Author Interview & Giveaway: Grace & Lavender by Heather Norman Smith

Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for Grace & Lavender by Heather Norman Smith, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Grace & Lavender  
Author: Heather Norman Smith  
Publisher: Ambassador International  
Genre: Contemporary Fiction  
Release Date: March 1, 2019

Recently retired Colleen Hill is always busy, constantly on a quest to make life more interesting.

When the ladies’ group at her church partners with the local children’s home, Colleen jumps in as usual, volunteering to share her passion for cooking with a troubled teenager named Grace. But Colleen must balance the new project with her pursuit of becoming a contestant on a television game show, along with all the other ideas her brain continually spins out.

Colleen’s daughter Melody is quite different. She lives a calm, simple life and is content with who she is. That is, until an unexpected opportunity to work with Grace, too, pushes her to reevaluate life and dare to take on bigger dreams. The path starts with a newly-found interest in soap-making and leads her to responsibilities she didn’t even know she wanted, including helping Grace understand the meaning of her name.  

Grace & Lavender is a book for all audiences—a heart-warming story that reminds us to seek God’s purpose for our lives.  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | CBD | Book Depository
 

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 Interview with Author Heather Norman Smith

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m married and I have three children, ages 11, 8, and 6. We’ve been licensed as a foster family for a few months now, but we are still waiting on our first placement. Our home is in the Piedmont of North Carolina. We have two cats and two dogs. Along with writing novels, I enjoy writing children’s stories and devotions. I love to sing about Jesus, and I drink an alarming amount of black coffee and Diet Dr. Pepper. I like birds. I spend way too much time on social media. I’m a preacher’s kid, and my dad has been my pastor all my life, and at the same church since I was two-years-old.

What do you do besides writing?

Along with being a wife and mom, I work as a Business Analyst in the Information Technology field. I’m currently working as a contractor at a financial institution. Also, my husband is our Youth Pastor (in addition to his public job), so helping him in ministry occupies some of my time.

Do you have images you can share that come close to how you picture your characters? Do you like to find visual inspiration for your characters before or during your writing process?

I like to let the reader come up with their own image in their imaginations. But I do find pictures on the internet sometimes, to help with describing a character. In my mind, Colleen bears a slight resemblance to Paula Deen, which is referenced in the book. And Grace resembles Disney Channel actress Jenna Ortega.

What are some songs that you listened to or inspired you while writing your book?

I don’t really listen to music while I write, unless you count the intro songs for the television shows my kids are watching while I’m trying to write.

What message would you like readers to ultimately take away from the book?

That God has a purpose and a plan for your life, and He is faithful to reveal it when you seek Him.

What can we look forward to coming from you in the future?

My second book titled “Where I Was Planted” will be released later this year. I don’t have an exact date yet. It’s set in the Great Smoky Mountains and is told from the first-person perspective of a ten-year-old boy.

I’m still finding my niche as a writer, but I expect most of what you see from me down the road will continue to fall into the sub-genre of Southern Fiction.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Heather Norman Smith aims to entertain and encourage, while illuminating the redemptive love of God through her writing. Along with Christian Fiction, she writes devotions and children’s books. She also enjoys writing songs and singing about Jesus.

Heather is proud to be a life-long North Carolinian and hopes to present the beauty of the Tar Heel State in her writing. Her home is just outside Winston-Salem, NC, where she lives with one husband, two daughters, one son, two cats, and two dogs. Heather loves words and does not enjoy math, except when it comes to counting blessings.  

CONNECT WITH HEATHER : Website | Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter
 

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will win a print copy of Grace & Lavender (US only)

(4) winners will receive an ebook copy of Grace & Lavender (open internationally)

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight March 4, 2019 and last through 11:59 pm March 11, 2019. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Review, Author Interview & Giveaway: The Spinster and I by Rebecca Connolly

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis


Poor, unfortunate Spinster...

Prudence Westfall, spinster, has unexpectedly had the greatest misfortune of all: she has inherited a fortune, and is now an heiress. But as a Spinster, and a stammering shy one, nothing could be worse than having a bevy of suitors pay her attention. Opportunity strikes at a house party when the most unlikely person offers the perfect solution.

Camden Vale is no gentleman, and he’s not prone to saving anyone, but something about Prue changes all that. When his offer to befriend her extends beyond the house party, and his feelings extend beyond expectation, no one is more surprised than he. Except, perhaps, for the other Spinsters, and they have much to say on the subject.


