Book 3 Now Available!

Christian Romantic Suspense

Point of Origin, Book 3:  Tru Exceptions Series

$1.99 on Kindle or Nook

“I should have killed you when I had the chance. You have no idea, do you? Life is just a crazy coincidence? That’s fine. I have a feeling even mercy has a limit.”

The terrorist’s words haunt Rachel Saunders. Are they the ramblings of a psychopath? Or is there someone else out there who is watching Rachel and deciding if she should live or die?

When Rachel stumbles across something she was never meant to see, she discovers all the random events from the past year have connections that are much closer to home than she ever imagined. Now she must elude terrorists intent on killing her and piece together the clues to identify her enemy before time runs out and many more people lose their lives.

When all the secrets and lies are revealed, will Rachel be able to handle seeing her world as she know it fall apart? Will she be able to forgive one last betrayal from the man she thought she loved? 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008LQV9RS

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/point-of-oriigin-amanda-tru/1112124106?ean=2940014929059

A Rose By Any Other Name . . .

How do authors choose names for their characters?  You want something that sounds good, yet fits the character's personality.  You want something that is unique, yet not absurd.  Maybe you even want something that has a good meaning.  But as hard as it is to name a character, naming a BABY is much more difficult.

I am expecting our third baby boy in a few short weeks, but my husband and I have yet to make up our minds on the name.  Okay, I'll be honest, the problem is really me.  I just can't seem to commit to a name!  With my first two boys, we didn't have a problem; it was almost as if we just knew what their names should be.  But this one is different.

When naming a character in a book, I have probably employed every method at some point.  Yes, I do look at baby name books, searching for a name that has a good sound and meaning.  I've even made lists, matching first names and last.  I like to choose names that are easy to relate to.  I'm personally not too fond of naming my characters bizarre, hard-to-pronounce names.  That aversion probably stems from reading my mom's old Harlequins as a teen.  My sister and I would start talking about the characters, then realize we were talking about the same heroine, yet pronouncing her name in two completely different ways!

My basic method boils down to this:  I name my characters names I like but would probably never name my child.  For instance, I really like the names Rachel and Hannah (two heroines from my books), but I wouldn't name my child either of those names basically because they are so popular.  They work wonderfully as names for characters though.  I wanted Rachel's character to be an easily relatable, ordinary Montana girl who, when thrust into a dangerous situation, manages to be surprisingly incredible.  I wanted Hannah's character to also be easy to relate to, but I also focused on the meaning.  Hannah means 'grace,' which has a lot of meaning when considering her story.  I also liked that it is a palindrome, the same forward and back, which again is significant considering her story deals with time travel.

I spend a lot less time on choosing the names of supporting characters, which has come back to haunt me on several occasions.  Typically, I start writing, and, when I arrive at the entrance of a supporting character, I just come up with a name on the spot.  They are usually names I don't really like and never intend to use as names for main characters.  Unfortunately, in at least two instances, those supporting characters have had much larger roles in the story than I originally intended when I named them.  For instance, in my book BAGGAGE CLAIM, Kelsey Johnson is introduced as a supporting character.  By Book 3 in the series, I have realized that Kelsey has her own story and is demanding to be the main character in somewhat of a spinoff for Book 4.  Now I'm stuck writing 'Kelsey' over and over for an entire book!

Though I obviously think about my characters' names way too much, choosing them is easy compared to deciding on a name for my son.  My first two sons have first names that are Biblical and have great meaning.  Their middle names are both family names.  For the third little boy, we (mainly my husband) wanted to keep the same pattern, and I was fine with that.  The problem is that my husband likes awful names, and I am very picky.  "No, honey, there is no way we're going to name our son Barnabas or Mahalalel."  (And no,  I am not joking.)  He likes names with great meaning.  I like names that aren't too popular, have a good sound, and won't get the kid beat up in school.

