Friday, July 9, 2010

Interview with Ann Gabhart!! Plus Book Giveaway!

Today I have an interview with Ann Gabhart. She is giving one of my blog readers a copy of her new book, The Seeker.

When did you know you wanted to become a writer?

I started writing when I was ten. I was a big Hardy Boy mystery fan and I decided it would be fun writing my own mystery. I got a wirebound notebook and a pen, changed my name to Jo in the story and went at it. From that point on I knew I wanted to write stories. A lot of years have passed since then and a lot of things have changed. But that hasn’t. I still want to write stories.

Your recent series are set in the Shaker communities. Did you do a lot of research for this? Why did you write a series about the Shakers?

There’s a Shaker village near where I live that has been restored as a living history museum. I’ve visited there several times and have always been impressed with the peace of the place. Some years ago I wrote a couple of historical romances for the general market. And then I wrote a story about the Shakers. At the time the book didn’t find a publisher and it was only after many years and a new editor expressed interest in the Shakers that I pulled it out of my closet and reworked it for the inspirational market. One of the reasons it had been rejected originally was that it was “too religious.” That story became The Outsider, had great pre-sales when it was ready for market and was actually one of five finalists for the ECPA (Evangelical Christian Publishers Association) fiction book of the year in 2009. Because of that book’s early success, my Revell editor asked me to write two more Shaker novels which I agreed to do. Those stories became The Believer and The Seeker. And yes, I definitely had to do a tremendous amount of research to try to understand the Shakers and how they lived and worshiped. I just finished Shaker book four, tentatively titled The Blessed.

If you were able to have dinner with 2 people, who would they be?

If I could bend time, I’d like to have dinner with my mother and father when they were newlyweds just to see how things were at the beginning of their married life. But if you want a realistically possible answer, no famous people are coming to mind. So I’ll just go ahead and have dinner with my two sisters because we have so much fun talking about books we’ve read.

What place would you love to visit? Overseas, historical monument, vacation spot, etc.

I’d like to take a long summer trip driving across America from Maine to California, taking the scenic routes through little towns with some time for hiking in the mountains, stopping to take in all the amazing beauty of our National Parks, and ending up walking on a beach somewhere with the sun on my face and the waves sounding in my ears.

Is there something about you most people wouldn’t know? A secret hobby, craft, etc.

I can’t think of a thing mysterious or secret about me, but most people might not know that I’m a farm girl who still lives on a farm. My husband raises beef cows and I can green beans and make blackberry jam out of berries I chance getting chiggers and stepping on snakes to pick out in the field.

What one event would you have loved to be at? Historical or future?

I think it would have been exciting to be one of the first surveyors to come across the Wilderness Trail into Kentucky back in the pioneer days – with no tragic encounters with the Native Americans, of course. I’ve always liked imagining how my home state looked with all those trees that had been growing undisturbed for centuries and the buffalo grazing in the bluegrass meadows.

Are there other books in the works?

I’m always working on something. And right now I’m looking forward to several new things. In February 2011, Angel Sister is scheduled for release by Revell Books. It’s a Depression era novel of family love and hope. I based a lot of the setting and some of the story on the memories my mom and her sisters shared with me about growing up in the 1930’s. Then I have a historical suspense/romance set in Louisville during the 1850’s that I hope will be out for readers sometime in 2012. Right now I’m finishing up my fourth Shaker novel, tentatively titled The Blessed. I really enjoyed writing about Lacey Bishop as she struggles to hold onto the child she loves in the face of the Shaker way of dividing families.

When a reader is finished with your books, what do you want them come away with?

I’d like readers to close the book after reading the last page with a satisfied sigh and the thought that they were glad they got to know my characters and yes, that was exactly what happened. And then it would be nice if they asked, “What else has she written?”

Do you have any last thoughts for your readers?

I’m so thankful for the gift of imagination and for stories to tell. I sometimes think about writing a book as a kind of waltz shared by me and the reader. A partnership. It’s my story acted out by people I’ve made up, but it’s not until a reader picks up the book and adds his or her imagination that the words I write can truly start sparkling with life. When it’s done right, when I’ve written the best I can and the reader has found a story that speaks to her or his heart, then the waltz can be smooth and beautiful. Thank you for reading.



Readers, TO enter for the giveaway, leave a comment letting me know if you have read anything about the Shakers before. This must be done or the other entries will not count.

EXTRA ENTRIES-
1.Become a follower of my blog.
2.Become a subscriber through my RSS Feed.
3.Follow me on Twitter.
4.Tweet about this giveaway. Can be done twice a day.
5.Blog or post about it on Facebook.

