Friday, November 13, 2015

THE MEMORY WEAVER - Jane Kirkapatrick - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I first heard of Jane Kirkpatrick when a book club at our church read one of her books at least ten years ago. Her historical novels are amazing. Actually, at that time we shared the same agent, but I didn't find out until much later. I've gotten to know her ponline through that agency connection.

Bio: Jane Kirkpatrick is the New York Times and CBA bestselling author of more than twenty-five books, including A Light in the Wilderness and A Sweetness to the Soul, which won the coveted Wrangler Award from the Western Heritage Center. Her works have been finalists for the Christy Award, Spur Award, Oregon Book Award, and Reader’s Choice awards, and have won the WILLA Literary Award and Carol Award for Historical Fiction. Many of her titles have been Book of the Month and Literary Guild selections. You can also read her work in more than fifty publications, including Decision, Private Pilot, and Daily Guideposts. Jane lives in Central Oregon with her husband, Jerry. Learn more at www.jkbooks.com.

Welcome back, Jane. How did you decide to write this particular story?
The unanswered question always brings me in! Eliza Warren’s memoir noting her mother’s death, a space in the text, and then the very next sentence being “In 1854 I married Andrew Warren” intrigued me. What might have gone inside that space that she didn’t want to talk about? Added to that question was hearing of and later reading about her father’s crying through town, “My daughter is dead!” following the marriage. What was that about? There had also never been an exploration of Eliza the child as an interpreter during the Whitman tragedy. I wanted to study that as well.

How did you decide to tell one woman’s story through diaries and letters and the other as a first person?
I wanted the two stories to be distinct in the readers’ minds, and I didn’t really want to rewrite all of the stories about the Spaldings as missionaries. After all, there are many volumes of works written about them. I wanted to consider what the mother might have experienced following the tragedy and her own survival, and especially about her husband’s insistence that their daughter attend the murder trial. Speculation also exists about Henry’s state of mind after the tragedy, and I wanted to show his wife’s faithfulness but also some of what may have been worries about his volatile behavior. I thought the diary format could serve as a border to that story. I really wanted this to be more of the daughter’s story, so I felt having her tell it and not be aware of her mother’s perspective until later added interest. Plus, I think the daughter did have a hard life, carried great wounds, and was both stoic and stumbling. I hoped that the first-person format with a wider narrative could soften her and help the reader see the scared ten-year-old child within some of the more controlling actions of her later life.

As you noted, many people have chosen to write about this family. How did you know where your story was going to go, and how is it different?
I don’t always know. I start writing before I think I should or I’d just keep researching! There are no novels to my knowledge based on the daughter’s life, and the mother is only a minor character in some fiction written about that time period. So the daughter was the focal point for me. A novel allows us to speculate about the why and about how one felt regarding an incident. Biography or nonfiction allows us to explore what and when but must hesitate about exploring people’s feelings. Novels are meant to move us, to bring emotion to the surface, and to help us see our lives in new ways. To paraphrase French writer Marcel Proust, “The real journey of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in seeing with new eyes.” I wanted to show Eliza’s journey toward seeing with new eyes.

You wrote about the bond between people who have survived a tragedy as Eliza and Nancy Osborne did in this story. Have you experienced anything like that?
Several years ago my husband and I flew in our small plane with two friends, Ken and Nancy Tedder. She was seven and a half months pregnant with their first child at the time. We hit a clear-air wind shear and crashed, missing three houses, power lines, and trees, and hitting the ground 450 feet from the end of the runway. My husband and I had many broken bones while the Tedders fortunately did not. Nancy went into labor, but it was stopped. We all dealt with the trauma of the crash and what happened afterward. In this case, the happy ending is that Nancy delivered a full-term baby six weeks later and still has no memory of the accident. Guilt, worry, and wishing we had done something different all visited my life. But since then, our lives have been forever intertwined with the best of threads. They are as family, and one of the greatest joys of my life was the morning Ken called to say Nancy had delivered a healthy baby girl named Lisa. That call helped rewrite that story of disaster. So yes, we survived a terrible accident, and the relationship with that family will forever be richly distinct.

Thank you, Jane, for sharing this new book with us. I'm eager to read it, and I know my readers are, too.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
The Memory Weaver - Christianbook.com
The Memory Weaver: A Novel - Amazon
The Memory Weaver: A Novel - 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

52 comments:

Melissa Henderson said...

Wow, this looks like a great book to read.

Ingrid said...

I have this book on my wish list, Sounds like it will be as good or better than some of her other books I've read.
Ingrid from Missouri

Melissa M. said...

Looks interesting--I don't know anything about these missionaries!

-Melissa M. in TN

Caryl Kane said...

I would love to read THE MEMORY WEAVER!

Caryl K in TEXAS

Connie Porter Saunders said...

I'm not familiar with the events and people that inspired Jane's novel so I am especially interested in learning more!
Connie from KY
cps1950 (at)gmail (dot)com

sm said...

I so enjoy your books! I would love to win The Memory Weaver! I like how much history you weave into the books and still make the story fabulous. Thank you! sm CA wileygreen1(at)yahoo(dot)com

Mary Preston said...

Tragedy can bring people closer together.

This looks like a wonderful read.

Mary P

QLD AUSTRALIA

Terrill R. said...

I've just started reading Jane Kirkpatrick's older books. She's a beautiful writer.

Terrill - WA

Raechel said...

