LiteraryScape

Melissa LaShure
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LiteraryScape

The LiteraryScape podcast serves both readers and writers of historical Christian romance with a sprinkling of contemporary Christian suspense books. We read, discuss, review, and rate books in this unique romance sub-genre. For authors, we bring inside tips and tricks from those who have gone before us. LiteraryScape is the one stop shop for both readers and authors to connect, learn, and grow together.

  1. 6 DAYS AGO

    Episode 136: Character Insights, Story Dynamics, and Cover Reveal

    Episode Notes In this episode, Melissa celebrates the upcoming launch of her first historical romance novel, 'Unwavering Faith,' and shares insights about the Bounty Brothers series. She discusses the creative process behind the book cover, character dynamics, and the unique approach to self-publishing. Additionally, she highlights upcoming events and community engagement opportunities for readers and writers. Takeaways The final cover of 'Unwavering Faith' has been revealed. 'Unwavering Faith' is the first book in the Bounty Brothers series. The series is inspired by historical heroes and the Civil War era. Each book in the series will feature a unique bounty hunter's story. The main character, Claire, undergoes a significant faith journey. Melissa emphasizes the importance of direct connection with readers. The book will only be available for purchase on Melissa's website. Future plans include helping other Christian authors publish their works. Community events will be held to engage with readers and promote the book. The newsletter is the best way to stay updated on events and releases. https://www.literaryscape.com/podcast/136

    16 min

  2. NOV 8

    Episode 135: Unpacking 'An Unexpected Catch' with Abbey Downey

    Announcements We have another incredible line up for our final Coffee and Books event this year on Saturday December 7th from 1:00-2:00pm EST. Join authors Karen Witemyer, Jodi Basye, and Abbey Downey for an hour of book talk. Visit www.literaryscape.com/events to sign up for this free event today! Authors we have KyLee Woodley joining us tomorrow Saturday November 9th from 12:00-1:00pm EST to talk about book proposals. Getting your creative works in front of professionals in the Christian Book Market can be challenging. You need to showcase your best writing and understand what industry professionals are looking for. This class teaches you to polish a query letter, proposal, and writing sample. Additionally, we will preview resources for improving writing and where to find agents and editors. Finally, this class provides three templates to get you started. Visit www.literaryscape.com/events to sign-up for this training today. Today I am excited to bring author Abbey Downey back on the podcast. She is the author of the Adventurous Hearts series featuring when who make a splash in sports and exploring in the early 1900’s. If you enjoy a sweet romance with spunky characters, then be sure to check out her books. I also want to mention that Abbey and I will be hosting a couple of adventurous reader events in 2025, so stay tuned for those announcements! Now let’s hop into today’s author interview with Abbey Downey! Episode Notes In this episode of the Literary Escape podcast, host Melissa welcomes author Abbey Downey to discuss her latest release, 'An Unexpected Catch.' Set in 1907, the novel features a female umpire and a pitcher navigating their unexpected romance amidst the challenges of their time. Abbey shares insights into her characters, the historical context of the story, and the research that informed her writing. The conversation also touches on the dynamics between characters, the role of supporting figures, and the challenges of writing compelling antagonists. Abbey hints at her future projects, including a new book that breaks away from the sports theme. Takeaways 'An Unexpected Catch' is set in 1907 and features a female umpire. The story is inspired by real-life umpire Amanda Clement. Emmett, the male lead, is a confident pitcher with hidden depths. Character dynamics play a crucial role in the story. Supporting characters significantly impact the main characters' arcs. Villains in stories should be complex and not caricatures. Research on historical sports adds depth to the narrative. The book balances romance with historical context. Future projects may explore themes beyond sports. Abbey's newsletter includes fun trivia and games for readers. Connect with Abbey at: https://abbeydowney.com/ Get your copy of An Unexpected Catch here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D5BQ28TF View the show notes for this episode here: https://www.literaryscape.com/podcast/135

