Today on the Brave Blog we have an interview with Brave Author Lori DeJong. She has a new book coming out on June 10th, Love’s True Measure, and I’ve been excited to learn more about it.
Welcome Lori! Let’s jump in.
Sarah : Which book of yours is your favorite?
Lori: Oh, wow, that’s a bit like asking someone who their favorite child is! (I only have one child, and she’s my absolute favorite.) But I guess if I had to choose, it would be my newest release, coming out on June 10. Shannon is a repeat character from the first two books in the True Calling Series, but Hunter is a brand-new character. He’s also the first main character I’ve ever written who was not a Christian at the start of the story. That was a challenge to write so that his arc appeared genuine and authentic. There’s also a teenage girl who plays a pivotal role in the story, and she was a kick to write.
Sarah: Which of your characters is your favorite?
Lori: I honestly love them all. I really do. I live with my characters for so long while I’m writing a book, take them with me everywhere and picture how they would interpret and behave in my present circumstance, so I grow pretty close to them. But if I had to pick one, I’d have to say Shannon, my female protagonist in Love’s True Measure. As I mentioned, she makes appearances in the two books prior to this one, and I loved her from the first chapter of my first book. She’s spunky and extroverted and kind and loves the Lord. But I knew there was something about her that she’d buried underneath all of that “good” stuff that she was afraid to bring out. In her own book, she had no choice but to grapple with it. I put a lot of prayer into how to convey these two characters, because one is an unbeliever and the other is a strong Christian who struggles with self-forgiveness.
Sarah: She sounds like a fun character. How did you get started as an author?
Lori: Well, unfortunately, it was all about pride. Haha! In the ‘90’s, I would voraciously read Harlequin romances (clean secular as well as their inspirational line), put all my finished ones in a box, take them to the used bookstore, and pile up more to bring home. After reading a hundred or so (not kidding), I thought to myself, “Self, you could do this.” So, I started writing stories that would pop into my head. Really bad, awful stories that will never see the light of day. But I didn’t know they were awful until I joined the local chapter of a national writers’ organization and learned there’s an entire craft to writing. Who knew it was so involved? I committed to learning all I could to someday be a published writer. I started out targeting the general market, but there were things I wouldn’t allow my characters to do or say, so I was very limited in tropes. It wasn’t until I finally answered the call God put on my heart to write Christian fiction that the stories started coming. And I was hooked.
Sarah: I love that. Do you create your characters first or your plot?
Lori: Almost always my characters come to me first. Sometimes a plotline will pop into my head, then I’ll “find” characters to live out that plotline. But I’m a very character-driven author. I absolutely love developing characters, and I use several resources to flesh them out. I know what Enneagram they are, what birth order they are, what their love language is. I shop online for their cars, houses, clothes, and anything special that might be important to them. I’ve even taken the Myers-Briggs test as my characters. I mentioned that I live with them and take them with me, and that’s no exaggeration. If I’m getting groceries, I think about what a particular character might put in their basket. If I’m driving, I wonder if a character is a speeder, an overly cautious driver, or anything in between. What does she carry in her purse, if she even carries one? What does he keep in his glove compartment? All of that stuff really matters to me and helps me ground the characters in the story, even if it never makes its way to the page.
Sarah: That’s so interesting. Do you have a main Scripture for your WIP or your writing in general?
Lori: On the home page of my website, you’ll see Psalm 19:14, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” But for each book, a key verse usually makes itself known during the writing of that book. For Love’s True Measure, it was 2 Corinthians 1:4 that says, “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” Although that verse isn’t actually quoted in the novel, it’s a pivotal concept for Shannon, who has to somehow forgive herself and allow God to use her experience to help the teenage girls in the student ministry she volunteers with. The verse that ends this novel is Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” This verse ties up all three books since they all address finding God’s calling and following it to the future He has planned for them.
Sarah: What is your favorite part of being a writer?
Lori: I love when I’m in the zone and the words are flowing. That’s so much fun! I’m not a big plotter. I plot the five major plot points, then I write intuitively from one plot point to the next, letting the characters drive the story. I’m always delighted when something happens that I didn’t know was going to happen until the moment I’m writing it. I’ve had scenes where I sat crying through the writing of it because it was so poignant and I didn’t know it was coming.
