Learn more about your favorite Ambassador authors with our “Five Things” series. Author Joanie Bruce wrote the recently released book A Memory Worth Dying For, available now. It’s the anticipated follow up to her first novel, Alana Candler: Marked for Murder.  Here are Joanie’s “five things”:

I surprised my family when I told them I had a book accepted for publication. None of my family, even my husband, knew I was writing until I was completely done with the first manuscript. Fear of being incompetent as a writer kept me from sharing with my family, but love of clean, Christian suspense/romance books kept me writing anyway. My inspiration for improving my writing style comes from being an avid reader of “how to” books—how to create characters, add conflict, build suspense, and write from the correct point of view. Many of my friends are surprised that a former first grade teacher would find writing about murder and intrigue interesting, but I find it both challenging and fun. It’s a rewarding way to honor the Lord with the abilities He has given me.

Besides being an author, I’m also an artist. The Lord has blessed me with the ability to paint portraits and has given me the wonderful opportunity to have pictures hanging in the governor’s private office in Atlanta, Georgia, the late Senator Charlie Norwood’s office in Washington, D.C. and a portrait of George Bush in the private collection of George and Laura Bush in Texas. The funny thing about this talent is that I never knew I could draw—especially not portraits—until about eleven years ago. God’s timing is always perfect!

I love music and play several musical instruments: piano, pedal harp, harmonica, and a little guitar. When I was in high school, I took drum lessons and played privately for a couple of years. I have to say, though, that the piano is my favorite. When I’m upset or tired, I play for relaxation and for inspiration. I’ve written several arrangements for popular hymns, and I thoroughly enjoy making up new arrangements on the piano. There is only one problem with this skill: I hate preforming in front of others. I hardly ever write my arrangements down because I play them from memory, and I’m sure you know how memory plays tricks on you when you’re in front of a crowd.  =)

I’ve actually milked a real cow. My husband was raised in the dairy business and was managing his own dairy when we married. Before we sold the dairy cows in 2012 and changed totally to beef, we celebrated thirty-three years of running our own dairy business. I have milked cows by hand, put on automatic milking machines, run calves through the pasture trying to steer them toward the loading chute, and fed baby calves with a bottle. For this city gal, born and raised in the city, living in the country was an experience. But I have to say … country living is the BEST. I love watching the gorgeous sunrises and sunsets from our house sitting high on the hill, and watching the beef cows grazing in the pasture in front of our home. There’s nothing like country living!

I hate loud noises that scare me to death: Balloons, mouse traps, smoke alarms, canned biscuits, and thunder are not my favorite things. I make my husband replace the battery in the smoke alarm when it warns of a weak battery because I can’t stand the anticipation of waiting for that loud “beep” that surprises you when the battery is first installed. I also make him open the canned biscuits, crescent rolls, or cinnamon rolls before I cook them. That “pop” when they burst open almost gives me a heart attack.