TAKEN FOR ENGLISH - Olivia Newport - One Free Book

Welcome back, Olivia. Tell us about your salvation experience.

The kingdom of God is a wondrous sphere in which to live! As a child my loving faithful parents nurtured my understanding of God’s steadfast presence in my life. As a high school and college student, I learned to articulate my faith for myself. Moving through the decades since then and experiencing the richness of life, both joys and sufferings, I cry out for God’s saving presence to flow in and through me. What a joy it is to step into God’s story and find I belong there.

You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?

Oooh, this feels a little like a trick question. I have so many writer friends, and I don’t want to play favorites! For the last eight years, I’ve been blessed to be part of a monthly book discussion group made up of writers and editors (several wear both hats). Along with loving me, they constantly sharpen me. (But since there are seven of them and only four slots, I’m back to playing favorites … )

People are always telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that?

It does happen a fair bit. When someone says, “Someday when I have time I’m going to write a book,” I put a smile on my face and say authors write books one paragraph at a time, and though we go through different seasons of life, we all have the same twenty-four hours in a day. Sometimes we must say no to some things in order to say yes to a calling. If the person has already begun to write and seems serious, I usually encourage the person to know what his or her goals are, along with explaining the difference between self-publishing and traditional publishing and the reasons why the same route is not right for everyone. And then I say the obvious—write! Ultimately that’s what it comes down to.

What else do you have in store for your readers?

Barbour Publishing recently launched an imprint called Shiloh Run Studios. The books in this line will be serialized novels that go directly to e-book and audiobook formats one episode at a time. I was thrilled when they gave me the opportunity to write the first series. “Hidden Falls” is the name of a fictional Midwestern small town and the name of the series, which includes 13 releases. Right now we’re in the middle of the series. A new episode, complete with mystery and cliffhangers, comes out each week.

Later in the year, I will be launching the Amish Turns of Time series of three historical Amish novels set in the 1910s and featuring definitive moments in Amish history. The first one is called Wonderful Lonesome. Readers can look for it in the late summer.

Then in the fall, I’ll have a novella called Snow Song in a Christmas collection. There’s a lot going on this year!

Tell us about the featured book.

Taken for English concludes the Valley of Choice series. Readers who have been following Annie and Rufus (and Ruth and Elijah) will finally see how their story ends. Here’s the cover blurb:

Annie joined the Amish church based on prayerful conviction, not romantic dreams. And yet, she’d hoped to share her new life with Rufus. But he’s obviously in no hurry. Family history clearly shows it’s never been easy living a plain life in the English world. Will the changes and challenges Annie now faces as a young Amish woman test her newfound faith in good ways or bad? And how long will Rufus test her patience?

I’ve read the first two books in this series and will be glad to see how the stories come together. Please give us the first page of the book.

A siren screamed down the highway. Ruth Beiler turned her head half an inch toward the sound, catching the reflex before curiosity about events outside her family’s home could distract her from the solemn occasion before her eyes. In a minute, the congregation would sing another hymn from the Ausbund and Ruth would savor every note. No matter how many times she went to an English church in Colorado Springs, her heart yearned for the plaintive rhythm of the Amish hymns she had grown up with. Music should have space to think, to reflect, to absorb. And after the hymn and a prayer would come the moment that had Ruth’s heart beating fast today.

Annalise Friesen was presenting herself for baptism. Joining the Amish church. This should be all Rufus needed to formally ask Annalise to marry him. If he did not, Ruth intended to have a firm conversation with her older brother.

Ruth glanced at Rufus seated across the aisle with the men. He was twenty-nine and still clean shaven—unmarried. Anyone outside the community might have thought that the small boy next to Rufus was his son, but Jacob was their littlest brother. Next to Ruth, her mother shifted slightly in her chair, leaning forward. Normally the Beiler women chose to sit toward the back of the congregation of about sixty people, especially when the faithful gathered in their own home. But this day was different. Eli Beiler sat with bearded men at the front of the assembly on the men’s side of the aisle. Rufus sat farther back, with the unmarried men, but he had taken a seat on the aisle where he could see well, with Jacob and Joel next to him. Ruth sat with her mother, Franey, and her sisters Lydia and Sophie toward the front, where they could see well but not seem ostentatious.

