About the Book

Book: Lone Star Sweetheart

Author: Shannon Sue Dunlap

Genre: Inspirational Rom-com

Release Date: May 23, 2023

Katherine Bruno is the shrew of Sweetheart, Texas. Her passionate, unfiltered temper clashes with the gentle pace of her tiny hometown. When she’s drafted to help the mayor’s wife who wants to run in the local election against her own husband, she meets big city political consultant Ryan Park, and cue the fireworks! The handsome campaign manager gets under her skin in a big way, but fraternizing with the enemy is off-limits.

Katherine must battle her lack of experience, campaign sabotage, and her growing feelings for Ryan as she strives to succeed. His unprejudiced acceptance of her strong-willed character beckons her heart, but his rejection of God is an insurmountable barrier. Will Ryan return to his faith and stay with her in Sweetheart or leave when the election ends?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Shannon Sue Dunlap lives in the lone star state of Texas. She’s a die-hard fan of happy endings and believe there’s a Heavenly Father who’s designed one for each of us. Inspiration comes from everywhere—including worldwide travels, her adorable music students, and the fun and flirty Korean dramas she enjoys watching.

Even in the hard times, there’s humor to be found, and Shannon tries to infuse every story with moments that bring a good chuckle or an all-out belly laugh. One of her greatest hopes is that readers recognize themselves in her books. We’re all such a fabulous mix of flaws and greatness, and everyone is the hero or heroine in their own life story.

She holds an M.A. in Journalism from Regent University and has published three romances under the pen name Shannon Kent. You can connect with her at www.shannonsuedunlap.com, and if you sign up for her newsletter, you’ll receive a free copy of her romcom novella Flower Boy Tour Guide.

 

More from Shannon

“How could she survive the night without a cookie?”

 

This line introduces my feisty sugar-loving heroine Katherine in Lone Star Sweetheart. She and I have a lot in common when it comes to enjoying our sweets. One hidden gem I discovered has won me more than one holiday baking competition in my church’s ladies group, and I’d like to share the recipe for Lace Cookies.

 

Warning: These are very fragile and may look like a healthy snack because of the oatmeal. But when you bite into them, the taste is unexpected and addictive.

 

I hope they bring you the same joy they’ve brought me. I know Katherine would have loved them.

(If you would like to see the original recipe, you can find it and other sweet sensations at jensfavoritecookies.com.)

 

Ingredients

10 tablespoons of butter (Yes, 10!)

1 cup of brown sugar

3 tablespoons of flour

½ teaspoon of salt

1 ½ cups of rolled oats

(I also include a dollop of vanilla. Just tilt the bottle over the bowl and give it a quick few drops. It adds to the rich taste.)

 

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper so the cookies won’t stick.

 

Heat the butter at a medium temperature in a saucepan. Mix in the brown sugar. Stir it well and remove it from the heat.

 

Mix in the flour and salt first. Then add the oats until the ingredients are evenly combined.

 

Drop small balls of the mix (about ½ tsp. in size). In the oven, these cookies spread quite a bit, so space them out accordingly. Bake for 6-9 minutes and remember to keep an eye on them. The edges should turn brown when they are done. (If you’re like me, it may take burning a trial batch, to get the right feel.)

 

Allow the cookies to cool on the tray for 3-4 minutes before removing them. They will be almost see-through like candy and very fragile. Handle with care and try not to eat too many. You can also crumble any broken ones and use them as a delicious ice cream topping.

Interview with the Author

What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?

The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery is a story I return to again and again. I know Anne of Green Gables is her most famous work, and I love that character dearly. But the sarcastic, poignant, romantic journey of old maid Valancy in The Blue Castle is one that speaks to me. Plus, it has a kind of marriage-of-convenience plot which is one of my favorite tropes to read.

How do you select the names of your characters?

Poorly. Sometimes I start with one name and change it partway through the story. I’m working on the sequel for my recent novel and am already itching to change the hero’s name. Once I realized it was the same as another guy I knew in the past, it was hard to disassociate it. He’ll probably be called something entirely different before Substitute Sweetheart releases.

My heroine’s moniker in Lone Star Sweetheart has a double meaning. She’s named Katherine after Shakespeare’s heroine in The Taming of the Shrew, and her last name Bruno is a nod to my grandmother’s maiden name.

If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?

I’d tell myself I was allowed to become a writer. It never occurred to me when I was young to reach for that dream. I loved books so much, and it seemed like you had to be a genius to create them. I wonder if I would be further along on my writer’s journey if I had realized what I wanted to be sooner.

What comes first, the plot or characters?

I’m not the type of author who plots out her entire novel before she begins writing. But the journey is a little different with each book. For Lone Star Sweetheart, it started with a question I had about a side character, the mayor’s wife. “What would happen if Lanette Johnson got mad at her husband and decided to run against him?” So, I guess in that instance it started with the character.

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

Watch Korean dramas, drink too much Dr. Pepper, and I’m crazy for traveling. I’ve got passport stamps from Israel, England, Scotland, Austria, Botswana, and so many more places. In fact, I recently started a travel blog that shares the cool things I get to see around the world (www.travelhacksandsnacks.com).

Thank you for letting us get to know you better!

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 19

Texas Book-aholic, July 20

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 21

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, July 22

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, July 23 (Author Interview)

Christina’s Corner, July 23

A Reader’s Brain, July 24 (Author Interview)

Where Crisis & Christ Collide, July 24

The Book Club Network, July 25

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 26

Bliss, Books & Jewels, July 27 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, July 28

Holly’s Book Corner, July 29

Artistic Nobody, July 30 (Author Interview)

She Lives To Read, July 31

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 1

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Shannon is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and 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/26b9e/lone-star-sweetheart-celebration-tour