Waitin' on Paige by Mary Pat Johns

As my granddaughter would say, it’s been a hot minute since Mary Pat Johns has been on the blog! This time, she is telling us about Waitin’ On Paige, her newest book. Let’s see what it’s all about!

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Mary Pat and her new book, Waitin’ on Paige!

Jen – Hi Mary Pat! It’s good to have you back on the blog. Tell us about your new book!

Mary Pat – Waitin’ On Paige is the last book of my Romance in Valiant series, though it can be read as a standalone. I love Tavo and Paige’s story. They’ve loved each other since high school, but life has happened to both of them. Finding their way back to each other is quite the rollercoaster ride.

Questions!

Jen – There are several things I love to ask authors. One is, where do you get your ideas? I also like to know if you outline and/or do a rough draft?

Mary Pat – Usually, a tiny thread will come from my life experiences. I’ll pull on that thread to see where it goes, and a story is born.

I try to outline the main plot points. Sometimes, it’s a single scene. Other times, it’s a simple idea of what could happen. My first draft is my rough draft, and it’s quite daunting. I’m always relieved when it’s done, and I can start fixing the problems.

Waitin’ on Paige

All he wants is to reclaim her love…

Tavo Morales has returned to Valiant, Texas, to stir the embers of a relationship with the woman he has never stopped loving, but hidden reefs from his past threaten to destroy his future.

Paige Munoz wants her new event planning business to be a success and won’t let anything stand in her way. But the path she’s on to make her dreams come true proves dangerous.

Is the love Tavo and Paige once shared strong enough to survive their secrets?

More about Mary Pat & writing

Jen – What’s the hardest part for you about writing a book?

Mary Pat – Getting the story momentum right is always a challenge, because I rarely know how a story begins. I’ll work through several scenes before it comes together. Even with all that, I’ve learned to endure a mediocre opening just to get the ball rolling. I tweak it once the story is finished.

Jen – What themes do you like to use in your books?

Mary Pat – Second chances happen often in my work. And there’s always some sort of physical rescue to underscore the faith message that Christ rescued us from certain death.

Mary Pat’s writing career

Jen – How do you deal with criticism or rejection?

Mary Pat – Once, I received a five-star review from someone who said she was hard-pressed to call my book Christian fiction. Ouch! But I chose to learn from it. Now I’m bolder about the faith message I want to share, hopefully without being preachy.

Jen – Constructive criticism is helpful! What are you working on next?

Mary Pat – I’m currently revising/editing a Christmas novella for a collection that will release in 2026. The working title for my next series is Gulf Coast Divers. I’m stepping into the genre of romantic suspense with this series, so it’s another learning curve and a lot of research, but I’m looking forward to it.

Jen – What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Mary Pat – I like to spend time in the kitchen, with family, and with my friends. And, of course, READ. An intriguing new story tops my favorites list.

Jen – Thanks for being on the blog and sharing about Waitin’ on Paige!

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Hi, I’m Jen! I’ve been married for 39 years, have 5 amazing kids, and have 3 adorable grandkids. I homeschooled our three youngest children and used to blog about homeschooling. I also taught Oral Communication as an adjunct instructor for over 5 years.

Jen Dodrill Writes is born of a passion of mine – to write a novel! My first cozy mystery – Birds Alive! – released Feb. 27, 2024, and the 2nd in the series, Where’s the Quetzal? released Feb. 25, 2025! My first novella, SeaBreeze Obsession in Trinity Sands Beach Club, released June 17, 2025!

When I’m not working, you’ll find me writing, spending time with my family, or curled up on the couch reading and drinking a mug of dark roast coffee. (Don’t forget to check out my mug shop – J DMugs!)