Trish Perry's Blog, page 48

Cynthia Hickey and Free Books!

There’s a new teacher in town and she’s switching things up.

Before we visit today's author, I want to announce that the winners of the signed copy of my Christmas book with Debby Mayne, Love Finds You on Christmas Morning, are:

carrie@ . . .

ohiobuckeye91@ . . . and

msbookwormlady@ . . .

Congratulations! I'll email you today to get your mailing addresses, and we'll get your books to you right away. I encourage readers to keep commenting and/or subscribe at right (above my list of books) in order to participate in future book give-aways! Subscribers are entered a second time when they comment.

Remember to enter your email address when you comment, as described in today's drawing information, below. If you win the drawing but haven't left your email address, I can't contact you!

Now let's visit with novelist Cynthia Hickey, author of Taming the Sheriff (Harlequin’s Heartsong Presents, November 2013).

Multi-published author Cynthia Hickey had three cozy mysteries and two novellas published through Barbour Publishing.

Her first mystery, Fudge-Laced Felonies, won first place in the inspirational category of the Great Expectations contest in 2007. Her third cozy, Chocolate-Covered Crime, received a four-star review from Romantic Times. All three cozies have been re-released as ebooks through the MacGregor Literary Agency, along with a new cozy series, all of which stay in the top 50 of Amazon’s ebooks for their genre.

She has several historical romances releasing in 2013 and 2014 through Harlequin’s Heartsong Presents.

Cynthia is active on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. She lives in Arizona with her husband, one of their seven children, two dogs and two cats. She has five grandchildren who keep her busy and tell everyone they know that “Nana is a writer”.

Please tell us three random things we might not know about you.

-- I’ve been in the news twice.

-- I’m living my dream.

-- I have seven children.

Please tell us a bit more about the plot of Taming the Sheriff.


Charlotte Nelson arrives in the tiny mountain town of Plumville, Arkansas, with big ideas. She wants to mend the decades-old town feud by throwing a Christmas pageant. But it soon proves to be a challenge, especially when three of her students are determined matchmakers.

She's in no hurry to settle down—certainly not with the rugged, handsome sheriff.

Sheriff Asher Thomas can handle most trouble that comes his way, but Charlotte's flashing eyes and black curls are a threat of a different kind. Soon she's taking over his time and his thoughts. Will Asher change his bachelor ways for love?

Why will readers care about your lead character?

Charlotte Nelson wants to prove herself in the mountain town of Plumville. Only problem is … there’s a lifelong feud going on between its people. She is determined to stop the feud and show God’s love.

If you were the casting director for the film version of your novel, who would play your lead roles?

Zooey Deschanel would play Charlotte





and Alec Musser would play Asher Thomas




What is a gift you wish you could give for Christmas this year, and to whom would you give it?

I would give my parents plane tickets to spend the holidays with us. I haven’t spent a holiday with them since the early 1980s.

Oh, that's really sad, Cynthia. I can't imagine a Christmas without my parents and close family members.

What is the last novel you read that you would recommend?

A Highlander for Christmas, by Jamie Carie. A delightful historical holiday novella that has the reader both laughing and on the edge of their seats.

What are you working on now?

I just finished a cozy mystery, The Librarian’s Last Chapter, and am starting a new Harvey Girl novel set during World War II. The title is Christmas at the Train Station.

Where else can readers find you online?

www.cynthiahickey.com, as well as Facebook and Twitter.

The book can be purchased in fine book stores and online via the following buttons:






CBD.com

Finally, what question would you like to ask my readers?

What book most impacted you from your childhood?

Good question! Personally, I remember My Father's Dragon, by Ruth Stiles Gannett, as the first book I read all by myself (which is what impacted me, along with the fun story). I now have all three books in Gannett's series, and I treasure it for the nostalgia it brings back. 

Thanks, Cynthia, for visiting with us and telling us about your novel. Readers, Cynthia has offered to give a signed copy of her book to the winner of our drawing on Thursday, December 12. To enter, leave a comment below in answer to Cynthia's question, above. "Please enter me" won't get you entered. Leave your email address, in case you win, like so: trish[at]trishperry[dot]com.

Be sure to check out my interviews with Sydney Avey and Ann Gabhart , below. Leave an appropriate comment at the bottom of each post to enter the drawing for a signed copy of the book.

Also, I'd love it if you'd connect with me on Facebook. Just click on my name at the right of today's post.

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. See full disclaimer HERE.

Ann Gabhart, December Releases, and Free Books!

Heavy with child and with nowhere else to turn, Heather Worth seeks shelter at the Harmony Hill Shaker village where she is surprised to find gifts of healing and hope among these unusual people.

Before we visit today's author, I want to announce that the winner of the signed copy of The Case of the Exploding Speakeasy, by David Fessenden, is:

pmk56@ . . .

