Sunday, October 27, 2019

INTERVIEW with Rachel Fordham by Nicole Cook #Giveaway

Author Rachel Fordham!
Nicole: I am delighted to have author Rachel Fordham join us today at Inkwell Inspirations to discuss her latest historical novel, Yours Truly, Thomas, which was chosen as the October book club selection for the Avid Readers of Christian Fiction Facebook Group. Rachel Fordham recently led a live Facebook chat in the Avid Readers Group to discuss her book with the members of the group. Rachel, thank you so much for joining us today!

Rachel: Thank you for having me! I love that you put the Avid Readers Book Club together. It’s so fun.
 

Nicole: Ever since reading your first novel, The Hope of Azure Springs, I had been eagerly anticipating the release of Yours Truly, Thomas. I loved the cameo appearances by some of the beloved residents of Azure Springs in Yours Truly, Thomas. How was the writing process for Yours Truly, Thomas compared to when you wrote The Hope of Azure Springs, and did you have any challenges in writing your second novel?
Rachel: I am not very good at keeping notes so anything specific from the world of Azure Springs required me to go and do research from my own first book. Someday I’ll become a better note taker, but when I wrote The Hope of Azure Springs, I had no idea if I would get published and no idea there would be another book set in the same town.

This new book required a great deal more revising than my first. Originally Penny’s mom is the sweetest lady ever and she’s dying. She basically tells Penny to go find a new life now that she’s not taking care of her any longer. My editor thought this opening was too sad, so I had to rewrite her motivation and give her a dog to talk to since she was unable to communicate openly with her mom. I ended up loving Honey so it worked out, but that kind of change has a trickle effect that makes for a lot of work. That’s just one example of the many changes this book went through to become the book you read. Other big differences and challenges include my life circumstances at the times these two books were written. With The Hope of Azure Springs, my son was sick during the writing of it, and so the whole experience was emotional and that emotion came through in the book. For Yours Truly, Thomas, I was BUSY with kids and a foster daughter and had to write in small doses.


Nicole: Yours Truly, Thomas is a beautiful story of redemption, second chances, and finding love. What message or inspiration do you hope that people will get from reading Yours Truly, Thomas?

Rachel: There are always messages that sneak in that I don’t expect or even see myself until I get to the end, but the messages I intended to have come through include –

That love doesn’t always look one way. Sometimes love is roses and moonlit strolls and sometimes it’s sharing struggles and crying on each other’s shoulder. I tried to portray this through Dinah’s story and of course Penny and Thomas’s love story.

I also wanted to show that pain isn’t always the enemy. The hard struggles we face can be teaching, refining things. Thomas is a better man at the end of the book than at the beginning and pain was a huge catalyst for his growth. This is something I’ve seen so many times in my own life. We don’t have to love the trial, but we can love the biproducts.

I also hope readers get lost in it and just enjoy the ride.


Nicole: I love being a member of the Avid Readers of Christian Fiction Facebook group and participating in so many wonderful discussions within the group. As a reader, I get to share my love of Christian fiction with the other members in the group, and I have discovered so many new-to-me authors who have become must-read authors. From an author’s perspective, what do you like best about participating in the Avid Readers of Christian Fiction Facebook Group, and what has been your favorite part of having Yours Truly, Thomas as the book club selection this month?

Rachel: For me, it’s all about connections! I love chatting with like-minded people about books, characters, trends, etc. That’s been my favorite thing about being a published author. This work of my heart brings people into my life that I would have never met otherwise. I LOVE it. With the Live events, we get to connect in real time, which is even more fun.

I’m not going to lie. It’s encouraging to hear from readers and makes me anxious to write more. It’s fun!

 

Nicole: You had two very special guests, Laura Frantz and Kate Breslin, join us during the live book club chat, and it’s always fun to have the opportunity to chat with a variety of authors. Since Laura Frantz and Kate Breslin live near you and write in the same genre, do the three of you ever meet up to discuss plotlines or brainstorm ideas together?

Rachel: Laura is not here full time, and she’s had a lot of family commitments with aging parents that have kept her busy, but we’ve gone to lunch and talk about getting together more often. Kate and I cross paths from time to time and whenever we do, we have a blast. We really need to make it a regular thing.
Nicole: Can you share any information about your future releases and/or your current work in progress?

