany House Publishers in 1996 and again in 1999 with a movie tie-in cover.

The film is available on video in English and Spanish, and on DVD in 7 languages. Order from World Wide Pictures.

AWARDS:
• 1997 Angel Award from Excellence in Media

A VOW TO CHERISH was first published in 1996 by Bethany House Publishers. The novel was issued in mass market size in October 2007 with Steeple Hill. Steeple Hill mass market books tend to have a shorter shelf life, so you'll want to purchase mass market titles as soon as they become available.

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MISSOURI MEMORIES
with Deb's novella "Finally Home" (Barbour Books)

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BUY Over the Waters

OVER THE WATERS
(Steeple Hill Books 2005)
As "Dr. Botox" to the bored rich women of Chicago, plastic surgeon Max Jordan was shocked by the decision of his son, Joshua, to focus his medical talent on Haitian orphans. Embittered by Joshua's death, Max searches for resolution in the very place his son called home. The selfless labor of Joshua's coworkers stuns Max. He is particularly taken by American volunteer Valerie Austin, whose dream of a honeymoon on a tropical beach were crushed, replaced by a stint working in the impoverished orphanage. But Valerie's view of Joshua's sacrifice challenges everything Max has lived for. Now Max wonders if he can ever return to his "Max-a-Million" lifestyle, or if the doors to his gilded cage have finally opened.

AWARDS:
• 2005 RT BOOKclub Reviewers’ Choice nominee
• 2005 Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence finalist
• 2006 Inspirational Readers Choice, 2nd place
• 2006 ACFW Book of the Year, 2nd place

OVER THE WATERS will be issued in mass market size in May 2008
featuring a brand new epilogue with "the rest of the story."
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BUY A Nest of Sparrows

A NEST OF SPARROWS
(WaterBrook Press/Random House 2004)
Starr Parnell was the only woman Wade Sullivan ever loved. Now his fiancee's three children are all he has left. But when Starr's abusive ex-husband shows up claiming custody - and Wade's grieving heart is stirred by a compassionate social worker - he must learn when to fight, when to let go, and when to simply wait. A Nest of Sparrows is the tender story of a love that defies the odds.

A Nest of Sparrows won the HOLT Medallion and the More Than Magic Award in 2004 and was a finalist for the prestigious RITA Award.

AWARDS:
• 2004 HOLT Medallion winner
• 2004 More Than Magic Award
• 2004 RITA finalist
• 2004 National Readers Choice Award finalist
• 2004 Booksellers Best Award finalist
• 2004 Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence finalist
• 2004 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence finalist
• 2004 Golden Quill finalist
• 2004 ACFW Book of the Year, 3rd place

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BUY A Scarlet Cord

A SCARLET CORD
(WaterBrook Press/Random House 2003)
Managing the graphic arts firm of her former in-laws and caring for her 5-year-old daughter, widow Melanie LaSalle doesn't have time for a new relationship - until she meets Joel Ellington, a new staff member at her church. As their love blossoms, something doesn't seem quite right. Then, without warning, cash disappears from a church bank account, and Joel along with it. Can Melanie ever forget the man who opened her heart to love, the man her little girl had already begun to call Daddy?

A Scarlet Cord explores what life is like for an ordinary citizen hiding in the witness protection program.

AWARDS:
• 2003 Golden Quill Finalist
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BUY Playing by Heart

PLAYING BY HEART
(Barbour Books 2003)
When young novelist Madeline Houser is offered the sanctuary of a charming bed-and-breakfast in which to write while her kitchen is suffering a remodeling, she gladly accepts. The owner of the inn, 40-year-old English professor Arthur Tyler, is not home during the day, but his lonely cat Alex is, so the situation is ideal for each of them. The arrangement has been coordinated by their spry octogenarian friend, Ginny Ross. Arthur and Madeline have never met, but a wonderful correspondence begins through the daily notes they leave each other. But because Art and Maddie each believe the other to be Ginny's elderly friend, finding love with each other is the furthest thing from their minds.

Playing by Heart was conceived one autumn when Deborah went away to write at a bed and breakfast while on a tight deadline.

AWARDS:
• 2003 National Readers Choice Award Best Novella
• 2004 ACFW Book of the Year Award
• 2004 Christy Award Finalist
• 2003 HOLT Medallion Finalist

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BUY Beneath a Southern Sky

BENEATH A SOUTHERN SKY
(WaterBrook Press/Random House 2001)
After two years serving as a missionary in a remote area of South America, Daria Camfield has returned to the States to mourn her husband, reportedly killed while providing medical aid to a neighboring Colombian village. At first, Daria finds comfort only in the daughter born to her after Nate’s tragic death. As she begins to heal, she also finds a listening ear and a tender heart in her new boss, veterinarian Colson Hunter. Determined to move forward with life, Daria ignores the still small voice calling her to wait and accepts Cole’s marriage proposal. But after the wedding, Daria’s new dream life turns into a nightmare with the arrival of an unbelievable telegram:“Nathan Camfield found alive. Flying into K.C. Int’l. via Bogota…” Now two men have the right to her daughter, her life, and her love.

