A Song of Home // Author Interview

Good morning, luvs!
(I've always wanted to start a blog post out like that, but it does sound a bit weird coming from me... I'm more of a "Hi Y'all!" or a "Good morning everyone!" type of girl.) 

Ahem. Anyways!

Today, I have a super special post to share with you! I'm doing a author interview with none other than Ryana Lynn! Learn more about Ryana on her website, Life of Heritage!

First off, I want to say congratulations on releasing you're forth book in a series, and also happy birthday, Ry!

About the Author: 
Ryana Lynn Miller has a unique way of blending her love for history with her love for the Savior. Her continued research is fueled by her desire for truth and details. Her main concern, both historically and Biblically, is to show the past to the present to secure the future.

About A Song of Home: 
In war time, everyone is called to fulfill their patriotic duty. But everyone's duty is not the same. For some, it's to soldier on the field of battle. For others, it is to stay back and defend the home front. Still others keep the soldiers clothed and cared for.
“We’re gonna finish this,” Seth murmured. “We’re gonna finish this fight once and for all. They can’t just come in and threaten a man’s family and livelihood just because they feel like it.”
“It’s a hard lesson to teach,” Silas interjected. “The Patriots were outmanned and outgunned, but they taught the redcoats right well. God’s will is most important, and God is the best Teacher. Sometimes He does it Himself, and other times He uses men to teach the lesson.”
Join the Mason family as another year of war dawns with no end in sight. Despair, hatred and death surround them...will they ever know a time of hope, love and peace again?

Bring your family along on another history packed journey full of battle, music, victory and defeat. The war ain't over ‘til the sabers quit clashing!

About the Series:

The Battle for Heritage Series (BHS) is an in-progress five book series on the War Between the States. Each book follows one year of the war, focusing on the Southern perspective. Unlike most books on this period, BHS does not focus on slavery but rather the reason the war was fought: the issue of states’ rights and the right of the people to restore the rightful government as designed by our forefathers. But even though this is important, this is not the main goal of BHS.

Every book includes a clear Gospel presentation, as well as other biblical topics designed to strengthen the believer and disciple the new convert. If you take nothing else from these stories, please take the lessons from Scripture to heart. If not, the goal is missed.

The series follows the Mason family, Silas and Ellen, and their children, Richard, Seth, Dixie, Michael, Thomas, and Virginia Rose, through the years 1861-1865. Having family on both sides allows the reader to discover viewpoints of both sides, though the story is focused on the South’s point of view. Having friends in the North and South, Ryana Lynn endeavors to keep things kind, while realistic and giving the facts.

BHS has reached people in a multitude of states, her best readerships being located in North Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Ohio. It is her prayer that someday, someone will come to know Christ through her writings. Her life verse, Jude 22, sums up her writing mission: “And of some, have compassion, making a difference.” 

Now on to the interview...

1. What makes A Song of Home different than the rest or your books that you’ve written? 

Well, that's hard to say...it's part of a series, so it has the same cast and setting, just a new year. I suppose one thing that makes it different is that I've had to skirt around so historical facts to keep the story family-friendly. Not tweaking the facts, just skipping them. I do not need angry mothers chasing me down the road with sticks ;)

2. Was the writing process for A Song of Home smooth, or did it take you awhile to complete? 

This book took me quite a while! It' was supposed to come out Spring of 2019...here we are a year after it was supposed to be in the hands of readers. There were major rewrites done January of this year and TBH, it's so much better than my original ideas...though I kinda miss my original ending XP

3. What is your favorite character in this book? 

My favorite character would have to be Burdy. He always takes that place, lol! I mean, who doesn't love a sweet lil orphaned drummer boy? Come on! Coming in at a close second is Alvin Willis, my sergeant, and resident heartbreaker. Just... read the book, you'll understand.

4. What is the main message you would like your readers to receive after finishing A Song of Home?

Well, as with all my books, I hope someone will take note of the Salvation message in the book and come to know Christ as their personal Savior. But I also hope it awakens people to duty. Christian duty. The duty to protect and defend your families and country. The duty of maybe being called to watch over the home front. The duty of women as the ones holding things together at home. Just do your duty before God and you'll never go wrong.

