A Stolen Heart by Amanda Cabot | New Novel News

A Stolen Heart
by Amanda Cabot

Published: March 14, 2017
Publisher: Revell
Purchase: A Stolen Heart

From afar, Cimarron Creek seems like an idyllic town tucked in the Texas Hill Country. But when former schoolteacher Lydia Crawford steps onto its dusty streets in 1880, she finds a town with a deep-seated resentment of Northerners—like her. Lydia won’t let that get her down, though. All will be well when she’s reunited with her fiancé.

But when she discovers he has disappeared—and that he left behind a pregnant wife—Lydia is at a loss about what to do next. The handsome sheriff urges her to trust him, but can she trust anyone in this town where secrets are as prevalent as bluebonnets in spring?

Get to know Amanda...

If your main character celebrated Halloween, what would she dress up as?
Lydia would be a Hershey’s Kiss. What else would you expect of a woman who makes candies for a living? Of course, Kisses weren’t invented until 1907, and A Stolen Heart takes place in 1880, but we can pretend, can’t we?

What’s one thing you must have/do in the morning?
Exercise. That gets both my blood and my creativity flowing.

Favorite place you’ve traveled to?
Yellowstone. I love everything about it – the geysers, hot pools, mudpots; the wildlife, the sagebrush prairies, the mountains. In fact, I like it so much that it’s one of the reasons my husband and I moved to Wyoming.

Connect with Amanda on her website: http://www.amandacabot.com/

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Annette O'Hare, Amanda Cabot & Lisa J. Flickinger | New Novel News

Northern Light
by Annette O'Hare

February 19, 2016

White Rose Publishing, an imprint of: Pelican Book Group Purchase: Northern Light

Civil War has robbed Margaret Logan of all she holds dear, including her beloved New Orleans home and her fiancé. When her family moves to the desolate Bolivar Peninsula to manage a lighthouse that is no longer there, all her hopes for a normal future are dashed.

Her world is rocked once again when a wounded Yankee soldier washes ashore needing her help. Despite her contempt for the North, Margaret falls in love with Thomas Murphy. As their love blooms, Margaret’s sister is overcome with neurosis, and her mind slowly slips away. Bitterness, psychosis and depression yield a decision fueled by contempt. Will one fatal choice cause Margaret to lose the man she loves and condemn Thomas to death?

Get to know Annette...

If your book became a movie, who would you cast for your main characters?
Oh, good question! If I had to choose an actress to play the part of Margaret Logan I would choose, Amy Adams. I fell in love with her as Giselle in the movie, Enchanted. She’s so gorgeous, and I’m probably wrong, but I’ve never heard anything about her in a negative light. My hero, Thomas Murphy, is an Irish immigrant, so I would pick Colin Farrell. He’s Irish, a great actor, and did I mention he’s completely dreamy!

What are the names of your pets? If you don't have any, what would you name your pets?
How did you know I was a dog lover? My oldest dog is a nine-year-old Weimaraner I rescued from the animal shelter named Max. My other dog is a year old Jack Russell Terrier mix. I rescued him from a bad home situation. His name is Jay. I’m also the proud grandmother of my son and his fiancé’s Chi-weenie named Charlie, and my daughter’s Chihuahua mix named Tris. They’re both rescue dogs too!

Favorite place you’ve traveled to?  
I love the beach and have been going to Texas beaches all my life. But the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever traveled to (and my favorite) are in the Caribbean. Two recent cruises have taken me to beaches in Cozumel, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; Belize City, Belize; Montego Bay, Jamaica; and The Grand Cayman Island.

On Lone Star Trail
by Amanda Cabot

February 2, 2016
Revell
Purchase: On Lone Star Trail

If there’s one thing Gillian Hodge never wants to see again, it’s a man on a motorcycle. Her last encounter with one left her right hand crushed, ending her promising career as a concert pianist. Unsure about the next phase in her life, she heads to Rainbow’s End Resort for some R&R when a sudden thunderstorm causes a motorcycle to crash right in front of her.

When TJ Benjamin’s wife died, he lost more than his best friend; he lost his faith. He has spent the past year wandering the country on his motorcycle, trying not to think about the future. When he finds himself stranded with a busted bike and a reluctant rescuer, he has to wonder about God’s sense of humor.