Beneath a Southern Sky, winner of the 2002 RITA Award, has a sequel, After the Rains, which continues the story of Natalie Camfield as she grows into a young woman.

AWARDS:
• 2002 RITA Award from RWA
• 2002 Inspirational Readers' Choice Award
• A Book of the Year for American Christian Romance Writers
• 2001 Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award
• 2002 HOLT Medallion Finalist
• 2002 Aspen Gold Award, 2nd place
• Also named one of the Top 10 Fiction books of 2001
in christianbook.com's Fiction Newsletter, Dec. 26, 2001

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BUY After the Rains

AFTER THE RAINS
(WaterBrook Press/Random House 2002)
Long ago, Natalie’s mother faced an agonizing choice between the two people she loved most, and the difficult resolution to her predicament affects Natalie throughout her young life–fueling a season of teenage rebellion that results in tragedy. As a young woman, Natalie attempts to put her troubles behind her, ultimately finding solace in the arms of a man with close ties to the tragedy. Yet neither time nor love can liberate her from the past. Determined to confront her terrible guilt, Natalie embarks on a journey that will take her thousands of miles from home and straight into the life and heart of a man unlike any she has ever known. Confronted with a decision that echoes the one her mother faced so many years before, Natalie must confront the sins of her past before her heart will be free to find its home.

After the Rains is the sequel to Beneath a Southern Sky, continuing the story of Natalie Camfield as she grows into a young woman.

AWARDS:
• 2003 American Christian Romance Writers Book of the Year
• First Place Blue Boa Award Inspirational Fiction
• A Book of the Year for American Christian Romance Writers
• 2002 Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice nominee
• Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence finalist
• Also named one of the Top 20 Fiction books of 2002
in christianbook.com's Fiction Newsletter, Dec. 27, 2002
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NEW! MARCH 2008:
LEAVING NOVEMBER A Clayburn Novel (Howard Books/Simon & Schuster)

COMING FEBRUARY 2009:
INSIGHT (Steeple Hill)

COMING MARCH 2009:
YESTERDAY'S EMBERS A Clayburn Novel (Howard Books/Simon & Schuster)

COMING DECEMBER 2009:
ABOVE ALL THINGS (Steeple Hill)

ALSO BY DEBORAH RANEY
Fiction:
CURRIER & IVES CHRISTMAS with Deb's novella, "A Circle of Blessings" (Barbour 2002)
The artistry of renowned lithographers Currier & Ives captures the beauty and nostalgia of simpler days and Christmases past. Yet, while a picture may be worth a thousand words, there are times when even the best illustrations leave viewers with a yearning to know more. These seasonal, historical love stories delve deep inside the artists' portrayals to imagine the untold tales behind each wintry scene. (A special hardcover collector's edition is also available.)

A VOW TO CHERISH (Bethany House 1999, 1996 out of print, please order 2006 or 2007 mass market editions from Steeple Hill Books.) Now available on video in English and Spanish, and on DVD in 7 languages. Order from World Wide Pictures

KINDRED BOND (Bethany House 1998, out of print)
For Claire Anderson, landing a teaching job in Hanover Falls is the realization of a long-held dream. In this loving community she attempts to cast aside the memories of her troubled childhood. Michael Meredith finds worth as a nursing home administrator until an unwelcome investigation concerning suspicious deaths among the residents threatens his career. In the midst of this crisis, the linking of Claire's and Michael's lives seems a gift. Until an agonizing secret is revealed that threatens to destroy their love.

IN THE STILL OF NIGHT (Bethany House 1997, out of print)
Anna Marquette accompanies her husband on a business trip to Orlando. A terrifying encounter there will forever change their lives. Anna and Paul’s love for God and for each other faces the ultimate test, and for a season the painful choice they must make wrenches them from each other's arms. Can even this give new meaning to their love?

Non-fiction:
MORE CHILDREN'S SERMONS TO GO (Abingdon Press 2001)
CHILDREN'S SERMONS TO GO (Abingdon Press 1998)
both written with Deb's sister, Vicky Miller

Contributor to:
THE ONE-YEAR LIFE VERSE DEVOTIONAL (Tyndale House 2007)
INTIMATE ENCOUNTERS WITH GOD (Honor Books 2003)
THE STORYTELLERS' COLLECTION-Tales from Home (Multnomah 2001)
THE STORYTELLERS' COLLECTION-Tales of Faraway Places (Multnomah 2000)
TEATIME STORIES FOR MOTHERS (Honor/River Oak 2001)
TEATIME STORIES FOR WOMEN (Honor Books 2000)

Contributor to these books on the craft of writing:
WRITING THE CHRISTIAN ROMANCE (Writer's Digest Books 2007)
THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO WRITING CHRISTIAN FICTION (Alpha 207)
THE NEW WRITER'S HANDBOOK (Scarletta Press 2007)
YOU CAN MARKET YOUR BOOK (ACW Press 2003)

Featured in:
LET GOD SURPRISE YOU by Heather Whitestone McCallum (Zondervan 2003)
BEHIND THE STORIES by Diane Eble (Bethany House 2002)

Autographed books (including out-of-print books)
may be ordered through Signed by the Author.com

NOTE TO READERS: There has been some confusion about a non-fiction book, Someday a Blessing, by an author also writing under the name of Deborah Raney. This is that author's only title to date, so any other books or articles with a Deborah Raney byline were probably written by the author featured on this Web site.

