HOME TO CURRAHEE - Beverly Vernado - One Free Book

Welcome, Beverly. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

My friend and author, Terry Kay, who has had several of his books made into movies for Hallmark, suggests that we do not write to tell a story but to discover a story. The stories I usually discover have Southern settings and historical threads, which interest me, and I hope interest my readers.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

My children’s births are right up there at the top. I’ll never forget the nurse handing me the babies for the first time. Such precious faces, such joy!

How has being published changed your life?

Having books in print has amped up the time I spend marketing. I was already investing toward that end, but now, I’m intentional about my marketing efforts.

What are you reading right now?

I just finished reading a novel I missed when it first came out, Elizabeth Musser’s, Words Unspoken. I first met Elizabeth at the ACFW conference in Minneapolis several years ago after I’d read Swan House. I fell in love with her and her writing. I’m now reading Charles Martin’s Unwritten.

What is your current work in progress?

I’m working on a screenplay from which I will also write a novel. The title has been with me a long time, and the story is a coming of age tale about the search for beauty amidst tragedy. It’s still cooking, but that’s what I know so far.

What would be your dream vacation?

I love history, so visiting places with a story always appeals to me. For example, I’d love to visit Charleston, South Carolina and walk up every street with a guide who could tell me each house’s back-story.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Again, I write stories with some historical context, so that component usually dictates where the books will be set.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

A challenging question, but if I were to choose someone related to writing, it would be Jan Karon. She has always been a mentor to me through her writing, and we have corresponded briefly. I have a note of encouragement from her hanging over my desk. I admire her for her perseverance, and I love her writing, which meant so much to me during a particularly difficult time in my life.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

For most of my life, I’ve been a church musician. Though not involved every Sunday, now, I continue to enjoy singing with a Symphony Chorus and spending time at the piano. I have an art degree and still dabble in watercolors.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

I’m never at a loss for story ideas, so at times, my biggest challenge is narrowing down the story possibilities. Once I’ve done so, I have to resist the urge to second guess, go back, and pick up another option.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

I have a writer’s group I started a few years ago, and based on my own experience as well as the experience of others, it’s going to take longer than you think to reach your goals. That’s why it’s important to know why you’re writing and to review those reasons often. We can’t survive on moments of inspiration. We need to be disciplined in our writing endeavors to build a body of work.

Tell us about the featured book.

All June Callaway wants is a simpler life and healing from a tragedy when she moves from Atlanta to the charming town of Toccoa near historic Currahee Mountain. However, her discovery of a mystery-laden treasure with a World War II connection makes her life even more complicated and threatens to waken a fear that would take her back down a road of heartache and grief. Colorful town characters help her along and the mountain itself bestows an unimaginable gift on her, but will she be able to push past her fear and solve the mystery in time? Can she, as the stranger suggested, “do it afraid”?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Jump

“I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory . . . . Let us beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.” ~General Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969)

Somewhere over the English Channel

June 6, 1944

C-47 engines roared in Silas Braham’s head—still he nodded. He tried to keep himself alert, mentally reviewing the jump procedure, though he should be able to do this jump in his sleep, having practiced it so many times.

His buddy, Les, punched him on the shoulder. “Hey, Silas, you gettin’ sleepy?”

“Yeah, must be those new motion sickness pills we took.” Imagine taking a pill to keep you from throwing up.

“That’s what I was thinkin’.” Les gave him a grin that betrayed the seriousness of the mission.

“You know, this ain’t no practice. It’s the real thing.”

“The real thing,” Silas mumbled rubbing his sweaty palms on his legs.

He and the men in the seats around him hated the relentless exercises back at Currahee, which included three-mile runs up the mountain. Now he was thinking they weren’t such a bad idea. In spite of the training, his confidence wavered, and he wrestled with icy fear. Before them were variables for which no amount of drills could really prepare them. Somehow, he had already outlived his feelings of indestructibility.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I have blogged for several years at One Ringing Bell (http://bev-oneringingbell.blogspot.com) where you will find “peals of words on faith, living, and writing.” You may also visit me on my website, www.BeverlyVarnado.com or my Facebook author page at https://www.facebook.com/BeverlyVarnadoAuthor .

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

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.

Home to Currahee - paperback
Home to Currahee: When her tragic past intersects with a hero's mysterious legacy, what she does next can change everything - Kindle

Christian Book Store

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