The finalists for the upcoming Selah Awards were announced today, and I am so thrilled that New Wine Transportation Company made it to the final round of judging in the Novella category.

Many names of writer friends were called during the live stream of the announcement of finalists, and I literally stood in my kitchen and clapped each time I recognized a name. It's been so fun to celebrate with them today on social media.

The awards are part of Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, which I'll be attending for the fifth time in May. The awards cover several genres/categories and are for works published in the calendar year prior. New Wine Transportation Company was entered in the Novella category because the word count is just shy of the requirement for novel categories, though by different standards it is called a "novel." Last year, I was a finalist in the Historical Fiction category for Where I Was Planted. (I came in fourth place, which isn't actually a place, but it was still a thrill to be a finalist.) This year, there are two other finalists in my category, and I'll be honest, I would love to know how many entries there were for the category in total. I want to celebrate, and I do, but part of me always wonders things like, Were there only three entries? Either way, I'm grateful for that pretty gold seal, and I'm cheering on all my friends who are also finalists.  Excited to find out all the winners on June 1!

Just in case you didn't see it on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube...I just signed a contract to publish my fifth novel!

To announce the signing of this contract with Iron Stream Media, I visited one of the settings of my upcoming novel, which is tentatively titled Songs for a Sunday. Oh, I can hardly wait to tell you more about this book (but I will). For now, I'll share that it's my first novel with a dual timeline, set in present day and the 1960s, and it's a Southern/Women's Fiction story set in and around Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The book is scheduled to release March 2023. (I know! So far away! But more time to spread the word is a good thing.) 

In these pictures, I'm at R.J. Reynolds Auditorium, a beloved landmark of the city. Two pivotal scenes in my book take place here--one in each timeline.

Construction of this magnificent building began in 1919, and was the vision of Mrs. Katharine Smith Reynolds, in honor and memory of her husband, tobacco industry magnate Richard Joshua Reynolds, who died the year prior. The bronze memorial tablet in the lobby reads: "This auditorium is to be devoted to the cultivation of the arts and sciences, and to the education of people, in affectionate recognition of the life and services of him in whose honor and memory it is dedicated."

One more teaser about the book- it deals with the struggles, secrets, sacrifices, and successes of two sets of sisters, generations apart. I'm so excited to work with Iron Stream Media for this project, and I'm very grateful to Editor Extraordinairre, Eve Marie Everson (who is also a fabulous author) for the opportunity. Thankful also for my agent, Cyle Young.

I look forward to sharing more in the coming months!

My fourth novel, New Wine Transportation Company, releases today, and there are so many emotions--excitement, appreciation, relief, joy. But one of the biggest feelings is ANXIETY. Will readers relate to Pastor Daniel Whitefield in New Wine Transportation Company? Will they understand the message I'm trying to convey? Is the overall theme clear? Will readers like it?

I shouldn't be so nervous. But this book is kind of "different." It doesn't follow some common conventions of Christian Fiction. It is a short novel (the same length as my first, Grace & Lavender.) There are no female points of view, and while most of the story is from the perspective of the main character, six of the chapters represent six other characters. The genre is first and foremost "Christian Fiction," and it definitely fits into the "Southern Fiction" (or "Small-Town Fiction") sub-genre. But unlike a lot of Southern Fiction, it does not share characteristics with broader categories like Women's Fiction and Romance. It is more "general," which could make it more challenging to reach an audience. 

One of my biggest concerns about the book is the subject matter. Drinking alcohol can be a "hot button" issue within the church, as demonstrated in the story, but that really isn't what the book is about. Please read the preface from the front of the book, below. I really hope people understand this:

"This story is not about drinking or not drinking alcohol. It is not meant to spark a theological debate and is not intended to be a representation of my personal interpretation of Scripture on the subject of alcohol. This story is about “the love of God [that] has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 5:5). It is, like all my writing, about how God works “all things together for good” (Rom. 8:28). And it is about obedience to His leading, even when our direction is challenged." 

