Gingham Mountain by Mary Connealy // Celebrate Lit

About the Book:

Book: Gingham Mountain

Author: Mary Connealy

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: May 26, 2026

From beloved author Mary Connealy comes a heartwarming Western romance about faith, family, and finding love in unexpected places—a touching tale of a devoted bachelor rancher, a determined schoolteacher, and the orphaned children who bring them together. Perfect for fans of Tracie Peterson and Karen Witemeyer.

Grant Cooper has dedicated his life to taking in orphaned children others have overlooked, building a loving family on his rugged Texas ranch. When a new schoolteacher arrives in Sour Springs with strong opinions about his unconventional household, he finds himself drawn to her fierce spirit—even as she challenges everything about his carefully ordered world.

Hannah Cartwright’s own painful past as an orphan makes her wary of the bachelor rancher raising children alone. But as she gets to know Grant’s extraordinary family, she discovers there’s more to him than meets the eye. When dangerous enemies threaten both their futures, Hannah and Grant must learn to trust in God’s plan—and each other.

Can a man who’s sworn never to marry risk his heart for love? And can a woman who’s known only betrayal find the faith to build a true home at last? A touching story of healing, hope and the family bonds that transcend blood.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 Lucie's Review: 

A western romance, with enemies to lovers romance, in a heartwarming read where the protagonists find that they aren't as different as they thought. 

Grant Cooper grew up an orphan and has a big heart for the overlooked. Hannah is a spirited young schoolteacher with a heart for orphaned children. A whirlwind of misunderstandings find Hannah and Grant at odds with each other, which leads to humor. But I liked how they both were willing to stand up and live their convictions. 

There is a lot going on, with a gang of heart captivating children, a new romance that has sparks flying and a bad guy who wants to take Grant's land away. Fun story, likable characters and solid faith!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

About the Author

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedies with cowboys and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She is a two time Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys always with a strong suspense thread. She is a two-time Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist. She is the bestselling author of 75 books and novellas. She has over a million and a half books in print.

Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero. Visit her website or find her at Petticoats & Pistols!

 

More from Mary

Gingham Mountain is the third book in this series. The first books I got published…though there were other things sprinkled in after Petticoat Ranch, the first in the series.

I think of Petticoat Ranch as my husband’s story. A mountain man who’d never been around women, finds himself married to a widow with four daughters.

Then Calico Canyon is my husband’s story growing up. He is one of seven sons. I tried to imagine how that would be.

Now comes Gingham Mountain and that’s my story. I grew up in a tiny farm house with eight brothers and sisters. We had two bedrooms until my sixth sibling was born. And two is a bit of an exaggeration because my folks slept on a couch in the living room that folded out into a bed. And the only ‘real’ bedroom was an upstairs, the kind that has sloped roofs and, well, it was just tiny.

Then my folks bought another tiny home and moved it to our home and stuck it on the end. Now our ‘two’ bedroom house had (drumroll!!!) three bedrooms. Mom and dad retired the living room couch. Huge family, tiny home, the thing was, everyone back then had a huge family. Hey, it was the baby boom, these things happened. No such thing as a kid having their own room. I remember being excited that I had my own DRAWER!

So, Gingham Mountain, all those kids in a house that really only had three bedrooms was completely believable to me. And it was hot inside and no room for nothin’ so we went outside to play all the time. And that’s how Grant’s kids had to function.

Grant with his little house and loneliness and the knowledge of how hard it was to be an orphan.

Hannah with her lioness heart for protecting children. And her utter poverty. Getting the job as school marm when she’d never been to school herself. With zero ‘womanly’ skills. The woman can’t cook or sew or do anything expected of a woman. But, because she had an abusive adoptive father who pressed her and a scad of sisters, into work at a carpet mill, she can thread a weaving look like lightning. Now she’d trying to save children from such a fate.

She and Grant are in perfect accord…if they just had a rational conversation. Instead, Hannah sees a man trying to make off with orphans, just like her abusive father. She sets out to save the children from Grant and chaos ensues.

Then set it in Texas and there’s trouble with oil, still a very underused natural resource and Grant doesn’t know he’s sitting on a gusher of wealth. But there are villains who know what he’s got and they want it.