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ABOUT DEBORAH:

Deborah Raney

From the moment Deborah Raney opened the cover of "Tip and Mitten" in first grade, she has loved to read. Growing up on a farm in Kansas, she was inspired by Laura Ingalls Wilder’s "Little House on the Prairie" series, and first tried her hand at novel writing at the age of twelve. But after accidentally putting airplanes in a story set in the 1700s, she tore up her manuscript in frustration and vowed never to write historical fiction again. More than a quarter of a century passed before she dared to attempt another book.

"Debbie" in first grade,
Tip and Mitten days

After spending two happy decades as an at-home mom to two sons and two daughters, Deborah finally began work on her first novel––a contemporary story––after an intriguing discussion about Alzheimer's disease with her husband, Ken, and their young teenagers. Drawing on her experiences working in a New York nursing home early in her marriage, she crafted a fictional account of one family's struggle with Alzheimer's disease. A VOW TO CHERISH was published by Bethany House Publishers in 1996 and won an Angel Award from Excellence in Media. It has been translated into the Swedish, Danish and Norwegian languages, and is also available in a hardcover large-print edition from Thorndike Press. Steeple Hill Books recently released an update and expanded version of the book.

A VOW TO CHERISH was the inspiration for World Wide Pictures' highly acclaimed film of the same title. The made-for-television movie aired in 200 major markets in September 1999 and again in December 2004. The film won a Silver Angel, a bronze Omni Award and a Gold Special Jury Award at the WorldFest Houston International Film Festival. It is now available on video and on DVD in seven languages. See photos of the Hollywood PREMIERE of A VOW TO CHERISH Ken and Deborah attended in June 1999.

Deb takes a break in her writing studio

Deborah's novel, OVER THE WATERS, came out with Steeple Hill Books in October 2005. The story was inspired by her parents' work with a children's home near Port au Prince, Haiti. Publishers Weekly said of her 2004 novel, A NEST OF SPARROWS (WaterBrook Press/Random House), "In this thoughtful novel by Raney...multifaceted characters and a fresh story line keep the pages turning. Raney intertwines poignant moments with genuine humor... This is one of Raney's best novels..."

Deborah's novels have also won the RITA Award, the National Readers Choice Award, The HOLT Medallion, the Inspirational Readers Choice Contest, and numerous other awards. PLAYING BY HEART (Barbour Books 2004) was a Christy Award finalist. Deborah is currently at work on her fourteenth novel. She is a contributor to The Charis Connection and with her eldest daughter, Tobi Layton, writes a monthly column for crosswalk.com on the topic of marriage. Deborah has also written essays and articles for such publications as Christian Parenting Today, Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion, Writer's Digest's Writing Success, Welcome Home, and Mom-To-Mom. Deborah's biography is featured in Diane Eble's book, BEHIND THE STORIES (Bethany House Publishers 2002).

Deborah writes from her home in a small Kansas town, where her husband works as an artist and advertising manager. The Raneys have a teenager at home, three grown children and two little grandsons.

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Take a tour of Deb's writing studio

WELCOME to my studio! After writing my first novel at our kitchen table, and others in the bedroom and various corners of our living room, I'm delighted to finally have my very own office. I never minded having my desk in the hub of the house, and in fact, I once vowed that even if we lived in a mansion, I'd never move my little makeshift office out of our living room. Good thing it's a woman's prerogative to change her mind, because I love this sunny, colorful room and the painted farmhouse table that serves as my desk.

My Dad built this reference desk for me a few years ago, and I don't know how I ever wrote without it! It's so nice to have my dictionary, thesaurus, and other reference books within arm's reach and at just the right angle. There's also room for my printer on the top shelf, and some writing awards on the bottom shelf (to remind me what my priorities should be?)

Above the desk, a crowded bulletin board holds photos of my family—my husband and our four kids, our grandsons, parents, siblings, nieces, nephews and family friends. This bulletin board serves as my visual prayer list, and another reminder of where my priorities should be.

One corner of my office holds a cozy overstuffed chair complete with a fluffy pillow and a warm afghan—a great place to take an afternoon nap, or for my husband or our teenage daughter to plop for a visit after work or school. My husband's beautiful artwork is framed over my chair—and throughout our home.

