Welcome back, Lorri. Why did you become an author? I’ve always loved stories and creative writing. When my children were young, I entertained myself while pushing them on the swings by coming up with various plot lines. I’d jot the scene ideas down in a notebook, and once my boys were no longer of an age when they were a constant danger to themselves, I sat down at my computer and started writing. It’s probably for the best that I didn’t entirely understand how hard the industry is to break into. Once I’d finished typing one book, I figured I’d made it this far. I should keep going because the author bug had bitten me. So I wrote two more books before heading to my first writing conference, which only strengthened my resolve. By then, writing had become such a joy and a creative outlet for me that I would have kept writing, whether published or not.
If you weren’t an author, what would be your dream job? If
I didn’t have to live in a city, I would have enjoyed being either a set
designer or a museum curator. I love creating or restoring things and was the
type of kid who’d stare with wide-eyed excitement after opening a fresh Crayola
crayon box, sitting down with a pen and blank spiral notebook, or picking up a
hammer and nails. I can only imagine God’s excitement when He created the
heavens and the earth.
If you could have lived at another time in history, what
would it be and why? I would love to go back to Regency England, where my books
take place, to see the interactions of the le bon ton or Beau Monde. I love the chivalry of the Regency Era, where
honor and reputation were worth dueling over, and the romantic aspect of
couples engaging in courtship at balls and country dances. Knowing myself,
though, it would have to be toward the end of the era after indoor plumbing was
invented. I’d struggle to become accustomed to using a chamber pot.
What place in the United States have you not visited that
you would like to? I’d love to see Alaska. Granted, I’m a warm-weather type
of girl, but everyone I know who’s been to Alaska raves about the beauty of the
glaciers and nature.
How about a foreign country you hope to visit? Ever
since a Dutch publisher picked up my first series, I’ve wanted to travel to the
Netherlands. My artistic side would love to visit the Van Gogh Museum, paint
the windmills of Kinder Dijk or the tulip gardens of Keukenhof, or smell the
lavender in the salt marshes of Texel Island. I’d love to cross the wooden bridges
of Giethoorn or ice skate on its frozen canals in winter. So fun and inspiring!
What lesson has the Lord taught you recently? Letting
go and trusting God is not only a theme that runs in Revealing the Truth
but is also an area where God has been building me. There’s nothing like
teaching two teenagers how to drive a car and get their license to actively
apply trusting God with your heart (in my case, plural for the two boys.) This
phase of my life has required a lot of praying, letting go, and letting God. I
used to read these precious boys bedtime stories and rock to sleep, and now I
have to let them out of the nest to fly on their own, which was harder than I
anticipated. My oldest just graduated from high school and is off to college in
the fall, so God continues to work on me.
Tell us about the featured book. The seeds of Revealing
the Truth were first planted when I was in the seventh grade. I used to
carry an idea notebook and jot down scenes whenever inspired. My mother found
my old notebook a few years ago and mailed it to me. In it were faded pencil
scrawls about a girl escaping into the cold night and collapsing. She’s taken
in by kind passersby who nurse her back to health, only to be surprised when
their handsome young son climbs in through her bedroom window and so enters
Stephen into Katherine’s life. Here’s the back cover blurb:
British spy, Stephen Hartington’s assignment to uncover an
underground horse-thieving ring brings him home to his family’s manor, and the
last thing he expected was to be struck with a candlestick upon climbing
through the guest chamber window. The manor’s feisty and intriguing new house
guest throws Stephen’s best-laid plans into turmoil and raises questions about
the timing of her appearance, the convenience of her memory loss, and her
impeccable riding skills. Could he be housing the horse thief he’d been ordered
to capture—or worse, falling in love with her?
Please give us the first page of the book.
Katherine Ainsley Jenkins, the Countess of Dysart, inched
along the edge of the stall past her favorite mare, who nudged her newly born
colt to a stand.
The head groom lifted his cap and wiped his forehead. “’Twas
was a long night, but mama and baby are doin’ fine.” He plopped his hat back on
his head and dipped the corner. “Much obliged for your aid, Lady Dysart.”
Katherine mustered a weak smile and tightened the sash of
her dressing robe. Distressed naying from her mare had roused her in the night,
and the responsibilities of Steepleton Manor demanded she look into the
disturbance. The delivery of the baby foal had been long and labored, and Katherine’s
presence had been needed to calm the wearied mother.
Hay clung to Katherine’s hem as she stepped out of the
stall, and she must smell like the stable, but she’d done it. Steepleton Manor
welcomed its first new addition to their pedigree family since her parents’
passing. “Please let this be the beginning of Steepleton’s revival,” she
whispered to the sunlight streaming in through the loft window. How many hours
had she spent pouring over horse breeding books trying to keep her papa’s
legacy of the famous Jenkins Lipizzaner horses going?
The hard slap of footfalls running outside the stable broke
through the fog of her brain. Denton, the butler, skidded past the open stable
doors into view. His highly polished shoes slid on the loose gravel, and he
flailed his arms before coming to a halt. The whoosh of air swirled the sweet
scent of hay under her nose. He righted himself with haste and tugged at the
bottom of his jacket, dislodging any wrinkles.
Several of her father’s Lipizzaner horses leaned their necks
out of the stall openings to see who approached.
It was uncharacteristic of her dignified butler to hurry. Her
stomach twisted. The only other time she’d witnessed Denton this flustered had
been the day he sought her out with the news of the deadly carriage accident
that killed her parents. Please let
Claire be safe. She placed a hand on a nearby post for her knees threatened
to crumple. The second worst day after burying her parents had been packing
Claire off to finishing school. As much as Katherine desired to hold her sister
and continue to mourn their parents together, Claire deserved a chance to marry
and lead a normal socialite’s life.
“Mr. Bainbridge has arrived early, my lady.” Denton stood at
attention. The only sign of his recent sprint to the barn was his chest’s quick
rise and fall.
Her grip on the post tightened, and although she wanted to
lean against it with relief, there was too much to do. “Already? His letter
stated he’d arrive at week’s end.” Her mind whirled in a thousand directions. Why
had he come? What could he possibly want after shirking his guardianship duties
for three years? One question screamed louder than the rest. Would he still act
as crazed as he had after Madeline’s funeral?
How can readers find you on the Internet?
Lorridudley.com BookBub Goodreads Amazon Wildheartbooks.org
Thank you, Lorri, for sharing Revealing the Truth with
my blog readers. I love reading your books.
Readers,
here’s a link to the book.
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10 comments:
Ooh, I’ve been looking forward to this book! It looks intriguing!
Elly -Indiana-
Elly, I'm so glad to hear that you've been looking forward to my book, Revealing the Truth. Happy reading!
A captivating and memorable novel which is a real treasure. Anne in NM.
I have a couple of Lorri Dudley’s books on my wish list and this is one of them. The storyline certain sounds intriguing!
Perrianne Askew in central Texas
perrianne (DOT) askew (AT) me (FOT) com
Brenda from Mississippi. I’m very interested in this book. New author for me.
This sounds great! Thanks for sharing!!
Connie from Kentucky
cps1950ATgmailDOTcom
Enter me in your awesome giveaway!!
Nichols SC.
Thanks for the chance to win this book. It looks awesome!
Beth from IA
Sounds intriguing! And I saw the Lipizzaners in person once--quite amazing. :)
-Melissa in TN
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