After looking through books of baby names, searching the Internet for popularity and other statistics, and generally agonizing about it, I have finally narrowed down our choices to two.  Unfortunately, I can't decide which one to go with.  My husband says he's fine with either one.  My family likes both.  I just can't commit and say, 'This is his name!'

I have been waffling back and forth for months now, and I am really no closer to a decision.  Like I said, I've researched the names on the web and even prayed that God would somehow tell me what this child's name is!  One day I'll prefer one name, the next day it's the other!  Some people have told me that maybe I'll just know when I actually see the baby.  I don't think that's going to happen.  Knowing me, I'll still drive myself crazy with indecision even after he's born!  And now my time is running out!

So here it is.  The possible names for our new little boy are Levi Brian or Micah Alton.  Levi means 'joined' and is the name of the priestly line in the Bible.  Micah means 'who is like God,' and is the name of a prophet in the Bible.  Brian is my husband's first name, and Alton is a family name from my side.

I want to get my baby's name right.  There is much more at stake here than just naming a character.  I don't want to name my baby one name, and then wish I'd named him the other.  In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare writes, 'What's in a name?  That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.'  But would it?  What would 'Levi' be like?  What about 'Micah'? 

P.S.  Opinions are welcome and greatly appreciated!  In other words, HELP!!!  ;- )

The Sequel to Baggage Claim!

Christian Romantic Suspense

Mirage, Book 2:  Tru Exceptions Series

$1.99 on Kindle or Nook

The terrorist attack . . . Dawson Tate . . . What if nothing is as it appears to be?  When the unexpected happens, Rachel Saunders must unravel the web of secrets surrounding her boyfriend's work with Homeland Security and their relationship.  While confronted with new facts about Dawson's mysterious ex from Florida and the attention of DHS agent Garrett Matthews, Rachel must find a way to save the man she can no longer trust.  Will anything or anyone survive after the truth is revealed and the mirage fades?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007PY3CL8

The Story Behind YESTERDAY and THE LOCKET

When reading a book, I often wonder how the author got the idea for the story.  My new series is very unique.  There aren't many (or any?) time travel / romantic suspense novels in the Christian sector.  The plot itself is very complex and interwoven.  As a reader, pay attention to every detail, because it will matter in some way!  So, how did I develop such a story?  Though published later, YESTERDAY was the very first book I wrote.  It actually all began very simply, and I wanted to share a little of the story behind the story.

The Idea:

I wanted to do something special for my sister's birthday.  She loves to read, but tends to be very picky.  I'd always wanted to be an author, so I decided I would write her the first couple chapters of one of the many ideas I had for novels.  I mentioned my plan to my mom, but she thought I should just write a short story that my sister could read from beginning to end in one sitting.  But I didn't have any ideas for short stories.  And that drove me crazy. 

When I was driving home,  I was suddenly hit by a thought.  What if you were driving along and when you stopped you were in a different time from when you started?  No sensation that you had time travelled--just a drive that landed you at your destination, but in the wrong time.  And that was the kernel from which the plot began.

I originally wrote the first two chapters of YESTERDAY as a short story.  I ended it minus the cliffhanger, of course.  I let my other sister read it, and she really liked it.  But she said she wanted more.  She liked the characters and wanted the story to keep going.  She thought I should turn it into a book.  I was adamant.  This was a short story.  I had no idea how to turn it into a full novel.  And that drove me crazy.

As I thought about it, I began weaving a complex plot around that original short story.  Then I began writing it.  Many late nights later, I was talking to my mom and stated emphatically that, although I developed the short story into a novel, it was not going to be a series.  I had no idea how to turn it into a series.  And that drove me crazy. 

If I did want to turn it into a series, . . . how would I do it?

So, now I have very detailed plans for a series of six books, with the plot so interwoven that seemingly minor details from the first book have great significance in the later books.  YESTERDAY and THE LOCKET are the first two books in this series.  So, that's it:  six books, no more.  And no, THAT won't drive me crazy.  Well . . . maybe just a little.