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Author Interview: Grace Hitchcock + giveaway

Happy Friday, everyone! Cannot believe this is the last day of August … kind of makes me sad. But! I’m so glad to be able to introduce this month’s author interview and book giveaway! My good friend Grace Hitchcock (along with other wonderful author friends) have recently launched a new Southern Belle Brides collection from Barbour!! Grace is also gracious and giving away a signed copy of her latest story!

~ The Southern Belle Brides Collection ~

Miss Beaumont’s Companion by Grace Hitchcock
Baton Rouge, Louisiana—1892
When lady’s companion Aria St. Angelo is coerced into posing as her political employer’s absent daughter for the evening at the Louisiana Governor’s masquerade ball, she wasn’t planning on falling for Byron Roderick, the most eligible bachelor in the capitol.

~ Blurb ~

In the Old South, hospitality is king—and charm is queen! Using grace and gumption, seven determined women face chaotic life challenges on the way to personal peace and lasting love—from the 1850s marriage market to the 1918 flu epidemic. Will each bride eventually discover a safe place to call her own—and a husband to love?

~ Without further ado, the author interview ~

I love the mentions of all the books in your novel. Out of all of them, which one is your favorite and why?

Hi, Tisha, thank you for having me here! It’s so hard to pick, but as a young child, I would watch the BBC’s productions on practically all of the Charles Dickens works and Little Dorrit was one of my favorites. While I’ve never sat down and read that exact work of his, I felt that since I’ve read Dickens and watched Little Dorrit so many times, it would be fun to add it into a story that my heroine liked that book too!

So fun to see your characters enjoying coffee at a local coffee house. I know you prefer tea, so how easy was it to write about your characters enjoying coffee instead of tea? Did it make you cringe?

While I love a good cup (or three) of tea, I have to start my morning off with a steaming cup of café au lait, especially with having a baby. When I wrote those scenes, I usually had my morning cup in hand, but tea is my favorite go to hot beverage for the rest of my writing sessions and reading.

Mister Rodrick wears spectacles and Mildred shows her disdain. Was there a particular view against men wearing spectacles during this time and why would the ladies find this distasteful?

Mildred’s distaste stems more for her love for another man rather than a view point. In my research for the novella, I didn’t find a specific view on spectacles, but I’ve read in quite a few novels where glasses acted as a deterrent for the heroines, so I wanted to write a story where the glasses actually attracted the heroine, Aria, to the hero, Byron.

Why is Byron interested in law work? What drove him to decide that as his career?

Byron’s compassion for people drove him to excel in his law practice to help others and his father thought that it would be an easy transition for his son into the political realm. Byron’s vocation was inspired by my older brother, who is a lawyer and worked a lot of cases in the capitol of Baton Rouge. I had fun calling my brother up several times in the writing of the story to ensure that all of my law scenes/phrases were accurate.

Where did you get your inspiration for Aria marrying above her social class? Dickens or Jane Austen?

Jane Austen! Even though Aria is poor, she hails from a distant noble heritage, similar to Sense and Sensibility’s heroines. I love all of Jane Austen’s works and enjoy reading Austen influenced books. The heroine in my debut novel that releases in March, The White City, will be strongly influenced by Austen’s Northanger Abbey’s heroine.

Thank you so much, Grace, for sharing the day with us! Reading your story from The Southern Belle Brides was an adorable, compelling read. Can’t wait to read the other stories as well!

~ About Grace and How to Keep in Touch ~

Grace Hitchcock is the author of three novellas in The Second Chance Brides, The Southern Belle Brides, and the Thimbles and Threads collections with Barbour Publishing. The White City is her debut novel and releases March 2019 with Barbour Publishing. Grace holds a Masters in Creative Writing and lives in southern Louisiana with her husband, Dakota, and son.

Instagram: @GraceHitchcockBooks
Twitter: @grace_hitchcock
Facebook Page: GraceHitchcockBooks
Website: GraceHitchcock.com

~ The Giveaway and How to Enter ~

Be sure to answer the comment question for a chance to enter the giveaway too!!

Click the link below to go to enter the exclusive Rafflecopter giveaway:

Enter for a Chance to Win a Signed Copy of The Southern Belle Brides Collection

~ If You Don’t Want to Wait or Want to Buy as a Gift ~

Buy Links:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
ChristianBook.com

Enjoy your day!

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Open to Authors: Christmas in July 2018

Christmas in July

I’m doing a huge Christmas in July #giveaway extravaganza, with

  • indie and traditionally published historical/romance book giveaways,
  • What It Was Like During Christmas in WWI and WWII blog posts,
  • and other fun #giveaway prizes.

