Meet Rachel Fordham, Author of Novels with Heart

Meet Rachel Fordham, Author of Novels with Heart

Rachel Fordham is a woman with a big heart and love for her foster kids. I love reading her stories, both her fictional ones and the real ones about her life and family. It’s my pleasure to introduce you to her this week, just in time for her newest release, Beyond Ivy Walls. She is graciously providing a giveaway for this interview, so check out the details at the end of the post. But first, let me introduce you to her properly.

Rachel Fordham is the author of The Letter Tree, Where the Road Bends, A Lady in Attendance, A Life Once Dreamed, The Hope of Azure Springs, and Yours Truly, Thomas. Fans expect stories with heart and she delivers, diving deep into the human experience and tugging at reader emotions. She loves connecting with people, traveling to new places, and daydreaming about future projects that will have sigh-worthy endings and memorable characters. She is a busy mom, raising both biological and foster children (a cause she feels passionate about). She lives with her husband and children on an island in the state of Washington.

You can connect with her through:  Website Facebook  |  Instagram  |  GoodReads

Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Rachel with rapid-fire.

 

CC: Pineapple pizza or candy corn?

RF: That’s a tough one….Pineapple pizza (but neither is very appealing)

CC: Test the waters or dive in the deep end?

RF: Usually test the waters but with writing I jumped in the deep end!

CC: Guacamole or salsa?

RF: Salsa (the fresher the better)

CC: Silly hats or silly socks?

RF: Socks! No need to be the center of attention if I don’t have to be.

CC: Passwords or secret handshakes?

RF: Hmmmm….I have no idea…. my daughters made up a pretty cute handshake the other day.

I love how adorable your girls (and all your kids) are. Let’s dive into the meat of this interview. 

What book has most impacted you?

RF: This is impossible to answer! But I think being read to as a child changed everything. I remember begging for one more chapter. I remember my mom crying while reading the end of Where the Red Fern Grows. Those early memories led to a love of reading and that led to a love of writing. Thanks Mom!

CC: That is so true, and God bless your Momma for instilling such a love of reading in you.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

RF: I think I was always a writer…but didn’t know it. I loved reading and picking apart storylines from a very young age. I loved rewriting endings to movies after watching them. And I loved writing assignments when I was in school. But I always thought I was too ordinary to write a novel. I didn’t give it a try until after having my fifth baby. I needed a creative outlet. One day my husband said, “you read so much, why don’t you write a book.” And so, I did! And haven’t stopped since.

CC: I love your husband’s support and launching you into this madness called writing.

How have you seen God work through your writing journey?

RF: Absolutely! Often as I get to know my characters and put myself in their heads, I gain empathy I didn’t have before. Or a theme in a book ends up being for me. Or a reader will message and what they say will touch my life. The little mercies all along the way have been so beautiful. I feel super blessed for the light I’ve found while writing!

CC: God is truly wonderful in His mercies and working in us and through us in our writing journeys.

Now I’m excited to talk about Beyond Ivy Walls.

Reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast, a recluse and a young woman discover that the scars of life are no match against an act of love.

Iowa, 1903. All of Monticello believes Otis Taylor has been away fostering his musical genius. But the truth is that his father exiled him long ago, rejecting Otis’s appearance and the scars that came with it. Now that he is the last living Taylor, Otis has covertly returned to settle his family’s affairs and rid himself of his past for good. However, he soon discovers that he may not have been the only abandoned Taylor and begins a tireless search for his missing toddler niece.

At twenty-three years old, Sadie West left her family farm and found employment at the Hoag feather duster factory. It isn’t a romantic job, but she’s hardly had a glimmer of romance since her beau went off to college, leaving her with no promise of a future together. Desperate to save money and help her family make ends meet, she trespasses and finds shelter in an abandoned building–and is thrown in the path of the town’s mysterious bachelor.

Otis’s wounds are deep, but as Sadie’s friendship with him grows, she begins to fall for the man beneath the mask. Locating his long-lost niece, however, is more difficult than either could have imagined, and Sadie West may be the key to Otis Taylor finally finding his way home.

