Lee Warren’s surprising answers:

1. I’m not a fan of summer. In fact, on the first day of spring, I start the countdown to fall. Fall is my favorite season. Winter is a close second.
2. I accidentally put pepper on pudding once and discovered I really like it!
3. Speaking of food, I prefer to refrigerate everything, including bread, chips, peanut butter and Pop-Tarts.
4. In the late 1980s, I had long hair with bleached tips on the end. But don’t refer to it as a mullet! Those are fighting words. 🙂
5. I like chick flicks. Yes, they are sappy and sometimes cheesy. But I like a little cheese on my sappiness.

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Well, this pepper-pudding fan who loves autumn is an observant and prolific writer. He writes contemplative essays and Christian devotional books, as well as inspirational Christmas novellas. I’ve especially enjoyed his “Finding Common Ground” essays (yes, set in coffee shops) and devotional called Finishing Well, but I’m featuring his winsome and thought-provoking Mercy Inn Series.

Mercy Inn is a sweet Christmas story, set in southern Colorado during a snowstorm. Three individuals are stranded at an inn, whose owners love having “stragglers” at Christmas time. One tradition is asking each other a series of compelling questions from a set of cards used from year to year. Of course, they lose electricity and all have to stay in the lodge, deepening friendships and gleaning insights into their own lives. Sometimes you just need to slow down enough to find truth and a more positive way forward.

The short story Comeback follows the career of one of the characters from Mercy Inn. It provides a satisfying conclusion to her narrative.

Since it’s about a class reunion, The Reunion has several characters to keep track of. The ex-husband with a gun was off-putting at first, but I eventually bought into his character as well. I enjoyed getting reacquainted with the proprietors of the inn, who are more than just inn-keepers, as well as their “Nicebreaker” game.

The Revelation is the last of the charming Mercy Inn stories. There are fewer characters in this one, each with a unique and compelling backstory. They choose to spend Christmas with total strangers. The fascinating innkeepers are back, along with their “Nicebreaker” game. Tempers flare when generations clash, but each individual comes to terms with the idea that when heaven shows up, you pay attention. A website that only some people can view? Really? What if angels really are real?

You may find all of Lee’s books on his Amazon Author Page.

And you might like to have a look at his website. His looked-forward-to newsletter is always thoughtful and includes ideas from other sources.

Um, Lee, what would you call that hair style if not a mullet?