Gingham Mountain, when I wrote it, was one of my favorite books ever. Helping those two find each other, well, I can’t even tell people about it without smiling. Grant and Hannah’s first kiss is one for the ages and, of course they are both horrified. And then they kiss again. What could be more fun?

Blog Stops

She Lives To Read, June 2

Book Looks by Lisa, June 3

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 4

Texas Book-aholic, June 5

For Him and My Family, June 6

Devoted To Hope, June 7

Holly’s Book Corner, June 8

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 8

Books You Can Feel Good About, June 9

Vicky Sluiter, June 10

Simple Harvest Reads, June 11 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, June 11

Tell Tale Book Reviews, June 12

Cover Lover Book Review, June 13

Sydney Schmied Books, June 14

Labor Not in Vain, June 15

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Mary is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

 https://gleam.io/cy4lg/gingham-mountain-celebration-tour-giveaway

Rosie's Cowboy Christmas: Saving the Holidays Together by Paige Murray, illustrated by Kristen Humphrey // Review

My Review: 

A heartwarming story of friendship and family at Christmastime in Texas.

Oakley and Rosie are excited for all the fun things they will do at Christmas, until anowstorm comes and takes the power with it. Rosie helps Oakley make the most out of a change of plans.

Heartwarming and cute, I loved the ranch setting and the charming and cozy illustrations. Simple and heartwarming. I loved how Rosie worked to cheer Oakley up and make her Christmas one to remember.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Sower's Seed by Brock Eastman and Shaun Stevenson // Review

My Review: 

Welcome to Parable Port, the place where Biblical parables come to life.

 Anthony is new in town, and just getting acquainted with his new home, when strange things start happening, and it is up to him and new friends, J.R. Brooklyn, Duck, and Grace to fight back with truth and save the town. 

 Engaging and original, with strong Biblical themes and gospel core, perfect as a read-aloud or for middle-grade readers. I liked the clean humor, that stays out of the bathroom. It has a full cast of fun and quirky characters that appeal to both boys and girls. The kids are all at different points in their faith, and I liked how they grow and learn from each other, as well as their grandmotherly Sunday school teacher that they fondly call Abuelita. 

 Overall, this new series is a winner for parents and kids alike, with a fast-paced plot that draw inspiration from the parables of Jesus. The children learn to face fears, fight evil, cling to the good, and search for truth. Excellent series for young readers, great for sparking the love for reading or fanning the flame. Highly recommend this new series!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Courting of Miss Cady by Grace Hitchcock // Celebrate Lit

 

About the Book

Book: The Courting of Miss Cady (Aprons & Veils Book Five)

Author: Grace Hitchcock

Genre: Historical Romance

Release Date: October 24, 2025

He’s the man of her dreams—she just doesn’t know it yet.

New York socialite Jane Cady is the envy of the season, and the supposed love of Graham Bank’s life, until news arrives that her father’s last merchant ship has sunk, costing them everything. To avoid scandal, the family disappears to manage a hotel in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Determined to support her family, Jane sets aside her dream of marriage and joins her father in working for the Harvey House, as a waitress. But when her former fiancé strolls into the Castañeda Hotel, the weight of her sacrifice becomes all too real.

Rancher Wade Sterling is well acquainted with hard work and that Miss Jane is one of the hardest working Harvey Girls he’s ever met, besides his sister-in-law. When Jane faints on duty, Wade catches her and upon her awakening in his arms, her passionate kiss nearly knocks him off his feet. She begs him to play along and before he knows it, she tells some dandy that they are happily courting. Jane later begs Wade’s forgiveness, explaining it was an emergency as the man was her former fiancé and their relationship ended poorly. But, when the dandy stays in town, Wade finds himself in a fake courtship and in love with the woman of his dreams. He only needs to convince Jane that he is the man of hers.

The Courting of Miss Cady is a fake dating/forced proximity romance with all the sigh-worthy swoon, but no spice!

 

Click here to get your copy!

 Review: A heartwarming, historical rom-com, with a fake courting trope, an admirable heroine, dashing cowboy, and plenty of heart. 

