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Patricia Johns

~ Bestselling author

Patricia Johns

Tag Archives: writer’s life

New dishes!

06 Thursday Aug 2020

Posted by Patricia Johns in Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

harlequin author, Kensington author, Pioneer Woman dishes, writer's life

I’ve been eyeing these Pioneer Woman dishes at Walmart for a while now, and I finally decided to pick them up. They’re just so cheery! And honestly, we were due for new dishes.

Our last set we’d bought when our son was tiny, and we have steadily broken them, dish by dish, over the years. I told myself I’d get something cute when I could trust that they’d survive us. LOL!

Well, I got some news a little while ago that is kind of connected to Ree Drummond, and since I’m such a fan of hers, I couldn’t stop myself from picking up the dishes at long last!

I’m not telling you my little nugget of news yet… In few weeks I will! But being such a fan of Ree Drummond’s, I just couldn’t hold myself back! 😉

dishes

 

I think they’re cute! 

 

dishes 2

 

So there you have it, my new dishes. I know that isn’t huge news, but it is the thing that’s making me happy at the moment. 🙂

I hope you’re all finding little things to make you smile these days. It’s all about the simple things, isn’t it?

***

Don’t forget–you can find my bestselling Amish romance at Harlequin’s Love Inspired as well as Kensington Books! And all of them are sold at Walmart, Target, and at booksellers everywhere. 

Facebook Post

 

Why I like being called “ma’am”

16 Thursday Jul 2020

Posted by Patricia Johns in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

call me ma'am, harlequin author, Kensington author, ma'am, writer's life

I’m 41, so I think I’ve earned it!

I know that in the south, this is a common form of respect. And I love that! But here in the north (WAY north, like in Canada), this isn’t something we tend to practice. In fact, a lot of women hate being called “ma’am.” They feel like it makes them old. But I like it!

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I’ve worked long and hard to get to this point in my life. I don’t want to be mistaken for a younger woman, either. I don’t want to be called “miss.” I’ve spent the last twenty years working my tail off to build the life that I dreamed of, to grow a career in writing against all the odds.

That’s twenty years of getting published, learning the trade, polishing my work, and getting better at writing books. That’s twenty years of owning the title author.

I’ve spent fifteen years married to the man of my dreams, working side by side with him to build the home and the marriage that we longed for.

I’ve spent the last twelve years raising our son, poring my heart and life blood into teaching him how to be kind, respectful, honest and hard working. That doesn’t come easily. I often say that when this child is a grown man, strong and successful, that I will deserve a medal that says I Raised a Good Man, and I will wear it everywhere, including the grocery store.

So don’t call me “miss” or try to pronounce my name. Just stick with “ma’am.” I’ve earned it, and it keeps the respect in a man’s voice. I’m a professional, a wife, and someone’s mother. I’m an author, and I’ve spent years working my tail off to earn the right to be referred to as “ma’am.” You won’t offend me. I’ll like you more for it. 😉

***

Don’t forget–you can find my bestselling Amish romance at Harlequin’s Love Inspired as well as Kensington Books! And all of them are sold at Walmart, Target, and at booksellers everywhere. 

Facebook Post

 

Making a scene

09 Thursday Jul 2020

Posted by Patricia Johns in Uncategorized

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harlequin heartwarming, Kensington books, love inspired, making a scene, Patricia Johns, writer's brain, writer's life

I measure my life out in scenes written. How did my day go? “I wrote two scenes today, and started a third. So good!” or “I just couldn’t get into it today. I wrote one scene, but it was like pulling teeth. There’s always tomorrow, right?”

I realize that makes me seem like a workaholic, and I very likely am! It’s just socially acceptable to be a workaholic author. We’re expected to walk around with stories rattling around in our heads all the time. So the fact that I never really stop thinking about books and stories doesn’t surprise anyone.

When I graduated from university, I applied for a job as a store manager. I had already been working part time at a camera store, and I thought that management would give me more flexibility for my writing. (It didn’t turn out that way–no shock, right?)

