My good friend, Gail Sattler, is back with a book in the Bloomfield Series. Welcome, Gail. Tell us about your
salvation experience.
I didn’t have a specific experience. I was born and raised
going to church, then fell away when I was about 16. After I got married my
husband and I returned to church, and one day it just clicked.
You’re planning a
writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be
and why?
I can’t answer that for only four, but I did have an
immediate answer. I’d have the other 9 people in my critique group. It’s a
fantastic and diverse group of people writing at different genres and levels –
a group that most people would say shouldn’t work, but it does, both on a
professional and personal level.
Do you have a speaking
ministry? If so, tell us about that.
I don’t have a specific speaking ministry, but I’m feeling
poked to start. I’ve taught a few classes at the ACFW conferences, and I’ve
keynoted for an OCW conference. I’m starting to make enquiries to teach and/or
keynote at other conferences. I’ve got excellent reviews from those, so I feel
led that this is the time for me to move forward with that, much in the same
way I felt led to start writing. And when God speaks, we have to listen. J
What is the most embarrassing
thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it?
I can’t say the most embarrassing, I have a list or could
write a book on that. One year, upon returning from an ACFW conference, I had a
list of 10 very embarrassing things that happened, in the space of 5 days.
Whatever it is I do, the only way I can handle it is to laugh, learn, and move
on. Or maybe, write a book about it.
People are always
telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you,
too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that?
Don’t quit your day job. Writing a book harder than it
looks. The first thing I say is that the easier a book is to read, the harder
it was to write. My advice is to start writing something, then attend a few
classes or workshops and a writing group, and see where it goes.
Tell us about the
featured book.
My featured book just out is the next book in the Bloomfield
Series, called When Pigs And Parrots Fly. The Bloomfield series is being
compared to Mitford, and is about a group of quirky but loveable characters who
all belong to the Bloomfield garden club, but once membership is established,
similarity ends. While they love to garden, gardening is a minor point in the
series – it is more about the foibles and relationships of the growing amount
of members.
It’s always fun reading a series because the characters I’ve
come to know and love keep reappearing, and it’s fun to see what they’re up to
next.
Please give us the
first page of the book.
When Pigs (and Parrots) Fly
by Gail Sattler
CHAPTER 1
“I’m not so
sure of this.” Josh Tavendish ran his fingers down the conglomeration of
colored shapes. “Do you really think it’s going to work?”
Beside him,
Sarah stood reading the now-empty box. He figured that being a veterinarian,
she would be the one who would know what would attract, and keep, a parrot’s
attention.
“It has
to,” she mumbled. “Quite frankly, I don’t know why they’re insisting on this.
Half the children are terrified of Murray .”
Josh nodded.
“Not to mention a lot of adults aren’t too comfortable with him, either. Andy
isn’t sure it’s going to work, but he couldn’t say no. You know how he feels
about expanding the burn unit for the hospital. For that, he’s willing to give
anything a try. If including Murray
in the fundraiser raises more funds, then Andy will do it.” Although, Andy
wasn’t the only one who had doubts if the whole thing was going to work. Not
only did Murray
not have the most friendly disposition, neither did Andy.
A few years
ago Andy, ever the responsible fire chief, had dressed up as Santa for another
hospital fundraiser. Even though he hadn’t been the cheeriest Santa on record,
the event had been a success, and therefore sealed Andy’s fate. For this
season’s hospital fundraiser, the theme was swashbucklers. With Andy’s
disposition, Josh could well imagine Andy as a swarthy pirate.
But Josh
couldn’t imagine Murray ,
Andy’s cranky parrot, behaving himself in a crowd. He especially couldn’t
imagine the bird posing for photographs.
He poked at
the red plastic square and watched it swing. “Do you really think this is going
to make Murray
behave? What’s it supposed to do, hypnotize him?”
Sarah
tapped the blue circle. “They didn’t teach us much about parrots in veterinary
college, but I do know they’re smarter than people think. The most important
thing I learned about parrots is that a bored parrot is an unhappy parrot. Andy
needs to keep Murray
distracted, so this thing just might work.”
Josh turned
his head to look over his shoulder. For the first time since he opened his pet
supply store four years ago, people were waiting in line outside. He wished it
had something to do with the ad he’d taken out in the Bloomfield Gazette, or the small poster he’d put up at Sarah’s
veterinary clinic, but he knew it wasn’t so. Nor did it matter what new pet
toys he had on sale.
The people
outside crowding the sidewalk weren’t coming to check out his new stock.
Like a
twisted Groundhog Day, everyone was here to see how Murray reacted to the new parrot toy.
This was
worse than reality television. And it was happening in his store.
The buzz of
conversation outside increased.
He didn’t
know the last time Bloomfield
had seen so much action. There would be no middle ground for what happened today.
It would either go really good, or really, really bad, and he didn’t have a
good feeling about it.
Gail, I know my readers will love this book. How can they find
you on the Internet?
I can be found at my website at www.gailsattler.com - I also have a blog
there, everyone is invited to leave a comment.
Thank you, for the interesting interview and fun peek into your book.
Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
When Pigs and Parrots Fly
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.
The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Google +, Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com
15 comments:
I'd love to win!
Hannah P
Ca
I love series books with quirky characters - sounds fun
msboatgal at aol.com
Love the title would love to win.
Lourdes Dix Hills New York
Thank you for giving me a chance to win your book. The tittle in itself,is an attention grabber, it sounds like it has quirky, loveable characters.I would love to win it. Good interview. God bless you.
Norma Stanforth from Ohio
Sounds great. Count me in, please.
California
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
What a fabulous read this is going to be. Gail, your personality just shines through in the interview.
Mary P
QLD AUSTRALIA
I love the title of this book.
We have Gail Sattler's books in the Church Library.
I would like to win this one to add to our collection.
Thanks!
Janet E.
von1janet(at)gmail(dot)com
Florida
this sounds like an interesting book love the title.
live in ND
ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com
Sounds like a great read! I'm from NC.
Thanks for the opportunity to get this book.
Lyndie Blevins
Duncanville, Tx 75116
Love the title and the sound of these quirky characters. Thanks!
Julie in MN
I love Gail's books! I'm in MN.
Ms. Sattler,
Now that's my kind of humour all wrapped up in a title and premise! I love the cheeky title that eludes to something a bit eccentric in nature, and I love how their a fellowship of friends who intend to celebrate gardening but apparently get a bit derailed on the way to the plot of grass they tend!? Laughs. Sounds like a perfect pick me up! If I win, I might just have to surprise my Mum with this book, as she could use a good dose of humour right now! :)
Thank you for this bookaway!
inkand-bookaways(at)usa.net
//Florida
What a cute title and cover!!!
I want to win!
Patricia aka Mamaw
Southeast Texas Piney Woods
Gail's book series sounds fun, I'd love to be entered for When Pigs and Parrots Fly. Thanks!
Merry in TX
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