by Crystal Caudill | Mar 5, 2024 | Author Interviews
This week’s author interview is the wonderful Danielle Grandinetti. I’ve known Danielle for quite some time now, and it’s such a pleasure to know her. I love her unique time frame of the 1930s and her mix of history with romance and suspense. AND Danielle is generously doing a giveaway for a paperback copy of Refuge for the Archaeologist AND Relying on the Enemy (paperback, US only; ebook international). So make sure to go down to the bottom to participate.
Danielle Grandinetti is an inspirational romance author fueled by tea and books, and the occasional nature walk. An award-winning author and FHLCW Reader’s Choice Finalist, her stories span from the Great Depression to present day. Originally from the Chicagoland area, she now lives along Lake Michigan’s Wisconsin shoreline with her husband and their two young sons. Find her online at daniellegrandinetti.com.
You can connect with her through: Website & Newsletter Signup | Website Store | Book Blog | Amazon | BookBub | GoodReads
Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Danielle with rapid-fire.
CC: Pineapple pizza or candy corn?
DG: Pineapple Pizza
CC: Test the waters or dive in the deep end?
DG: Test the waters
CC: Guacamole or salsa?
DG: Both!
CC: Silly hats or silly socks?
DG: Silly socks
CC: Passwords or secret handshakes?
DG: Passwords
I’m a huge silly socks fan. It’s the only socks I can almost guarantee my kids won’t steal. LOL So let’s dive in deep!
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
DG: I’ve loved writing stories since I was in early grade school. I vividly remember writing my first short story in 3rd grade after hearing an author speak in Assembly. It has led me to believe that there’s nothing like the power of story to change lives, including my own.
CC: Amen. The power of stories never fails to amaze me.
What is your writing Kryptonite?
DG: Funny thing, description is my kryptonite. Though it’s one of my favorite writing skills to teach, I don’t write it naturally. Instead, I have to layer it in after I’ve set the scene. I suspect that’s because I’m a math nerd, albeit a romantic one, at heart.
CC: Ah. So you are one of the rare birds who is both a writer and a math nerd. 😉 I must admit, I like my spreadsheets. LOL
How have you seen God work on your writing journey?
DG: My characters’ spiritual struggles lead me to the Bible so I can offer them guidance in order to help them grow—whether through their own interaction with God or through the voice of another character. In turn, I am challenged as I write those scenes, and I hope those truths touch the hearts of my readers, too.
CC: I think that is one of my favorite parts of writing–seing how God uses my own story to grow me.
Now I’m excited to talk about your newest release, Relying on the Enemy.
She’s protecting her children. He’s redeeming his past. But there’s nothing convenient about saving their patchwork family.
Wisconsin, 1931—All widowed mother Marian Ward wants is to provide for her girls. However, she faces the dead of winter with no income and dwindling resources. Then she overhears a nefarious conversation, putting her life and that of her children in immediate danger.
Aiming to make amends to the Wards, Gilbert steps in when the threat to Marian escalates. It costs him dearly. Either lose his career or marry her, and be tied to his past until death do them part.
He leaves the decision to Marian, who will do anything to protect her girls, even marry the son of the man who ruined her family. How will their fledgling trust prove strong enough to fulfill their vows as winter tightens its grip and desperation stalks at the door?
Welcome to Crow’s Nest, where danger and romance meet at the water’s edge.
Purchase your copy at Danielle’s Website and other retailers.
CC: What readers will most love Relying on the Enemy?
DG: If you love marriage of convivence tropes, then I hope you’ll love this story! And, doubly so if you also love Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables.
CC: You know, I’ve never read or seen Anne of Green Gables, but I’ve heard so much about Gilbert. He must be real swoon-worthy if this story has some connections to him.
What was some of your favorite research tidbits for this story?
DG: I love scouring old newspaper archives! And I found a gem of an article that provided a major scene in the story. On January 18, 1931, the first big snowfall of the year occurred. According to local newspapers at the time, it was a twenty-four-hour snowfall dropping six inches of blinding snow followed by cold weather.
CC: Oh my! That must have been something, and definitely a challenge for those who lived through it. (And I’m a huge fan of scouring old Newspaper archives too!)
Relying on the Enemy is book four in the Harbored in Crow’s Nest series. Can this story be read as a stand-alone?
DG: Yes, with a caveat.
All the books in the Harbored in Crow’s Nest series are stand-alone romances, meaning each book focuses on just one couple and their happily ever after. However, each book’s plot does build on the events in the previous one, though I do my best to avoid spoilers.
