Meet Kathy Fox Vancil

Kathy Fox Vancil loves to tell other people’s stories. As a teenager, she discovered libraries offered recorded books for visually impaired people and realized someone had to read those books. Why not her? She discovered her acting chops in high school, refined her skills in the Ball State University theatre department, dabbled in radio, taught public speaking and performed in community theatre productions. She listened to various audiobook narrators in an attempt to learn how they brought characters and scenes to life using only their voices. Many years later, after “retiring” from being a missionary pastor’s wife, she finally delved into narration and discovered pure joy in playing all the parts. Kathy focuses on Christian and historical fiction, mysteries and non-fiction. She and her husband, Ted, live in northern Minnesota and serve as full-time staff to their elderly cat, Maggie.

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HALLIE: First of all, Kathy, thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to chat with me. I know my readers are going to be thrilled to get to know you!

Without a doubt, my first question has to be: What the heck? You're not from the south? With that accent? I can't believe you live in Minnesota, which is, BTW, on the opposite side of the country from Shady Gully, Louisiana. Seriously, how did you learn to do such fantastic accents? And master those regional inflections the way you do?

KATHY: Ya, you betcha I live in Minnesota now, but I grew up in Indiana which gave me access to a variety of regional accents around the midwest. My ear has always been especially tuned to the softer sounds of the South. While studying theatre, we acting students would sit around playing with all kinds of accents and dialects just for fun, and the habit stuck with me. Several years ago, I met a man from Georgia and made sure to sit close to him every time I could just to listen to him talk. What a lovely, genteel voice he had! Recently, I embarrassed my husband by recording two elderly Norwegian brothers in our local cafe hoping to capture their incredible pacing, inflection and euphemisms. It's plain fun for me to listen and try to mimic the way different people speak.

HALLIE: I love that! Hilarious. All you need now is an author to write a novel with Norwegian characters. Hmmmmmm. Maybe Dolly, Jesse, and James have some evil cousins from Norway who travel to Shady Gully for a visit. LOL. Stay tuned!

In all seriousness, you're a gifted narrator. It's clear your passion for accents comes into play in your work. As I listen to the Shady Gully books, I find myself holding my breath...even though I know what's coming. Your narration is powerful. What is your process? Do you read the book first and then mull over the characters for a while to determine how you want to portray them? 

KATHY: I guess I work on narration the same way I work on a role for a stage play. I do read the book first, but I skim it rather than reading each word. I look for what the characters say about themselves, about each other, and what the narrator of the piece adds to the descriptions. I take notes so that I know sex, age, background, life experiences, where is the character from, etc. Then I consider who the characters are and what kind of voices they have. Here is where I have to be careful. If I give a male voice a really rough edge, I have to make sure I can sustain that voice over the course of the book. For instance, I could not have done Madhawk's voice if he was a main character with whole chapters of his own. My own voice would likely have not lasted. Regarding the things that happen to the characters, well that's voice acting. You, Hallie, write wonderful scenes involving characters that I care about. You've already put them into humorous or dramatic situations that I then get to act out with my voice using the words you've put into their minds and mouths. You make my job so much easier, and I wish you'd write stage plays!

HALLIE: I loved your portrayal of Madhawk! He was absolutely wicked! And I also enjoyed your take on Fireman. I don't know how you do it, switching back and forth like that. Sometimes when I'm writing, I try reading my sentences aloud, but after a few paragraphs my voice gets ragged. I can't imagine doing it all day long. How do you take care of your voice?  Do you drink honey tea? Or do you have a special potion to soothe your voice before you start recording?


KATHY: The most recording I can do in a day is maybe four hours, and that's with breaks. My voice will get ragged if I am nervous about someting I'm recording. I'll tighten up and that messes up the take. It's so much easier to get a good take if I relax, breathe and maybe sip some hot tea with honey if the vocal cords are really tight. I have no special potion, but I do stay away from dairy when I'm recording. Cream in my coffee will mess up my voice fast. I tend to not eat until I'm done recording for the day because I don't like having to edit out stomach grumbles. Microphones will pick up every single noise you don't want recorded for posterity.


HALLIE: I'm curious about where you record? Do you have a special office or a studio? 


KATHY:  A couple of years ago I turned a moving trailer into my studio. It's not a perfect solution, but it does give me privacy. I've used sound deadening materials on the walls, floor and desk to create a decent recording studio. Living in northern Minnesota, one challenge is keeping the place heated enough during winter months. I have to turn off the heater in order to record. Then when I'm resting between takes, I turn the heat back on so I don't freeze. I also keep a heating pad under my feet and that helps to keep me warm enough while recording so my teeth don't chatter. 
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HALLIE: Wow! Simply marching out to your studio on winter mornings takes a lot of will power and discipline! That's dedication!

As many books as you've read, and then narrated, have you ever considered writing one of your own? It's bound to be frustrating at times when an author takes a character in one direction, when you'd have preferred them go in another. Since you are quite literally the voice of the character, you're bound to have an emotional connection with them.

KATHY:  It is so true that I become emotionally connected with some of the characters I'm narrating. Your Shady Gully series has several characters I love dearly and am rooting for during the stories. It's also fun to read the "bad guys" too and get to play them. It's interesting to figure out where I think they are going and then have the author take them in a different direction. So far, I've not narrated a book in which I've deeply disagreed with what the author did with the characters. That day may come. Would I want to write my own books? I tried once and found the editing process agonizing. I have written several short stories and some short plays as well. I won't say no to writing, but right now I'm thoroughly enjoying narrating other people's stories.


