The Luck o’ the Irish!
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day and because it’s the 3rd birthday of my debut novel, The Fabric of Hope: An Irish Family Legacy, I thought you might enjoy knowing a little more about my personal story and why I wrote this book. Those who’ve read it are often surprised that it’s my story.
The Fabric of Hope: An Irish Family Legacy is based on my family story—my great great grandmother, Margaret, and loosely based on my personal story as well. It’s a parallel story line so you who enjoy historical fiction and you who enjoy contemporary fiction will enjoy this novel. And for anyone who is Irish or wish they were, well, this story is Irish through and through.
My family certainly brought their Irish heritage with them, and over a hundred years later, I got a healthy dose of it, whether from the Hawkins, O’Neill, or Graham side. For my family, St. Patrick’s Day was the most important holiday of the year, complete with lots of Irish music and corned beef and cabbage (which I didn’t appreciate at the time). Green walls. Green furniture. Green dishes. Yup, we had them all.
Moreover, we went to St. Patrick’s Church and St. Patrick’s School (K-8). We watched the New York City St. Patrick’s Day parade, and the grownups drank green beer (yuk!). We made shamrock-shaped sugar cookies tinted green, and we wore everything green (including our school uniforms all year long). I learned a strong work ethic and my Irishness became a part of me.
In my novel, the historical family are Margaret and James Hawkins, poor farmers who have six children from ages nine months to thirteen years. They emigrate from Northern Ireland to Canada after the Irish Potato Famine of the late-1840s. Can you imagine immigrating on a famine ship with six young children? It was terrifying to say the least. And how did they feel leaving Ireland and moving to the New World? When Irish immigrants came to the U.S. and Canada, they weren’t looking for a handout. They were looking for hope and a future for them and their children, a topic I cover in depth in my story.
The contemporary character, Maggie, has struggles quite similar to my past. She’s a single mother who has lots of challenges, especially when her only daughter nearly dies in Africa. Maggie struggles to survive and heal from the hurts of her past. And she learns to trust God with everything. Yes, The Fabric of Hope is two stories of my personal journey in one novel.
Whether you have an Irish heritage or not, you do have a heritage—traditions, beliefs, and achievements that are a part of your history. Your heritage has laid a foundation for you, whether you are conscious of it or not. Exploring that heritage will enrich your life, if you take the time to do so. It sure did for me.
So Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all of you, Irish or not. If you haven’t had the chance to check out, here’s the link: https://www.amazon.com/Fabric-Hope-Irish-Family-Legacy/dp/1542890861
I think you’ll be blessed.
Happy 1st Birthday to Katelyn’s Choice!
Horray! It’s the first birthday of Katelyn’s Choice, the first novel in my Thousand Islands Gilded Age series. It’s gotten great reviews and recently won the Illumination Book Award bronze medal!
My second book, Devyn’s Dilemma releases in a few weeks, on April 3.
I hope you enjoyed reading Katelyn’s Choice and wrote a review. If not, please consider popping over to Amazon and writing a quick 2-3 sentence review. It’s the best gift you can give any author.
Here’s the link: https://www.amazon.com/Katelyns-Choice-Susan-G-Mathis/dp/1946016721 and all you need to do is scroll down to “Customer Reviews,” click on “Write a customer review” and give your opinion on the book. Thanks in advance for considering this.
For those who are new to my blog and haven’t been introduced to Katelyn’s Choice, here’s a snapshot:
Katelyn Kavanagh’s mother dreamed her daughter would one day escape the oppressive environment of their Upstate New York farm for service in the enchanting Thousand Islands, home to Gilded Age millionaires. But when her wish comes true, Katelyn finds herself in the service of none other than the famous George Pullman, and the transition proves anything but easy.
Thomas O’Neill, brother of her best friend, is all grown up and also working on Pullman Island. Despite Thomas’ efforts to help the irresistible Katelyn adjust to the intricacies of her new world, she just can’t seem to tame her gossiping tongue—even when the information she’s privy to could endanger her job, the 1872 re-election of Pullman guest President Ulysses S. Grant, and the love of the man of her dreams.
I’d love for you to celebrate with me by purchasing a copy (it’s still free through Kindle unlimited). You might also want to give it as a gift to someone who loves historical fiction or the Thousand Islands.
Thanks for joining me in the journey of discovering the Thousand Islands Gilded Age and all its wonders.