    27 min

  3. NOV 1

    Episode 134: From Lawyer to Author: Lynn Shannon's Journey

    Announcements We have another incredible line up for our final Coffee and Books event this year on Saturday December 7th from 1:00-2:00pm EST. Join authors Karen Witemyer, Jodi Basye, Misty M. Beller, and Abbey Downey for an hour of book talk. Visit www.literaryscape.com/events to sign up for this free event today! The Unwavering Faith crowdfunding campaign ends today. Head on over to www.literaryscape.com/campaign to get your limited-edition copy of Unwavering Faith today! Authors we have KyLee Woodley joining us on Saturday November 9th from 12:00-1:00pm EST to talk about book proposals. Getting your creative works in front of professionals in the Christian Book Market can be challenging. You need to showcase your best writing and understand what industry professionals are looking for. This class teaches you to polish a query letter, proposal, and writing sample. Additionally, we will preview resources for improving writing and where to find agents and editors. Finally, this class provides three templates to get you started. Visit www.literaryscape.com/events to sign-up for this training today. Let me introduce you to today’s special guest, author Lynn Shannon. It took an international move from Texas to Greece before Lynn turned her love of reading into a passion for writing. Now she spends her days penning fast-paced inspirational romantic suspense. Her novels combine intriguing mysteries with heartfelt romance. Lynn lives with her husband, two children, an extremely spoiled dog, and a turtle who hibernates half of the year. The experience of a different country has provided amazing new foods—like Yemista and Kourabiedes—to accompany pecans and Blue Bell ice cream on her favorites list. She also never passes up coffee, chocolate, or the chance to watch cute animal videos. We all crowded in on my couch to talk to author Lynn Shannon. If you’ve been listening over the past month, then you’ve heard us raving about her Triumph Over Adversity series. We are excited to feature her Badge of Honor series next year. Enjoy this fun conversation with author Lynn Shannon and be sure to click the link in the blog post for this episode to connect with her! Episode Notes Author Lynn Shannon discusses her journey from being a lawyer to becoming a self-published author. She talks about her Triumph Over Adversity series and how it came to be based on reader requests. Lynn shares her writing process and how she develops suspenseful storylines. She also mentions some of her favorite authors and books in the Christian romantic suspense genre. Lynn discusses her favorite Bible verse and what readers can expect from her next. The conversation ends with a discussion on her Christmas novellas and how listeners can connect with her. Takeaways Lynn Shannon transitioned from being a lawyer to becoming a self-published author. Her Triumph Over Adversity series was born out of reader requests for a story about a character from a previous book. Lynn's writing process involves a combination of plotting and pantsing, and she often doesn't know who the killer is until the end of the book. She enjoys reading Christian romantic suspense and recommends authors like Lenora Worth, Christy Barritt, Jessica R. Patch, Laura Scott, and Melinda Leigh. Lynn's favorite Bible verse is 1 Corinthians 13:13, and she also finds inspiration in Hebrews 11:1. Readers can expect the first book in Lynn's new Badge of Honor series, set in the same town as the Triumph Over Adversity series, to be released soon. Lynn has also written standalone Christmas novellas that provide a quick and festive reading experience. Listeners can connect with Lynn Shannon through her website, newsletter, Facebook, and Instagram.