HALLIE: Lastly, what happens when you mess up? Like if you sneeze or your phone rings or something?

KATHY: Me, mess up? Ha! It is a fact of life that I will mess up or the phone will ring or someone starts the lawn mower. Sometimes I get stuck on a phrase or word and have to do take after take. Editing is essential for what I do. Most listeners might be surprised if they heard raw recordings before editing and mastering takes place. Then there are times when something the author writes cracks me up. That happened in Wolfheart. I had to stop because I was laughing too hard. Another time, this was in Paint Me Fearless, I had to stop because I was crying over something happening to a character and I couldn't talk. If an author ever wants to know if their writing gets to someone, ask the narrator.

HALLIE: Do you have any special BLOOPERS you'd like to share with us?

KATHY:  I referred to cracking up during a scene in Wolfheart. Here it is.

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HALLIE: Hhahahahahaha!! That's the best! Thank you for sharing. And for being my guest on this month's FRIENDS of HALLIE newsletter! You are a treasure.

If you haven't listened to her audiobooks, check them out on Amazon or Audible by searching: Kathy Fox Vancil. 
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​Her amazing dramatizations of Paint Me Fearless and Wolfheart are linked below.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS TAKEN THE TIME TO OFFER ME ENCOURAGEMENT. WRITING IS DIFFICULT, AND I'M SO GRATEFUL WHEN SOMEONE TAKES THE TIME TO REACH OUT TO ME AFTER THEY'VE READ ONE OF MY BOOKS.

​CONGRATS to new FRIENDS of HALLIE subscriber, Amy Deville, who won this month's drawing. Remember, all new FRIENDS of HALLIE subscribers are automatically entered in the drawing! And if they win, and YOU referred them, you'll win a FREE ebook or audiobook as well!

Follow me EVERYWHERE and stay posted on all things Shady Gully!
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Stay Fearless,

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Hallie

So.....what do a beautiful, brilliant schoolteacher from California, a handsome, rugged man who recently retired from Law Enforcement, and a lovely, creative sixteen-year-old girl bursting with aspirations for the future, have in common?

Well, they’re all WRITERS TO WATCH in 2022, and they are HERE to introduce themselves to you in this month’s FRIENDS OF HALLIE Newsletter! 

Meet Elizabeth Jacobson 

Elizabeth, in her own words....

​I’m a math teacher, born and raised in California, but I have to admit that I spent many sunny days of my childhood holed up inside with my nose in a book (math was not my friend back then). Words spoke to me in a way that I couldn’t quite explain, and I still get that same childlike excitement for a good book now as I did then, so many years later.
I don’t remember a time when my mind wasn’t making up stories, trying desperately to mirror those books I so loved. First, it was sequels or continuations of books or even movies that I liked – but soon I couldn’t let go of the idea of creating stories of my own. I enjoyed uncovering the intricacies of characters that I loved so much; I knew I had to attempt it with characters of my own creation!
My first work was on a fantasy series, and later I began work on a science fiction series. These are in-progress works and I am excited to someday share them with you!
My first completed work was Not by Sight: The Story of Joseph, a historically-accurate retelling of the story of Joseph, his brothers, and his coat, from the Old Testament of the Bible. It is the first in a series of historically-accurate Bible retellings – with an emphasis on both faith and humanity.
As a Christian, I can say with confidence that my faith is the most important part of my life. But I know that no one can say with any truthfulness that they always follow through with everything they believe to be right. That’s human failing at work, and that is the reason Jesus came, after all.
And so I looked at that story of Joseph in the Bible, and instead of the unshakable (and rather unrealistic) pillar of faith so often presented, saw a real human with failing there, waiting to be explored.


Not by Sight: a novel of the patriarchs, will be released March 16, 2022, published by WordCrafts Press. 

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What could make a man turn to God when every event in his life screams that God has turned his back on him?

Beloved. Brilliant. Despised. Joseph, the eleventh son of the patriarch Jacob, had his father’s favor, and that was his downfall. Sold into Egypt by his enraged and jealous brothers, Joseph is left with nothing to cling to except the stories of his father’s God, a seemingly remote and unreachable figure. Faith may prove futile, but Joseph is desperate – for the very hate that enslaved his brothers has begun to overtake him.
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HALLIE: Elizabeth, we've known each other for two years now and I think you're exceptional in every way. Honestly, I never had any doubt you'd get published. I'm thrilled for you! Congratulations!

I've read your work. You're extremely articulate and thoughtful in your writing, which is why I'm blown away that you're a math teacher. I'd have pegged you for an English teacher for sure. How did that happen? 

ELIZABETH: I love this question! I share this story often with my students. Language Arts always came easily to me in school. Math did not. I spent many, many hours from elementary school through college being tutored in math by my dad.

But, in the end, this is why I like teaching math far more than I like teaching ELA. How to you even begin to go about teaching something that came easily to you? It’s an uphill battle, because you have no point of reference for knowing why a student might be struggling, or when to expect that they might become stuck on a particular concept. Did I figure out how? Yes, over time and with collaboration with my awesome partner teachers. But is it as rewarding as teaching a subject where you can anticipate and relate to students’ struggles, and help them work though them just like someone once did for you? Nope. Not at all!

