Do you enjoy continuity series?

    Terri Reed here, I’ve heard from many readers they like to buy all the books in each series then read them back to back. Kind of like having a Netflix binge experience with books. 

     If you’ve never read a continuity series you’re in for a treat. Let me tell you a bit about how a continuity series works.

     There is an overarching story, whether it’s a suspense thread or a theme that spans the course of all the books, and yet each book has its own plot and own romance and can be read alone.

     I find the process both challenging and exciting.

     The authors are invited to participate so the line up of authors changes with each collection. The authors receive a workbook generated by the editors with the continuity elements for each individual book and the overarching story line or theme that connects the books.

     To me this is the fun part where the authors get to create their own story from all of the elements and incorporating the central plot points.    However, I think the best part of being involved in writing a continuity book is the camaraderie with the other authors. We brainstorm plot points and characters, we support and encourage each other and share the joys and the challenges together. 

Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense continuity series Classified K-9 Unit 

http://www.harlequin.com/store.html?cid=623786 

Harlequin Love Inspired Historical continuity series Lone Star Cowboy League: Mulitple Blessings. http://www.harlequin.com/store.html?cid=623802

Harlequin Love Inspired Contemporary continuity series Lone Star Cowboy League: Boys Ranch

http://www.harlequin.com/store.html?cid=623544

I hope you’ll enjoy the stories as much as we love writing them.

Speaking of Happily Ever Afters

If yesterday had you humming the theme from the Brady Bunch, today we want you to think about the happily ever after that is what you close your eyes and imagine after the final kiss of a Hallmark movie (er, Love Inspired romance).

To give you some idea of who we are we're taking those plot devices (Hmmm, no secret babies or runaway bride categories) and matching them to Love Inspired authors.  Below, we've listed many of our authors and not only how they met the love of their life, but how long they've been together.

I'm Pamela Tracy.  I've been married 15 years.  Thanks to this post, I looked up the traditional gifts hubbies are supposed to give based on years.  My hubby owes me some crystals.

Louise M. Gouge should be showing off some emeralds.

If we get an author bragging about the one-year anniversary, she'll be happily stacking reams of paper in her office, and truly romance authors love paper.

Take a look at our authors and then comment with your anniversary number and the category you fall under.

What have we left out?

1.  Childhood Sweethearts
           Lenora Worth ()

2. High School Sweethearts

            Laurel Blount (29 years)
           Jill Kemerer (22 years) 
           Rhonda Gibson (34 years)
   

3. College Sweethearts

           Terri Reed (29 years)

Margaret Daley (46  years)

Jean C. Gordon (43 years: we married our junior year)          

Jo Ann Brown (40 years)

Christine Johnson (30 years)

Winnie Griggs (42 years, but hybrid because we were introduced by friends)

Leann Harris

4. Blind Date

           Pamela Tracy (15 years)

            Louise M. Gouge (52 years)

            Deb Kastner (30 years)

           Meghan Carver (24 years)

5. Worked together

            Katy Lee (19 years)

6. Mutual Friends

            Myra Johnson (45 years)

            Jolene Navarro (30 years, a true small town romance)

            Mary Alford (33 years)
            Arlene James (42 years, but hybrid because friends can be family)
            Lorraine Beatty (50 years) 

7. Church

8. Met at a Social Event

            Debby Giusti (44 years)

9. Neighbors

            Merrillee Whren (41 years)

10.  Still Looking   

Welcome to the Ladies of Love Inspired--Lenora Worth

Hello, and Happy Easter! We are all excited around here. Today, we launch the new and improved Ladies of Love Inspired blog site--Love Inspired: Stories of Faith and Love for Every Reader.

To kick things off, here is a little poem we put together (kinda, sorta, to the tune of "The Brady Bunch." Hope you enjoy it. We are still building our pages, so please come back for book updates and pictures of the Ladies and our fun times. We'll also introduce you to some new Ladies who've joined the blog. More authors, more books, more posts! This week, we will post fun stuff until we're fully loaded. Meantime, if you have questions or suggestions, let us know! We love our readers!

Oh, and to celebrate, I'm putting together a Lovely Ladies spring box of books and goodies. If you post over the next two weeks, you'll be entered into the contest. I will announce the winner here on Saturday, April 29th!!!

Here's the story of some lovely ladies

Who were writing many lovely books,

All of them had plots of gold, with great endings,

That cleared up all the hooks.

Here’s the story of some hunky heroes who always

make us swoon,

They are strong and hardworking, with dreams that always bring them home.

These are men, who love their women,

And don’t want to wind up all alone.

And so we write some love stories, where the lady always gets her man,

Because they know there’s so much more to this life,

When they kiss and take each other’s hand,

And that's how this hunky, loving man marries a strong and loving wife.

Love Inspired Stories

Love Inspired Stories

Faith and love, that’s the way we make every reader smile.

Grand ReOpening

The Craftie Ladies are going through an intensive rebuilt.
Please return April 17th.  We'll have a new look, a new brand, new bloggers, and a whole lot of fun.

In the meantime, feel free to explore some of our older posts, especially the serials.  Get to know us.