    21 min

  4. OCT 25

    Episode 133: Tactical Force by Lynn Shannon

    Announcements We have another incredible line up for our final Coffee and Books event this year on Saturday December 7th from 1:00-2:00pm EST. Join authors Karen Witemyer, Jodi Basye, Misty M. Beller, and Abbey Downey for an hour of book talk. Visit www.literaryscape.com/events to sign up for this free event today! The Unwavering Faith crowdfunding campaign will end on November 1, 2024. Which means you have one week to order your limited-edition book. These special edition covers will only be printed once, so head on over to www.literaryscape.com/campaign to get your limited-edition copy of Unwavering Faith today! Authors we have KyLee Woodley joining us on Saturday November 9th from 12:00-1:00pm EST to talk about book proposals. Getting your creative works in front of professionals in the Christian Book Market can be challenging. You need to showcase your best writing and understand what industry professionals are looking for. This class teaches you to polish a query letter, proposal, and writing sample. Additionally, we will preview resources for improving writing and where to find agents and editors. Finally, this class provides three templates to get you started. Visit www.literaryscape.com/events to sign-up for this training today. That’s it for announcements. Let’s jump into this week’s book discussion. We had a few technical difficulties when we recorded the episodes for this series, so please excuse any audio blips. Enjoy our discussion of Tactical Force by Lynn Shannon. Episode Notes In this episode Tiffanie, Jessica, and Melissa discuss Tactical Force by Lynn Shannon. This is the final book in her Triumph Over Adversity series. It was the perfect ending to this edge of your seat suspenseful romance series. Nuggets of Truth/Wisdom: • God brings goodness into our lives even in the darkest of times • Listening to God and trusting where He’s leading you We gave the following ratings to each of the story elements listed below. (Espresso = an expression, Mocha = Medium amount, Latte = A lot) Mystery – Latte Drama – Latte Suspense - Latte Romance – Espresso Inspiration – Mocha This entire series is a must read and we know you will be hooked and hog-tied which is why LiteraryScape gave Strategic Plan by Lynn Shannon 2.75 lassos! The just under 3 lassos comes from Tiffanie’s rating. She is not a fan of suspense but agreed that Lynn wrote the book so well she couldn’t put it down. Our local library cannot keep these books on the shelf, so click the button below to get your very own Triumph Over Adversity books. (1 lasso – throw and a miss, 2 lassos – hooked, 3 lassos – hooked and hog tied) Link for the blog post for this episode: www.literaryscape.com/podcast/133 Series Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Y99YBCN?binding=kindle_edition&searchxofy=true&ref_=dbs_s_aps_series_rwt_tkin&qid=1726788121&sr=8-1 Connect with Lynn: https://www.lynnshannon.com/

    20 min

  5. OCT 18

    Episode 132: Covert Mission by Lynn Shannon

    Announcements We have another incredible line up for our final Coffee and Books event this year on Saturday December 7th from 1:00-2:00pm EST. Join authors Karen Witemyer, Jodi Basye, Misty M. Beller, and Abbey Downey for an hour of book talk. Visit www.literaryscape.com/events to sign up for this free event today! The Unwavering Faith crowdfunding campaign will end on November 1, 2024. Head on over to www.literaryscape.com/campaign to get your limited-edition copy of Unwavering Faith today! Authors we have KyLee Woodley joining us on Saturday November 9th from 12:00-1:00pm EST to talk about book proposals. Getting your creative works in front of professionals in the Christian Book Market can be challenging. You need to showcase your best writing and understand what industry professionals are looking for. This class teaches you to polish a query letter, proposal, and writing sample. Additionally, we will preview resources for improving writing and where to find agents and editors. Finally, this class provides three templates to get you started. Visit www.literaryscape.com/events to sign-up for this training today. That’s it for announcements. Let’s jump into this week’s book discussion. We had a few technical difficulties when we recorded the episodes for this series, so please excuse any audio blips. Enjoy our discussion of Covert Mission by Lynn Shannon. Episode Notes In this episode Tiffanie, Jessica, and Melissa discuss the novel Covert Mission by Lynn Shannon. This book is part of her Triumph Over Adversity series. Lynn writes incredible contemporary Christian suspense romance novels that our local libraries cannot keep on their shelves. We hope you enjoy our discussion of this amazing story! Nuggets of truth/wisdom: • Praying your way through grief • God is always there • Death can come at any moment We gave the following ratings to each of the story elements listed below. (Espresso = an expression, Mocha = Medium amount, Latte = A lot) Mystery – Latte Drama – Latte Suspense - Latte Romance – Espresso/Mocha Inspiration – Mocha This whole series is a must read and we know you will be hooked and hog-tied which is why LiteraryScape gave Strategic Plan by Lynn Shannon 2.75 lassos! The just under 3 lassos comes from Tiffanie’s rating. She is not a fan of suspense but agreed that Lynn wrote the book so well she couldn’t put it down. (1 lasso – throw and a miss, 2 lassos – hooked, 3 lassos – hooked and hog tied) Link for the blog post for this episode: www.literaryscape.com/podcast/132 Series Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Y99YBCN?binding=kindle_edition&searchxofy=true&ref_=dbs_s_aps_series_rwt_tkin&qid=1726788121&sr=8-1 Connect with Lynn: https://www.lynnshannon.com/ https://youtu.be/kH_UF-TUTSs https://rumble.com/v5j2619-episode-132-covert-mission-by-lynn-shannon.html

