Heidi Chiavaroli's Blog, page 6
January 8, 2020
The Tea Chest Preorder Giveaway!
Official Rules
1) Buy The Tea Chest from any retailer from now until February 3, 2020.
2) Send a photo of your receipt to heidi@heidichiavaroli.com or message me through Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
I will pick a winner during my launch event with Tessa Afshar on February 4th (watch on my FB page if you're not local!). I will also announce the winner on social media. Winner will have 24 hours to respond with their address.
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The Tea Chest Book Club Kit Is Here!
I'm so excited to give you this beautiful, easy-to-use book club kit for your group to use and enjoy! Here you'll find some interesting history surrounding the story as well as questions and answers to help you fully engage with my latest release, The Tea Chest.
Click the button or image below to read, download, or print the guide. If your club would like to chat with me, please reach out to me here. I LOVE book clubs and would be honored to join your group!
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November 11, 2019
Congratulations To Three Winners!
Congratulations to the three winners of the giveaway I held on my site for the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt!
Kay Garrett
Joan Arning
Amanda Geaney
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November 6, 2019
Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #23
Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt! If you’ve just discovered the hunt, be sure to start at Stop #1, and collect the clues through all the stops, in order, so you can enter to win one of our top 5 grand prizes!
~ The hunt BEGINS on 11/7 at noon MST with Stop #1 at LisaTawnBergren.com.
~ Hunt through our loop using Chrome or Firefox as your browser (not Explorer).
~There is NO RUSH to complete the hunt—you have all weekend (until Sunday, 11/10 at midnight MST)! So take your time, reading the unique posts along the way; our hope is that you discover new authors/new books and learn new things about them.
~Submit your entry for the grand prizes by collecting the CLUE on each author’s scavenger hunt post and submitting your answer in the Rafflecopter form at the final stop, back on Lisa’s site. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way!
Hi! My name's Heidi Chiavaroli and I write split time fiction. My ideas are always inspired from actual history that I love to carry into fiction, taking both present-day and historical characters on a connected journey. I live in Massachusetts with my husband and two sons. You can learn more about me and all my books here on my website and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
My newest release, The Edge of Mercy, was inspired by a local legend I discovered when hiking in the woods with my boys. It's about a woman in a troubled marriage who receives a dying request from an elderly neighbor to find a long-lost daughter and relay a centuries-old family story--a story about a young colonist forced into an unwanted betrothal but drawn to a man forbidden by society.
While I usually get my ideas from actual history, this story was inspired by something else...a haunting legend.
Creating Fiction From Legend
My boys were obsessed with the rock. Climbing it, exploring its caves, retelling the haunting legend we'd read just that morning surrounding the gigantic boulder called Abram's Rock.
"I wonder why he left his tribe?"
"Or how scared he was to jump?"
I reminded my boys it was only a legend--we couldn't be certain there was actually a Wampanoag named Abram who was forced to jump from the massive heights of the rock as punishment for deserting his tribe. We couldn't be certain, and yet my own mind was already taking off with a story. A story about a man running from everything he'd ever known. A story about a young colonist finding him and falling in love with him while feeling the need to be loyal to her family and a vow of betrothal they had already made on her behalf.
The Edge of Mercy came alive for me in those woods. The legend, the setting, and the actual history surrounding Massachusetts' colonial days stirred it to life.
Here’s the Stop #23 Skinny:
If you’re interested, you can order The Edge of Mercy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million or at your local bookstore!
Clue to Write Down: " October"
Link to Stop #24, the Next Stop on the Loop: Dorothy Adamek's site!
But wait! Before you go, I'm offering three books to three different entrants (winner's choice--Freedom's Ring, The Hidden Side, or The Edge of Mercy). All you have to do is Sign Up To Get My Newsletter or note that you're already a subscriber in the comments below. Additional points to those who follow me on Goodreads, Bookbub, or Instagram--Entry Form Here. (USA only)
AND...if you're a fan of e-books, check out these amazing deals!
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October 18, 2019
Tent Camping in the White Mountains…in October
When we booked a reservation for a TENT site in October in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, it was July. I was the driving force behind this decision. All I could think of were sunny days, brilliant color, and hikes in the woods with my family. Though known for my imagination, I had apparently failed to imagine a sleeping bag that wouldn’t keep me warm, frigid fingers that would drop and break my favorite mug, and the intimidation of navigating a deeply wooded trail in the middle of the night to the bathhouse. All I could see was the picture of what a brave boy mom I was, how our family would bond, how nature would bring us together.
So last Friday, with a Nor’easter moving out of New England, we packed (and I mean PACKED—who needs leg room for a 4-hour drive?) our Suburu and headed north. 6.5 hours later (traffic was crazy!) we arrived at the camp, using headlamps to set up our tents on the banks of the Saco River before pumping up our air mattresses (my one requirement) in the cold dark.