Another concern I have is that, since the time I finished writing New Wine Transportation Company, I have completed a fifth novel that is more conventional and I believe has the potential to reach a broader audience, and I also feel like it's the best story I've written so far. Anxiety creeps in and tells me that, if people don't like NWTC, they won't give the new story a chance when its published one day, and I REALLY want to reach people with the not-yet-published story.  

Now that I've spent several paragraphs telling you what I'm worried about, let me tell you why I'm ashamed of that worry. I believe wholeheartedly that I wrote New Wine Transportation Company for a reason. It has a purpose. And I need to trust God with that purpose, whether the book is widely received or it isn't. So far, the kind people who have agreed to review the book have said some wonderful things about it. One of the most touching and rewarding for me was that a reader had been inspired to "be reaching and loving the broken." That's when I knew I had put limitations on God. He can do with this story whatever He chooses. If one person is inspired to help their community, or if one person is challenged to trust God more (as I have been), or if one person is drawn closer to the Father through the message of this story, then that's enough. Even if it simply provides a few hours of entertainment for someone, that will make me happy. But I won't limit God. He can use it however He wants, and I pray that it will be used for His glory. And I pray the same for the next book, and the next, should He allow me to continue writing. I shouldn't be nervous about my writing if I've asked Him to be in control of it.

This past Sunday, at the end of service, I led the congregation in a song many might think of as a children's song. But it was very fitting for the sermon, and it's fitting for my book release, too, despite my nervousness. This is what I'm going to try to focus on. I hope you feel it, too, today. I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart. Down in my heart, down in my heart. I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart. Down in my heart to stay.

Can a book be a home design guide and a devotional? Victoria Duerstock proves the answer is yes and does it well, with her new release Heart & Home: Design Basics for Your Soul and Living Space. This book perfectly meshes inspiring message of God’s love with helpful advice for creating welcoming, attractive spaces in the home.

Amid all the themed devotionals on the market, Heart & Home is the first devotional I’ve read with an interior design theme, and the concept totally works! Acts 17:28 says that in God “we live, and move, and have our being.” Duerstock recognizes the all-encompassing goodness of God and interprets His truths even through discourse on things like exposed brick, lighting, and accent pieces.

The structure of this book is great. The attractive layout is consistent—you know what to expect on each page—and that adds to the feelings of peace and tranquility conveyed by the words and pictures in the book. Each two-page layout consists of home interior photos, a prayer, the devotion title and Scripture, the body of the devotion, and a design tip.

One of my favorite devotions in the book is titled “It’s Not About You.” It encourages the idea of designing a home with the needs of others in mind. As a foster parent-in-waiting, this line strikes a chord: “Designing our homes intentionally to be ready at a moment’s notice to meet needs should be our purpose.”

I'm so glad I had the opportunity to review this devotional, and I look forward to Duerstock's next release, Heart & Home for Christmas, which will be available in September.

About the Author:
Victoria Duerstock is a writer, blogger, teacher, and speaker. Her mission is to inspire hope and ignite bigger dreams for God’s purpose in each of our stories. She has a master’s degree in music, but ended up working in the furniture industry for more than twenty years and loves to make connections between our home environments and our spiritual lives. Victoria writes at Encouraging Women Today, Everything’s Gravy, Creative Corner, and Serious Writer Academy and also has contributed to devotionals for Worthy. She lives in Nesbit, Mississippi, with her husband, and they have three children.

From the Publisher:
Heart and Home is a short devotional book with daily devotions for 90 days. The devotionals seek to draw clear connection between the basics of interior design and scripture that encourages spiritual growth within our hearts. The devotionals inspire women to have a captivating heart and home. Included in each devotional is an applicable design tip and photographs. Example devotional topics include unity and harmony, negative space, flow, focal point, and balance. This devotional includes full-color photographs of home interiors throughout the book. Click here to view a sample of the book.
For more information about the series and for links to purchase, visit https://www.abingdonpress.com/victoriaduerstock.

