This has been a hard month for me to get any reading done. Not only did I miss posting last week, but this week I’m still not finished with the book I’m reading, simply because I haven’t had the time.
So I thought I’d do a e-book giveaway of my FAVORITE series by Michelle Griep. It’s a trilogy full of adventure, love, danger, and history. It’s truly a series I go back to over and over again.
Here is the entry information, and you can read about the books and click the link to my reviews below.
The winner will receive an e-book copy of Brentwood’s Ward (#1), The Innkeeper’s Daughter (#2), and The Noble Guardian (#3).
This contest is open to all over the age of 18. If you want to join my mailing list to follow my writing journey, it is greatly appreciated but NOT required. I just want to share this fantastic series with others.
Entries open from Tuesday, October 29 (10 am EST) to Friday, November 8 (11:59 pm EST).
*Entering your email DOES NOT sign you up for anything other than an entry. The information is used only to contact the winner and is not kept beyond the duration of the giveaway.
For fun, share who your favorite author is or a book you are enjoying in the comments.
It takes a criminal to catch one, and Nicholas Brentwood is just the man for the job. Reformed in more ways than one, the rough-around-the-edges Brentwood is a member of the Bow Street Runners, London’s early nineteenth-century fledgling police force. There’s none better than Brentwood at catching the felons who ravage the city’s streets, and there’s nothing he loves more than seeing justice served. Beautiful and beguiling, Miss Emily Payne is not the sort of miscreant Brentwood usually hunts down. When he is assigned as her bodyguard, he vows to protect her from her father’s enemies, who will stop at nothing to carry out their mission fueled by greed and revenge.
All her life, Emily has longed for love, but it remains beyond her grasp. This season she’s determined to find a husband, which is quite the undertaking with a hound-dog guardian like Brentwood watching her every step. If he would just give her some measure of freedom, she is sure she could win the heart of society’s most eligible bachelor.
Emily’s headstrong persistence challenges Nicholas in ways he doesn’t expect but of one thing he’s certain—of all the cunning criminals he’s dealt with in the past, this time he’s met his match.
Dover, England, 1808: Officer Alexander Moore goes undercover as a gambling gentleman to expose a high-stakes plot against the king—and he’s a master of disguise, for Johanna Langley believes him to be quite the rogue. . .until she can no longer fight against his unrelenting charm.
All Johanna wants is to keep the family inn afloat, but when the rent and the hearth payment are due at the same time, where will she find the extra funds? If she doesn’t come up with the money, there will be nowhere to go other than the workhouse—where she’ll be separated from her ailing mother and ten-year-old brother.
Alex desperately wants to help Johanna, especially when she confides in him, but his mission—finding and bringing to justice a traitor to the crown—must come first, or they could all end up dead.
The must-read conclusion to Michelle Griep’s Bow Street Runners Trilogy: Life couldn’t be better for Abigail Gilbert—but it’s been a long time coming. Having lived with a family who hated her, love is finally within reach. Abby sets off on a journey across England to marry one of the most prestigious gentleman bachelors in the land—until highwaymen upset her plans and threaten her life.
Horse patrol captain Samuel Thatcher arrives just in time to save Abby. But to him she’s simply another victim in a job he’s come to despise. Tired of the dark side of humanity, he intends to buy land and retire.
Abby pleads with him to escort her on the rest of her journey. He refuses until she offers him the thing he desperately needs to achieve his goal: money. Delivering her safely will earn him more than enough to settle into a quiet life.
So begins an impossible trek for the cynical lawman and the proper lady. Each will be indelibly changed by the time they reach her betrothed, if they don’t kill one another first—or fall in love.
Hello, friends! I am so excited to introduce to you one my dear friends and critique partners, Kelly Goshorn. She is an amazing, generous, loving woman who I am so blessed to know. This month her debut novel, A Love Restored, releases and let me tell you, it is a sweet read… but more on that next week. Allow me to introduce you to Kelly.