If you’re an #author and have a clean historical or historical romance book or ebook that you’d like to contribute to this Christmas in July celebration, please

Click here —> Contact Tisha and put “Christmas in July” in the subject line.

**Books will be reviewed and accepted until June 18, 2018. If you contact me after that date, it’s too late.** 

#readers, you won’t want to miss out! Check the blog every Friday in July for great giveaway books, historical blog posts about what Christmas was like during WWI and WWII, and other historical goodies!

Looking forward to the celebration!

Giveaway Details:

  • Will feature up to 8 books on two Fridays in July.

  • No purchase necessary for entrants to win. Not affiliated with Facebook or any social media site. Giveaway is hosted by tishamartin.com.

  • Entrants must be 18 or older and have lower 48-state U.S. address to receive hard copies and prize packs.

  • Entrants must be 18 or older and live outside of the lower 48 U.S. states to receive e-book prizes.

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In a world of fall color: give thanks

Fall is one of my favorite time of the year because it brings comforting things—coffee every day, thick sweaters, warm boots, evening reading with a flickering candle beside, and a season of thankfulness.

What and who are you thankful for? What do you enjoy about the fall season? I’d love to hear your comments!

 

Next month, I’ve got two great post #giveaway for you that you won’t want to miss! #amreading and #amediting … For the authors AND readers in your life! Just in time for the season’s shopping and fall reading!

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Interview with Debut Author Cynthia Roemer + Giveaway

In every person dwells a life-long dream, whether that is singing, acting, or–in Cynthia’s case–getting published. I believe I met Cynthia through one of ACFW’s e-mail courses and we discovered we both wrote about the Midwest from different time periods. How cool is that?

Every author has a journey of how they finally got published. Cynthia’s determination is really inspiring! Like many writers, she’s wanted to write since she was a teen or a student in college. While in college, Cynthia wrote the rough draft of “Under This Same Sky” but didn’t pick it up until 2012, when she was serious about getting published, and completed the rough draft in 2016.

Keep reading to the end because there’s a giveaway on Rafflecopter!

What do you love best about your novel?

It would have to be the message it portrays—that of surrendering to God, despite our circumstances. There are so many hurting people who don’t understand why God allows bad things to happen. While my novel doesn’t attempt to answer that question, it does seek to demonstrate that God is able to work through our hardships to draw us closer to Him.

What was your research path?

While in college, I had to do 300 hours of course-related work. As an English/Creative Writing major, I asked to be allowed to use that time to write and research my novel. Much of my knowledge of the 1800s came during that time of research. I also have visited places like New Salem Historical Site and have interviewed people who are knowledgeable of the time period.

Who or what inspired you to write?

I would have to say Laura Frantz’ book, The Frontiersman’s Daughter, had a huge impact on me wanting to write historical fiction. She has such a fresh, wonderful way of pulling you into her characters.

What’s inspiring to you?

In the spiritual sense, I’m inspired by nature’s beauty, God’s unfailing love, and Christ’s sacrifice. As a person, I’m inspired by people who go against the odds and have the courage to rise above them. Maybe that’s one reason why I write novels. I get to create characters who display honor and determination.

About the Book

Book cover - final

When a tornado strikes Becky Hollister’s farm in the spring of 1854, she must leave the only home she’s ever known, and the man she’s begun to love to accompany her injured father to St. Louis.

Through frequent correspondence with the handsome circuit rider back home, Becky’s heart becomes increasingly knit with his. But when word comes that he is all but engaged to someone else, she must call upon her faith to decipher her future.

Matthew Brody didn’t intend on falling for Becky, but the unexpected relationship, along with the Lord’s gentle nudging, incite him to give up his circuit riding and seek full-time ministry in the town of Miller Creek, with the hope of one day making Becky his bride. But when his old sweetheart comes to town, intent on winning him back—with the entire town pulling for her—Matthew must choose between doing what’s expected and what his heart tells him is right.

bio1

About the Author

Cynthia Roemer is an award winning inspirational author from central Illinois. She holds a B.A. in English from U of I of Springfield, IL, specializing in creative writing. A freelance writer since 1988, she has over 100 short stories and articles printed in various Christian publications. Her love of history and writing culminate in this, her debut novel. Under This Same Sky is the first book in her upcoming Prairie Sky Series. Cynthia writes from her family farm where she resides with her husband, Marvin, and their two college-aged sons.

She can be reached via:

Website:  http://cynthiaroemer.com/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com@cynthiaroemer 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCynthiaRoemer/

Under This Same Sky may be purchased at: https://www.amazon.com/

Now, here’s what you’ve been waiting for!!

Click the link below to enter to win a copy of  “Under This Same Sky.”

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