Evie Mercer has a problem. Her groom may be a criminal.
Hello Friends,
I have a new book out today, and I’m so excited to finally share this one with you.
Gunpowder and Promises takes us on a railroad journey to Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory, in 1878. Evie Mercer has been given a rather unusual assignment. She’s supposed to pose as a mail-order bride.
Her prospective groom, Gideon Hayden, works for the railroad, but there’s a problem. Blasting powder has gone missing, and the ledgers point straight to him.
If the ledgers are accurate, Gideon is a criminal.
If they’re forged, someone wants him condemned for it.
Evie is supposed to figure out which.
Of course, investigating a man becomes considerably more complicated when you’re pretending you might marry him. Especially when you start to suspect he isn’t the man everyone thinks he is. And when you’re fighting your own conscience about hiding your true identity.
Gunpowder and Promises has so many of the things I love to read in a story. You’ll find mystery, danger, faith, a little humor, and two people who have valid reasons not to trust each other.
If you enjoy clean, Christian, historical romance with a mystery woven through it, I think you’ll enjoy Evie and Gideon’s story.
If you pick up a copy, I’d love to hear what you think. You can always hit reply and tell me. I really do enjoy hearing from my readers.
Thank you for reading my stories and allowing me to keep creating new ones. I have a lot more planned, and I’m so glad you’re here for them.
Happy reading!
Lori
P.S. If you’ve already grabbed Gunpowder and Promises, thank you! And if you finish it, leaving a quick review is one of the best ways you can help other readers discover the book.
P.P.S. Stay tuned. Later this week, I’ll be sharing an excerpt from this novel.
In my upcoming release, Murder on Mulberry Lane, which is part of my new cozy mystery series following Mildred Wiggins in the town of Maple Hollow, Indiana, there is a little cafe she frequents. The cafe is called Cattywampus Cafe. It is a compilation of many different things in my life, but I thought sharing some of them might give you an inside glimpse into my writer brain.
The Small Town Diner
The little cafe is inspired by one that used to reside in our little town along with some adjustments that match one in another small town I lived in just after getting married. It is the type of place you will find in any small town across the United States. Locals gather for breakfast, lunch, dinner and to catch up on local gossip while eating fruit pies.
The scenes at the Cattywampus Cafe likely feel warm and familiar to you because you’ve been in similar places and it hits those same notes.
I have a special love of cat clocks. When I was about 15, my parents opened a store at Indianapolis’ newly refurbished Union Station. The store sold cutlery, collector’s knives and kitchen gadgets. One thing we sold that I thought was so adorable were the Kit Kat Cloks. These are clocks where the cats tail and eyes moved back and forth. Very cartoon looking and inspired by a cartoon.
You may notice these clocks pop up in many of my books. It’s because I love them and it is a memory of a simpler time that was exciting for my family and the city I grew up in.
It’s funny how little things like that stick with you years after they are past. I can still remember the sound of the clocks ticking, the train rumbling past and people’s voices echoing off the marble floors. The smell of peanut butter fudge sometimes wafted our way from the Fudge Factory down the hall. Those moments are so dear to me.
Why a Cat Themed Cafe?
You’re probably wondering how I’d think of a cat-themed cafe for the Mildred series. After all, her sidekick is a rooster (there is actually a life story behind that as well). Why not chickens? For years, my parents had a winter retirement place in Sebring, Florida. Have you ever been there?
Sebring is in the middle of the state. We would often go at Christmas and stay a week or two. It was a little over an hour to Disney, and you all know how obsessed I can be with my Disney trips. It was a little over an hour to the beach. Plenty to do in the town itself. One of the things we would do is go to a diner there called The Cat House. I know, I know, but it isn’t what it sounds like, I promise. Do you really think I’d go somewhere like that? Behave your mind! LOL
The diner had cat everything, everywhere. Cat themed tables. Cat pictures on the walls. Cats, cats and more cats, but no real cats. I have to say it was very much the inspiration for the Cattywampus Cafe, but moved up to Southern Indiana and with cat clocks added.
The Name of the Diner
I kept trying out different names for the local diner. From simple ideas like Maple Hollow Eats to more complex things. The word “Cattywampus” kept coming to mind. I have a friend who would use the word as a code word with her husband to let him know it was time to leave a place. She cracks me up.
