BEYOND THESE HILLS - Sandra Robbins - One Free Book

Bio: Sandra Robbins, former teacher and principal, is an award winning, multi-published author of Christian fiction who lives with her husband in Tennessee. Angel of the Cove, her first book in the Harvest House Publishers historical romance series Smoky Mountain Dreams, released in August, 2012, and was recently named the 2013 winner in the Single Title Inspirational Category of the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence. This award is given by the Birmingham Southern Magic Chapter of Romance Writers of America for excellence in writing romance. In addition in 2013 her Love Inspired Suspense books Shattered Identity and Fatal Disclosure were both awarded the HOLT Medallion in different categories of the Virginia Romance Writers of America contest to honor outstanding literary talent.

Dangerous Waters the first book in her Cold Case Files Series released the first of August and will be followed by Beyond These Hills, the third book in her Smoky Mountain Dream series in September.

Why did you become an author?

I had always had a dream that one day I would write a book. It suddenly dawned on me one day that I kept putting off what I had always said I’d do. So I decided to finally face up to the goal I’d set for myself years ago and follow through. I think we often do that in life. We have good intentions, but many times we don’t follow through. I’m so thankful I did.

And your readers are, too. If you weren’t an author, what would be your dream job?

Before becoming an author, I was a teacher and then a school principal for many  years. So I would have to say I’ve been blessed to have both my dream jobs. I loved working with children, and I have many happy memories of those years. Now I love connecting with readers who enjoy my books. There’s nothing else that could give me as much as pleasure as what I’ve experienced with these two jobs.

If you could have lived at another time in history, what would it be and why?

I’ve always liked reading about life in the South before the Civil War, especially life along the Mississippi River. I wonder what it would have been like to board one of those big paddlewheelers in Memphis and float down river to New Orleans. Then I think of all the modern conveniences I would be giving up, and I’m thankful for this time in history. It makes me wonder   how life will improve for generations to come.

That’s a good question. What place in the United States have you not visited that you would like to?

There are actually two places I really want to visit. One of them is New England in the fall when the foliage is at its peak, and the other is Mackinaw Island. I’ve wanted to go there ever since I saw the movie Somewhere in Time.

How about a foreign country you hope to visit?

 I’ve been very fortunate to do a lot of traveling and have visited some very interesting countries. However, my grandson is now living in The Netherlands, and I’ve never been there. I would really like to go there and see the tulips in the spring, the windmills, and various places I’ve read about such as Corrie Ten Boom’s house. I would love to tour the place where she and her family hid Jews from the Nazis during World War II.

We hosted an exchange student for almost a year from The Netherlands. I’d love to visit there. What lesson has the Lord taught you recently?

The Lord teaches me lessons every day. One of the things that He’s still working on with me is to make me accept the fact that all things happen in His time, not mine. I may be impatient to hear from a book proposal that I’m hoping will sell, but I have to remind myself that I can do nothing do speed up things. If God wants the words He’s given me shared with others, He’ll pick the time to make it happen.

Tell us about the featured book.

Beyond These Hills is the third book in my Smoky Mountain Dreams Series. The year is 1935, and the government is buying up all the land in the Smoky Mountains to establish the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. In Cades Cove, a remote mountain valley, the residents don’t want to sell the land their family has lived on for generations. As the Martin and Jackson families lead the fight to save their land, Andrew Brady, a young government agent sent to convince the last holdouts to sell, arrives and finds himself attracted to Laurel Martin who is determined to stay in the Cove. These two must find their way to each other and a new life in Christ that awaits them.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Beyond These Hills

Cades Cove, Tennessee

June, 1935

The speedometer needle on the pickup truck’s dashboard eased to thirty miles an hour. Laurel Jackson bit back a smile and glanced at her father. With his right hand on the steering wheel and his left elbow hanging out the open window, he reminded her of a little boy absorbed in the wonder of a new toy.

The wind ruffled his silver-streaked dark hair, and a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth as the truck bounced along. His eyes held a faraway look that told her he was enjoying every minute of the drive along the new road that twisted through Cade’s Cove.

If truth be told, though, the truck with its dented fenders wasn’t all that new. He’d bought it a few months ago from Warren Hubbard who’d cleaned out a few ditches in Cades Cove trying to bring the little Ford to a stop. The good-natured ribbing of his neighbors that he kept yelling “Whoa” instead of pressing the brake had finally convinced Mr. Hubbard he had no business behind the wheel of a truck.

Her father didn’t have that problem. He took to driving like their old hound dog Buster took to trailing a raccoon. Neither gave up until they’d finished what they’d started. Mama often said she didn’t know which one’s stubborn ways vexed her more—Poppa or Buster. Of course, her eyes always twinkled when she said it.

The truck was another matter entirely. She saw no reason on earth they needed that contraption on their farm when they had a perfectly good wagon and buggy. To her, it was another reminder of how life in Cades Cove was changing. Laurel could imagine what she would say if she could see Poppa now as the speedometer inched up to thirty-five.

Land sakes, Matthew. If you don’t keep both hands on the wheel, you’re gonna end up killing us all.

But Mama wasn’t with them today to tell Poppa they weren’t in a race, and he was taking advantage of her absence to test the limits of the truck. At this rate, they’d make it to Gatlinburg earlier than expected. When she was a little girl, the ride in their wagon over to the mountain village that had become a favorite of tourists had seemed to take forever. Now it took them less than half the time to get there.

She glanced at her father again and arched an eyebrow. “You’d better be glad Mama stayed home.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Readers can find me at my website http://sandrarobbins.net or email me at  sandra@sandrarobbins.net You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, and  Goodreads. 

Thank you, Sandra, for sharing this new book with us.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.

Beyond These Hills - Christianbook.com
Beyond These Hills (Smoky Mountain Dreams) - Amazon.com
Beyond These Hills (Smoky Mountain Dreams) - Kindle

Christian Book Store

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. 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 Google +, Feedblitz, Facebook, 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