Interview, Excerpt, and Giveaway!
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Question: What other kinds of non-traditional businesses might a woman own in 1889?
Welcome, Donna! Thank you for coming back to share your new Christmas story.
What is the theme or message of your book?
Thanks for having me here today. Time Will Tell releases December 14th, and the theme is that God makes everything difficult that we go through beautiful—in His time.
What is your favorite genre of books to read?
I absolutely love reading Christian historical romance, particularly those set in the 19th Century. I guess that makes sense since it’s also what I write. I also love reading cozy mysteries, especially anything that remotely resembles Agatha Christie-like stories.
Who are some of your favorite authors?
As I said, Agatha Christie, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Mary Davis, RL Ashly, Davalynn Spencer, and Toni Shiloh.
If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring author, what would it be?
Never give up. If people hate your stuff and can give you specifics to work on, then do that. But don’t let the story die within in.
Some people believe that being a published author is glamorous, is that true?
If you define glamorous as having more stories than time to write, or always second-guessing whether your last book was any good at all, or blushing when a reader writes a review and you wonder if they are talking about your book because it’s wonderful, then sure, being published is glamorous.
If, however, you define it as providing a lavish lifestyle and joining the Vacation-of-the-Month club, not so much. But I wouldn’t trade it for any other job.
Excerpt from Time Will Tell:
Sadie sank onto the ancient leather chair behind her father’s workbench. Correction. Her workbench, now. She huffed, her breath raising the errant strands of hair at the center of her forehead. Her trembling hand gripped the official-looking envelope neatly addressed to her father. Not her. Although he died a month ago, still his loss created an ache in her throat.
Bitter tears burned at the back of her eyes, blurring her vision, making the words dance. All around her, reminders of him. That ratty old sweater, holes in the elbows and all the buttons long gone, hanging on the coat rack inside the door. His cold pipe in the ashtray in front of her, a faint whiff of his favorite tobacco hanging on. At her elbow, the sign she’d placed on the front door alerting customers to a death in the family. She must open the shop, generate income, and save her father’s—correction—her business and livelihood.
She set her reticule on the table and sat back in the chair. Surely no good news ever arrived in a linen wrapper from a law firm. Sadie picked up a jeweler’s file, its length and span in stark contrast to the task she now assigned it. Slipping the pointed tip beneath the seal on the rear of the envelope, she eased the brittle red wax from the stark white.
Inside, a single sheet of paper. She inhaled, then breathed out through her nose.
Stop wasting time. Read it.
About Donna
Donna writes historical and contemporary mystery, and has been published more than 50 times in novellas, full-length novels, and non-fiction books. She is a member of several writing communities; facilitates a critique group; teaches writing classes; ghostwrites; edits; blogs regularly; and judges in writing contests. She lives in Denver with her husband and two cats, finding mysteries wherever she travels. You can find her books on Amazon under both her name and that of her former pen name, Leeann Betts.
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Thank you so much for hosting me on your blog!