Sarah: I love that. What do you hope readers will take away from your latest book?
Lori: That God can redeem anything in our lives that might make us feel shame or regret or guilt. Even anger or unforgiveness. He can take it all and do good with it, if we’re willing to hand it over to Him. Both Shannon and Hunter have things they need to overcome in order for God to redeem their tragedies for good.
Sarah: What a great message. Can you please share the first line from your latest book?
Lori: Opening lines of Love’s True Measure:
Oh, the joys of standing all of five feet, two inches tall. And that only if her ponytail was high enough.
Sarah: Who’s your latest book dedicated to? Why?
Lori: My maternal grandmother, Nadine Taylor. She passed many years ago but left behind a wonderful legacy of faith. There’s a woman who played a pivotal part in Shannon’s backstory that I named Nadine for this very reason. A strong woman of faith.
Sarah: How sweet. What are you working on now?
Lori: My next release, Mistletoe and Malice, the first book in my Guarded Hearts romantic suspense series, is in the hands of my content editor and releases in October. And I’m in character development for Book Two, The Quiet Watch. That’s the working title so it may change. But for now, that’s the one I’m going with. That one releases in September 2026.
Sarah: Thanks so much for sharing your writing process and a little about your new release. Many blessings on all of your writing endeavors.
About Love’s True Measure:
A guilt-ridden woman with everything to gain, a self-made man with everything to lose, and a Father who desires to show them their true measure is more than they could ever imagine.
Shannon Trent has dedicated her life to ministering to teens, even as she hides secrets from her past that haunt her. Born into privilege but starved for unconditional love and acceptance, she’s built a simpler life away from the expectations of her influential family. Shannon is content on her own, believing that opening her heart would mean unearthing her deepest shame. But when her charming neighbor stirs feelings she’s never allowed herself to entertain, his lack of faith provides the perfect excuse to keep her distance.
Hunter Kavanaugh has spent years chasing his dream of becoming the youngest partner at his prestigious Fort Worth law firm. But when his mother’s sudden death leaves him the sole guardian of his teenage sister, his carefully curated world crumbles. Struggling with grief, anger at God, and the demands of his career, Hunter is surprised when Shannon’s unwavering faith resonates with him—and her ability to connect with his sister draws him closer.
As Hunter and Shannon navigate their growing bond, unexpected challenges force them to confront their fears and priorities. Both must either choose to trust that God’s plan is far greater than their own—or risk losing the love of a lifetime.
Perfect for readers who love clean romance, faith-driven stories, and characters who grow emotionally and spiritually.
About Lori DeJong:
Lori DeJong (pronounced DeeYung) is a contemporary Christian romance author who enjoys penning stories full of grace and the redemptive power of God’s love that inspire others to hope regardless of circumstance, find joy in the moment, and grow in their faith.
Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Lori arrived in Texas in 2005 and dug those roots right in. She currently resides in beautiful Georgetown, north of Austin, with her husband of thirty years. Other than their two fur-babies, their nest is empty, as their daughter graduated from college and settled in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, where she is thriving in her faith and career.
Lori loves to write about love and romance and all that fun stuff, with a firm foundation of faith. Clean but sassy, sparkly, and even goose-bumpy romance, with God in the middle and characters seeking and learning and changing, couldn’t be more heartwarming or spine-tingly.
Lori’s debut novel, “Love’s True Calling”, Book One of her True Calling Series, was the 2020 winner of the Scrivenings Press Novel Starts Contest, the 2022 winner of the ACFW Genesis Award for Romance, was a double finalist in the 2024 Selah Awards, placed second in the 2024 FHL Reader’s Choice Awards, and was the Scrivenings Press 2023 Contemporary Book of the Year. “Love’s True Home” was released in June 2024 and was a 2024 Selah finalist. “Love’s True Measure” released in June 2025. Her novella, “Jingle Bell Matchmakers” was released in October 2024 as part of “A Match Made at Christmas, a collection of Christmas romance novellas.”
Follow Lori at:
Amazon Author Page, Instagram, Facebook, Goodreads, Bookbub, PinterestSign up for her newsletter at https://bit.ly/LoriDeJongCommunity
