 Determined to unearth the truth about her DEA agent brother’s reported death, Rachel York takes a position at an historic Charleston, South Carolina, tea plantation, but she finds she is ill prepared to deal with the plantation’s new owner. Luke Barrett may be handsome, but he is overflowing with bitterness and distrust. Widowed and wounded, former Marine Corps Special Forces operative Luke Barrett has enough to handle with his little girl and an historic property to upkeep. The last thing he needs is a feisty, stubborn woman with whom to contend. Yet, Rachel’s determined spirit awakens something in Luke that he thought died a long time ago. Luke begins to capture Rachel’s heart until the night she uncovers evidence he may be keeping his plantation solvent by allowing cocaine to be smuggled along his coastline. Devastated by the possibility, Rachel must decide whether to confront him, even while she conceals secrets of her own. When all the deception rips asunder in a hurricane, will love or faith survive?  When did you decide that you would be an author? I started writing stories in seventh grade and loved to compete with my close friend for best stories. My horse hero won the race, even with a broken leg! LOL In high school I worked on the school newspaper and began writing poetry to my first love. In college I joined a writers’ group some of the English professors formed and really got busy with my writing. I had a number of poems published in college anthologies and later, began writing and selling magazine articles, while polishing up my novel-writing skills. Inspirational novels are now my main goal. What’s your pet peeve? Computer problems and glitches that can soak up my writing time and make me itch. What was your most embarrassing moment as a writer? Some years ago Charisma Magazine sent me to Virginia Beach to interview the Revs. John and Anne Gimenez for the magazine’s Most Outstanding Churches in America series. I invited a sweet elderly church lady to drive up with me. She turned out to be a nervous talker, and I overshot an exit to Virginia Beach, and ended up 60 miles out of the way. When we finally arrived at the church member’s house late, where we were to spend the night, I had a black headache and nausea. I barely said hello to the family and went straight to their bathroom and threw up. Wonder what they thought of the wonder woman Charisma sent to interview their pastors? What has been your most difficult challenge as an author? Learning to write constantly in deep POV and showing, not telling. The two are definitely connected. ( : How do you process the rejections and/or negative reviews? Summer of Deception was rejected 26 times by editors and agents before I received a contract offer. I learned from each rejection, kept polishing my craft, and refused TO GIVE UP! Pastor Steven Furtick says it best: “Rejection is just a sign of a new direction.” I call myself a rewriter. What do you feel is the best success so far in your writing career? Receiving a contract on my first inspirational novel, Summer of Deception, and justifying to my wonderful husband all this time I spend at the computer and going to writers’ conferences. ( : What would be your top three pieces of advice to newer, up and coming authors? 1) Determine you will never give up or quit writing, revising, polishing, submitting, and praying over your writing. 2) Keep polishing your craft, especially master deep POV and showing, not telling, and network with other writers, groups, attend conferences. 3) Learn how to submit well to editors and agents. As a Christian author, what would you like your legacy to be? I am not writing inspirational novels just to give someone an exciting, satisfactory read, although that is certainly a goal. Never would I go through all this toil and effort for great sales either, although that is definitely a goal. My greatest desire is to share or impart some nugget of God’s truth that might help someone come to know Christ as Lord and Savior or find a closer walk with Him or a deeper faith in God’s blessing and power available to us, and do it through story, rather than preaching. What is your current work in progress? I am currently working on Book 2 in an historical series set in the 1700’s. Book 1, In a Pirate’s Debt, will be released by Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas (LPC) in May, 2017. I also have a cozy mystery simmering on the back burner. Hope it doesn’t boil dry before I get to it. ( : Elva Cobb Martin is president of the South Carolina Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers (2014-2017). She is a former school teacher and a graduate of Anderson University and Erskine College. Decision, Charisma, and Home Life have carried her articles. She has published a Bible study, Power Over Satan, available on Amazon.com. Summer of Deception, a release by Pelican Book Group, is her debut novel. She has also completed an historical romance, In a Pirate’s Debt, slated for release by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas in May, 2017. Elva is represented by Jim Hart of Hartline Literary. A mother and grandmother, Elva lives with her husband Dwayne and a mini-dachshund writing helper, Lucy, in upstate South Carolina. She also leads an internet prayer task force praying for a Great Awakening. She would love for you to connect with her and/or sign up for her newsletter. Email: elvacmartin@gmail.com web site www.elvamartin.com blog http://carolinaromancewithelvamartin.blogspot.com Twitter http://twitter.com/ElvaCobbMartin Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/elvacobbmartin Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/elvacobbmartin
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