HALLIE: I'm struck by the cover of your book. It draws me in. It tells me right away that this isn't going to be your typical biblical fiction. Joseph's story is very edgy. Change the year and the names, and maybe the clothes, and it could almost be a scandalous Netflix series. Besides that (ha!) what made you want to tell this story? And is there another story from the Bible you'd like to write about? 

ELIZABETH: Yes, his story is quite edgy. I think that can get lost in all the Sunday-School flannelgraph adaptations so many of us grew up on. But I think it’s deeply dramatic on top of (even partially because of) its edginess. Extreme – and if you know the Joseph story, you know it’s extreme – levels of drama between characters really draw me in as a writer. Character work is my absolute favorite part of writing.

Looking at the more “historical narrative”-type framing of the story in Genesis, I knew that there would be a wealth of interesting character growth and exploration to be uncovered in a novelized version. The idea was tantalizing.

We know what events happened and that people made certain choices in the narratives shown in the Bible, but we are often not told exactly why a person made the choice that they did. We are left to put those pieces together ourselves, based on the events. That seemed like such an intriguing challenge to undertake with the Joseph story. After all, he is the brother who is separated from his family and from his father, Jacob. And Jacob is supposedly the one who should be teaching the family about God. Yet Joseph, the brother alone in a pagan land, ends up as the one whose faith is exemplified. Why is this the case? It was, as I said, an intriguing question. That, coupled with the intense drama of the story, caught me – hook, line, and sinker. I had to write it.

As for other Bible stories, I haven’t yet found one that has grabbed me as an author quite like Joseph. That said, I do have some thoughts regarding a story set in New Testament times, running parallel with Biblical events. But, like Joseph’s story, it will be research-heavy to ensure that the historical setting is portrayed correctly, and I’m not quite ready to take that on again just yet!


HALLIE: What advice would you give to young writers such as Ava who is also a highlighted author in the 2022 Authors to Watch issue? She is only sixteen years old. 

ELIZABETH: Ava, you’re a rockstar already for just having the passion to write. Writing is hard. Writing keeps us up at night, because we don’t know what to write next in the plot, or because we don’t know how to find the words to correctly portray the story or plot or character arc that we feel, that is right there, just out of reach – or maybe because our characters just won’t leave us alone and want us to give them things to do.

Writing is hard, but don’t give up, because writing is also intensely rewarding … which I know you know, or you wouldn’t be a writer. Don’t give up on a plot or a character arc that seems overwhelming. If it’s that complex, it’s probably really good. You need to plot, rework, and plot again. Let it rest, work on something else, then come back to it and try again. Practice makes progress. In my current manuscript, I’m tackling a plot that I had in mind fifteen years ago, but knew I wasn’t experienced enough to write at that time. It’s still not easy to write, but the practice and the waiting has been worth it, made it a reachable goal.

My last bit of advice – don’t write in a vacuum. Find people, other writers or astute readers, who will give you good, constructive advice about your writing. We writers tend to become so fixated on certain parts of our writing that we can’t see the hole over there in the secondary plot, or the fact that we’ve used the word “seemed” seven times on the last two pages. It doesn’t mean that we’re struggling, it just means that we’re human! And humans aren’t meant to work alone.


Great advice! Thank you, Elizabeth, and good luck with your debut novel! Not By Sight: a novel of the patriarchs debuts March 16th, 2022. Click to Follow Elizabeth EVERYWHERE!
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Meet Jeffrey Pentz

Jeffrey, in his own words...

​I remember it vividly, the first book that ever hooked me. I supported its heft with my little six-year-old legs and turned the pages as quickly as I could read them. I couldn’t wait to see what happened and move on to the next book in the series. The book was an encyclopedia. Seriously.
It took me many years to get hooked on fiction. A child of the 80s, everyone was reading Stephen King. I forced my way through Pet Sematary because my girlfriend had read it. It would behoove me to read it. Meh. I chewed my way through Misery. Blah. The Firm? Zzzz. Not knocking these centimillionaires, I just didn’t click with them. Chopin’s The Awakening. What the…? English Literature class? So many forced reading assignments I’ve forgotten. I don’t think it was a genre problem, I just think it was stylistic.
Then I saw the movie The Hunt for Red October, and thought it would be cool to read the book. (This is the order that I still stick with even today… movie, then book. I can’t do it the other way around. My daughter argues with me on this all the time.) Tom Clancy’s style captivated me, and I read, what was at the time, the entire Jack Ryan series. I’m a voracious reader, reading nearly every day, but still favor non-fiction. A quick count of my Kindle library shows 45 fiction novels versus 110 non-fiction books that I’ve read at least once.
My greatest gift, or curse, is trying to analyze things. People fascinate me. Cause and effect fascinates me. “What if?” fascinates me. My favorite dictum is that life is a series of choices between two possibilities, and the writing equivalent is that writing a book is a series of answers to the question “what if?”
Sins of Our Fathers materialized out of asking the question, “What am I going to do when I retire? What if I write a book?” I had to do something, and writing seemed like a perfect fit. Not talent-wise, but being able to work from home in all weather conditions and even when you don’t feel well (boy, I had a lot to learn there.) So I set out to learn how to write. There were setbacks along the way, of course. I had to write a book while learning how to write a book. It’s like trying to build a house while learning how. You pour the slab and frame it up, only to learn that you need to take the frame down to repair the slab, and so on. Hopefully, when you pour the slab for the next house, you’ve learned how to properly.
I’m a perfectionist, which is hard when your job is production, which is largely how I view writing. You need to be able to let some things go… an acceptable level of mistakes. I’ve done the book, the cover (mostly,) the website, the trailers (videos,) and the ads… and I’ll be doing the covers and audiobooks myself from now on because I'm a control freak (there, Evelyn, I said it in public!) I’m still finding flaws in all these things I’ve produced and it drives me crazy. It’s definitely a learning curve for me.
The response to Sins of Our Fathers, the support I’ve received, has been humbling. I view the Antilles series as a marathon, not a race, and I’m hopeful that Becca Malone will continue to gather more fans as the series grows and readers get to know her. I know that I’m having fun getting to know her and her readers.