I’m not proud to say I was cranky and mumbled more than one complaint under my breath. I like my sleep, and I didn’t get much that night. But the morning dawned pretty and Hubby made bacon and eggs around a fabulous open fire, where we warmed our frigid toes.
Later, we went on a glorious off-trail hike and followed a river back to our car. It truly was a beautiful time for our family, working together to traverse steep inclines and narrow waterways. That night, we bowed our heads around the campfire and prayed. I kept my eyes open and watched the light of the fire play off the heads of my husband and boys, cherishing the moment.
Hours later, I woke to a fierce howling. It sounded like a train or a tornado barreled past our tents (the boys had set up their own tents). I reminded myself there were no railroad tracks and that tornados can’t gain momentum in the White Mountains. But wow, did that wind sweep up a noisy ruckus as it tunneled its way between the mountains! I prayed no trees would fall on any of us and snuggled deeper into my sleeping bag.
The next morning, I unzipped our tent. I expected to see a wreckage, but amazingly enough, there were no fallen tree branches. I looked at my youngest son’s one-person tent. It was in one piece. I scanned the area, my gaze catching on an EMPTY water bottle someone had left on the picnic table. I walked closer to it, unsure what I was seeing. It was still upright. I didn’t understand how it was possible in that sort of wind.
Later, we walked off our campsite to the rocks that led to the river. I could imagine the wind funneling through the pass between the trees, could see how the thick trees at the bank must have sheltered us from the fierce wind.
I couldn’t help but think of one of my favorite verses in Psalm 91, of the beautiful provision God gives to us. And you know what else I just saw from this verse—a verse I long ago memorized but still am seeing new things in? HIS faithfulness is our shield. So often I think everything is dependent on MY faith. How well I cling to Him. How well I live out this life. And while these are all certainly admirable things, I find myself suffocating when I obsess over them.
It's when I turn to Him that I find freedom. A provision of shelter in that terrifying wind. A provision of amazing grace. A provision of endless, scandalous love, even in the depths of my unfaithfulness and grumbling complaints. In the end, it is HIS faithfulness that inspires mine.
I’m not sure if I’ll tent camp again. I much prefer warm sheets and my own shower. But I will spend time in nature. I will search for God in both the beauty…and the storm.
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August 1, 2019
The Time I Went Zip-Lining (And My Latest Time-Slip Novel, FREE!)
I swallowed down the lump in my throat and stepped toward the edge of the platform, built into the side of the mountain. About ten stories below me swayed lush vegetation. It looked soft, but I knew the truth--if the cords and buckles of my zip line harness failed me, I was a goner.
Worse, I was expected to jump off this zip line BACKWARDS.
"Can I jump forward if I want?" I asked the guide.
She shook her head. "You really can't on this one. For safety reasons."
Safety reasons? Like what kind? If it wasn't safe to jump forward, what made jumping backwards safe?
I didn't ask. My husband and kids had already completed the jump successfully. They were waiting for me at the bottom of the mountain and I didn't want to take the "chicken bridge" to where they stood. This was a trust fall. A way-out-of-my-comfort-zone-but-I-want-to-live-life fall.
I edged my Nike-clad heels so they hung over the wood platform...backwards. I breathed deep around my racing heart. I just wanted it to be over. But I wanted to do this. I wanted to meet up with my husband and boys at the end of the zip line, not the end of the "chicken" bridge.
I jumped.
And you know what? It was amazing.
After I jumped backward, the zip line swung me forward and I was facing my family, rushing toward them through the air. It was the closest I'd ever been to flying, and it was glorious.
While I've never offered a book for no cost, I'm viewing it like this zip lining adventure. I'm jumping ALL in, because I want this story in the hands of as many readers as possible. It's my hard work. It's a bunch of edits. It's a story of my heart. And it's my expression of hope, wrapped in a story just for you.
For a very limited time, The EDGE OF MERCY will be FREE on Kindle.
I hope you enjoy, and I hope your summer is filled with many adventures!
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July 1, 2019
Celebrating Freedom With A Great Deal, Contest News, and A New Cover!
There's just something about summer and freedom that seem to go right together, isn't there? I received an extra glimpse of this when I pushed SEND on my most recent manuscript (a 2021 release from Tyndale) this past Saturday. In many ways, I've been nonstop this year, and while I won't be able to help myself from planning my next book, I'm also looking forward to some rest and lots of family time this summer. I hope you are too!
To celebrate The Fourth, my publisher is offering an AMAZING deal on the e-version debut novel, Freedom's Ring. If you haven't yet read it, I hope you check it out!
I remember when The Hidden Side first came out last year, not even three months after the Parkland shootings. The country was shaking over the news, and I struggled big time as I prepared to market a book that tackled issues a bit too fresh and painful in our minds.
Since then, I’ve gotten a lot of feedback from readers. Some couldn’t finish the book for the rollercoaster of emotions it created within them. I completely respected that. We all bring different experiences to a story, and some books may be too much of a trigger for that pain. Others couldn’t STOP reading, but thought it was a bit too heavy overall.