I write on my trusty MacBook Pro laptop, so if I ever need a change of scenery, I can easily move my office out onto the front porch or...

...the sunny back deck.

My flowerpots are a tempting distraction in the spring, but I love writing outdoors with my kitties—all three of them—snoozing beside me and the wind chimes making breezy music.

Inside or out, I love my office spaces. A room of my own, and a room with a view. It just doesn't get much better than this.

I always have an IdeaBoard tacked up near my desk with photos of my characters and where they live, along with other things that remind me of the themes of my novel.

For three years now, I've had my own dedicated office—and I love it. My office is where my writing day begins every weekday morning.

But more and more, I find myself bringing my laptop out to our sunny kitchen mid-morning. I like being in the hub of the house. Writing from my tall bar stool at the counter I can see out the window to watch for the mail carrier or the UPS and Fed-Ex guys. I can keep an eye on the weather, and enjoy our front porch cat as she observes the world from her perch on the window sill. I'm close to the coffee maker and (sadly) the refrigerator.

My first novel was written at our kitchen table, but where we lived then it was our only table, meaning before we could eat supper each evening, I had to fold up my timeline graph and put away all my research books and notepads so we could fit our family of six around the dinner table. Now, I feel like I've come full circle—back to the kitchen again.

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A Vow to Cherish Hollywood Premiere!

Click on photo for a slideshow presentation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Deb's writing studio early morning

Q: What motivates you to keep writing day after day?
Well, the most honest answer to that is that sometimes I don't feel very motivated. But when God gives you a gift and you dedicate it back to Him, then He also gives you the desire and motivation to use that gift to His glory. Also, I hear from readers every week who have been touched and blessed by the words I've written. That is an incredible encouragement and motivation!

Q: If you could be working on your dream project today, what writing project would that be?
I feel like I am writing exactly the kind of novels I want to write already, so in a sense I’m living my dream. The only thing that would make my dream come any 'truer' would be a chance for my husband and I to live in Europe for several months so that I could write a novel in that beautiful setting.

Q: Where do your ideas come from, and how much of your own personality and life experiences are in your writing?
Because I write contemporary stories, many of my scenes are drawn from my own life experiences. (This is one reason that I'm certain I could not have written my novels when I was in my twenties!) I like issues-based stories and dilemmas. My first novel tells the story of a family dealing with Alzheimer's Disease and a husband's struggle to remain true to his wife. Although no one in my immediate family has suffered from the disease, I worked with many Alzheimer's patients early in my marriage as an assistant to an occupational therapist. The experience was invaluable to my understanding of the topic. Other novels I've written have begun with the tiny seed of an idea from a newspaper article or a newscast or an overheard conversation. It just seems natural to me to hear an unusual story and begin asking "what if?" And of course, the natural progression is "what if this happened to me? How would I respond?" So, in that sense, every ounce of my personality goes into my writing!

Q: Why do you write inspirational fiction (as opposed to mainstream)?
I actually wrote both a mainstream and an inspirational version of my first novel, A Vow to Cherish, and had contract offers for both versions. But in the end, I began to realize that my story could not be told in a true and helpful way without boldly using the name of God and especially the name of my Lord, Jesus Christ. I decided that I would write the story from my heart, from my own faith experiences and leave it up to the Lord to get it in the hands of unbelievers if He so desired. Judging by the amazing response that World Wide Pictures reports the film version of A Vow to Cherish has had, I guess He 'so desired'!

Q: How do you juggle writing along with all your other responsibilities?
Well, if I'm totally honest, I have to admit that my "other responsibilities" sometimes go by the wayside! The first thing I learned as a writer is that houses do not have to be dusted and vacuumed weekly (at times mine has gone over a month without anyone complaining!) I also have a very understanding and supportive family who doesn't mind eating pizza or hamburgers three nights a week when I'm on deadline, and who have been wonderful to pitch in with the housework and errands when I'm in the throes of completing a book. But I also want to make it clear that my most important and most joyful job continues to be that of wife and mom. I realized early on that the season of our children’s' childhood would be so very short. I feel privileged to have been able to stay home full-time with my kids. I'm here to testify that although the glamour and fulfillment of writing are everything I hoped they would be, nothing in my life has compared to the adventure of raising children and the joy of having four beautiful kids call me "Mom." That said, our whole family did definitely make some adjustments in order to accommodate my writing career. When I got my first royalty check, I started sending all the ironing out, and not long ago, my husband treated me to the luxury of someone to clean my house every three weeks (believe me, if I ever strike it rich, a full-time housekeeper will be one of my first investments!) I've become a master at the art of delegation, and the Schwan man (a frozen food delivery service) is one of my best friends!

