Dear Reeders, we have
a fun interview today. What could be more fun than a year of weddings? That’s
exactly what Zondervan did this year, have a wedding novella per month. Now
those novella’s are coming out in four collections. The first collection is Winter Brides, which released this
month. And we have three of my favorite authors right here today.
Okay, how did this
collection come about?
The team at Zondervan/HarperCollins had the idea and issued
invitations to a dozen authors for the series.
Are these stories
connected in some way?
The stories are connected by the wedding theme––each one has
a wedding that takes place in the month of the title.
How does your story
fit in with the others?
Each story is completely different, and not connected to the
others except by the bridal theme.
Who chose the setting
for this collection?
Each author chose her own setting.
What did you want the
reader to take away from your story?
DENISE: Layla from A
December Bride, is a home stager—she furnishes houses with props prior to
putting them on the market. Just like the “before” version of her houses, Layla
feels deep down as if she’s not quite enough. I hope readers come away with a
fresh sense of their true value.
DEB: The theme of A
January Bride is that true love can happen a second time around, and God
can redeem even the tragedies of life. It sounds like a rather heavy theme, but
actually the story has more humor than any book I’ve ever written. I love how
comedy softens tragedy in a very tender way in this story.
BETSY: A February
Bride has a strong theme of restoration—both literally in the sense of a
car being restored and a wedding dress remade, but also emotionally, in regards
to the heroine’s internal struggle. I hope readers find a piece of their hearts
restored after reading this novella.
Readers want to get
to know the authors they read. Can you tell us three things my readers probably
don’t know about you?
DENISE:
1. I play drums
2. I love to travel the world.
3. I can stand on my tiptoes. Now, there’s a valuable skill.
DEB:
1. Much as I admire beautifully polished nails, I rarely get
a manicure because my hands are always in garden dirt, refinishing furniture,
baking, or typing.
2. I’ve become an orchid collector! My new office has a
southern exposure that has proven to be magic for growing orchids.
3. I play the piano by ear. When I took lessons as a kid, I
lost my ability to play by ear, so I opted out of lessons after 3 years, and
play for my own enjoyment. When our kids were small, the piano served as a
wonderful stress reliever. My kids all knew if Mom was hammering out “Jeremiah
Was a Bullfrog” on the piano, they’d better steer clear!
BETSY:
1. I could eat chips and salsa quite happily ever day of the
year.
2. I know every single word to “Ice Ice Baby” and have
rapped it on stage before.
3. When I was eleven, I was nearly kidnapped in a bookstore.
Those are things even
I never knew about you three. Please give us the first page of your story.
DENISE––A December
Bride
Layla O’Reilly squeezed into a corner of the bustling
kitchen of Cappy’s Pizzeria and leaned into the receiver.
“No, no, no. You cannot cancel on me now. The wedding’s in
five hours. Five hours, Cooper.” She wound the spiral cord around her fist, a
sweat breaking out on her forehead.
“Layla, I—”
“Don’t even tell me you have to work. I asked you over a
month ago. You said you got the night off.”
“If you’d just let me talk. I have strep, Layla. I’m
contagious. I have to be on an antibiotic for at least twenty-four hours
before—”
“I’ll risk it.” She didn’t care if he had malaria. She was
going to this wedding, and she was going with a date. Nothing said See, I’ve moved on like an attractive
man draped on your arm.
“I feel like trash. I have a 102-degree fever and barbed
wire in my throat.”
Layla took a deep breath, the familiar aromas of garlic and
oregano filling her nose. She couldn’t believe this was happening. “Now that
you mention it, you don’t sound so good.”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I know tonight’s a big deal.”
She closed her eyes. “It’s not your fault. The strep or the
wedding.” She banged the receiver against her temple once, twice, three times.
“I’ll bring you chicken soup tomorrow.”
DEB––A January Bride
Glancing at the chaos around her, Madeleine Houser set her
coffee mug on the dining room table and shoved another packing carton out of
her path. It didn’t budge. She bent over and attempted to read the smudged label.
Kitchen—good china. Oh. Good thing she’d resisted the temptation to kick the
box.
Maddie looked into the kitchen where cupboards gaped open,
hinges naked. The cabinet doors were lined up against the wall in the empty
breakfast nook. Even after four days, the smell of wet enamel stung her
nostrils. The flooring couldn’t be laid until the electrician fixed the mess
he’d made of the wiring. And she didn’t dare put her china in the cupboards
until all that was finished.
What had her sister gotten her into? Kate’s husband had been
transferred to Ohio , but with their mother in
the nursing home here in Clayton, Kate had begged her to leave her beloved New York loft and move
into Kate and Jed’s house on Harper
Street while it was being refurbished to sell. “You
can write anywhere, Maddie,” Kate had pled in her best big-sister voice.