32 comments:

holdenj said...

I don't think I've read any novels about Shakers, but I have read some family genealogical info about a distant relative named Gertrude who was a Shaker.
Thanks for the great interview and chance to win.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

I am a rss subscriber!
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

I don't believe I have read anything about Shakers before...

Kim
lonebanana(at)msn(dot)com

Unknown said...

I am a follower of your blog

Kim
lonebanana(at)msn(dot)com

Unknown said...

I am a subscriber via your RSS feed

Unknown said...

I follow you on Twitter

Kim
lonebanana(at)msn(dot)com

P.S. your blog is awesome. seriously. :)

Steve Capell said...

I haven't read anything about Shakers. Thank you so much for hosting this giveaway.

steven(dot)capell(at)gmail(dot)com

Carmen said...

I would love to win this book, as I know nearly zip about the Shakers. I haven't seen many if any books on the Shakers. Lots of Amish. I would love to learn about them. Please enter me.
Thanks.
desertrose5173 at gmail dot com

Tori said...

I have read a few books set in the Shaker village. At the moment I can not remember the authors or titles.
vrtheriot@gmail.com

Tori said...

i follow. via rss
vrtheriot@gmail.com

Tori said...

i follow via twitter - mommatori82
vrtheriot@gmail.com

Tori said...

tweeted:
http://twitter.com/MommaTori82/status/18153326934
vrtheriot@gmail.com

Tori said...

Blogged:
http://thriftytori.blogspot.com/2010/07/found-book-giveaway.html
vrtheriot@gmail.com

karenk said...

i am always in awe of the shaker lifestyle...thank you for the opportunity to read this fabulous novel :)

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

karenk said...

subscriber :)

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Mystica said...

I have not read anything on the Shakers and would like to.

mystica123athotmaildotcom

Mystica said...

I follow on GFC

mystica123athotmaildotcom

Ann Summerville said...

I haven't read anything about the Shakers but visited an Amish store in Fredericksburg recently which was interesting. I'm not sure if there is any connection.
I would love to be entered for the giveaway - sounds intriguing.
Ann
cozyintexas@yahoo.com

apple blossom said...

I have read the Outsider
I have the Seeker in my TBR pile
I'd love to win the Believer if that is a choice.

I hadn't read anything about the shakers before reading the Outsider

ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

Ann Summerville said...

I fogot to add that I'm a follower
Ann
Cozy In Texas

Anonymous said...

I am a GFC follower of your blog.


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I bought several CDs of Shaker music on-line. I used to play them at work when I was updset and they really calmed me down. Also, My husband and I made a trip to one of the restored Shaker settlements in Kentucky. Walked around in the boarding houses, woodworking area and also heard a short concert of Shaker songs. It was awonderful experience.

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Karen Lange said...

I read Ann's first book about the Shakers and have been wanting to read the next one. We live not too far from Shaker Village in KY; visiting there made the story even more real. I'm happy to hear too, that there is one about Louisville coming soon. Will look forward to that one as well!

I am a follower.
Blessings,
Karen
klange61(at)hotmail(dot)com

Esther Miriam Lopez said...

Hi,

I have never read anything from the Shakers before.

estherym[at]yahoo[dot]com

Esther Miriam Lopez said...

I am a follower :)

estherym[at]yahoo[dot]com

Esther Miriam Lopez said...

I also subscribe via RSS feed on iGoogle

estherym[at]yahoo[dot]com

Esther Miriam Lopez said...

I also follow you on twitter.

estherym[at]yahoo[dot]com

Esther Miriam Lopez said...

I just tweeted here

http://twitter.com/estherym

estherym[at]yahoo[dot]com

Ann H Gabhart said...

Thanks, Charity, for having me on your fun blog. Your questions had me thinking along some new lines. It was fun reading through the comments, too. Thanks to those of you who have read some of my earlier books and I'm also glad to hear some of the rest of you think you might like to read The Seeker.

I love hearing from readers. You can check out some of my other books at my website, www.annhgabhart.com. Wishing you a stack of good books to read, a comfy chair and a glass of cold ice tea.

Julia M. Reffner said...

Great interview! Ann, I loved your answer about wanting to have dinner with your parents when they first got married. And it will be so neat to read a Depression book especially since it sounds like it is based on your family's journey.

maureen73 said...

I read the Outsiders and was so intrigued. Would be thrilled to read more about the Shakers.
maureenruble@yahoo.com

maureen73 said...

I follow your blog and am glad to have found you as I am enjoying all your book reviews.
maureenruble@yahoo.com

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