Anyway, while I was managing a small store in a wealthy part of Toronto, a lady came into the store pushing a stroller. She threw a pile of negatives down onto the counter and said, “Just print the ones from the birthday party.”

“One of each of all of these?” I asked.

“No! The ones from the party!”

She continued to escalate, shouting at me that I should just do as she said, stomping around. I couldn’t possibly know which photos to print without her help in choosing them.

“I can’t deal with this!” she yelled. “My husband is on a business trip! I do not have the energy for this!”

She went out of the store for a minute, and then came back in and ranted some more. Finally, she took her negatives and left, and I just sort of stood there, stunned. There was a lady in the shop, and she said,

“That wasn’t about you. Don’t take it personally. I know who she is. Do you want to know what that was about?”

“Sure,” I said.

“Her husband was on a business trip,” the woman said, using air quotes. “With the secretary. He’s cheating on her right now, and there’s nothing she can do about it. So maybe that will make you feel a bit better.”

In a way it did–not for vengeance, just for perspective. And ever after, whenever I see someone melting down in public, I remember that poor lady who didn’t know what to do when her marriage was imploding, so she yelled at the manager of the camera shop.

It made me a more empathic person. It also made me a better writer. I didn’t take that outburst personally. I used it for writing fodder, instead. Because whenever I look around and see confusing outbursts, or behaviour that doesn’t make sense to me, my novelist brain kicks into gear and I start making up backstory to make the behaviour make emotional sense.

And all of that goes into writing my scenes day in and day out. It’s never wasted!

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****

Don’t forget–you can find my bestselling Amish romance at Harlequin’s Love Inspired as well as Kensington Books! And all of them are sold at Walmart, Target, and at booksellers everywhere. 

Facebook Post

 

Summer solstice this far north

02 Thursday Jul 2020

Posted by Patricia Johns in Uncategorized

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amish romance, Jeb's Wife, northern alberta, summer solstice, writer's life

I live in northern Alberta, and this time of year is really interesting! First of all, our sunsets happen at 10 pm, and our sky never actually get all the way dark. We stay at twilight all night long.

11 pm

This is a picture of the western horizon at 11 pm, and that red smudge will stay there for a long while. I don’t actually know what happens between midnight and four or five when the sun starts to rise again, because I’m in bed then. 😉 But I don’t sleep very well this time of year.

I have an author friend who lives in Alaska who has an even longer day than we do. They have sunset at midnight and the sun comes back up at 3 or 4 am. Even farther north in Alaska, and it’s 2 hours between sunset and sunrise!

Living this far north is neat in that we get to experience such huge fluctuations in the length of the days. In winter solstice, it flips and we have incredibly late sunrises and very early sunsets. When I used to walk my son to school, we’d walk in darkness to school, and the sun would be just about setting when I walked him back home again.

So this is where I live! I do love it. It’s a beautiful part of the world to live in, and I thoroughly enjoy those prairie skies.

***

Coming to stores September 2020!

Pre-Order now!

thumbnail_Jeb's WifePatricia Johns’ sensitive storytelling brings depth and heart to this tender story of second chances, as an Amish woman embarks on marriage with the gruff farmer next door . . .

Once, Leah Riehl prayed for a husband. The man she loved chose another, wanting the children that Leah can’t provide. But she’s found a measure of peace, keeping house for her brother, Simon, and teaching in a nearby town. Now though, Simon’s debts to an Englisher gambling ring have left Leah with a desperate dilemma—and a surprising offer from her scarred, reclusive neighbor. Jebadiah King needs to marry in order to claim his family farm. A union, for appearances only, will help them both.

Jeb knows his scars make him a less than ideal husband, but he can be a useful one. It’s the least that Leah deserves. But despite the promises he made to himself, Jeb can’t help longing for his lovely, warmhearted new wife. His first marriage brought heartbreak, but Leah’s gentle smiles spark hope again. Are they willing to take the leap that love requires—and open themselves to all the challenges and joy a true marriage could bring?

