#SaturdaySpotlight is on Virginia Vaughn & Protecting the Texas Witness!

Good Morning Friends,

Fall is in the air here in SW Louisiana with mornings in the 60's and afternoons in the low to mid 80's. Even the humidity is lower than normal which is always wonderful! Sure makes those football games a bit nicer. 😄

A lot is happening here on our blog and in our collaboration with Keuka Roots. Check out the details HERE. 

Enough small talk, let's get to our guest!

Virginia Vaughn is brand new to our blog, so let's give her a great, Big, SWLouisiana W-E-L-C-O-M-E

Thanks for joining us today, Virginia, please tell us about your latest release, Protecting the Texas Witness.

Great to be here, Pam. Thanks for inviting me!

Here's the Blurb: 

He has a witness to defend…

and their future hangs in the balance.

Deputy Drake Shaw rescues single mom Isabelle Morris from an assailant's attack, only to be mistaken for her late husband. After exposing the corruption at her health-care company, Isabelle fears danger has followed her and her daughter all the way to their remote cabin. Now Drake must keep them safe long enough for Isabelle to testify against her former boss. But when her child is taken, the stakes are raised. Can they survive to unravel the truth about the present…and the past?

And an Excerpt: 

Isabelle saw a light in the murky water, then a figure below. 

It was a man and he was intentionally pulling her under. 

He reached for her arm and yanked her lower, then grabbed her head and pushed her down, too strong for her to fight against, but that didn’t stop her from trying. She kicked and flailed at the figure. Finally, she managed to push to the surface, gasping for air the moment she broke through the waterline. 

“Help me,” she cried as the strong hands pulled her under once more. 

Then there was splashing in the water and moments later the man released her. She surfaced again and struggled to catch her breath and tread water, coughing and gasping as she did so until another pair of strong hands grabbed her and she flinched. 

“It’ okay. I’ve got you.” The voice was husky and weighted with worry, but she knew it instantly. 

Drake. 

At that moment, it didn’t matter whether or not he was her deceased husband. All that mattered was that he was there for her. 

Oh My.... Intriguing! Tell us why you wrote this story or what makes it special and the please tell us more about you and where we can find you and Protecting the Texas Witness...

I was so happy when it was time to write this story because it focuses on two tropes I love—amnesia

and back from the dead. Creating a story to explain how a man could be missing for ten years without anyone realizing it was a stretch but I think we pulled it off. I also love these characters to much. Isabelle reminded me a lot of myself—strong because, as a single mom, she had to be and also a bit of a control freak. Yet it was that strength and determination that made her fight to learn the truth about Deputy Drake Shaw. 

In the end, I hope the reader asks the question, not is he or isn’t he her husband, but will she or won’t she become his wife? 

You can find Protecting the Texas Witness at Amazon and on Kindle, B&N, directly through Harelequin or wherever Love Inspired titles can be purchased. 

As for me, I am a Publishers Weekly Bestselling author of over thirty inspirational romantic suspense novels. Blessed to come from a large, southern family, my fondest memories include listening to stories recounted by my family and friends around the large dinner table. I've been a lover of books even from a young age, devouring gothic romance novels and stories of romance, danger, and love. One day I decided to start writing them LOL! A former investigator for the State of Mississippi, I utilize my criminal justice background with my love of writing to transform words into powerful stories of romance and danger. If you love fast-paced, exciting romantic suspense stories, subscribe to my monthly newsletter at https://bit.ly/3NYqzTl to keep up to date on current and upcoming releases, promos and my perfectly "normal" obsession with all things books.😊

You can find and connect with me through my Website, on Facebook, Amazon and Instagram.

Thank You, SO Much, Virgina for sharing with us today. We wish you the best of luck and God's blessings on your new release, your life and writing.

💖Pam 😊

Hope you enjoyed Virginia's visit as much as I did Friends, and that you'll check back weekly for another edition of Saturday Spotlight. Be sure to check out our Featured Author/Artist, Keuka Roots' Autum Reads and the featured books in our sidebar.

Until next time, take care, God Bless and Happy Reading!

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Winona Bennett Cross & Dianne's Destiny!

Good Morning and Welcome to October 2025's first episode of Saturday Spotlight! 

Today is my great pleasure to welcome my dear friend, Winona (Nona) Bennett Cross back to the blog with her revised edition of Dianne's Destiny.

Thanks for joining us today, Nona, please tell us why you wrote and then revised Dianne's Destiny.