“Besides, you can sublet the loft, and just think what you’ll save on the
rent.”
So here she was in Clayton ,
Kansas —the middle of
nowhere—proving quite soundly that one could not write just anywhere.
Lugging the carton of china out of the way, she wove her way
through the maze of boxes and poured another cup of coffee. She blew a long
strand of dishwater-blond hair out of her eyes and slid into a dining room
chair. In the midst of the piles of books and boxes and unsorted mail strewn
across the table, her laptop computer glared accusingly at her.
BETSY––A February
Bride
Allie Andrews couldn’t breathe, and it had nothing to do
with the yards of tulle wrapped around her waist. Or the fact that the air
conditioner in the crowded small-town, southern church was on the fritz again,
resulting in the sporadic waving of wedding programs in front of flushed faces
she’d seen when she peeked through the sanctuary window ten minutes earlier.
No, her lack of breath had everything to do with the ticking clock. The literal
one on the wall and the figurative one thumping an unsteady rhythm in her
heart.
Married.
A bead of sweat trickled between her shoulder blades, sure
to dampen the silky ivory fabric that cascaded down her back like a
white-chocolate waterfall gone wrong. So wrong.
Married.
She twisted the stem of her rose bouquet and paced the faded
orange carpet inside the bride’s room, her thoughts churning along with her
breakfast. She slipped one heel out of her three-inch pump, anxiety tying her
stomach into a knot that would make a Boy Scout proud.
Married.
It wouldn’t take much to toe off one shoe, then the other.
Dig her painstakingly pedicured feet into the carpet for traction, grab the hem
of this cursed dress, and just…bolt.
Better now than later, right?
Marcus. She couldn’t do that to Marcus.
But wasn’t marrying him doing him worse?
She strode to the window overlooking the gravel parking lot
and stared at the onslaught of cars baking in the late September sun. It was a
good turnout. Looked as if half of Beaux Creek had shown up. There were
probably loads of gifts on the covered table in the reception hall by now—a
forever-sentimental collection of floral-patterned china she’d rarely use, gift
cards to home repair stores, and likely more than one toaster and blender. All
gifts she’d have to return if she let her toes touch the carpet.
But would dividing them up in a divorce property settlement
however many years down the road be any easier?
She started to turn away, then squinted at her reflection,
seeing skin at her shoulder where there should be lace. Oh no…yes. She twisted
for a better view. A tiny tear, right on the seam of the sleeve. Her heart
stammered.
I can’t wait to read
the rest of each story. Where can my readers find you on the Internet?
DENISE:
I’m very active on Facebook and love to connect with my
readers there: www.facebook.com/authordenisehunter
DEB:
Website: www.deborahraney.com
Blog: I blog with 9 other authors at http://www.inspiredbylifeandfiction.com
I also have a blog of novelists’ garden spots at http://novelgarden.blogspot.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/deborah.raney
Twitter: @authordebraney
Instagram: http://instagram.com/deborahraney
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/deborahraney
BETSY:
I’m on facebook with an author page of Betsy St. Amant
and also Twitter @betsystamantThank you, Denise, Deb, and Betsy, for sharing this book with us. I know each of my readers will want to read this collection.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Winter Brides - Christianbook.com
Winter Brides: A Year of Weddings Novella Collection - Amazon
Winter Brides: A Year of Weddings Novella Collection - Kindle
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 Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, 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
55 comments:
I have seen these before and they look so good!!! Thanks for the giveaway! :)
Indiana
Thank you! Danielle in Indiana :)
I am all in on this one!
Melanie Backus, TX
Thanks for a chance at The Winter Brides. Each of these writers are worth reading.
A J Hawke
Texas
Thank you for the chance to win!
Kandi Turner, Montana (winter is already here ~ brrrr!)
Okay, I'm hooked. Count me in, please.
California
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
What a fun interview! This collection sounds fantastic and I would love to be a winner! Thank you for the giveaway opportunity.
Britney Adams, TX
Love the series and these authors!
New Jersey
What a perfect book to read in this artic blast!
Melody from Donna, TX
This collection looks like a cozy, curl up in a fuzzy blanket kind of collection! Thank you for the giveaway!
Blessings!
Kelly Y in central VA
kelly *at* dkcountryarts *dot* com
Thanks for stopping by everyone!! :) We are so excited about this compilation. And I personally was really excited about the cover. Zondervan did GOOD :)
I would LOVE to win and read this collection! I have been watching this year of weddings and they look like a great read. Sm. California. wileygreen1@yahoo.com
I'm a Texas girl - born, bred, & boastful ;). And I love a good book. Can't wait to dive into these!