    14 min

  6. OCT 16

    WW Episode 13: Editing Essentials: Tips for Aspiring Authors

    In this conversation, Melissa, Kim, and Liz discuss their experiences and insights in the editing process, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between authors and editors. They share their backgrounds in education and writing, the different types of editing, and the emotional journey of authors as they navigate the publishing world. The discussion highlights the significance of professional editing in producing quality work and offers valuable advice for aspiring authors. Takeaways Editing is a collaborative process that enhances an author's work. Developmental editing focuses on the big picture elements of a story. Copy editing ensures grammatical accuracy and consistency in formatting. Authors should be open to feedback and willing to make changes. Professional editing is crucial for making a strong first impression. Networking and putting oneself out there is essential for authors. The editing process can be a learning journey for both authors and editors. Helping new authors grow is a rewarding experience for editors. Authors should seek professional help to improve their manuscripts. The editing journey is a team effort, involving multiple professionals. Episode Link: www.literaryscape.com/podcast/ww13

    24 min

  7. OCT 11

    Episode 131: Strategic Plan by Lynn Shannon

    Announcements Our Coffee and Books event last Saturday with authors Julie Lessman, and Lynn Shannon was wonderful. If you missed it, you can catch the replay with the link provided for this episode. Our conversation was enlightening and inspiring for both readers and writers. I hope you can catch the replay. We have another incredible line up for our final Coffee and Books event this year on Saturday December 7th from 1:00-2:00pm EST. Join authors Karen Witemyer, Jodi Basye, Misty M. Beller, and Abbey Downey for an hour of book talk. Visit www.literaryscape.com/events to sign up for this free event today! The Unwavering Faith crowdfunding campaign will end on November 1, 2024. Head on over to www.literaryscape.com/campaign to get your limited-edition copy of Unwavering Faith today! Authors we have KyLee Woodley joining us on Saturday November 9th from 12:00-1:00pm EST to talk about book proposals. Getting your creative works in front of professionals in the Christian Book Market can be challenging. You need to showcase your best writing and understand what industry professionals are looking for. This class teaches you to polish a query letter, proposal, and writing sample. Additionally, we will preview resources for improving writing and where to find agents and editors. Finally, this class provides three templates to get you started. Visit www.literaryscape.com/events to sign-up for this training today. That’s it for announcements. Let’s jump into this week’s book discussion. We had a few technical difficulties when we recorded the episodes for this series, so please excuse any audio blips. Enjoy our discussion of Strategic Plan by Lynn Shannon. Episode Notes In this episode Jessica, Tiffanie, and Melissa discuss the fourth book in Lynn Shannon’s Triumph Over Adversity series, Strategic plan. Due to the stalker wearing a pig mask, Tiffanie and Melissa were reminded of their visit to a haunted hog house when they were teenagers, something they would never do again! Enjoy this entertaining conversation. Nuggets of truth/wisdom in Strategic Plan: • Giving your worries to God • Listening to God and following his leading • How faith in God impacts your marriage • God walks with us through the pain We gave the following ratings to each of the story elements listed below. (Espresso = an expression, Mocha = Medium amount, Latte = A lot) Mystery – Latte Drama – Latte Suspense - Latte Romance – Espresso Inspiration – Mocha This whole series is a must read and we know you will be hooked and hog-tied which is why LiteraryScape gave Strategic Plan by Lynn Shannon 2.75 lassos! The just under 3 lassos comes from Tiffanie’s rating. She is not a fan of suspense but agreed that Lynn wrote the book so well she couldn’t put it down. (1 lasso – throw and a miss, 2 lassos – hooked, 3 lassos – hooked and hog tied) Link for the blog post for this episode: www.literaryscape.com/podcast/131 Series Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Y99YBCN?binding=kindle_edition&searchxofy=true&ref_=dbs_s_aps_series_rwt_tkin&qid=1726788121&sr=8-1 Connect with Lynn: https://www.lynnshannon.com/

