Join me today as I welcome author Judith McNees as she shares about her book and how fiction reflects fact.

Judith, share what you know.

I absolutely adore taking parts of my life and putting them into my stories. In fact, in my debut novel, A Heart to Cherish, I did that a lot. My hero Alex lives in the fictional town of Tranquil Shores, Michigan, but like Alex, I grew up in Michigan and love the state. I’ve travelled all over and put different places that I’ve travelled into my novel. Though Tranquil Shores isn’t real, the descriptions I’ve included of the lake itself are. I’ve also included places I’ve vacationed and even mentioned a city near where I live: Kalamazoo (Yes…there really is a Kalamazoo)!

I also use some of my relationships with others in my writing. Some of the stories that I wrote about the Morgan siblings happened in my own life growing up with two sisters. I’ve also used people in my life as my inspiration for certain characters. For example, there is an ultrasound tech named Nell in the novel who is modeled after one of my grandmothers, and three of the characters have the same first name as some of my cousins.

I think the most important part of this novel that came from my own experiences is the time my heroine, Julia, spent in foster care. My husband and I were foster parents for several years starting in 2010, and the time we spent as a part of the system inspired me to write about a character who “aged out” of the system without being adopted. When I went through the process of getting licensed and heard about the thousands of kids who never get a forever family, my heart broke for them. Statistically, these kids are much more likely to end up homeless, pregnant, addicted to substances, or incarcerated. I’ve endeavored to use my platform, as much as possible, to bring the problem to the attention of as many people as possible so that it stirs people to help however they can.

About Judith:

Contemporary Christian romance author Judith McNees lives in southwestern Michigan with her husband and four of their seven children, along with their three dogs. Her family loves to travel together, but she still believes that her home state is one of the most beautiful states there is. She is a proud stay-at-home mom, stepmom, foster mom, adoptive mom, and grandma, which gives her plenty of fodder for her writing. She holds a B.A. in English from Western Michigan University and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. You can connect with her on her website, Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, and Amazon.

About A Heart to Cherish:

Everyone leaves…including God.

That’s how Julia Price feels after years of being passed over in foster homes. All she has ever wanted is a family, but when she finds herself pregnant and homeless, her dreams seem further away than ever.

Strait-laced good guy Alex Morgan has waited his entire life for the woman God has prepared for him. When he makes it his mission to help Julia, he wonders whether she could be that woman. But why would God lead him to a pregnant non-believer?

As Julia struggles with issues of self-worth and trust, can she open her heart to both God and Alex? And can Alex trust their relationship to the One who holds Julia in His hand?

Excerpt

What was with him tonight? He'd been acting weird since that almost kiss in the car. But that was stupid, right? No way would he kiss her. Especially not looking like she'd just rolled out of bed with her yoga pants and t-shirt still on, which she had. Her face burned again. Why couldn't she at least have brushed her hair and teeth and maybe threw on some deodorant before she went to call him?

She stared at her lap as he rambled on. He was usually so calm and steady.

"I can't wait until December. Christmas, snow, baby girl. So many good things happening. Anyway, I'm sure that when you're huge, you'll still be beautiful."

She jerked her head in his direction. His mouth snapped shut, and his eyes widened. Had he really just called her beautiful? "Um, thanks."

Red spread across his cheeks, and he looked down. Her heart fell. He didn't mean it. Why couldn't he decide what he wanted? One minute, he looked like he was going to kiss her, and the next, he looked like he wanted to run away from her. All his wishy-washy signals were giving her emotional whiplash.

She sighed. It would probably be best to change the subject. "I'm sorry I made you miss church today. I know you were looking forward to it."

He stared at his lap. "It's all right. I'm disappointed that I didn't get to go, but I know God understands why, and I can always listen to the recording when they put it online later this week."

"Why do you go if you can listen to it later? I'd rather have my weekends to just chill."

"I like to spend time with other believers and worship, and I like to spend time with God. It's part of having a relationship with Him."

"When you take your Bible out to the lake on Saturdays, doesn't that make up for the times you don't get to go?"

He shrugged. "God isn't keeping track. I spend my Saturdays with Him because I want to, just like I come out here with you because I want to. I can connect with God anywhere, but I have an easier time talking to Him when I'm outside."

"I think I can understand that, even though I don't talk to God. I feel really peaceful when I sit out by the lake."

"Me too. I love to go for walks by the lake or on different hiking trails. When I take my vacations, I almost always go to the upper peninsula."

She sighed. "I've never been any farther north than we are now, and I don't think I've ever been on vacation. Maybe Grandma took me before she—"

He waited for her to go on, but she couldn't speak past the lump that lodged in her throat. Finally, he spoke. "I'd love to take you after you have your baby. Every Michigander has to see the Mackinac Bridge at least once, and there's waterfalls all over up there and Lake Superior, Copper Harbor, the Porcupine Mountains. There's enough for a bunch of vacations."

Maybe she would still be friends with him after her daughter was born and they could see all those places together, but it wasn't likely. She'd have to use her money to survive instead of taking vacations. Eventually, he'd figure out that their worlds were just too different and move on.

She answered softly, "Sounds nice."