Meet historical author Vickie McDonough
Vickie McDonough is the best-selling author of fifty Christian fiction books and novellas. She writes inspirational romance stories about ranchers, cowboys, lawmen, and others living in the Old West. Vickie’s books have won numerous awards, including the Book Sellers Best and the Inspirational Reader’s Award. Visit her website: www.vickiemcdonough.com
Tell us about your newest book.
Mail-Order Standoff is about five mail-order brides who get cold feet once they meet the men they are to marry. We often read happily-ever-after stories about mail-order brides, but in truth, many of their lives were difficult and disappointing. Our brides do find happiness, but first, they experience second thoughts and put their poor grooms through the ringer.
What inspired you to write Twice the Trouble?
I thought it would be fun to write a story where identical twin brides refuse to tell their future husbands who is who until they get to know the men better and make sure they are honorable and trustworthy. The poor unsuspecting grooms are planning to marry the sisters on the day they arrive in town, but their plans are derailed. And it was never mentioned in the letters they exchanged that the sisters were a perfect match. I wrote this story just for the fun of it.
How would you describe this book to someone in a 30-second blurb?
Marriage plans are put on hold in the Old West when four mail-order brides have second thoughts.
What genre do you focus on and why?
Historical Christian romances set in the late 1800s. I’ve also been known to write a contemporary on occasion.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
In this story I have two heroines. Their names are Keeley and Katie Quinn, and I’m sure you can guess that they are Irish. When researching names, first I wanted truly Irish names, and then I just picked two names I liked that started with the same letter. Pretty simple.
What is the hardest part of being an author?
You have to be very self-disciplined. There are so many distractions these days with phones, TVs, computers, not to mention a husband and kids, as well as responsibilities at home. Also, when you work at home, people don’t seem to respect your work time like they do if you’re in a corporate office, so there tends to be more intrusions.
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
I get to work from home, and because of that, I was able to have my elderly mother live with us and was able to spend extra time with her before she died. I was also able to care for my granddaughter when she was small. And then I have been known to sneak out for lunch with a writer friend or two.
What’s one unusual fact about you?
I always wear socks except for when I shower. I don’t like going barefoot at all. So my socks go wherever I go.
What is your favorite pastime?
I enjoy doing crafts. I recently got a Cricut machine and am making t-shirts with designs and other things to sell in my Etsy store. I’m just getting started with it so there isn’t much for sale yet, but here’s my link: https://www.etsy.com/shop/vickiesvillage
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
I’ve had 50 books and novellas published. Some of my favorites are:
The Texas Boardinghouse Brides
The Anonymous Bride
Second Chance Bride
Finally a Bride
Land Rush Dreams
Gabriel’s Atonement
Joline’s Redemption
Sarah’s Surrender
Also, I have two non-fiction books:
Stained-Glass Mandalas
USA Word Find
What are you working on now?
I’m getting ready to start work on a novella that deals with someone getting a puppy for Christmas. That’s the premise, and I can’t really tell you more because I don’t know the story yet.
Website: www.VickieMcDonough.com
Link to book: https://www.christianbook.com/the-mail-order-standoff/vickie-mcdonough/9781643522449/pd/522449?event=ESRCG
Social media links:
Newsletter sign-up: https://madmimi.com/signups/80262/join
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/vickie-mcdonough
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VickieMcDonough
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vickiemcdonough
Amazon Author Page: amazon.com/author/vickiemcdonough
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/VickieMcDonough/
Heroes, Heroines, and History blog: http://HHHistory.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/101317.Vickie_McDonough
Instagram: instagram.com/vickieamcdonough
Meet author Patti Stockdale
Patti Stockdale loves hope, history, and a good happily ever after. She can’t remember numbers, so she married a statistician. Thanks to him, she’s lived all sorts of places and worked all sorts of jobs. She’s back in her home state of Iowa where she writes books, educational assessments, and magazine articles. Nothing makes her happier than spending time with her family.
Tell us about your newest book: Three Little Things is a historical romance about one forbidden love, two broken hearts, and three little things Arno and Hattie share as they exchange letters during WWI.
What inspired you to write Three Little Things? I returned to college as an adult and needed a project for a creative writing class. At the same time, my mom and her sisters found letters their parents exchanged during the war. I knew my grandpa, but we never talked about his war days. My grandma died two months before my birth, but I met her through her letters. What a blessing.