As a writer, the word stuck in my brain because just the sound of it is something I fell in love with. I also love the meaning, which is crooked, askew or out of place. What better word for a kitty cat themed diner in the middle of small town America. Plus, it has the word “cat” in it, so there you go.
The Giant Tenderloin
This is another leftover from my childhood. We had an old drive-in theater down the road from where I grew up on the far east side of Indy. The drive-in part closed down ages before I was born, but the concessions remained as a restaurant called Al Green’s. My dad always liked Al. He was quite a character and remembered all the neighbors. At times, he’d go up and get him and my mom a sandwich, a huge tenderloin on a tiny bun. The sandwich at the Cattywampus Cafe is a nod to that memory.
The Creative Side
While some real life experiences were the seeds behind the idea for the local diner in the Mildred Wiggins mysteries, once I begin writing, the creative side of my brain takes over and makes a place uniquely from my imagination. I added people, decor and a certain missing person poster that will appear over the entire first 10 books in this series as my readers learn more about a decades old missing teenager and slowly gain clues to help them figure out what happened to Lucy Mae Heart.
The Cattywampus Cafe appears in my books, mystery letter series and short stories appearing in Clean Fiction Magazine that will follow Mildred’s niece Hannah through a series of short story mysteries. I hope you love these mystery tie ins as much as I do. Each element (individual books, letters, short stories) is unique and can be read alone. When you read them together, you see the big picture of an entire world I’ve build around Maple Hollow, Indiana and the things that go on there that only Mildred would notice and solve.
Murder on Mulberry Lane releases July 6th. You can pre-order it here:
Now, you get a glimpse into how various things inspire me throughout my stories. We are all such unique, God-created individuals. We all have a story to tell. I hope you enjoy mine.
Working on a short mystery this weekend. I thought I’d let you in on the name choosing process. A character’s name matters. Have you ever met a Wilma who was very un-Wilma? What about a Jack who acted more like an Edwin?
For this particular story, I already knew the last name as the main character is related to one of the characters in my upcoming novel mystery series. I started with Valerie. It really didn’t suit the character. She is young, fresh out of college, and Valerie is a more mature name. I also tried Susie, but have another character in the story named Suzette. Susie also didn’t completely fit the character. After going through a bunch of names and trying them out, I finally settled on Hannah. You will meet Hannah Wiggins in the first installment of a new short story mystery series titled “Going Once” that will be appearing in Clean Fiction Magazine this summer. Stay tuned for details!
I thought I’d take a moment and share some of what I’m up to for the rest of 2026 into 2027. So many exciting things on the agenda.
First, my Mildred Wiggins cozy mystery series launches this summer. The first book is in heavy edits at the moment. There will be ten books total in the series to start, releasing a few months apart. Here are some of the first few covers, created by the highly talented Miss JoAnn Durgin, and a dear friend of mine.
Murder on Mulberry LaneTrouble on Sawdust LaneCrime on Crabapple Circle
Multiple Author Projects (MAPs)
I can’t wait to participate in some MAPs. I enjoy meeting fellow authors and collaborating and supporting one another.
Our House
I’ll be joining the Our House series again this year. We’ll head to South Africa. I have my main character, title and basic premise for this one outlined. The title is The Ranger’s Restoration and my main character is Lionel. More about him soon. It releases October 2nd.
I enjoy that series because the women are so bright and cooperative. Every Wednesday, we pray for one another. Last year’s Our House series was set in Scotland. Here is my cover:
I’m thrilled to be joining some truly skilled authors for the third installment of the Mountain Men series. My mom hails from West Virginia, so I have real mountain men in my family tree. I can’t wait to bring the characters and story to life for you.
That book will release early summer 2027. I’ll have more details soon. In the meantime, you can check out the books in the first two installments on Amazon.
Mail Order Brides Undercover
I’ve also taken on a shorter novella for this series and will be writing that immediately as it releases this August. I’m stepping in for an author who is dealing with some family illness, so please keep her in your prayers. While I’m excited to be part of the group, I wish it wasn’t for this reason.
Patreon
I’m playing around on Patreon to see how it goes. I may wind up moving to Substack, we will see. There seem to be more authors on Substack, so it might be a better fit. Stay tuned, as I’ll have big news come May 1st. I love you all!
Hint: The answer for your 24 Days of Christmas Scavenger hunt is further down this page.
We live in the southernmost part of Indiana. Drive 20 minutes and you’re across the Ohio River and in Kentucky. The radius around us is called Kentuckiana. We have rolling hills, limestone, caves, clay soil and that distinct twang you don’t hear farther north.