Rachel: My 2020 release, A Life Once Dreamed, is actually the book I wrote after writing The Hope of Azure Springs. They aren’t coming out in the same order I wrote them in. This book has a new setting and cast, but I believe it has the same “heart.” A schoolteacher in the Dakotas has a secret that she’s kept locked inside but when the new doctor arrives in town, he threatens to unlock and unravel it all.

Nicole: Rachel, thank you again for joining us today! This has been a pleasure to chat with you!

Rachel: Absolutely! I love what you are doing for authors and grateful for your enthusiasm.
 

GIVEAWAY:
Nicole is generously providing a brand new paperback copy of BOTH Yours Truly, Thomas and The Hope of Azure Springs. Participate below!

Author Bio:
Rachel Fordham is the author of The Hope of Azure Springs. She started writing when her children began begging her for stories at night. She'd pull a book from the shelf, but they'd insist she make one up. Finally, she paired her love of good stories with her love of writing and hasn't stopped since. She lives with her husband and children on an island in the state of Washington.

Author links:
https://rachelfordham.com/
https://www.facebook.com/rachelfordhamfans/
https://www.instagram.com/rachel_fordham/

The Avid Readers of Christian Fiction Facebook Group is a wonderful discussion group for book enthusiasts to talk about what Christian fiction books they are reading. Participation in the group is the perfect way to discover many new Christian fiction authors and books. The group is comprised of numerous Christian fiction authors and readers and is very well moderated. Any readers or authors interested in joining the group can click on the following link and answer a few questions to be added. The questions are easy and are meant to keep out spammers. https://www.facebook.com/groups/AvidChristFicReaders/


CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNER KATIE W!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

21 comments:

  1. I loved reading this. Can't wait to read both books!

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  2. Can't wait to read both books!

    Cynthia Adams

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  3. I've read "The Hope of Azure Springs", by Rachel Fordham, and really enjoyed it; I know this next one, "Your's Truly, Thomas" will be excellent as well! Would love to win print copies of each! Thanks for the opportunity to enter a giveaway! God bless! Lual Krautter www.facebook.com/LualOKrautter krautter12ATbresnanDOTnet

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  4. What a fun interview, Nicole and Rachel! I enjoyed watching the chat with Rachel, Laura, and Kate--three amazing ladies! I'm part of the Avid Readers CF FB group and enjoy seeing the posts and comments there.

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  5. Thank you for the chance! I'm a member of the Avid Readers CF FB group and love finding new to me authors and book lovers.

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  6. I’ve requested to join the Facebook group.

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  7. Both of these are on my TBR Kindle. I so enjoyed the insight into the writing process. Thanks for sharing your talents with all of us, and thanks for the giveaway opportunity!

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  8. The both look great, but I've really been wanting to read Yours, Truly!

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  10. it's fun to hear the stories behind the stories.

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  11. Great interview! Thanks for sharing. I feel you, Rachel, my life is so much more busy than it was when I wrote and published my first book.

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  12. Very kind and generous of you to have two books in this giveaway. they both sound like good stories. Vivian Furbay jtandviv (at) q (dot) com

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  13. I've read both of Rachel's books and they were fabulous!! I can't wait for her next one! It's also very interesting how different the writing processes for each book were.

    eclitton at gmail dot com

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  14. I've read Rachel's first book, and would love to read the second.

    I love the Avid Readers Facebook group. I don't have any close reader friends, so the online community is great!

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  15. I always enjoy a good historical romance. I haven't yet read Rachel's books but I think I'd like them.

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  16. Haven't read yet but would love too Thank you for sharing!

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  17. Great interview! I loved reading both of these books!

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  18. Yours Truly Thomas looks like a great story!

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  19. Great interview ladies! Such great questions for real-life answers.

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  20. I love historical fiction books and I love the redemption and second chances aspect. I belong to the Avid Readers online group.
    marypopmom (at) yahoo (dot) com
    Merry

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  21. nice job ladies! I'm thrilled to see so many comments!

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We, the ladies of Inkwell Inspirations, would love to give free stuff to everybody. Since we can't, we will often have a giveaway in conjunction with a specific post. Unless otherwise stated, one winner will be drawn from comments left on that post between the date it was published and the end of the giveaway as determined in the post. Entries must be accompanied by a valid email address. This address is used only to contact the commenter in the event that he/she is the winner, and will not be sold, distributed, or used in any other fashion. The odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. NO PURCHASE, PLEDGE, OR DONATION NECESSARY TO ENTER OR TO WIN. ALL FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

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