Why do you write? I write because God stirred a passion in my heart. In a high school English class, the assignment was to write a short story. I forced myself to stop at about the 30-page mark. Everybody else turned in five or six pages. I’m driven to learn something new every day and to polish my skills.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name? My main characters are Hattie Waltz and Arno Kreger. Their first names belonged to my maternal grandparents. It’s my way of honoring them for inspiring my story.
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing a book? The first book took forever to write, so I tried something new with my second one. I wrote an outline and a synopsis before writing the first draft in 15-minute sprints. When I finished, I thought it probably stunk. However, it was only semi-stinky. Editing is my favorite part of the process, so I was able to salvage and tweak what I’d written. Since I wrote the book so quickly, I’ll probably follow the same path for book number three.
What is the hardest part of being an author? Why? The hardest part is to stick with it and not give up after rejections. Persistence and sharpening my writing were key in finding a home for Three Little Things. Marketing and social media challenge me too. I’m tech-deficient.
What is the best part of your author’s life? The best part is doing something I love. From researching to editing, I learn something new each step of the way. I’ve always been curious and up for a challenge.
How have you changed or grown as a writer? I’ve learned to worry less that I’m not good enough. God deems me worthy, and that’s enough.
Do you have other books? When I lived in Pennsylvania, I belonged to a writers’ group, and we published an anthology called Voices of the Peace Tree. I also wrote a middle school novel about a farm girl, but it’s not published.
What are you working on now? My second historical fiction, Because It’s True, is with beta readers. I wanted to write about a scavenger hunt, but the first one recorded was in the late 1920s, and my goal was to stick with the WW I era. Instead, I wrote a book about a woman who learns she’s adopted and has two siblings. A war hero, longing for a fresh start in a new town, sets out to help her find her sisters, but he complicates everything.
Website: www.pattistockdale.com
Social media links:
Email: pattistockdale@pattistockdale.com
Website: www.pattistockdale.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PattiStockdaleAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PattiStockdale1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stockdalepatti/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/pattilstockdale/
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5103193.Patti_Stockdale
Meet author Adria Wilkins
Award winning author Adria Wilkins has an accounting degree from Western Kentucky University. She and her husband, Erik, live in Northern Virginia and have three children Katie, Blake, and Anthony. Her first grandbaby, Thomas will be born in January 2020. Adria enjoys telling a story, adding sprinkles of joy and a few extra dollops to liven it up. After suffering the unthinkable – death of three-year-old Blake, she found that Jesus sustains, and evens surprises His followers with joy.
Tell us about your newest book.
The Joy Box Journal includes forty devotions with journaling prompts, an assemble-it-yourself box and notepads. Jot down joy moments, blessings, and the things you want to always remember and keep them in your joy box for loved ones to read.
What inspired you to write your book?
The Joy Box Journal started in the beginning of my son, Blake’s life. Blake was born with multiple medical problems. I poured my heart out to God and wrote during my journey of grief and trusted God to give me joy during the hardest thing a mother could ever go through.
How would you describe this book to someone in a 30-second blurb?
The Joy Box Journal is 40 devotions, questions to journal, and a unique feature is there is a box in the front of the book, and six, small, note pads in the back of the book. A joy box note question is given at the end of each devotion. The reader writes the answer on the note pad and places the note in the box. The box and journal are designed to give to the next generation to let them know what has brought you joy.
What genre do you focus on and why?
I enjoy writing devotions because people are so busy and want a quick read. I want the quick read to be something inspirational and thought provoking for them to think about during the day.
Why do you write?
I love to write about everyday adventures. I love discovering unique things in God’s creation and sharing those in daily devotions to inspire people to be on the lookout for joy.
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
The best part of being an author is seeing how God uses one idea of inspiration and after research and spending time in God’s Word it becomes a devotion to encourage others.
What’s one unusual fact about you?
I was a cheerleader and captain of the squad in 8th and 9th grade at a Christian school. I always wanted to be a police officer or work for the FBI.
How have you changed or grown as a writer?
I have learned a lot about myself during my marketing campaign leading up to the release of The Joy Box Journal. I have learned that I get nervous speaking and being on camera. I have and am still relying on God to take the jitters away and give me a newfound desire to share joy with the world.