That said, this book is one that has a major spoiler. Gilbert is the son of the man who ruined Marian Ward’s family. Notice that I don’t use Gilbert’s last name. That’s because it’s a spoiler for events that happened to Marian’s brother-in-law in Refuge for the Archaeologist.
While you don’t have to read Refuge for the Archaeologist (book 2) before reading Relying on the Enemy, it is where you meet the Ward family, especially Marian’s two precocious little girls. And, it will help you understand why Gilbert could be seen as an enemy.
CC: Good to know! I have a few stories like that myself.
What do you hope readers will take away from this story?
DG: The verse I chose for the front of the book is “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” Genesis 50:20a (KJV). That theme permeates this story. God can redeem. He can take awful circumstances and redeem them for His children. It might not always look the way we think it should, and we may not see the fruit of it as soon as we think, but I pray this story will offer hope.
CC: What a sweet and important nugget to walk away with. As always, I love to end off with a fun question.
What animal is most like you? Why?
DG: A golden retriever. Their personality seems so similar to the way other people describe me. 🙂
CC: LOL They are a man’s best friend, and you are a wonderful friend. So I definitely say that fits!
Readers, I hope you’ll check out Relying on the Enemy and then leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or BookBub. You wouldn’t believe how important that is to an author.
Giveaway – A copy of A Refuge for the Archaeologist and Relying on the Enemy (print US, ebook for International) Ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on 3/12/2024.
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Reader, what animal best describes you?
by Crystal Caudill | Dec 1, 2023 | Book Reviews, Reading Challenge
It’s time for another month of the Unlocking the Past Reading Challenge: Unlock an Adventure. I’m so excited to join you on an adventure this year with guest reviews from our reading challenge participants. If you want to submit a review for upcoming months, feel free to sign up for a month here and use the Google form to submit your review. As my time has become too limited to do a suggestions post each month, I encourage you to jump over to the Unlocking the Past Reading Challenge page and ask for suggestions from there or from any of a number of amazing reader groups like Avid Readers of Christian Fiction or check out the Inspirational Historical Fiction Index.
*The list of prizes available from my prize shelf can be found here.*
November’s Theme: Archeologist or Paleontologist
December’s Theme: Christmas
Refuge for the Archaeologist
by Danielle Graninetti
I so wanted to be done with the book in time to write my own review. Alas, my life had allowed little time for reading, and I’m only halfway through (and definitely enjoying it). As a kindness to myself and y’all so I could get this post up, I’ve reached out to a fellow reviewer to ask if I could use their review of the book. Connie graciously said yes. 🙂 So without further ado, November’s Reading Challenge Review:
Review by: Connie Saunders – You can follow her on her Older & Smarter? Blog at https://connie-oldersmarter.blogspot.com/ or follow her on Instagram.
History, mystery, and romance! An introduction to intriguing new characters and a reunion with some that we’ve already met! Author Danielle Grandinetti invites us back to Crow’s Nest, Wisconsin and I’m so happy to return! The characters are appealing, the suspense kept me fully engaged, and there was also an inspiring faith element woven into the plot. What more could I ask for? How about an unlikely romance between a female archaeologist and a devoted son and uncle who longs to return to his work on a Western ranch? Is it possible for Cora and Silas to give up their dreams and settle instead for a future in Crow’s Nest…together??
Refuge for the Archaeologist is a great addition to the Harbored in Crow’s Nest series. It’s the second book of the series but don’t worry if you haven’t read the first. Grandinetti shares background tidbits to help you understand what’s occurred previously! I recommend this book to all who enjoy historical Christian romance.
I received a complimentary copy from the author and publisher. There was no obligation for a positive review. These are my own thoughts.
For Fans of:
Genre: Historical Romance, Depression Era
Plot Overview:
Lies, greed, and lost dreams chase an out-of-work archaeologist and an out-of-place cowboy. Visit small-town Wisconsin in this Depression-era amnesia romance.
Will uncovering the truth set them free or destroy what they hold most dear?
Wisconsin, 1930—With her health in shambles and her archaeological career on the line, Cora Davis retreats to Crow’s Nest and the home of her great aunt to heal. She doesn’t think much of the missing memories from between the earthquake that caused her dizzy spells and her trip home. Until she begins remembering the danger that sent her fleeing her last dig and the person responsible.
After a decade as a ranch hand, Silas Ward returned to Crow’s Nest to provide for the women in his life. That same protective instinct propels him to Cora’s aid. But when finances dwindle, the lies and greed of others threaten to ruin his family. Unless Silas can walk the thin line of compromise. A choice that might cost him Cora’s affection.