Because Annalise was being baptized.

Heaviness pressed against Ruth’s efforts to breathe. They would not speak of it, but she was sure her mother would be remembering the same event, the fall baptism service, almost three years ago. Ruth had knelt before the bishop as Annalise was doing today. And during the prayer preceding the baptism, with all heads bowed and eyes closed, she slipped out.

Just left. Ran. Hid. Rode with an English man to a bus stop and moved to Colorado Springs.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I’d love to have folks drop by www.olivianewport.com, contact me at olivia@olivianewport.com, follow me on Twitter at @OliviaNewport, on Google+, or Like my Facebook page, www.facebook.com/OliviaNewport.

Thank you, Olivia, 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.
Taken for English - Christianbook.com
Taken for English: (Valley of Choice) Amazon
Taken for English (Valley of Choice) - 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.

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THE INVENTION OF SARAH CUMMINGS - Olivia Newport - One Free Book

Welcome back, Olivia. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

I look for themes that connect with life issues I see people I know struggling with—second chances, true worth, values that form our lives. Our human existence is full of knots. Lots of things go wrong, because of our woundedness and choices that fall short of health. But God redeems, revealing his beauty and hope even as we sit among the ashes.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

2014 is a busy year. In February, Taken for English releases to wrap up the Valley of Choice series of three stories that blend a contemporary Amish setting with a thematically intertwined historical line. In the early fall, the first book in my new Amish Turns of Time series will come out. It’s called Wonderful Lonesome and explores a failed Amish settlement in Colorado a hundred years ago. Also in the fall I will have a Christmas novella in a collection of nine stories by nine different authors.

If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?

The world is full of interesting people, some famous and some not. I could throw a dart at the wall and come up with someone I’d enjoy an evening with. One person who comes to mind is a musician named Marty Haugen. He writes modern hymns and music for worship in several denominations, and his style captivates me. I’d love to discuss the way he conveys his faith through creativity.

What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

Again, so many choices! A few weeks ago my church hosted a weekend seminar on C. S. Lewis, who is such a blend of intellect and creativity. I’m not sure I could keep up with his brilliance, but I’d like to at least express my thanks for challenging me to be a better thinker. When he was imagining other worlds to write about, I wonder if he imagined his own legacy to future generations of the church.

How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

Yes, it helps to have ability, but it also helps to be stubborn! Many people dream of making an income, even if small, from writing, but I think the writing life is a blend of calling and business. You have to open to responding in both dimensions. It’s a rare writer who doesn’t have a string of rejection stories to tell. Clarify your own goals and resist getting sucked into how you ought to be doing it.

Tell us about the featured book.

The Invention of Sarah Cummings is the third and final story in the Avenue of Dreams series set in 1890s Chicago and featuring three young women yearning to breathe free and make choices that determine their own lives. Sarah Cummings has one goal—to break into Chicago’s high society. Desperate to stop serving dinner to members of the wealthy Banning family and to start eating at society tables, Sarah spends her meager free time altering cast-off gowns to create the perfect wardrobe for her future life. When opportunity knocks at a chance meeting, she presents herself as Serena Cuthbert, weaving a fictitious past to go with her fictitious name. But as she gets closer to her goal, Sarah finds she must choose between the life she has and the life she dreams of.

I’ve read the first two in this series and anxiously await this third book. Please give us the first page of the book.

The hat crooked its finger at Sarah Cummings.

The gesture was sophisticated. Seductive. Irresistible.

Sarah pushed open the shop’s door for a better look from the inside of the display window. Under a flood of sunlight, the gold bead trim adorning a narrow crimson brim doubled as a prism, sending hues to chase and dance around the milliner’s shop.

She did love that hat.

The classic oval shape of the crown and simplicity of design would make it versatile—worth every penny of the price. The coins in Sarah’s purse were a long way from sufficient, though. She had not yet attempted to make a hat herself, but having mastered gowns and suits, she contemplated her next frontier unafraid. A hat would require such a small swatch of fabric. The attraction was all in the design and the trims, and she had a small trunk full of ribbons, beads, and buttons harvested from gowns over the last three years.

Considering the afternoon she had just experienced, Sarah felt she deserved an indulgence.

“Don’t you just adore that hat?”

