About the Book

Book:  Over Her Head: In the Shadow

Author: JL Crosswhite

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Release date: June 21, 2021

She’s working on a new start…

…He’s trying a new work venture.

Can they build a relationship that fits their new life?

Fresh out of cosmetology school Jessica and whiz software engineer Austin have been thrown together by mutual friends. They even escaped a wildfire together.

But do they have something more than friendship?

Maybe a singles’ camping trip will make their future clear.

But when they encounter someone who needs their help, the relaxing weekend away becomes anything but. As the danger mounts and the challenges reveal who they truly are, will it pull them together or push them apart… for good?

You will get lost in Over Her Head because the biggest adventure is falling in love.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Jennifer’s favorite thing is discovering how much there is to love about America the Beautiful and the great outdoors. She’s a mom to two navigating the young adult years while battling her daughter’s juvenile arthritis, exploring the delights of her son’s autism, and keeping gluten free. A California native who’s spent significant time in the Midwest, she’s thrilled to be back in the Golden State. Follow her on social media to see all her adventures and how she gets inspired for her books!

More from Jennifer

MacGyver might have come from my family tree. I grew up hearing stories of how my grandpa turned a horse trailer into a travel trailer for camping and how he finagled something out of what he had if he didn’t have the actual thing he needed. I grew up seeing my dad do this. And I’ve been known to do it a time or two myself.

My grandpa grew up during the Great Depression, so I could see how making do with what he had came to him naturally. The rest of us saw the usefulness of it and continued the tradition. Even though there are times I’ve stopped and said, “I should just go by the thing I need instead of trying to make do.” Maybe it would have saved me some time and frustration.

But there is something satisfying about seeing a problem and creating the solution yourself. It’s like solving a puzzle. And for me, writing a book is a lot like that. I start out with various pieces and no idea how they are going to fit together.

When I began Over Her Head, it was the third book of my In the Shadow series. This series explores the idea of what it’s like to grow up in the shadow of a hero. Jessica’s brother, Scott, is a Navy pilot. Their oldest brother died before Jessica was born, so she’s always felt like she’s been in the shadow of her older brothers. How would she become her own person and find the purpose that God has for her?

That was one piece. A big one. But I still needed to find a love interest, a plot, and a supporting cast. I started sorting through what I had, looking for pieces that could fit, could be molded into something new and different. A trip to the hair salon provided a fun conversation with my hair stylist about what a newly graduated cosmetology student might be doing and the politics of working in a salon.

The pieces were coming together. Finally, I decided to set the story around one of my favorite activities: camping. Okay, maybe it’s more like glamping. I like a real bed.  But it is a great way to force a group of people to be close together for a period of time. There’s an element of stress, and even danger, since nature isn’t predictable.

Hopefully the end product looks smoothly finished and not MacGyvered together. But I don’t ever let the rough beginning or different looking pieces discourage me from pressing on with the story. And I think that’s a good lesson for life. What rough spots need a little creativity to bring them to life and smooth them out? Spend some time letting your inner MacGyver play.

Author Interview

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I remember writing stories in kindergarten. I had an active imagination and was always coming up with stories for me and my brothers to act out (I’m sure they loved that!). When I was in intermediate school, I entered a school writing contest and won. I was hooked at that point.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I really like to paint the walls in my house and restore old furniture. I’m constantly thinking of how things might look if they were in a different color. And my mind really wanders with new stories when I’m working with my hands.

Do you have any suggestions to help someone become a better writer? If so, what are they?

In my other job, I’m a book coach and editor, so I love to help people learn to write. I think you need two things: compelling characters and a page-turning plot, no matter what genre you’re writing in. If you really study the books you love—read with a notebook nearby—you can analyze how they do these two things. That will help your writing tremendously.

What’s your favorite part about being a writer? Research? First Draft? Editing?

I love research (I was a history major), so I have to really rein myself in from going down too many rabbit holes. And I also love the editing part. As an editor, I know I can make the story better once I have it down.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

I used to tell people if I could read for a living, I’d be happy. I wanted to work in publishing, but I did not want to live in New York. Well, I get to read for a living now as an editor and a writer. I love it. It’s amazing how technology has allowed us to do things we never dreamed would be possible.

What project are you working on now and how do we find your books?

My current book, Over Her Head, is the final book in the In the Shadow series. I’ll have a new spinoff series releasing next February, so I’m working on that, but there are plenty of Easter eggs in this current series that will show up in that one. So stay tuned!

You can find my books on Amazon (of course), and most of them are in Kindle Unlimited, if you have that subscription. Paperback versions of my books are available from all the major retailers.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 19

For Him and My Family, July 20

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, July 21 (Author Interview)

The Sacred Line, July 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 22

deb’s Book Review, July 23

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 24

Inklings and notions, July 25

CarpeDiem, July 26

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 26

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 27

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 28

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, July 29

My Journey Back the Journey Back, July 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 30

Texas Book-aholic, July 31

Cats in the Cradle Blog, July 31

Pause for Tales, August 1

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, J.L. is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/10fa8/over-her-head-celebration-tour-giveaway