As winter’s chill threatens, will Crow’s Nest prove a refuge, or will both Cora and Silas have no choice but to sacrifice their chance at happiness to save those they love?
Welcome to Crow’s Nest, where danger and romance meet at the water’s edge.
Purchase Links:
Amazon | Author’s Shop | Barnes & Noble
Giveaway
For your chance to win a print copy, comment with what book YOU read for this month and you will also be entered into the year-end Grand Prize Reader Basket. Use the Rafflecopter below for extra entries and to mark that you left a comment. Entries end on the 7th of each month at midnight EST, and the winner will be drawn sometime that week and notified by email. The winner will be announced don’t the Rafflecopter widget.
*Open to all residents of the contiguous USA, legally able to enter, and an e-book format or Amazon Gift Card will be awarded to those outside that range who are legally able to enter.
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Recommendations for December:
- We Three Kings: A Romance Christmas Collection by Crystal Caudill, Cara Putman, and Angela Ruth Strong
- A Louisana Christmas to Remember by Morgan Tarpley Smith, Betsy St. Amant, and Lenora Worth
- Chiseled on the Heart by Elaine Marie Cooper, Cynthia Roemer, Candace West, and Kelly J. Goshorn
What did you read for the challenge? What were your thoughts on it? Would you recommend it?
by Crystal Caudill | Dec 6, 2022 | Author Interviews
I am so blessed to know Danielle Grandinetti and get to read her novels, rich with history, danger, and romance. It’s my favorite combination, and she does it so well. Allow mt to introduce her to you and her books.
Whether in her historical romantic suspense or contemporary sweet romance Danielle Grandinetti crafts characters finding home in hard times. She is also an avid reader and her writing has won the University of Northwestern Distinguished Faith in Writing Award. Originally from the Chicagoland area, she now lives along Lake Michigan’s Wisconsin shoreline with her husband and their two young sons. Find her online at daniellegrandinetti.com.
You can connect with her through:
Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | BookBub | GoodReads | Amazon
Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Danielle with rapid-fire.
CC: Milk or Dark Chocolate?
DG: Dark
CC: Print or E-book?
DG: Print
CC: Cat or Dog Person?
DG: dog
Morning Person or Night Owl?
DG: Mornings
CC: Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter?
DG: Fall
I’m not really sure how morning people exist, but I’m glad that works for you! LOL Now let’s dive into the meat of the interview.
What do you like to do when you aren’t reading or writing?
DG: I love to cook. It’s hard to find the time to craft a meal with little kiddos, but putting together a meal is one of my favorite ways to let my creativity renew itself. I also enjoy photographing nature, especially Lake Michigan, and crocheting. Like cooking, these activities are often done in small, rare snippets, but I enjoy them whenever I get a chance.
CC: Oh the life of being a mom with littles. Those activities definitely sound renewing, and I’ll never be opposed to having someone else cook for me. . . or at least someone who enjoys cooking. 😉
What is your writing Kryptonite?
DG: Description. To compensate, I leave room in my word count to go back through after the initial draft to layer in the description. It keeps me from getting bogged down during the first draft and helps me bring each scene to life one at a time.
CC: Aren’t you so glad our stories don’t have to be done perfectly the first time around? That editing is really where we get to clean up our weaknesses and let God really shine through.
What is your writing schedule like?
DG: As a mother of young boys, I have to snag writing time when I can. When they’re playing well together, I pull out my computer. Or we all snuggle on the couch to watch a movie while I write. Sometimes, one of my kiddos will even grab a toy computer and pretend to write with me!
CC: That is so sweet. And grabbing time when and however you can is the only way to survive.
Let’s talk about your Christmas story, As Silent as the Night.
He can procure anything, except his heart’s deepest wish. She might hold the key, if she’s not discovered first.
Chicago, 1933―Lucia Critelli will do anything for her ailing grandfather, including stand in a breadline to have enough food to make him a St. Nicholas Day meal. When she catches the eye of a goon who threatens her grandfather, she discovers the end of Prohibition doesn’t mean the end of the mafia’s criminal activity.
Retired Marine Scout Giosue “Gio” Vella can find anything, especially if it helps a fellow Italian immigrant, so he has no doubt he can locate his neighbor’s granddaughter, who has gone missing from a local church. Keeping her safe is another matter. Especially when he chooses to hide out with his Marine buddy in Eagle, Wisconsin, the site of a barely-held truce among striking dairy farmers.
