Bio: Susan Page
Davis is the author of more than sixty published historical romance, mystery,
and romantic suspense novels. She’s a winner of the Inspirational Readers’
Choice Award, the Carol Award, and the Will Rogers Medallions, and a finalist
in the WILLA Awards. A Maine native, she has
lived in Oregon and now resides in Kentucky .
Welcome back, Susan. Why
did you become an author?
I love reading and telling stories. One day I realized I had
a convoluted story in my head that I wanted to tell, so I wrote it down. Of
course, writing a book and selling it are two different things. Five years
elapsed before I held my first published book in my hands.
My first novel took
eight years to be published. If you weren’t an author, what would be your dream
job?
Since this is a dream, exercising horses.
If you could have
lived at another time in history, what would it be and why?
I’d love to vacation in the Middle Ages, but then I want to
come back here. I’ve always been fascinated by the way of life back then, but
I’m sure it was much harder than we imagine.
What place in the United States
have you not visited that you would like to?
I live in Kentucky now, and
I’ve never been to Fort
Knox . I think that would
be interesting, since Fort Knox in Maine
is one of my favorite spots, and they are named for the same man.
How about a foreign
country you hope to visit?
What lesson has the
Lord taught you recently?
I have been through some difficult things, and I keep coming
back to Psalm 48:14: For this God is our
God forever and ever; He will be our guide even until death. This is what
Iris had to learn in Echo
Canyon , that God is
there, He will not change, and He will guide us if we let Him.
Tell us about the
featured book.
In Echo Canyon , Iris Perkins is told she
will be married soon to a man she despises. A chance visit by two brothers and
a beautiful woman from the other side of Echo Canyon
gives her hope. For Edward Sherman, venturing into Utah with his brother to buy horses is
risky. He only wants to find the livestock they need and get back to Fort Bridger ,
until he meets a frightened young woman in need. He’ll do anything he can to
save Iris, even race against the man determined to marry her.
Please give us the
first page of the book.
Iris was nervous the day Elder Whipple came home. He avoided
looking directly at her when he greeted his family, then spent half an hour in
the parlor with his wife, Louise, with the door closed. Iris could hear their
low voices as she mixed the biscuit dough for supper, but she couldn’t make out
the words. The council had met for three days, and she wondered what decisions
they had made for the community.
The Whipples’ daughter-in-law, Annie, kept the churn going
steadily on the other side of the kitchen. She and Iris worked in silence. No
one spoke much at the Whipples’ house. They just did their work.
Iris wished Annie were more talkative and friendly, but she
always looked frightened and tired. When Iris spoke to her, she would answer
with as few words as possible. Her husband, young John Whipple, was just as
quiet. No one seemed happy here, and Iris thought it was the dry, bleak land
that had drained them of life and joy.
Annie stopped churning, and in the brief silence, Iris heard
the hum of Louise’s flax wheel begin in the next room. The door to the parlor
opened, and Elder Whipple stepped into the kitchen. Iris glanced at him, then
turned her attention back to her work.
He walked over to her and stood for a moment, watching her
knead more flour into the dough. “You’ll be going to Brother Zale’s place
tomorrow,” he said.
Iris found it suddenly hard to breathe. She looked up at his
bearded face. His keen hazel eyes focused on her, not unkindly.
“I don’t understand.” Hadn’t she pleased them here? She’d
worked hard. She didn’t want to be shuffled off to another family that might
not treat her as well. She didn’t know the Zales, and they might be farther
from the mainstream of communication within the sprawling community of Saints,
making it harder for Iris to seek out news of her own family.
The elder hesitated. “The men who went looking for your
father’s outfit returned yesterday. They didn’t find any trace of them. It’s
been three months since your father’s party set out, and nothing has been heard
from them, Miss Perkins. The council is assuming the party is lost.”
“Lost?” She let that sink in.
“Yes. That’s the conclusion they’ve reached. It could be
hostile Indians, or lack of water … It could be anything. The search party
traced them about sixty miles southwest, but after that the ground was rocky.
They didn’t find any more evidence of a camp or anything like that.”
She gulped and met his level gaze. “Or a struggle?”
“No. Nothing.”
Iris nodded. It was so stark, so unsatisfying. This was her
father they were talking about! Her brother, too. They had left with three
other men at the end of May, to seek out ore deposits for the good of the
community. Lead was needed, and iron, and of course anything more precious.
They were to have reported back in a month, with a map of the places they had been,
showing the location of any minerals or other features of interest to the
Saints.
“The elders discussed the situation. We feel it’s best if we
send you to the Zale ranch.”
Alarm ran through Iris afresh. “What for?”
“You need to be incorporated into a family, Miss Perkins.”
“But I—” She hesitated, looking up at him cautiously.
“Couldn’t I stay here as part of this family, sir?”
He sighed. “The council feels it’s time you were wed.”
You know I love your
books, and I’m eager to read this one. How can readers find you on the
Internet?
Find Susan at:
Website: www.susanpagedavis.com
Twitter: @SusanPageDavis
Newsletter: https://madmimi.com/signups/118177/join
Link to Echo Canyon
on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ieuqQ4
On Barnes &
Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/echo-canyon-susan-page-davis/1125434608?ean=9780997230840
Readers,
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19 comments:
Hi, Lena! Great to be back. I'm in Kentucky.
I love Susan's stories and know I would enjoy reading this one! Thanks for sharing the wonderful interview and giveaway, ladies!
Britney Adams, TX
Thanks, Britney!
What a beautiful story. Thanks for sharing a part of it. I would love the chsnce to read it.
Deana from Texas
Hi, Deanna! Thank you so much.
Love the story line. north platte nebraska.
It takes place not too far from your stomping grounds, Kim. Thanks for coming by.
I'm from Hanover Pennsylvania
Susan Page Davis would be a new author for me. This book sounds interesting and I am from Minnesota. So, enjoying the winter reading. thanks for a lucky winner who will get to read this book.
This sounds good! I'd love to read it.
Elly -Indiana-
Hi, Kristen, Carolyn, and Elly. Thanks for taking part!
This book does sound interesting, and I'm always looking for new Christian fiction authors for my book club.
Thank you for this giveaway, and many blessings on you and your writing.
I live in Northeast Florida, and we never see snow.....oh yeah, one time for about two days, beginning on December 23, 1989.
Thanks, Nancy! I'm happy to say that Echo Canyon includes discussion questions for book clubs. We're having a mild winter in W. Ky., and I don't mind!
I so enjoy Susan's stories and would love to read this one. Thank you for a great interview and giveaway opportunity.
Melanie Backus, TX
I am excited to learn about Echo Canyon. Thanks for sharing.
Connie from KY
cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com
Susan's stories are awesome! I would love to read Echo Canyon. Thank you for the chance.
Caryl K in TEXAS
Enter me for the book copy!!
Conway, SC.
Glad to see you hear, Melanie, Connie, Caryl and Sharon!
I enjoyed the interview and Echo Canyon looks like a book I would enjoy!
Beth from IA
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