Deb's writing studio mid-day

Q: How do you handle rejections?
Not very well! But my husband actually paved the way for me to understand that rejection is just part of the writer's life. Ken is a children's book illustrator/author and was rejected more than 80 times before his first book was finally picked up by a publisher. I learned from his experience that just because you receive a rejection letter, it doesn't necessarily mean your work is no good. Getting published is very much about being the right person in the right place at the right time with the right manuscript on the right editor's desk in the right publishing house! That's a LOT of 'rights' that have to line up! But I fully believe that if God gave you a story to write, in His perfect time, that story will find its intended audience – be it bookstore customers or perhaps great-grandchildren! It is a rare author who has never received a rejection slip, so I advise would-be writers to collect those rejections proudly and display them as evidence that they are working towards a career in writing. After all, getting a rejection letter is proof positive that you wrote something, had the wherewithal to put together a proposal package, and the guts to send it out! Many, many (maybe most?) aspiring writers never get even that far in the process!

Q: What do you believe are keys to writing inspirational fiction?
I think something that might not seem obvious is the level of subtlety required. No reader – regardless of how strong their faith - wants to be hit over the head with the "religious" applications of a story. Just as a living and vital faith is a natural, integrated part of the life of a strong Christian, so should elements of faith be well integrated into our stories. Along with that, it is important to readers to identify with the characters in a book. No one can identify with a sinless character. But having said that, it is important that our readers see that our characters are empowered by their faith to do the right thing, or are redeemed by their faith when they have done the wrong thing.

Q: Which comes first when you write - story, characters, or setting?
Although I have a reputation as an author of "character-driven" stories, when I am plotting a novel - when the idea for a book first comes - it's always in the form of a situation, a dilemma with which my characters will be faced. After I have the plot ideas firmly in mind, then I begin to learn to know the characters who will people my story. Setting, for me, is purely a matter of convenience! I don't enjoy the research aspects of writing nearly as much as the actual storytelling, so I purposely set my stories in the Midwest, write about topics I'm already somewhat knowledgeable about, etc. Of course, there is still an enormous amount of research that goes into any novel, regardless of how much you subscribe to the write-what-you-know maxim.

Q: What process do you go through in coming up with your main characters? (For example: their looks, mannerisms, backgrounds)
It might sound strange, but my characters seem to "make themselves known to me" as I plot. I usually give them an arbitrary birthday and a bit of background history (some of which the reader never learns - it's simply a vehicle to help me know my character better, and thus write true to that character.) Sometimes I've been thinking about a character for a certain story and I'll be leafing through a magazine or reading a newspaper and suddenly, there he or she is staring back at me from a laundry soap ad or a news story. I clip that photo out and work from there. But having said that, I've never really liked book covers that show clear pictures of the hero and heroine. I prefer a silhouette or back view or even a type-only cover. As a reader I'd much rather put the faces to the characters as I go, and I'm always glad when the designers of my book covers give readers of my novels the same freedom!

Deb's writing studio at night

Q: What have you learned that you wish you’d known at the beginning of your career?
I wish I had studied the basics of writing more before I tore into my first novel! I truly had no idea that there were rules to writing. My first editor, Sharon Asmus at Bethany House, was a wonderful teacher who helped me learn some of those rules. But I've gleaned so much in the past eight years from studying books on writing, networking and brainstorming with other authors, sitting under the watchful eye of great editors, etc. that I sometimes look back on my first attempts at writing and cringe!

Q: What does your husband think of your writing?
My husband is my biggest supporter and encourager. Ken reads all my books (although he refuses to be seen in public reading a book with a typical romance cover!) He is my best sounding board when I'm stumped about my plot or characters and we often discuss books we've read or are writing ourselves. Ken is an illustrator and author of children's books, so he understands and appreciates the rather unconventional life of a writer.

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Recommended Author

She Always
Wore Red

by Angela Hunt

Jennifer Graham—mother, student, and embalmer’s apprentice—could use a friend. She finds one in McLane Larson, a newcomer to Mt. Dora. While McLane’s soldier-husband serves overseas, Jen promises to support McLane, then learns that her tie to this woman goes far deeper than friendship. When a difference of opinion threatens their relationship, Jennifer discovers weaknesses in her own character . . . and a faith far stronger than she had imagined.

A Romantic Times Top Pick! “Be prepared to shed a few tears in Hunt’s emotionally gripping tale, the second in the Fairlawn series. With themes of family, friendship, and trusting God, the plot is enhanced by realistic and engaging characters. Jennifer’s growth as a character is evident, and the supporting cast enhances the story in a significant way. “

~Melissa Parcels, Romantic Times reviewer

An Interview with Angela Hunt:

Q: What's up with the funky photo?
A: Tee hee. It's my "serious author" photo. I snapped it myself, sitting at my computer. Notice the funereal pose.

Q: The first book in this series is Doesn't She Look Natural? Do people have to read the first book in order to understand the second? (And congratulations on the Christy Award nomination for that title!)
A. Thank you--I'm honored. And no, people don't have to read the first book first, though it's always nice to read the books in order to get a sense of the story and background. But all the books will work as single title reads.