5. What are three fun facts about this book? 

Ooh, three fun facts! Okay...So for one, originally in this story, the ending was way different...it ended with a wedding. But because of circumstances beyond my control, that changed. Number two, two of my characters that come in contact with each other in this book (who do not know each other) have come in contact with each other before! Let's see if anyone can figure it out before it gets revealed in book 5! And for a third fact...this was the first book in which I placed one of my characters in a position where he did something a historical person actually did. But this person's identity is unknown. So I made note of it in the back of the book to avoid confusion.

6. What is one word of advice to new authors or aspiring authors? 

Do your research. Read books about your topic, making sure you have your details correct, especially historical dates and names. If you take liberties, you better explain why you did it or your readers will lose faith in you. That why I noted that my fictional character was filling the position of a real unknown hero. I don't want them to lose their trust in me telling them the truth about history. Also, read books about writing, like Did God Put a Book in You by Jerry Ross, Go Teen Writer: Edit Your Novel by Williamson and Merrill (I don't agree with all their examples) and Outlining your Novel by K. M. Weiland (Also don't agree with all examples.) These are invaluable and are worth the investment!

One more thing... limit your cast of characters (Something I am still working on, lol!) and make character sketches of them! Figure out their personalities and what makes them different from each other. Your editors will thank you!

And above all, pray and ask God for guidance. While I would never say God spoke the words of my book through me, He has certainly guided me in the process and allowed my imagination to figure out the plot puzzles. Include Him in your process, you won't regret it!

7. What first prompted this story? 

Well, this series was prompted by a desire to tell the true story of the War Between the States. Many are confused about basic facts and I wanted to set the record straight. So, I decided to write them for myself! Then, I felt God prompting me to share them with others. This book has a strong attachment to music and that came from my love for 1800s music. Civil War folk songs are some of my favorites, and almost every chapter of this book has a line from a song proceeding the story. I wanted to share this fading music with everyone! This book covers the year of 1864...just one book left in the series! Kinda intimidating when you think about it.

Thank you so much for hosting me, Brooklyne!

And thank YOU, Ryana, for letting me be apart of your book tour! <3

Also, the giveaway is for E-copies of all 4 books in The Battle for Heritage Series for 1 recipient, open to international participants!! So what are you waiting for?!

Have you read any of Ryana's books? What's your favorite time in history to read about? Comment below!

Many Blessings,

Brooklyne Elysse

Never Say Goodbye // Author Interview

Good morning, readers! 

Today I am participating in a blog book tour featuring a lovely book that I had the privilege of beta reading. This book is such a sweet read and I'm excited to help spread the word about it! If you haven't read Never Say Goodbye yet, you definitely should get your hands on a copy!

 (Keep scrolling to read my book review!)

Author Bio:

Sarah Grace Grzy is a voracious reader, and if it weren’t for this crazy thing called 'Life,' she’d be tempted to spend all her days in front of a wood stove, book in one hand, coffee mug in the other. A lover of learning, she finds enjoyment in many things and has more hobbies than she knows what to do with. Sarah Grace is a freelance web and graphic designer, and when not working, spending time with her ever-growing family, or reading, she can be found painting, playing the piano, or fangirling with her sisters and friends. Sarah Grace inhabits the State of Great Lakes, and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else—unless it meant she could have a baby penguin, in which case, she’d gladly move to the South Pole.

Book Synopsis: 

They say time heals all wounds. But he was finding it a poor painkiller.

Tyler Collens has seen grief and loss in his years of experience as a paramedic—but he never expected it to touch his life in such a personal way. The death of his wife eighteen months ago shook his steady world and changed him in more ways than he can count. Time and routine have steadied his feet, and he looks toward the future as he raises his infant daughter—but the past has a tighter grip on him than he knows.

Alyvia Emmerson has never been certain of who she is or where she belongs. Her dad’s abandonment as a teen broke a fragile piece of her heart, but ten years later, she has moved on. Living on her own, she at last has a project to devote herself to: revitalizing a shabby bookstore. But she didn’t count on her dream job revealing the shattered pieces of herself she thought mended long ago.

