Winnie Griggs and Free Books!

A hopeful heiress and an unsociable schoolteacher literally bump into each other in the middle of a backwoods forest and the next two days change the course of both their lives.

Before we visit today's author, I want to announce that the winner of the signed copy of Saving Amelie, by Cathy Gohlke, is:

sharyhauber@ . . .

Congratulations! I'll email you today to get your mailing address, and we'll get your book 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.

And now let's revisit with novelist Winnie Griggs, author of Lone Star Heiress (Love Inspired Historical, June 2014).

Winnie Griggs is the author of Historical (and occasionally Contemporary) romances that focus on Small Towns, Big Hearts, Amazing Grace. She is also a list maker, a lover of dragonflies and holds an advanced degree in the art of procrastination.

On a fun note - having been born on a Friday the 13th, Winnie has always considered 13 her lucky number. This belief was recently reinforced when her 13th book, Handpicked Husband, won a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award in - what else - 2013.

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

-- I love to visit flea markets and estate sales.

-- I am the mother of a set of identical twins.

-- I once had a pet squirrel.

Please tell us a bit more about the plot of Lone Star Heiress.

Ivy Feagan's trip to Turnabout Texas seems plagued by mishaps. First her mule turns up lame and then she falls and injures herself. She finds herself with no choice but to trust the imposingly large man who comes to her rescue.

Mitch Parker, who sees his longed-for solitary vacation slipping away, takes her to the only shelter within 15 miles, an isolated backwoods cabin. Mitch is a widower and schoolteacher who has very good reason to keep his emotions in check. But the chatty, unconventional, eternally optimistic Ivy is quickly getting under his skin. When he learns she’s heading to Turnabout to claim a desperately needed inheritance, he can’t help but offer to assist her.

When word gets out about their two day sojourn at the isolated cabin, however, Mitch gallantly offers to do the right thing. But Ivy, whose reputation has already taken an undeserved hit once, is determined to only marry for love.

Can Mitch get past the guilt he’s carrying over his first wife’s death to open his heart to new love?

What is it about your lead characters that will make your readers care about them?

With Ivy - it’s her deep faith and eternal optimism despite the trials she’s had to face.

With Mitch - it’s his willingness to help those in need, regardless of the impact it has on him.

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

When I was writing this story for the role of Ivy Feagan, I pictured Karen Allen as she was in the first Indiana Jones movie.





And for Mitch Parker, I pictured a young Kevin Sorbo.



Many readers enjoy seasonally set novels. They read beach novels in the summer and Christmas novels in December. If you’ve written such seasonally-set novels, what are they? 

I’ve written three novels with Christmas themes: The Christmas Journey (Oct 2009), A Family For Christmas (Oct 2013) and Her Holiday Family (Nov 2014) I’ve also written one novella with a Thanksgiving theme - Home For Thanksgiving (Oct 2011).

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

I’m waaaayyy behind on my reading. The last dozen or so titles I’ve read have been as a contest judge. Before that, I guess it would be Renee Ryan’s The Outlaw's Redemption . It’s a book rich with emotion and finely drawn characters. The way hero Hunter Mitchell, the reformed outlaw of the title, reacts to the knowledge that he has a heretofore unknown nine year old daughter being raised in an orphanage is both heart warming and heart-melting.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on the sixth book that will be set in the fictional town of Turnabout, Texas. This one will feature Verity Leggett, the town doctor’s niece who is afraid to reach out and take chances. The hero is Elliott Cooper, a man who is new to town and who has a dark past dogging him. These two are going to experience a lot of ups and downs before reaching their HEA.

Where else can readers find you online?

I love to connect with readers! My website is www.winniegriggs.com. You can also find me on (Facebook). Email me at winnie@winniegriggs.com.

I usually create a Pinterest board to capture images for main and important secondary characters as well as places and objects that will play a role in my book. You can see the board I used as inspiration for Lone Star Heiress at 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?

When I wrote the first book in my Texas Grooms series I had envisioned it as a four book series. I am now working on book six and I have plans to write at least four more set in that same story world. So my question is, how do you feel about ongoing series? Is there a point where you get tired of them? And what do you think makes a series succeed or fail? (Ok, that’s technically 3 questions, so don’t feel like you need to answer them all - just weigh in on what aspect of connected books you like and don’t like).

How fun that the series has extended so far!

Thanks, Winnie, for visiting with us and telling us about your novel. Readers, Winnie has offered to give a signed copy of her book to the winner of our drawing on Monday, June 30. To enter, leave a comment below in answer to Winnie'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 interview with Kimberly Rose Johnson, 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.