When her father's investments go belly up, Jane Cady's family packs up and her father takes up managing a Harvey House. I admired Jane for making the best of a bad situation, taking a job and brushing off the unkind words of others, clinging to her faith, and being willing to try new things. 

A well-paced read, with great character development and interaction, as well as humor. Wade is surprised to have found the woman of his dreams fall out of the sky and into his arms, he's a gentleman through and through, to the point of some confusion. I liked his strong work ethic and how he keeps working to show Jane he cares. 

Overall, an entertaining read, with great interaction, humor, faith, and romance. Highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

About the Author

Grace Hitchcock is the award-winning author of multiple historical novels and novellas, including the American Royalty, Best Laid Plans, and Aprons & Veils series. She holds a Master’s in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. Grace lives in South Louisiana with her husband, Dakota, sons, and daughter in a farmhouse that is always filled with the sounds of sweet little footsteps running at full speed. When not writing, chasing her toddlers, or tending to her chickens and golden and labrador retrievers, she’s baking something delightful and can usually be found with a book clutched in her fist.

 

 

More from Grace

Q&A with GRACE HITCHCOCK

Tell us about your new book, The Courting of Miss Cady, in the Aprons & Veils series.

Grace: Thank you so much for having me here today! Book five of my Aprons & Veils series, The Courting of Miss Cady, is a fake-dating insta love romance featuring a jilted knickerbocker turned Harvey Girl! The last thing my heroine, Jane Cady, expects is to fake court a rugged rancher to save face. But as sparks fly and secrets resurface, her love might not be pretend after all!

This book is dear to my heart. I first wrote The Courting of Miss Cady in 2016 after I signed with my agent, Tamela Hancock Murray, when I was trying to break into the traditional publishing world and wrote it with only one POV. It wasn’t the novel that got me my first contract, and I eventually shelved it as I turned my attention to the series that did sell, but it has always been in the back of my mind as I wrote this Harvey Girls series and I knew that this book would be perfect for Jane Cady. I did a massive re-write on this story, given my style has changed over the past 9 years since I wrote it (deleting about 65% of the original work) and added the hero’s POV as well. When I got to know the hero, Wade, I knew his was a true love at first sight for Jane. I’ve always wanted to write an Insta Love and it fit perfectly with the characters.

Q: You mention tropes, what is your favorite trope to read? Which of your books have that trope?

Grace: To name a few, I love stories about marriage of convenience, fake dating, mail-order brides, runaway brides, alpha heroes, and enemies to lovers. In my books, I do have some of those tropes, but I adjust them to fit my story.

My Harvey Girl books by tropes:

Runaway Bride: The Finding of Miss Fairfield

Mail-Order Bride: The Pursuit of Miss Parish

Friends to Lovers/ Fake Dating: The Enchanting of Miss Elliot

Enemies-to-lovers/ Forced Proximity: The Vanishing of Miss Victoria

Insta Love/ Fake Dating: The Courting of Miss Cady

Q: Talk about your writing process, about how long does it take you, do you do all the research before you start writing?

Grace: I usually write the first draft for 8-10 weeks and edit (drafts 2-6) for 12 weeks! The first draft is my favorite!! All the creativity is flowing, and it is so, so fun to see that word count go up! I try not to write on the weekends, but occasionally when the deadline is getting too close, I will have to pull some long hours on the final weekends to get it completed.

With that said, I am writing away on a new super-secret series and have the first drafts of the first three books completed, which nevvver happens in my writing process. I like to finish each book before moving onto the next, but this new series is going to take more weaving of storylines so I needed to make sure I got to know the main characters across the series before editing book 1. A very different approach for me this time around, but it is working!

For the research part, I always start with research, highlight some wonderful “newly discovered” facts that sing to me, and use that as a pivotal part of my plot. Then, while I edit, I research as well to make sure that I don’t miss any historical details.

Q: In case the readers have not read your series yet, tell us who were the Harvey Girls.

