Is it Possible for a Marriage Begun in Regret… to Bloom into Love?
Colorado Springs, Colo. — In Be Still My Soul
(Multnomah, October 2, 2012) first time novelist Joanne Bischof shares the story of Lonnie Sawyer, giving readers a look into this shy and innocent girl’s tumultuous life.
Used to fading into the background within her family and community among the creeks and hollows of the Appalachian hills, Lonnie’s life is in for a dramatic change.
Growing up in a poor home with an abusive father, Lonnie clings to a quiet faith and the love of her aunt. However, when handsome ladies’ man and bluegrass musician Gideon O’Riley steals a kiss and attempts for more, this one action seals her fate.
Her father forces her into a hasty marriage with Gideon—a man she barely knows and doesn’t love. Equally frustrated and confused by his new responsibilities, Gideon yearns for a fresh start, forcing Lonnie on an arduous journey away from her home in Rocky Knob, Virginia.
Her distant groom can’t seem to surrender his rage at the injustice of the forced matrimony or give Lonnie any claim in his life. As Gideon finally begins to see Lonnie’s true beauty, a shadow from his past and a twist of events threaten to separate him from her forever. What will it take for Gideon to give up his past, embrace Lonnie’s God, and discover a hope that can heal their two fractured hearts?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Married to her first sweetheart, Joanne Bischof lives in the mountains of Southern California where she keeps busy making messes with their home-schooled children. When she’s not weaving Appalachian romance, she’s blogging about faith, writing, and the adventures of country living that bring her stories to life. Be Still My Soul is her first novel. Visit www.joannebischof.com for more!
Q&A
Q. What inspires
your writing?
A. So
much of it comes from music. I love bluegrass and folk music as well as old
hymns. The melodies that came from the Blue Ridge Mountains during the early
1900’s really got me to thinking about what type of lives the people must have
led to create such beautiful music that is sometimes joyful, sometimes
melancholy, but always moving.
Q. What is your
favorite thing about being an author?
A. My
favorite thing is connecting with readers. Without readers, books wouldn’t be
read. It’s so much fun to connect with you guys and get a glimpse into the
hearts where my stories may one day visit. The encouragement and support from
readers has been a huge blessing and connecting with you all is one of my
absolute favorite things.
Q. What is the
toughest part of being an author?
A. The
toughest part for me has been coming out of my shell. I’m a super shy person
and being an author has changed that. And I’m so glad! I realize now how much
of life could have passed me by if I’d always been too shy to step out of my
comfort zone.
Q. If you could not be author, what would you
do/be?
A. I would love to be a baker! I feel so at home
in the kitchen, making things with my kids and to get to do that for others
would be wonderful. Though I don’t think I would like the early hours. So maybe
I would be a dessert maker and start my shift at noon J
Q. What would
the story of your life be entitled?
A. Chocolat. Wait, that’s already been
taken hasn’t it?! But seriously, chocolate is my favorite treat. I inherited
the addiction from my dad and I’m oh-so-glad I did.
Q. What is your
favorite book of all time?
A. Wow,
good question. If I had to choose any one book it would probably be Little House in the Big Woods by Laura
Ingalls Wilder. Probably because that’s the first book I can remember my
parents reading to me and those stories have been so influential in my life.
It’s an absolute joy to get to read the series to my children now. We’re going
through it for the very first time and I hope those books will touch their
hearts as they did mine.
Q. Which character
from ANY book are you most like?
A. Fun
question! This must be why I answered the last question the way I did, but I
would have to say Laura Ingalls Wilder. I grew up reading her adventures all
the way through when she marries Almanzo and her life captured in those stories
relates in so many ways to my own. Plus, I admire her spunk and her kindness.
Q. What character from all of your book
are you most like?
A. I would probably have to say Lonnie. She’s
shy and quiet, but with a strong faith, but over the course of the story, and
the Cadence of Grace Series, she grows stronger and a little bit braver. One
thing I admire most about her is her compassion and her willingness to love
when all hope seems lost.
Q. What is your
favorite season?
A. My absolute favorite season is autumn. I love
the fall colors and the smells and the stormy skies. Each year we head up to
the apple orchards for a fun day with the family. My husband’s favorite part of
the day is stopping in at one of the farms and getting a few orders of hot
apple cider doughnuts. I’m getting fidgety for fall just thinking about it!
Q. What inspired your book cover(s)? Or what is your favorite book cover and why?
A. When my publishing company asked me what I
would like to see reflected on the cover of Be Still My Soul, I shared details
about the story and characters that I hoped would help them in their design
process. When they shared the cover for Be Still My Soul for the very first
time, I was blown away. They captured the essence of Lonnie and Gideon
amazingly well. I absolutely loved it! It has been such a blessing to work with
the fabulous team at WaterBrook Multnomah.
Q. Tell me
something funny that happened while on a book tour or while promoting your book.
A. Why
do I have the feeling that I am going to have a lot of answers to this question
very soon? With the book still not
released, I don’t have any great stories yet although I probably looked pretty
goofy to the neighbors doing the happy dance on my front porch when the first
box of books arrived!
Q. Are you
working on something new?
A. I
am! Right now I’m working on the second book in the Cadence of Grace Series, Though My Heart is Torn. Readers who
enjoy Be Still My Soul will get to
journey once again with Lonnie and Gideon through the Blue Ridge Mountains,
with a few new twists and turns, and of course, more romance!
Q. Anything you
want to say to followers of this blog or those that are just stopping by?
A. Thank
you so much, Emily, for having me today. It’s been such a pleasure! For you
readers out there, I would love to connect! I blog once a week at www.joannebischof.com on
faith, writing and country living, and would love to chit chat with you at:
Thank you so much for having me! I thoroughly enjoyed your interview questions and it's such a pleasure to get to visit your blog. :)
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