This book really sparks my interest, and I would love to read it!!
Thank you for the great interview and giveaway!
Raechel in MN

apple blossom said...

This sounds like my type of book thanks for the chance to win
live in ND

Patty said...

I read a light in the wilderness not long ago and really enjoyed it , would love to read more by Jane .

Patty in SC

R Merr said...

This book is on my wish list! A Light in the Wilderness was my first book to read by this author. Rachael in ME

kim hansen said...

Looks like a great read. kamundsen44ATyahooDOTcom. North Platte NE

GrandaddyA said...

I'd like to win this for my wife. I think she would enjoy it.
Edward A in VA

Mama Cat said...

Jane Kirkpatrick makes history come alive - I would love to read this! Have kept it on my wish list since I first learned it was coming out. Thank you for the opportunity to win, and all congratulations to Jane Kirkpatrick on this release - go with God!
Jeanie in Phoenix, AZ

Melanie Backus said...

Jumping in with all four feet on this one! Sounds great and what a cover!

Melanie Backus, TX

Sharon Richmond Bryant said...

Enter me in your awesome giveaway!!
Conway, SC.

Trixi said...

Jane Kirkpatrick is a wonderful writer and I've enjoyed several of her books over the years. This one sounds just as good!
I can't believe that you were in a plane crash, how scary that must have been, especially for Ted and Nancy! I'm so thankful that God protected everyone and they were able to deliver a healthy baby girl months later. It could have been much worse! And it helped solidify your friendship :-)
Thank you for the chance to win a copy of "The Memory Weaver", this ones been on my want-to-read list since it's come out! I enjoyed reading this interview too.

Trixi in OR

Anonymous said...


Hello to Lena and Jane. Thanks for this interesting interview. I have tried several times to win one of Jane's book give-aways with no luck. maybe this will be my time. Thanks to you both for the chance. Maxie(TX) > mac262(at)me(dot)com <

EJ said...

I love reading Jane Kirkpatrick's books & have just gotten my 21 year old daughter hooked on them also. This is definitely going on my list of books to read! Elaine in Wisconsin

Cindi A said...

I'm so excited about Jane's latest book. She has an amazing writing ability.
Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy.

~Cindi Altman from Pennsylvania.

Jane said...

I hope you can find it. Thanks for your interest

Jane said...

I've been spending time in Missori Ingrid as my work in progress starts there!

Jane said...

They were the first to serve the Nez Zoerce people Melissa. I hope you find the story intriguing

Jane said...

I hope you win!

Jane said...

They were an interesting couple who came west with another couple who served the Cayuse people.

Jane said...

Thank you!

Jane said...

It can bring people closer and sometimes separates people too this was an interesting blend of that to write

Jane said...

Thank you Terrill!

Jane said...

You can thank Lena for the questions!

Jane said...

I hope you do!

Jane said...

The story of Letitia really captured me I'm glad you enjoyed reading about her and her friends

Jane said...

I hope you'll look for this book!

Jane said...

Thanks for entering!

Jane said...

You are a good husband! Thanks for entering

Jane said...

Thank you Jeanie. I'm glad it's been on your wish list!

Jane said...

I love that cover too! Great cots!

Jane said...

You are in!

Jane said...

Nancy still has no memory of the crash! God is good!

Jane said...

Wishing you luck!

Jane said...

Hi Elaine thanks for sharing my stories with your daughter. And I'm from Wisconsin originally!

Jane said...

I wish the best for you Cindi. You are entered!

Brenda Arrington said...

Can't wait to read this one. Thanks for the opportunity to win.
Brenda in VA

Jane said...

Thanks for entering, Brenda!

Abigail Mitchell said...

Looks awesome!!! Please enter me.
Blanch, NC

Anonymous said...

LOVE Jane Kirkpatrick! Having lived in Wyoming, Utah, and Idaho and then having visited the Oregon, Washington area...I love to read the stories of the women and people who influenced these areas. I would REALLY love to win this book...and it would, no doubt, get passed on to mothers, sisters,friends, etc. :)!

Jane said...

Thanks both Abigail and Any, I couldn't figure out how to respond to you, Abigail so forgive my tech deprivation! Thank you for entering and Amy, the states you mention having lived in are some of my favorites in the West. I grew up in the Midwest but always longed for the mountains and the high desert. I made the choice to come to Oregon right out of high school to work before starting college in Wisconsin. I knew I'd be back. It only took me 10 years! I hope you enjoy The Memory Weaver and maybe you'll be the lucky winner.

Jane said...

Looks like my technology impairment is continuing! Thank you to each of you who have entered and for Lena for hosting me. I love hearing where you're from...from Maine to Australia and points in between. We are joined by books, aren't we? I think I could travel anywhere, find a bookstore and know I was among friends. Thank you for taking the time to read the interview and for entering. I wish you each could win...and if you don't, there is always the library, right? I love libraries, too. Be well, Jane

Margaret said...

I really enjoy Jane's books, so would love to win this one! I live in northern California.

Mrs Tina said...

Great interview. This book sounds very interesting. Please enter me in the contest.
Blessings,Tina

Jackie said...

Jane's books are special to me, and I enjoy recommending them to my friends. I am very much looking forward to reading The Memory Weaver. It would be a lovely Christmas gift to win. I live in Twisp, Washington.

rubynreba said...

Such an interesting interview! I'd love to read this!
Beth from IA