Thank you to everyone who attended my online book launch party! It was great fun to get to talk to you all and interact. I appreciate all of the support and interest in my book.
For those who missed the party, here are the main posts so you don't feel left out!
Enduring Promises of the Heart
A humorous romance with a entertaining twist, a story within a story.
It takes place in the fictional town of Pleasant View located roughly somewhere on the east coast of the USA around the 1880’s. In my mind, Pleasant View is an idyllic town that overlooks the coastline, with rocky beaches covered in sand dunes and icy cold waters. There’s a main street that boasts a general store, a prestigious bank, and a paper called the Gazette. Thanks to fishing and importing, it’s a prosperous town with a contented population. Except one thing, it’s a bit bland. Nothing exciting ever graces their shores until the Gazette started printing short stories. The most famous of all the Gazette Featurettes is Enduring Promises of the Heart. It’s somewhat scandalous and very adventurous. The author is the enigmatic Penelope Pottifer.
Penelope Pottifer is the enigmatic writer of the short stories that have captivated Pleasant View. Her age, her address, her family, and her real identity are completely unknown. Even the editor of the Gazette has no idea who she (if it is a she) really is. Penelope Pottifer is simply a pen name used to conceal the identity of the author. But who or whatever she is, she has crafted an ongoing story that has captivated its audience. With exciting locales, handsome, rugged men, fascinating, delicate women, and evil, wretched villains, it’s easy to see how residents of a small, dull town could become fanatic. The main character is Lavender Johnson; A simple shop girl with untapped potential. Her father is a difficult man, wracked with guilt after the tragic loss of his wife. He won’t let Lavender live a fulfilling life of her own and this includes courting the handsome and enigmatic mountaineer, John Buxton.
John Buxton is our handsome and enigmatic mountaineer. He spends his days up in the mountains trapping and hunting, and brings his wares into the town to sell, which is where he met the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, Lavender Johnson. But her father is a hard man and wants to keep them away from each other. He wants better for Lavender than a mountain trapper, but John harbors a secret that he knows, once revealed, will convince her father that he is the not only the only man for Lavender, but the best man. Fate continues to get in his way and Lavender and John are constantly torn apart in the most dramatic of ways.
Captain Morose is the captain of the Lily, a pirate ship that pirates off the coast of the Americas and Europe. Morose is a lot more than meets the eye. He is charismatic and conniving, and when he wants to be charming, hold on to your hats ladies…
Elizabeth Black
Liz, as she prefers to be called, is just a small-town girl of about 19. She is not married or engaged or even courting anyone and in the 1880’s that was a bad sign. She had no prospects except to get married, become a secretary or teacher, neither of which is of any interest to her. Her true passion is writing, but who would read her hobby stories? So, death by boredom may be her fate if it were not for her spirited best friend, Mary Clarence.
Mary Clarence
Mary Clarence is ready to marry just about anyone to end her boredom. Not even Enduring Promises of the Heart can satiate her need for entertainment, that is until she realizes that Penelope Pottifer is just the pen name of the writer. This gives her a cause and entertainment beyond sitting in a parlor and knitting or helping her mother prepare meals. She is determined to uncover the identity of Miss Pottifer, no matter what it takes. She cannot do this alone, she must drag her bestie, Liz, with her as she tries to dig up details and clues as to who she is.
Setting Profile:
Egypt
Ever since I first read about the Great Pyramid in Egypt is has captured my imagination. I’ve gone beyond the required school days study of it and researched it on my own. Of course, because of this obsession, when I have the chance to have an incredible location in a book, I’m going to choose Egypt. I’m not going to give away who goes there or why, you will just have to read the book to find out! It’s just one of a few exotic locations that are featured in the story.
The story behind these pictures is that my sister was doing “covert ops”, trying to figure out who was going to have my book in stock locally. She found a store that was selling them before the release date and sent my brother in law to nab one. He then sent me this picture from the car. Shortly after my other family members began sending their version and they continued to get more and more hilarious and/or accurate. Click on the link to see the whole album on my Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1196176027198891&type=1&l=9194bb997b
Then we had a little bit of time for a Q and A:
What do you most enjoy about writing?
I love that writing is not subject to any laws or rules in terms of what's possible. Anything you can think of can become a reality in your written universe!
What was the inspiration behind this book?
I was watching Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman reruns and it really inspired me to write an American period story because there are none! It's always British and I'm in Merica'
Reply: or “on the frontier” if they are set in America. It is refreshing to not have that same old story line. (But I love me some Dr. Quinn too)
Valerie Loveless : when you get to the chapter Nanapped, you will see it has a western frontier vibe to it. I just couldn't help myself. I love those too.
How long did it take to write the book? What was the publishing process like? Are you pleased with the final product (I know some authors end up with so much editing the whole story changes!)
Valerie Loveless: It took me years to write the initial story because I would go for months without working on it and I didn't expect to ever be published. I am really pleased, but I'm super biased. But Cedar Fort (the publishing Co) was great. The editors were my champions and my teachers, working to help me make my book better, not different!
· Reply ·Valerie Loveless that’s great to hear!
Here's a few more information gems:
I used names in my books of my family members. Except for my kids because they have modern names, but my parents gave my siblings and me old fashioned names. So, as I wrote and needed a name for a character, I just chose a sister, or a brother. I did have to end up changing a few but Penelope and Elizabeth are my sisters’ names. If your name is in the book, I most likely thought of you when writing but didn’t necessarily base the character off you at all. It’s my way of saying, I love you and think of you often. If your name is not in the book, well, hopefully there will be more books to come…
One of my “bad guys” was named after my little brother but I was so worried he would be upset by being a bad guy I changed it, and after it was all published, he told me he really wanted his name in the book! ☹
We had three winners last night and we still have one more giveaway you can enter up until 7 pm mst 1/9/19! This is for those who have already bought the book, and you must have proof of doing so.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/2fcd63873/?
But... I'm just an overly excited new author and I want everyone to read my book so I'm going to give away one more e-copy for my blog readers!!!
To enter, go to my home page and when the subscribe window pops up simply put in your email and you will automatically be entered. If you are already subscribed then you are already entered!