Kelly Goshorn weaves her affinity for history and her passion for God into uplifting stories of love, faith, and family set in 19th century America. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. Kelly has been enjoying her own happily-ever-after with her husband and best friend, Mike, for 28 years. Together they have raised three children, four cats, two dogs, a turtle, a guinea pig, a gecko, and countless hamsters. Thankfully, not all at the same time. When she is not writing, Kelly enjoys spending time with her young adult children, scrapbooking with friends, board gaming with her husband, and spoiling her Welsh corgi, Levi. Her debut novel, A Love Restored, releases June 29th from Pelican Book Group.
Sweet or Unsweet Tea?
Kelly: Unsweet
Crystal: I’m with you there.
Beach Vacation or Mountain Getaway?
Kelly: Definitely mountains
Crystal: And yours are beautiful to drive through in the fall!
Homebody or Love to Travel?
Kelly:Travel
Crystal: Road trips all the way!
Morning Person or Night Owl?
Kelly: Morning person—VERY early morning. Alarm usually goes off around 4:30 or 4:45.
Crystal: Ugh! I admire you, lady.
Bookmark or Dog-ear Pages?
Kelly: Dog Ear. I write in books and highlight lines I love! Is that sacrilege?
Crystal: Yes, it is, but we forgive you. 😉
Kelly Goshhorn – The Person
What do you like to do when you aren’t reading or writing?
Kelly: I enjoy scrapbooking and cardmaking, though I don’t do that as often as I’d like. Hubby and I enjoy watching movies and BBC programs together as well as going to the theater and playing board games. Living in Virginia, I’m blessed to be within a short driving distance to many historical landmarks. I love planning day trips to battlefields, historical sites, museums, etc. I also enjoy walking my dog several times a day and I’m hoping to begin hiking on some of the nearby mountain trails.
Crystal: I knew there was a reason we were friends. 🙂 We must plan a history trip together.
What has God taught you along your publication journey?
Kelly:My writing journey began with a simple prayer for the Lord to give me a passion. I’d grown weary of childcare and knew it was time to step out into something new but really had no direction. I NEVER saw the writing thing coming. I merely began tinkering with a story in my free time, mimicking my son who loved to write and has the goal of being a published author. It was something to fill time while I was waiting on the Lord. Or so I thought. The more I fiddled with the words, the more I enjoyed the process. It didn’t take long for my hidden hobby to become a God-given passion and the answer to our prayers.
But the journey that lay ahead would not only prove to be challenging from a craft point of view, it would require me to face my biggest personal and spiritual obstacle—the fear of failure. In true God fashion, He led me where I needed to be, not necessarily where I wanted to be. Over the next few years, I would be repeatedly plagued with crippling self-doubt and the fear of rejection. What if I mastered the craft, stepped out in faith, and there was no contract? What would that mean for my writing? For my faith?
Conviction set in. I had to pour out my heart and confess to God that I believed He would meet others needs but not necessarily my own. I repented for believing that the finishing work of the cross wasn’t enough. That I didn’t trust He was faithful to do what He said He would do—for me.
The result has been liberating. What I discovered is that God sees not only who we are, but who we can be when we place our trust in Him. He calls us to tackle our biggest obstacles so that we can rest in total dependence on Him.
Crystal: What a beautiful testimony. It truly brings tears to my eyes. God loves us so much.
As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
Kelly: As long as I can remember I wanted to be a teacher. I remember playing school very intensely with name cards for each of the ten students in my class set out on cardboard boxes in the basement. My friend and I would spend hours planning lessons and making worksheets with carbon paper (man, does that ever date me). We would fill them out, grade them and record the grades in our homemade gradebooks.
Crystal: I love this picture of you! I had no idea. (And carbon paper… sigh, I’m with you there. When did we get so old?)
A Love Restored
You once said this story parallels your own love story. Can you share a little bit about that?
Kelly: You’re right, Crystal. A Love Restored is based on the true-life romance between my husband and myself, with all its ups and downs, including our tumultuous break-up. (no more about that here, you’ll have to read the story if you want to know the details). I set the story in the 1870s because I’m a history geek. Like my fuller-figured heroine, I’ve struggled with weight issues my entire life and that struggle plays an important part in our story. My own journey to self-acceptance and what a loving God will do to grab a stubborn woman’s attention is pivotal to the storyline.
But A Love Restored is not only a story of love, romance, heartache and restoration, but also a story about the power of words over our lives. It is a story about the struggle each of us faces to take our thoughts captive to the truth of Scripture so we may experience the fullness of God’s unequivocal love for us. As my husband and I discovered, it is only then that we are truly able to give and receive love, unconditionally.
