About the Book

Book: Off the Itinerary: The Search and Rescue Files

Author: M. Liz Boyle

Genre: Christian YA

Release Date: May, 2025

Marlee and Marshall are now students at the Professional Outdoor Guides School where Sawyer just graduated. Meanwhile, Lydie is busy training a search-and-rescue dog. In this special edition with seven search-and-rescue stories, the Off the Itinerary characters face new adventures (and misadventures). Adrenaline is high as Marlee faces her fears in a cave rescue, a helicopter evacuation, a swift water rescue, and more! Will Marlee trust that her misadventures are part of a greater plan? If you loved Avalanche, Chased, and Ablaze, you won’t want to miss this collection of short stories.

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About the Author

Liz is the author of the Off the Itinerary series, the wife of a professional tree climber, and the homeschooling mom of three energetic and laundry-producing children. Liz once spent a summer in Colorado teaching rock climbing, which she believes was a fantastic way to make money and memories. She resides with her family in Wisconsin, where they enjoy hiking and rock climbing. Liz and her husband have also backpacked in Colorado and the Grand Canyon, which have provided inspiration for her writing. She makes adventurous stories to encourage others to find adventures and expand their comfort zones (though admittedly, she still needs lots of practice expanding her own comfort zone).

More from M. Liz

When I published my third book, Ablaze, I was confident that the Off the Itinerary series was complete. Marlee had a solid character arc, she’d endured three natural disasters, and I wanted to finish the series on a good note. A number of devoted readers reached out, asking if I would please write another. I was reluctant for a while, but eventually (thanks to the excitement of my readers), I began brainstorming this special edition. Rather than another full-length novel, I chose to compile seven short stories focusing on Marlee’s involvement with search and rescue missions. I’m eager for my readers to spend bonus time with the Stanley girls and Miles boys. Some things never change, like Marlee’s high odds of finding misadventure and her need to overcome fear with the support of God, her family, and friends. Other things have changed for the better, like Lydie introducing a dog to the adventures. One thing is certain: Marlee must learn that God’s itinerary is better than hers.

Author Interview

What is your favorite genre of books? Why?

Overall I love Christian YA novels because that stage of life is exciting. Teens and young adults have so much going on and their horizons reach far, so I enjoy connecting with YA characters. A few times a year I also love a good clean romcom that will make me laugh super hard.

Are you a one project at a time author or do you have multiple projects going at once?

I prefer to be a one project at a time author so I can really dive into my main characters’ personalities without having to bounce back and forth between numerous projects. In the last year or two, I inadvertently wound up working on a few projects at a time, and it kind of stressed me out because I felt like I was spreading my creativity thin and didn’t have the satisfaction of checking a project off the to-do list since I had multiple projects at various stages.

How do you relax after a long day of writing?

This is an interesting question, because for me, writing is one of my favorite ways to decompress after a big day! Sometimes on road trips while my husband drives, I’m able to write a lot. When we get to our destination, I like to play in the hotel pool with my kids and that’s a great change of pace after sitting and writing.

Do you have extensive outlines when writing or do you write a book as you go?

I’ve used both extensive outlines and the “pantsing method” (write as you go). My first two books, Avalanche and Chased, were pantsed. Ablaze had a detailed outline. The Search and Rescue Files was pantsed. Of the three books I’m currently working on, two have extensive outlines. Depending on the project, I really like both methods. In a way, having a detailed outline can be freeing because with every step pre-planned, I can get very creative within the plot points without the worry of straying too far from the theme of the book.

What do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?

I need quiet when I write. I do a lot of brainstorming while walking, driving, and doing laundry or yard work, but when I sit down to write it all out, I need quiet.