Welcome, Pepper. Tell
us how much of yourself you write into your characters.
Well, I think it depends on the characters. I know there is
some of me in all of them, especially the heroines, but I find many more of my
own personal thoughts and character traits in the ones who are a bit quirkier
;-)
What is the quirkiest
thing you have ever done?
Aha, and speaking of quirky J Probably dress up as
Gandalf to play LOTR with my kids in the backyard. I even made a cotton ball
beard.
When did you first
discover that you were a writer?
I feel like I’ve been story creating my whole life, but
actual writing started when I was about eight. My sweet granny bought me a
second-hand typewriter when I was 10 and gave it to me because she said, “A
writer needs one.” She was the first person to call me a writer. It stuck.
Tell us the range of
the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
I love adventurous books with either intense romance,
suspense, humor, or action. Usually I stick with any of the above if they have
a good dose of romance.
How do you keep your
sanity in our run, run, run world?
The grace of God! Definitely. And lots of laughter, music,
prayer, family, tea, and chocolate. I’m a more relaxed personality, so it helps
with juggling the crazy.
How do you choose
your characters’ names?
I use a baby names book with name meanings, but I also ask
my brainstorming team for ideas and keep my ears open for other interesting
names.
What is the accomplishment
that you are most proud of?
My children. Hands down. Now, if you mean writing, I’m just
so proud to have three books releasing this year – and I’m proud of all of
them.
If you were an
animal, which one would you be, and why?
A golden retriever – probably.
When I was in high
school and college, our family had a golden retriever. He rode in the back of
Daddy’s pickup truck with his head hanging around the driver’s side edge of the
cab. He loved the wind in his face. What is your favorite food?
Savory: Chicken Scaloppini
Sweet: Dark Knight Chocolate Torte
What is the problem
with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?
Someone taking a chance on my writing. How did I overcome
it? I kept submitting and submitting and submitting…until someone finally
believed in the story enough to take a chance.
Tell us about the
featured book.
Oh boy! A speech-language pathologist determined to move up
the academic ladder and out of rural Appalachia
makes a deal with her arrogant supervisor to change a thick-accented and
big-hearted cattle farmer into corporate world material by Thanksgiving. An
Appalachian twist to My Fair Lady
Please give us the
first page of the book.
PhD was not supposed to smell like this.
Adelina Roseland dropped a box of research articles onto the
floor and stifled a deep breath as the strong aroma of naturally fertilized
farmland wafted in from the open window. The small room, with apparently, no
air conditioning, defied any prestige the brass placard on her mahogany desk
could have given:
Adelina.N. Roseland, PhD
Assistant Chair
Department of Communicative Disorders, Blue Ridge University
She tossed her bag on the desk and contemplated closing the
window, but a cool morning breeze blew in for a moment’s respite from the
stuffy warmth in the room. Stale heat or the scent of country charm? She sighed
in resignation to the irony of life and kept the window open. Country charm it
was.
The view outside paused her turn. Blue
mountains , a cascade of them, filled the horizon and stirred an
almost irresistible pull. They shouldn’t draw her, or provide any comfort. The
memories of her childhood should snuff any longing the fog-covered sea of
mountains encouraged, but instead of pain, she heard the gentle hum of her
granny’s voice. The soft song from the past threatened to awaken feelings and
memories she avoided like black-eyed peas and family reunions. But it called
her to remember. To soften the sadness, loss, and grief.
Her throat tightened as unbidden memories peeked into the
present. She pushed them away, determined to leave her unsavory past in the
place where all bad memories go: one-on-one intensive psychotherapy.
That piques my
interest. How can readers find you on the Internet?
Best place is Facebook or my website, www.pepperdbasham.com I’m also on
Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram and can be found at my group writing blog,
The Writers Alley – http://thewritersalleyblog.comThank you, Pepper, for sharing this book with us. I'm particularly eager to read it, because I have a drama background, and My Fair Lady is one of my favorite Broadway musicals.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
A Twist of Faith
- PaperbackA Twist of Faith: Will a wager against her future steal her chance at true love?
- KindleLeave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.
The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com