Grace: Whenever I tell people I am writing about a Western Harvey Girl Romance, they usually assume the Harvey Girls are associated with an old-time saloon, but nothing could be further from the truth. In the 1890s, there were not many respectable jobs for women, so when Englishman Fred Harvey created his chain of fine dining restaurants along the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe railroads, single women without an education, or in need of earning their own way, were given a chance to earn an honest wage without the speculation that they offered anything else but food as a service. With Mr. Harvey’s strict rules about the waitress’s code of conduct, the women were given their independence while still maintaining their good name and place in society under the protective, fatherly arm of Fred Harvey. These extraordinary, brave women became known as the Harvey Girls, the ladies who tamed the Wild West with fine china, good pie, and exceptional service with complete propriety.

While Harvey Houses were built to serve the needs of the passengers on the rail to encourage tourism in the west, the railroad workers and local townsmen also dined at the restaurant, but usually at the lunch counter. At a time when men filled towns and women were scarce, inevitably, a railroad worker or townsman would express interest in marrying a Harvey Girl. In order to marry, she would need to fulfill her work contract or risk paying a fine of a month of salary. The fine was set in place to ensure that Fred Harvey would have enough workers and that he wouldn’t simply train a girl to have her shipped to a town of bachelors and leave him without a waitress.

As you can probably tell, such a set up sends an author’s head to spinning with all the romance that could come from a woman venturing out on her own in a land filled with cowboys, bandits, ranchers, and bounty hunters. The possibilities for romance are endless! There is so much more I could write about these fascinating ladies and their contributions to society, but I hope you enjoyed this taste of history on the Harvey Girls!

Q: Can you give us a sneak peek at the next book in the series, The Making of Miss Matthews, which is book 6 in the Aprons & Veils series?

Grace: The story follows a Harvey Girl that readers met in Book One! Dolly Matthews was originally a stinker, but I gave her a good character arc through the series and readers have been asking for her story. This will certainly explain the extraordinary why behind Dolly’s choices in earlier novels in the series and I am soooo excited to share her story that has a shocking twist that readers won’t see coming!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 3

Life on Chickadee Lane, June 3

Connie’s History Classroom , June 4

Devoted To Hope, June 5

Texas Book-aholic, June 6

Labor Not in Vain, June 7

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 8

For Him and My Family, June 9

Book Looks by Lisa, June 10

She Lives to Read, June 10

Melissa’s Bookshelf, June 11

Holly’s Book Corner, June 12

Vicky Sluiter, June 13

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 13

EmpowerMoms, June 14

Books You Can Feel Good About, June 15

Mary Hake, June 15

Sydney Schmied Books, June 16

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Grace is giving away  the grand prize of a $75 (+ Free Shipping) shopping spree on Grace’s Indie Bookstore!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/T9RHS/the-courting-of-miss-cady-celebration-tour-giveaway

South of Somewhere by T.I. Lowe // Review

My Review: 

Juniper Wilder is ready for a fresh start, going back to her late grandmother's home she works hard to make a stable life for herself to prove to her brother that she is in control of her life again. 

A heartwarming and reflective read, with a full cast of characters that embrace Juni from her geriatric probation officer and his wonderfully flawed, and colorful friends, to her mysterious next door neighbhor. Engaging, with a humanity to the storytelling, with flawed, but lovable characters, with a core of faith. 

I liked the themes of second chances, forgiveness and family. Juniper is a likable heroine, doing her best to fight her demons and make a better tomorrow for herself and her daughter. I liked that she is also able to find humor in her situation along the way.

Overall, an emotional, honest, and heartwarming read. Full of faith, and honest struggles, I liked that the characters felt tangible and human in their imperfections. A memorable read, with a heroine ou can't help but cheer for all the way through. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Scent of Peril by Darlene L. Turner // Review

Lucie's Review: 

Taylor and her K-9 Shadow are in a race against time to save a little boy who has been abducted. She joins forces with the boy's father, to bring him home safe, but the closer they get, they realize the kidnapping may be tied to Wyatt's past. 

A fast paced read, filled with action and suspense. There's alot going on, and I admired Taylor's faith, quick thinking and courage. Levi is super cute and loves Shadow. Wyatt is a devoted father, and I liked how he never gives up. 

