You all really know how to make a blog book party fun. Thank you so much for showing up and for all the great questions you’re asking. I picked three to answer on tonight’s post. If you’ve already read them in the comments, you already know my answers. But maybe some of you waited to see some of the answers here.
I’m thinking you’re wondering about the picture of the deer. Well, I’m sure you’ve heard people say somebody looks like a deer caught in the headlights. That’s because they might look shocked or surprised about a question or comment or like they have no idea of the answer to a question or what they should say.
None of your questions caught me too off guard. They were great questions. I have enough good stuff for three or four posts if I want to use them. Your questions had me thinking and it’s good that some of you asked me easy ones. Like Lisa asking how old is Marley. So here’s a bonus answer to add to the three promised answers.
Marley was 11 years old the end of May. He has lost his hearing and has arthritis in his legs, but he’s still game and goes along with Frankie and me when we walk. I would leave him in the yard but he looks so sad if I leave him behind. So far he’s been able to make the walk although he will cut corners and not go the whole way if I’m going a usual walk where he knows I’ll be back at the gate soon.
On to some questions about my writing.
Lavon asks, “What book did you have the most fun researching, and which book was the hardest to research?”
Lisa’s question has me thinking. Or two questions. The more questions the better. I told you I like the Q&A time best. Let’s see. The book I had the most fun researching. Hmm. I might have several of those. I had fun thinking back to the Sixties and what my little town and church were like then which was my research for my book Scent of Lilacs. I had fun taking a walk with friends to Salt River to get the setting right for my book, When the Meadow Blooms, and then I also got to pay more attention to blooming meadows. I really enjoyed learning about showboats for my newest book, In the Shadow of the River. And of course, remembering all the stories my mother and her sisters told about growing up during the Great Depression was great research fot Angel Sister. Then I could go way back in my writing life and remember researching my first historical romance, A Forbidden Yearning, when I followed that traveling church from Spotsylvania, Virginia across the Wilderness Trail to Kentucky. That was when history first came to life for me.
Now the ones that were hardest. That might be Words Spoken True. The history in that story is so dramatic and the truth of the happenings in Louisville on that election day in 1855 that became known as “Bloody Monday” were hard to think about at times. Also I had to try to find out about newspapers and how all that worked in that era. Sometimes I felt like I was punching in the dark. I feel that a little whenever I’m writing about things I don’t really know that much about but need to figure out. Like midwives delivering babies in the Frontier Nurses stories. Like riding horses. Like showboats on a river. There are always things to research.
Here I saw this old car parked on the street in Charleston, SC, and had to take a picture. Who knows? I might need to put it in a story someday.
Dana asks, “Are your characters inspired by people?”
I suppose all characters are inspired by people. Every person a writer has ever met or read about or seen in a movie or on television takes up residence in a way inside the writer’s head. Then when we are ready to start a story and begin pulling people out of our imagination to bring that story to life, we might borrow a little from this or that person we’ve known. I don’t think that’s exactly what Dana is asking. She’s asking, I think, if I’ve ever dropped a person I’ve known down into my story. And I have in a fictional way. The Merritt sisters in my story, Angel Sister, were based on my mother and her sisters. Well, at least their personalties were and some of their character. Then Old Dan in my kids’ story, Freak of the Week, was inspired by one of my father’s friends. So, I guess some of my characters are inspired by people I’ve known.
Pamela asks, “What or who inspired you to write the Hollyhill books?”
I often share the answer to this questions when I’m giving a book talk, but I’m not sure I did last Saturday. So many stories to tell. LOL.
