IT'S ONLY FICTION . . .

It’s Only Fiction But . . .

by Lillian Duncan

It’s only fiction but…could it happen?

I’m so excited about my new series—MESSENGER. This series has rattled around in my brain for a long time, but it’s not the type of book I usually write so I kept procrastinating. I finally decided it was time.

Keep in mind, I started writing this series last year, long before the pandemic.

The series is set in future America known as NewAmerica. Life is perfect in NewAmerica. No crime. No poverty. No war. No discrimination. Everyone is equal.  Life is perfect until the moment you wonder, “Is there a God?”

In many respects, NewAmerica sounds like the perfect place to live. But as is often the case, what looks perfect on the surface doesn’t look quite as good when you delve a little deeper.

There are four books in the series:

THE LAST CHRISTIAN (Book 1) is a short prequel that shows how America became NewAmerica. Mary Frances was born in the United States of America—land of the free and home of the brave. When anti-Christian sentiment spreads across America and the world along with a deadly pandemic, religious freedom becomes a thing of the past.

MESSENGER (Book 2) Magdalena Denton is an unlikely messenger since her home is NewAmerica where even saying the name of God is a crime, but when God has a message, he will always find a messenger.

UNCITIZEN (Book 3) Magdalena Denton’s bright future is gone. She’s been deemed an UnCitizen because she refuses to deny God. Her new-found faith is challenged as she struggles to stay alive, but God promises to never forsake his children.

EXILE (Book 4) After a daring escape, Magdalena and friend face life in the Empty Lands—an even more hostile environment  than they imagined. They discover that when you walk in faith, miracles become a reality. (Will release in July 2020.)

 It’s only fiction, but…could it happen?

 Lillian Duncan… turning faith into fiction.

 

Lillian lives in a small town in Ohio with her husband. She writes the types of books she loves to read. Even though her books cross genres, they have one thing in common, faith-based stories that demonstrate God’s love—and lots of action. OK, that’s two things.

She was a school speech pathologist for over 30 years but retired in 2012 after being diagnosed with bilateral brain tumors due to Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2), a rare genetic disease. 

Whether as an educator, a writer, or a speech pathologist, she believes in the power of words to transform lives, especially God’s Word. To learn more about Lillian and her books, visit:   www.lillian-duncan.com. 

JANE DOE ~ Lillian Duncan ~

 Welcome to "What's New Wednesday" . . . on Thursday. . . . with author Lillian Duncan. The spotlight is on her newest release JANE DOE. I don't know about you but the story and entire concept sounds intriguing to me. Read on, see what you think, and share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Welcome, Lillian!

 

Title: JANE DOE

Author: Lillian Duncan

Contact: lduncan512@aol.com

Genre: Suspense/Romantic Suspense

Release Date: June 26

About the book: A Broken Body. A Broken Mind. What If She Wasn't The Last Victim?

Raven Marks survives a brutal kidnapping but just barely. Along with a broken body, her mind is broken. She wants to put the past behind her, but nightmarish memories won’t let her. . .at first because she doesn’t have them, and then because she does.

Even though her fractured memory can’t recall every detail, she’s haunted by one thought: What if she wasn’t the last victim? Her search for answers leads her to the highest politicians in the land. Each reclaimed memory brings her closer to the truth—and to even more danger.

JANE DOE is my latest novel and it’s a doozy!

What’s the genre you ask? It’s suspense with lots of drama and action…it's also a political thriller…but it also has a lot of mystery components…but there’s the romance element as well… and let’s not forget the spiritual message! No matter what genre you classify it as, it’s one I think you’ll enjoy!

So how did JANE DOE come about?

I’d finished all my edits on a current book and was feeling very uninspired. I had no idea for my next story, so I went on FB and asked people to send me an idea for my next suspense novel. An old high school friend sent me the suggestion to write a story where the main character struggled with memory loss.