Overall, a well written adventure with a lot going on. I listened to the audio version, and narrator did a great job bringing the intensity and distinguishing between the different characters. Highly recommend. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Peril on the Ranch by Lynette Eason // Review

Lucie's Review: 

 Isabelle is a foster mom, and when a baby is left on her ranch she is determined to keep the litte life that she has been entrusted with safe. Brian "Mac" is an ex cop who has known a lot of loss in his life, when he comes to work on Isabelle's ranch, and he can't standby when a woman and children are at risk. 

A fast paced read with a lot going on, engaging and hard to put down I liked Mac and Isabelle together, and they were a duo that was easy to cheer for the whole way through. Action-packed read, full of suspense with a couple who have an undeniable pull towards each other. 

I admired Isabelle's strong faith, and her devotion to the children in her care. Great interaction and relationship building, I listened to the audio and it was excellently narrated, bringing great tension and pulling me in. Highly recommend!

 I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

NKJV New Testament Tracing Edition // Momentum Giveaway

Write God’s Word into your heart by tracing Scripture verse-by-verse through the New Testament.

 For years, scientists have connected handwriting with improved learning. Designed for a unique, devotional experience, the NKJV New Testament, Tracing Edition provides an opportunity to read and write through the beautiful gospel and promises of the New Testament from Matthew to Revelation. This special edition has lightly printed text allowing you to trace the words of Scrip ture easily. Wide margins and a clean, single-column typesetting complete the in tentional design. Chapter headings are printed regularly for easy navigation, or you can engage more deeply using the included tracing themes and reading plans on love, hope, grace, comfort, peace, eternal life, anxiety, spiritual gifts, community, heaven, Holy Spirit, and faith. 

Features include:  

• Lightly printed text in a clean single-column typesetting  

• Substantial 60gsm paper ideal for writing 

• Topical reading plans included: love, hope, grace, comfort, peace, eternal life,  anxiety, spiritual gifts, community, heaven, Holy Spirit, and faith  

• Wide outer margins for notes 

• Chapter headings for easy navigation  

• NKJV translation: Beautiful. Trustworthy. Today.  

• Clear and readable 17-point type 

Purchase your copy of the NKJV New Testament, Tracing Edition, today!

https://www.thomasnelsonbibles.com/product/nkjv-new-testament-tracing-edition/

My Review: Meditate on God's Word while tracing the words onto your heart.

Bound in a beautiful gold embossed light gray, with an open exposed binding so that it can be laid completely flat, printed in larger 17 point gray italic font that is neat and flowing to compliment natural handwriting. This volume contains the complete New Testament in NKJV, and while it doesn't have maps or a concordance, it has topical reading plans on 12 topics from anxiety, faith, eternal life, comfort  and more. 

This edition measures 8 1/4 X 6 3/8 X 1 5/8 inches, and features thicker paper that is smooth and easy to write on. I like how the open binding allows it to be laid flat, but I noticed that it makes it weaker, and the clear coating has just enough tack to attract extra dirt, so I try to reserve it for home studying to keep it nice. I liked how the font is larger and easy to read, with a lovely italization that mimics the flow of writing right handed. It is relaxing to take my time tracing the words, while turning them over and over again in my head. 

Well done, and beautifully put together. This would make a thoughtful gift for someone, or is an enjoyable addition to your own personal Bible study. This Bible is great for home study, and for people who would like to journal, but don't know where to start, or who like to take their time thinking about God's word and enjoy writing. A great way to connect with God's word, in a simple, but meaningful way. Definitely worth picking up!

 #NewTestamentTracingMIN #TraceTheWord #MomentumInfluencerNetwork 

 Many thanks to Thomas Nelson Bibles/HCCP for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

Giveaway: $10 Amazon giftcard AND 1 copy of the NKJV New Testament, Tracing  Edition (Gray version)  

Qualifications: Giveaway winners must be US residents who have not won via  another blogger’s giveaway for this campaign. 

NKJV New Testament and $10 Amazon Giftcard Giveaway

Scent of Hope by Susan May Warren // Review

Lucie's Review:

Second chances and justice in the frozen tundra. 

Private investigator Harley Tatum returns to a places she said she'd never go back to for the chance to bring the drug dealer who broke her family to justice. She forms an unlikely, but fitting partnership with Jericho Bowie and they use his dog Orlando to track the villains down. But as the tables turn, can Harley and Jericho stay one step ahead of a killer? 

