WATERCOLOR DREAMS - Sherry Kyle - One Free Book

Welcome back, Sherry. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

Hi Lena, thank you so much for inviting me to your blog today. Yes, God has been doing powerful things in my writing life, including the release of Watercolor Dreams. I write in three different genres—middle grade, contemporary women’s fiction (with romance and a hint of mystery) and historical romance—and I hope and pray God continues to open (and yes, close) doors so I know exactly what He wants me to write.

I so agree with you on that. Tell us a little about your family.

I have been blessed with a wonderful family! I’m married to my college sweetheart for twenty-six years and have four amazing children ages 15 to 21. (I still can’t believe my oldest is an adult!) He commutes to college, and is studying Human Communications. I love that he still lives at home because he enjoys vacuuming. (Maybe not as much as I love that he vacuums). Our next oldest is a sophomore at a university in southern California. My nineteen-year-old is studying to be a teacher like her dad. It’s her second year away, and I miss her every day! (Hey, that rhymed!) My seventeen-year-old son is a senior at our local high school and can’t wait to graduate! We’re waiting for God to reveal the next step in his life. Please, Lord, tell us soon! He loves to cook, eat, and makes dinner when he doesn’t like what I have planned. (I know his tricks). Our youngest is a sophomore in high school. Her two favorite classes are photography and weight training. She is one artistic, strong girl! There are also two furry creatures in our house—Sophie, our ten-year-old English Labrador, and Bandit, our six-year-old Chihuahua Terrier mix. I’d love to say they are the best of friends, but like most siblings they tolerate each other.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

I find I usually read books in the genres I write, and I read less when I’m writing my own story.

What are you working on right now?

I just completed revising a historical romance I wrote back in 2010, and am putting the finishing touches on a contemporary novel. I also have middle grade fiction in the works.

What outside interests do you have?

I love to take walks along the ocean and decorate my home. We purchased our most recent home a couple of years ago and have since remodeled the kitchen and master bath. I like to look on www.houzz.com for decorating ideas. My most recent one is to add a reclaimed wood accent wall in our family room. Wouldn’t that be amazing?

Yes, it would. How do you choose your settings for each book?

I write novels set in California and so far have stuck close to home. My debut contemporary novel, Delivered with Love, is set in the quaint coastal town of Capitola while The Heart Stone, another contemporary story, is set in Santa Cruz. For Watercolor Dreams, my first historical romance, the setting was decided for me the day I discovered July 9th, my husband and my anniversary date (minus seventy-eight years), is also a special day in the history of Carmel.

Cool. When my first book came out in 1992, my first booksigning was in Carmel. If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?

Jane Austen. Yes, I’m a total romantic and love English accents. J I’d love to share a meal with Jane (yes, we’re on a first name basis) and talk about writing, her books (doesn’t everyone love Emma, Pride and Prejudice, and Sense and Sensibility?), and how to infuse humor into a story.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

Once you start writing novels, you won’t be able to stop! Yes, writing a novel is hard work, but the characters become so real to you that you’ll want to see their story to the end. And when you do type “The End” there will be a mourning period, like you’re saying goodbye to old friends.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

God is teaching me that He’s in charge of my writing, not me, especially now during my book’s release. I have a lot of fears despite the positive reviews. I’m clinging to Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

1. Continue to learn the writing craft. Buy at least one or two new how-to books a year ... and don’t forget to read them. Ha!

2. Go to writing conferences to soak in as much knowledge as you can, and network with other authors and people in the industry.

3. Pray before you write. God will help you put the words on the page … or screen.

Tell us about the featured book.

Watercolor Dreams is a historical romance set in Carmel-by-the-Sea about a female watercolor artist who is given six months to sell her work before her father expects her to return to San Francisco and marry his business partner. What Anna doesn’t count on is falling for the male novelist she sketches into one of her paintings.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, 1910

With each stroke of her paintbrush, Anna Lewis’s heart soared. The watercolor painting of Carmel’s white sandy beach and gently rolling Pacific Ocean would surely give her recognition. The wind blew a lock of hair across her face as she sat on the wood bench next to a cypress tree, her easel before her. She tucked the wispy strand behind her ear, pushed up her leg-o’-mutton sleeves, and dipped her brush into the cerulean blue, adding a few touches to the paper. Horse’s hooves clip-clopped behind her. She glanced over her shoulder. A buggy passed on the narrow street, driving by the quaint bungalows bordering the shoreline.

A man strode up the beach, his hands deep in his trouser pockets and his hat pushed low on his forehead. Anna brought the pointed end of the brush to her mouth and watched him tread near the water’s edge with long, determined steps. She adjusted her wide-brimmed hat and squinted for a better look. From the way the man walked, he must be mulling over something important. He stopped and faced the ocean. The waves crashed against the shore, the water rushing close to his feet. His lone figure added a touch of poignancy to the landscape and beckoned to be part of her painting.

But before she had a chance to paint his form, he turned and walked up the beach toward her. His brows were furrowed and his lips pressed together in a firm line. And yet even with this worried expression, he was a most handsome man.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Readers can find me at these links:

Website: www.sherrykyle.com

Blog: http://www.sherrykyle.com/category/blog/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSherryKyle

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sherrykyle

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/sherrykylebooks/

If we can’t meet in person, I hope to connect in cyberspace!

Blessings!

Sherry

Thank you, Sherry, for sharing this new book with us. I can't wait to read it.

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

Watercolor Dreams - Amazon.com
Watercolor Dreams - Kindle

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