Purchase your copy at  Amazon  |  Baker Book House  |  Barnes & Noble

CC: Where did you get the idea for Beyond Ivy Walls?

RF: The ideas for this story came from every direction. I read the Monticello, Iowa newspaper from the early 1900’s and discovered miracle cures, the Hoag feather duster factory and the town’s obsession with roller skating. But those things alone were not enough to build a story around. And so, I added a little Beauty and the Beast, a dose of Jane Eyre and some Light Between Oceans. I’m incredibly proud of the way the ingredients came together. 
CC: Oh that is a lot of fun! I love finding historical tidbits to build a story around!
Who was the most challenging character to create?

RF: Sadie was a lot harder to write than Otis. She comes from a healthy, functioning family. She doesn’t have as much baggage as Otis. It made showing character growth harder. But hard isn’t bad. I love that Sadie has sisters she loves and parents she is proud of. We need more examples of functioning families in literature.

CC: That is a true statement. It is really hard to write functioning families in fiction, but we do so need them. 
Which character was the most fun to create?
RF: I love, love, love writing secondary characters who are more than just accessories. I adored the older couple in this book!
CC: Secondary characters can be so much fun, and they can completely change a story too!
What was some of your favorite research you discovered?

RF:  I reached out to the library in Monticello, Iowa and asked some questions about the Hoag Duster factory. They wrote back that they could do better than old articles, they connected me with a descendent of the original owners. Having a personal contact made researching this book extra fun. 

CC: There is nothing like trying to contact some historians only to find a more personal connection that you can really work into a story. 

 

What do you hope readers will take away from your story?

RF: I hope they close the book with a happy sigh!! It’s always my hope that readers will feel like the time they spent in one of my books was time well spent. I hope they are entertained, uplifted and that they will think twice before judging others. I hope they leave the book a little better than they went into it.

CC: What a beautiful hope to hold on to. I am sure readers will walk away with just that. Speaking of readers . . . 

Which readers will most like your book?

RF: Readers of historical romance who love happy endings, butterflies in their stomachs, and enough depth that it isn’t just fluff. 

And one last question before we end our time:

What animal is most like you?
RF: A night owl…or maybe an early bird. I am guilty of staying up way too late and then having to get up early. Someday…I’ll sleep.
CC: Oh do I feel this one. Left to my own devices, I am definitely a night owl! Too bad life demands use to be morning birds.
Readers, I hope you’ll check out Beyond Ivy Walls and then leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or BookBub. You wouldn’t believe how important that is to an author.  

Giveaway Info

Rachel is graciously providing one U.S. resident, 18 years and older, with a signed copy of Yours Truly, Thomas–an earlier book of hers that I really enjoyed. Use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Entries open until 11:59 p.m. EST on August 20.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Reader, what do you know of the Asian front during WWII? What things interest you about this story?

A Life Once Dreamed by Rachel Fordham

A Life Once Dreamed by Rachel Fordham

A Life Once Dreamed

by Rachel Fordham

So I’m a day late and a dollar short, but here is the post that was supposed to go live yesterday. A Life Once Dreamed was the August choice for our Online Christian Historical Romance Book Club. I’ve always enjoyed the sweet, simple romances of Rachel Fordham’s books. This one was a little bit more of a stretch for me. I really enjoyed the sweet rekindling of the romance between James and Aggie, as well as all the small-town life put on full display. However, I did struggle with a single conversation being the needed resolution for the conflict between the two. If you are like me, you may get really frustrated with it and want to set the book down. Even so, I urge you to read the story to its full conclusion. Aggie’s reason for keeping her secret does become believable and reasonable, even if I disagreed with her choice to continue to hold on to that secret even after James sought her out after six years. True to Miss Fordham’s style, the story is a sweet romance of the day-to-day life and struggles in a small town on the prairie.

I definitely recommend it to lovers of sweet, historical romance.


Genre: Historical Romance, Dakota Territory, 1880

Plot Overview:

Six years ago, a shocking secret sent Agnes Pratt running in search of a new start. She found it in Penance, a rugged town of miners and lumberjacks in the Dakota Territory, where she became Miss Aggie, respected schoolteacher and confirmed old maid. But the past has a way of catching up with people. When childhood friend and former sweetheart James Harris accepts a position as the town doctor, Aggie’s pleasantly predictable days suddenly become anything but. James wants to know why Agnes left behind the life they had dreamed of creating for themselves―but he is the one person who can never know.In the shadows of the Black Hills, can a healing light be shed on the past? Or will the secret Agnes can’t seem to outrun destroy her chance at happiness?