Mmmm… but the old amnesia plot has been done and it’s a big no-no that writing experts warn against. I took the challenge anyway and wrote JANE DOE. It’s definitely not your typical amnesia plot, but the main character is haunted by her memories.

First, because she doesn’t have them and then because she does!

Raven Marks survives a brutal kidnapping but just barely. Along with a broken body, her mind is broken. Even though she can’t remember the details of her kidnapping, she’s haunted by the thought that someone else is being victimized by the kidnapper she can’t remember.

Her journey to discover the truth leads her to the highest politicians in the state and then the country. Each reclaimed memory brings her closer to the truth—and to even more danger.

I’m not going to give away the plot, but there’s plenty of twists and turns to keep you reading late into the night!

Off-site Giveaway:

 I’m having a giveaway to celebrate the release of JANE DOE on my blog! So hop over to www.lillian-duncan.com and leave a comment on any of my JANE DOE blogs at www.lillian-duncan.com and you'll be entered to win one of three $10 AMAZON GIFT CARDS! That's right--three winners!

Lillian Duncan… turning faith into fiction.

Lillian lives in a small town in Ohio with her husband. She writes the types of books she loves to read. Even though her books cross genres, they have one thing in common: faith-based stories that demonstrate God’s love—and lots of action. OK, that’s two things.

She was a school speech pathologist for over 30 years but retired in 2012 after being diagnosed with bilateral brain tumors due to Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2), a rare genetic disease.

  

Whether as an educator, a writer, or a speech pathologist, she believes in the power of words to transform lives, especially God’s Word. To learn more about Lillian and her books, visit:   www.lillian-duncan.com. 

Thank you, Lillian, for being my guest this week. 

I Love Christmas ~ Lillian Duncan ~ Giveaway

Image courtesy Pixabay.com

I LOVE CHRISTMAS!

by Lillian Duncan

 At my house, we clear off the enclosed porch and put up Christmas trees and other decorations. We’ve had as many as 14, but never fewer than 8 or 9. It’s a lot of work but it’s also a lot of fun.

I love Christmas!

Which is probably why I have published several Christmas novels. It’s so much fun to come up with a plot that involves romance, suspense, and Christmas along with a Christmas message. This year, I got really inspired and actually have two new Christmas stories available—A Rock & Roll Christmas and A Christmas Stolen.

A Rock & Roll Christmas features a rock & roll star, of course. Someone wants megastar, Johnny Rocker, dead. It’s Maddie Cotton’s job to make sure that doesn’t happen. 

Even under Maddie’s protection, the threats continue. As Christmas approaches the danger escalates.

This was a really fun story to write.

 On a more serious note, A Christmas Stolen is about a newborn baby that’s abducted and the search to find the baby. But don’t worry too much—I believe in happy endings, especially at Christmas!

  

Christmas is the best time of the year until evil comes knocking.

Danica Jordan's is looking forward to her first Christmas with her newborn niece, but when she arrives home, she finds an open door and an empty crib. Searching the house, she discovers her sister asleep in her room. Panic sets in when the two sisters realize Baby Angelica’s been abducted.

With the baby abducted, Christmas stolen, and an investigation in full swing, Danica comes face to face with the two men who ruined her life.

This Christmas could be ruined, or Danica could realize that Christmas isn’t a thing but a symbol of God’s love that can never be stolen—no matter the circumstances.

Amazon buy link for A Christmas Stolen: https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Stolen-Holiday-Extravaganza-ebook/dp/B07JWGTHD2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541164022&sr=8-1&keywords=A+Christmas+Stolen+Lillian+Duncan

Amazon buy link for A Rock & Roll Christmas:  https://www.amazon.com/Rock-Roll-Christmas-Lillian-Duncan-ebook/dp/B07J4CSLDK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541164154&sr=8-1&keywords=A+Rock+%26+Roll+Christmas+lillian+Duncan

BN buy link for A Christmas Stolen: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-christmas-stolen-lillian-duncan/1129760585?ean=9781522301790

  

Lillian Duncan…turning faith into fiction.