Congratulations! I'll email you today to get your mailing addresses, and we'll get your books to you right away. I encourage readers to keep commenting and/or subscribe at right (above my list of books) in order to participate in future book give-aways! Subscribers are entered a second time when they comment.

Remember to enter your email address when you comment, as described in today's drawing information, below. If you win the drawing but haven't left your email address, I can't contact you!

Now let's visit with novelist Ann Gabhart, author of Christmas at Harmony Hill (Revell Books, September 2013).

Ann Gabhart, the author of several bestselling novels, has been called a storyteller, not a bad thing for somebody who never wanted to do anything but write down stories. She’s published over twenty-five books for adults and young adults with more stories on the way.

Scent of Lilacs, the first of her Heart of Hollyhill books, made Booklist’s Top Ten Books in Christian Fiction. The Outsider, the novel that began her Shaker series, was a finalist for Christian Fiction Book of 2009.

Ann writes historical fiction and Small Town, America stories about families. She keeps her keyboard warm out on a farm in Kentucky where she lives with her husband. They have three children, three in-law children, and nine grandchildren.

Please tell us three random things we might not know about you.

--When I was around eight, I begged and begged until my father let me have my first dog, and since then, I haven’t been without at least one dog in my life. My current dog buddy is Oscar who shows up frequently on my Facebook author page.

--I’m a country girl who grew up on a farm. Now I live just over the hill from there on another farm.

--My first computer/word processor was a very used, ancient office model that was shipped to my house in a plain cardboard box without any instructions. I knew how to turn it on and that was it. The book, DOS for Dummies, saved my sanity as I came into the computer age. Before that I wrote all my books on a typewriter.

Please tell us a bit more about the plot of Christmas at Harmony Hill.

Christmas at Harmony Hill is set in 1864 with the country still being torn apart by the Civil War. Heather Worth has been following her husband’s army unit as a washerwoman, but now she is expecting her first child.

When the Army orders Gideon’s unit to Tennessee to fight one of the last battles of the war, Heather goes home to have her baby, only to find sorrow and rejection. With nowhere else to turn, she seeks shelter in the Shaker village of Harmony Hill where her great aunt Sophrena lives. There, after many peaceful years, Sophrena is beginning to doubt her Shaker path. The two women are in need of love and forgiveness, both given and received.

Meanwhile, Gideon is facing his own challenges on the battlefield. Can the miracle of new life at Christmas fill all their hearts with unexpected joy?

Why will readers care about Heather?

Readers will sympathize with Heather who faces many challenges when her husband marches off to fight one of the last battles of the Civil War. Heather is weary of war and in need of love and rest. She’s vulnerable and strong at the same time and a character readers will welcome into their hearts as she awaits the birth of her first child while pondering how Mary must have felt long ago waiting for the birth of Jesus.

If you were the casting director for the film version of your novel, who would play your lead roles?

I don’t watch much television or see very many movies, so I come up blank on these types of questions. However with the magic of internet, I have found an answer by googling red-haired actors and dark haired actresses. One of the photos I saw of British actor, Eddie Redmayne, was a perfect Gideon.



I wasn’t as sure about Heather, but Evangeline Lilly looks almost right for the role.




What is a gift you wish you could give for Christmas this year, and to whom would you give it?

This is not a gift that anyone can give, but since I’m only wishing, the gift I would more than anything like to give would be the memory of all her years back to my mother who suffers from dementia, the saddest disease. If the gift of memory couldn’t be given, I would wish her a gift of peace so that she wouldn’t feel so lost and confused.

Oh, that's heartbreaking, Ann. I'll keep her in my prayers.

What is the last novel you read that you would recommend?

The last novel I read was Tattler's Branch by Jan Watson. Jan sets her novels in the Appalachian Mountains and she always creates interesting characters. Lillie, her main character in this novel, is a doctor in a mining town at a time in history when women doctors weren’t common. I can recommend the story for its believable characters, interesting history and beautiful prose.

What are you working on now?

I recently completed edits on my third Rosey Corner book. Love Comes Home (July 2014) follows up Small Town Girl and Angel Sister as the soldiers come home after World War II. Life continues on for my characters in these stand-alone stories set several years apart. Now I’m beginning work on a new story set in my Shaker village of Harmony Hill, with a working title of The Innocent.

Where else can readers find you online?

You can find out more about me or my books by visiting www.annhgabhart.com. I also post twice a week on One Writer’s Journal, www.annhgabhart.blogspot.com, and that’s truly a journal format with the post being whatever is on my mind whether about books, writing, or things down here on the farm. I also let Jocie, my young character in my Heart of Hollyhill series set in the 1960’s, post once a week at www.hollyhillbookofthestrange.blogspot.com. You can join in the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

The book can be purchased in fine book stores and online via the following buttons:






CBD.com

Finally, what question would you like to ask my readers?