Q: The Fairlawn series is set in a funeral home. Did you observe the embalming process in your research? Or just read about it/interview morticians? It's fascinating. (Although I'm sure some folks with non-medical backgrounds are a bit grossed out by it!) Believe it or not, I had always wondered about getting the clothes on; that was an "aha" moment in the first book!
A. Unfortunately, with the advent of all the new privacy laws (HIPPA, anyone?), I was unable to observe an embalming--and believe me, I was ready and willing. So most of my research came from books, photographs, and interviews (and once you announce that you're working on funeral homes, morticians seem to come out of the woodwork!)

It just so happens that one of my Tyndale editors grew up in a funeral home. She has been a great asset--she gave me the idea for the funny flower arrangements and the funeral singers, plus I had written a scene in book three where Jen and Gerald sit down to eat a steak in the prep room. My editor said that didn't feel right. "Too weird?" I asked. "No," she said. "There's always an odor in that room . . . not very appetizing."

Ah. That's the sort of thing you can't always get from a book. :-/

I certainly hope the embalming stuff didn't gross anyone out, and I tried to ease my readers into it just as Jen is herself "eased" into it. Book one--the barest trace, book two, a complete description of an arterial embalming, book three, the cavity embalming. And frankly, that's as far as I want to take it. Any more would be gross for grossness's sake.

Q: Did you and your editors disagree over how much of the body preparation process was acceptable to include? I ask because I find all that sort of thing fascinating, and I think that I would include far more than most people would care to read, initially.
A. Actually, the embalming you "see" is the embalming I put in. :-) After 20 years in this business, I think I've developed a pretty good instinct for knowing how much is too much. And you can be descriptive in a way that is clinical rather than gross (" She searched for the carotid artery" as opposed to "her stomach clenched as her gloved fingers eased into the warm opening and she tried not to think of fish guts"). So actually, none of my editors ever remarked on the level of detail . . . and none of my readers have complained. Yet. :-)

Q. How has working on this series changed your attitude about death?
A. I'm utterly at peace about it--not in a hurry to pass on, you understand, but very relaxed about the process and my final destination. Doing research has also convinced me that I want to be buried, not cremated, and that I'd be better off buying my casket online.

Q: Can you give us a hint about what happens in the third and final Fairlawn book?
A. Sure. People die and Jennifer buries most of them. It's a funeral plot.

Q: Groan. That's not much of a hint.
A: I don't like to give all the plot twists away! Okay, here's a blurb from the back cover copy (yes, the book is finished and handed in): In She's In a Better Place, the third book of the Fairlawn series, Jennifer Graham is now running the Fairlawn Funeral Home. Her work takes on a new dimension when Gerald Huffman, her assistant and mentor, reveals that he has a serious illness. When she learns that he and his daughter haven’t spoken in years, Jen decides to help them reconcile . . . but things don’t go exactly as she planned. Once again, the mortuary is a setting for lessons of laughter, love, and life.

Q: The setting--a funeral home--is unique, but these books are really about the typical challenges that face women today, right?
A: Oh, yes. Jennifer is a single mom juggling school, motherhood, and a career--and I think most modern women can relate to her. I certainly can.

Q: Anything else you want to add?
A. (whispering) I think you're supposed to ask where they can order it.

Q: Right--where can people order this book?
A: Thanks for asking! You can order it from your favorite online bookstore. Or, to make it simple, just click here.

For more information, visit www.angelahuntbooks.com.

My favorite "office" in the world...

Thanks to my wonderful husband, who has created a haven in our back yard, and thanks to the Lord, who provides some beautiful weather here in Kansas, I have a second "office"—one I can escape to and feel almost as if I were on vacation.

View from the deck

Every morning April through October, if the weather is nice enough, I bring my laptop out to the deck to write...until sun or wind or rain forces me inside. Having such a pretty place to write makes even those stressful deadline crunches downright pleasant.

Stones from Grandpa's pasture

There is still much my husband plans to do to our back yard, but already he has a trio of garden hills thriving, including a rock garden made from sandstone Ken and my dad hauled in from Ken's 97-year-old grandpa's pastureland in the Smoky Hills of Kansas.

Favorite "office" chair

Ken planted wildflowers and native prairie grasses along the back fence, and things sprouted like mad in the spring. In the summer, we enjoy strolling through the yard each morning to see what's bloomed overnight, but even in the winter, the garden has a special beauty under a dusting of snow. The seasons are one of my favorite things about living in Kansas, and though I miss my outdoor office when the weather turns cold, the thought of returning to my special spot on the deck gives me something to look forward to during winter's long days.

For more photos of our garden, click here.

