Celebrating a New Book Series: The Location Scout's Quest - book 9 in the "Our House" series

If you have been following my blog, you've already met a few of the authors in the series, Our House on Jakaranda Laan. Now it's time to learn about the 9th book in the series.

But first let me give you some background to the books. This is the third installment in the multi-author, multi-genre Our House book series. There have already been other two series of "Our House" books. The previous series include Our House on Sycamore Street, which takes  place at Eden Cove, an English seaside town and Our House on Heather Wynd, which is set along the shore of Loch Ness in Scotland. Some of those authors have been in each of those series and other authors have joined in to tell their stories of the characters to be found on those streets.

This newest series, Our House on Jakaranda Laan is located near the majestic Garden Route in South Africa. The fictional town of Cedarfontein has roots stretching far back in history to the late 1700s and into the present. The series includes historical as well as contemporary stories. Even though the stories are standalones written by a single author, you will find characters from other books in the series dropping in to play their part.

The Location Scout's Quest is a contemporary fiction book that tells the story of Gwen Thorton who is the location scout. For the past 10 years, she has chased Christmas magic for a living by scouting charming towns for heartwarming romance films. But now that magic feels more like monotony and an ache for something new. Then she's offered a project far outside her comfort zone: a cozy murder mystery filming in a small town in South Africa. It’s a world away from where she lives and everything familiar, but it's something she believes will revive her spirit.

Preston “Ham-the Hammer” Forsythe has forged his path with discipline, order, and a heart locked away for the sake of his career. Known for his adrenaline-fueled action hits, he’s ready for a break from the films that have boxed in his reputation as a director. This movie is his shot at a career-defining breakthrough to redefine himself as a multi-dimensional director. He refuses to let anything or anyone derail that goal.

But God has a sense of humor. When Gwen and Preston first meet as strangers on a quiet hiking trail, they share a breathtaking view, a few easy laughs, and a spark neither of them can quite shake. When they discover they’ll be working together, that spark becomes a tension neither of them expected. As production hurdles mount and the town splits over having a filming crew interrupt their quaint town, Gwen and Preston find themselves drawn together to complete the film and redirect their lives.

As the cameras roll and the lines between script and life blur, they’ll have to confront what they truly believe about love, purpose, and faith. Because sometimes the most meaningful stories aren’t the ones we plan… they’re the ones that find us, just when we need them most.

All through the story, you'll read about setting up the movie filming locations, but the only information you learn about the movie is that it's a cozy mystery and the murder scene takes place in a winery. 

To give a sense of realism to the movie production, I did a lot of research about what a scout look would look for in settings, the pictures they would take to fit the scenes in the movie, End meeting with owners of the businesses or homes where they would film a scene. I also studied the timing needed for pre and post production of the movie.

As a result of doing this research, I started creating the actual movie in my head. It's very sketchy at this point, but I think I will actually write that book. It will then be made into a movie script for the movie referred to in The Location Scout's Quest. The title of the book is tentatively called A Catered Event Murder.

The location scout's quest is available in KU eBook and paperback editions. You can find it on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Location-Scouts-Quest-Contemporary-inspirational-ebook/dp/B0H6QY399S

And here's a special bonus...Get a FREE eBook as part of this series. It's a cookbook that features recipes of some of the characters in the Our House series and introduces you to each of them and their stories. Get it at: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/6i3sifi9ss 

Celebrating a New Book Series featuring Vida Li Sik

Today I'll be introducing you to Vida Li Sik, an author, from a wonderful book series called Our House on Jakaranda Laan. All the stories in this series, take place in the fictitious town of Cedarfontein, South Africa. Read on to learn about her and her story.

Tell my readers a little about yourself.
I’m the third-youngest of 11 children, all born at home with the help of a midwife. Growing up in such a big family meant there was always someone to play with, someone to help with homework, or someone to fight over the meat that had disappeared from my plate.

I’m married to an amazing man I met at church who cooks, cleans, and irons far better than I do, and together we have two wonderful young-adult sons. I love hiking with family and friends, and chocolate is my favorite vegetable... it counts, right?

I also enjoy watching birds and love the African hoopoe (with its cinnamon-brown feathers and zebra-colored tail) and my absolute favorite is the hadeda, known for its loud and distinctive “ha-ha” call. I’m convinced they are relics from the dinosaur age.

Now how about some details on your book and time frame it takes place?
The Fixer’s Release is a women’s fiction story that takes place between the South African spring and summer (from September to December).

  The Fixer’s Release follows Imka, who returns to a small South         African town with her husband and two children after four years   abroad. As family pressures mount and anxiety quietly takes hold, her    instinct is to fix everyone’s problems—including those beyond her       control. Through motherhood, marriage, and faith, Imka discovers   that true peace isn’t found in holding everything together, but in   surrendering control to God. It’s a warm, hope-filled story about   anxiety, family, and learning to let go.

What inspired you to write this story?
I love writing about relatable experiences—such as starting over in a new country, sibling rivalry, and anxiety over everyday experiences as a wife and mother. The Fixer’s Release is the third instalment in Imka’s journey in the Our House series. After a traumatic experience, she and her family leave South Africa to begin again in an English village. In Our House on

Sycamore Street (Book 3), she learns what it means to be an outsider in a new community. In Our House on Heather Wynd (Book 11), she faces the challenges of sibling rivalry when her sister arrives for a visit. Now, back in South Africa, Imka must confront her deepest struggle yet: letting go of the need to control everything.

Each story stands alone, but I’m looking forward to bringing Imka’s three-book journey together in a single volume over the next few months.

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?
If You Can Talk, You Can Write (Joel Saltzman’s book that started my writing and keeps me writing).

What other books do you have in the works?
The Dreamer’s Promise is book 5 in the Our House on Jakaranda Laan series. The story is about a promise a daughter made to her father, and dealing with the loss of a career. 

That's all for today's interview. Yes, Vida has 2 books in this series - so you're doubly blessed! To learn more about Vida's books, go to 

The Fixer’s Release: https://www.amazon.com/Fixers-Release-Christian-Fiction-Jakaranda-ebook/dp/B0H5W2KZDK 

Website: www.vidalisik.com
Vida and Coffee on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vidalswriter

And here's a special bonus...Get a FREE eBook as part of this series. It's a cookbook that features recipes of some of the characters in the Our House series and introduces you to each of them. https://dl.bookfunnel.com/6i3sifi9ss