My Review

I loved Prue! She is so sweet and unassuming, and I couldn't help but root for her as she deals with her new circumstances- a status that puts her in the spotlight of society and the focus of fortune hunters, and a formerly neglectful mother who now takes too much interest and the verbal abuse that comes with it. The support of her friends is invaluable and essential to her journey of independence and self-confidence. The personalities of the Spinsters are each distinct and vibrant, and I loved coming back to the dynamics of their group. Camden is so charming, but in a likeable way- not over the top. He sees past Prue's stammering for who she truly is, and their friendship and developing romance was a pleasure to read. Another lovely Regency romance from Rebecca Connolly!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

Author Interview 

Can you tell us a little about yourself? 

Sure! I’m an Indiana girl and just recently moved back (WOOHOO!) for a new job in orthopedic medicine. I’m a music lover, especially movie soundtracks and fabulous orchestra parts. Period dramas are hands down my favorite movies and TV shows, especially British ones! I drink hot chocolate all year wrong, collect blankets, eat raw cookie dough, and find sweats and hoodies to be the best clothing ever created. I teach 4 year olds at church, which is a riot, and love love LOVE being an aunt!

What do you do besides writing? 

Work! Haha, I work full time in the medical setting in an orthopedic department. I love to do anything with my family, even if it’s just hanging out on the couch and watching a movie. Long walks are fabulous, and, when I have time, I love to devour a good book!

Do you have images you can share that come close to how you picture your characters? Do you like to find visual inspiration for your characters before or during your writing process? 

Sure do! I love to find visual representation when I can. I usually start off with an idea, and sometimes that changes as I write. Or a new actor will comes across my path, and I’ll think,”Oh, maybe he/she would be better!” Here’s how I picture the main characters in The Spinster and I, Prue and Camden.

What are some songs that you listened to or inspired you while writing your book? 

Oh, this book had an AMAZING song for inspiration. I have never ever had a song be so perfect for a story. We All Need Saving by Jon McLaughlin. It seriously changed everything about this book. I also have selected songs from the soundtracks of Crimson Peak and Becoming Jane in there.

What message would you like readers to ultimately take away from the book? 

I want them to see the beauty in the deeper sides of these characters, to see how people can change, and to find value in the loyalty that these characters have for each other.

What can we look forward to coming from you in the future? 

Oh, lots! I have more in the Spinster Chronicles, a few more London League books, an exciting companion series to the London League, and an intriguing little series set in Cornwall coming in the next few years!

About the Author

 Rebecca Connolly writes romances, both period and contemporary, because she absolutely loves a good love story. She has been creating stories since childhood, and there are home videos to prove it! She started writing them down in elementary school and has never looked back. She currently lives in the Midwest, spends every spare moment away from her day job absorbed in her writing, and is a hot cocoa addict.

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE

Giveaway

Giveaway is subject to policies HERE.

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Author Interview, Freebie & Giveaway: Swell Time for a Swing Dance by Cindy Vincent

Synopsis

December 31, 1941. Young Houston socialite Tracy Truworth, Apprentice P.I., can’t imagine a better way to send off the old year and ring in the new than by dancing through the night with her fella, Pete Stalwart. But a swell evening soon takes a terrible turn when a fellow dancer with moves like Fred Astaire ends up dead on the dance floor. And before the hands on the clock can point to midnight, a finger is pointed at Pete, accusing him of murdering the young man.

Then after Pete is hauled away in handcuffs, the night goes from bad to worse . . . and Tracy’s sweet grandmother is accused of stealing an ancient artifact from the museum. Now Tracy must team up with her boss and mentor, Sammy Falcone, in order to find the stolen statuette, unmask the real murderer, and restore the reputations of those she loves the most.

Yet as America becomes embroiled in another world war, the risks and sacrifices intensify—even on the homefront. And Tracy soon finds her own home invaded by a near parade of questionable characters, while unsavory suspects lurk in the shadows, and a ruthless reporter makes her life miserable. With time ticking against her, Tracy must be willing to swing past the setbacks and hop through the hazards if she hopes to solve a mystery that involves a lot of dancing . . . and a lot more danger.

Interview with author Cindy Vincent

Thank you so much, Heidi, for hosting me and my new book, Swell Time for a Swing Dance, here today!

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

For twenty years, I had a business where I wrote, published, and sold my own line of murder mystery party games.  My games went all over the world, and were shipped to more interesting places than I’ve ever been myself.  One of my large party kits was used for a birthday party at a French restaurant in Cairo.  I also had games shipped to several U.S. embassies in different countries, including China.  Though mostly I just sold my games to wonderful people in the U.S. and Canada.  

