Welcome!

Introducing Shaen Layle!

Bio: Shaen Layle is a USA Today Bestselling author who writes inspirational cozy mystery from her home in the Midwest, where she lives with her artist husband, Danny, her two rambunctious but adorable little boys, and their shelter pup, Violet. Trained as a literary novelist and with a decade of librarianship under her belt, Shaen loves discussing all things bookish with her readers on her website and on social media.

Social Media Links: Website: www.shaenlayle.com

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Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/user/show/69552794shaen-layle

BookBub: www.bookbub.com/profile/shaen-layle

Interview with Shaen

I’m excited to have you here on my blog, Shaen. I’ve been looking forward to introducing readers to you and your books. Welcome!

To start us off, I’d like you to share something with the readers that they might not know about you. You know, what makes you, you?

I fit the mild-mannered librarian type to a tee… except for the 1% of the time when I don’t! One of my favorite 1% moments happened when I traveled to Israel with one of my closest friends and we hiked Hezekiah’s Tunnel (an intact aqueduct built in Biblical times) in pitch black with water up to our waists. It was an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience that truly made God’s Word come alive for me in a fresh way.

Wow! That was really brave of you! I don’t think I could have done that, though laying eyes on Hezekiah’s Tunnel would be an amazing experience. Readers love to know what their favorite authors are reading, so what book is currently on your bedside table?

I’ve been reading a lot of women’s fiction and contemporary stories lately, including Nicole Deese’s All That Really Matters, Christina Suzann Nelson’s The Way It Should Be, and Rachel Hauck’s The Fifth Avenue Story Society. All the books are incredibly immersive and take the reader on an emotional journey, which I’m really enjoying right now!

I enjoyed The Fifth Avenue Story Society as well. I haven’t yet read the other two books you mentioned, but I love books with a deep emotional journey so I will check them out. Thanks. Tell us more about your writing. Is this your full-time career?

Writing was my full-time career for a couple of years, but now, I’ve scaled back to part-time so I can have more time to focus on my family. I currently homeschool my two boys, who are nine and five, and as any homeschooling mama knows, that’s a full-time job on its own! I’m still very active in the writing world, though, with two books releasing this year and a few more projects on the horizon after that.

That’s great that you are focusing on your kids. We have them for such a short time, and I totally understand about homeschooling. I’m also a homeschool mom, and it’s only been the last couple of years that my daughter hasn’t needed supervision. You mentioned releasing two books this year, What has been your favorite part of your publishing journey?

My favorite part of the publishing journey has been meeting the amazing people in the writer/reader community. I’ve gained some new friends and am thankful to have tons of people in my life who totally understand the need to read “just one more page”!

It’s nice having people in your life that “get” you! The writer/reader community really is so supportive. I know that for each writer it’s different, so what comes first for you — the plot or the characters — and why?

I usually start with character. I don’t know that I’ve ever intentionally made the choice to approach story that way, but it makes sense. I’ve always been interested in people: why they think and act the way they do, how their personality or upbringing affects their decisions, why some people resist change while others embrace it. It’s all fascinating to me. I think all those observations from the real world filter into my characters while I’m writing and drive the story forward.

Can you share with us something about your new book that isn’t in the blurb?

My most recent release and the book I’m giving away today, To Heal a Heart, was such an intriguing story to research and write. The historical part of the story features an unwed teenage mother in the Baby Scoop Era of the 1970s. The narrative follows her throughout many decades of her life and digs into the complex emotional layers of loss she faces–as well as eventual restoration. Prior to writing this story, I hadn’t even heard of the Baby Scoop Era–a unique time in U.S. history when a particular demographic– unwed, adolescent, middle class women–were coerced in record numbers into giving up their babies for adoption. Adoption records were often sealed, preventing biological mothers and their children from connecting at any point in the future. It was a compelling and complex issue to write about, but one that I felt needed to be spotlighted, as we’re still feeling ripple effects from it in our nation today.

How interesting! I’ve never heard of the Baby Scoop Era, either. This must have been a very emotional story to pen. For anyone who might be interested in reading To Heal A Heart, where can readers find out more about you and your books?

Readers can find out more about me and my books on my website at www.shaenlayle.com, and keep in the know by signing up for my quarterly newsletter at www.shaenlayle.com/newsletter. I also love connecting with readers on social media, especially in Shaen Layle’s Reader Room on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorShaenLayle, or at any of the other social links listed above!

Any current or upcoming projects you’d like to tell us about?

I have another cozy mystery from Guideposts in the pipeline that will be releasing in October 2022. I can’t say tons about the plot right now, but the fun part is that the story is set in my home state of Missouri and features a rare Quahog pearl and some interesting flood history. Sign up for my newsletter to get a sneak peek of the cover in several months!

That sounds great! I’ve enjoyed our time together. Thanks for visiting my blog and allowing me to interview you.

Thanks so much for having me on your blog, Gina! It’s been a joy to visit with you and your readers 😊

About The Book

Title: To Heal a Heart

Series: Miracles and Mysteries of Mercy Hospital

Author: Shaen Layle

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Publication date: February 2022

Back Cover Blurb:

Evelyn Perry’s morning stroll with her husband takes an unlikely turn when they witness a runaway horse-drawn carriage hit a man riding his bike. She rushes to his aid and sees him off to Mercy Hospital. But soon Evelyn discovers that the carriage driver was operating off-route, and when a witness insists the incident wasn’t an accident, Evelyn begins to wonder if there is more going on beneath the surface. The victim, Paul Simmons, is a likeable guy with no enemies. So why would someone try to hurt him? Can Evelyn find out the truth behind the accident before someone else gets hurt?

Purchase Link: https://www.shopguideposts.org/fiction-books/mystery-fiction/miracles-and-mysteries-of-mercy-hospital/to-heal-a-heart-mercy-book-9.html

Giveaways

Shaen is giving away one signed, hardback copy of her recent release, To Heal a Heart. Comment below to enter. Giveaway ends March 7, 2022.