As these broken people collide, they find that a bright future is still ahead—it just might not be the one they imagined for themselves.
Get to know Amanda...

Favorite season?
Spring. I love seeing the rebirth of so many plants, and the longer days make my heart sing with joy.

What's your favorite chore?
I think I may be cheating here, but my answer is cooking. The reason I say I may be cheating is that while some people – my mother included – consider preparing meals a chore, it’s something I really enjoy. I think it’s fun to try new recipes, tweaking them to make them healthier. Of course, washing the dishes afterwards is much less fun.

What's one chore you hate doing?
Vacuuming. Without a doubt, vacuuming. I hate dragging the vacuum cleaner around, and the fact that it’s noisy makes it even worse. The only good thing I can say is that the carpets look better once they’ve been vacuumed.

All That Glitters
by Lisa J. Flickinger

February 16, 2016
Ambassador InternationalPurchase: All That Glitters

The world has gone plum crazy over gold. Men and women alike would do almost anything to make their fortune. Leaving behind her family and a dying father, Ginny Connor follows the cunning Logan Harris up North to strike it rich. Twenty-year old Vivian Connor embarks on a cross-country chase to rescue her sister Ginny and they are both led into the chaos of the Klondike Gold Rush.

Meanwhile, Ben McCormack leaves his farm to retrieve his intended bride from a rowdy, tent town on the Alaskan coastline. Ben’s path inadvertently entwines with Vivian’s and he finds his heart tugging him in a different direction.

Danger and disappointment plague all their journeys to the far North. Will Vivian find her sister in time to return home to see their father? Can Ginny forgive herself for the decisions she's made? Will Ben find the lifelong love he searches for? When the world listens only to the call of gold, redemption and love become scarce treasures.

Get to know Lisa...

Favorite place you’ve traveled to?
Paris, the city of love. The history and architecture of its buildings amazed me and the kindness and generosity of its people thrilled me.

Which of your characters do you secretly have a crush on?
The main male character in my novel All That Glitters portrays a lot of the same characteristics as my husband (but a lot less stubborn). I have a crush on both of them.

Coffee or tea?
Coffee, absolutely! Tea keeps me awake for days. My favourite latte is Crème Brulee.

::WINNERS::

 Um WOW - last week's New Novel News giveaway was awesome!!! We've got 3 winners here:

Amanda G. Steven's Haven Seekers Series (winner's choice of book):

Dominique Burleson

A Spy's Devotion by Melanie Dickerson:

Deanna Stevens

Terri Reed's Ransom:

Anne Rightler

Congrats to everyone! Make sure you contact me using the "Contact the Thinker" form on the side of the blog!

Amanda Cabot {Writer Wednesday}

A little bit about Amanda...

Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of more than thirty novels including the Texas Dreams trilogy, the Westward Winds series, Christmas Roses and the new Texas Crossroads trilogy. A former director of Information Technology, she has written everything from technical books and articles for IT professionals to mysteries for teenagers and romances for all ages. Amanda is delighted to now be a fulltime writer of Christian romances, living happily ever after with her husband in Wyoming.

How to connect with Amanda....

Website: www.amandacabot.com
Blog: http://amandajoycabot.blogspot.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1609844.Amanda_Cabot
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amanda.j.cabot
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmandaJoyCabot/
Purchase:  In Firefly Valley: A Novel (Texas Crossroads)

Getting to know you again | Amanda Cabot

You and Writing

Tell us a little bit about yourself: How did you start writing? What has kept you writing?
...I really cannot remember a time when I didn’t write – or at least want to write, and so I wrote sporadically until I was almost twenty-nine. Since then I have come to believe that authors have at least one thing in common with oysters, namely that we need irritation to produce our pearls … er… our books. For me, that irritation was moving to a new area and discovering that what had appeared to be an ideal job was truly awful. Of course, that happened at a time when jobs were hard to find, so I stuck with the one I had for over three years. But the irritation was enough that I decided it was time to become serious about writing and get to work on meeting my goal of selling a book before I was thirty. I started what was to become my first published book just before my twenty-ninth birthday and sold it one week before my thirtieth. If this were a fairytale, I’d tell you that I became vastly wealthy and was able to quit my day job. The reality is, for many years (no, I won’t tell you how many) I wrote on nights and weekends, while I worked full time for Corporate America. Now I’m fortunate enough to be a full-time writer.