Sarah turned toward the voice. The eyes fastened on her were speckled—she was unsure what color to call them. Not quite blue. Not quite hazel. Certainly not green. But bright. And not tired at all. She had seen those eyes before. The not-quite-any color was uncommon enough to be memorable. But they did not belong to anyone on Prairie Avenue that Sarah could remember.

“I’ve been marveling at that hat through the window for two weeks,” the young woman confided. “Even my mother agrees it’s exquisite, and we rarely agree about any matter of fashion. You should have seen us choosing gowns for a wedding we attended.”

And then Sarah knew. Florence Pullman’s wedding at the end of April. The immense parlor of the George Pullman home had been decked in green and gold, with vast wreaths of orchids and lilies of the valley cascading down the pillars. Florence had taken her vows in the bay window, wearing an opulent ivory satin gown. Sarah remembered the train cut on the bias. Mrs. Pullman had asked Flora Banning for the loan of her maids, including Sarah, to serve at the reception that lasted until midnight. More than two hundred people had been there for the gala and eaten from the five-tiered cake with the angel on top.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I’d love to have folks drop by www.olivianewport.com, contact me at olivia@olivianewport.com, follow me on Twitter at @OliviaNewport, or like my Facebook page, www.facebook.com/OliviaNewport.

Thank you, Olivia, 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.
Invention of Sarah Cummings - Christianbook.com
Invention of Sarah Cummings, The (Avenue of Dreams) - Amazon
Invention of Sarah Cummings, The (Avenue of Dreams Book #3) - Kindle

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

THE DILEMMA OF CHARLOTTE FARROW - Olivia Newport - One Free Book

Olivia Newport is returning with a second book in a very interesting series. 

Welcome, Olivia. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow is the third book to release in seven months. I feel blessed! When I decided to pursue publishing novels, I did not imagine having two series going at the same time, and six books releasing in an 18-month window. This may never happen again. I have two new historical series in development, and hope to bring them to readers soon.

Tell us a little about your family.

I’ve been married 33 years and have two young adult children. They both live at home for various reasons, so I’m trying to savor this season because I know it is likely to end soon.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

I’ve always read widely and enjoy all sorts of fiction. I still do that, but I also am more intentional about reading the work of other authors of historical fiction from Christian publishers or books by authors I’ve met through social media.

What are you working on right now?

I am working on Taken for English, which will be the third story in the Valley of Choice series. And I expect soon I will be in an editorial phase on The Invention of Sarah Cummings, the third in the Avenue of Dreams series.

What outside interests do you have?

I am interested in the connection between faith and health and the marvelous ways our bodies and spirits work together. I find myself reading and exploring this topic through conversation with friends.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I often stumble onto a setting and then the setting chooses the story. That’s what happened with the Avenue of Dreams series when I discovered the history of Prairie Avenue in Chicago. The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow is the second in that series, but the whole series shares a setting. All three books are the stories of people who live in a house inspired by the Glessner House and Museum.

If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?

Ever the researcher, I think it would be fascinating to spend an evening with an ordinary person who participated in changing the future. For instance, what if I could hear firsthand from someone who crossed the Rocky Mountains in a wagon? I think about the bravery of such people every time I go on a road trip on modern highways.

Yes, the wagon trains have long fascinated me. That’s why I used it as a catalyst in my McKenna’s Daughters series. What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

Every paragraph you write represents you. It carries your voice. It says something about you as a writer. Always, always be careful with words.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

A couple of weeks ago I stepped off a curb and broke an ankle. I’ve had lots of time to ponder my helplessness, and the wonder of God coming to all of us in our helplessness.

I pray you’ll heal quickly. What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

1. Don’t take shortcuts; they rarely pay off.

2. Criticize your own work before someone else does.

3. And always have something else up your sleeve that you would love to write.

All very good advice. Tell us about the featured book.

While the rest of Chicago focuses on the enormous spectacle of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, Charlotte Farrow’s attentions are entirely on one small boy—her boy—whom she has kept a secret from her wealthy employers for nearly a year.

When the woman who has been caring for her son abruptly returns him to the opulent Banning home, Charlotte must decide whether to come clean and face dismissal or keep her secret while the Bannings decide the child’s fate. Can she face the truth of her past and open her heart to a future of her own? Or will life’s struggles determine her path?