What is your favorite pastime?
I love to take naps and listen to Christian music.
What are you working on now?
I am working on four book proposals to send to my publisher in 2020.
Website: https://www.joyboxstories.com/
Link to book: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Box-Specialty-Journal/dp/1633262103/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=joy+box+journal&qid=1575427791&sr=8-2
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-joy-box-adria-wilkins/1130406375?ean=9781633262102
Social media links:
https://www.facebook.com/adria.wilkins
https://twitter.com/joyboxstories
https://www.instagram.com/joyboxstories/
Meet author Carla Hoch
Carla Hoch is the author of the Writer’s Digest book Fight Write: How to Write Believable Fight Scenes. Her blog, FightWrite.net, is #11 in Writer’s Digest Top Websites for Writers 2019, a CAN Gold Crown Award winner and has a companion FightWrite podcast. Carla has training in almost a dozen martial arts and regularly teaches classes on the craft of writing fight scenes as well as the mechanics of fighting for writers.
Tell us about your newest book.
Fight Write: How to Write Believable Fight Scenes is the go-to writer’s resource for violence of any sort. It has an index of fighting styles and fight terminology and helps you pick a fighting style for your character.
What inspired you to write your book?
The book started as the FightWrite blog. People asked so many questions that I thought, hmmm, I wonder if I could write a book on this…
How would you describe this book to someone in a 30-second blurb?
It is a writer’s go-to reference for the craft of writing realistic fight scenes and violence.
What genre do you focus on and why?
Because the book covers so many things, it can really be used by all genres. Yes, even if you write Amish romance, you could use this book. If Jedediah gets bitten by a copperhead, the FightWrite book will tell you what’s in store for him.
Why do you write?
I’m a writer. I have to write. All writers have to write or the ideas build up in our heads and stink.
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing a book?
Oh glory, it is all over the place. I have a family and train four to five times a week in jiu-jitsu, more if I’m competing. I get up early to write before getting the kids to school then write until it’s time to train. I write when I get home from training until it’s time to get the kids from school. I don’t write well at night so I generally don’t unless I’m editing. Somewhere in there I do housework and keep my husband fed.
What is the hardest part of being an author?
For me it’s all the things I’m not doing when I’m writing. Laundry piles up, milk runs out and the fast food flows like wine! All that makes me very anxious and I get down on myself about it. If I were working a traditional job, I might not feel so bad which, actually, is another hard part of being an author. It’s hard work that just doesn’t look much like work to others. I’m also a thoughtful writer – which is the phrase I use for “slow writer with attention issues!” The process wears me out.
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
I get to create worlds for a living and put them in other people’s hands for them to live in. I get to be people’s escape, their happy place. And, with my non-fiction, a tow line when they are stuck in a scene. It means so much to me when an author turns to a scene in their book and tells me that my work helped them write it. I mean, are you kidding me? I get to help other people with their dream!!!
What’s one thing your readers should know about you?
ONE thing? Wow. Well, I’m 47 and still compete in jiu-jitsu. Also, I was in the E.T. fan club. And, I’m a descendant of Shakespeare, plus, I was Sam’s Employee of the month once. And, I got in trouble with the FBI when I was in 5th grade. And, I was a high school Spanish teacher.
How have you changed or grown as a writer?
Writing has a lot in common with fight training. When you first start out, you are pretty sure you know everything. The more you learn, the more you realize you have to learn. It’s very humbling. I’ve gotten more methodical with my writing and am mindful of the craft. And, I edit, edit, and then edit ten more times.
What is your favorite pastime?
Reading, watching movies with my family and jiu-jitsu
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
Many moons ago I self-published a book called Breaking Reed. If you buy it, just know it’s the first thing I ever wrote. I’m also in several short story anthologies and am in an upcoming edition of Havok magazine.
What are you working on now?
I’m always posting to FightWrite.net, but, also, I’m jumping back into a little fiction writing. Just plotting things out and finding the voices of the characters at this point.
Website: FightWrite.net, FightWrite podcast (itunes, google play, spotify etc)
Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/Fight-Write-How-Believable-Scenes/dp/1440300720/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=fight+write&qid=1575411634&sr=8-1
Social media links: Twitter @CarlaHoch, IG @Carla.C.Hoch #fightwrite, #fightwritebook, #fightwritepodcast