I’m also an absolute fanatic when it comes to Christmas.  While I never forget the reason for the season, that doesn’t mean I’m not an extreme decorator.  I put up three large trees in my house (and plenty of small trees, too!), and my entire front hallway becomes a winter wonderland.  We usually don’t even turn on the lights in the front rooms during Christmas, since the twinkle lights provide plenty of light for us to walk around.  The effect is magical!

2. What do you do besides writing?

The truth is, I have so many more things that I love to do than I ever have time to do them.  J  I love to paint, mostly doing landscape scenes with watercolors and acrylics.  My new favorite type of painting is Impasto, which is applied with a small trowel.  It creates thick layers instead of smooth strokes, and gives a painting a nice 3-D effect.  It’s so much fun to paint and there really is no right or wrong to it. 

But my favorite creative outlet, (next to writing, of course), is sewing.  I make everything from tops to skirts to dresses, and creating evening gowns is a favorite hobby.  I especially enjoy art quilting and free-motion sewing.  Then, I’m also trying to learn how to play the piano via a series of DVDs, but that isn’t going so well . . . turns out I really don’t have much musical talent.  Oh, well.

3. Do you have images you can share that come close to how you picture your characters? Do you like to find visual inspiration for your characters before or during your writing process?

I love these questions!  Let’s see, I picture Tracy Truworth, the lead character in my book, as looking a little like Betty Grable.  I’ve always imagined her boyfriend, Pete, as looking more like Van Johnson. Then there’s Tracy’s boss, Sammy Falcone, who bears a striking resemblance to Humphrey Bogart, so much so that he’s often mistaken for the actor.

Unlike lots of authors, I don’t use visual inspirations beforehand.  I usually know what my characters look like in my mind’s eye before I even start to write a book.  My characters come to life in my imagination long before they come to life in my books. 

4. What are some songs that you listened to or inspired you while writing your book?

Great question!  Of course, I love to listen to swing music because it truly puts me into the era of my 1940s books.  This includes any and all Glenn Miller songs, and Sing, Sing, Sing by Benny Goodman. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2S1I_ien6A

But I am also a lover of classical music, and for some reason, I find that having certain songs playing in the background helps my focus and concentration when I write.  Here are a couple of my faves:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC44L5T0FVA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uC-USAB530A

5. What message would you like readers to ultimately take away from the book?

First, I hope people will be entertained by this book and have a chance to step back in time for a moment.  There is so much to enjoy about the 1940s—the clothes, the music, the dancing, and the slang.  But I also hope that people will pick up on a few of the lessons to be learned from WWII.  The morale of our country was amazingly high back then, and it played a huge role in our winning the war.  The war also taught us that we needed everyone’s help, regardless of race, age, or gender. 

Of course, it’s also important to know WWII history, so that we never let such atrocities happen again.  The National Socialist German Workers’ Party (Nazis) killed around six million Jewish people and around seven million Soviet civilians.  Imperial Japan invaded a dozen countries, with a death toll in the millions as well.  They brutally murdered anywhere from 200,000 to 500,000 in what was known as the “Rape of Nanking, China.”  During the war, both Germany and Japan were part of what was known as the “Axis Powers,” and they both had fascist governments.  So I am hoping my books will spark an interest in WWII, so readers might be curious and want to learn more.  Because you know the old adage: Those who don’t know history are bound to repeat it. 

6. What can we look forward to coming from you in the future? 

Bunches, if all goes well!  Naturally, there’ll be at least a third Tracy Truworth novel.  And if all goes really well, I’m looking forward to adding a fourth and fifth book to the series, too.  There is simply so much material for a series like this, that I could easily continue her story throughout the entire war.

And then, I’m already well into the next book in the other series that I write, the Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Capers.   This will be book number five for the crime-solving cats, and this newest title is: The Case of Too Many Clues.  It is such a fun series to write!

Finally, I have hopes to write a third mystery series someday, too, something with a modern setting.  So I’ve got plenty to work on.  Elizabeth Peters and Sue Grafton both wrote books well into their later years, and I hope to do the same!

Thanks again, Heidi, for hosting me here today.  Your questions have been wonderful, and I hope you continue your blog for years to come!

Free E-book

Beginning Tuesday, October 16th, Swell Time For a Swing Dance will be FREE until the end of the blog tour!

 Giveaway

Time to get “in the mood” with a fun 1940s-themed giveaway! Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter for a chance to win a pewter ornament from The National WWII Museum, a Glenn Miller CD, and paperback copies of the first two books in the Tracy Truworth series: Bad Day for a Bombshell and Swell Time for a Swing Dance. Due to shipping costs and varying international laws, this giveaway is open to US residents (age 18 or older) only. Good luck!

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