Please give us the first page of the book.

“Kiss Henry for me.”

Momentarily startled by hearing the words aloud, Charlotte Farrow glanced around seeking assurance the moment was private.

“Don’t worry.” Lucy’s green eyes glowed above her amber broadcloth traveling suit. “No one is listening to us.”

At the back of the large carriage along the curb in front of the Banning mansion, the cab driver strapped the last trunk in place. Will Edwards slapped it in approval. In the other direction, Mr. Penard, the household butler, disappeared through the front door.

Lucy waited so long for happiness. Charlotte couldn’t be more pleased for her. She reached for the hand of Lucy Banning Edwards and gripped fingers of friendship. “I’m going to miss you so much. Two months married and already off on an adventure.”

Lucy laughed. “I never wanted a big fussy wedding, but Will promised my parents a proper honeymoon if they would let us get married quickly in June. But I couldn’t very well leave the women’s exhibit at the world’s fair in the lurch, could I?”

Charlotte nodded. “You promised your services through July.”

“This was our first opportunity. Two whole months alone with Will—I can’t wait.”

“It’s not the honeymoon that bothers me, Miss Lucy.” Shyness washed over the maid and seeped through her blue-gray eyes. “But then three months in New Jersey—that’s so far away!”

“Will could hardly refuse the assignment. His firm was gracious to offer it and allow him to be near his mother through the holidays.”

“Of course it’s perfect for Will. Still, I can’t imagine being here without you.” With one hand Charlotte fiddled with a strand of hair the color of damp hay. It had worked its way loose from the knot at the back of her neck, as it did most days.

“You’ll be fine,” Lucy assured her. “We’ll be moving around France at impulse, but after I get back from Europe, it will be simple enough to exchange letters. I’ll let you know the address in New Jersey as soon as Will arranges accommodations.”

“I’ve never had a proper letter.”

Lucy leaned her head in close. “Charlotte, I know you have your reasons for keeping quiet about your life before you arrived on Prairie Avenue. I can only imagine what great sacrifice you’ve made for Henry. But this is your home now. I’ll be back, and I expect to find you right here.”

Charlotte nodded.

“On Thursday my family will return from the lake house,” Lucy continued, “and the routine will go back to normal. Leo will bring people home to dinner, and Richard will be back in school in a few weeks. I suspect Oliver and Pamela may make an announcement soon. You’ll hardly notice I’m gone.”

“I know I’ll be busy.”

Lucy straightened her simple beige hat with one brown feather. “And when the family gets back, Archie Shepard will be back as well. If you ask me, he’ll be glad to see you.”

Charlotte shook her head at the thought of the young coachman. “No, Miss Lucy, there’s nothing between us.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.olivianewport.com

@OliviaNewport (Twitter)

Goodreads

www.facebook.com/OliviaNewport

Thank you, Olivia, 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.
Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow, The: A Novel (Avenue of Dreams) - paperback
Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow, The (Avenue of Dreams Book #2): A Novel - Kindle


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 Feedblitz, Facebook, 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

ACCIDENTALLY AMISH - Olivia Newport - One Free Book

Welcome back, Olivia. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I use the phrase “twisting through time, chasing the joy” to describe my books. More and more, I am drawn to the historical “understory” of any event or character’s story. In some way or another, the past has brought us all to the point where we are now, and it intrigues me to unpack that theme.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

I remember when my son was just a few days old and I was with my mom, who had seven children, and we marveled over him together. I asked, “Does it feel like this every time?” “Every single time,” she answered. To my great joy, I got to feel that twice. No matter how children come into a family, parenthood changes you.

How has being published changed your life?

I have certainly seen what the interior of a writer’s life looks like! Rounds of editing. Being available for opportunities such as this Q&A. Building networks to help spread the word about my books—it’s still true that most people choose a book because someone they know recommended it. I find the greatest challenge is not so much about having time to do everything—and still write—but about being a good juggler. That means creating a rhythm of life that can respond to each project as needed, catching it when it comes down and infusing fresh energy for whatever is the next upward stage of its life.

What are you reading right now?

Just finished: House of Mercy by Erin Healy

Almost finished: We Sinners by Hanna Pylvainen

Half-finished: Death Comes to Pemberly by P.D. James (audiobook)

What is your current work in progress?

