MISHAPS OFF THE MAINLAND - Tabitha Bouldin - One Free Book

Welcome, Tabitha. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters. There’s a bit of me in every character. An attitude or a personality trait shows up in each one, but I do have one character who is more like me than most. She’s coming up in my November 2021 release, Footprints on her Heart. Most of the time, I try and make my characters more exciting than I am, but my sarcasm does tend to make a strong appearance.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done? I tried alligator once. That’s about as quirky as I get except for my personality. My personal life is nice and boring, just the way I like it. Oh, wait. I used to help my dad roof houses when I was about ten years old…does that count as quirky? Probably not.

Maybe not quirky, but interesting. And I love fried alligator. When did you first discover that you were a writer? When I gave in to God’s nudges and published my first book in 2018. I’d been writing since 2015, but until then, I didn’t consider myself a writer as much as I did a hobbyist who played with words. I still struggle to claim that I’m a writer. It feels surreal, in an amazing way, that this is what I get to do with my life.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading. Are you ready for this? Everything except erotica and autobiographies.

Contemporary Christian romance is my top favorite, followed by Christian fantasy. After that, if it’s Christian or clean fiction, I’ll read it. I don’t mind an occasional non-fiction, but I’ve never found a true autobiography that I loved. Of course, it’s been twenty years, give or take, since I opened one, so who knows what I’m missing out on.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world? Reading. Truly. Reading and writing are my escapes, my slow down and savor the moments that keep me going when the world’s gone bananas.

How do you choose your characters’ names? Oh, this one is fun! I have a few ways I choose names. Mostly, I read through baby name books from the year my character was “born” until I find one I like. Sometimes, I ask my readers to help me choose or narrow down a list of names. My main characters typically have unique or less popular names: Darcy, Nigel, Phoenix, etc. I love giving them a name that makes them stand out on the page even before the reader gets to know their personalities.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of? Graduating summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing. I worked hard for that distinction and put it to work every day.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why? I love this question. I’d be a horse. Since I was little, I thought it would be fun to be a horse. They’re one of God’s most majestic creatures. And they can run fast, unlike me. They have this ability to look into you and see your heart. Equine therapy is a real thing.

What is your favorite food? Does ice cream count? If I had to choose one food to eat forever, it’d be ice cream. As long as I didn’t have to choose just one flavor forever. Too many delicious options for me to be stuck with one. I even make my own (thank you, ice cream machine!).

I’m with you on that. I love homemade ice cream. Chick-fil-A’s ice cream is a lot like the homemade ice cream I grew up with. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it? Was, is, and probably always will be: fear. Fear I’m not good enough. That I never should have published any book, ever. That I’m a fraud and no one likes my work. Imposter syndrome. Somebody, stop me. I could go on forever. At the root of it all, fear. I pray a lot, asking for guidance and reminders that I’m doing what God wants and that is the greatest reason of all to put fear back in its place and keep writing.

That’s a lie from the enemy of our souls. We are good enough. God chose us to be writers. Tell us about the featured book. Mishaps Off the Mainland is a story of learning to trust God with your dreams and letting them happen in His time instead of our own. Melody Carmichael owns a pet grooming business, and when she loses a pet during the first week, it takes her down a road of doubt that she moved ahead of God’s timing. In opposition, Zeke has left his corporate responsibilities and run away from the mantle his dad wishes to place on his shoulders. He fears conflict and deflects with sarcasm, which puts him and Mel at odds while they work together to search for the missing dog.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Melody Carmichael picked up the twenty-five-pound Afghan Hound and swiveled to place the dog’s paws on the peeling laminate floor. Ripples of satiny auburn hair fanned over her arms, a testament to Mel’s hard work over the last two hours. “Good girl, Daphne.” Mel gave Daphne a pat before standing and reaching for the brown, leather leash dangling from a nearby wall. As Mel’s hand wrapped around the leash, her other hand released Daphne’s collar.

Sunlight burst through the artificial light of Mel’s mobile pet grooming truck when Darcy, her best friend and assistant, jerked open the small door. Snippets of Daphne’s hair whirled into the air, glittering against the light. “Hey, Mel, do we have time to add on a poodle today?”

Daphne yelped and jumped toward freedom.

“Daphne!” Mel lunged, her hands grasping empty air. She landed on her knees, both hands extended in front of her and her heart in her throat.

In her excitement, Daphne toppled Darcy, landing in a graceful fan fair of fur. Lean as a greyhound – only with a thousand times more hair – Daphne ran, barking every time her paws landed on the pavement.

Darcy stood and swiped debris from her backside. “Sorry, Mel.” She held out a hand, but with Mel still inside the truck, Darcy was in no position to help.

Mel waved Darcy’s hand away. “We need to get her. Afghans are notoriously independent. Catching her will be a pain, and I doubt she’ll come when we call. Follow her, Darcy. Don’t chase her but try and keep her in sight. I’ll talk to Miss Evelyn. Call me if you lose sight of her or if you catch her. You have a leash?”

Darcy nodded and patted her pocket. “I’m really sorry, Mel. I thought she was still on the table.”

“My fault, Darcy. Just follow her, please. We can’t waste time.”

Darcy bolted with one final apology tossed over her shoulder.

Mel stepped from chipped faux hardwood-imitating laminate to sun-baked asphalt. She propped clenched hands on her hips and counted to ten. This could not be happening. She closed her eyes and pinched her arm. At the flash of pain, her eyelids popped open. Nope. Not a dream. Her impeccable mobile pet grooming record had been tarnished. Maybe even irreparably destroyed. Okay, so her reputation was still in its baby stages. It still mattered. One mishap could sink her fledgling business. Panic rose in a tidal wave of acid, threatening to choke her.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

https://www.facebook.com/tabithabouldinauthor

https://www.twitter.com/tabithabouldin

https://www.instagram.com/tabithabouldin

https://tabithabouldinauthorhome.wordpress.com

https://mailch.mp/336c3621e5e7/tabithabouldinauthor

Thank you, Tabitha, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read my copy.

Readers, here are links to the book.

https://amzn.to/3d53aOJ

https://amzn.to/3slOotm

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