So happy to be here today, Pam. I remember visiting in 2015 when Dianne's Destiny was part of a group series. When Covid hit in 2020, I got my rights back and set out to make the story more personal. 

The real Dianne was one of my closest friends during high school. In December 2020 she died of Covid. I was in the hospital at the time with the same illness and her death devastated me. I wanted to honor her in some way.

This new version of Dianne’s Destiny contains the original characters and premise except I emphasized some characters to reflect friends from high school. Most of my characters were named after my friends because it was my first book and I couldn’t think of any other names. They will recognize themselves.

Dianne’s Destiny is an homage to Dianne and a youthful time in my life.

What a sweet story, Nona! Can you share a blurb and exerpt with us?

Sure, here's the Blurb...

Panic and anxiety riddle her after the mugging. He’s the ranch manager of the equine therapy center. Will their history help or hinder her recovery?

When Dianne Jacobson returns to Wichita Falls, Texas after a fifteen-year absence, the last person she expects to see is her first love. Especially while she’s an emotional wreck. That he volunteers his time and horses at the equine therapy center her doctor recommends is a mixed blessing.

Kip Mahan hasn’t had a meaningful relationship since his high school sweetheart left without explanation or contact more than a decade ago. He’s caught off guard when she walks back into his life at the Hearts and Horses Equestrian Therapy Center with a haunted look in her eyes.

Dianne doesn’t expect Kip to love, much less trust her but she can’t stop the feelings buried so long ago from blooming. His hot and cold responses when they’re together make her wonder if he still feels the same about her or if he’s playing games to get back at her for leaving.

Kip always knew he and Dianne were destined to be together and has never stopped loving her despite the pain her desertion caused. Can he trust that she won’t run away once she’s healthy and whole again?

Slowly, the two find their way back to affection. But when Dianne’s ex-husband tracks her down it puts not only their newfound relationship, but their very lives, in danger.

Will Dianne’s destiny slip from her grasp before she’s even found it?

Dianne’s Destiny is a sweet, second chance romance with a bit of mystery and intrigue that will keep you turning the pages. Get your copy today and find out if Dianne and Kip overcome the challenges they face to reclaim the love lost years ago.

And an Excerpt...

     Dianne fidgeted in her boots and jeans. She longed for the designer suits and shoes that had cloaked her in poise and self-assurance. Power clothes ... that’s what her friend Jocelyn called them. She used to be confident. She’d once found joy in volunteering and using her Sociology Degree to help the less fortunate. Now, meeting someone new made her anxious. She must be getting stronger though, as she hadn’t bolted. Yet.

    The cowboy came toward her, his fawn-colored hat pulled low. Sun-streaked brown hair fell over the collar of a chambray shirt. Her gaze lowered to his scuffed, worn boots and the 3G brand tooled into the bottom of his chaps.

    “Hello.” Dianne whispered and took the cowboy’s outstretched hand. She forced herself to look up and take in a breath, then started coughing. She bent at the waist, clutching her stomach. This can’t be happening. Kip! My God! It’s Kip.

     “You all right?” Kip reached to steady her. She hadn’t heard that voice in fifteen years. Nor had she forgotten it. She glanced up to see recognition dawn in his eyes.

NICE! Now, give us your bio and how readers can connect with you.

Winona Bennett Cross (Nona) lives in Wichita Falls, Texas. She recently moved from Durant, Oklahoma. She has two sons and two granddaughters. Angus, a finicky and nosy gray tabby cat, shares her home.

Nona's heart lies in the desert and oilfields of west Texas and New Mexico where she was raised. In 1969 she graduated from Lovington High School, New Mexico.

Nursing was the lifelong dream Nona achieved in 1985 from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. A fall in the hospital ended her career. She specialized in Labor and Delivery, Women' Health, Community Education, Perinatal Bereavement, and Nursing Education at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Nona is a member of the Central Region Oklahoma Writers (CROW), the Oklahoma Romance Writer's Guild (OKRWG), the Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc. (OWFI) and Women Writing the West (WWW). Find and connect with her on her Website, Facebook, FB Author Page and Instagram.

Thank you SO much, Nona, for sharing with us today! We wish you the Best of luck and God's blessings with Dianne's Destiny and all of your work!

Hope you enjoyed Nona's visit as much as I did, Friends. Dianne's Destiny is available at Amazon for Kindle and in Paperback AND through other online retailers found HERE.

Until next time take care and God bless.

PamT