A Tender Hope on the blog. It’s a wonderful historical, romantic
suspense novel. Her characters always leap from the pages straight into my
heart bringing me into their stories. An what a story! Lots of suspense, romance,
and surprises. I highly recommend this wonderful read. You’ll have a hard time
putting it down.
Bio: Amanda
Cabot’s dream of selling a book before her thirtieth birthday came true, and
she’s now the author of more than thirty-five novels as well as eight novellas,
four non-fiction books, and what she describes as enough technical articles to
cure insomnia in a medium-sized city.
Her inspirational romances have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller
lists, have garnered a starred review from Publishers
Weekly, and have been nominated for the ACFW Carol, the HOLT Medallion, and
the Booksellers Best awards. A popular workshop presenter, Amanda takes
pleasure in helping other writers achieve their dreams of publication.
Welcome back, Amanda.
How did you come up with the idea for this story?
The initial impetus came from my readers. So many of them
were intrigued by Thea, the heroine of Paper
Roses’ little sister, and asked for her story that I kept thinking about
their pleas to show them what happened to Thea when she was all grown up. At first,
I was committed to writing other series, but when I started plotting the Cimarron
Creek trilogy, I knew it was time to give Thea her own book.
I loved the fact that
we went back to the characters from Paper
Roses. If you were planning a party with Christian authors of contemporary
fiction, what six people would you invite and why?
Oh, what fun this would be. I’m already planning a dinner
party where we talk about the changing face of contemporary Christian fiction
and how each of my guests is impacting that. The authors I’d invite, in no
particular order, are:
Irene Hannon. Her Hope Harbor stories are guaranteed to make
me smile when the characters reach their happily-ever-after.
Liz Johnson. As a fan of Lucy Maud Montgomery, I fell in
love with Liz’s books set on PEI and all the references she made to Maud and Anne
of Green Gables.
Suzanne Woods Fisher. I debated whether to put her on the
list for the historical party or this one, since she writes both. Eventually I
decided she’d be a great addition to the contemporary authors, since her wonderful
Amish stories provide a contrast to the other guests’ books.
Erin Bartels. Her debut novel, We Hope For Better Things, is one of the best books I’ve read in
many years.
Lynette Eason. When I’m looking for keep-me-awake-all-night
suspense, Lynette’s my go-to author.
Sandra Orchard. When I grow up, I want to write mysteries as
well as Sandra does. In the meantime, I simply enjoy hers.
Now let’s do that for
a party for Christian authors of historical fiction, what six people would you
invite and why?
We’re not going to have a dinner party this time. Instead,
since we all write about “times gone by,” I’m going to serve high tea. Scones,
crumpets, some decadent pastries, and six different kinds of tea. I hope my
guests will enjoy the menu and the discussion of how we ensure historical
accuracy while still telling stories that appeal to modern readers. My guests
would be:
Stephanie Grace Whitson. Her endless creativity never fails
to amaze me, which is why I’ve loved each of Stephanie’s books.
Karen Witemeyer. When I want to laugh a bit while I’m
reading, I turn to Karen.
Kim Vogel Sawyer. Kim and I’ve been in several novella
collections together and have had a lot of fun with them. I know it would be
even more fun to meet in person.
Valerie Fraser Luesse. Missing
Isaac was such a phenomenal book that I’d love to have its author at my
party.
Jane Kirkpatrick. I’m in awe of the way Jane turns true-life
stories into such fascinating novels.
Ann H. Gabhart. Whether she’s writing historical novels or
contemporary mysteries, Ann never fails to deliver top-notch stories.
Many times, people
(and other authors) think you have it made with so many books published. What
is your most difficult problem with writing at this time in your career?
My biggest challenge – I refuse to call it a problem, since
that might lead to writer’s block – is making each story different from and
better than the previous ones. I never want readers to say, “I’ve read that
before” or “All Amanda’s characters are the same,” and so I agonize over each
and every book I write.
Tell us about the
featured book.
A Tender Hope is
the last of the Cimarron Creek trilogy, but like all of my books, it can be
read as a standalone. One of my pet peeves are books where I feel lost if I
read them out of sequence, so I’ve made a promise to my readers that I’ll never
put them in that situation.
What's the story about? I'm always challenged to tell a
story in only a couple sentences, but here's what I wrote as part of the
proposal for this book:
When a Texas Ranger comes to Cimarron Creek on a mission to
capture the men who killed his brother, the last thing he expects is to find
his heart touched by an abandoned baby and the widow who may hold the clues he
needs.
As for the widow, she's Thea, the little sister from Paper Roses who captivated so many readers. Thea's all grown up now, and oh, does she need a happy ending. Unfortunately, when she leaves her home, trying to put the pain of the past behind her, she may have put her life in peril.
Back
Cover Copy
As far as Thea Michener is
concerned, it’s time for a change. With her husband murdered and her
much-anticipated baby stillborn, there is nothing left for her in Ladreville.
Having accepted a position as Cimarron Creek’s midwife, she has no intention of
remarrying. So when a handsome Texas Ranger appears on her doorstep with an
abandoned baby, Thea isn’t sure her heart can take it.
Ranger Jackson Guthrie isn’t
concerned only with the baby’s welfare. He’s been looking for Thea, convinced
that her late husband was part of the gang that killed his brother. But it soon
becomes clear that the situation is far more complicated than he
anticipated—and he’ll need Thea’s help if he’s ever to find the justice he
seeks.
Please give us the
first page of the book.
August 8, 1881
She was free.
Thea Michener smiled as she checked the harness, then
climbed into the buggy. Within minutes, she would be leaving the only home she
could remember. As much as she loved Ladreville, whose half-timbered buildings
and Old-World charm made visitors declare it to be one of the prettiest towns
in the Hill Country, it was time for a change.
While others might have trembled with fear over the thought
of leaving family, friends, and all things familiar, the prospect filled Thea
with relief. A new town, new possibilities, a new life beckoned her. A year ago
she would not have dreamt of leaving, but that was a year ago. So much had
changed in the past year, most of all Thea.
“But you haven’t changed, have you, Maggie?” Her smile
widened into a grin as she looked at the bay mare that had carried her on
countless journeys. The horse was the one part of her old life that she was
taking with her, that and the tools of her trade. What she was leaving behind
were the need for secrecy and the fear that someone would discover the truth
she had tried so hard to hide.
How can readers find
you on the Internet?
I love to hear from readers and hope they’ll explore my webpage
and follow me on social media. Here are the links:
Thank you, Amanda for
allowing me to introduce this story to my blog readers.
Buying Links
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