 

A long awaited shelf

25 Thursday Jun 2020

Posted by Patricia Johns in Uncategorized

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bookshelf, harlequin author, Kensington author, love inspired author, Patricia Johns, writer's desk, writer's life

I’ve been wanting to get another bookshelf for the longest time. As an author who releases approximately six books a year, I have a lot boxes of books delivered to our home, and I don’t give away every single copy that I receive. I keep a few for later giveaways, or to give to friends, etc. So I end up with literally boxes of books piled up with nowhere to put them.

Well, this quarantine, Mr. Johns finally got sick of staring at book boxes, and we ordered another shelf from Wayfair. I was so thrilled! It’s very pretty, and it matches my desk so nicely.

shelf 1

Our son and I worked for a couple of hours putting it together, and then Mr. Johns came home from work with a his drill, and that sped up the process considerably.

I emptied out some boxes of books into the selves on the bottom, and I have more space still for when more boxes arrive. (My next release will be in September, so that’s coming up!) I stacked the books all two deep in the cupboard below, and there is still space in there, so I was so happy with how spacious it is!

shelf 2

And just so you can see how well it matches my desk, this is a quick picture of my desk where I work.

desk

Have you picked up my latest release? It might still be on the shelves still, and if it’s already gone, you can pick it up online anywhere books are sold.

***

On the shelves now! 

3.295427.512.9781335488183They need her help. She needs them


An Amish bachelor. A motherless child.

Can she turn them into a real family?

Schoolteacher Patience Flaud longs for a family of her own—but knows it can never happen. At least she can help Amish bachelor Thomas Wiebe with his small Englisher daughter. As she settles the child into Amish life, Patience begins falling for the bewildered new father and his heartbroken little girl. But is love enough to make them a permanent family?

Harlequin

Barnes and Noble

 

 

Pretty little pleasures

08 Monday Jun 2020

Posted by Patricia Johns in Uncategorized

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Amish author, amish romance, harlequin author, Kensington author, love inspired author, The Nanny's Amish Family, writer's life

I love when the sun is shining and the rain clouds are coming up behind… It’s beautiful. It give me a rush of sublime awe–where I feel very small and the forces of nature feel very, very big.

Screen Shot 2020-05-27 at 8.01.57 PM

I’ve been enjoying this spring–the rain storms, the blasts of heat, the sudden chilly days that take you by surprise. Somehow, all of us being asked to stay indoors makes the view outside my window that much more meaningful. When this is all over, I don’t think we’ll be taking some of our common pleasures for granted anymore!

But these days, I’ve been watching my little balcony garden grow. My potted strawberry plant is a real little go-getter. There are at least twenty-five blooms and tiny green strawberries, and I’m so proud of her effort.

strawberries

I hope you’re finding the small pleasures in your days, too! 

***

On the shelves now! 

3.295427.512.9781335488183They need her help. She needs them


An Amish bachelor. A motherless child.

Can she turn them into a real family?

Schoolteacher Patience Flaud longs for a family of her own—but knows it can never happen. At least she can help Amish bachelor Thomas Wiebe with his small Englisher daughter. As she settles the child into Amish life, Patience begins falling for the bewildered new father and his heartbroken little girl. But is love enough to make them a permanent family?

Harlequin

Barnes and Noble

 

Quarantine life

30 Thursday Apr 2020

Posted by Patricia Johns in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

harlequin, heartwarming, heroine in her forties, Quaker parrot, reunion romance, romance, sweet romance, Their Mountain Reunion, writer's life

Quarantine life isn’t too much different from regular life for me. The main difference is that our son is homeschooling with the rest of North America right now, so he’s at home. This slows down my writing. I’m someone who likes to work in dead silence and absolute solitude. But I’ll survive. 😉

Mr. Johns is still working since his job is a necessary service, so he still heads out to work every day. And I’m still writing, as usual.