Sins of Our Fathers by Jeffrey Pentz
Book 1 in the Antilles Series

​Some sins are better left in darkness.
 
Becca Malone is a fraud investigator freelancing in The Bahamas and searching for the truth behind her father’s disappearance twenty-five years ago. When Becca’s source leaves her with only a few clues, her plan to follow the trail of breadcrumbs through the Caribbean is thwarted after her small sailboat disappears in a ball of flames.
 
Sebastian Forde, a former Antiguan drug lord, is grieving a catastrophic loss for which he holds himself responsible. He bargains with God, whom he deems increasingly unresponsive, driving Forde to battle a sense of abandonment and his own declining mental stability. His seething rage tunnels his vision until, having shed everyone and everything that ever mattered to him, only the final goal remains.
 
Now, Becca has to learn how to stay alive, discover her father’s fate, and win over the man who stayed at her side through discovery and disaster. Join Becca as she explores the many faces of paradise in Sins of Our Fathers.

HALLIE: Jeffrey, congratulations on the success of SINS! I'm proud to say that we hail from the same little town in Louisiana! You reckon it's something in the water down there?

I got a kick out of your love of encyclopedias. What child of the 80's wasn't mesmerized by that series? It was awesome! And it had pictures!! LOL. I have to know though, since you are a movie-before-the-book kind of guy, what do you think of the Jack Ryan series on Amazon Prime?

JEFFERY: I haven't watched any of it, but I can offer an anecdote. My favorite Clancy book is Without Remorse, and I saw that it had been made into a movie recently. I hurriedly found the movie trailer and was immediately perplexed. None of the events in the trailer matched my memory of the book. I realize that film and books are different mediums, but if the Jack Ryan series on Amazon Prime was butchered similarly, I'd wager Tom has worn holes in his funeral clothes turning over in his grave.

HALLIE: I'm fascinated (and impressed) by the way you taught yourself to create covers, book trailers, ads, and even your website. ​I'm also impressed by your ability to create multi-dimensional characters. Let's discuss Sebastian Forde, the ''bad guy" in your novel. I honestly found him one of the most intriguing characters I've read in a long while. His brooding was attractive, rather than evil. His intense need for revenge seemed righteous, rather than corrupt. His power and influence came off as noble, rather than arrogant. At first. And then you started to peel away the layers, and even as you thoughtfully and expertly exposed his true nature, I felt empathy for him. I truly longed for his redemption.

I still do actually, and the way you left it...well, I feel like there is much more to learn about this character. Can you elaborate on your process in creating this provocative character? And give us a hint of what's coming in book 2 of the Antilles Series? 

JEFFERY: Thank you for that wonderful praise for that character. He was really fun to create. I decided to create a character arc for both the protagonist and antagonist in Sins of Our Fathers. Becca, the protagonist, undergoes a bit of a Hero’s Journey, while Forde undergoes a negative change. I was determined to make him relatable and morally complicated. I started with the basic “bad guy who does bad things” and then asked why does he do bad things? The loss of his family was a good start. Then, he had to watch them die. Holds himself responsible. That’s a pretty good engine for the bad guy. What about his capability? He had to have wherewithal, influence, and smarts. I made him an orphan, a self-made cerebral and financial success, and benevolent. Everywhere I came up with a trait, I asked “what if?” He’s a bad guy. What’s as bad as it can get? Worship the devil? Okay, what if he’s fiercely Christian? And so on, until he was fleshed out.

His slow descent into madness is the resultant vector of the forces acting upon him: he wants his family back, tortured by dreams, wants vengeance to atone for his own culpability in their death, knows that he may not see then in Heaven if he does, and then holds God responsible. Eventually, he forsakes everything… God, friends, fortune, just to reach his final objective. He is alone, truly alone, with only this last mission to accomplish heading into the book’s climax.

The sequel to Sins (Book 2 of the Antilles series) finds Forde using his expertise to find the identity of a new player in the drug trade, working for the government. Becca has taken over her Uncle’s business and is doing quite well. Events transpire to put them back on a collision course, and they fight a new battle that results in some interesting new relationships that cast the die for book three.


HALLIE: I'm curious about your time as a law enforcement agent. You mentioned in your bio that the "what if" question triggered a lot of your creativity. I can only imagine the "fictional" scenarios that crossed your mind throughout your career. Care to share any? Or elaborate on that experience?