One of the questions I answered here was what gift I wish I could give. So I’m changing that question a bit to ask you what’s the best Christmas gift you ever received?

Thanks, Ann, for visiting with us and telling us about your novel. Readers, Ann has offered to give a signed copy of her book to the winner of our drawing on Monday, December 9. To enter, leave a comment below in answer to Ann's question, above. "Please enter me" won't get you entered. Leave your email address, in case you win, like so: trish[at]trishperry[dot]com.

Be sure to check out my post about Love Finds You on Christmas Morning and my interview with Sydney Avey , below. Leave an appropriate comment at the bottom of each post to enter the drawing for a signed copy of the book.

Also, I'd love it if you'd connect with me on Facebook. Just click on my name at the right of today's post.

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. See full disclaimer HERE.

As you scroll to the bottom of the post to answer Ann's question, take a look at some of the fantastic new inspirational fiction releasing in December.

A Wedding Date in Hot Springs, Arkansas by Annalisa Daughety -- Violet and Jackson both need dates to special events, so they hire a matchmaker to find somebody. Horrified when they meet---they already know and dislike each other from college---but with no other recourse, they agree to "pretend." After a planned kiss with unexpected chemistry, will this sham arrangement turn into love?. (Contemporary Romance from Barbour Publishing).

The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson -- In this retelling of the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs fairy tale, Sophie has little choice but to trust her betrothed's brother, Gabe, to help her escape the evil Duchess Ermengard. (Historical from Zondervan).

A Christmas Homecoming by MaryAnn Diorio -- When Sonia Pettit's teenage daughter suddenly disappears for seven long years, Sonia faces losing her mind, her husband, and her son as she struggles to forgive her wayward daughter and trust God for her return. (Contemporary from Harbourlight Books (Pelican).

A Promise to Protect by Liz Johnson -- Navy SEAL Matt Waterstone knows about keeping people safe. When his best friend's sister is attacked, Matt promises no harm will come to Ashley Sawyer-not on his watch. But Matt's not the only protective one. Ashley will do anything to safeguard the residents of the battered women's shelter she runs. She's sure she can handle the threats she gets in return. What she can't handle is the way Matt scales the walls around her heart. Yet when she falls prey to a crime web far more sinister than she'd realized, trusting Matt could be the only way to survive... (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired Suspense).

Sagebrush Knights by Erica Vetsch -- Evelyn, Jane, Gwendolyn, and Emeline Gerhard arrive in Wyoming Territory in search of husbands. But when the men awaiting them are not the knights-in-shining-armor they hoped for, it will take a hearty dose of faith to see them through. Will love prevail or bring a not so happy ending? (Romantic Suspense from Barbour Publishing).

Counterfeit Cowboy by Lacy Williams -- A con man with a conscience meets and falls in love with a girl way out of his league. (Historical Romance from Love Inspired).

Happy reading!

Sydney Avey and Free Books!

Why did Dee’s mother send money every month to the Basque Relief Agency, and what does an Anglican Priest know that he isn’t telling?

Today we're chatting with novelist Sydney Avey, author of The Sheep Walker’s Daughter (HopeSprings Books, December 2013).

Sydney Avey lives in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Yosemite, California, and the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. She has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and a lifetime of experience writing news for non profits and corporations.

Her work has appeared in Epiphany, Foliate Oak, Forge, American Athenaeum, and Unstrung (published by Blue Guitar Magazine). She has studied at the Iowa Summer Writing Festival.

Sydney blogs at sydneyavey.com on topics related to relationships, legacy, faith, and the writing life.

Please tell us three random things we might not know about you.

-- I once landed a small plane at San Jose International Airport.

-- I was an Army wife for four years.

-- I’ve taught first grade, Sunday School, Ballet, and ESL.

I'd love to hear the story behind that landing, Sydney!

Please tell us a bit more about the plot of The Sheep Walker's Daughter.

A Korean War widow’s difficult mother dies before revealing the identity of Dee’s father.

As Dee sorts through what little her mother left, she unearths puzzling clues that raise more questions: Why did Leora send money every month to the Basque Relief Agency? Why is Dee’s own daughter so secretive about her soon-to-be published book? And what does an Anglican priest know that he isn’t telling?

The Sheep Walker’s Daughter pairs a colorful immigrant history of loss, survival, and tough choices with one woman’s search for spiritual identity and personal fulfillment.

Why will readers care about Delores?

I’ll let a reader answer this question! In a Goodreads review, Jan Ackerson said:

“The central character, Delores, is an independent woman—ahead of her time in this regard—but her independence, like other aspects of her character, is neither entirely positive nor entirely negative, but rather, the source of both great loneliness and, eventually, fulfillment.”