H Go back to www.deborahraney.com

2008-2009 Calendar

H Go back to www.deborahraney.com
2008
JANUARY
4-6 - Novelists retreat in Kansas City (Kansas City authors' retreat)
26 - Keynote Women's Retreat at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hutchinson, KS

FEBRUARY
15 - Keynote Ladies' Morning Coffee at Schowalter Villa, Hesston, KS

MARCH
1 - Release of Leaving November from Howard Books/Simon & Schuster
7-8 - ACFW Spring Board Meeting, Minneapolis, MN
8 - Open House Reception for Gary & Carol Johnson, Bethany House Publishers

11 - Book signing at Lincoln Perk, Hesston, KS

13-18 - On faculty Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference, Mount Hermon, CA
28 - First draft of Yesterday's Embers due at Howard/Simon & Schuster

APRIL
9 - Keynote Life Enrichment Program, Bethel College, Newton, KS
14-18 - Gideon Media Arts Conference and Film Festival, Ridgecrest, NC
30 - Keynote Mother-Daughter event at Anthony United Methodist Church, Anthony, KS

MAY
1 - Over the Waters releases in mass market format with all-new epilogue
10 - Keynote Hesston Mennonite Brethren Mother-Daughter-Friend Brunch, Hesston, KS
18-22 - On faculty/keynote Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, Ridgecrest, NC

31 - Book Club Event in Lindsborg, KS

JUNE
10 - Book Club Event with St. Luke Presbyterian Women, Newton, KS
13 - Book Club Event at Perfect Peace, Wichita, KS
14 - Book signing at Body & Soul, McPherson, KS
21 - ACFW WIN Mini-conference, Tulsa, OK

JULY
10-12 - ChiLibris Authors Retreat, Orlando, FL
12 - The Christy Awards dinner, Orlando, FL
13-15 - International Christian Retail Show, Orlando, FL

AUGUST
1 - First draft of Above All Things due to Steeple Hill
1 - Speak to Words For The Journey Christian Writers Guild, Barnes & Noble, The Woodlands, TX
2 - On faculty, Texas Christian Writers Conference, Houston, TX

SEPTEMBER
17-21 - On faculty, American Christian Fiction Writers Conference, Minneapolis, MN
20 - Book signing at Mall of America, Minneapolis, MN

OCTOBER
1-31 - Co-teach ACFW online course with Tamera Alexander
5-9 - To be announced (Autumn in the Mountains?)
23-24 - To be announced (Kansas authors brainstorming retreat)

NOVEMBER
13 - Keynote "A Walk Through the World of Publishing" at Hutchinson Public Library, Hutchinson, KS

2009
JANUARY
2-4 - To be announced (Kansas City authors' retreat?)

FEBRUARY
1 - Release of Insight from Steeple Hill Books

MARCH
1 - Release of Yesterday's Embers (Clayburn Novel #3) from Howard/Simon & Schuster
20-22 - Christian Book Expo in Dallas

JULY
9-12 - ChiLibris Authors Retreat, Denver, CO
13-14 - International Christian Retail Show, Denver, CO

SEPTEMBER
16-20 - On faculty, American Christian Fiction Writers Conference, location TBA

DECEMBER
1 - Release of Above All Things from Steeple Hill Books

H Go back to www.deborahraney.com

Raney Family Photos

H Go back to www.deborahraney.com

How can you help promote a new book?

I'm often asked by my faithful readers and friends who've received promotional copies of my book or who've enjoyed my books and just want to get the word out to others, “How can I help promote your book?”

Oh, thank you for offering! There are so many ways to help spread the word and start a "buzz" about a new book and you'll never know how much the author appreciates readers who do that!

Not everyone will feel comfortable or have the means to drop leaflets while parachuting from an airplane, but on the list below, you’ll find at least one thing that will be a perfect fit with the ways God has gifted you.

•Write a review for the book on online bookstores such as:
http://www.amazon.com
http://www.barnesandnoble.com
http://www.christianbook.com

•Write a review at one of the many online book review sites, including:
http://www.acfw.com/bookreviews.shtml
http://www.faithfulreader.com/wom/wom.asp
http://www.epinions.com

•At http://www.christianbook.com you can recommend books via an e-mail link that will take your friends right to the page of the book you’re promoting.

•Recommend the book as a featured title for an area book discussion group. This is especially appropriate if the book has discussion questions in the back.

•Start a discussion about the book on your blog or on e-mail loops you’re a part of.

•If you have a website or write a newsletter, consider featuring novels you’ve read and enjoyed.

•Add the book to your list of favorites on myspace, facebook, or other online communities.

•After reading and reviewing the book, give it away as a prize in a drawing on your website or blog.

•If you have a unique perspective—for instance, personal experience with the book’s topic, a man offering a male perspective for a women’s fiction book, etc.—offer your insights in venues that might not ordinarily hear about the book.

•Donate your influencer copy to your public library or church library when you’re finished reading it. Better yet, share your copy in other ways and buy a second copy for the library.

•Print out a review you’ve written, or other reviews of the book and give them to your public or church librarians for consideration.

•Offer to distribute bookmarks and/or postcards for the author or publisher. Public libraries, church libraries, bookstores and gift shops are usually happy to have giveaways on their counters.

