ANSWERING SARAH - Nancy Bolton - One Free Book

Welcome, Nancy. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

All of my characters have a little bit of me, and some have a bit more. I try to write my characters as deeply as I can, so many times I have to really dig into myself, my experiences, and what I understand about people in order to express the heart of the character and their conflicts and changes. It may sound funny, but sometimes they really surprise me, too!

That doesn’t surprise me at all. What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?   

I don’t know if this is the quirkiest, but it’s up there with the top ones. Here’s what I did: My first son was the first grandchild for my parents. Oh, how they doted on him, and as soon as we showed up for a visit, they would start towards us, hands stretched out to receive the precious baby. I thought it was adorable. They insisted we come over every Sunday afternoon and do our laundry there and have dinner. I don’t know what got into me, but one time when we showed up for our weekly visit, I decided to tease them a little. The baby was asleep in the car seat, and I wrapped a small amount of laundry into one of my son’s blankets, cradled it in my arms and entered the house. As my parents approached, eyes alight, hands ready to receive the baby, I lobbed my bundle to them and said, “Here, catch.” They both shrieked and I had the bad taste to laugh at their appalled expressions. They quickly joined my laughter, relieved, after first giving me that parental look of disapproval. (I hope the reader doesn’t hate me now! But it still makes me chuckle at myself.)

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I think I was around nine or so, and I wrote a short school essay about Abraham Lincoln, who I admired so much. It touched me when I wrote it, and I never forgot that. Soon after, I wrote my first poem just for myself, all about what the outdoors feels like after a rainstorm. I’ve loved writing since then.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

Oh, goodness. Classics, fiction, non-fiction, biographies, memoirs, pretty much anything I find worth reading. What I don’t find worth reading are stories written for the sole purposes of being sensational, titillating, gory or gross.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

I make sure I get enough sleep, put time into my spiritual walk and relationship with God and my family, and I don’t eat much processed food or junk food. And I take nutritional supplements. All that helps a lot.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Sometimes they just pop into my mind and most of the time they’re usually pretty common-type names for the area I live in. For one book, I used all the names of my nieces and nephews for the characters. Often, I name characters for people I know or have heard of. I try to stay away from names that are too hard to figure out how to say, so the reader doesn’t get slowed down. I know that happens to me sometimes when I read a book, and the name is so long or odd that I end up stopping to study it and wonder if I’m saying it right inside my head.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

My long marriage, and our five sons, and grandchildren. They light me up!

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

I’d be a friendly kitty, docile but spunky. I think this is because I’ve always adored cats, and they are so sensitive and curious, two traits I’ve been told I have in a major way!

What is your favorite food?

Aged cheeses. Yum!

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

My greatest roadblock was in the beginning phase of writing novels. I wrote as though I were explaining the story, and had way too much telling rather than showing. I joined ACFW, and the wonderful critiquers there helped me immeasurably. I would not be where I am without all of them and their patient, caring, and insightful advice.

Tell us about the featured book.

It takes place in the 1890’s in upstate NY. The main character is Sarah, who is coming of age, and whose family and community survived a fire nine years earlier. The way the fire changed their family still has an effect on Sarah, and when she falls in love with the new, young pastor, she finds herself going through internal changes she never expected. The story is told from her perspective as well as that of Mark, the pastor, who also goes through unexpected changes of his own. It’s been very popular with advance readers, and I really loved writing it.

Please give us the first page of the book.

This page is from the prologue which begins the story on the day of the fire when Sarah was nine.

Upstate New York

Summer, 1883

A rest in the shade was tempting, but one glance at the sunlit road ahead changed Sarah’s mind. She bumped her elbow on her little brother’s arm.

“Let’s play road-hop, Joe.” Now that she’d turned nine, the time for games would end soon enough. She had to fit some in whenever she could.

Joe made up the game last year and it fast became their favorite. They left the cool shelter under the pines to Ma and Pa and scampered out on the dirt road. The sun blistered the top of her head and its harsh rays highlighted every dried grass stalk and weed in the hard-baked ruts of the road. Dry heat shimmered up from the ground.

Sweat sprang out on her forehead. She should rest. They still had an uphill trek to get home from their visit to friends, followed by chores for all of them once they arrived. But she couldn’t resist having some fun.

What a long, dry summer. She and Joe spent their free time splashing in the creek at home, which was now a weak ribbon of its former strength, dwindling down in the daily onslaught of heat. It had to rain soon, Pa repeated every day, scanning the cloudless sky. Sarah was sure it would, since Pa said so.

Joe hopped on one foot, back and forth over the wagon ruts. A large clod of dirt crumbled into the rut along the edge of his planted foot, challenging his balance. Joe teetered on the edge while his arms sliced the air in erratic, frantic circles. The sight of that, coupled with his grimace and wide eyes made Sarah chortle and point at him.

Pa chuckled. Joe scowled at Sarah, regained his balance, and said, “Ha-ha. I didn’t fall.”

“Don’t tease each other, children.” Ma’s tone of admonishment made Sarah quench her giggles. But he looked so funny, and when they were alone, most of the enjoyment of the game was the teasing part while they tried to outdo each other.

“Sorry, Ma.” Joe hopped four more times and finally lost his balance. Both feet touched the ground while Joe huffed out an exasperated sigh.

Sarah clapped and jumped in delight. “My turn.”

How can readers find you on the Internet? 

Website Link:  http://boltonnancy.com/

Author Blog Link:   Group Blog

Author Facebook Link: Facebook Page

Author Twitter: On Twitter

Goodreads: Goodreads page

Thank you, Nancy, for sharing this book with us.

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

Answering Sarah - paperback
Answering Sarah - Kindle

Comments question: Have you ever had a devastating fire?

