Welcome back, Rita. What
are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?
An excellent question. I strive to weave spiritual themes
into the story by fleshing out the characters. I do not preach at the reader.
Readers want don’t want a sermon, they want to journey with characters they can
relate to. In real life, we all deal with spiritual issues whether we are a
believer or not. Some of the spiritual themes in my newest release, After
the Rain, are the care of widows and orphans, unplanned pregnancy,
trusting in God for guidance, discernment, and living a godly life, just to
name a few.
What other books of
yours are coming out soon?
October has been a busy month. My Daughters of the Potomac series came out in Audible alongside After
the Rain. I’ll have other books coming out in the next year. I’m
working on writing another Edwardian era novel, and my agent and I are
discussing the publication of a novel that is finished.
If you could spend an
evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would
it be and why?
I wouldn’t mind having dinner with Dr. Dennis Slamin. He’s
an oncologist and chief of the division of Hematology-Oncology at UCLA, known
for his work in classifying the oncogene that is found in HER2 breast cancer, and
the treatment of Herceptin. I received Herceptin IVs for a year during breast
cancer treatment. It has saved so many women’s lives, including mine. He fought
the pharmaceutical industry and the FDA to get the drug approved. So many of us
BC survivors are very thankful. There is a movie called Proof of Life about him, and as I watched it, I could see how the
Lord had his Hand in this.
You know my oldest
daughter battled breast cancer this year, because you prayed for her and
reached out to her. I so appreciated that. God had laid you on my heart through
your battle. For a while there, I was praying for four different author friends
who were also in the battle. I’m so thankful you and my daughter are on the
other side of the battle. What historical person would you like to meet
(besides Jesus) and why?
If it were another writer, undoubtedly I’d want to meet Mark
Twain. If anyone has ever read his work, he’d be in the top ten of people to
meet. Not only was he a brilliant writer, he was witty, and a very wise man. I
can imagine sitting on his porch on a summer evening talking while he smokes a
cigar. I’d do a lot more listening than speaking, but I’d have many questions
about writing.
It would be fun to be
there with the two of you. How can you encourage authors who have been
receiving only rejections from publishers?
I’d encourage them by saying not to allow rejections to hold
you back from doing what you love and fulfilling your calling as a Christian
writer. All writers get rejections, and most of the time it has to do with the
market. Publishing is a business, and publishers are in it to make money.
That’s the bottom line. If you are called to write, no one can take that away
from you. Only you can decide what to do with it. And we have the option of self-publishing
with Amazon’s KDP program, which gives you all the rights, full control, and
higher royalties. There is always hope, so let God lead you. Write and don’t
fold.
Tell us about the
featured book.
I loved writing After the Rain. It was a leap
forward in time for me. My other books were Colonial era novels, so this one
was exciting to delve into, especially with all the new research I had to do.
Here’s the synopsis.
It's 1908, a year in the Edwardian Age, the year J.M.
Barrie’s play What Every Woman Knows,
premiered in Atlantic City and the first Model T
rolled off the assembly line in Detroit .
It is a year when the world faced one of its worst disasters in history, when
the New Year would heal the wounds of loss.
Louisa Borden lives a privileged life in Chevy
Chase , Maryland , a new and
thriving community on the outskirts of Washington ,
DC , for the well-to-do. Against
the wishes of her domineering grandmother, she retreats from the prospects of a
loveless marriage and instead searches for what she hopes is her calling in
life.
When her horse is spooked along Rock Creek, she is thrown
from the saddle—an embarrassing situation for any affluent young lady. Soaking
wet, bruised and humiliated, she is carried up the muddy bank to safety by
Jackson O’Neil, a stranger to the city, who changes the course of everything,
including the lives of all those around her.
Please give us the
first page of the book.
Autumn 1908 Virginia
Jackson O’Neil scanned the ridgeline. The clouds were low
and misty, shades of blue and gray ash that stretched along the mountains as
far as his eyes could see. Autumn had come early, and the dogwoods were turning
crimson—the maples gold, the oaks deep brown.
A whisper of a breeze stirred the changing leaves and
ruffled his dark hair. His quarter horse grazed in the field beyond the
farmhouse his father had built so many years ago, before he was born, before
his younger sister took her first breath.
He drew in the scent of apples fallen from the trees,
listened to the hum of yellow jackets thirsty for the sweet overripe nectar of
the rotting pulp. He heaped hay over the fence and whistled to his horse. Ransom
raised his head and trotted over.