JEFFERY: I worked at a Federal Prison, so I've tried really hard to forget my time there lol. Seriously, I didn't think about any fictional scenarios involving work...I usually dreamed about places away from there. The most impactful question I asked was "What if a Caribbean drug lord systematically murders the descendants of a shipping magnate?" which became the basis for Sins.

HALLIE: Thank you, Jeffrey, for giving my readers a chance to get to know you and your work. Congrats on your retirement, as well as your new career. Best of luck with the Antilles series! Click to follow Jeffrey EVERYWHERE! Website, Facebook 

Meet Ava Langley

Ava, in her own words...

​Hello! I’m Ava Langley, an aspiring sixteen-year-old author. I’m from Indiana but in recent years have been in Kentucky. Right before I moved, I found my love for reading, which led me to the realization that I could bring my imagination to life by words. That was a very… magical moment for me. That moment brought forth the first spark of the novel I’m currently working on. Of course, since it’s been almost four years that this idea has been blooming in my mind, it’s changed and matured a lot. But I’m proud of where it’s landed. My manuscript is a YA high fantasy novel. It has romance, betrayal, magical gems, mythical creatures, a determined protagonist, enemies hard to defeat, wicked connections, a plague creeping over the land, and spirit animals. I hope this book will one day meet the shelves of bookstores, or possibly another book I’ll write in the future will. Because, as we all know, a writer’s mind never stops creating.

HALLIE: Ava, you are the most determined, disciplined, and talented young writer I know. I have no doubt that the next time I feature you in my newsletter, you will have a cover image to present!

Your short stories (included below) are fascinating. In Nights of Bane, you do a wonderful job of making the reader feel the protagonist's sense of outrage. Trapped in the castle where she was raised, the protagonist suffers nightly at the hand of the conquerors. Her heart breaks at the way the marauders have removed the family portrait and stripped away her papa's special draperies. But then, at the end, we see that she has a secret, doesn't she? Bravo!

Your detail and vocabulary is quite extensive for your age--quills, parchment, dungeons! Oh my! How did you learn so much about this genre? And when did you know this was the genre for you?

AVA: I think there’s always been something in me that’s been drawn to fantasy. Since, which this is quite funny in my opinion, but until three years ago, I hated reading. With a fiery, burning passion. But there was this one book I read for school, The Last Book in the Universe by Rodman Philbrick. It sparked a different kind of passion in me. So the next time I went into the bookstore, I randomly grabbed a book off the shelf and it ended up being Nightshade by Andrea Robinson. With that as an introduction to YA, I started reading books such as The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer, The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, and Caraval by Stephanie Garber. I loved those types of books with how magical and special they seemed. So, that’s how I knew fantasy was the genre for me–it made my world so much more extraordinary and it ignited the hidden writer in me.

But since fantasy novels are normally set back in the day and I read so much of it, I’ve picked up on many vocabulary words over time. Almost all of my knowledge regarding vocabulary and fantasy is by reading the genre. I’ve heard this tip from many authors and I’m sure almost every person who writes has too, but it’s so very true. Read lots of books in the genre you want to write in because you’ll gain knowledge of it without even realizing. It’s the best research you can do when wanting to write in a genre you’re unfamiliar with.

HALLIE: That's wonderful! I remember being inspired by books and certain styles of writing at your age, and it sort of shaped the way I write today. It seems fantasy is definitely the genre for you. Are there any particular shows in the genre you enjoy? Do you watch Witchers? I hear that's all the rage. And what about Lord of the Rings? Harry Potter?

AVA: I’ve actually never seen Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter. And now that I think about it, I don’t watch too much full-blown fantasy. I love Narnia, but that’s the only one that comes to mind. I do have some that have fantastical/supernatural aspects like Sweet Tooth, Roswell (the original, of course) and Outlander. Other than that, I haven’t watched a lot of fantasy movies or shows. Or at least ones I was in love with.

HALLIE: Outlander! Yes! Would you believe I've never watched it? Even folks my age love that show. Ha! Ava, how do you plan to pursue your writing career once you graduate from high school?

AVA: After high school, I plan to simply continue writing and hopefully get published. I know once I finish my current fantasy novel and get it ready to the best of my capability, that I’ll start to query. Then work on a new novel that I already have ideas for. There is always a little dream in me I could get picked up before or right around the time I graduate high school, though I know that’s a low probability and don’t have high hopes. But! I know that writing is the career for me, so I’ll keep working on it and take it one step at a time, letting it lead me. I love it too much to ever think about stopping.

Thank you, Ava, for spending some time with me and my readers. Good luck with your writing, and PLEASE, keep us updated on your success. Click to follow Ava on Instagram and check out her latest short stories. Myth of Madness and Nights of Bane.

Thank you to Elizabeth Jacobson, Jeffrey Pentz, and Ava Langley for being my featured guests this month.

​As for me, I've been working away on Book 3 in the Shady Gully Series! This has, thus far, been one the most joyous writing experiences I've ever had. PAINT ME FEARLESS was emotional; WOLFHEART was intense; and this is ....well, it's EVERYTHING!

I cannot wait to tell you more. In fact, I'm so psyched about this book I may have to leak the characters I'm spotlighting ahead of time. Stay tuned.