I am working on Taken for English, the third in my Valley of Choice series. These books have thematically intertwined stories from two centuries. I write the historical story first, and I’m just about finished with that.

What would be your dream vacation?

Somewhere with a beach and a hammock where I can sway with the rhythm of the ocean. And I get there in an airplane.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

Since I’m releasing two series, I have two basic settings right now. The Avenue of Dreams series, including The Pursuit of Lucy Banning and The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow so far, are set in an historic neighborhood of Chicago. The Valley of choice series, which began with the release of Accidentally Amish, is also inspired by events that happened in a particular place. I have so many stories in my head! I read a snippet about a place that sounds interesting, or perhaps I pass through a place on a trip to somewhere else, and I begin to see the setting’s potential.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

I live far away from my mother, who will soon be 87, and I don’t see her too often. I would love to spend more evenings with her because I treasure her presence. To me she is a remarkable person, and I love hearing stories of when she was young.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I love some of the classic sit-coms, so I enjoy kicking back with a cast of characters whose personalities and quirks have become familiar and endearing. Sometimes a dose of Rob and Laura Petrie is just what I need. And I can easily make a hobby out of meeting friends for lunch or a meal and drenching each other in laughter and encouragement.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

People often say, “If I had more time, I’d write a book.” And I always think to myself, “You have the same 24 hours a day that I have.” Most writers have day jobs and families and all sorts of obligations. Writing comes at a price, and it’s a difficult lesson to learn to pay it. I make intentional choices and then focus on what I’ve chosen, rather than what I am missing because of my choice.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

With any ambition, it’s essential to set the right kind of goal. Make sure that your goals are specific and realistic, and recognize that you will make adjustments along the way as you learn more about your interests and the publishing industry. And don’t compare your goal to someone else’s. Everybody’s life is different.

Tell us about the featured book.

A serendipitous event spurred me to pull a family genealogy book off the shelf, and I read more closely than I ever had. One of my family lines traces to Jakob Beyeler, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1737 on a ship carrying Amish families. The twist that fascinates me is that Jakob had ten children. The first five children remained Amish, while the second set were raised as part of the general culture. What choices must Jakob have made? What sacrifices? From there I went into the contemporary setting and came at the same theme from a different angle. What values drive the choices we make, and what happens when cultures clash?

Please give us the first page of the book.

His kiss was firm and lingering as he cradled her head in one broad palm. “Annie,” he murmured as he took in a breath. His hand moved to brush her cheek. He kissed her again.

Annie’s stomach churned while her lips went on automatic pilot. Kissing Rick Stebbins was nothing new and, frankly, less exciting every time. But in the moment, it seemed the safest choice among miserable alternatives.

She pictured where her blue Prius was stashed in the parking lot behind the modest glazed-brick office building. A small red duffel lay on the passenger seat and a compact suitcase on the floor. The denim bag she had carried since high school, on the desk she was leaning against, held her laptop in its padded case. Car keys hung from a belt loop on her jeans. Her cell phone was in a back pocket.

Annie Friesen was ready.

Rick would never admit to what she suspected. More than suspected. She was no lawyer, but she knew it would take more evidence to make an accusation stick.

And Rick was a lawyer. Her lawyer. Her intellectual property lawyer. If only he had not slipped that extraneous document between the pages of the last contract awaiting her signature in triplicate. Whatever she thought she felt for him dissolved with that test of her attention to detail. He was the one who failed. She would sign nothing more from Rick Stebbins.

This sounds like an interesting premise. I can't wait until my copy arrives. How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.olivianewport.com

@olivianewport (Twitter)

www.facebook.com/OliviaNewport

Thank you, Olivia. for sharing this book and peek into your life.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Accidentally Amish (Valley of Choice) - paperback
Accidentally Amish (Valley of Choice) - Kindle


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 Feedblitz, Facebook, 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

THE PURSUIT OF LUCY BANNING - Olivia Newport - One Free Book

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

That depends on the story and what is happening in my own life. I don’t write in overt experiences, but I think most novelists leave a footprint in the shape of fears, yearnings, or spiritual lessons they are learning in their lives.

