Our weekend was a tiny bit crazy... with a book signing at Barnes & Noble, home projects, a date night to celebrate our 13th-anniversary (which is today)...and a lot of painting, so I'm reminding myself once again to simplify.
It's a constant reminder.
Anyway. I know I said I was ending my Reader Appreciation Month in November, so I guess I'm going to call this my "Happy Ho-Ho-Ho" month or something equally less charming...because I have another Book Lover's Giveaway and it's a week-long event (with a chance to win a whole box of awesome books!)
Personally, I think books make GREAT Christmas presents, and I am often asked which writers I recommend...so, I've decided to tell you about some of my favorites. Every day this week, I'll introduce you to a writer or two and I'll tell you how you can WIN books from every single one of them! <Keep Reading>
Today, I'm excited to talk to my friend, the fabulous Deb Raney, about this series:
I've read each of these books and loved them all, and I absolutely LOVE to hear what Deb has to say about writing, family and life in general. Read on to find out more!
Nosy Courtney: Where'd you get the idea for this series?
Deb: Real life provides a great deal of inspiration for me, and that was the case with the Hanover Falls series. My husband placed a newspaper clipping beside my plate at breakfast one morning, the story of nine firefighters who died in a tragic blaze in South Carolina. "I think there's something worth exploring here," he said. I began thinking how the tragedy would change the lives of those firefighters' families, yet how they would pull together, because the firefighting world is a "family" unto itself, and before long, the Hanover Falls series was putting itself together in my mind.
Nosy Courtney: Do you have any "rituals" you do when you write?
Deb: I can't write among clutter, so the first thing I do before I sit down to write is make sure the bed is made, dishes done, laundry at least started. Then I light some scented candles, choose some instrumental music that fits the scene I'll be working on, and fix a mug of coffee or tea. Only then am I ready to really dig in and write.
Nosy Courtney: Favorite writing snack and/or beverage?
Deb: Well, my FAVORITE snack would be M&Ms or Coffee Nips or a big spoonful of Nutella. But I'm trying to eat healthier these days, so I'll have a handful of nuts or a bunch of grapes or a cup of yogurt. I try to be good most of the time and really enjoy it when I cheat and choose the M&Ms.
Nosy Courtney: How would you describe your writing style/books?
Deb: I think my style has gotten more straightforward as the years go by. I try to let dialogue and action carry the story, rather than doing too much ruminating. Though there IS some of that. But when I read I prefer to let the characters tell the story through their interactions with each other, so I try to write that way too. But I do want my readers to feel emotion when they are reading my stories––whether I make them laugh or cry or feel angry, I want them to feel.
Nosy Courtney: Something people don't know about life as a writer?
Deb: I don't think most non-writers realize how much of a writers time is spent NOT writing! Between keeping up with Twitter and Facebook and my website (all things my publishers encourages me to do), then book signings, speaking events, answering reader mail, communicating with my editors and agent about the business aspects of writing...all those things take time––sometimes, I suspect, as much or more time than actually writing the book.
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It's no secret that I am a HUGE fan of Deb's. Her work, of course, but especially a fan of HER as a person. She is definitely an author you should be reading!!
Deb has offered to give away her entire Hanover Falls series as part of this Happy Ho-Ho-Ho giveaway (really, are we calling it that? I need to think of a better name.)
How Would You Like to WIN a box of BOOKS?!
So, here's how it works. I'm going to take the comments on the blog posts all week long and pool them together to draw the name of one VERY lucky book lover. That person is going to WIN signed copies of all of the books I'm blogging about this week, plus a Sweethaven book from me.
Simply COMMENT on this post & you're entered to win.
For additional entires, share this post on your Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or blog, then come back and leave another comment for each one you do.
That's FIVE chances to win at least eight awesome works of fiction (and maybe more...I've got a lot of faves!)
Tell your friends...books are the perfect holiday treat!