Joanna:
"Hunter is more than just a fantasy book. It’s more than an epic, action-packed, intense, dramatic story, and the characters represent more than who they are. As a Christian author, I’ve always tried to include Christian themes in my stories. Before Hunter, all I wrote were stories that were - what I like to call - Christian dramas. So when I wrote my first fantasy novel, which was Hunter, I tried to include God and my beliefs in it as much as possible. When I finished, Hunter had become a story about redemption and survival, about terrible things that happen and overcoming those things.

What I hadn’t realized was just how Biblical it was.

Later, as I continued writing the series it’s a part of, The Valiant Series, I realized that it paralleled to the story of Moses. People oppressed by a government and rules greater than themselves. A person chosen to set them free who only knew the life as their enemy and that same person being someone to doubt themselves and why they were chosen in the first place. I added a special scene to really bring out this theme that had been imbued inside Hunter without me realizing it.

Most people either don’t know that Christian fiction exists, let alone Christian fantasy, or they think it’s just like listening to a sermon at church - not that there is anything wrong with that. But Christian fantasy isn’t. Hunter isn’t.

Christian fantasy for me especially, is something that makes me smile. You wanna know why? Because as I’m reading or watching Christian fantasy, I know - really know - that it’s clean and filled with truths that I believe in. I don’t have to be afraid of what I’m reading or watching. As a Christian fantasy author, it’s my chance to give people - all people, not just Christians - an epic tale that they can really delve into and become a part of and still show them that it doesn’t have to include cussing or sex scenes or anything else that’s bad in order to be a really good book. You can love books that are decent and clean and at the same time, share themes and beliefs that can hopefully inspire and encourage you whether you’re a Christian or not. And maybe, just maybe, it can teach you about the God who loves you more than you will ever know."

​Imagine for a moment, a simple work of Christian fiction. The writing has some weak points, but the characters are likeable, the story is inspiring, and the truth of the Gospel is presented clearly. Most readers tell the author they like it, but she wonders how many are just being nice. Now, let’s imagine that little book in the right hands.
 
One of the first people to purchase the book is a faithful church-goer and friend of the author, named Mary. She loves the book because the gospel is woven seamlessly into the story. Mary has an unsaved friend named Nancy who loves to read. Mary thinks Nancy might enjoy the book, and that maybe, the Holy Spirit will use it to nudge her in the right direction. Unfortunately, the story really isn’t Nancy’s cup of tea. She puts the book aside after reading only one chapter.
 
Months pass and the book collects dust. One day, Nancy’s teenage daughter, Jane, notices it on the shelf. It has a pretty cover, so she tries it out. The characters draw her in, and she can’t put it down. Even though the story has some “church stuff”, she likes it.
 
A week later, Jane’s friend, Lily, invites the girl to church for the first time, and she agrees to go so she can hang out with her friend afterward. At church, the preacher’s sermon is confusing for Jane, until she remembers something from the Christian book she enjoyed so much. She makes a connection, and she understands that God loves her. That day, she chooses to give her life to Him.
 
Jane shares her decision with Lily and her mother, Kate, and they rejoice with her. Jane tells them about the book, and Kate decides to read it. The theme of foster care and adoption in the story immediately strikes a chord. She’d been praying about fostering a child, and the Lord uses the book to confirm her calling.
 
Kate and her husband eventually adopt a seven-year-old boy named Noah. He spends the rest of his childhood in a loving, Christian home, and he makes a profession of faith at the age of fifteen. The Lord calls him right after high school to become an evangelist.
 
At a revival meeting several years into Noah’s ministry, he helps lead an older woman to the Lord. Her name is Nancy. She tells Noah that she had rejected God for many years, and that she wishes her good friend Mary were still alive to see her prayers for Nancy be answered.   
 
