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?

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Author Interview

I’m so honored that Shannon stopped by for a quick interview! Enjoy getting to know her better with this fun little Q&A! 🙂

Christy: Can you tell us a little bit about your journey to becoming an author?

Shannon: That’s a looooooooong story. Decades long. I made the decision to become a writer in 2000, and in 2023 Lone Star Sweetheart was my first book released through a publisher. That’s 20+ years. I
hope would-be authors aren’t discouraged by that number. I spent time earning a degree in journalism. I traveled the world. And different opportunities during that time helped me to grow as a writer: devotions, theater and book reviews, blogging, indie novels. Of course, there were the inevitable rejection letters from agents and publishers along the way, but I trusted I was doing the work God had called me to.

C: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

S: Any Korean drama fans in the house? I love watching the mushy, sentimental, hilarious TV shows from South Korea. No, I’m not fluent in Korean, but I think having to read the subtitles helps my brain tune out other problems and allows me to immerse myself in the stories. I also appreciate how quite a bit of their content is very wholesome.

C: Do you need absolute quiet to concentrate when writing or do you have a favorite playlist that
helps get the words written faster?

S: Shhhhhhhhhhh. I love music but not when I’m writing. I might start singing along and get distracted. Although I was recently creating a scene where the couple are musicians, and I did put on classical music for inspiration. It provided a nice atmosphere while I set the mood.

C: What are some books you’ve read lately that you’d encourage others to read?

S: Whether you’re a writer or just someone who’d like to understand the humans around you better,
the book Cues by Vanessa Van Edwards is fascinating and highly-readable. It explains what different movements, facial expressions, and gestures are signaling about a person. As for fiction, it’s been a bit since I listened to the audiobook of Angela Ruth Strong’s Husband Auditions, but I love stories that make me laugh. And the audiobook actors were so talented at bringing the characters to life.

C: What book are you working on releasing or writing next?

S: I’m in the middle of the sequel for Lone Star Sweetheart, and I’ve recently signed a contract for
a finished novel set on the high seas. It involves four golden girls with a proclivity for matchmaking. They live on a cruise ship year-round and amuse themselves by orchestrating romances for the youngsters around them.

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.