Lastly, if you don't follow me on Facebook or Instagram yet, now is the time. On Friday, I'm going to introduce FRIDAY FREEBIES!

All you have to do to qualify is:
1) Follow me online
2) Be a subscriber of the FRIENDS OF HALLIE Newsletter.
3) Encourage a friend to do the same. 

You, or the friend you sign up, will have a chance to WIN a FREE Audiobook of Paint Me Fearless. Or maybe one of Wolfheart.
Or maybe even an ebook of one or the other!

Speaking of Giveaways, GOODREADS is doing a giveaway of PAINT ME FEARLESS in February. You have until March 1st to enter for a FREE COPY. Go to Goodreads, enter Paint Me Fearless in the menu bar, and then scroll down until you see "Enter the Giveaway."
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Follow me EVERYWHERE and stay posted on all things Shady Gully!
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Stay Fearless,

Hallie

Guess what?

The Wolfheart Audiobook is now available!!
I know some of you have been waiting eagerly for this jewel and I'm happy to say that it is READY for YOU on Audible, Amazon, and Apple!!
​See Purchasing Links Below
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Once you've finished the audiobook--and recovered from your emotional trip from Shady Gully--PLEASE leave a review! Kathy and I would be most grateful, as ratings are critical for new artists.  

How’s your "Twenty-Twenty…Too" going so far? Make any New Year’s resolutions? Or does anybody even bother doing that anymore?

I’m going to try really, really, hard to stick to mine this year. How about this? I’ll tell you my resolution if you tell me yours. It’s only fair, right?

Okay. Here goes…
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In 2022, I’m going to strive for more balance. 

I know, it seems overly obvious, but it’s harder than it sounds. Do this with me. Think back to 2021 and consider all the things that happened in your life. Maybe things you didn’t expect. Maybe some not so good. Now think of all the goals you accomplished. All the projects you completed. Still thinking? Me too.

While you’re thinking, I’ll tell you mine. Our daughter got married. We lost our dog to cancer. My husband retired after 30 years in healthcare. My husband opened a hardware store. Book 1 (Paint Me Fearless) and Book 2 (Wolfheart) of the Shady Gully Series were published.
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I completed the first and second drafts of Book 3 in the Shady Gully Series. No title yet, but I’m so dang excited I can barely contain myself.

​​Let’s flip it now. Let’s consider the vacations we took in 2021, the times we relaxed and read a book on the back porch while sipping sweet tea. The days we turned off the computer. Or put down the phone and really looked at our family.  Or the times we picked up the phone and called an old friend…just for the heck of it.
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Okay. I’m done. Sadly, that list isn’t nearly as long for me. How about you?

​I’ve come to realize that most of my deadlines are self-imposed. I wonder, why-oh-why do I do that to myself!? What am I chasing that’s more important than friends, family, and real-life Hallmark moments?

Maybe I’d feel less anxious (and tired) if I could find a way to balance work with real life?

 Maybe if I picked up the phone every time I thought of an old friend (rather than just enjoying the fond memory) I’d come away enriched by the experience.  
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What would happen if I slacked off my “things to do” list and took my daughter shopping? Or popped into my Friendly Hardware Man’s store with lunch? 

​I’m pretty sure that trifling list of mine would be waiting for me the next day. No doubt its importance diminished in the face of real-life harmony.

What do you think?

I know it’s hard. Our lives are busy. There are things we must do. Like earn a living, to be sure. BUT…a little mindful balance couldn’t hurt, could it? What say you?

Balance. It’s something to aspire to…

I’ll let y'all know how it goes. NOW, it’s your turn: What are your resolutions? Tell me here: Books@HallieLee.com
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Or, if you’re feeling feisty, you can add a comment below and share it with everyone.

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Speaking of goals, I was invited to be part of the Kentucky Book Festival in 2021! I had a wonderful time meeting readers and signing books. Thanks to everyone who came out to see me! Here are some of my favs!!!!  

Before I close this newsletter, I'd like to remind y'all to swing by the SHADY GULLY section on my website. If you've read the books, you'll find some of the RECIPES (and the notes) amusing. They are all delicious, with the exception of Granny Lacey's Zucchini bread. Tee Hee.

I have a HUGE surprise for y'all very soon. In fact, if you've read this far, and you're interested in being entered into a drawing for a FREE Audiobook of WOLFHEART, email me at
Books@HallieLee.com and you'll be entered!

The audiobook will be out any day now. Seriously. Any. Day. Now.

EMAIL ME HERE TO ENTER THE DRAWING

Happy January y'all. And remember.... 

Stay Fearless,
​Hallie

 

It's the Most...Wonderful...Time...Of The Year!! 

It is for me, especially once I hear Frank Sinatra bellowing, "I love those J I N G L E Bells, oh! Those holiday J I N G L E Bells, oh! Those happy J I N G L E, B E double L S, I love those J I N G L E Bells!"

THAT'S the song that kicks Christmas off for me. It's the first song on the A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra soundtrack, and as soon as I hear those bells I'm overcome with a lifetime of memories. I can almost see my Mama curled on the couch, a cigarette dangling from her lips, and her long, slender foot tapping along to Frank Sinatra's tunes. Listen to it here! 

We recently reconnected on Facebook, and it turns out, besides our childhood history together, we had something else in common.  