Do you have a favorite book or work that you’ve written? If so, why?
...For me at least, books are like children: each is special in its own way, so – short answer – no, I don’t have a favorite. 

If published, what was the hardest thing about publishing? The easiest?
...The hardest thing has always been waiting. I’m not a naturally patient person, so the length of time involved in the traditional publishing cycle sometimes challenges my patience. The easiest part is coming up with new ideas. Unlike Blake, the hero of In Firefly Valley, I’ve never suffered from writer’s block.

Your Writing

Tell us a little bit about your book or what you’re working on currently? Why did you write it?
...Like many of my books, In Firefly Valley has the theme of healing. Although I don’t necessarily set out to write about healing, it seems that most of my characters are wounded in one way or another. Marisa, the heroine of In Firefly Valley, has two major things that need healing. The first is easy to identify: she’s been downsized. As someone who was once downsized, I had no trouble knowing how Marisa would react. The second is more difficult: her troubled relationship with her father. I’ve never been in Marisa’s situation, but I drew from the memories of a family friend who went through an experience similar to Marisa’s. Once I started asking “what if?” before I knew it, I had a book. As to why I wrote this particular book, it’s because I wanted to show how God’s love can and does heal even the worst of hurt.

Do you have a favorite character in this work? If so, why?
...Of course I love Marisa and Blake and the two characters who provide a secondary romance, but I have to admit that I smile whenever I think of Fiona, the little girl with the mismatched socks. If this were a movie, I’d be afraid she’d steal every scene she’s in, simply because she’s so adorable.

Writing

Where do you find inspiration for your story/characters? Are they based on real life or pure imagination or both?
...While my characters are never based on real people (including myself), my heroes and heroines frequently embody my personal values. Because I believe in justice and happy endings, readers will find that my protagonists do, too. They’ll also find the recurring theme of the healing power of love, since that’s something I believe in. As for my villains, they tend to be the antithesis of the heroes and heroines, and I’d certainly like to think they’re not based on me.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors for writing and/or publishing?
...I have three pieces of advice. The first is to read extensively in the genre you want to write. That’s the best way to learn what a publisher is buying. Secondly, join a writer’s group. ACFW is wonderful for writers in the Christian marketplace, and Romance Writers of America is excellent for anyone interested in writing romance. A writer’s group provides support, networking and so many other resources to the aspiring writer that I can’t over emphasize the importance of joining one. And lastly, never give up. Rejection is a fact of life. I won’t sugarcoat it: rejection hurts. But if you let it defeat you, if you stop sending out your manuscript just because it was rejected, you’ll never be published. Believe in your book and in yourself. Oh … that was four pieces of advice. Sorry!

You

What is a favorite memory you have of your mother?
...I was about four years old and living in a small town in Texas when a group of church ladies were scheduled to come to our home for a meeting one night. For the first time ever my mother allowed me to join them. That was exciting enough, but Mother made it even more special by not including my younger sister. It was going to be a big secret, and you know how kids love secrets. Since the meeting was past our bedtime, I had to go to bed and pretend to sleep. Then when my sister was asleep, I tiptoed out of the room we shared and into the kitchen where Mother and I had hidden my clothes in the oven. Yes, the oven. I don’t know why she chose that spot, other than that it was a place no one would think to look for clothes. Or maybe it was simply to make this more exciting for me. At any rate, I put on my fanciest dress and joined the ladies for their meeting, feeling very special and very grown-up. Even now, many years later, I smile at the memory. 


If you had to choose one type of food, what kind would it be?
...Oh, my, just thinking about this is making me hungry. It’s a tough choice, but if I could choose only one kind of food, it would be French cuisine. Part of the reason is that I love the pastries, but the other part is that French food reminds me of an important time in my life. I majored in French in college and was fortunate enough to study in France, which is where I developed my love of French pastries. We won’t talk about eating horse (unaware of what it was, of course) or some of the stranger vegetables, but overall I love French food.

April showers bring May flowers – or so they say. Do you have a favorite flower? If so, why is it your favorite?
...Lilacs. Definitely lilacs. I love everything about them from the variety of colors the can have to their shapes to their sweet fragrance.

_____________________

Thanks so much for coming back to the blog Amanda!I love your thoughts on writing and characters as well as the sweet story about your mother! How fun :) And your mentioning lilacs reminded me of a lilac bush we had back home - their sweet fragrance was the perfect indication of summer.