In this sophomore novel featuring beloved characters from Live Without You, Sarah Grace Grzy explores themes of grief, hope, and second chances in a story that touches both the heart and spirit.

~~

Author Interview: 

1. What was your favorite thing about writing NSG? (The writing process, formatting, design, advertising, etc!) 

I'm not sure! Every part has its challenges, joys, and struggles. The whole project is a process that I both struggle with and enjoy. If I had to pick a favorite, I think it would either be writing the first draft or the cover design. Even if it was a major struggle at times, writing the first draft is a very special process to me. Also, graphic design is very close to my heart, so designing the cover was a ton of fun for me! I love getting to design my own cover.

2. What is the message you would like your readers to get after reading your book?

One word: Hope. It is my prayer that this story will bring even just a tiny bit of hope to whatever circumstances my readers are going through at the time. We all have something we're going through. I've realized that more and more in these challenging times. So I pray that in the midst of whatever it is that's on your mind and heart, Never Say Goodbye will bring a bit of hope and encouragement to you.

3. Who is your favorite character, and why do they stand out to you? 

Hmm, that's a hard one, as all my characters feel so close to me! I think I would have to say Tyler Collens, though. This sweet dude has been close to my heart since my first book, Live Without You. He almost feels like a close friend or brother. Another character who touched my heart but has less of a storyline is a little girl named Lilah. I'm not even sure how she entered the story, but she touched my heart!


4. What was the best part of designing the cover and what was the most challenging part? 

Oh, man. Designing the cover was a process. I think I enjoyed getting to experiment with new skills and learn new techniques to achieve the look I wanted. And the most challenging part would be just that: getting the look and design I wanted! I went through so many revisions, and even had some others design a version of it for me to give me some new perspective. (Brooklyne, your version is still my favorite of the other drafts! I loved it so much.)

5. What is a word of advice to pass on to new self-published authors? 

I talked about this on my Instagram a while back, and realized this is one of the most important words of advice I would want to give someone. Trust your writing journey into God's hands . . . completely, 100%. I think that was the one most important decision I made when I first started writing, giving it to Him and asking Him to lead and guide me. I think it will blow your mind what He will do with a surrendered heart and pen. He certainly has mine!

6. Target audience?

I think Never Say Goodbye would be enjoyed by a wide audience. If you love stories with realistic characters, raw authenticity, and deep themes, I think you would enjoy Never Say Goodbye!

7. How has God used this story in your own life?  

I love this question, because He certainly does use my stories in my own heart and life! As I was writing Never Say Goodbye, I was finding myself discouraged and disheartened by my life's circumstances at the time. I felt like my dreams had been stripped away from me, and while I didn't like where I was, I didn't know where I would rather be. All my plans and hopes seemed so empty, all of a sudden. Then the themes of hope in Never Say Goodbye were starting to speak to my heart, and the things God was speaking to me on hoping and dreaming started filtering into the story.

Thanks so much, Brooklyne! It's been a pleasure. :)

And thank you, SG, for writing such a great book!

~~~

My book review of Never Say Goodbye:

"5 (4.5) Stars. ✭✭✭✭✯

To say I enjoyed Never Say Goodbye would be a understatement. The characters, the setting, and the message throughout this book was amazing! I was privileged for the opportunity to beta read Never Say Goodbye, and I look forward to future books by Sarah Grace Grzy. Can we all take a moment to admire that stunning cover?! *heart eyes*

I really liked the relationship that Ty had with his little daughter, though he was very overprotective at times and that sometimes clouded his judgment. Alyvia was such a neat character! I loved that she loved books as much as I do. Their love story was portrayed nicely and was very clean.

I also really liked how the characters from Live Without You were side characters in this book, and it was nice to learn more about their story along the sidelines of Never Say Goodbye. I would definitely recommend this book to those who like stories with themes of love, forgiveness, and triumph over what life can throw in our direction.” 

~~~

Check out this awesome book trailer that Sarah Grace had made for her book HERE!