What I loved: Without any spoilers, I really loved the weaving in of foster care and adoption.

Favorite Character and Why:  The child who becomes adopted. 😉 Again trying not to give any spoilers, but who wouldn’t love a sweet baby left alone in the world. It made me just want to go out and find friends who have babies so I can cuddle them. 

Who would like this? Any reader who enjoys sweet romances and second chance love.

Rating and Why: Three and a half. The story was sweet, but I had several frustrations with the story and characters. Once I got to the end, I was mostly satisfied, but it wasn’t my favorite read from her.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon     Baker Book House     Barnes and Noble     Books-A-Million     Book Depository     Bookshop.org     Christianbook

Yours Truly, Thomas

Yours Truly, Thomas by Rachel Fordham

Reading has always been my escape, from the time I was young and read ALL the books in the children’s department (yes, ALL) to now. If you saw last week’s post, you know that I’ve been hit emotionally hard with rejection (in several forms) and then some things outside of the writing world which made me just want to escape, and escape big time. Thankfully, my TBR pile is always near at hand. At the top of my pile was Yours Truly, Thomas.

While technically not part of a series, Yours Truly, Thomas takes place in Azure Springs, the setting of The Hope of Azure Springs, and was as delightful as the first novel by Rachel Fordham. If you are a fan of Hallmark’s Sign, Sealed, and Delivered, then you will definitely want to check out this story as the heroine works in the dead letter office.

Genre: Historical Romance, 1883, Washington D.C. and Azure Springs, IA

Plot Overview: 

For three years, Penny Ercanbeck has been opening other people’s mail. Dead ends are a reality for clerks at the Dead Letter Office. Still she dreams of something more–a bit of intrigue, a taste of romance, or at least a touch less loneliness. When a letter from a brokenhearted man to his one true love falls into her hands, Penny seizes this chance to do something heroic. It becomes her mission to place this lost letter into the hands of its intended recipient.

Thomas left his former life with no intention of ending up in Azure Springs, Iowa. He certainly didn’t expect a happy ending after what he had done. All he wanted to do was run and never look back. In a moment of desperation, he began to write, never really expecting a reply.

When Penny’s undertaking leads her to the intriguing man who touched her soul with his words, everything grows more complicated. She wants to find the rightful owner of the letter and yet she finds herself caring–perhaps too much–for the one who wrote it.

What I loved: The concept of the story is one that has been done before, but the actual story was unique and enjoyable. It took you through all the emotions, and had a touch of danger to add a thrill to the read.

Favorite Character: Penny makes me smile. She tries to think things through, but also takes leaps without real clarity on where she will land. She is an emotional mess in some ways (which I can totally relate to right now), but had a deep compassion and love for strangers.

Who would like this: Fans of Hallmark’s Sign, Sealed, and Delivered, those who love stories where letters play a key role, sweet romance, and stories of leaps of faith.

Rating and Why: I gave this a four-star rating because I enjoyed the story and would recommend it to others.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author/publisher. The review above was influenced in no way by this and the above opinions are my own.

Purchase Links:

Amazon Barnes and Noble Christianbook.com Target Walmart

About Rachel Fordham

A bookworm turned storyteller that loves all things historical but needs an editor for all things technical. A family first, love your life, laugh as you go kind of girl.

Connect with her on her website, Facebook, GoodReads, or BookBub.

Author Interview: Rachel Fordham

Today I’d like to introduce you to Rachel Fordham, author of The Hope of Azure Springs and soon-to-be released, Yours Truly Thomas. You can read the review of her first book by clicking the link above. I had the blessing of meeting Rachel at the national ACFW conference last September, and I just love her heart.

Rachel Fordham is the author of The Hope of Azure Springs. She started writing when her children began begging her for stories at night. She’d pull a book from the shelf, but they’d insist she make one up. Finally, she paired her love of good stories with her love of writing and hasn’t stopped since. She lives with her husband and children on an island in the state of Washington.

