"Coffee Shop Devotions" by Tessa Emily Hall ... and a GIVEAWAY!

Tessa is here to share a bit about her latest release, Coffee Shop Devos.  She's offered to give away a hard copy of the book (US ONLY).  You can enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the end of the post. (Giveaway ends September 21, 2018. If you are the randomly chosen winner, I'll contact you.)  Here's Tessa...

Back Cover Copy...

     There's something special about spending time at a coffee shop with a friend — engaging in a meaningful conversation, then leaving refueled and ready to tackle the rest of the day. What if your quiet times with God energizing the same way?

     Coffee Shop Devos offers a warm atmosphere that will inspire you to discover your God-given purpose and live to your greatest potential. Choose your devo flavor in the Menu of Content based on your current need. Then lean into deeper intimacy with Christ through reflection and prayer. Along the way, you'll pick up tips and recipes for making your own coffee-shop beverage — regular or decaf — to enjoy what you read. Don't forget to share your journey with your friends! #CoffeeShopDevos

     Each of the 180 challenging a motivational devotions leave you feeling refreshed and reinvigorated — almost as though you've shared a steaming pot of group at a coffee shop with your Creator.

Links...

Amazon (pre-order until it's released on 9/18/18)

Mark "to read" on Goodreads

Q&A with Tessa...

Q:  What message do you hope readers take away from your book?

A:  My intention in writing my books for teens is to help girls feel less alone in what they're facing. The same is true with Coffee Shop Devos. As girls read the devotions, I hope they will be compelled to spend time with Christ and develop a relationship with Him. I hope you see that Christ is the answer to our every longing. He's the comforter in our pain, the joy in our sorrow, and the peace in our storms. We live life with Him by our side, then that relationship will provide us with the joy, peace, and love that is far greater than anything this world could offer us. So, to summarize: I hope Coffee Shop Devos will cause teens to develop a thirst for Christ — a habit of spending time with Him that becomes far more addicting than their daily caffeine intake.

Q:  What advice you have for new authors?

A:  It's always hard to nail down only one piece of advice! I like to tell writers two things: one, don't give up. As cliché as it sounds, it's often exactly what us writers need to hear — especially when the publishing journey seems endless. It's only those who persist that actually reach the finish line. And two, do your research! There are so many writers out there who dream of writing, and yet they never take the necessary steps to achieve this dream. I believe this could be avoided if writers would simply do their research before seeking publication. If you're an aspiring author and you want to impress an agent, you might want to first understand how you should craft a query letter and format the manuscript. If you want to be a children's book author, first double check that your word count is within the standard word count range. Remember that writing is an art, but publishing is a business. There are general guidelines set by agents and editors that writers must follow if they hope to sell their book. And please don't assume that you're the exception! It's that attitude that often keeps writers from seeing their dream unfold. But regardless of the "hoops" you might have to jump through (such as building a platform)—rest assured. It is possible to succeed in today's industry. So going back to that first piece of advice: Don't give up!

Q:  What writers have inspired you?

A:   Karen Kingsbury has definitely served as an "author role model" throughout my writing life. She's proven to me that it is possible to have a book ministry through writing life-changing fiction. I also love how she interacts with her fans, treating them as if they're her friends. It's inspiring to see that she's built such a big readership by writing character-driven books that are emotionally charged and inspirational. Those are the kind of stories I'd like to write, as well — specifically for teens.

Q:  What's your favorite writing -related book?

A:  I love reading books on writing craft! It's difficult to decide on just one book. However, I think the one that influenced my writing the most was A Novel Idea: Best Advice on Writing Inspiration Fiction. read this book when I was beginning my writing journey as a team. It served almost as a road map for me, and I would refer to it frequently as I wrote my book and entered publication. The book is a compilation book that contains amazing advice from popular Christian fiction authors, such as Jerry B. Jenkins and Karen Kingsbury. It covers every aspect of the writing journey—from the craft of writing to the business and marketing side of it. Perfect for beginning writers especially!

Q:  What's one thing about you that would surprise your readers?

A:  On an average day, I typically only drink one cup of coffee! A lot of people are often surprised to hear this because of how much I love coffee. However, I like to be careful about my caffeine intake — especially since I know how prone I am to go overboard. There are days, though, when I need more than just one cup. I try to use decaf when possible. Especially when it's after 5 p.m.!