Add NSG to your Goodreads TBR pile HERE!

Find Sarah Grace on Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest to learn more about her and her books!

Also, enter the giveaway HERE!

Have you read Live Without You yet? 

Did you enjoy this author interview? Comment below!

Many Blessings,

Brooklyne Elysse

A Bookish Questionnaire with Kate

Today on Showers of Blessings, I will be hosting a questionnaire with my friend, Kaitlyn! Check out her amazing blog(s) here and here. Also, make sure to grab a copy of her book Beloved if you're in the mood for a touching and heartfelt story!

Now on to the questionnaire! 

~~~

1. Out of all the books you read last year (2019) which book deserved more than 5 stars? 

Oh goodness, I read several that deserved more than 5 stars! But I’ll go with Freedom by Faith Potts. Not only is it an incredibly-written book, but the characters are endearing, the plot is amazing, and the message, y’all, that message deserves 10,000 stars! That book is powerful. <3

>Yes, I totally agree with you on that! Freedom was such a awesome read! 

2. Top three favorite cover designs? 

Ahhhh, so hard! There’s sooo many covers that I love to pieces! But I’ll go with Unblemished by Sara Ella, Fawkes by Nadine Brandes, and Dust by Kara Swanson, just to keep it to three. ;)

>Some very unique and pretty covers you chose! 

3. What MC from any book is most like you... who you relate with the most?

There’ve been several characters that I can relate to (one being Cara from my book Beloved), but the one I’d say that I can probably most relate to Andi Carter from the Circle C books. Not only does she have big brothers (one in particular that tends to be on the bossy side and they butt heads frequently), she also has trouble knowing when to keep her mouth shut. Granted, I’ve become better at this as I’ve gotten older, but I can definitely commiserate with her!

>Hehe, I love Andi! She kinda reminds me of my lil' sis.

4. What recommendations would you have for a non-fiction book about creative writing? 

Would you believe me if I told you that, to my knowledge, I’ve never read one? *chuckles nervously* I keep meaning to, buuuuuut other books shove themselves in the way and I just . . . haven’t. *coughs* I’ve heard that the Go Teen Writers book is really good, though!

>I've heard of Go Teen Writers, but haven't read it yet either! One book I've really enjoyed is How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method...

5. About how many books are in your TBR pile?

Ha. Hahhhhaaaa. Um . . . on my official Goodreads TBR, it says I have 188. But I probably won’t even read half of them. Of the ones on my physical shelves that I’d like to get to in the next while . . . 185. Yikes, I didn’t realize there were that many! 

>Oh, wowsers! That TBR pile will keep you busy for a long while! 

7. Do you have a goal for how many books you want to read in 2020? 

I do! I’ve set a goal for 60 books this year! This is the goal I set for myself last year, too, and I ended up reading 82 books then, so we’ll see if I’m more busy this year. ;) I’m far ahead of my goal so far, though!

>I hope you are able to reach that goal then, I'm cheering you on!

8. What are some tropes that you really like but are surprised that you like them? 

I can only think of one off the top of my head, and that would be the ‘chosen one’ trope. You know, where the world is in mortal danger and there’s only one person who can save it? It’s a super cliched trope, especially in YA fiction, I think . . . but I haven’t read much of it, so maybe I just haven’t gotten tired of it yet. ;) The one instance that I could give of this would be The Girl Who Could See by Kara Swanson. So good!

>Ah, I see! I haven't read many books with that trope in it, but sounds interesting. XD

9. What are some tropes that you think are way overused in fiction? 

-Enemies-to-lovers. I’m sorry, I know that this is a super popular trope, but I just . . . don’t like it. Now, I’m sure that I’ve read some books with this trope that I really enjoyed, but in general, I’m sorry, I just don’t like it. *Cringes*

-Nosy journalists. I don’t hate this trope as much as I used to, but it still really gets on my nerves. I get that their job is to get down in the thick of things and let the world know what’s going on, and I respect that. But DON’T TURN VIGILANTE OKAY? LET THE POLICE DO THEIR JOBS.

-Country hicks + city slickers. One one side, I can’t stand it when country people are portrayed as a Jeff Foxworthy redneck, with a stalk of wheat in their mouth, pitchfork in hand, overalls sagging on scrawny shoulders. Country people really are intelligent, y’all! And on the flip side, it bugs me when city slickers are shown as being dumb as doornails when they’re out of the city. I understand that country people are going to be uncomfortable in the city and city people are going to be uncomfortable in the country. But guyyyyys they’re not incompetent!

>Haha, now I have read a lot of these kind of tropes before! Yes, some of these can be so annoying! 