You can connect with her on Facebook or at her website rachelfordham.com

Crystal: Thank you so much for joining me today, Rachel. First up are my Fast Five!

FastFive

Sweet or Unsweet Tea?

Rachel: I’m a water girl. My husband doesn’t get it because he likes flavor but for me water is the most satisfying drink.

Crystal: I getcha! Water is my go-to drink. That and hot tea. 🙂

Beach Vacation or Mountain Getaway?

Rachel: That’s a tough one. I live near water and mountains. I think I’d go to a tropical beach since our beaches are usually cold.

Crystal: Sounds like you have the best of both worlds. Although a tropical beach getaway sounds nice.

Homebody or Love to Travel?

Rachel: Can I say half and half? I need a good vacation or two each year but usually I’m so content being at home having as free a calendar as possible.

Crystal: I think that is a perfect balance. Family vacations are their own version of stressful. 😉

Morning Person or Night Owl?

Rachel:  I do most of my writing at night but somehow still am up by 6:30 every morning. I have a houseful of kids so I don’t get the luxury of running on my own schedule.

Crystal: Bless you! To do both all the time wears me out.

Bookmark or Dog-ear Pages?

Rachel:  No Dog-ears but I’m guilty of using non bookmarks as bookmarks. Whatever is round gets stuck in the book.

Crystal: Yep! Anything from receipts, to pens, to whatever the last thing a child handed me.

Writing & Life

What do you like to do when you aren’t reading or writing?

Rachel: I have six kids and we foster so sometimes we have seven. I spend a lot of time at sporting events and church activities for my kids. As a family we love playing board games, going to the beach or working on our yard. We also love taking road trips together.

Crystal: I love that! Family is so important. It sounds like you have the right balance to life.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

Rachel: I always loved reading and I like to say I went to school for reading, but I didn’t think someone as ordinary as me could be a writer. It wasn’t until my fifth baby was six months old that I started writing. I was telling my husband I needed a creative outlet and he said, “You read so much why not write a book.” I wrote a draft of my first manuscript (still unpublished), then wrote another that became The Hope of Azure Springs. A friend suggested I try getting an agent…what could it hurt. So quietly without anyone knowing I wrote a query letter and sent it off the next day. My publishing story just kind of took off after that.

Crystal: I love the quiet stories where God works. He knows exactly what we need and when we need it. After five babies a creative outlet besides kids games is definitely a necessity.

What is your favorite Bible Verse?

Rachel: That’s so hard to choose. It seems to depend on what’s happening in my life. I fell in love with Joshua 1:9 a couple years ago when we were going through some medical issues with one of my sons. “Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.”

Crystal: What a great verse to cling to during those very difficult times!

I am so excited about this newest story from you. For our readers, here is the blurb for Yours Truly, Thomas.

For three years, Penny Ercanbeck has been opening other people’s mail. Dead ends are a reality for clerks at the Dead Letter Office. Still she dreams of something more–a bit of intrigue, a taste of romance, or at least a touch less loneliness. When a letter from a brokenhearted man to his one true love falls into her hands, Penny seizes this chance to do something heroic. It becomes her mission to place this lost letter into the hands of its intended recipient.

Thomas left his former life with no intention of ending up in Azure Springs, Iowa. He certainly didn’t expect a happy ending after what he had done. All he wanted to do was run and never look back. In a moment of desperation, he began to write, never really expecting a reply.

When Penny’s undertaking leads her to the intriguing man who touched her soul with his words, everything grows more complicated. She wants to find the rightful owner of the letter and yet she finds herself caring–perhaps too much–for the one who wrote it.

Questions about Yours Truly, Thomas

Who was the most challenging character to write? What made them so challenging?

Rachel:  Eliza Howell is a secondary character in Yours Truly, Thomas. She has a lot going on in her life but doesn’t get a ton of page time so trying to give readers a real sense of her was a struggle. I wanted them to sympathize with her and root for her without having her storyline take over. It was tricky but in the end I think it came together.