After publishing thirteen books for adults and young adults, I wrote several books that didn’t find a publishing home. To say I was discouraged would be an understatement. I decided to stop worrying about what was or wasn’t selling and simply write the book I wanted to write. Also, a writer often hears the advice to write what you know. So what I knew was small town life and country churches. I decided to set my story in a town like the one near the farm where I grew up. Then I brought in a girl something like me with a love of reading and writing although Jocie wrote articles for her father’s newspaper while I scribbled stories in notebooks that I hid away in my desk drawers. I didn’t have a preacher dad. My dad rarely went to church. But I have been attending a small country church since I married and have known many of the preachers there who were bi-vocational preachers. I traveled back in time to the Sixties and set off on my story road with no idea whether what I was writing would end up on my rejection shelf or find its way out to readers. I was blessed that the story found a loving editor and became my first of many books published by Revell Books. I have no doubt that the Lord heard my prayer for that story, that book, and guided my finished manuscript to the perfect editor for it. For one thing, lilacs were her favorite flower. That made her decide to read my story. So perhaps desperation inspired the story or maybe only the love of sharing a story that had bits of my own memories of growing up in a small town.
Love all yoru questions. Ask some more if you think of something else you’d like to know. I’m loving all the questions. If you don’t have another question to get an additional entry in the giveaway, tell me which of my books you read first or liked best. One person will win their choice of one of my books. I’ll pick the winner Sunday and send that person an email.
Do you have another question? Or which of my books have you liked best or think you might like best if you haven’t read any of my books yet?
Comments 19
The first book i read of your was Angel Sister. The book I like best of yours is Appalachian Summer. I’m hoping to read Healing Hills. Thanks for writing your books and having your giveaways. Hopefully I will win, one of your giveaways.
Author
The odds of winning are always much better here on my blog giveaways than for my newsletter giveaways, Jolynn. I love giving books to my reading reading friends here.
Thank you for reading Angel Sister. That is a book of my heart because of my mom’s memories spun into the background. Plus it was fun following the characters on through a couple more stories. Since you liked An Appalachian Summer, you will probably like These Healing Hills when you get the chance to read it.
Hi Ann,
I love all your Shaker novels and would love for you to write more ! 🙂 I also have ‘These Healing Hills’ and enjoyed that too.
Author
That’s great, Linda. I’m a little surprised that a Shaker book wasn’t mentioned by more of those who have commented. The Shaker novels were different to write. I tried to stay within their history and bring my Shaker village to life even though my main characters never embraced the Shaker way. And it was never easy to sneak romance into those stories considering the Shaker’s belief in all living as brothers and sisters with no romantic feelings allowed.
I’m so glad you enjoyed my Frontier Nursing story too. It was great delving into that history and bringing my nurse midwife to life in the story.
The Angel Sister series! I agree, it’s time for a sequel!
Author
I’m getting several votes for that Rosey Corner sequel, Karen. That would be super fun. Maybe someday. If only I could write faster. Maybe if I didn’t write so many blog posts I could write more books, but I do enjoy talking with all of you here.
I think the first book I read of yours was maybe The Outsider..
Author
My first Shaker book. That’s interesting, Lisa. It was my third book published in the inspirational market after the Hollyhill stories. I’m pretty sure you went back and read those too. I’m thankful to have you as a reader and friend and appreciate the times you’ve shown up at my events. Always so nice to see you and April and Emma.
I can’t remember if I read River to Redemption or Angel Sister first. I got them both around the same time, but Angel Sister made we want to read the next books in the series and started me on the path to reading more and more of your books. My husband jokes that he will have to build me a shelf just for your books because I have collected quite a few and my bookshelves are pretty full. I got rid of a few other books (by other authors) at yard sale in the spring so that gave me room for the two Shaker books my husband got me for my birthday and also for In the Shadow of the River. I can’t decide my favorite of your books because all that have read have been so good and in different ways. I am still waiting for you to hopefully give us another story set in Rosey Corners. I love that series and the characters you created feel like friends that I want to visit again and again and know more about their futures.