10. What book (or book series) first started your love of reading?

Ummm . . . the Pathway Readers I read in school when I first learned to read? *laughs* After those, then probably the Sisters in Time and Sadie Rose series. I loved those so, so much! If I re-read them now, I don’t know how much I’d like them . . . but they hold good memories, so that’s always fabulous. ;)

>Sisters in Time series is one of my favorite childhood reads! And my sister read some of the Sadie Rose books too! <3 

Thank you so much for hosting me, Brooklyne! <3

>Thank YOU for answering my bookish questions! :P

Calling all bookworms, now it's your turn to pick a question in this post to answer for yourself in the comments below! Also, what is your current read?

Wisdom Teeth Recovery Update: I'm doing pretty good, eating lots of smoothies and mashed potatoes! And watching a ton of movies. Thanks to those of you who are praying for me! 

Many Blessings, 

Brooklyne Elysse

Freedom // Book Review

Today, I will be reviewing one of my favorite indie-published books of 2019. Freedom by Faith Potts. 

Where to begin? Freedom was one of those books that gripped your heart and held on until the very last page. This was one of my most anticipated books of 2019 and it did not disappoint! I was over the moon excited to receive Freedom in the mail and I read it over one weekend. (Ask my sister, she can attest!) In fact, she knew I was so excited, waiting for it to come in the mail. When it came, she hid it and took me on a four wheeler ride then had me close my eyes when she handed it to me. XD

Note: mild spoilers ahead.

Now to start the review, lets begin with the characters...

➳The Characters: 

James was a broken Marine who tried to hide behind a layer of humor. As if by making a joke about his situation it would lesson his pain. At first, this humor rubbed me the wrong way as I felt it was harsh, then when I got into his head a bit more, I realized it was just his way of dealing with the grief. Then, I felt for him as he struggled both mentally and physically. As well as spiritually. But He overcame many things and in the end, found love and grace.

*cough* Um, I totally shipped James and Alex! They made such a cute couple... quite perfect for one another! Their love story was portrayed well, and was really just the sweetest thing.

I didn't relate much with Alex until towards the middle of the book. She had such a kind heart, but at first, she seemed a bit controlling. Once I saw who she really was instead of the mask she wore in hopes she wouldn't get hurt, then I really loved her character! 

And can I just say that everyone needs a Uncle Joe in their life! Someone who is always offering a listening hear, able to give wisdom, and genuine love and support. 

Basically, I loved how all of the characters had their own individual personalities and quirks. Did I mention how much I love this book? 

➳Moving on to the message/theme: 

To me, the message was about not giving up on life and learning to surrender to God. To let Him into our shattered hearts and let Him heal our brokenness. Also about forgiveness (to both the main characters parents.) It was a much-needed message, one that was strong, yet didn't come across too preachy. Bravo, Miss Potts! <3 

➳My favorite scenes: 

Well, all of them! But a few that stood out to me was the dancing one, a Walmart trip, the cute selfie session, and the 5k race. I personally love running in 5k's, so that was really cool to see in a book!

I gave this book 5 stars and it deserves 5 thousand stars! I would recommend Freedom to anyone, although suicide is a theme (but handled very well) so keep that in mind if you are really sensitive in that area. 

Have you ever read Freedom? Have you read any other books by Faith? 

Comment Below! 

Many Blessings 

Brooklyne Elysse 

Author Interview // Second Edition Release Bash!

Good morning all my awesome blog readers! Today I am going to be sharing about a book that I have been dying to read! A book that's been on my wishlist for ages, but I haven't read it yet... though that fact is soon to change! Because I plan to buy it and read it! *throws a shower of confetti* 

The book I'm talking about is The Old River Road by Hailey Rose! 

The Old River Road is celebrating its 3rd birthday, and we're having a party! But it's not just any party. We're also celebrating the books re-release of a whole new edition with new content and the author's new pen name.

The Old River Road was the author's debut novel, published under the pen name Ivy Rose. Now, she has changed her pen name to her real name-- Hailey Rose. this new edition reflects the name change, along with some brand new sections inside! 

I consider Hailey to be one of my blogger friends and she is someone I look up to in the blogging and social media community. I don't know if she knows this, but she has really encouraged me! And I am so happy to be able to help spread the word about her book! <3

On July 8th, 2019 this new revamped novel will be out in the world! I can't wait to get a copy! 