A fast paced read, with a lot going on. the second in a series, but works as a stand alone as there is not much connection to the previous one besides the Alaska setting. Great character interaction and growth, it was cute how the dog Orlando really liked Harley. 

I liked how through it all Jericho was able to come to terms with the past. Engaging read with gripping storytelling. Strong faith, great characters, in a suspense-filled adventure. Highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

In Pursuit of Civility by Jen Turano // Celebrate Lit

About the Book

Book: In Pursuit of Civility (Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies Book 2)

Author: Jen Turano

Genre: Christian, Romance, Historical, Gilded Age

Release Date: April 21, 2026

LESSON TWO: Become headmistress and expect to find yourself partnering with an attractive inventor to search for treasure.

Annaliese Merriweather has been appointed the temporary headmistress of the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies while her sister is on her honeymoon, but she doesn’t feel cut out for the role. Especially after she loses two of her most troublesome students during an outing to a county fair and has to recruit the help of Seth McCormick, an eccentric inventor, to retrieve them.

Soon after, one of those mischievous students disappears again, intent on pursuing a pirate map. Together, Annaliese and Seth set out to find her, accompanied by a menagerie of Annaliese’s rescued animal companions. As they stumble from one chaotic situation to the next, sparks fly between Annaliese and Seth. Somehow, they’ll need to outwit dangerous individuals also intent on seeking the treasure and bring everyone back in one piece—all while deciphering what their hearts desire.

With witty characters and humorous banter, Jen Turano takes readers on a lively tale of hijinks, humor, treasure hunting, and forced proximity in her latest historical rom-com set in Chicago at a finishing school during the Gilded Age.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 Lucie's Review:

An unlikely school mistress, eccentric inventor and his mother bent on chasing down a wayward student who went missing to chase after pirate treasure, in this laugh out loud historical rom-com. 

Annaliese feels out of her depth filling as head mistress while her sister is on her honeymoon, and even more so when a student goes missing. She must rely on Seth McCormick to help her track down his adventurous sister, in this fun-fill read. 

I liked how Seth genuinely took a sincere interest in the things that Annaliese likes, he also has a mechanical mind and love of learning. He is very sweet, supportive and unconventional. Annaliese has a heart for animals, and I admired her willingness and determination to see things through. Mrs. McCormick is a great addition to their crew, typically more reclusive she is pulled to action when her daughter goes missing. I admired her courage and faith. 

A fast paced, humorous adventure, with a full cast of characters, great dialogue, interaction and growth. Highly entertaining adventure! 

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

About the Author

Named one of the funniest voices in inspirational romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today bestselling author known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. She and her family live outside of Ormond Beach, Florida.

 

 

More from Jen

Welcome Jen! Why don’t you start off by telling us a little about “In Pursuit of Civility.

1. Thank you so much for hosting me. It’s always exciting to release a new book, and “In Pursuit of Civility” is no exception to that. The short telling of what the book’s about is this – it’s the second installment in the Merriweather Academy for Young Ladies series, and readers will get to travel with Annaliese Merriweather as she tries to adapt to being given the position of temporary headmistress of the academy while her sister goes off on holiday. Clearly, Annaliese is going to have some trouble with this new position, that idea proven when two of her students go missing – and on purpose – and go missing not once, but twice. That right there is exactly why Annaliese finds herself going off with the oh-so-charming Mr. Seth McCormick (and don’t worry, his mother is going off with them to chaperone) to track down her erstwhile students, finding herself involved in quite the adventure, and one that might include a bit of romance.

Annaliese Merriweather is a lady who enjoys saving animals. Any reason why you chose that particular pursuit for her?

1. Years ago, when reading up on John Astor, I was appalled to discover that, while he amassed a fortune that was unheard of back in the nineteenth century, he did so by completely decimating the beaver population. That always stuck with me, as did what happened to the bird population due to overzealous plume hunters during that time, those plume hunters staying in business because ladies wanted to adorn their hats with an overabundance of feathers. I’d been waiting for the right storyline to come up where I could add an animal advocate, and when Annaliese popped to mind when I was crafting the outline for the Merriweather series, I knew she was going to be the lady I was going to use to bring just a little attention to what happened to birds and beavers during the Industrial Revolution.