Readers, don't forget to hop on over to Amazon and grab a copy of In Firefly Valley!

Amanda Cabot | Spread the Christmas Joy

Baked with Love

When I was growing up, Christmas was the time for baking. Not just any kind of baking, but specifically cookies. Oh, my mother made the annual fruitcake along with pumpkin and mince pies, but what the four of us kids liked best were the cookies. Not only were they fun to eat, but we had fun making them. It was a group project to assemble everything from pfeffernusse (a German cookie that really does have pepper in it) and Russian tea cakes to date pinwheels. And of course there were the cookies we cut out in the shapes of trees, stars, reindeer. You name it, and if it had a Christmas theme, chances are good we made it. At least in my memory, the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas was filled with many hours in the kitchen, turning dough into delicious cookies.  

As much as we enjoyed the cookies we’d made, the truly special ones were the ones that came in the mail carefully packed in plain popcorn. Our paternal grandmother didn’t have much money, but each year she made her special Christmas doll cookies for her grandchildren. These were as different from the cut-out cookies we made as Christmas was from Fourth of July. We used a variety of shapes. She used only one. Our dough was gingerbread. Hers was classic sugar cookie. Ours were thin and crisp. Hers were thick and chewy.

The biggest difference, though, and what made Grandma’s cookies so special is that they were baked with love. They were a gift of time, talent and caring as well as flour, sugar and eggs. And that’s why, though decades have passed since my siblings and I received our last box of Grandma’s cookies, I still smile as I remember them.

________________________________

 Enter to win a copy of The Christmas Star Bride by leaving a comment below! 

The Christmas Star Bride

Because love isn’t limited to the very young.

Esther Hathaway lost her one true love at Gettysburg twenty years ago, but that doesn’t stop her from celebrating her niece’s wedding by commissioning Jeremy Snyder to paint her portrait. Will Esther's prayers for God to ease her loneliness be answered by a wounded vet?

The Christmas Star Bride is part of The 12 Brides of Christmas, twelve historical novellas that celebrate the joy of love at the most wonderful time of the year. Each novella is available for download for only 99 cents.

*Winner will be chosen as long as there are 10 or more comments

Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of more than thirty novels including the Texas Dreams trilogy, the Westward Winds series, and Christmas Roses. A former director of Information Technology, she has written everything from technical books and articles for IT professionals to mysteries for teenagers and romances for all ages. Amanda is delighted to now be a fulltime writer of Christian romances, living happily ever after with her husband in Wyoming.

www.amandacabot.com
https://www.facebook.com/amanda.j.cabot
https://twitter.com/AmandaJoyCabot/
http://amandajoycabot.blogspot.com/

Amanda Cabot {Writer Wednesday}

Please give a warm welcome to Amanda Cabot! I'm very excited to have her interview in among the fun of "Spread the Christmas Joy". There will be another Joy post later today so make sure you watch out for it :)

A little bit about Amanda...

From the time that she was seven, Amanda Cabot dreamed of becoming a published author, but it was only when she set herself the goal of selling a book by her thirtieth birthday that the dream came true. A former director of Information Technology, Amanda has written everything from technical books and articles for IT professionals to mysteries for teenagers and romances for all ages. She’s delighted to now be a fulltime writer of Christian historical romances. Her Texas Dreams trilogy received critical acclaim, Christmas Roses was a CBA bestseller; and a number of her books have been finalists for national awards, including ACFW’s Carol award.

How to connect with Amanda...

Website: www.amandacabot.com
Blog: http://amandajoycabot.blogspot.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1609844.Amanda_Cabot
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Amanda-Cabot/110238182354449?v=wall

Author Interview | Amanda Cabot

You and Writing

Tell us a little bit about yourself: How did you start writing? What has kept you writing?
...I really cannot remember a time when I didn’t write – or at least want to write, and so I wrote sporadically until I was almost 29. Since then I have come to believe that authors have at least one thing in common with oysters, namely that we need irritation to produce our pearls … er… our books. For me, that irritation was moving to a new area and discovering that what had appeared to be an ideal job was truly awful. Of course, that happened at a time when jobs were hard to find, so I stuck with the one I had for over three years. But the irritation was enough that I decided it was time to become serious about writing.