Haven’t heard about the book before? Here’s a formal introduction! 

Blurb:

When seventeen-year-old Clara Boutwell married her dashing coworker, William McDonald, she was convinced her life was nearly perfect. For newlyweds in the great city of Chicago, the journey ahead was exciting and promising. When a frightening disease takes William in its grip, the young couple is forced to the clean air of the western frontier in a desperate attempt to save his life. On the eastern Washington prairies, the McDonalds face hardships and trials in a new world where everything is tested, from physical endurance to emotional strength—down to their relationship and faith in the Lord.

This novel tells the incredible true story of Clara and William, the great-great grandparents of the author, in a sweet narrative full of laughter, tears, and the struggles of an early pioneering family. Prepare yourself to share in their experience as you read this account of a pioneer family in Washington state, and see their lasting legacy that has endured into the fifth generation.

Ah, doesn't that sound like such a great read?!? And that cover! *all the heart eyed emojis*

In celebration of this new release, I did a author interview with Hailey Rose! 

So lets begin! 

1. Tell us a little about yourself and why you are passionate about writing, what made you decide to first start your self-publishing journey?

A little about myself...I'm turning 21 on July 8th, I'm a junior in college, I love doing outdoorsy activities, and I adore reading and writing! I'm passionate about writing because words are such a hugely important part of life and they have the opportunity to impact a ton of people. I want to share my words with as many people as possible! I first decided to self-publish after seeing a friend do it about 6 years before me. It seemed like a good fit for what I wanted to accomplish, and I'm so grateful I chose that route! 

2. If I understand correctly, The Old River Road was influenced by a true story about your great-great grandparents. What kind of family-tree research did you do? What sparked the idea to write a story about your great-great grandparents? 

The Old River Road is the true story of my great-grandparents. I talk more about this in the afterward of the book, but what first sparked the idea was when I found Clara's typewritten memoirs in a box while helping my grandma clean out her basement. I thought, "it would be so cool if someone wrote a book about this!" That someone turned out to be me. :)

I did a lot of family tree research, mostly by asking my mom and grandpa, but also a lot of the other family members who still live locally. I also dug into Ancestry (the website) to get some more distant relations solidified, which was super helpful. However, my great-grandpa was quite the writer himself, and left me a pretty easy paper trail to follow. 

3. How long did it take to write TORR? 

It took 9 months from first word to published. In that was my first NaNoWriMo where I successfully completed the 50,000 words in a month. (FYI, definitely don't recommend draft-to-publication that fast. Much stress. xD )

4. What character in TORR is your favorite, and who do you relate with the most? 

I think Clara is my favorite character. She is the one I agonized over the most because I was so worried about getting her "right." It's SO hard to create a character off of a real person who actually existed. I was able to talk to a lady who actually knew Clara, so that was really super cool. 

I relate the most to Esther. Even though she is a fictional character, I loved crafting her story and creating a spunky little spitfire to spice up the first few chapters.

5. What lesson would you like your readers to take away from reading TORR? 

One of the lessons is to be tenacious. Clara and William went through a lot in their first years of marriage, and yet through that ended up leaving such an incredible legacy for the following generations.

It was a lot of fun doing the author interview with you, Hailey! I loved reading your answers! Also Happy Early Birthday!!! *throws more confetti* 

About the author: 

Hailey Rose is coffee-drinking country girl who stays up way too late wrapped in fuzzy blankets working through stacks of books while nibbling on chocolate. She is one of those bizarre authors who enjoys tormenting her characters and then crying along with them. In addition to writing tear-inducing books, another talent is tripping over objects that don’t exist. Sitting still has never been easy for this adventurer, but when it must happen, trust that she will be kneading away at a handful of Silly Putty. She is slightly addicted to Converse and owns more colors than she needs—but who’s looking? Beware giving this music lover new songs to listen to; she is known to burst into song at random times with random songs, though selections from Home Free and The Greatest Showman are the most likely to wreak havoc on nearby ears. When she’s not hard at work studying or typing away at a novel, she can be found fiddling her heart out on her old German violin.