Dial Q for Quincy’s Hope
All the small towns surrounding us have their own holiday traditions. In my hometown, you can meet Santa and shop for the holidays at local artisan booths. You can drive 45 minutes northeast to Madison, the town where Dial Q for Quincy’s Hope is set and see historical homes decked out for the holidays. Just 15 minutes from us is Charlestown, Indiana, where you can ride a trolley and dance to a light show on the square. Everywhere you go, there is something to celebrate.
I think my favorite annual tradition in the last few years is our trip to Lights Under Louisville. When the weather is nice, we can also pop into the zoo as they are right next to each other. The event is held in the Mega Cavern. The location was originally a limestone mine – a 100-acre underground area you can drive through. In November and December, it turns into an underground light show that thrills everyone who enters.
Seeing the World Through My Grandkids’ Eyes
The drive is interesting but not something I’d normally go out of my way to do. However, seeing it through the eyes of those precious babies I adore makes it so much more fun. Our youngest was in awe and stopped talking. The oldest never quit talking all the way through the cavern.
Now that I’m a nana, I realize how fast time passes and I store up these precious memories. It will be but a heartbeat and these babies will be grown, but I’m going to remember these moments and traditions we got to spend with our beautiful family.
The Tradition Is Love
Although I love the Lights Under Louisville trip we’ve been taking each year, it is mainly about spending time with those you love. My favorite Christmas tradition is love. We could spend time anywhere, doing anything, and I’d still soak ine those moments and enjoy them.
At the core of the season is a celebration of Jesus’ birth. A king of kings and the lord of lords, who CHOSE to step down from him heavenly throne and be born in a lowly manger because he loved me that much. There is no greater love. May all of you know how precious you are and how much your heavenly father adores you this holiday season.
Merry Christmas!
If you’re participating in the scavenger hunt, the answer to the question “What is Lori’s favorite Christmas tradition?” is “love.” Lights Under Louisville is also an acceptable answer.
When I wrote Dandelion Serenade, I added a minor flooding event that takes out the town’s bridge. I also pushed my release date to July 4th. Little did I know that a major flooding event would take place that same day, the results far more catastrophic than what happens in my book.
We All Relate as Moms Who’ve Sent Their Kids to Summer Camp
As a mom who sent her kids off to Christian summer camp, my heart breaks for the families of the lost children. It could happen to anyone and I think every mother feels the weight of these losses in some way. I can’t even imagine not knowing where your child is but knowing in your heart they must be gone from this world. There are still children missing–babies–and my heart breaks for them. There are displaced pets all over, and you know how I love my critters. Others survived but are hurting terribly both financially and emotionally.
I’m Donating My Profits
I don’t pretend to know what those families went through but I need to do something, even if something small. Since it released on that fateful day, I am going to donate all profits this month from Dandelion Serenade to Kerrville Pets Alive to help in their efforts to reunite pets with their owners. I’m hoping to donate several hundred dollars, but we shall see how much it is.
I hope other authors will consider joining in as they are able and also donating where they can to an organization with boots on the ground. Do your research and avoid The Red Cross. I can tell you from experience that they keep most of the money and offer very little help. When the tornado hit in Henryville, it was pathetic how much they raised and how little they did. I will say that Habitat for Humanity helped several families here, so if you want to donate to a larger organization that may be a good one that may come in and help later. Do what you can, even if it is just a small prayer for people you don’t know but you still feel a connection to because you know they are hurting.
Hey, everyone! I’m so excited because a special event is here! Not only can you enter for a chance to win CHASING SNOWFLAKES, but you’ll have a chance to win incredible prizes for book lovers, click the link to enter the awesome giveaway.
This special promotion is in honor of Maria Henriksen’s newest release, Not Again Morgan’s Story: Life’s not all fun and games. This is Christian fiction at its finest featuring games galore, devious deceit, and fierce faith.
Small-town charm and rediscovered dreams are always in season in Dogwood Creek, Tennessee
Lydia Clark thought she left Dogwood Creek behind, including memories of her high school bully and a careless jock who almost ruined her chances at a bright future. But now, the grandmother who loved her through those rough years is having some health issues that force Lydia to return. Taking over for the chemistry teacher temporarily, Lydia plans to help for a semester and not get caught up in the close-knit community of her youth or the handsome math teacher/basketball coach.
