About the Book

Book: Mayhem and Moonlight

Author: Jennifer Sienes

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction, and Southern Fiction

Release date: April 16, 2024

Left at the altar holding the bill, a boatload of college debt, and piddly librarian salary has her praying for a miracle.

Lillian Murphy takes her life verse from a book title—A Series of Unfortunate Events. Could be it was on account of her jumping into things without first dipping a toe in to test the waters that landed her in such a position. A cozy, cardboard box would suit her just fine if she could find a way to heat it, but she’s hoping the good Lord will do some better. She’s done dreaming of happily-ever-after – She’d settle for just debt- and drama-free.

Luca Giordano knows the minute he lands in Shelbyville, Tennessee with his three young boys that he’s in over his head. Leaving the pain of his past behind, he’d also left his parents—and they’d done the heavy lifting. All his charts, graphs, and scheduling expertise isn’t enough. What kind of a productivity expert is he if he can’t be…productive? What he needs is a part-time Mary Poppins to swoop in and fill in for his gargantuan gaps—and Librarian Lillian seems the perfect solution.

But when Luca’s past converges with the present—and Lillian’s the catalyst—everything he loves most is at risk. How will a free spirit and fusspot find a way to happy ending?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Award-winning author Jennifer Sienes holds a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in education but discovered life-experience is the best teacher. She loves Jesus, romance, and writing—and puts it altogether in inspirational women’s fiction. Two of the three novels in her Apple Hill Series (set in Northern California) were inspired by actual events. Her Southern fiction Bedford County Series is set in Tennessee where she now resides with her real-life hero (and husband).

More from Jennifer

I’m often asked where I draw inspiration for my stories. It was easy when I was writing the Apple Hill Series, because the Lord took me through a long season of loss ripe with emotional angst and faith building. So, two of the three novels in that series were inspired by actual events I lived through—my daughter’s traumatic brain injury and my brother’s suicide. Not exactly the stuff of happily-ever-afters. But being a romantic, I’m a sucker for a happy ending. It took quite a bit of spiritual growth and creative ingenuity (she says tongue-in-cheek) to be able to move past the pain and find the blessings for my characters. Proof that God uses every tear for our good and His glory.

The story behind Mayhem and Moonlight came from a friend of mine. Annie. Not long after I met her (at my release party for Night Songs) she told me about how she and her husband Peter came to be together. Annie was a school psychologist who had been left at the alter years before. Peter was a single father of three boys whose wife passed away from cancer. Annie loved children but was past her child-bearing years, so she was as enamored with Peter’s three boys as she was by the man himself. Inept in the kitchen, she shared many hysterical culinary malfunctions with me, including how she almost burned the house down on more than one occasion.

Main character Lillian was also inspired by an actual person—my daughter Nikki. Yes, this is the same daughter who suffered a near fatal car accident and went through months of rehab for traumatic brain injury. What a sweet thing to be inspired by her when she was dealing with a disability and again years later with master’s degree for library and information science—just like main character Lillian. That’s how our good God works, though, so I shouldn’t be surprised.

But of course, a romance needs a protagonist, and Lillian’s is Luca Giordano—single father to three young boys (just like Annie’s Peter) and a productivity expert in serious need of help. It wasn’t until after I started fleshing out ideas for this book that I’d even heard of a productivity expert. It was through one phone conversation with old friends who told me their son had written a book titled Winning the Week: How to Plan a Successful Week, Every Week. I could’ve never imagined purchasing this book to show support to my friends would lead to the inspiration I needed for Luca’s career.

And guess what? Using the techniques laid out by authors Demir and Carey Bentley helped me become a more productive writer, too! It was a win-win.

Once I got to know the characters, I let them loose in my imagination and had to race to keep up with them. That’s when I know my writing is in conjunction with the Lord. I literally cannot make this stuff up. I pray you will enjoy reading Mayhem and Moonlight as much as I did writing it.

Interview with Jennifer

When did you write your first book and how old were you?

Although I started writing when I was around twelve, it took me a long time before I actually finished a full-length novel. I started many, but they just sort of fizzled somewhere in the middle. I gave up on the idea of becoming an author and went back to school to get my teaching degree instead. When my daughter was in a near-fatal car accident, I took catastrophic leave from my teaching position to be her caregiver. I would take my computer to the hospital with me and write while she slept or worked with the speech therapist. Then once she was released from the hospital, I was home for another six months caring for her and was able to finish the book then. I was in my early forties at that time, and that book is still sitting in its original binder.

What does your family think of your writing?

I am truly blessed to have a family who completely supports my writing. In fact, it was my husband who told me that if God put writing on my heart, I should consider stepping away from teaching in order to follow that dream. He’s always been my greatest cheerleader, financial backer, and emotional support. My daughter reads every book I write and is probably one of my biggest fans. She aspires to be writer herself and is very enthusiastic with her praise, as is my sister-in-law who preorders my books before I can gift them to her. Even my son, who is not a big reader, is very encouraging and supportive. He’s always bragging on me to his friends, which is both sweet and a little embarrassing.

Do you base your characters on real people?

Although I don’t generally base my characters on real people, the teenage children of main characters Cory and Paul in my novel Illusions were inspired by my own two kids. In fact, one of the main conflicts in Illusions was a replica of my own daughter’s car accident, so I used my journals from that time to create the hospital scenes. Some of my other books (Providence and Mayhem and Moonlight to name a couple) were inspired by actual events that happened to me or someone I know. The main characters in those books, however, are completely fictional.

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

Mayhem and Moonlight is my thirteenth published book. It’s hard to pick one as a favorite, since I’ve put my heart and soul into every one of them. I think I had the most fun writing Night Songs, which is Book 1 in my Bedford County Series. This series was born when we moved from Northern California to Middle Tennessee. It was a challenge for me to go from women’s fiction to Southern fiction, but Night Songs just came so easily.

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

I am working on a new Southern Fiction series right now. My husband and I have a friend whose entire career was with the railroad. He lights up whenever he tells us the stories from his past. I’ve always loved trains—and the wail of their whistle at night brings on a pang of melancholy. The setting for this series will be small Southern towns where the railroad to this day plays a significant role. Contemporary romance with a flavor of the past.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 21

Stories By Gina, May 22 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, May 22

Sylvan Musings, May 23

Texas Book-aholic, May 24

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 25

Artistic Nobody, May 26 (Author Interview)

She Lives To Read, May 27

For Him and My Family, May 28

For the Love of Literature, May 29 (Author Interview)

Lakesidelivingsite, May 30

Beauty in the Binding, May 31 (Author Interview)

Karen Baney Reviews, May 31

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 1

Back Porch Reads, June 2 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 3

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card & a 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/2b9d2/mayhem-and-moonlight-celebration-tour-giveaway