Crystal: Personally, I’m hoping to learn more about her possibly in another book. 😉 I’m intrigued and I haven’t even read Yours Truly, Thomas, yet.

Which character was the most fun to create? What make them fun?

Rachel:  Margaret Anders runs a boarding house in Azure Springs and is a dominant secondary character. I LOVE writing her because she’s full of wisdom but delivers her speeches in quirky ways. It’s fun pretending like I have a lot of answers!

Crystal: Quirky characters are the best!

What was your favorite research you came across while preparing for Yours Truly, Thomas?

Rachel: Researching the dead letter office was so much fun! I had a really hard time not including more details and trivia about the office. I loved reading about the random things that came through the mail, the skills the employees possessed to be able to redirect so much mail (can you imagine all that research with no internet) and I loved reading tidbits about the real life employees.

Crystal: I’m intrigued about this section of the post office. I didn’t really know it existed until Hallmark channel put out Signed, Sealed, and Delivered. I can’t wait to learn more through your story

Does writing exhaust you or energize you?

Rachel: Depends on the stage I’m in. Writing rough drafts gives me an adrenaline rush. I get totally immersed in in it and want to get to the finish line. The first rounds of edits are usually really fun. I love polishing up the rough draft. After that it wears me out and I have to force myself to go back to it. My mind starts to wander because it’s so familiar with the story and I get anxious to just be done with it. I’m not a perfectionist by nature so that final push can be hard!

Crystal: I’m just now learning how exhausting editing a manuscript you have read so many times can be. I feel you!

Fun, Zaney Question of the Day

As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot? Why?

Rachel: Hmmmm…. My high school mascot was a high climber (the logger that tops the tree). Some people thought it was real, but I loved that it captured a piece of the community’s story. I think if I were to pick a mascot it would have to be relevant too, rather than just fun. So, I’m going to go with…a night owl.

Crystal: LOL! I love that. We have several owls around our house and they are a “hoot!” Yeah, I just did that. Forgive my corny puns. LOL

Readers, if you want to check out Rachel’s book, visit one of these retailers. (Personally, Christianbook is my favorite, but the OCD in me won’t let me put the retailers out of alphabetical order. But check them out! And no, I’m not paid or encouraged to suggest them. I just really to love the site.)

Amazon Barnes & Noble Christianbook.com

The Hope of Azure Springs by Rachel Fordham

The Hope of Azure Springs

By Rachel Fordham

Life is a never-ending cycle of run here and wait, run there and wait, etc. At least that is what it is for me. So during the running the waiting I read this book and darn Ms. Fordham’s hide, I was in the doctor’s office waiting room when I reached an emotional section and had strangers stare at me because I was crying.

This is definitely an enjoyable read with many ups and downs. The heroine and hero are delightful, and the secondary characters ones you want to call family, too.

Genre: Historical Romance, Azure Spring, IA 1881

Plot Overview:

Seven years ago, orphaned and alone, Em finally arrived at a new home in Iowa after riding the orphan train. But secrets from her past haunt her, and her new life in the Western wilderness is a rough one. When her guardian is shot and killed, Em, now nineteen, finally has the chance to search for her long-lost sister, but she won’t be able to do it alone.

For Azure Springs Sheriff Caleb Reynolds, securing justice for the waifish and injured Em is just part of his job. He’s determined to solve every case put before him in order to impress his parents and make a name for himself. Caleb expects to succeed. What he doesn’t expect is the hold this strange young woman will have on his heart.

What I loved: I love the sweet friendship that develops into romance between the strong, yet self-conscious heroine, and the sheriff hero. I may or may not have a weak spot for lawmen. 😉

Favorite Character and Why: Sheriff Caleb is definitely a favorite. You have the strong, action-oriented side common of lawmen heroes, but also a softer side that goes deeper than just being kind to others.

Who would like this? Anyone who loves sweet romances with a touch of danger, small town romances, or ties to orphan trains.

Rating and Why: Four stars. I enjoyed the story and would definitely read it again–preferably in one sitting. It was unique and had some twists I hadn’t expected.

*I received a copy of this book from a contest. The above opinions are my own and are in no way influenced.*

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon Barnes and Noble Christianbook.com

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