Q:  Do you have any writing rituals you must have or do when writing?

A:  If it's in the morning or afternoon, I need to have a cup of coffee. It's in the evening or night, herbal tea or sparkling water will do. Music is a necessity, as well. Sometimes I'll play the soundtrack I've created for the specific book, and other times I'll listen to worship music. I try to find worship music that's instrumental — that way I'm not distracted by the lyrics. And it helps to write in private. Although I love going to coffee shops occasionally for a change of scenery, it's more difficult for me to enter the flow of writing when I'm around other people. That could just be because I might have ADD tendencies, though :)

Thanks so much for stopping by, Tessa. I'm sure my readers will enjoy getting to you a bit better!

   

About Tessa...

Tessa Emily Hall is an award-winning author who writes inspirational yet authentic books to show teens they're not alone. Her first teen devotional, Coffee Shop Devos, will release with Bethany House in September 2018. Tessa's passion for shedding light on clean entertainment and media for teens letter to a career as an Associate Agent for Cyle Young at Hartline Literary Agency, YA Acquisitions Editor for Illuminate YA (LPC Imprint), and Founder/Editor of PURSUE Magazine. She's guilty of making way too many lattes and never finishing her to-read list. When her fingers aren't flying 116 WPM across the keyboard, she can be found speaking to teens, decorating art journals, and acting in Christian films. Her favorite way to procrastinate is by connecting with readers on her blog, mailing list, social media, and website.

Where to find Tessa online...

           Author website www.tessaemilyhall.com

·       Twitter www.twitter.com/tessaemilyhall

·       Instagram www.instagram.com/tessaemilyhall

·       Facebook www.facebook.com/tessaemilyhall

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Unwritten Melody" by Tessa Emily Hall

About the book...

Does breaking free require breaking the rules?

Cassie Gilbert lives every day in the shadows of her deceased mom’s rebellion. But now that she’s seventeen, she finds herself longing to break away from her grandmother’s suffocating rules, experience what it’s like to be a regular teenager, and fulfill her songwriting dreams.

James Russo, former American Spotlight contestant, escapes to small-town Willow Creek, SC, hoping to flee from his tarnished past. When a school project pairs him with the shy principal’s granddaughter, he’s determined to get to know this Emily-Dickinson-obsessed and typewriter-using girl. His plan? Convince Cassie to co-write songs for his demo album.

As Cassie gets to know James over “project meetings” (more like opportunities to match her lyrics with his melodies), she becomes intrigued by his sense of adventure and contagious passion for music. But soon, his past becomes exposed. Cassie’s left to wonder—did she make the same mistake Mom did by falling for the bad boy?

Then, Grandma’s control pushes her over the edge. Cassie must choose between remaining in the chains of yesterday or delving into her own freedom by completing the melody her mom left behind.

Q&A with Tessa...

Q:  What was the inspiration behind Unwritten Melody?

 A:  I loved the idea of having a songwriter (Cassie) mesh her lyrics together with a musician (James) and for the pieces to fit together like a puzzle—almost as though the lyrics and songs were created for each another.

I also knew that I wanted to somehow incorporate the life and poetry of Emily Dickinson into the novel. I first learned about this poet in my 8^th grade English class. I remember becoming fascinated—not only with her works, but also with the unique story of her life. After I brainstormed the premise to Unwritten Melody, I knew Cassie’s own life would shadow perfectly that of Dickinson’s and highlight the book’s theme in the process.

Q:  What is the message you hope readers will grasp after reading Unwritten Melody?

A:  It’s my hope that, through any book that I write, readers will realize they are not alone in their life’s journey—in the questions they wrestle with, emotions they deal with, situations they experience, etc. And hopefully, through following the journey that my characters take, readers can find a solution for their own problems as well.

I specifically hope readers will come away from Unwritten Melody with newfound hope for their current circumstances and a deeper revelation of the power of God’s unending love.

Q:  Could you give a brief overview of the writing and publication process behind Unwritten Melody?