If you were the casting director for the film version of your novel, who would play your lead roles?

Ha! All those roles have been cast. People in my community have already raised their hands to play their favorite characters. But if the Hallmark Channel wants to do a miniseries, here are my choices:

Julianne Margolis: Dee, the introspective main character





Rose Byrne: Valerie, Dee’s adventurous-in-love-and-life daughter





Stephen Root: Father Mike, burly, wise and funny Anglican priest who befriends Dee






Matthew Rhys: Roger, former boss and on again, off again love interest with a past




Laura Linney: Dee’s best friend who puts on a happy face but hides a painful secret





Charlotte Rampling: Leora, Dee’s difficult and secretive mother.



What is a gift you wish you could give for Christmas this year, and to whom would you give it?

I would give my son and his wife a buyer for the house they got stuck in by the economy; my daughter a vacation fund; and my niece the services of a remodel expert to add a second bathroom to the farmhouse they are moving into with five kids!

What is the last novel you read that you would recommend?

I liked Philipp Meyer’s The Son . It is tough stuff, an unsentimental look at the several generations of a Texas family and the interactions between the Indians, the Whites and the Mexicans. For readers, it reminds us of the hard conditions people who built this country lived under, some of which was self-induced. For writers, it’s interesting to see how Meyer handled time and multiple points of view.

That does sound like a good story, Sydney. 

What are you working on now?

I’m working on the sequel to The Sheep Walker’s Daughter. The working title is The Lyre and the Lambs. It moves the family ahead ten years, to the 1960s.

Newlyweds Dee and Valerie, and their husbands move into a glass house, attracting rootless young people and unwanted attention from their neighbors. When a city councilman’s son is found dead on the property, the peace the family seeks is threatened.

Where else can readers find you online?

You can connect with me a number of ways:

Website: sydneyavey.com
Blog: sydneyavey.com/blog
Facebook
Twitter
Linkedin
Pinterest


The book can be purchased online via the following button:














Finally, what question would you like to ask my readers?

What genre intrigues you that you have never read, but might consider reading in the future?

Thanks, Sydney, for visiting with us and telling us about your novel. Readers, Sydney has offered to give a signed copy of her book to the winner of our drawing on Monday, December 9. To enter, leave a comment below in answer to Sydney's question, above. "Please enter me" won't get you entered. Leave your email address, in case you win, like so: trish[at]trishperry[dot]com.

Be sure to check out my post about Love Finds You on Christmas Morning , below. Leave an appropriate comment at the bottom of the post to enter the drawing for a signed copy of the book.

Also, I'd love it if you'd connect with me on Facebook. Just click on my name at the right of today's post.

Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. See full disclaimer HERE.

The Rules

Dear readers,

In order to comply with nitty gritty laws about giving away all of these awesome novels, I'm posting the following rules and will post a link to this post with each future giveaway. Nothing has changed about my giveaways or your involvement/responsibility, but there's been much chatter lately about some little bureaucratic gremlin insisting upon the posting of these rules. I aim to please, even bureaucratic gremlins. So:

Disclaimer:
1. No purchase necessary to enter any giveaways given on this site (http://www.trishperry.com). The giveaway will end on the date stated in the posting. The opportunity to play may be affected by local ability to access the Internet at any particular time. The odds of winning depend upon the number of participants.

2. Open to all readers, 18 years or older who are legally allowed to participate in such a give away as allowed by their local laws. The giveaways are limited to United States mailing addresses only.

3. Players must submit the required information for each give away which will allow the entrant a chance to win. Entrants will be informed if they are a winner on or after the give away end date. Limit one entry per person. Trish Perry is not responsible for: incomplete, lost, late, damaged, scrambled or misdirected entries or other errors of any kind whether human, mechanical or electronic, which may limit a user's ability to participate in the giveaway.

4. Trish Perry and members of her family are not allowed to enter the giveaway. Void where prohibited by law. All Federal, state and local laws and regulations apply.

5. Prize(s) will be assigned to those who have been identified as winners.

6. Entrants will be informed at the close of the give away if they are a winner, and if a player is identified as a winner, what prize has been won. Winners will receive their prizes via mail after the giveaway has completed and winners have been verified. Taxes, if any, are the sole responsibility of the winner. Trish Perry assumes no responsibility or liability for any damages, losses, or injury resulting from the acceptance or use of any prize. All prizes are mailed out within 6-8 weeks of announcement of winner.

7. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

Extra entries: On occasion I feature an author who is not giving a book away. Comments on those interviews are entered an additional time in one or more upcoming drawings, as indicated in the posting. Again, only one entry per interview allowed, and above rules apply.

There now. That wasn't so bad, was it?

Also, here is my Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the pages on this site are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."