Even though her books cross genres, they have one thing in common, faith-based stories that show God’s love and lots of action. OK—that’s two things. She believes in the power of words to change lives, especially God’s Word.

Twelve Days of Christmas Giveaway!

To celebrate Christmas, I’m having A Twelve Days of Christmas celebration on my blog, Tiaras & Tennis Shoes at www.lillian-duncan.com. On 12 different days during December, I’ll be giving away a gift. Leave a comment for each day to win that day’s gift as well as be entered for the grand prize. If you leave a comment each day, that gives you 12 entries for the grand prize!

Grand prize will be a $25 Amazon gift card plus your choice of one of my e-books! So hop on over to www.lillian-duncan.com for your chance to win.

Life is a Puzzle ♦ Lillian Duncan Devotional

Life Is A Puzzle

a Devotion from Lillian Duncan

1 Peter 1: 3 (NIV)

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life.

 Puzzles can be confusing but then again the same can be said about life. When we first dump out a puzzle all we see are hundreds or maybe thousands of pieces that make no sense. Often we can’t see the intended picture until the puzzle is close to being completed. When we’re in the middle of a puzzle it can seem like one big mess.

Sounds a lot like life, doesn’t it?

I’ve heard life described as a test, as a journey, as a learning experience. And, of course, we can’t forget that famous box of candy! In my recent novel, PUZZLE HOUSE the main character describes life as a puzzle. In fact, she believes that so much that she created Puzzle House, a place of healing and hope.

She refuses to call herself a healer. Instead she says she’s only there to help people with their puzzles. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had a little help with this puzzle we call life?

The good news is that we do! The above verse assures us that through his divine power God will give us all we need for a godly life. Sounds great but as with most things in life it takes some effort on our part as well.

Life is filled with thousands or maybe millions of experiences. It’s almost impossible to understand where one little piece fits into the puzzle of our life at any given time. Things that we think are important turn out not to be and things we think are trivial turn out not to be so trivial after all.

It’s only after the puzzle is complete or at least that section is finished that we have our “aha” moment and can see the bigger picture.

As we experience life there will be times when we don’t always understand why certain things happen or don’t happen. It feels unfair. Why did this happen to me? Doesn’t God love me?

It’s in these times when our faith can begin to weaken if we allow it, but it can also be an opportunity to strengthen our faith. Which one depends on how you choose to react.

Notice I said choose to react. We don’t always have a choice about our circumstances, but we always have a choice about how we react. We can choose to react in a way that honors God or not.

 The choice is ours.

This devotion was adapted from Devotions from Puzzle House—a companion devotional to Puzzle House.

                  

About Lillian:  

Lillian Duncan…Stories of faith mingled… with murder & mayhem.

Lillian is a multi-published author who lives in the middle of Ohio Amish country with her husband and a menagerie of pets. After more than 30 years working as a speech pathologist for children, she believes in the power of words to transform lives, especially God’s Word.

Lillian writes the types of books she loves to read—fast-paced suspense with a touch of romance that demonstrates God’s love for all of us. To learn more about Lillian, you may visit her at www.lillianduncan.net or www.lillian-duncan.com. She also has a devotional blog at www.PowerUpWithGod.com.

Welcome Guest Blogger - Lillian Duncan -Special Giveaway

Are You Sure?

Guest post by author Lillian Duncan

 “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.”

Hebrews 11: 8 [NKJV]

In my upcoming book, PUZZLE HOUSE, Rachel is asked, “Do you want to be healed or to be a healer?” She wants to please God so her answer is to be a healer. Of course when she answers she doesn’t know she has a serious medical condition that is about to turn her world upside down.

Most of us will be asked that same question during our life if we’re deeply committed to following God’s Will. The question won’t be exactly the same since God has different plans for all of us.

My question was, do you want to be a writer? I’d already been dabbling in fiction writing when God asked me that question. Not literally of course, but in my spirit. My answer was a resounding yes, but… like Rachel, I should have taken a few more moments to think about it. To ask myself ... “are you sure?”