~~~

Learn more about Hailey Rose by visiting her blog, and Instagram!

Have you ever read The Old River Road? Do you want too? What is your favorite Indie published novel?? Comment below!!

Dandelion Dust // Author Interview

Good morning, all! Today, I am so happy to be helping celebrate Dandelion Dust's 2nd Birthday!!! I read this AMAZING novella last year in November, and let me just say, you need this book in your life! It was happy, it was sad. It was super sweet and had such a summery feel! I am so glad to have a copy sitting on my bookshelf!

But, todays post is not just me fangirling over this lovely novella... I am doing another author interview with one of my most favorite indie-authors! If you would like to see the other interview with Faith Potts on her book Behold, go HERE. Today's interview is going to be talking mostly about Dandelion Dust!

~~~

1. What inspired the idea behind Dandelion Dust?
In December of 2016, I had a dream that I was watching a guy speed across a field on a four-wheeler aannndd…he crashed. By the end of the following day, I’d written a few scenes of what I thought would be a short story—which is now Dandelion Dust.

2. What character do you relate to the most in Dandelion Dust?
Charity, for sure. Not as much now as I did when I wrote and published her story, but I still relate to Charity’s character, her struggles, and her personality on many levels.

3. What is the best part about the writing/publishing process for you? 
(Can I give two answers?) Best, as in most enjoyable, would be the first draft. I love writing without holding back, letting the story take control and flow out, making it’s way to the page and deeper into my heart. If we’re talking best meaning easiest… I don’t know, maybe the actual publishing? Uploading files, choosing categories, taking care of all the details, setting up pricing, arranging a preorder, and making sure (hopefully!) things go up on time… I don’t mind those little things at all. It’s even kinda fun. ;)

4. Since this was one of your very first books published, do you have any tips for new indie-published authors? 
Chase your dreams. Like, seriously. If there’s something you want to do, learn as much as you can about it—and go for it. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, don’t be afraid to fall short. And most importantly, don’t let anyone tell you that you’re too young, too inexperienced, or not good enough. If you’re chasing your God-given dream, He will give you the strength to accomplish it. <3

5. What was your favorite scene to write in Dandelion Dust? 
Oh my goodness, so many! I really loved all the sad/heartbreaker scenes. (I know, I know, so wicked…), but the happy/teasing scenes were fun to write too. And I had way too much fun with the haircut scene… If you know, you know. ;)

6. Do you have a playlist for Dandelion Dust? If so, what are some of the songs on it? 
I do! And I still listen to it sometimes, just because of all the memories that it holds.There’s like…so many songs on it. Some of my favorites are When You Smile by Casey Darnell, Miracle by Unspoken, and Mean to Me by Brett Eldridge.

7. If you were to describe Dandelion Dust in five words, what would they be? 
Dreams. Prairie. Tears. Prayers. Hope…. And so many more. ;)

~~~

And there you have it! If you haven't read DD and you enjoy a sweet romance + a moving story, then I highly suggest that you do!

To learn more about Faith Potts, visit her website, blog, and Instagram!

AND in honor of Dandelion Dusts second birthday, it is going to be FREE on kindle the 30th of June!   So don't miss out on a chance to read this awesome book!