I so agree with you. What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I consulted my son on this question. He looked up the definition of quirk and came up with “peculiar habit.” Then he had an immediate answer—I’m a Chicago Cubs fan. Considering that they have been chasing a World Series for over a century now, I guess my son finds that a peculiar habit!

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I remember the story I made up when I was four about a little girl looking for Jesus. I had flannel graph pieces to go with it. When she had looked everywhere else, she found in her heart. So I was off and running very young. But life happens, and what it means to be a writer went through several iterations over the years. The goal of being a novelist has come into focus in the last decade.

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

I read widely, both books by authors in the Christian market and the general market. However, I almost always choose fiction. My non-fiction reading tends to be limited to the choices of my book group. We read a non-fiction title every other month. I grumble a little, but I do it—and then am surprised by how often I’m glad I did.

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

I listen to my body. I know what it feels like when I need more movement in my day, or better food in my system, or more laughter with friends, or more sun on my skin, or more prayer in my heart—or even more chocolate in my mouth! I don’t need an Alaskan cruise. I find encouragement and bolstering in small pleasures that remind me to be grateful for the things that bring me joy.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Primary characters tend to spring up with names and back stories that are often hard to change! For other characters, I’m a fan of crawling through baby name lists and finding names that ring true to the era. Last names come from random sightings in research documents.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

That’s a tough questions! I’m one of those people who is quicker to take blame for what goes wrong than credit for what goes right. I’m most proud of learning the difference and realizing that the meaning in my life doesn’t come so much from what I do but who I am.

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

The giant antpitta is a curious creature. It’s a bird, but the sound it makes is more like a bark than a tweet. It reminds me that everyone has a unique way of carrying out what God created us to do.

What is your favorite food?

Let’s see. Fresh spinach. Red bell peppers. Avocados. Black olives. Cashews. It’s hard to rank them, so why not throw them all together into a salad and chomp in?

Sounds like a salad I’d love to eat. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

I tend to start with characters and setting. I’ve had to work at learning to plot more deeply and make sure enough interesting events are happening outside of my characters’ heads. Whenever I read or listen to a book that keeps me turning pages, I analyze why. What kind of complications made me worry? What was at risk at the turning points of the story? From every book I read, I try to find the takeaway that will make my own writing stronger.

Tell us about the featured book.

Think Downton Abbey in a Chicago setting. The Pursuit of Lucy Banning is the first book of the Avenue of Dreams story set in 1890s Chicago against the backdrop of the world’s fair. Lucy lives on the exclusive Prairie Avenue among Chicago’s rich and famous, but her compassionate heart is with the children of St. Andrew’s orphanage, and she is secretly enrolled in a university course at a time when women were not welcome at most institutions. When she discovers a maid’s secret, she goes out on a limb to help rather than scandalize. And when she meets Will, an unconventional architect, Lucy begins to imagine a life lived on her own terms. But first she has to face the secrets she has been keeping from the people who care for her.

I know I’ll love reading it. Please give us the first page of the book.

A week from Tuesday. Is that even possible?

            It wasn’t that Lucy Banning did not want to view the new art exhibit at the up-and-coming downtown Chicago gallery. She did, keenly. But could she manage it before a week from Tuesday? If the expedition required her mother’s cooperation, it would come with a price. Flora Banning would pounce on the exhibit to launch a social occasion. Floating through the gallery in her draped silk gown and overdone hat, nodding and smiling, she would scan for people who really “mattered” and expect Lucy to assist in this endeavor rather than pause to study the paintings.

            Lucy had played the dutiful daughter many times. She pointed out Mrs. Field across the crowd and bantered with the mayor. She smiled coyly at the young man who offered to fetch a refreshing drink and listened to Mrs. Pullman describe the hand-painted table service for her dinner party for forty-eight guests. This time, though, Lucy actually needed to scrutinize the paintings. Her art history professor would be expecting an analysis. Lucy must prove herself insightful and articulate, a student worthy to occupy a chair at the newly opened University of Chicago.

            Leo. …

I can hardly wait to get my copy of the book. How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.olivianewport.com

@OliviaNewport on Twitter

www.Facebook.com/OliviaNewport

Thank you, Olivia, for the interesting interview.


Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Pursuit of Lucy Banning, The: A Novel (Avenue of Dreams) -paperback
The Pursuit of Lucy Banning,A Novel (Avenue of Dreams) - Kindle


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