Showcase: Be Still My Soul by Joanne Bischof

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:

 www.facebook.com/joannebischof where we do lots of fun giveaways!