Sounds like a great book! Thanks for thechance to win!
Beth Gillihan
rbgillihan@gmail.com
I live in Montana.
would love love love to win. Angela in KY
Southwest Louisiana
I enjoy wedding stories and the winter season.
I would love to read this! Thanks for the chance.
McKinney, TX
I plan on starting the "Year of Weddings" collection in January! This would be perfect!
Shannah, NC
smmcclamrock(at)gmail(dot)com
I loved reading Denise and Betsy's answers to the interview questions! Thanks so much for hosting us, Lena, and giving your readers a chance to win a copy of WINTER BRIDES. And I couldn't agree more, Betsy. I LOVE the covers of these books!
Looking forward to reading these. Would love to win a collection. I used to direct weddings and have helped video many. I've seen quite a variety, including the mishaps. Always told the bride, "we will make plans for all the details, but no matter what happens, we'll make sure you are married before you leave!" :-)
Would love to read these books!
My sisters and I would all enjoy this book. Two of my sisters collect inspirational romance novels out the roof! And all four of us love a good comedy!
J.C. -Indiana-
All such beautiful brides !
deanna in Nebr.
Lena, This was an awesome interview with Betsy, Deborah and Denise. Love is in the air with this collection. :)
Caryl in TEXAS
psalm103and138[at]gmail[dot]com
I rarely get a chance to read this type of story, so would really like to give them a try. lisajcowell(at)cs(dot)com in Ohio
What a marvellous collection.
Mary P
QLD AUSTRALIA
This sounds so good! I'd love to win. I'm from IL.
I would love to win a copy of Winter Brides. Thank you for the chance.
I live in Indiana.
Smiles & Blessings,
Cindy W.
What a fun interview. I loved the part of the 3 things we didn't know about each author...so interesting! Winter Brides is a book I'd be thrilled to win!
Blessings!
Judy B from Indiana
I was a winter bride. love to win thanks for the chance to win
live in ND
ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com
This is really a wonderful collection!
Beth from IA
That was a great interview with the authors of Winter Brides. Fall has slipped effortlessly into winter here in Minnesota. A good book and a cup of hot chocolate are welcomed friends on long, dark, and cold nights.
they look soooo good!
Thanks for the giveaway!
Sydney Harries GA
Ooh ooh ooh!
Would LOVE to win this book!!!!
Thanks for the chance! !
Blessings and Smiles :)
Charlotte Kay
Georgia
The peek into these stories was such a gift! Love it! I can't wait to find out what happens!
Prescott, AZ
This sounds like a great winter read!
marypopmom (at) yahoo (dot) com
Maryann in NY
I recently read A November Bride by Beth Vogt and loved it! Thanks for the opportunity to read these novellas from the collection, too.
Anne, rural NC
Thanx for the giveaway! I enjoy reading the works of these authors.
good interview, it was fun reading the three things readers don't know about each. Jennifer Lubbock, Texas
I am looking forward to reading WINTER BRIDES by Denise Hunter, Deborah Raneyand Betsy St. Amant . Thanks for the giveaway!
These books sound so amazing! I think I'm going to read each one per month...if I have that much self-control. ;)
Pennsylvania
Thank you for a wonderful interview with some of my favorite ladies!
Donna, TX
Well gosh, I'm on pins and needles now anxious to hear how Layla, Maddie, and Allie's wedding predicaments turned out! Thanks for the chance to win a copy of Winter Brides!
Kristen in OK
kam110476 at gmail dot com
Great review!Jackie Tessnair,N.C.
I am so excited about the Year of Weddings books and want to read all of them! Thanks for the giveaway!
Georgia
Thanks for the giveaway! I have read the first book and am looking forward to reading the others! :)
Aerykah in Oklahoma
I'm getting ready to take my Sunday afternoon nap, but just wanted to say thanks again for hosting us, Lena. And thanks to all who've signed up so far!
Enter me in this awesome giveaway!!
Conway, SC.
I've not read any of the novellas in this collections, but there are some great authors featured. I've especially enjoyed Deb's books over the years.
Patty in SC
3 VERY interesting authors! I love their answers!! Their books sound fabulous too! Thanks for sharing!
Robin in NC
RW620(at)aol(dot)com
All of these stories sound great. Please add my name to the drawing. Thanks from Kentucky!
Wow, looks awesome!!! Please enter me!
Blanch, NC
Looks like a great collection!
cllyrics@gmail.com
-from NY
would love to win this book!! Shelia from MS
Thanks so much for the opportunity to win the book!!! I would be so truly blessed to win this book! God Bless You and Good Luck to Everyone!
Lovely interview, ladies! Sounds like a great read. :)
Anna in FL.
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