See what a simple book can accomplish in the right hands? Now, please don’t be confused. The “right hands” weren’t those of Mary, the friend of the author. The right hands were God’s. My made-up tale may seem fanciful, but when we place our work in the hands of the ultimate Creator, we can only imagine the story He will write! If you want to impact the kingdom with your talents, seek Him first, then put forth your very best effort in all that you do and trust God to use it mightily! You may never know the story. You may never be aware of the reach and impact your writing has. But you can always trust God’s purpose for it to be accomplished.
 
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. Psalm 37:5

Trying my first vlog! (And it only took about five takes. *winks*) I'm sharing some thoughts for fellow creatives, and I hope you will be encouraged. 

Time is such a funny thing. I signed a publishing contract in January of 2018 and waited fourteen months for the book to be released. Release day finally arrived, and already two weeks have passed since Grace & Lavender made its official entrance into the world. And those two weeks have been a blur!

One of the most fun, and busiest, parts of the book launch experience so far, has been the amazing blog tour hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours, and two great Bookstagram tours--one hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours  and the other by TLC Book Tours. In part, this blog post serves to preserve the links from these great social media tours, so I can look back at them.

I had the privilege of being featured on twenty different blogs! Click here to see which ones.

One of my favorite reviews so far came from the blog SusanLovesBooks. Part of it reads:

"GRACE & LAVENDER is filled with twists and turns as well as faith, family, love, hope, and had me staying up way too late one night to finish! I had to know where Heather Norman Smith was taking us and what would happen to Colleen, Melody, and Grace. Poor Grace will pull at your heart strings and never let them go. There is so much heart in Heather’s writing that I was left with a huge smile on my face and my heart very happy. I could totally see GRACE & LAVENDER becoming a Hallmark movie and I would love to see it. All of the characters are very interesting and believable, so much so that I felt as if I’ve known them for a long time."

These words made my heart happy!

Between the two tours on Instagram, I was able to connect with lots of readers I wouldn't have otherwise reached. The link listing all the tour stops with TLC is found here. Below is a sample of some of the amazing pictures these talented Instagrammers have posted over the last two weeks. Follow me or search #graceandlavender or #heathernormansmith on Instagram to see them.

This week, I also had an opportunity to guest post on the Seriously Write blog. You can find my short encouragement for Christian writers at the link here. Many more guest blog posts to come in the near future. 

Perhaps the biggest event of this book  release season happens this Sunday afternoon. My family is hosting a  book signing/launch party at my church's fellowship hall. My parents have put a lot of effort into this event, to celebrate this book, and it means so much to me. Their encouragement and support are invaluable in my life!

I'll try to keep you updated as the whirlwind continues. I am immensely grateful to be able to share my words and to share God's love through the stories He's given me. 

North Carolina’s rich heritage includes the geneses of many well-known and much-loved food products, the likes of which have earned us serious bragging rights. But, as gracious Southerners, we let the food speak for itself instead. Keep reading to learn more about famous brands born in the Tar Heel State, and to find out how I incorporated each of them into my book, Grace & Lavender.  
 
Pepsi-Cola:  Invented in New Bern, NC (Craven County) in 1893 by Caleb Bradham, who made and sold it at his drugstore. The name Pepsi-Cola was first used in 1898.

Georgia may have that other cola favorite, but we're proud this world-famous product got its start on our coast.

Fun fact: New Bern is the second-oldest colonial town in North Carolina.
 
Cheerwine: A cherry-flavored soft drink made by Carolina Beverage Corporation of Salisbury, NC (Rowan County) since 1917. This unique soda is sold across the Southeast, but is best known in the Carolinas and Virginia. The company also markets Cheerwine flavored ice cream, sherbet, and cream bars, sold mainly in Food Lion supermarkets (also referenced in the book), which is based in Salisbury as well.

Fun fact: Rowan County is also home of the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer.
 