We were both called to write. While I express myself through quirky, imaginary characters who exhale angst, heartache, and faith through the veil of their crazy, made-up lives, Angi writes from a place of absolute truth. Total honesty. She unselfishly tears the veil away (from herself) to expose her own fears. Her own regrets. Even her own sinfulness. And in doing that, she provides a path for her readers to do the same. Her writing is sometimes painful. It often calls for self-reflection. And above all, it's always, always honest.

I'm happy to introduce you to my friend, Angi Aymond. She is a treasure. Her gift is her truth, her humor, and the joy that falls off her in beautiful, approachable, and hilarious waves. Fasten the seatbelts on your Christmas sleds, folks, and enjoy the ride!
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I encourage you to check out her website, her hilarious video below, and her first post of the 2021 Advent Season!
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Guess what? I updated my website! 

If you click SHADY GULLY on the menu-bar above, you'll find some fun pics of small town life. Things like "old dogs, children, and watermelon wine." Actually, I couldn't find any pics of children or watermelon wine, but if you run across any cool pics that bring Shady Gully to mind, send them to me here. 

My plan is to fill the Page with images and anecdotes that highlight small town life. Eventually, I'd like to include a map of the town, four-way-stop and all! I'll just need to enroll in art school first.

You'll also see a RECIPE section on the drop down menu. You'll probably recognize some of the recipes Desi and Robin chat about in the books. The good, the bad, and the ugly. If you've already read Wolfheart, you know I'm talking about one character in particular. I'll keep my lips zipped at this stage, but I do hope you enjoy the page, and the little "hints" and "notes" under the recipes.

The featured Southern Recipe for this month is Shrimp & Crawfish Pie from Glenda Jolly Hathorn. If you have a great southern recipe, send it my way. Who knows, you might just find Desi and Robin chatting about it in the next book!

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Speaking of Desi, Robin, and the four- way-stop, have you read Wolfheart? Reviews on Amazon & Goodreads are very important to new authors. Check out these early bird reviews:

"Hallie Lee scores again with Wolfheart, the sequel to 2021’s Paint Me Fearless."
--Jeffrey Pentz, author of Sins of Our Fathers.

"I can't give enough stars or recommend this book highly enough. I was glad to be back, didn't want to leave, and cannot wait to return to Shady Gully." --Mark Cermak

"Wolfheart was a joy to read!"  ​--John Brothers

"I liked Wolfheart better than her first book and that's saying a lot." --Amazon Reader 

"Loved the first book in the Shady Gully Series, but loved this second one even more!!!" --Mona Wright

I can't wait to hear your thoughts on Wolfheart, both via Amazon and Goodreads, but also in Shady Gully's Cozy Corner Chat on Facebook. If you haven't joined the group, please do so! It's a relaxing place to chat about all things Shady Gully. ​

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While promoting Wolfheart, I've participated in a lot of Q & A's. All the interviewers have been very clever and their questions have ranged from serious and thought-provoking to amusing and hilarious. I've plucked a few of my favorites for you.

The first one is very, very silly...but required a lot of thought!
QUESTION:
Would you rather fight 100 duck-sized horses or one horse-sized duck?

ANSWER:
I hate to admit how much time I spent on this one. Quite a quandary. I'm going to go with the 100 duck sized horses. A horse-sized duck sounds especially fierce, and I'd have to make eye contact with him when he killed me. LOL!

FRIENDS of HALLIE, how would YOU answer that one? Come on, what's it gonna be for you? 100 duck sized horses? Or one horse sized duck?

The second question is more serious.
QUESTION:
Now that you have written and published two books, with a third on the way, how has being an author changed your life? What does it mean to you to connect with your readers in this way, through story? 

ANSWER:
It means everything. As a child I remember having trouble expressing myself. Even with my parents and people I felt safe with. It was frustrating because I knew what I was trying to convey, but I couldn’t pluck the words from my head in a way that made sense. Honestly, when it comes to verbal communication, I still struggle with that today. 

I suppose at some point in my life I began to use characters and stories to communicate, using imaginary people in imaginary settings to express frustration, grief, disappointment, and joy.
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So honestly, being able to connect with readers in such a profound way is the most rewarding gift I could imagine. I’m deeply grateful.

Thank you, readers. I'm thankful for you all. I wish you and yours a beautiful, joyous, and very blessed Thanksgiving month! Is there something you're especially grateful for this year? Please let us know in the comments below....after you answer the duck/horse question, of course! LOL

Stay Fearless,

​Hallie
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Color Coded Contents:
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Intro Wolfheart Blurb What Inspired me Publisher's Comments


Author Hallie Lee Celebrates Release of Wolfheart, the Highly Anticipated Follow-up to her Amazon.com Bestselling Debut Novel, Paint Me Fearless


NASHVILLE, TN (October 12, 2021) - Amazon.com bestselling author Hallie Lee is celebrating the unveiling of her new novel, Wolfheart, which released to retail Wednesday, October 6, 2021, in hardback, trade paperback, and all major ebook formats from WordCrafts Press. The highly anticipated second volume in The Shady Gully Series, the paperback version of Wolfheart climbed to the Number 2 spot on Amazon.com's Hot New Releases chart in the Contemporary Christian Fiction category, while the hardback settled into the Number 5 position alongside novels by perennial bestselling authors Karen Kingsbury, Randy Alcorn, and Robert Whitlow.


