BEYOND THE PAST - Jo Huddleston - One Free Book

Welcome, Jo. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

Many characters are a mixture of people we’ve met or observed. So I suppose there is a little bit of me scattered around among the characters.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I was raised as an only child and did what was expected of me. I don’t think I ever did anything quirky.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

Since college I’ve known a deep-seated desire to write but not until the children were out of the house did I write for publication. So when Mature Living published my first article, I had validation that I had made it as a writer.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

Chick lit, cozy mysteries, suspense, and historical romance, which I write.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

Our younger generations have what we call a microwave mentality—they want instant gratification. So they’re always in a hurry. I’m not. I’m sure with maturity one tends to recognize the community around them and also the peace that Jesus promised he would leave us.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

When I choose characters’ names I consider their environment, the time frame of the book, and the other members of their family. I wouldn’t put a Beauregard, Jr. in a story about rural living, but I suppose he would be okay in New York City.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I expect most would claim their family as the accomplishment that they would be most proud of. Other than the expected, I am most proud of becoming a member of the Literary Hall of Fame at my alma mater, Lincoln Memorial University (TN).

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

A golden eagle. I would love to glide above the fields and seas, have their keen eyesight, and other birds would not pick on me.

What is your favorite food?

My favorite food is pizza.

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

I am a seat-of-the-pants writer. I never outline. I do write a loosely constructed synopsis. I’ve never had writer’s block until writing the third and final book in the Caney Creek Series. How did I overcome it? I’d never done it before but I finally got 3x5 cards and jotted down each scene I had already written. I got away from the computer, read the cards, and prayed. In the two hours away from the computer I became ready to hit the keyboard again and the words flowed through my fingers, like they’ve always done whenever I write.

Tell us about the featured book.

The Caney Creek Series is set in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of East Tennessee. The series follows the Callaway family through all three books. Live their triumphs, sorrows, achievements, and losses. Walk along with them as they meet faith challenges and fight to regain a rightful place in God's plan.

Beyond the Past is book 2 in the series.

Emmajean Callaway’s life in Atlanta plummets from bad to worse. Can big brother, Jim, lead her back to the family who loves her and also hold the imploding Callaway family together?

Jim Callaway looks forward to 1951 and the chance to forge a relationship with

Caroline after twenty years apart. He’s sidetracked when his sister and his best friend need his help. His baby sister, Emmajean, skids into jail on drug charges in Atlanta. The ordeal of incarceration and trial diminishes her and she needs rescuing, not only physically but spiritually. She struggles toward recovery and restoration with her lawyer’s help as he champions her inside and outside the courtroom. Jim’s nephew Art is one step ahead of the truant officer, wrecks his car, and officials suspect alcohol is involved. Art awaits his fate at the hands of the juvenile court judge. Jim and Caroline continue their bumpy journey as they seek realization of their dreams, wondering if they really can overcome obstacles to their being together after so many years.

Please give us the first page of the book.

January 1, 1951

Atlanta, Georgia

Emmajean bolted upright in bed, her heart hammering against her chest, and eyes searching the darkness. What had awakened her? She glanced at the clock. Two o’clock in the morning. She’d only been in bed a scant thirty minutes. She had worked with Barry till after the New Year’s Eve celebrations settled down.

She eased aside the shade at her bedside window that overlooked the street to see what awoke her. Three cars parked beneath the streetlight and four men huddled on the sidewalk. Two of the cars were police cars; one was not. Two of the men wore uniforms, the other two had on suits. They approached the house and hurried to get up the steps to the front porch.

When they knocked on the door, Emmajean scrambled from her tangled covers, searching for her house slippers. She jerked her housecoat from across the foot of the bed and pushed her arms into it. As she cinched the belt around her waist, she stepped across the room and opened her bedroom door. At the same moment, Barry opened his bedroom door directly across the living room from hers, buckling the belt in his pants. When he 

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is http://www.johuddleston.com/p/home.html

My blog is http://www.johuddleston.com

My facebook is: https://www.facebook.com/jo.huddleston.hope?ref=tn_tnmn

My shoutlife is: http://shoutlife.com/profile_view.cfm?uid=134777

You may purchase signed copies of Beyond the Past in the left sidebar at my website and also purchase paperback copies at my publisher’s website http://www.donaldjamesparker.com/sOSProducts.aspx.

Paperback and eBook copies are available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Thank you, Jo, for sharing this new book with us.

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