Crystal: I love how God uses our stories and struggles to reach out to others with such a powerful message. This will be a powerful story that will touch many lives.
What is your writing Kryptonite?
Kelly:The blank page. I would much rather edit, tweak and polish than fill an empty page. I can usually get the first six or seven chapters out without much trouble but since I’m a panster, sometimes it’s a real slugfest.
Crystal: I getcha! Sometimes I’ll fill a whole page with random letters or cut and paste old work in just so I am not looking at a blank page. (Oops, did I just admit that?)
What did you edit out of this book?
Kelly:My first draft was 116,000 words! Needless to say, A Love Restored was put on a diet and is now a much trimmer 92,000 words. I had several chapters where Ben and Ruth Ann traveled to Pennsylvania to meet his parents. This led to some comical moments because she was raised with household help and Benjamin teaches her how to milk a cow and gather the eggs. I also had a great deal of unnecessary backstory about Benjamin’s life in Texas before he came to Virginia and several flashbacks to his service in the Union Army.
Crystal: An important slimming, but I will miss getting to see some of that information.
And of course, no Write Call Interview is complete without our fun question!
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot? Why?
Kelly: What a great question! Although many would assume I’d choose a corgi because I’m more than a little obsessed with my dog, I think I’d have to say a turtle. I’m the slowest writer to ever grace the planet earth. But like the turtle, I keep plodding along “slow and steady” until I type “The End.” Team turtle for the win!
Crystal: I LOVE turtles! Especially of the Teenage Mutant Ninja variety. (Tee hee hee. You know I had to sneak that in.)
Thank you so much for sacrificing time from your busy schedule to complete this interview. I am so proud of you and excited for your release.
Friends, keep reading below to find out more about A Love Restored, connect with Kelly, and a chance to enter to win an e-copy of A Love Restored.
She was nothing like the woman he’d envisioned for his bride, but he was everything she’d ever dreamed of—until a promise from his past threatened their future.
Twenty-year old Ruth Ann Sutton doesn’t measure up to society’s vision of a perfect lady. She would rather read Jules Verne or teach Negro children to read and write than join the Women’s Benevolent Aid Society or practice her voice lessons. Her pert opinions and less than perfect figure keep many suitors away. When Ruth Ann accepts a position teaching at the new Freedman’s School, it threatens the only marriage offer she is likely to receive. Should she risk life as a lonely spinster or reinvent herself to accept a proposal from a man she does not love?
Determined to rise above his meager beginnings, Benjamin Coulter’s reputation as a fast learner and hard worker earn him the opportunity to apprentice with a surveyor for the railroad—a position that will garner the respect of other men. All he needs now is a woman to share his promising future. When Benjamin has a chance encounter with Ruth Ann Sutton, he is smitten with her pretty face, quick wit, and feisty personality. When others ridicule his choice, Benjamin must decide whether he will listen to his heart or put ambition first.
Here it is! The time you all have been waiting for. Enter for your chance to win an e-copy of A Love Restored. Just comment below AND use the Rafflecopter link below to enter. Entries are open Tuesday 12 AM (EST) 6/26/2018 and close on Monday, 7/3/2108, at 11:59 PM (EST). Winner will be announced on the A Love Restored Review.
*Legal Jargon: No Purchase is necessary. This contest is open to all readers in the world, 18 years and older who are legally allowed to participate in such a giveaway as allowed by their local laws. The Write Call does not exchange prizes for reviews. Reviews are appreciated, but not required.*
I am so excited to have Cythinia returning for another interview this month. Her second novel is set to come out in a couple weeks and I couldn’t resist the opportunity to interview her again. Just in case you missed her first interview, you can find it here. Once again I am offering a Rafflecopter Giveaway at the end of this interview, so you don’t want to miss it.
Cynthia Roemer is an award-winning inspirational writer with a heart for scattering seeds of hope into the lives of readers. Raised in the cornfields of rural Illinois, Cynthia enjoys spinning tales set in the backdrop of the 1800s prairie. She writes from her family farm in central Illinois where she resides with her husband and their two college-aged sons. Under Prairie Skies is Book Two in her Prairie Sky Series.
