Monday, March 4, 2019

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


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

ABOUT THE BOOK

grace and lavender 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
 


 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.




ABOUT THE AUTHOR

heather norman smith

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
 


grace and lavender blog giveaway


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.



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