...I’ve been writing since I was seven or eight, but it took that irritation to remind me that I had always had a goal of selling a book before I was thirty. I started what was to become my first published book just before my twenty-ninth birthday and sold it one week before my thirtieth. If this were a fairytale, I’d tell you that I became vastly wealthy and was able to quit my day job. The reality is, for many years (no, I won’t tell you how many) I wrote on nights and weekends, while I worked full time for Corporate America. Now I’m fortunate enough to be a full-time writer.

...I’m smiling at the “what has kept you writing?” question. The truth is, several years of rejections after my first sale made me question whether or not I ought to be writing, and I tried to quit. But each time I did, I realized that something important was missing in my life. That something was writing. A keynote speaker at a writers conference I attended soon after moving to Wyoming challenged us to answer the question: Is writing what you do or who you are? That was a light bulb moment for me as I realized that writing is who I am. It’s what God wants me to do, so no matter how hard it is – and there are days when it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done – I won’t stop. 

Your Writing

Tell us a little bit about your book or what you’re working on currently? Why did you write it?
.... With Autumn's Return is the third of the Wyoming Winds trilogy, the story of Elizabeth Harding, who comes to Cheyenne in the late 1880s, clutching her medical degree and convinced that she’ll be accepted by the territory’s residents. After all, Wyoming was the first to grant women the vote, and they were progressive enough to have a female judge and jurors. Surely a lady doctor would have no trouble. As you can imagine, reality turns out to be far different from Elizabeth’s expectations.

...One of the reasons I made Elizabeth a doctor is that I’ve always been fascinated by women who challenge the status quo and try to succeed in male-dominated professions. Then, too, medicine has changed dramatically since the 1880s, so it was fun to give readers a peek into the world of nineteenth century medicine. I for one am glad I didn’t live then. 

Writing

Where do you find inspiration for your story/characters?
...One thing I’ve learned is that inspiration can come anywhere and at any time. A snippet of music, a phrase in a book, even the sight of a sunset can start my brain asking “what if?” Sometimes those “what ifs” lead to dead ends, but sometimes they plant seeds that turn into full-fledged stories. In the case of With Autumn's Return, I was intrigued by Wyoming’s nickname, The Equality State, and wanted to tell the story of a time when equality wasn’t as prevalent as it is now.

When you write, what is your overall intention with your stories?
...My primary goal is to touch readers’ hearts and deepen their faith. Although I tell stories set in by-gone times, it is my hope that the characters’ struggles and the healing they find will resonate with readers and will remind them that God is with us no matter where (or when) we live.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors for writing and/or publishing?
...I have three pieces of advice. The first is to read extensively in the genre you want to write. That’s the best way to learn what a publisher is buying. Secondly, join a writer’s group. ACFW is wonderful for writers in the Christian marketplace, and Romance Writers of America is excellent for anyone interested in writing romance. A writer’s group provides support, networking and so many other resources to the aspiring writer that I can’t over emphasize the importance of joining one. And lastly, never give up. Rejection is a fact of life. I won’t sugarcoat it: rejection hurts. But if you let it defeat you, if you stop sending out your manuscript just because it was rejected, you’ll never be published. Believe in your book and in yourself. Oh … that was four pieces of advice. Sorry!

You

What is your favorite snack to eat when writing?
...Yogurt. I like the flavor, the calcium and the probiotics. Those are the good things. The bad? I’d rather not talk about what happens when you spill it on a keyboard.

What is your favorite Christmas song?
...Oh, that’s a tough one. It’s a tie between “O Holy Night” and “Adeste Fideles.” Both make my heart sing with joy.

What is your favorite thing about the Christmas season?
...The way the spirit of the season and the reason for the season seem to bring out the best in people. I see more smiles in December than in the other months combined.

Emilie, thanks so much for inviting me to be part of your blog. I’ve enjoyed our time together. And to each of you reading this, I hope the season has brought a smile to your face and joy to your heart.

____________________________

Thank YOU Amanda! What a treat to hear your heart on writing as well as a glimpse into your favorite Christmas things. I love how you are so encouraging to anyone pursing writing - the idea of never giving up is so true - I'm sure we all face it at one time or another but if it's some we "are" versus just something we "do" then it's worth it! Can't wait for your next book to come out! Thanks again :)