WC: Thank you for joining us again, Cynthia. I am so excited to get to know you a little better and share it with my readers.
The Fast Five
Sweet Tea or Unsweet? Sweet tea
Beach Vacation or Mountain Getaway? Mountain Getaway
Homebody or Love to Travel? Homebody with an occasional short trip
Morning Person or Night Owl? Morning Person
Bookmark or Dog-ear Pages? Bookmark!
WC: Thanks for answering! Those are such a fun, quick way to get to know a person. I think you and I match 3 of the 5! I just despise mornings and love to travel.
The Writing Journey
WC: What actually set you on the writing journey? Was there a specific event that pushed you toward publishing?
Cynthia: In a sense, yes. My thirst for writing began when I was sixteen when, through the prompting of my high school English teacher, I entered a short-story contest at a local college. It won first place, and I was hooked. I knew then, the Lord was calling me to write.
The next milestone on my writing journey came after I joined the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Association (ACFW) and my first novel, Under This Same Sky became a finalist in the Genesis Contest (2014). Being a finalist boosted my confidence and gave me the courage to continue to hone my craft and seek a publisher.
WC: What has God taught you along your publication journey?
Cynthia: Oh, many things: patience, endurance, dedication, and to be a team player. Right now, He’s teaching me contentment and dependence on Him. My road to publication was a long one and I give Him all the glory for bringing me to this point. Now He’s teaching me to be content with the outcome. It’s my prayer that each novel He gives me to write will reach the hands (or Kindle/Nook) of those who’ll be blessed by my stories.
WC: What has been the biggest challenge for you as an author?
Cynthia: Hmm. Prior to publication, my biggest challenge was waiting on God’s timing. It’s so hard as a writer to stare into the unknown not knowing whether your many hours of time and effort will see fulfillment. Now that I’m on the other side of publishing, my greatest challenge is balancing my time. I’m not a fast writer and now have marketing to contend with as well. It’s a challenge to balance my writing/marketing/family-time. Often I wish there were two of me! LOL!
~ Beyond shattered dreams lies a realm of possibilities ~
Illinois prairie ~1855
Unsettled by the news that her estranged cousin and uncle are returning home after a year away, Charlotte Stanton goes to ready their cabin and finds a handsome stranger has taken up residence. Convinced he’s a squatter, she throws him off the property before learning his full identity. Little does she know, their paths are destined to cross again.
Quiet and ruggedly handsome, Chad Avery’s uncanny ability to see through Charlotte’s feisty exterior and expose her inner weaknesses both infuriates and intrigues her. When a tragic accident incites her family to move east, Charlotte stays behind in hopes of becoming better acquainted with the elusive cattleman. Yet Chad’s unwillingness to divulge his hidden past, along with his vow not to love again, threatens to keep them apart forever.
Under Prairie Skies
WC: You are a master of sweet romance that is fraught with the genuine struggles of life. Charlotte was a character we didn’t like in your last book, but yet you have made her a character we not only relate to but also like in this one. Have you ever had any Charlotte moments or relationships in your life, where jealousy became a serious issue?
Cythina: Thank you so much, Crystal. It was a real challenge turning spoiled green-eyed Charlotte into a worthy heroine, but I grew to like her very much. I’m so glad you did too! You pose an interesting question. Yes. I once had a former friend that turned on me much like Charlotte turned on Becky Hollister in Under This Same Sky. It was very heart-wrenching to go through years of trying to make amends only to take one step forward and two steps back. I’m so glad Charlotte wised up and mended her ways.
WC:Chad Avery is an amazing hero who my heart grieves for through most of the story. He is a strong Christian man yet struggles with his own grief and faults. Did you have a person who inspired this character? Or how did you determine what qualities to give Chad?
Cynthia: LOL! Like my sister said when she read Under Prairie Skies, “Chad is every woman’s dream man.” Chad Avery is a culmination of the qualities women admire. He includes bits and pieces of my husband, mainly his being a man of few words, but one who sees things for what they are — his wisdom. I wanted Chad to be the strong, silent type who could stand up against Charlotte’s feistiness, but also someone who had his own vulnerabilities that needed to be addressed.