Will Christmas bring the miracle they all need or will Gio discover there are some things even he can’t find, particularly when he stumbles upon the most elusive gift of all: love.
Purchase your copy at Amazon
CC: What was some of your favorite research for As Silent as the Night?
DG: The opening prologue of As Silent as the Night is based on a real event that occurred. It was also fascinating to learn more about the Chicago mafia during the years when Al Capone was in prison. Add in the challenge of the Great Depression, when half of the city, one full of immigrants, was out of work and it gave me plenty of fodder to create Gio and Lucia’s story.
CC: It’s always fun to play with criminal organizations. There is so much fascinating research involved with that.
Who was the most challenging character to create?
DG: Believe it or not, Gio was my hardest character. He was so beloved as a side character in A Strike to the Heart, that when I wrote As Silent as the Night, I worried whether I’d get him right. It’s also hard to layer flaws into a character everyone loves. Not to mention the challenge of putting him in life-threatening situations. Hopefully I have done him justice, because he is one of my favorite characters, too.
CC: That is a real challenge, but I believe you handled it beautifully!
What do you hope readers will take away from your story?
DG: That no matter your hardships, especially this Christmas season, you will remember the Light that shines in the darkest times. There is always hope, even when the world seems bleakest. And that Jesus came to bring love and peace to the world, and to you.
CC: Amen and Amen. It’s definitely one of those hard seasons for our family this year, and that reminder is so needed. As my final question, I have my usual “Fun Question”.
If you could travel anywhere without worry to cost, where would you go?
DG: I want to go back to the Alps! I saw a glimpse of them along the Swiss/Italian border and again from the air, and I’ve wanted to explore them more ever since. Ciao! Buon Natale!
CC: Thank you so much for joining us. Readers, I recommend you pick up her story As Silent as the Night for an exciting Christmas read.
Reader, what Christmas reads are you diving into?
by Crystal Caudill | Feb 18, 2022 | Book Reviews
*Special note: As of 2022, I will no longer be giving a star rating. Any books I review will be ones I would have rated between four and five stars. Anything less than that and the book will not be reviewed on my blog, but may be reviewed on my Goodreads account.*
To Stand in the Breach
by Danielle Grandinetti
To Stand in the Breach is a novella prequel to the Strike to the Heart Series. This fascinating story brought to light a piece of our nation’s history I’d never really had any knowledge of: the dairy strikes of the Great Depression. It really brought to life a piece of forgotten history. I really appreciated the view of both sides and the stress everyone endured. From an engagement bridging the gap of the two feuding sides, to a son of a dairy farmer who’s stuck in the middle as a neutral police office, to the life of an immigrant female veterinarian in a time that was frowned up, and the threats looming over her both from her past and in the present, it’s an engaging read. The romance between Joey and Katy was sweet and slow in a way that just makes you love Joey all the more. Throw in the danger involved on both sides and I was hooked. I look forward to following Joey’s sister in the next story, A Strike to the Heart releasing in April 2022.
Genre: Historial Romance, Wisconsin, 1833
Plot Overview:
She came to America to escape a workhouse prison, but will the cost of freedom be too high a price to pay?
1933, Wisconsin — Large animal veterinarian Katy Wells takes her patients’ welfare personally, so it’s no surprise when she stands up to angry farmers planning a milk strike or takes in an injured draft horse to save its life.
But after a visitor from the past discovers her location and reveals a threat, she must choose between her work and her freedom, and whether to trust a man to keep her safe.
Prequel novella to A Strike to the Heart, releasing April 2022 from Heritage Beacon Press/Iron Stream Media
What I loved: If you’ve followed many of my reviews, you know I’m a huge history nerd. I really loved delving into this piece of history which I pretty much had no knowledge of. I also loved how sweet and patient Joey was with Katy.
Favorite Character and Why: Katy was so real and believable. Her strength of character and her flaws were so real and relatable, plus you get that touch of Irish culture and speech.
Who would like this? Readers who like exploring obscure times in history, a splash of danger, and romances that are sweet and patient will really enjoy this story.
PURCHASE LINKS
Amazon Barnes & Noble
Are you familiar with the dairy strikes of the Great Depression? What other books have you read that you’d recommend from this time period.
by Crystal Caudill | Oct 13, 2021 | Author Interviews
One of the great things about being an author is you get to meet so many other great authors. I met Danielle Grandinetti through an editing Facebook group and then through a Word Count Sprinting group this year. Yesterday she released her prequel novella, To Stand in the Breach, and in April, A Strike to the Heart will release. Both books however are already available to purchase/preorder for just $0.99 each.