Because we are celebrating a book birthday here... *throws confetti and eats birthday cake* I thought I'd do a photo shoot with my copy of Dandelion dust:

Me and my little sister had a lot of fun taking these pictures!

^^ So Pretty! 

^^ My favorite! 

^^ Had to take a picture with a dog print because: Katydid!

Have you read Dandelion Dust? Did you like reading the author interview? What was your favorite picture that I took? Comment below! 

The 20 Book Questions Tag

This lovely Monday, I will be doing a tag! But this time it's about books! I think tags are so much fun! And I also love reading tags around the blogosphere! A little bit ago, I was tagged by Julian over at Saver of Memories and it was so much fun to answer her questions!

Note: I'm not really sure why this tag is called "20" questions tag because there are only 10 questions, also the rules are to tag your post with #awsomebloggeraward and I am clueless as to that reasoning... oh well, we'll just call this a bookish tag. Lets begin!

Rules:

~Thank the person who nominated you. (Thank you, Julian!)

~Tag your post with #awsomebloggeraward. 

~Answer the questions you were asked.

~Nominate at least 5 bloggers.

~Give them 10 questions to answer! 

My Questions Were:

1. A book you've had for a long time but still haven't read.
Justin Morgan Had a Horse by Marguerite Henry.

I have had this book for a long time! A very long time! ...and yet, I've never read it. It sounds like a good book, and I love that it's about Morgan horses, but I always seem to have another book on my TBR that needs to be read first. *shrugs*

2. A book you read right after buying it.
I read A Distant Melody by Sarah Sundin right after I bought it! And I loved it! (I didn't like the second book in the Winds of Glory series quite as well as the first book, but A Distant Melody was such a good read!)

3. A book you regret buying.
The Greatest Find by Paige Winship Dooly. Nothing was really wrong with the book, I just didn't like it, the main characters drove me crazy...

I don't regret buying it to much because I got it at the thrift store for cheap.

4. A series that you wish you'd bought the entirety of while you were at the store but instead you just got the first one and now you have to wait to get the others.
I did not buy this series (although it would be nice to have it sitting on my shelf) but I did read it from the library and wish I had reserved them all at once. Prince Edward Island Dreams buy Liz Johnson was such a good series and I could have read them all back to back, but I had to wait for them to come in the library...

5. A book you wish they'd make into a movie.
The book I'm reading right now, Distant Echos, would make a great movie (even though I am only on a 1/2 of the way through the book... so I don't know if it's going to end good or not.) I think the movie would be a great mystery movie!

6. A book you'd love to step into and never return.
I have no clue! *winks*

7. A book you convinced your siblings to read and they thought they wouldn't like it but they actually did.
My siblings actually don't like reading as much as I do, so whenever I recommend a book, they normally don't get around to reading it!

8. Computer or notebook for writing down story ideas/notes?
Whatever's on hand at the time! I normally use my Notes on my phone to write down random writers inspiration. (Character names, sentences, scenarios, etc.)

9. If you could have extra time to write some fanfiction for fun, what story would you delve into?  Would you add new characters or just use the original ones?
I don't normally write fanfiction, but the closest would be when I use to write short stories for Circle C Adventures contests. And I like adding new characters. :)

10. A book you can't wait to read.
I absolutely can't wait to read Freedom by Faith Potts!!!

And, and, and! There are so many on my TBR (to be read) pile that I am so excited about!

Bonus Question: Have you seen Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse?  If so, thoughts?
Uh, nope. I've never watched Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse...

And now, I nominate the first five people who comment!
Here are your questions:

1. What genre do you read the most?
2. Do you prefer books that are in a series?
3. On average, how many books do you read a month?
4. What is the last book you rated 5 stars?
5. First person or third person? Past or present narrative?
6. What book do you relate to the main character the most?
7. What is the most over-used plot twist that drives you crazy?
8. Name three books that you absolutely love the cover design.
9. What book series would you recommend to your best friend?
10. A book that you liked a side character better then the main character.

Did you like reading this tag?? What book do you wish was made into a movie? What is the last book you rated 5 stars? Let's taco 'bout it in the comments below! XD