But MANY of you loved it. Many glimpsed my heart in this story and the message I longed for it to draw forth. That no matter how dark the circumstances, how broken the people, there is always light. There is always hope.
Earlier this week, I received a call from the ACFW Carol Award Coordinator that The Hidden Side had finaled in the Contemporary Category. I was truly shocked. I didn’t expect this. Quite honestly, I didn’t expect that the Christian Fiction community would be ready to embrace this book so whole-heartedly and openly. This is TOUGH stuff. There is nothing sweet or light about it, and it digs deep, explores a different kind of inspiration—not one that is uplifting and light, but one that is real and true despite the hard.
But that this community saw worth in the tackling of the tough gives ME hope. Because, unfortunately, this is the world we sometimes live in. But it’s never, never too much for Jesus.
I am so grateful for Tyndale for embracing this story, and I’m so excited and honored to be a finalist, alongside some amazing authors. This journey continues to surprise and delight me.
Speaking of surprises...did you see the cover for my February, 2020 release?! Isn't it gorgeous? Click here for more information or here to add it to your Goodreads shelf!
Have a blessed and safe Fourth of July!
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May 3, 2019
The Waiting Room
I was sitting in a doctor’s waiting room a few days ago with an elderly gentleman. He was a bit overweight and had a walker in front of him. His phone rang and he answered, joking good-naturedly with the person on the other end that no, he hadn’t forgotten his appointment.
He ended the call with an, “I love you,” then folded his flip phone back together, smiling at it fondly. “Someday maybe she’ll say it back.”
I smiled at him, not really sure how to respond.
“My daughter,” he said. “She says, ‘You too’ but she’ll never say the full three words. Eh, she’s a good kid, though.”
I didn't know what to say to that, but glimpsed his hat, which read SUBMARINE SERVICE, and decided to change the topic.
“Did you work on submarines?” I asked.
“I did. But after I got bored of that, I went to Coronado to train to become a SEAL.”
I instantly perked up, told him I had just done a bunch of research on Coronado and becoming a SEAL for a book. I asked him more about his experiences.
“Hardest thing I ever did. But one of the best, too.” He told me how he went on six tours, how he lead two of them.
The nurse called me away too early, but I couldn’t help thinking about this man, with his walker and gray hair and round belly. I never would have guessed his history.
Everyone has a story, but how often do I take the time to listen? To ask questions? To soak in the history of the person before me instead of soaking in my Instagram feed?
This is life. This is real. This is what matters.
#lovewriting #lovestories
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April 26, 2019
The Ups and Downs of Marriage
I came home from a double shift at the pharmacy the other night to find a vase (more accurately, a Sparkling Cider bottle left over from Easter) of daffodils and a single tulip.
"What are these from?" I asked my husband.
Seriously, it wasn't one of my finer moments. I was tired and couldn't make sense of how the flowers had appeared. My husband rarely got me flowers--and if he did it was for Valentine's or our anniversary, usually prompted by a not-so-subtle hint from yours truly. And pick flowers? He'd never done something that sweet.
"I saw them in a field at work and thought you'd like them."
"You picked these? For me?"
He nodded, and I threw my arms around his neck, telling him how it was the nicest thing he could have done for me.
These flowers were better than any birthday or anniversary gift because they were a tender thought in the midst of busy life—love in the everyday.
We don’t do this enough sometimes, and the other day, my husband showed me that. He's not perfect. I'm not perfect. We've had our fair share of fights. During one particularly tough time, I once even asked him to move back into his parents' house so we could have some space. He did. He was back before the end of the week...at my request.
Marriage is crazy. It can be messy and ugly. It has more ups and downs than the wildest rollercoaster at Disney.
But I know something else: marriage can be beautiful. It can be precious. When not taken for granted but lived out intentionally, it can be a glorious picture of a more perfect love that God has for us.
My most recent characters, Sarah and Matt, are in the messy part of marriage. A very ugly part. They've lost faith in one another, and faith in the vows they took seventeen years earlier. Both are looking to put their love elsewhere. Their story is dear to my heart, and I've loved hearing how it's touching the hearts of you, dear readers, as well.
Thank you for being alongside me on this beautiful, crazy journey. It would be nothing without you all.
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April 9, 2019
The Edge of Mercy Is Here!
I'm so excited to share this story with you, dear readers!
All books have a piece of my heart, but this book…I don’t know, it feels especially personal. Maybe because it’s set in my hometown. Maybe because it explores the intricacies of marriage. Maybe because it was from watching my parents struggle—and conquer—their own marriage troubles for a lot of my growing up years that this book was able to be told from an especially authentic place.
I hope you enjoy it, dear readers. I hope you see light and hope within it. And I pray you glimpse a piece of my heart that I've had for you as I wrote it.
And...if you're on Pinterest, I invite you to check out the board I've created for The Edge of Mercy here!
Have a blessed week, my friends!
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