I am so excited for you to meet Danielle and to get to know this wonderful person and author.
Danielle Grandinetti is a book blogger at DaniellesWritingSpot.com. Her short stories have appeared in several publications and her writing has won the University of Northwestern Distinguished Faith in Writing Award. Originally from Chicagoland, she currently lives along Lake Michigan’s Wisconsin shoreline with her husband and their two young sons. Danielle especially loves quiet mornings served with the perfect cup of tea.
You can check out her landing page for To Stand in the Breach here.
Connect with her through her newsletter, on Instagram, Bookbub, Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, her website, or her blog.
Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Danielle with rapid-fire.
CC: Milk or Dark Chocolate?
DG: Dark
CC: Print or E-book?
DG: Print
CC: Cat or Dog Person?
DG: Dogs (My dog’s name is Penny.)
CC: Morning Person or Night Owl?
DG: Morning
CC: Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter?
DG: Fall
Now for a couple fun personal questions:
CC: What are you reading right now?
DG: My next-up books include The Heart of a Cowboy by Jody Hedlund, Night Prey by Susan Sleeman, and Deadly Target by Elizabeth Goddard
CC: Oh! Those sound like good reads. I’ve actually never read any of those authors yet, even though I have a few of their books on my shelf waiting for time.
CC: What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
DG: I think of my first draft like a skeleton. It’s short of my word goal and needs much fleshing out, which I do during the second draft.
CC: I just giggled at the very punny image of a skeleton and “fleshing” it out. I’m familiar with the terms, but it never fails to amuse. 🙂
CC: What is your favorite Bible verse? Why?
DG: It’s hard to narrow it down to just one, so I’ll pick a whole book. The Psalms. They always express what my heart is saying better than anything else.
CC: I do love how the Psalms really show the unrestrained emotion of man, and yet how it is always brought back to God.
CC: What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?
DG: Since I’m a mama of littles, I snag writing time whenever and wherever I get a chance, but mostly during naptime.
CC: Bless you! Writing with littles is so hard. I am amazed you are able to do it.
CC: What is your writing Kryptonite?
DG: Description does not come naturally to me, but it’s fun to layer it in during the editing process.
CC: Praise the Lord for editing processes, and for your willingness and desire to layer it in, even when it is hard.
Since yesterday was your release, To Stand in the Breach, let’s talk a bit about that.
She came to America to escape a workhouse prison, but will the cost of freedom be too high a price to pay?
1933, Wisconsin – Large animal veterinarian Katy Wells takes her patients’ welfare personally, so it’s no surprise when she stands up to angry farmers planning a milk strike or takes in an injured draft horse to save its life. But after a visitor from the past discovers her location and reveals a threat, she must choose between her work and her freedom, and whether to trust a man to keep her safe.
To Stand in the Breach is the prequel novella to A Strike to the Heart, releasing April 2022 from Heritage Beacon Fiction/Iron Stream Media.
CC: Who was the most challenging character to create? What made them so difficult?
DG: The bad guy. Making his reasoning logical when it … isn’t.
CC: Villians are so challenging because they always are the hero in their minds.
Which character was the most fun to create? What makes them fun?
DG: Katy. Her character began to develop while writing A Strike the Heart and I knew I had to tell her story.
CC: I love when side characters take on their own life and demand their own story.
CC: What was some of your favorite research you discovered while preparing for To Stand in the Breach?
DG: Cow health issues, such as udder infections, and the prevention and ramifications of them.
CC: That would be fascinating. . . and kind of gross.
CC: How did this story affect you as you wrote it? Did God teach you anything through the writing?
DG: Not so much taught as provided an outlet for my own wrestling through what it looks like to stand between those with power and those without in a given situation.
CC: Writing is a great way to wrestle through those tough topics!
CC: How do you select the names of your characters?
DG: In the case of the animals, Clover, Nessa, and Glenn, I purposefully chose Irish names as a nod to Katy’s Irish heritage.
CC: That is fun! I love looking up names for characters, and I love how you connected the animals to Katy’s heritage.
Thank you so much for joining me today and providing all of us with a wonderful distraction. As my final question, I have my usual “Fun Question”.
If you could travel anywhere without worry about cost, where would you travel?
DG: My list is too long! I’d probably pick New Zealand because it’s the only hemisphere I haven’t been to yet.
CC: I want to see the hobbit holes there!!! One day we will both make it!
You can purchase Danielle’s book at Amazon or other retailers.