•Ask your church if you could tuck postcards or bookmarks in the morning service bulletin some Sunday.

•Place bookmarks or postcards about the book at each place setting as favors for a luncheon or banquet.

•Hang out in your local bookstore and “hand sell” the book by talking it up to customers shopping in the fiction department.

•Talk to the clerks in any bookstores and libraries you visit and ask if they carry the book. If not give them a short book report and recommend they order a few copies.

•When visiting bookstores, do a little creative rearranging to turn the book face out on the shelves. Use good judgment and don’t hide one book to promote another. Also keep in mind that in some stores front-table space is paid for by the publisher, so don’t “steal.”

•Offer to write a book review for your church newsletter, neighborhood newspaper or any other printed source that might reach readers.

•At your next women’s retreat, volunteer to organize a book table, where you will feature the book.

•Offer to organize a blog tour for the author, setting up a week when numerous blogs will feature the book and interviews with the author.

•When you’re finished with the book, tuck it into a gift basket for someone who is ill or in the hospital; or take it to your next dinner party as a hostess gift.

•Leave the book in a waiting room where someone with a few extra minutes might start reading it.

•Prison ministries are always looking for wholesome books to distribute. Check out groups like Prison Book Project.

•Word-of-mouth is still probably the number one way books hit bestseller lists, so simply start conversations about the book. Tell your friends and family what you’ve been reading and why you enjoyed it so much.

•Drop leaflets as you parachute out of a plane. (Thanks to Karen Wevick for this MOST creative idea! Even though, come to find out, Karen is a member in good standing of the Big Honkin’ Chicken Club and wouldn’t agree to actually follow through on her suggestion. LOL!)

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IF YOU LIKE... THEN YOU MIGHT LIKE....

B.J. Hoff, author of the Mountain Song Legacy series from Harvest House (and many other wonderful novels) has put together one of those "If you like _____, then try _____" lists as a way of introducing readers to some of the best in Christian fiction. I've read something from almost every author on both sides of the list, and B.J.'s comparisons are spot on:

If you like Philippa Gregory, Diana Gabaldon, and Sara Donati, try Liz Curtis Higgs, Jane Kirkpatrick, and Lynn Austin.

If you like Sophie Kinsella and Marian Keyes, try Kristin Billerbeck and Trish Perry.

If you like John Grisham, Harlan Coben, and Robert Parker, try James Scott Bell, Alton Gansky, and Brandt Dodson.

If you like Luanne Rice, Richard Paul Evans, Nicholas Sparks, and Anita Shreve, try Deborah Raney, Karen Kingsbury, Karen Ball, and Robin Lee Hatcher.

If you like Jodi Picoult, try Angela Hunt.

If you like John Jakes, try Jack Cavanaugh.

If you like Harper Lee and Dorothea Benton Frank, try Jamie Langston Turner and Ann Tatlock.

If you like Anne Tyler and Alice Hoffman, try Lisa Samson and Patty Hickman.

If you like Pat Conroy and Leif Enger, try Athol Dickson and W. Dale Cramer.

If you like Julie Garwood and Debbie Macomber, try Lori Copeland and Diann Mills.

If you like Mary Higgins Clark, Sue Grafton, Tami Hoag, and Kathy Reichs, try Colleen Coble, Terri Blackstock, Brandilyn Collins, and Dee Henderson.

If you like L.B. Graham and C.S. Lewis, try Karen Hancock and Kathy Tyers.

And please don't forget B.J. Hoff's wonderful stories about Irish immigrants! B.J.'s writing has the flavor of two of my favorite all-time authors, the late Eugenia Price and Catherine Marshall. This is a wonderful list whether you are new to Christian fiction or not.

Wren's Peaches-and-Cream Cheesecake

PEACHES-AND-CREAM CHEESECAKE
from Wren's Nest

Wren's Nest is the fictional bed-and-breakfast that provides a warm haven for my characters in Remember to Forget, the first of the Clayburn Novels. Proprietor Wren Johannsen just happens to serve a delicious cheesecake that is a Raney family favorite! Here, by popular demand, is the recipe.

Crust:
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 large package vanilla cook-and-serve pudding mix (not instant)
3 Tblsp. salted butter
1 egg
1/2 cup milk

• Beat until smooth and thick, and pour in bottom of well-greased 10-inch quiche pan.

Fruit filling:
1 29-oz. can sliced peaches, drained

• Arrange fan-style on top of batter, leaving about 1/2 inch from the edge.

Cream Topping:
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tblsp. orange juice
• Beat for 2 minutes and spread over peaches, leaving 1/2 space all around edge.

Sprinkle topping with:
Mixture of 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon

•Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until crust around edge is golden.
•Cool and chill for several hours before serving. Keeps for several days and is great as a breakfast coffee cake.
•VARIATIONS: Instead of peaches, spread one can of blueberry or cherry pie filling over crust.