A HOPEFUL HEART - Kim Vogel Sawyer - Free Book

Welcome back, Kim. I've been hearing lots of good things about the new book. How did you come up with the idea for this story?

In August of 2008, my parents, husband, and I went on an Alaska cruise to celebrate my folks' 50th anniversary. While on the cruise ship, we met a woman who, upon learning we were from Kansas, said she'd spent a summer in Kansas at a herdsman school. She'd married a rancher, but he didn't have time to teach her ranching skills, so he sent her to herdsman school. I'd never heard of such a thing as a herdsman school, so the brief exchange stayed with me. Weeks later, I shared this tidbit with a group of writers, and one of them laughingly said it would be fun to use that premise in a mail-order brides type story--bring inept women from the east to learn ranching skills and then match them with western men. I love the idea!

You know I love mail-order bride stories. If you were planning a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would you invite and why?

Hm, I mostly read historical, but there are a handful of contemporary writers I admire for various reasons. I would invite Deborah Raney, Deborah Vogts, Brandilyn Collins, and Amy Wallace because they're women I enjoy spending time with but don't get the privilege often enough; and I would invite Angela Hunt and Jamie Langston Turner because their writing blows me away and I'd love to learn from them.

Now let’s do that for a party for Christian authors of historical fiction, what six people would you invite and why?

Oh, wow, limiting the guest list to 6 would be really tough... But I suppose I'd say Tracie Peterson so I could pick her brain--she's amazing brainstorming partner; Judy Miller--not only is she a great idea-generator; but she's downright funny, Miralee Ferrell--I love her giving heart and always enjoy time in her presence; Tamera Alexander--she's one of the sweetest ladies I know and she makes me smile; Lynn Austin--I'd like some of her amazing writing ability to rub off on me; and Lauraine Snelling, because I don't know her nearly as well as I'd like to.

Many times, people (and other authors) think you have it made with so many books published. What is your most difficult problem with writing at this time in your career?

I am so blessed right now to be writing for two different markets--adult historical and young adult contemporary Mennonite-themed fiction. I love both, and I hope to be able to continue with both, but it is a real challenge to bounce from a modern day high school to an Athabascan Indian village in 1898 without getting whiplash!

Tell us about the featured book.

A Hopeful Heart tells the story of a young woman convinced she can have only a second-best life. But overcoming the challenges of a new faith and the hardships of life on the frontier may just prove that, for her, the very best is yet to come. The publisher's description follows:
Can she turn her second-best chance into a golden opportunity?

Dowryless and desperate, Tressa Neill applies to the inaugural class of Wyatt Herdsman School in Barnett, Kansas. The school's one-of-a-kind program teaches young women from the East the skills needed to become a rancher--or the wife of one. But will Tressa have what it takes to survive Hattie Wyatt's hands-on instruction in skills such as milking a cow, branding a calf, and cooking up a mess of grub for hungry ranch hands?

Abel Samms wants nothing to do with the passel of potential brides his neighbor brought to town. He was smitten with an eastern girl once--and he got his heart broken. But there's something about quiet Tressa and her bumbling ways that makes him take notice. When trouble strikes, will Abel risk his life--and his heart--to help this eastern girl?

Please give us the first page of the book.

The computer where I had the final edited draft saved crashed, and I don't have this. *sigh*

The story sounds intriguing anyway. How can readers find you on the Internet?

Please visit either (or both!) of my websites: www.KimVogelSawyer.com and http://www.katylambrightseries.com/ . I'd also love to see you at the blog I share with five other amazing Christian historical writers, http://www.writespassage.blogspot.com/ .

Thanks for letting me visit with you, Lena!

You are always welcome on my blog, Kim.

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