WC: I think you very successful in that. He is indeed a man of every woman’s dreams.
WC: How did God challenge you in writing this particular story? Were there any lessons that you took away that you hope your reader will also take away?
Cynthia: The main theme woven within the pages of Under Prairie Skies is that of “iron sharpening iron”, how the Lord uses people to speak His truths into our lives. What I’ve taken away, and what I pray readers will take away, is a heightened sense of listening for God’s voice in our everyday encounters with people and being willing to speak truth and life into the hearts of others when given opportunity.
Fun Question
WC: If you could be a cartoon character, which one would it be?
Cynthia: Oh wow! I would say the road-runner. He’s got great wit about him and always seems to end up on the best end of things, especially where Wile E. Coyote is concerned. LOL!
RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY:
Alright, beloved readers, it is the time you all have been waiting for! This time I am giving the winner an option of either an e-copy of Under This Same Sky or Under Prairie Skies. Just comment below AND use the Rafflecopter link below to enter. Entries are open Tuesday 12 AM (EST) 3/27/2018 and close on Monday, 4/9/2108, at 11:59 PM (EST). Winner will be announced on the Under Prairie Skies Review the next day.
*Legal Jargon: No Purchase is necessary. This contest is open to all readers in the world, 18 years and older who are legally allowed to participate in such a giveaway as allowed by their local laws. The Write Call does not exchange prizes for reviews. Reviews are appreciated, but not required.*
Join the Conversation: What cartoon character would you be?
Welcome to a New Year and allow me to introduce you to a new author, Cynthia Roemer! I really enjoyed her debut novel Under This Same Sky. You can check out my review here, and read to the end to have your chance to win a signed copy!
Cynthia Roemer is an award-winning inspirational writer with a heart for scattering seeds of hope into the lives of readers. Raised in the cornfields of rural Illinois, Cynthia enjoys spinning tales set in the backdrop of the 1800s prairie. She writes from her family farm in central Illinois where she resides with her husband and their two college-aged sons. Under This Same Sky is her debut novel.
WC: Thank you, Cynthia, for joining me today. It was a pleasure to meet you at your book signing and I am so excited to introduce you to others. First off, tell us a little about you.
WC: What do you like to do when you aren’t reading or writing?
CR: I love spending time with my family, hiking, gardening, riding the combine with my farmer husband, and enjoying God’s creation.
WC: What does your family think of your writing?
CR: Difficult to say. I know they’re happy for me, but neither my husband nor my grown sons are readers, so it’s hard for them to grasp why I enjoy writing. I got the thrill of my life recently though when I walked in and saw my husband reading my novel!! That meant the world to me.
WC: What is your favorite Bible verse?
CR: Oh, wow. There are so many great Scripture verses. One of my favorites would have to be Jeremiah 29:11, the theme verse for my debut novel, Under This Same Sky: “For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope.” I love the promise of God’s guidance and presence in my life.
WC: What does literary success look like to you?
CR: When readers’ lives are touched through what I write, that’s success! If a reader feels led to contact me or leave a review that says my novel spoke to them, I can think of no better measure of success. That’s when I know I’m in line with the Lord’s will.
WC: I love that definition and I think your book Under This Same Sky truly measures up to that success. You dealt with grief so well in this book. How did you do it? Did you have personal experience or did you turn to those who did? What was the process like for you?
Though I’ve not lost any close family members, I’ve known others who have. The Lord gave me compassion to feel and experience deeply the hurts of others, and I pray that carries over into my writing. I shed a few tears of my own in writing Becky’s story.
WC: I love the connection to the blind school. What interested you in that topic?
I used to visit a lady named Ann who was blind. She loved for me to read her my stories. It was such a blessing. I have to credit my interest in blindness to her.
WC: Who was your favorite character? Why?
That’s a toughy. I have a fondness for all of my characters. But, one of my top favorites would be Jimmy Bodine, the blind orphan boy who befriends Becky. He’s so wise and knows just the right words to speak encouragement. He’s the friend everyone would love to have.
WC: I have to agree. Jimmy has a soft spot in my heart. Were there any lessons God taught you as you wrote this particular book? What were they?