Leave 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 or country if outside North America. (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.

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THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS - Nancy Shew Bolton - One Free Ebook

Welcome, Nancy. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

Each character has something of me in them, some aspect that connects me to them, so that I can fashion them in a more authentic, personal way. By putting something of myself in them, even just a small aspect, I’m able to bring them to life more easily.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

This is kind of embarrassing, but I guess it illustrates my odd sense of humor. When our five sons were young, we moved out to a rural piece of our own land, with only a few neighbors. I thought it was great to be out of trailer parks and somewhere the boys could spread out, build forts and tree houses, or whatever they wanted. Anyway, with five boys, there were always bikes, half-finished projects, as well as swing sets and toys scattered in the yard. I thought it was great not to have a landlord nagging us about it, but I guess one of my neighbors decided we were too messy, and began a gossip campaign against us.

It saddened me at first, but then I got kind of annoyed when she kept it up. She’d take her daily walk with a few other ladies, and go past our yard, giving it head shakes and disapproving looks. I felt like I needed to do something to change the course of the situation, and I got tired of the negativity directed at my family. So I thought of something that would let the gossiper know I didn’t share her opinion but would also have a touch of humor in it. So, I painted a large sign and propped it in the front yard. She and the others stopped to read it, cast a few startled glances at our house, and stopped walking past our yard every day. Within a month, she and the other ladies had stopped by to mend fences, and the trouble was over. What did the sign say? Boring People Have Clean Yards. (I know, it’s not very nice, but they did appreciate the humor, so it all worked out! And if you have a clean yard, I’m sure you’re not boring. Just tidier than my family!)

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I was about ten or so, and I went outside right after a thunderstorm passed. I came back inside for a pen and paper because I just had to write down what it felt like outside, the way the changed atmosphere affected me. That was the first time that writing felt like singing, like a way to really express myself.

Well said. Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

Though I have pretty varied taste, I always like a story that emphasizes characters, and how they interact. Relationships always fascinate me, and the different ways people respond to the same situations. If that element is in the story, then it can be almost any genre that I’ll enjoy, though I’m not fond of horror, or stories with such convoluted plots that it’s like homework to try and figure them out.

I agree. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

Prayer time. And naps!

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Usually I let names run through my mind until one feels right. Also, for one of my novellas I’m working on, I decided to try and use all my nieces and nephew’s names for most of the characters. That’s been fun.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Raising our five, funny, unique, creative, quirky sons. It’s what always mattered most to John and me.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

I’d like to say a cat, because the little acrobats have always delighted me, but if I had to pick one that I’m most like, I guess it would have to be some kind of bird. I’d love to spend my time flying and singing, and resting in my nest, gazing at the sky.

What is your favorite food?

Aged cheeses. Yum.

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

When I decided to write books, rather than short, inspired bursts of thoughts or poems, I discovered that I wrote the way I spoke. I had to learn to explain less, show more, and cut out a lot of unnecessary words. I overcame this through the help of ACFW critiquers, editorial advice, and many hours of revising my work. I’m still learning.

Aren’t we all? Tell us about the featured book.

It’s called The Right Ingredients. It’s a contemporary Christian romance, set at a cake shop where the main character, Ann, runs it with her friend Susan. Ann is shy, overworked, and afraid of relationships. She’s unawakened spiritually and romantically, and the story is about how her life changes.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Ann hoped the bakery stayed empty of customers. She needed every bit of concentration to decorate the cake the way she envisioned it. Her eyes scrutinized the last patch of undecorated surface. Almost done. Shifting on the chair, elbows planted on the low icing table, she pressed her lips together and leaned closer. She calculated the perfect angle to hold the frosting bag.

A stray hair drifted into her line of vision and she blew out a quick upward breath to deflect it. How on earth could any strand escape her coiled braid? She should have worn the hairnet. But hairnets were old-womanish. Still, she preferred them to the flimsy paper hats she and Susan wore the first year they opened the bakery. They never fit well, and exasperated her by sailing off her head when she rushed past the ceiling fans.

The bell on the bakery’s front door tinkled. Ann sighed and wished Susan would return from deliveries. She glanced through the archway and out the picture window. Maybe she’d appear. No such luck. Oh, well.

“Be right there,” she called. Ann set down the icing bag, rose from the chair and angled her hips to slip past the table. As she stepped sideways, two bees zoomed in and flew toward her. She
startled, brushed both hands to scare them away, and lost her balance.

In helpless shock, her stomach fell as her forearms, palms, and chin landed on the cake and sunk in while a groan escaped her. Ann lifted her head and stared in total horror. Loud moans erupted. “No, no, no.”

As though a protest would change anything. Tears gathered. She drew away from the cake, and straightened up. One little wobble, and her handiwork was destroyed.

“Are you okay?”

Ann stared at a tall, sturdy man in jeans and a tee shirt. He stood in the archway between the front and back rooms and surveyed the scene. “I’d have stayed out there, but I heard you cry out and thought I’d better check on you.”

Ann’s lip trembled. She pushed against the tide of emotion. No tears in front of customers. The two bees danced on the frosting, poking around on her ruined cake. “It’s all their fault. I tried to do everything right, and see what happened?”

She pointed a frosted finger at them while her tears overflowed. Through the blur, she glanced from the excited insects over to the man. She blinked to clear her vision.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Here are my links:

http://boltonnancy.com/

On Twitter

The Diamond Mine group blog

Amazon Author Page

Goodreads page

Thank you, Nancy, for sharing the book with us. I look forward to reading it. I want to know what happens next, and I'm sure my readers do, too.

Readers, here is a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
The Right Ingredients

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 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