When Everything Old is New Again by Tracey J Lyons

     The scent, the smell, the feel of a new book never gets old for me.  And this month is the official release date for my new book with Love Inspired. My very first Love Inspired and my first in the Amish genre.  A Love for Lizzie was this germ of an idea and then over the months it grew into a full fledged story. Writing this book was not without it's trials and tribulations. And I guess, looking back, I have this same experience with all of the books I've written. The difference this time around is the fact that I'm with a new to me publisher and a new to me genre. 

     I've enjoyed researching and embracing the Amish culture. I'm learning the ropes at my publishing house. I think the old part of this was the discipline of writing the novel; sitting at my desk every day and producing words! The new has been meeting so many new readers. Readers who love Love Inspired books, and readers who love the Amish genre. And of course seeing the germ of an idea, turn into a sold book! I absolutely love when the book arrives. I love opening that box and taking out the first book, which I always sign and give to my husband. I really get a kick out of seeing the book on the store shelves. And, as I've said, I've done this before, but holding A Love for Lizzie in my hands was like seeing my book for the first time. Yes, it's old hat, but the feeling bursting inside of me were those of being a debut author all over again.  

I'd like to take this time to thank each and every one of you who take the time to visit this blog. And I'd like to thank you for making this old-time author feel new again! 

Wishing you all the best of summer! 


Tracey 

A Love For Lizzie
Harlequin Love Inspired July 2019
buy link

"Readers will be rooting for Lizzie in Tracey Lyons’ newest offering, A Love for Lizzie!  Tracey has a terrific way of creating multidimensional characters who are both likable and compelling. I’m already looking forward to Tracey Lyons’ next book!" ~NYT and USA Today bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray 

Childhood friends joined by a painful past…Can love blossom between them?

After her father falls ill, Lizzie Miller and her family desperately need help to keep the farm going during harvesttime. Neighbor Paul Burkholder is eager to lend a hand—and to court Lizzie. But Paul has a secret that he fears could push Lizzie away. Can they finally heal from a tragedy in their pasts…and open their hearts to each other?

Copyright © 2019 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited
Cover copy text used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited.

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We {{Heart}} New York and its Amish by Jo Ann Brown

I’ve been friends with Tracey J. Lyons for more than a decade, but today is the first time that we’ve both had a book coming out at the same day from the same publisher. My book The Amish Widower’s Twins is set in Washington County in northeastern New York.

Her book A Love for Lizzie is set almost eight hours west in Chautauqua County in the southwestern corner of New York. These settlements are two among the more than twenty that have been established in the state since the early 1950’s.

Tracey’s book is her first for Love Inspired and her first Amish romance. My book is the fourth and final book in the Amish Spinsters Club series. But we both agree that we are delighted with our book covers.
Both of us are writing about Old Order Amish communities, but there are some definite differences. Tracey’s settlement of Miller’s Crossing was established in the 1970’s and is a daughter settlement of one in Geagua County, Ohio (in the northeast portion of the state). My brand new settlement in Harmony Creek Hollow was settled primarily by families from Lancaster County, but also from other states (including Delaware and Indiana). While the older settlement has its Ordnung, the unwritten rules by which the community lives, one of the challenges for my characters has been creating a new Ordnung for their settlement as they decided on color of their buggies and shape of the women’s kapps (head coverings) and other details that are vital to their community.
While southwestern New York has slow rolling hills that lead toward the Great Lakes,

Washington County shares a border with Vermont and enjoys amazing views of the Green Mountains.

Both are traditional farming areas with a scattering of small towns which is a primary reason the Amish were drawn there. And probably why we were drawn to write in these areas, too!
We were amazed, because we never mentioned it to each other, that we both have main characters with the surname of Miller. My hero is Gabriel Miller, and her heroine is Lizzie Miller. Actually it’s not surprising, because Miller is one of the most common names among the Old Order Amish. But the similarities don’t end there. Both Gabriel and Lizzie have a single sibling, which is unusual for Amish families, which tend to run to a lot more kids!
Now both Tracey and I are each working on another Amish romance while we enjoy the release today of the print books. The ebooks will be available July 1. The audio book for The Amish Widower’s Twins is also available today.
So join two friends today while we enjoy a unique celebration!

Road Trip! by Tracey J Lyons

Well this month's post caught me off guard! Why? Because I'm on a road trip with my husband. A road trip that everyone who knows us wasn't too sure would happen. You see we are, finally, after being together for over 40 years, driving from upstate New York to Florida. Now, we know many, many people have done the I-95 corridor before us. And we also know that many, many family and friends think only one of us will be returning in my RAV 4. LOL!

So...the trek began four days ago.

Yes that is my all important tea mug that you see perched precariously on the dashboard. A souvenir from another  road trip to Bisbee, Arizona. 

The car was packed. Okay not to organized, but I know where everything is.

And off we went on our 1,371.4 miles (one way)!! Or 20 hours in the car with my husband! Wait what did I agree to??!! 

Honestly, so far it's been a great trip. My husband, TJ , and I have talked books, kids, grand-kids, parenting, grand-parenting, in-laws and out-laws. We've even managed to solve a few of the world's problems.  But more importantly we've stopped along the way to visit friends we haven't seen in over a decade and friends who moved away from us as few years ago. And... we've set aside our crazy lives to reconnect with each other. This is becoming one of our most memorable trips. Something we can check off of our bucket list. 

I'm glad we decided to take the plunge and do the drive. We've been plotting and planning our trip back. I know I'm stopping at Georgia Peach World, exit 58 off of I-95. 

Special thanks to B & K Weiss, and R & D Spano for hosting us along the way! 

Tell me, have you ever taken a long road trip? I'd love to hear where you went!! 

A Love For Lizzie 

Print June 18, 2019

digital July 1, 2019

TraceyJLyons.com