Definitely! The theme of Under This Same Sky is total surrender to God, something I think we all struggle with. The Lord is continually urging me to rely on Him instead of putting my trust in myself or others.
WC: Do you have any upcoming projects, releases, or sales?
I’m glad you asked. Book Two in my series, Under Prairie Skies, is set to release in late April or early May, 2018 with Mantle Rock Publishing. Book Two begins just days after Under This Same Sky ends and is the story of Becky’s cousin, Charlotte, and cattleman, Chad Avery. I’ll be sharing more about it in my upcoming author newsletters. I’m always happy to have new readers sign up! You can do so on my website: http://cynthiaroemer.com/
WC: I always love to ask these just for fun questions. If you could be any character from any book, who would it be and why?
Oh, wow! That’s a loaded question. Hmm. Possibly Jo in Little Women or Lady Miranda Hawthorne of Kristi Ann Hunter’s A Noble Masquerade. I like ladies who have some grit and can identify with these two ladies who don’t quite fit into the mold.
Once again, thank you so much, Cynthia, for dropping by! Readers, comment below with your answer to what character you would be and enter via the Rafflecopter link below for a chance to win a signed copy of her debut novel.
*Legal Jargon: No Purchase is necessary. This contest is open to all readers in the world, 18 years and older who are legally allowed to participate in such a giveaway as allowed by their local laws. Those outside the contiguous United States will receive an e-copy instead of a physical signed copy. The Write Call does not exchange prizes for reviews. Reviews are appreciated, but not required.*
Today I am extremely excited to present to you debut author, Joanna Davidson Politano. Joanna is an amazing writer with such a heart for God. Her writing transports you to another time and makes you forget the stresses of contemporary life. From the first time I read her work before it was ever contracted, she became my favorite author. Now that I have a physical copy of her book in my hands, I realize she is even better than I remembered!
And because I want to share her wonderful writing with you, one lucky entrant will win a copy of Lady Jane Disappears. Check out the details below.
Without further ado, allow me to introduce, Joanna.
Joanna is a work-from-home mom of one super cute little girl and one handsome little dude. She is married to her hero Vince, who is her love and polar opposite. She writes, he tears it up with the red pen. She breaks cars and other mechanical things, he puts them back together. He’s nailed the “speak the truth” thing, and she brings the “in love” part. But the real spark to her marriage is that he does not like chocolate and she… like it a normal amount. They love and live from their little house in the woods near Lake Michigan, which is undergoing a constant renovation.
WC: Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy, crazy life to answer these questions. I am so excited for your debut release date! Too bad we can’t have a debutante ball to celebrate.
You have a beautiful, wonderful, young family. How do you manage to get writing done while chasing around a one year old and a four year old?
JDP: Two words: Nap time! I put important things first (God time, children), and somehow all the needed writing time materializes because God can do things like that. I live by the principal that children are never a distraction from the important work—they are the important work. When I’m living (and “momming”) well, I write well. So I guess it’s really about these two words: TRUST GOD!
WC: When writing a story, what is the most important thing to you? The plot, the characters, the journey, or something else altogether?
JDP: I enjoy the characters, especially their dialogue, but the entire process of writing is invaluable to my entire life. It’s the way God gets my attention, teaches me the nuances of his truths, and keeps me very dependent on him. There’s no room for self-reliance when you’re a slow writer who’s also trying to be a mom—and you have deadlines to meet.
WC: Writing historical fiction is a research heavy genre. What made you choose the Victorian era?
JDP: I chose this era because some of my favorite writers lived and wrote in those years. It’s a time of industrial change and interesting political shifts… and beautiful gowns and flowery writing.
WC: Your voice is amazingly refreshing! Like taking a stroll through a Victorian garden. What author’s inspired your writing?
JDP: Thank you so much! I think my conversations with God is where my writing voice originated. As far as writers, I’d say Daphne Du Maurier for atmosphere, Charles Dickens for characters, Martha Grimes for witty lines, and Mary Higgins Clark for tension. I could never hope to rival them, but I sure enjoy reading and dissecting their work!
Lady Jane Disappears is your debut novel. How does it feel to have something you wrote in other people’s hands?