Pichu is the big winner right now, because he MUCH prefers our son over us, and so he has his favourite person in the whole world with him every single day, and the two of them play together endlessly.

This is Pichu playing with a pencil, upside down in my son’s hand. It’s very cute! If I tried that with him, I’d lose a finger. That is a very strong beak. 😉

pichu 1

 

Sometimes, Mr. Johns has to work late, and when that happens, it turns into a dinner free-for-all over here. This particular dinner, Mr. Johns was working late, my son was eating in front of the TV (please don’t judge!) and I was eating and going over a book manuscript at the table.

Deadlines loom, after all! 😉

editing supper

And this is what life looks like in the Johns home right now.

If you’re looking for a good book to read during all this staying in, I’ve got the book for you! It has a forty-ish heroine trying to recover from a nasty divorce, a seventeen-year-old stepdaughter who knows every single nerve to pluck, and a hero our heroine knows better than to fall for… It’s bursting with family drama, intense kisses and has a dinner club of women who’ve gone through it all before, and believe wholeheartedly in second chances.

I think you’ll love it!

***

Releasing May 5, 2020

***

3.295155.512.9781335889706A new start


With an old flame?

Fifteen years in an unhappy marriage showed Melanie Isaacs exactly what she didn’t want. Now she’s in Mountain Springs to figure out the rest of her life—even if it means facing her former sweetheart, Logan McTavish. The spark between Logan and Melanie is stronger than ever. But is it enough to heal two weary, damaged hearts
and show them the way to a new happiness?

Harlequin

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

 

 

 

 

Sooo…. I see you’re busy…

27 Friday Dec 2019

Posted by Patricia Johns in Uncategorized

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harlequin author, Kensington author, writer's life

Writing during the holidays isn’t easy! First of all, I have our 11-year-old at home all day, so every time I start thinking some useful thoughts about Chapter Six, I get interrupted with:

  1. “Hey, Mom, look at this!”
  2. “Soooo… I see you’re very busy. What if I did this thing that you’ve told me repeatedly I can’t do today?”
  3. “Are you hungry? I’m hungry. Maybe I should start cooking this thing that has a very high risk of my burning our home down? Don’t worry. It’ll be fine.”
  4. “I thought I would just sit next to you and read over your shoulder while you type. Cool?”

 

My son is on vacation… and it’s kind of hard to work while he’s in vacation mode.

And then there is the fact that it just feels like holiday time, you know? The tree is still up,   our home is in that holiday-time disarray, and it has that lazy, cozy air about the place that isn’t exactly conducive to work. I can’t be the only one!

However, my husband is back to work again, so I’ll try to get back into it, too. I do have a manuscript that’s calling… and I’ve got this fantastic scene to write that I’m looking forward to working with. It’s just a matter of making that happen without my beautiful, blissful solitude.

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***

Coming in April 2020!

Pre-order now!

Thursday's Bride MMFor a proper young Amish widow struggling to begin again, encountering her reckless first love will test her forgiveness, resolve—and heart . . .

Overwhelmed by grief and tending twin baby daughters, Rosmanda Lapp is without options. She still blames her brother-in-law, Levi, for her husband’s accidental death—but she and her aging in-laws need him to keep their farm going. Yet as Levi takes on his responsibilities with a new determination and steadiness, she can’t help but regret that she chose his serious-minded brother over him. For Levi is still very much the passionate man she loved—and Rosmanda now has even more reasons to keep him at arm’s length . . .

Levi can’t blame Rosmanda for staying clear of him. He has mistakes to make up for and must finally do right by his parents. Still, he never got over his brother stealing Rosmanda away. And he can’t  deny the feelings that even now tempt them back to each other. And when a mistake from her past threatens her reputation, Levi will do whatever it takes to help her—and trust that faith and courage will at last help them claim a future together . . .

 

 

This is what tired looks like!