 A:  I brainstormed the plot when I was seventeen-years-old—the spring of 2011. I was working on my debut novel, Purple Moon, at the time, so I filed the idea away until I could have dedicated time to focus on it. Finally, I wrote the first draft when I was eighteen and working on the edits to Purple Moon. That draft continued to develop and transform as I went through the editing/revision process for over a year.

When I was twenty-one, my agent sent me a long edit letter, detailing the major areas that needed to be fixed in the plot. I was extremely grateful for the feedback—yet at the same time, a part of me was discouraged, because it would require a great deal of “book surgery” to fix the errors in the plot. That was a lot to take on, especially after I’d already spent over a year in edits.

So, I stepped away from the book and poured my energy into another project. Yet the story didn’t let me avoid it for long. I knew that the book didn’t exactly match the original story that was first laid on my heart several years before, and I was determined to make that happen.

To make a long story short—I spent the fall of 2015 applying my agent’s suggestions and rewriting the entire book from scratch. It still has the same characters, premise, and setting, but now the novel matches the original novel I had first brainstormed when I was seventeen.

The book went on for submission to publishers for winter 2016. One day in May, while I was packing to leave for a writer’s conference, I received a phone call from my literary agent with the great news—Clean Reads had offered a contract. J (I knew they were considering it because they had requested the manuscript about a month before.)

The moral of the story? Never give up on the story of your heart!

Q:  What’s next in your writing journey?

A:  I’m currently working on the sequel to Purple Moon (which has been another lengthy project) and hope to finish it by winter 2016. I’ve also been working on a teen devotional that I’m really excited about!

After that? Well, I hope to continue writing inspirational and authentic novels for teens and possibly write another installment in the Purple Moon series. I don’t see myself switching genres any time soon! But I do hope to delve more into non-fiction as well.

Although God is the Ultimate Author of my future, I always ask him to give me the desires He wants me to have. Right now, my burning desire is this: To write books that transform lives — stores that portray the power of God's steadfast love and His unending grace.

Q:  What advice would you like to give aspiring authors?

A:  First of all, stay fueled with a passion for writing. Build your writing journey on a foundation that consists of a love for both reading and writing. Write because you can't not write, because honestly, if you don't begin with this kind of passion, then it's going to be far too tempting to quit when the discouragement comes. (Notice that I said when, not if!) It's important to also find the time to write and stay disciplined with your writing time because perseverance is the only way to produce an actual book.

Then, learn as much about the craft industry as you can through blogs, books, workshops, and conferences. Apply what you learn to your manuscript. Network with other writers on blogs, social media, critique groups, and at writing conferences. Keep a teachable spirit. Remember that, no matter how naturally gifted you may be in writing, every writer could use improvement to grow.

Finally, create long-term and short-term goals for your writing journey. I've met so many writers who never pursued their writing dreams because, A) They didn't push themselves to finish a book, B) They gave up too soon, C) They didn't learn how a book is published, therefore never pursued publication and believed that "being an author" was an impossible achievement.

I love to mentor young writers through my course, Write Now. have you can find more info about this three-month program at this link:  http://www.tessaemilyhall.com/teen-creative-writing-mentorship

Amazon link for purchase...

http://amzn.to/2gvAJOo

About Tessa...

Tessa Emily Hall writes inspirational, yet authentic, YA fiction to show others they’re not alone—and because she remembers the teen life like it was yesterday (or a few years ago). The debut novel she wrote at 16-years-old, Purple Moon (Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas), was a Selah 2014 Finalist. Her second novel, Unwritten Melody, releases with Clean Reads November 2016. She’s the Founder of PursueMagazine.net, a magazine that inspires teens to embrace their calling. Tessa also enjoys helping writers achieve their dreams through her internship at Hartline Literary Agency.

When her fingers aren’t flying 116 WPM across the keyboard, Tessa can be found making healthy homemade lattes, speaking to teens, decorating her insulin pump, and acting in Christian films. She writes in a small town nestled between the Blue Ridge Mountains and Southeastern coast. Her favorite way to procrastinate is by connecting with readers.  You can find her online at the following;

blog:           http://www.tessaemilyhall.com/blog

Twitter:       @tessaemilyhall

website:      http://www.tessaemilyhall.com/

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/tessaemilyhall/