Author
That’s so fun, Hope. I love that you have a shelf for my books. That has me smiling. And no doubt, you need extra shelves anyway. I know I do for my books. Maybe a whole extra room. I love books. I very much appreciate readers like you who are okay with me heading out on different types of story roads with my characters. I even wrote a dedication to you readers in Words Spoken True and thanked you for going with me to Hollyhill and then to my Shaker village of Harmony Hill and then to Rosey Corner and fainlly to Louisville for my Words Spoken True story. Now I could add Hidden Springs and the Appalachian Mountains with the Frontier Nurses and the packhorse librarian trails. I can add on Meadowland and the river showboat now. You all are the best.
I’m so glad you liked my Merritt sisters and feel as though they are friends. I certainly feel that way about them and I would love to go back to Rosey Corner for another story. Maybe two. 🙂
Of all of your books I’ve read, the Angel Sister series is still my very favorite! I love stories set in the WW ll era. That whole series brought me “warm fuzzies”. It’s one I’ll read over and over again! I’m even hoping for a sequel! (Hint, hint.)
Author
Those Rosey Corner sisters and their stories are favorites of mine too. I’m so glad you liked getting to know the Merritts and friends, Judi. I would like to write one more Rosey Corner book with the story centering about Lorena. Who knows? Maybe someday I’ll get that story written.
The first book I read of yours was River to Redemption. That one along with An Appalachian Summer and In the Shadow of the River are my favorites. Too hard to choose!
Author
Interesting, Dana. Lavon just said that was the first of my books she read too. I loved imagining how Louis might have been as I was writing that story. I’m glad you have some other favorites too. For some reason, I’m always a little surprised when readers mention An Appalachian Summer as a favorite and don’t mention the other Frontier Nurse story, These Healing Hills. But you had to like Piper and Jamie was a great guy too. So glad you liked In the Shadow of the River too. Thank you for reading my stories.
The first book I read is also my favorite; River To Redemption. That story just touched my heart. And then I found out Louis was a real person. I left a comment on Goodreads after reading it, and got a nice reply from you. So I checked out some more of your books and read through them all. Jocie is one of my favorite characters because she’s so much like myself growing up in a small town. We have a lot in common.
So, thank you for introducing yourself to me through Goodreads! It’s always nice when readers find other books by a great author; but it’s even better when we get to know you through book parties and personal replies.
Author
I’m surprised that River to Redemption was the first of my books you read, Lavon. I thought we’d been talking here and other places before that book came out. But I’m glad you liked that story. It was inspiring for me to read about Louis and then try to make him come to life in my story. Glad you like Jocie too. She needs to write a new post for her blog. Maybe I’ll get her busy next week. I had the growing up in or near a small town in commone with Jocie too. And with you. So glad to have you as a reader and friend.
I think you’re right Ann. After thinking about it I realized River To Redemption wasn’t the first book I read. But it was the first one you signed for me. I think the first one might have been These Healing Hills. Maybe. Regardless, I went on a reading spree of your books that summer and met you at the Kentucky Book Fair in 2017. (That was the year I finally got to go to the book fair, hoping to meet Sue Grafton…but sadly she wasn’t able to be there. We all learned a few weeks later that she lost her battle with cancer.) But…I met you and Angela Correll that day! And you autographed a copy of Angel Sister for my granddaughter. Good memories! Hopefully I can make it to the Book Fair this year.
The first book of yours that I read was Angel Sister, then Small Town Girl and Love Comes Home. After that I read the eight books in the Shaker Books. And then the Hidden Springs Mysteries. Love your books and am hoping to get more soon. At the top of that list is Along a Storied Trail
Author
Great, Ann. I always smile when someone says they read my Rosey Corner books, especially Angel Sister. You didn’t say whether you’d read them or not, but if you haven’t read my Hollyhill stories, you might like those too since they are family stories something like the Rosey Corner books. Very different stories but strong on family connections. The first one is Scent of Lilacs.
I do hope you’ll like Along a Storied Trail when you get the chance to read it. It was such a fun story to write, especially when I got to be in Perdita Sweet’s viewpoint. 🙂 If you are the winner of this giveaway, you can pick that book.