The morning after a torrential storm upends Shady Gully, its citizens wake to the news that Wolfheart's beloved sister, Peony, has been brutally murdered. Revered as the Creek's best healer, and adored by the folks in Shady Gully proper, Peony's death rattles the community.
Desi and Lenny's oldest son, Luke, dashes to the scene to help, and comes face to face with Bella, Wolfheart's stunningly beautiful great-niece, and the product of Shady Gully's most notorious scandal.


When Wolfheart stumbles onto the crime scene covered in blood, unapologetic and evasive, the newly appointed Sheriff Rick proceeds cautiously, as he's mindful of the intense feelings Wolfheart evokes within the town. Extremes on both sides erupt when another body is uncovered, and soon Shady Gully explodes in chaos and violence.
As the fates of these three uncompromising and principled men collide, Desi and Robin, the beloved protagonists from Paint Me Fearless, find themselves smack dab in the middle of the hullabaloo.


When Wolfheart is finally led away in handcuffs, he has only one thought. How can he protect his niece and her daughter from the same fate as his sister?


"In the early chapters of Paint Me Fearless, Brad Wolfheart was nothing more than a peripheral character, a dastardly villain created merely to challenge my protagonists, Desi and Robin," author Hallie Lee muses. "But I grew fond of him. I started seeing him as this intriguing multi-dimensional rogue. By the middle of the book, he'd evolved. By the end of the book, he became almost noble. And eventually, he insisted on his own book."


"To his credit, Wolfheart was the reason Shady Gully became a series," Hallie continues. "Here was this guy, tall and handsome, mysterious, sullen with a huge chip on his shoulder. Born on the wrong side of the creek, he was caught in a hopeless pattern of self-destruction. Late in Paint Me Fearless, during an especially poignant conversation with Desi, she asks him: "How’d you get into this? You’ve been doing…what you do, as long as I’ve known you.”
"He lets out a soft roll of laughter and says: “I guess I never had anybody tell me I could do anything different.”"


"Right then I decided I'd write his story. I'd show Brad Wolfheart that he could do something different. Everyone, even the likes of this scoundrel from across the creek in Shady Gully, is redeemable. And that's what Wolfheart is—a story of redemption.


"Wolfheart is an amazing follow-up novel to a stunning debut," says WordCrafts Press publisher Mike Parker. "Hallie created the Mayberry-esque community of Shady Gully in Paint Me Fearless, then pulled back the curtain to show that even Mayberry has a dark underbelly. In Wolfheart, she turns the story on its head, and looks at the idyllic small town from the perspective of the denizens of the wrong side of the tracks, or in this case the wrong side of the creek. Friendship, betrayal, faith, redemption all show up in the most unlikely of places... and extend to the most unlikely of characters. Wolfheart is one more reason readers will want to visit Shady Gully again."


Wolfheart is published in the US by WordCrafts Press and distributed globally by Ingram Content Group, the world's largest distributor of physical content.


Product Details
Hardback: 258 pages
Publisher: WordCrafts Press (January 6, 2021)
Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-1952474873
MSRP: $29.99


Paperback: 274 pages
Publisher: WordCrafts Press (January 6, 2021)
Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-1952474880
MSRP: $15.99


Ebook:
Publisher: WordCrafts Press (January 6, 2021)
Language: English
ASIN: B09GS8FGYD
ISBN-13: 979-8201208417
MSRP: $5.99


Coming soon to audiobook.

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Exciting News!
Book 2 in The Shady Gully Series is NOW available to Preorder!!! 
eBooks are ready to order now, hardbacks will follow shortly, and in a few days, paperbacks will be ready to preorder for October 6th, 2021!

Happy Reading Everyone!! I can't wait to hear what you think of WOLFHEART!

Pssst... I've created a special SPOILERS group for those of you who CAN'T WAIT to dish about the story! Check out the Shady Gully Spoilers Group below!

SHADY GULLY SPOILERS


Stay Fearless,

Hallie

Greetings FRIENDS OF HALLIE newsletter subscribers,

Thanks for joining me today for this very special cover reveal!

As I reflect back on the past eight months, I can tell you that the transition from writer to "published author" has been overwhelming, exhilarating, challenging, and humbling. What stands out the most though, are your wonderful messages, comments, and reviews of Paint Me Fearless.

Thank you.  Especially to those of you who took the time to rate and review my book on social media, Amazon, B & N, etc. I have the Best Readers Ever!!

Guess what the most used phrase in ALL of the reviews was? Seriously. Guess.
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Well, I'm happy to say your wait is (almost) over. I'm so excited for you to read the next book in the Shady Gully Series! Not only will you revisit some familiar characters, but you'll get to meet some brand new ones as well! Of course, Desi and Robin will be there, as Shady Gully will ALWAYS be rooted in their special history together.

Desi and Robin are, and always be, the matriarchs of Shady Gully. And of the series itself.
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And now, how about a FIRST LOOK at the official BLURB of Book 2?

If you're excited about reading book 2, please let everyone know! All you have to do is head over to Amazon and ADD it to your WISH LIST!   

Soon you'll be able to preorder it for.....

October 6, 2021! 
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And now, the best part....THE COVER REVEAL!!


​Drum Roll Please....



Wait for it.



Almost there.



Ta-duh!
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