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.

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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!!