Were there any parts of this book that gave you trouble?

1. While I would love to say “Of course not,” that just wouldn’t be true because all of my stories give me trouble at some point. This one happened relatively early on because, at first, I had Annaliese rescue a whole mess of animals in the first couple chapters. I knew full-well that I had too many, but you know how I love writing those animal scenes, so…I left all of them in the original draft that I sent to my editors, knowing they’d spot the issue, but then leaving it up to them to suggest which animals I should cut. I’m sad to say that Bart the Bear got the boot. Yes, that’s right. However, because I was so attached to darling Bart, he makes an appearance in the third and final book of the series “A Dash of Decorum.”

What is a question you get asked the most as an author?

1. That’s an easy one because people always ask me if I always dreamed of being a writer, and…nope. I really wanted to be a singer – and yes, I can carry a tune – but I suffer from extreme stage fright and anytime I would get up in front of an audience I would turn all sorts of queasy. That’s why I abandoned that dream and majored in fashion. I just started writing as something fun to do with my son when he was in elementary school, and it turned out that I really enjoyed it. It took me five years and seven manuscripts to secure a literary agent, and then it took her about a year before she sold “A Change of Fortune” for me. I’ve been writing ever since.

If you had to pick a character from your book to be stuck in a haunted academy with – since the Merriweather Academy was rumored to be haunted in book one – who would it be?

1. I’d definitely go with Miss Seraphina Livingston because she has all of those delicious secrets, and secrets that revolve around how she’s capable of wielding a pistol with ease, taking out assailants with a good round-kick to the head, and…she might know a thing or two about how best to use dynamite to get out of a tricky situation.

How has your writing evolved since you began writing?

1. I definitely write a tighter story these days, and I’m also more mindful of making sure my chapters are moving the story along at a rapid pace. Having had the pleasure of working with an editing team for years now, it’s like they’re sitting on my shoulder as I write that first draft, saying things like “Nope, that’s a total distraction from plot,” which is rather annoying, but saves me a lot of time in the end.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

1. To always remember that it’s all about the reader. That means that an author needs to know their audience and write accordingly. Every genre has specific unwritten rules, and the best way to understand those rules is to make sure a writer reads a ton of books in the genre they’re hoping to get published in.

What are you working on now?

1. I recently turned in developmental edits for the third and final book in the Merriweather series, “A Dash of Decorum.” That’s the step where I’ve turned in a first draft – although know that I go through a book seven times before I turn it in – and then my editors send me their suggestions. I then end up rewriting a good portion of the book because of ripple effects, and then turn it in again. I’m now waiting for them to send me copy/line edits, which aren’t all that difficult to do since I’m just making sure that nothing got cut during the editing process that I want to keep in. I also just turned in the first draft of a Christmas story I wrote, but I was really early with that one, so I won’t be seeing developmental edits for a while. And, the reason I turned that in early is because I just signed a new three-book contract and I need to get started on the first book of the Bluestocking series.

Thank you so much for hosting me. I appreciate everyone stopping in to see what I’ve been doing lately.

All the best,

Jen

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 21

Sydney Schmied Books, May 21

Devoted Steps, May 22

Blogging With Carol, May 22

Truth and Grace Homseschool Academy, May 23

For Him and My Family, May 24

Holly’s Book Corner, May 24

Book Holds and Jello Molds, May 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 25

Texas Book-aholic, May 26

lakesidelivingsite, May 27

Pause for Tales, May 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 28

Devoted To Hope, May 29

Fruitfully Planted, May 30

Labor Not in Vain, May 30

Lily’s Corner, May 31

Cover Lover Book Review, May 31

Book Looks by Lisa, June 1

Mary Hake, June 1

Books You Can Feel Good About, June 2

She Lives to Read, June 3

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, June 3

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jen is giving away the grand prize of a book box with a book box with a copy of “A Lesson in Propriety”, “In Pursuit of Civility” and entire Matchmaker series – “Meeting Her Match” “To Spark a Match” and “A Match in the Making” !!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/YjVmt/in-pursuit-of-civility-celebration-tour-giveaway