HEART AND HOME - P Creeden - One Free Book

Welcome, P Creeden. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

Usually the quirks or little bits of reality that are written into the story come from my own life experiences. For example, the little seven-year-old, Jackie, has a hard time with remembering the direction of lower case b and d when writing his letters. My son, who was homeschooled, had the same difficulty. So I added that bit in to make the story more real for me and, I hope, the reader.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I’m a fan of Korean Dramas and Pop music. Because of that, I’m currently studying the Korean language so that I don’t need subtitles.

Sounds interesting. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

When I was about nine, my father bought a typewriter for Christmas, because that was what I wanted. In elementary school, I remember taking an aptitude test and arranging my answers so that it would turn out that I should become a writer. Ever since I could read, I also wanted to write.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

I read pretty much anything… from mystery and suspense to fantasy and science fiction. I write my favorite genres under two different pen names.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

I don’t know if I’m doing a good job of that… as I tend to give up on sleep more than anything else.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I choose a name that I like and one that tends to fit the character’s background as I create it.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I’m a perpetual starter and have a hard time finishing things. I’m proud of every story I’ve ever finished.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

I love dogs, but if I were one, I’d need a job—so I’d want to be a service animal or trained agility.

I have an author friend here in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex who has a dog trained to be around sick people. They visit hospitals. What is your favorite food?

Kimchee. It’s the Korean equivalent of coleslaw. It’s spicy, and I pretty much use it as a garnish for everything…

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

Finishing the story. Like I said before, I’m a perpetual starter. The only thing that motivates me to finish the story is to have a hard deadline set…then I tend to procrastinate until the last minute, but still manage to get the story finished—usually on time.

Tell us about the featured book.

Heart and Home is the story of a widowed school teacher who is spending her first Thanksgiving without her husband or any family to speak of. When a handyman is sent to repair the roof of the schoolhouse, her troubles begin…

Please give us the first page of the book.

Caroline took a deep breath and brushed her hand across her head to make sure her bun was still in place before headed toward the door of her small home. She glanced down, as she had done every day since the terrible accident. William’s boots sat right where she left them, and her heart grew heavier in her chest. Something about the weather changing and growing cooler put her in a nostalgic mood. Caroline couldn’t help but think about her husband and his loss that much more.

The wind picked up and threatened to pull the door from her hand, making her grip the knob harder. After pulling the door shut tightly, she started off toward the schoolhouse where the town’s children awaited. That was how she was able to overcome her trepidation about moving out west as William wanted. She had been perfectly content to stay in Harrisburg but the call for riches was too great for William. Once she heard that there were children in the west who were desperate for teachers, she needed no more convincing.

The morning air smelled of fallen leaves and fresh earth.

His mercies are new every morning… she thought as she hurried down the wooded trail. She didn’t have much to worry about here, but when she got to the main street of town, it was a different story. When her feet hit the wooden sidewalk, she quickened her pace. An older drunk came stumbling out as she passed the saloon, and she darted past him. Caroline had never been scared to live in Helena when William was alive, but with him gone, it was a different story. At only twenty-three, she was already a widow and living alone in this wild western town plagued with gold seekers and miners. She swallowed. It was virtually unheard of.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My blog is: http://pcreedenbooks.blogspot.com

Newsletter: http://subscribepage.com/pcreedenbooks

Facebook: http://facebook.com/pcreedenbooks

Instagram: http://instagram.com/paulinecreeden

Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/pcreeden

Bookbub: http://bookbub.com/authors/p-creeden

Thank you for sharing your new book with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read it.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

Heart and Home (Thanksgiving Books & Blessings Collection One Book 4)

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