Welcome to the Blog Tour for An Unexpected Journey by Ann Elizabeth Fryer, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: An Unexpected Journey: A Regency Hobbit Retelling
Author: Ann Elizabeth Fryer
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: November 28, 2024
Genre: Regency Romance/Hobbit Retelling
A heritage neither of them desires, a wrong to right. A chance to end a family curse...
When strangers tumble through the doors of once resplendent Grandview Estate, Lady Laura Tamlow is pulled into a rather unexpected journey, away from the village she's never left along with a gentleman unlike any she's ever known.
Jonathan Canfield is out of options. And he'd do anything to restore his family fortunes in order to keep them from poverty, including roping Lady Tamlow into playing the part of thief. They must reclaim both his and her family jewels that were stolen the night of the fated Grand Masquerade of 1770, where both the Canfields and the Tamlows fell far from society's good graces. If only his thief weren't so lovely, he'd be able to focus on the mission without distraction.
But there's a bigger problem at hand. The jewels reside at Lombard Park under the eye of Lord Herrington, a greedy dragon of a man who knows he's about to die. Yet he has bigger claims than they ever imagined and attempts to steal something far more valuable than family jewels. With deception afoot, will Jonathan ever see Lady Tamlow again?
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub
**The author is offering free swag to the first 20 people who purchase a paperback/hardcover book. Proof of purchase required.**
Interview with Author Ann Elizabeth Fryer
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Born and raised in Kentucky, I now live in the Midwest near St. Louis. My handsome husband of 27 years and I recently moved to a six-acre farm, where my crazy husky-poo and fluffy-aged dog live in countryside bliss. Our children are mostly grown up—we have one high school senior left! While most of the household leaves for work or lives at college, I spend my days at the writing desk or staring blankly into the woods while dreaming up the next scenes for my work-in-progress.
What do you do besides writing?
I’m a full-time writer these days, after many years of homeschooling my three kids. On my days off, I love to go antiquing. I’m into vintage everything! I found a large sign at a local thrift shop that says “museum” which is pretty accurate for my home. From books to dishes, nearly everything I own is old. I also love curling up in front of a fire with a good book or movie, cup of tea, or coffee in hand.
What was your favorite part of researching for this book?
My favorite part of researching for this story was diving back into The Hobbit, checking on story structure and what might be utilized for a Regency retelling.
How do you find visual inspiration for your characters? Do you have images you can share that come close to how you picture your characters?
I thought them up as the character’s personalities came on the page. They gradually grew from the inside, from the heart of them, outward. I haven’t played around with stock images or AI to create my look-alikes for the story, but that might be fun to do! But now that I think about it, Richard Armitage, who played in The Hobbit movie, wouldn’t be a bad example of my hero. Just no beard or long hair.
What are some songs that you listened to or inspired you while writing your book?
So YouTube has some pretty sweet Shire-sounding music that will play for hours. I listened to a lot of that along with British folk music.
What message would you like readers to ultimately take away from the book?
I would love for my readers to get the sense that the dragons we face are entirely fallible. That hope is stronger than fear and evil. And that love, even romantic love, is an element of that kind of hope. We aren’t meant to journey alone—but even if we find ourselves seemingly alone, God is with us—to the end of all things.
What can we look forward to coming from you in the future?
I’m already working on book two for this duology. Besides that, at least two more Butterton Brides novels are in the works.
About the Author
Ann Elizabeth Fryer loves nothing more than using story and romance to relay the depths and graciousness of a Father who holds us securely in the palms of His hands. Daydreaming her surroundings from a young age, she's lived in historic homes most of her life and regularly participates in backyard archaeology. When she's not writing historical projects, her contemporary novels show a flavor of her forever-passion for all things old. Ann, her husband, and three children make their home in small-town Illinois where they can hear church bells keep time and tradition.
Connect with Ann by visiting annfryerwrites.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive a hardcover copy of An Unexpected Journey, a tote bag, swag, and a $10 Amazon gift card!
(1) additional winner will receive an ebook copy of An Unexpected Journey!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight December 2, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on December 9, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. No shipping restrictions. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!