Don’t get me wrong, I love writing, and even more, I love writing Christian fiction. My stories demonstrate God’s goodness is many different ways depending on the story. But it hasn’t been an easy journey.

It took fifteen years to get my first traditional contract. That’s a lot of rejections. Would I have kept writing if I’d known it would take that long? I’m not sure but I’m so glad I didn’t quit.

Let me give you a short glimpse into a writer’s life. It takes a lot of time to bring a story to life. First you have to write it then you have to rewrite it and then you have to rewrite it again and again and... Then it’s time for editing, revisions, and polishing before submitting it to my publisher. Then it’s time to go into marketing mode. Actually you have to be in marketing mode all the time. And at the same time I’m in the process of writing and rewriting new stories to get them ready for submission.

It’s a never-ending process, but I truly love it so it’s OK. And then there’s my reward, right? If you’re thinking a financial reward, stop! Yes, some writers make big bucks—but so far I’m not one of them.

But my reward is even better than money. My reward is knowing I’m doing what God wants me to do. My reward is the joy of creating stories that demonstrate God’s love to my readers as I entertain them.

So when God comes knocking at your heart and asking you your question, it may sound like an impossible task and you may ask yourself—are you sure? No, you can’t know what will happen, whether you’ll be successful or not, whether it will be an easy or a difficult journey, whether you’ll quit or persevere.

But like Abraham, you have to start the journey if you want to get to your destination. The destination God created for you. That destination might bring you a few tears … or more … along the way, but it will also bring you peace and joy, and a satisfaction that can’t be described.

That sounds good, right?

Are you sure?

 PUZZLE HOUSE BLURB:

Life isn’t a box of candy—it’s a puzzle!

Rachel Summers is all about Rachel Summers…until the day she crashes headlong into a semi-truck. As her life hangs in the balance, she has a visitor who asks a very simple question.

Does she want to be healed ... or to be a healer?

She makes her choice, but the journey doesn’t go quite the way she expected.

And so Rachel now runs Puzzle House. Every guest is different and yet the same. They all come to the Puzzle House for one reason and one reason only—to be healed, usually from a life-threatening illness. Sometimes they receive their miracle, and sometimes they discover there’s more than one kind of healing.

Nia is a fifteen-year-old African-American girl who is dying. The doctors have told her there is nothing else to be done. No more treatments. No more hope. No more life. And she’s angry about that. Very angry. Against her wishes, Nia’s aunt brings her to The Puzzle House.

Together, Nia and Rachel will take a journey that will change both their lives.

GIVEAWAY INFO: To celebrate the release of Puzzle House, I’m having a very special giveaway on my blog, Tiaras & Tennis Shoes at www.lillian-duncan.com. Leave a comment on one of my Puzzle House posts and you’ll be entered to win. Thanks!

Lillian Duncan…Stories of faith mingled… with murder & mayhem.

Lillian is a multi-published author who lives in the middle of Ohio Amish country with her husband and a menagerie of pets. After more than 30 years working as a speech pathologist for children, she believes in the power of words to transform lives, especially God’s Word.   

Lillian writes the types of books she loves to read—fast-paced suspense with a touch of romance that demonstrates God’s love for all of us. 

To learn more about Lillian, you may visit her at www.lillianduncan.net or www.lillian-duncan.com. She also has a devotional blog at www.PowerUpWithGod.com.

The Puzzles of Life

Nothing Stays the Same!

Guest blogger post from Lillian Duncan

“I write Christian suspense and mystery.”

That was my answer when people asked me what I wrote, but in life, nothing stays the same. And that’s true with my soon-to-be-released book—Puzzle House (Harbourlight Books, October 2017).

Puzzle House is a different sort of book than I usually write, but that makes sense. I’ve been living a different sort of life for more than five years. My life was turned upside down when I was diagnosed with brain tumors and a genetic condition known as Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2) in 2012.