He understood loneliness, and wished for it at times so to
forget some of the things he had seen in his life. He rubbed his horse’s ear
and recalled the seasons when his father’s fields were dotted with mares and
their foals, a stallion in the next meadow over. Would he ever bring those
prosperous days back to Ballyshannon? Or had those years of plenty ended?
He’d been home more than a year now, since his father turned
the land over to him, land that had been in his family for three generations,
named for the place where his great grandfather had been born in Ireland. Jackson smiled—grateful
to be home, regretful he had ever left.
An engine rumbled in the distance. It drew closer and a dust
cloud flew up into the air. Choking exhaust mixed with rusty sand and dirt,
held no comparison to the colossal billows of soot and concrete dust he
remembered. He threw back the images and focused on Bill Shanks barreling
toward him on the motorbike used for delivering the mail. Whipping around a
bend, Shanks skidded to a halt, frightening Ransom away from the fence.
“I’ve a letter for you.” Shanks lifted his goggles and drew
a brown envelope out of his leather satchel. “It’s from your pa.”
How can readers find
you on the Internet?
My website is https://ritagerlach.wordpress.com/
They can find my author’s page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/author.ritagerlach
My regular Facebook profile is at https://www.facebook.com/rita.gerlach.3
Thank you, Rita, for sharing this new book with my readers. I know they will be eager to read it.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
After the Rain - Christianbook.comAfter the Rain - Amazon
After the Rain - Kindle
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the ebook. 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.
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18 comments:
Hi, Rita I enjoyed reading about your drive for writing on your blog. I briefly lived in Maryland in the 1970's. My father was stationed at Fort Meade, Maryland. We made several day trips learning about the surrounding area and historical sites on the weekends. My favorite drive was when we saw the cherry trees in bloom in Washington, DC.
I'm so glad I wasn't born during the time of arranged marriages.
I live in Missouri. I forgot to mention that in my previous post.
I live in Missouri. I forgot to mention that in my previous post.
Hi Kathy,
If you haven't been back to Maryland since the 70s, you'd be shocked at how much it has grown. I live in Frederick County and we are beginning to feel squeezed after moving here in the 80s when it was considered a small town. I do love the history here...Fort Frederick, the Civil War battlefields, historical buildings. One of my favorite places is the Potomac River near Harper's Ferry. It was the inspiration for my series 'The Daughters of the Potomac', historicals set during the Revolutionary War.
I hope you get the chance to read After the Rain. It is a jump for me in time, and I love writing it.
Wow, I REEEEALY want to read this! Can't wait! (And by the way, I LOVE the cover! Beautiful!)
J.C. -Indiana-
Rita, your first page makes me want to know more about Jackson. Thank you for sharing with Lena. Happy Thanksgiving to both of you.
Connie from KY
cps1950 (at)gmail (dot) com
I think the early 1900's must have been a very interesting time to be alive. So many new inventions and changes going on. I would love to read Rita's newest book!
Patty in SC
Hi Connie,
Jackson is a character you'll love. The story, in a way, is a country mouse meets a city mouse, Jackson being the country.
Patty,
It was a very interesting time. One thing I enjoyed researching was the clothes...especially the hats. They were so beautiful. But so many feathers were used from exotic birds that some became endangered and there had to be conservation in place.
would love to win. angela in ky
What a beautiful cover. Soft and romantic.
My grandmother was in a loveless marriage. I wish she had gathered the courage to refuse her father's wishes.
Martha
WI
This sounds like a bit of a twist on the ordinary stories from that era. The blurb has me quite curious.
Thanks so much for the chance to win a copy of After the Rain.
~Cindi Altman from PA
It's time to read another of Rita's books! This sounds like a great read.
Melody from Donna, TX
Can't wait to read this one. Thanks for the giveaway. Happy Thanksgiving.
Brenda in VA
AFTER THE RAIN has such a lovely cover. I enjoy reading books set during the Edwardian era. Thanks for the chance to win this book. I don't think I've read a book by Rita, yet.
pmkellogg56[at]gmail[dot]com
Kansas
Hi Rita & Lena! I loved Rita's Daughters of the Potomac series and the description of the trees at Ballyshannon made me long for when I lived in New England years ago. I sure miss the fall foliage there!
Kristen in OK
kam110476 at gmail dot com
I can't believe that I haven't discovered this book prior. It hits all of my reading desires - early 20th century history, romance, over 400 pages, Christian author, and detailed writing with depth. This has become my next must-read! I have giddy-with-excitement goosebumps.
Terrill - WA
Sounds like a fantastic story! Would enjoy reading this.
Pam in Ohio
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