Monday, July 1, 2013

Cynthia Hickey's "Cooking Up Love"



INTERVIEW QUESTIONS for Cynthia:
1. When did you discover your love for the written word? My mother said that, not having a Kindergarten close enough for me to attend as a child, that she taught me to read. I took to it easily and have always read above my level. Once I discovered the many worlds between the pages of a book, I was hooked.

2. When did you begin your writing career? I’ve made up stories for as long as I can remember, but it isn’t until a few years ago that I actually began to take the writing process seriously. My first novel, Fudge-Laced Felonies, was released through Barbour in 2007. At the American Christian Fiction Writers Association conference that year, I was awarded the new author contract.

3. Tell us something that people may not know about you? I’ve been on television twice. Once on the backdrop of a weather report filmed on Petit Jean Mountain in Arkansas and another time when a documentary was being filmed at the Pickle Plant where I worked.

4. Do you have a secret desire that may not ever come true? I’ve always thought it would be a blast to be in a movie. Not a walk on character, but an actual main character. An insane person would be fun.

5. Do you have a favorite book? The one book I own that has stood the test of time is Gone With the Wind and Little Women. I still love them.

6. A favorite author? I’d have to say that in today’s market, I love Diana Gabaldon. Her Outlander characters are so rich, I feel as if I know them.

7. Do you have a favorite book that you’ve written? No, I can’t say that I do. I guess Fudge would be it if I had to pick, it being my first and all.

8. Any suggestions for pre-pubbed authors? Never, ever, give up. If you’re meant to be an author, you need to write as much as you need to breathe.

Book blurb:
Tabitha McClelland knows accepting a job as a Harvey House waitress can be risky. Traveling alone to the rough-and-tumble West just isn’t done by young ladies of good breeding. But far more dangerous is her powerful attraction to Adam Foster. Family means everything to the widowed chef, but the self-sufficient Tabitha cherishes her freedom above all else.
Adam is captivated by the fiercely independent Tabitha. Fraternizing with the female employees is strictly forbidden, but the Harvey Girl awakens feelings too compelling to ignore. Can Adam convince Tabby to share his dream of a future in California–together?

Author bio:
Multi-published author Cynthia Hickey had three cozy mysteries published through Barbour Publishing, with a novella releasing in March 2013. Her first mystery, Fudge-Laced Felonies, won first place in the inspirational category of the Great Expectations contest in 2007. Her third cozy, Chocolate-Covered Crime, received a four-star review from Romantic Times. All three cozies have been re-released as ebooks through the MacGregor Literary Agency, along with a new cozy series. She has several historical romances releasing in 2013 and 2014 through Harlequin’s Heartsong Presents. She lives in Arizona with her husband, two of their seven children, two dogs, two cats, and a fish named Floyd. She has five grandchildren who keep her busy and tell everyone they know that “Nana is a writer”. Visit her website at www.cynthiahickey.com 
Cynthia Hickey (Melton)
Author of Bestselling Summer Meadows mystery series
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Vannetta Chapman's "A Wedding for Julia"




Title: A Wedding for Julia
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers

Cover Blurb:  Just As Hope Runs out the Door, Love Softly Peeks In
Julia Beechy is so stunned, she can hardly breathe. The announcement that she must either marry or move from the family home on her mother’s imminent death catches Julia completely by surprise. How can she leave the only home she has ever known? What about her dream of opening her own Plain café?

Quiet Caleb Zook thought his time for marrying was long past, but he feels a stirring in his heart he cannot shake for this beautiful, forlorn woman. When he offers support, comfort, and a solution, Julia is afraid to accept it. Can she marry someone she barely knows? Is that the right thing to do? Is this God’s plan for her future? For his?

As Julia and Caleb work through the consequences of their life-altering decision, the people of Pebble Creek weather the worst storm to hit Wisconsin in the last hundred years. Where will Julia and Caleb be on the other side of it?

1) How did this story come to you?

"I had the awesome experience of participating in a Bible study entitled, The Bible in 90 Days. It was during that study that I came across Genesis 24:67. ‘Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah’s tent, and she became his wife. He loved her deeply, and she was a special comfort to him after the death of his mother.’ I couldn't let go of that image of God providing a lifelong love for Isaac before he had even met the woman. And Isaac, he trusted God and married Rebekah. What a wonderful God we serve. Julia's story began there, in the pages of Genesis. I hope it is one that brings you hope, inspiration, and a touch of God's grace."

1) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
Harvest House had read a previous proposal (A Simple Amish Christmas) and they were interested in me writing Amish romance for them. They contracted the Pebble Creek series based on story blurbs, and possibly I also sent a few sample chapters.

2) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
I struggle with my weight, I have 3 cats and quite a few deer living in my yard, and I've had my thyroid removed!

3) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I have the edits for 3 different books that I'm working on now. The Christmas Quilt (Abingdon, October 2013), Murder Simply Brewed (Zondervan, March 2014) and Where Healing Blooms, a novella included in An Amish Garden (Thomas Nelson, May 2014).

4) Parting comments?
Thanks for having me, and a big thank you to everyone who clicked over. I'm daily encouraged by how many "readers" there still are in this old world.

5) Where can fans find you on the internet?
webpage--www.vannettachapman.com
facebook -- www.facebook.com/VannettaChapmanBooks
twitter -- @VannettaChapman                                  
pinterest -- pinterest.com/vannettachapman



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