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts: Founded in Winston-Salem, NC (in my county of Forsyth) in 1937, in a rented building located in what is now historic Old Salem. While Krispy Kreme was sold to a Luxembourg-based company in 2016, Winston-Salem remains the World Headquarters and home of the Krispy Kreme Support Center. Corporate operations moved to Charlotte, NC in December 2017.

Fun fact: The influence of the Moravian settlers who established the town of Salem is evidenced, in part, by the many active Moravian congregations in Winston-Salem today. The motto of the Moravian Church is: "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; and in all things, love."
 
Texas Pete: A Louisiana-style hot sauce developed and manufactured by the TW Garner Food Company in Winston-Salem, NC. Texas Pete was introduced in 1929 by Sam Garner, operator of the Dixie Pig barbecue stand in Winston-Salem. (Some people here enjoy Texas Pete on everything! I've seen it doused on pizza and scrambled eggs.)
 
Fun fact: A hint about the location of the fictional town of Springville, NC in my book, comes from the quote, “The best hot sauce in the world is made just down the road.”
 
Mount Olive Pickle Company: Founded in the mid 1920s in Mount Olive, NC (Wayne County). The company's primary product is pickled cucumbers, but it also supplies canned peppers and relishes, and other pickled products. Mt. Olive is the largest independent pickle company in the United States. The company employs over 500 people, and as many as 800 during the busiest intake season each summer.

Fun fact: On New Year's Eve, Mt. Olive Pickle Company drops a three-foot pickle down a flagpole into a pickle tank, but at 7 p.m. instead of midnight.

One of the most fun parts of publishing my first book has been the cover design process. When I opened the initial email from Hannah, Creative Director at Ambassador International, I was so excited! She sent me some great concepts, then we worked together to decide on the right cover for "Grace & Lavender." I thought it would be fun to show you the covers that I didn't select and explain why.

The vision I originally gave Hannah was for a store front, where the title would be the name of the store on the window. I envisioned it like a painting rather than a photograph. I told her I preferred not to use faces on the cover, because I wanted the reader to come up with their own ideas of how the characters look. I also gave her an awesome photograph of the Blue Ridge Mountains, taken by my friend Keith Sidden, who is an outdoor enthusiast and a great photographer/videographer (check out his Instagram), and I asked if it could be used on the back cover of the book.

The first option she sent was a store front textured to look more like a painting and colorized a lavender tint. What I didn't notice at first, is that she had taken the photograph of the mountains that I'd sent and made it a reflection in the store window. This was a really cool concept, but it didn't do the photograph justice and the store front was not like the one described in the book.  (Unfortunately, we weren't able to use the mountain photo on the back cover either.)

At the same time she sent Option #1, she sent me Option #2 below. This is a very attractive cover, but there were two things not right about it. The girl does not look like the character Grace--who is smaller and has straight, dark hair--and, in the story, Grace never visits a lavender field.

I liked how she used a tag for the background of the title, and she actually managed to get the photo of the mountains on the tag, too! (But it still just didn't do the photo justice.)

I liked the lavender field and the tag concept of Option #2, and I mentioned possibly making the scene brighter, maybe with some sky. and making the field more dimensional. Option #3 below was very close! She put an arrangement of lavender in the foreground and the open field in the background. And it had sky which brightened up the look. But the tag didn't feel like a "boutique" soap store to me. It needed some touching up. 

She also sent Option #4 with lots of sky and an awesome embellishment around the title. I'd sent her something similar that I liked from another book, and she delivered on it! But one problem was that the image is from a lavender field in France, not the foothills of North Carolina. The mountains were pretty, but they weren't "my" mountains.

Finally, we arrived at the cover image that is soon going to press! The tag used for the title background is perfect, and she even made the little string wrap around to the back of the book. The Blue Ridge are in the background and given a purplish tint.  I love it!

There are lots of directions we could have gone with cover images, but I am very pleased with my first book cover, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with for the cover of "Where I Was Planted", which will be in the Creative Design phase soon!