04 Monday Nov 2019

Posted by Patricia Johns in Uncategorized

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harlequin author, Kensington author, needing a weekend, writer's life

If you meet me in public, I will appear to having things together. I DO have things together when it comes to meeting deadlines, writing books, keeping my family organized… I am a competent adult.

But the other day, I went to my parents’ place for dinner (mostly because I really didn’t feel like cooking, so we asked my dad to cook for us instead.) I poured a glass of Sprite for myself, and while I was saying something, I brought the cup up to my mouth, but obviously couldn’t sip because I was talking, so while I finished my sentence, I just dribbled Sprite into my lap.

That is what tired looks like! And luckily for all of you, it doesn’t seem to affect my writing, just my motor skills. 😉 It’s also generally fixed by a weekend off.

So when I came across these gems online, it made me feel infinitely better that I’m not alone in these things!

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LOL! And to everyone else who makes a fool of themselves when tired out, you have my sympathy. Here is to a well-timed REST! 🙂

 

****

Releasing TODAY!

9781335510914

Can a marriage of convenience



really last a lifetime?

Single mom Gabby Rogers needs help raising her newborn triplets, so when her best friend, Seth, proposes a marriage of convenience, she cautiously agrees—on the condition it doesn’t ruin their friendship. As far as the town of Eagle’s Rest knows, Gabby and Seth are the perfect couple, but the imaginary romance soon feels surprisingly real. With the triplets’ first Christmas drawing closer, will Gabby risk showing Seth how she truly feels?

Available now!

Coming November 5, 2019!

 

Stormy Moors

31 Thursday Oct 2019

Posted by Patricia Johns in Uncategorized

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amish romance, Kensington books, page proofs, Thursday's Bride, writer's life

Thursday's Bride MM

Last weekend was a working weekend—I had page proofs to go over for my next release for Kensington Books.

Thursday’s Bride comes out in April 2020, and for those of you who have read The Bishop’s Daughter, this is the story of Sadie’s rebellious younger sister, Rosmanda.

Page proofs are basically what the page will look like once it’s printed out, and I have to go over each page looking for typos. It’s a big job, and I like to do this kind of work when my family is around, because looking for typos doesn’t require any creativity–something that I find difficult to get at when I’ve got my family at home with me.

thumbnail_Image-23

 

And there is just something official-feeling about handling a ream of pages like this. It makes the whole experience that much more physical than working on a screen. I feel like I should have a quill, and stormy moors outside my window.

In reality, when I spread all this out on my kitchen table, and instead of stormy moors, I had a rainy street outside my window. Life is much more dramatic in my head. 😉

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***

Until Rosmanda’s story releases, have you read my Christmas story in AN AMISH SECOND CHRISTMAS?

It’s on the shelves now! 

 

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For the Amish, the day after Christmas is for family, feasting, and exchanging simple gifts. And for three different couples, it will bring another precious chance for love . . .
 
THEIR SECOND CHANCE
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Shelley Shepard Gray
Amish nanny Hannah Eicher never thought she’d ever see Rob Prince again. There was no way a relationship between her and the handsome English fireman could overcome her family’s objections—and their personal differences. But when he saves her from a sudden blaze, Hannah longs to see if they can turn holiday hope into a lifetime of happiness . . .
 
HIS AMISH ANGEL * Patricia Johns
She’s too outspoken to be a proper Amish wife. So as advice columnist “Miss Amish,” Maggie Lapp helps Amish and English with their romantic problems. But when her tradition-minded former fiancĂ© accidentally reveals her secret, Maggie will need more than a miracle to make things right—and find a perfect love for all the Christmases to come . . .
 
AN HEIRLOOM CHRISTMAS * Virginia Wise
Rachel Miller won’t let her disability keep her from selling heirloom plants and proving she can be independent. She certainly doesn’t need reckless Joseph Webber working at her greenhouse to pay off a disastrous Rumspringa stunt. But she and Joseph have more in common than they think—and their surprising holiday partnership might just blossom into forever joy . . .

 

 

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