BOOKS AFLOAT - Delores Topliff - One Free Book

Welcome, Delores. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters? I draw fairly heavily from life experiences—mine, those of my friends and students, plus extensive reading and research.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done? Probably chasing living porcupines with a soft sweatshirt or sweater to gently swat them and collect loose quills for making authentic Native American porcupine quill necklaces and earrings.

When did you first discover that you were a writer? In the third grade I started rattling off rhymed adventure stories to my classmates when the teacher left the room. Two of those stories expanded into two of my four illustrated children’s books. I also developed quite the pen name—Clarabell Butterslosh Hooknose Crabernacle the III, in person, otherwise known as sailor first class—the latter in deference to my US Navy-serving father. I don’t know where I got all those words, but my classmates enjoyed them.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading. Suspense, adventure, classics, biographies, autobiographies, humor, non-fiction. I’m not a great fan girl of hot romance, science fiction, or speculative. When I read romance, it’s mostly when some of my close friends have written it.

I write romance novels, but there’re not hot romance, they’re sweet and clean. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world? I’m not sure I always keep my sanity, but I try. I’m a committed Christian, which is the source of much strength and peace. I’m addicted to the beauty, order, and peace found in nature and love spending intentional refueling time there.

How do you choose your characters’ names? I roll possibilities around in my head. Sometimes I’ll hear and remember resonating names or intriguing place names as I travel that I consider using for characters. Some may be close to or reminders of people I’ve known or of things they’ve done or of their quirky lovable characteristics. I have learned that the good protagonists need to have a few flaws and villains need to display a few good points.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of? Through my university teaching years, many foreign students have lived in my home and become extended family. Many insisted I come visit, so that led to foreign trips and mission trips, true learning and connections, and heartwarming lasting relationships of extended family.

My husband and I have hosted four different exchange students from different European countries. That enriched our lives and the lives of our children. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why? A deer on high forested mountain slopes in the Pacific Northwest of Canada and the US. I’ve surprised them in rivers, on hillsides, come across them in the woods, and found spotted fawn so brand new and perfectly camouflaged, they were almost impossible to see and had no odor. It’s a treat to experience moments like that.

My father was a game warden in Arkansas when I was growing up. We fostered orphaned fawns. I loved bottle feeding them. What is your favorite food? Thai Chicken Curry cooked in coconut milk and/or mango sweet rice./The best I’ve ever eaten was in a Thai restaurant in Volcano, Big Island, Hawaii—almost worth going back just for that.

Sounds delicious. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it? I’m a college teacher with English/History double majors. Too much teacher-speak ends up in the dialogue and too many characters can sound alike. I work hard to make them stand out individually. Since I love history, I’m inclined to stuff in too many details = overkill. I’m working to overcome both roadblocks.

Tell us about the featured book? Years ago, our community librarian in Vancouver, Washington, nourished my love for books. When I was ten, she told me I read more of them than any other member and asked what I wanted to do when I grew up. I loved the nearby Columbia River and felt bad for people along there that didn’t have books. I answered, “Start a floating library houseboat for folks along the Columbia who don’t have books.” Later I became fascinated to learn that in WWII, a Japanese submarine actually did enter the river. I combined both situations. Books Afloat is the result.

Scrivenings Press did a great job creating this amazing video book trailer. 

Anne Mettles has loved books from a young age. Raised during the Oklahoma Dust Bowl, she adored her hard-working grandfather. When a tragedy claimed his life, Anne refused to forgive herself. She relocates to the Columbia River to start a new life, but soon, war changes everything, including Anne's dream of gifting books to river families without libraries. A challenge from Washington’s governor offers hope. If Anne uses Books Afloat to monitor the river for enemy submarine activity, the government will fund her floating library. Forced to leave her mentor behind, Anne's crew includes a substitute pilot and a top-notch mechanic. They're soon joined by a story-hungry reporter, an eccentric island-dweller, and a young man determined to impress Anne. Should Anne be more concerned about the Japanese or the threat of a possible saboteur on Books Afloat? Can Anne release the guilt from her past and embrace God's peace? Will she realize she truly loves the man who adores her before another tragedy strikes? Discover the answers in Books Afloat, an historical romance novel by Delores Topliff, published by Scrivenings Press. Available at Amazon.com and other booksellers. Available January 12, 2021, Books Afloat is Book One of the Columbia River Undercurrents series. For more information, visit scrivenings.link/booksafloat.

Books Afloat is the first in a three-book series, Columbia River Undercurrents

Book 1: Books Afloat

Book 2: Strong Currents

Book 3: Flood Stage

Please give us the first page of the book.

Tuesday, June 16, 1942

Vancouver and Olympia, Washington

“Ted Vincent, I don’t need a chaperone to drive me to Olympia.” I whip around and glare, the musical background of my beloved Columbia River not soothing me this morning. Men can be so difficult sometimes. Ted’s making me sorry I walked to the A-1 Garage to borrow his car.

During his break, he’s out front, rag in hand, dusting a gleaming fender. “If you won’t let me drive Henrietta, I’ll ride the bus.”

“That bus doesn’t run today, Annie.” He rubs away a water spot. “It’s just that she can be cranky, and I’ve never let anyone else drive her. Tell me again why this is important now? During wartime?”

I let out my breath with a whoosh. What’s with Ted? Since I moved from Oklahoma to Vancouver during high school, Ted usually understands what matters. Why doesn’t he get this?

“You’ve heard me a hundred times. Having a library during the terrible Dust Bowl days gave us kids hope. Books taught us…

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website is deloroestopliff.com

Facebook: Delores Topliff Books   

Twitter: @delorestopliff                            

Instagram – delorese.topliff  

Pinterest - @delorestopliff

Thank you, Delores, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read it, and I’m sure my readers will be, too.

Readers, here are links to the book.

https://amzn.to/2XIDOPh

https://amzn.to/35JSjqk

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