During these past several years, I’ve come to understand that nothing can be taken for granted. Except for God and his faithfulness. God has been there with me—every step of the way on this journey I didn’t want to take.

In many ways PUZZLE HOUSE is the book I didn’t want to write because had I never been diagnosed with the brain tumors, I would never have written this particular story. Since Puzzle House has a much deeper spiritual theme than most of my books, I decided for the first time to write a companion devotional book to go along with my novel—Devotions from Puzzle House.

Nothing stays the same.

Here’s the blurb for Devotions from Puzzle House:

Life isn’t a box of candy, it’s a puzzle—lots of pieces and lots of confusion, but it doesn’t have to be that way. If we do life with God, we can create a beautiful picture with our life, the one God planned for us. So how do we put that puzzle together out of the chaos?

With God, of course.

This book is called Devotions from Puzzle House, but what exactly is Puzzle House? No, it’s not a place but a novel I’ve written. I call Puzzle House the book I never wanted to write! I would never have written it if I hadn’t developed bilateral brain tumors because of a genetic condition called Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2).

It’s been a difficult journey, but God has been and continues to be my strength and my comfort and so I’ve written these devotions to share some of the pieces that have helped me create my life’s puzzle.

Even though Puzzle House is most definitely fiction, these devotions are biblically based and therefore as real as it gets!

God bless!

SPECIAL NOTE: for the next few days, Devotions from Puzzle House is FREE on Amazon. Yes, you read it right—FREE! But you better hurry because nothing stays the same—and that’s true with the FREE price as well!

HURRY on over to Amazon get your free copy! http://amzn.to/2vQceDB

 Lillian Duncan…Stories of faith mingled… with murder & mayhem.

Lillian is a multi-published author who lives in the middle of Ohio Amish country with her husband and a menagerie of pets. After more than 30 years working as a speech pathologist for children, she believes in the power of words to transform lives, especially God’s Word.

Lillian writes the types of books she loves to read—fast-paced suspense with a touch of romance that demonstrates God’s love for all of us. To learn more about Lillian, you may visit her at www.lillianduncan.net or www.lillian-duncan.com. She also has a devotional blog at www.PowerUpWithGod.com.

Facing Adversity God's Way - A Devotion from Lillian Duncan

Facing Adversity God’s Way

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Life has its hills and valleys. Life can be tough whether we’re “good” Christians or not. When adversity comes and it most likely will, then we must decide to face adversity in a godly way—in a way that will honor God.

I know a little about adversity.

In 2012 I was diagnosed with bilateral brain tumors called acoustic neuromas. Without going into all the gory details, it’s been a difficult journey. Five years later, I’m partially deaf; must face the reality that I might become completely deaf; have severe balance issues that affects my mobility; chronic fatigue and numerous other issues. Unless God chooses to give me a miracle none of these things are going away and may even get worse.

Life can get really hard but Romans 8: 28 promises God is there and He will work it out for our good. That doesn’t mean we will all get the happy ending we are praying for. 

Remember God’s ways are not our ways. His good is not necessarily the same as what we view as good. But it does promise that God will work out our situation for our good.

I hate my brain tumors. It seems as if something “new” happens every month or so to make life a little more difficult, but I’m at a point now I can see how God has and is working things out for my good.

I now trust God in a way that I never did before.

I now believe God’s promises.

I now understand just how faithful God is in all things—even when life is difficult.

I know—I know—I know that God does not leave us alone in our battles! So what can we do to “overcome” the world? We can’t always change our circumstances—no matter how much we want to, but we can honor God by choosing to stay in faith.

We can choose faith over worry.

We can choose faith over giving up.

We can choose faith over anger.

When we choose faith, we choose to keep our eyes on Jesus rather than our circumstances. When we choose faith, we are choosing hope. When we choose faith we honor God.

Bio:

Lillian Duncan writes stories of faith mingled with murder & mayhem as well as devotions. To learn more about her and her books visit her at www.lillian-duncan.com