    24 min

  8. OCT 4

    Episode 130: Necessary Peril by Lynn Shannon

    Announcements Our next Coffee and Books event is this Saturday October 5th from 9:00-10:00am EST. Enjoy an hour of book talk with authors Julie Lessman, and Lynn Shannon. This is a free event, but you do need to register to save your spot. Head on over to www.literaryscape.com/events to register today. We look forward to seeing you on October 5th! The Unwavering Faith crowdfunding campaign will end on November 1, 2024. At the time of this recording, we are just 24 books away from unlocking the first bonus item which is a 12x18 signed poster of the cover. You now can get a copy of either a paperback or hardback or both of the limited-edition cover. Head on over to www.literaryscape.com/campaign to see the updates. The link will also be in the show notes. Please consider sharing this campaign with others as we work toward the goal of publishing Unwavering Faith. A huge thank you to Colin LaShure and Sarah Mason for purchasing a limited-edition copy of Unwavering Faith! That’s it for announcements. Let’s jump into this week’s book discussion. We had a few technical difficulties when we recorded the episodes for this series, so please excuse any audio blips. Enjoy our discussion of Necessary Peril by Lynn Shannon. Episode Notes In this episode Jessica, Jamie, Tiffanie, and Melissa discuss Necessary Peril by Lynn Shannon. This is the third book in her Triumph Over Adversity series and is a contemporary Christian suspense romance story. A verse that is highlighted in this story is Joshua 1:9. Given the miracles and devastation surrounding hurricane Helene it is such a sweet reminder that God is with us always. Joshua 1:9 (NKJV) “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” We gave the following ratings to each of the story elements listed below. (Espresso = an expression, Mocha = Medium amount, Latte = A lot) Mystery – Mocha/Latte Drama – Latte Suspense - Latte Romance – Espresso Inspiration – Mocha/Latte This whole series is a must read and we know you will be hooked and hog-tied which is why LiteraryScape gave Necessary Peril by Lynn Shannon 2.75 lassos! The just under 3 lassos comes from Tiffanie’s rating. She is not a fan of suspense but agreed that Lynn wrote the book so well she couldn’t put it down. (1 lasso – throw and a miss, 2 lassos – hooked, 3 lassos – hooked and hog tied) Link for the blog post for this episode: www.literaryscape.com/podcast/130 Series Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Y99YBCN?binding=kindle_edition&searchxofy=true&ref_=dbs_s_aps_series_rwt_tkin&qid=1726788121&sr=8-1 Connect with Lynn: https://www.lynnshannon.com/

    21 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

The LiteraryScape podcast serves both readers and writers of historical Christian romance with a sprinkling of contemporary Christian suspense books. We read, discuss, review, and rate books in this unique romance sub-genre. For authors, we bring inside tips and tricks from those who have gone before us. LiteraryScape is the one stop shop for both readers and authors to connect, learn, and grow together.

Information

  • Creator
    Melissa LaShure
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2024
  • Episodes
    198
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    LiteraryScape

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