Charlie Bailey is town star, turned into high school math teacher and local basketball coach. His charm is almost irresistible, but his sledding skills leave much to be desired, and he crashes into her at a local competition. Lydia soon discovers Charlie’s dedication to shaping young lives, especially those from rough backgrounds he understands all too well. He’s always admired Lydia’s brains and spirit, but seeing her now—gorgeous and still kindhearted—makes him realize how much he’s always cared for her.
Chasing Snowflakes is the first in the Dogwood Creek Matchmakers series, featuring some fine authors, including: Dawn Kinzer, Lisa Prysock, Leah Atwood, JoAnn Durgin, Julie Arduini, Robin Bayne and yours truly. I think you’ll love it!
I can hardly believe it’s already 2025. I was telling my husband that I could remember being in grade school and thinking how far away the year 2000 was and that I would be so very old at 30 when it arrived. Well, now it is 25 years beyond that point.
Things aren’t at all like I thought they might be. I fully expected robots to take over our menial tasks, like cooking and housework. I do have a robot vacuum, litterbox and mop. However, they leave much to be desired. Hopefully, one day we will all have a Rosey like on “The Jetsons.”
My New Book!
I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am about today’s release. This book is near and dear to my heart because it is the first in a new series titled Dogwood Creek Matchmakers. I worked alongside my dear friend JoAnn Durgin to come up with the town of Dogwood Creek, Tennessee and we brought in four other fabulous Christian authors. You’re going to adore the books in this series.
The books release every other month and for the next two years. You won’t want to miss any of them. Without further ado, here is my contribution to Dogwood Creek Matchmakers series:
Small-town charm and rediscovered dreams are always in season in Dogwood Creek, Tennessee
Lydia Clark thought she left Dogwood Creek behind, including memories of her high school bully and a careless jock who almost ruined her chances at a bright future. But now, the grandmother who loved her through those rough years is having some health issues that force Lydia to return. Taking over for the chemistry teacher temporarily, Lydia plans to help for a semester and not get caught up in the close-knit community of her youth or the handsome math teacher/basketball coach.
Charlie Bailey is town star, turned into high school math teacher and local basketball coach. His charm is almost irresistible, but his sledding skills leave much to be desired, and he crashes into her at a local competition. Lydia soon discovers Charlie’s dedication to shaping young lives, especially those from rough backgrounds he understands all too well. He’s always admired Lydia’s brains and spirit, but seeing her now—gorgeous and still kindhearted—makes him realize how much he’s always cared for her.
The two pair up to organize a basketball tournament fundraiser for the Dogwood Creek Community Center. Lydia begins to see the depth of Charlie’s commitment to the community—and his growing devotion to her. Lydia stares down two paths, trying to choose the one God has planned for her. Can she leave behind her childhood dreams to embrace the life that might be waiting for her in Dogwood Creek?
Chasing Snowflakes is the heartwarming first book in the Dogwood Creek Series—a sweet, small-town inspirational romance filled with unwavering faith and the hopefulness of second chances.
Hi all! I’m so excited to announce the fifth and final book in my Cupid’s Crossing series. Join the antics of the seniors of Days Never New one more time as the whole town comes together for Gracie and Brandt’s wedding. Will they finally get hitched or will everything that can go wrong happen?
I adore this cover, created by the extremely talented JoAnn Durgin, a skilled author in her own right and my favorite book cover designer. She always captures my vision and somehow makes it even better.
I hope you love this story as much as I do. I’m still finishing it up, so if you’re interested in being a beta, reach out to me. Want to be the first to know about news? Click on the free novella link at the top of this page, sign up for my newsletter and stay in the know.
I am usually pretty internet savvy but upgrading my PHP version completely broke my site via my theme. I am waiting to hear back from the developer. Everything is still here but it looks ugly and broken.
I may be unveiling a new theme soon. It’s probably time anyway, but I tend to stick with what works and I really liked the look of this last theme. The old saying of “if it’s broke, don’t fix it” doesn’t apply here, because it is broken! LOL
Please bear with me and in the meantime, go over and grab a copy of Dial Q for Quincy’s Hope or leave me an honest review on Amazon. Thanks! Love you all!
Although I love the Lights Under Louisville trip we’ve been taking each year, it is mainly about spending time with those you love. My favorite Christmas tradition is love. We could spend time anywhere, doing anything, and I’d still soak ine those moments and enjoy them.