A little like a voluntary invasion of privacy! I never intended this novel to be published—it was my practice novel in which I meant to explore all the elements of a book I truly enjoyed so I could find my own niche. Somehow the freedom of writing for practice loosened the most authentic storytelling in me, and it worked better than when I tried hard. Go figure.
It’s hard to release private thoughts and personal artwork into the world and open it up for critique, but I love being authentic and open, too. Hopefully something I say strikes a chord with someone else, and I believe it might, only because God put me on this path, gave me things to write about, and then facilitated the publication of those words. Hopefully he has a reason for it besides the exercise of me baring my heart.
WC: What has God taught you along this journey?
JDP: I can’t do anything—anything—without him. He can give and he can take away. Writing, mothering, or even breathing is all done by his say-so and can be taken away just as quickly. I’ve truly learned to trust-fall into God every single day. I’ve learned about writing, deadlines, marketing… but mostly I’ve learned how to have an intimate hand-in-hand relationship with God.
WC: What inspired you to write Lady Jane Disappears?
JDP: You know, it’s a funny story. As a kid, I had this way of meting out justice—I wrote kids in my class into anonymous stories that ended up getting passed around the class. How fun, I thought, if an overlooked girl did the same thing in a Victorian household? What sort of wonderful chaos would that create in a straight-laced era full of covered-up sins and thin facades? So I wrote about a serial novelist who writes everyone around her into her novels and publishes them under a pen name. Oh, the trouble she caused!
WC: Give us a high and a low. What was the best/easiest thing about writing Lady Jane Disappears? The worst/hardest part?
JDP: Honestly, I loved all of it. Because it was a “practice” novel, I simply enjoyed putting it on paper and it flowed quite easily. I included every element I love in a novel, not pausing to care about what should or shouldn’t go into a book. It was also published pretty easily (after many MANY failed attempts with previous stories—don’t get me wrong, I was no overnight success). I think the best part was writing the ending—oh, how I love endings! The lowest… wondering what to write next that would be as much fun!
WC: Last question and it is just a fun one that my husband asks when he interviews people. Would you rather fight one horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses? Any particular reason why?
JDP: One horse-sized duck! I could never explain to 100 horses of any size why I was trying to fight them, because you could never get that many to listen at once.
WC: Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this interview and for writing such an amazing book. I absolutely cannot wait for others to read it.
What about you, my reader friends? Would you rather fight one horse-sized duck or 100 duck sized-horses? Why?
Comment below and then enter the drawing through the rafflecopter link below for a chance to win your own copy of Lady Jane Disappears. (After having trouble reaching the winner in my last interview, I think this might be the easiest way to contact a winner.) Then come back next week to find out the winner and read my review on her official release day, October 3rd! *Open to residents of the 48 Contiguous United States* comments close at 11:59 PM, Oct. 2nd.
thing coming. I merely began tinkering with a story in my free time, mimicking my son who loved to write and has the goal of being a published author. It was something to fill time while I was waiting on the Lord. Or so I thought. The more I fiddled with the words, the more I enjoyed the process. It didn’t take long for my hidden hobby to become a God-given passion and the answer to our prayers.
April or early May, 2018 with Mantle Rock Publishing. Book Two begins just days after Under This Same Sky ends and is the story of Becky’s cousin, Charlotte, and cattleman, Chad Avery. I’ll be sharing more about it in my upcoming author newsletters. I’m always happy to have new readers sign up! You can do so on my website: 
Joanna is a work-from-home mom of one super cute little girl and one handsome little dude. She is married to her hero Vince, who is her love and polar opposite. She writes, he tears it up with the red pen. She breaks cars and other mechanical things, he puts them back together. He’s nailed the “speak the truth” thing, and she brings the “in love” part. But the real spark to her marriage is that he does not like chocolate and she… like it a normal amount. They love and live from their little house in the woods near Lake Michigan, which is undergoing a constant renovation.
JDP: You know, it’s a funny story. As a kid, I had this way of meting out justice—I wrote kids in my class into anonymous stories that ended up getting passed around the class. How fun, I thought, if an overlooked girl did the same thing in a Victorian household? What sort of wonderful chaos would that create in a straight-laced era full of covered-up sins and thin facades? So I wrote about a serial novelist who writes everyone around her into her novels and publishes them under a pen name. Oh, the trouble she caused!