Category: Ann Gabhart

Featuring: Ann Gabhart, Author

On By Betty OwensIn #amreading, Ann Gabhart6 Comments

Welcome to my brand new, once-a-month feature page. First up, is fellow Kentucky writer, Ann Gabhart. Ann lives a life that some of us dream about. Her vistas include fields and woods instead of privacy fences and garages (my view right now). Ann GabhartShe often brings her Facebook followers along on her walks with her dog, Oscar. We get  the occasional glimpse at her heavily-populated bird feeder, or a lovely flower garden. You can follow along too, by “liking” her author page at https://www.facebook.com/AnnGabhart/.

Ann’s writing voice is often quiet and peaceful, like the land that surrounds her. But she has plenty of grandchildren to keep her young and vibrant. I love to check in with her, read her latest blog post, newsletter, or Facebook status. These often include pictures from her morning walk.

But enough about that. Ann Gabhart made a name for herself writing a different sort of “bonnet book”–Shaker novels. If you know anything about the Shakers, you might be surprised that she found a way to add romance to their lives.

anng-1I’m a big fan of her Rosey Corner books, and also the Hollyhill books. And the local historical novel, Words Spoken True, holds a permanent spot on my bookshelf.

But I am intrigued with the new cozy mystery novels she’s writing. Called “The Hidden Springs Mysteries”, these novels are also set in Kentucky. The first of those, Murder at the Courthouse, was published in October, 2015. [By the way, it’s free on Kindle right now–click the picture of the book to go there!]

About the book: After a few years as a police officer in Columbus, Michael Keane has no trouble relaxing into the far less stressful job of deputy sheriff in his small hometown. After all, nothing ever happens in Hidden Springs, Kentucky. Nothing, that is, until a dead body is discovered on the courthouse steps. Everyone in town is a little uneasy. Still, no one is terribly worried–after all the man was a stranger–until one of their own is murdered right on Main Street.

As Michael works to solve the case it seems that every nosy resident in town has a theory. When the sheriff insists Michael check out one of these harebrained theories, his surprising discovery sends him on a bewildering search for a mysterious killer that has him questioning everything he has ever believed about life in Hidden Springs.

Bringing with her a knack for creating settings you want to visit and an uncanny ability to bring characters to life, A. H. Gabhart pens a whodunit that will keep readers guessing.

anng-2I love the cover of the second book, Murder Comes by Mail — this one is on my TBR (to be read) list!

A Cozy Mystery Complete with a Small Town Full of Charming, Quirky Characters

About the book: Deputy Sheriff Michael Keane doesn’t particularly enjoy being touted as the hero of Hidden Springs after pulling a suicidal man back from the edge of the Eagle River bridge in front of dozens of witnesses–a few of whom caught the breathtaking moments with their cameras. But the media hype doesn’t last long as a new story pushes its way into the public consciousness of Hidden Springs’ concerned citizens.

Photos of a dead girl arrive in the mail, and Michael becomes convinced she was murdered by the man he saved. With a killer one step ahead, things in Hidden Springs begin to unravel. Now Michael must protect the people he loves–because the killer could be targeting one of them next.

Readers will love racing along with Deputy Sheriff Keane as the clock ticks in this page-turning mystery.

Next up, Murder is No Accident (available now for pre-order). This book’s official release date is March 14, 2017. From the back of the book: One body may be an accident. A second body means murder.

anng-3About the book: The old Chandler place should be empty. The magnificent Victorian mansion is for sale, even if its aged owner Miss Fonda doesn’t realize it. But when real estate agent Geraldine Harper enters the house on a sunny October day, she’s not alone. Minutes later, there is a body at the bottom of the steep steps leading to the tower room.

Deputy sheriff Michael Keane is called in. At first blush, it looks like the death was a tragic accident, but clues point to foul play. And when a second body is discovered, the race is on to find the culprit . . . before someone else dies.

If you like your small-town America sweet and quirky–with a dash of sinister–you’ll love this latest whodunit from deft storyteller A. H. Gabhart.

You’ll find Ann Gabhart’s books available at many outlets, including bookstores, Walmart, and Meijer. If you’ve never read one of her books, I urge you to get one today. Grab that free one on Kindle. I think you’ll be pleased.

Ann H. Gabhart is a bestselling author of many novels, including Angel Sister, Small Town Girl, and Love Comes Home, and several popular Shaker novels such as The Outsider, The Believer, and The Innocent. Ann grew up in a small rural town in Kentucky much like Hidden Springs, but she is happy to report nobody was ever murdered on her hometown’s courthouse steps. Ann and her husband still live on a farm near that same little town in Kentucky. Learn more at www.annhgabhart.com.

As always, thanks for stopping by my blog.

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Bloggity-Hop and Taking a Bite Outta Crime

On By Betty OwensIn Ann Gabhart, bloghop, interrogation, Linda W. Yezak, Nike Chillemi, Victoria Bylin5 Comments

There’s nothing I love more than sitting down to read another of Nike Chillemi’s chapters on our critique loop. So I was more than happy to help her out with this blog hop.

Nike Chillemi has been called a crime fictionista due to her passion for crime fiction. She writes literature that reads like pulp fiction. She likes her bad guys really bad, and her good guys smarter and better. She is the founder and chair of the Grace Awards, a member of ACFW. She has judged numerous literary awards including the Grace Awards, Carol Awards, Inspy Awards, and the Eric Hoffer Awards.

So tell me, how could I say no? If I did, she might write me into one of her stories and find a really creative way to murder me, or worse yet, delete my character completely.

Here is an official transcript of Nike’s interrogation of me:

What am I working on?
Carlotta’s Legacy, Book 2 in The Legacy Series, for Write Integrity Press. The first book, Amelia’s Legacy, is due out later this year. Amelia’s Legacy is a 1920’s historical that follows the life of Nancy Sanderson, the heiress of a vast fortune built by her grandmother, Amelia Woods-Sanderson. Her best friend is Rebecca Lewis, the main character in Book 2, which takes place in 1930’s Italy. After the death of her father and her family’s financial crisis, Rebecca decides to marry an Italian count. Marrying him will secure her and her mother’s future, but will it bring her the love she’s always desired? Well, it doesn’t hurt that Riccardo Alvera is stunningly handsome and owns a couple of villas…

How does my work differ from others?
I suppose the only real difference is my voice. Most of my stories are not outright Christian. My characters are flawed, but they have good roots. Redemption happens when you return to the things that are most important in life.

Why do I write what I write?
To entertain. To inspire. To give hope to those who need it. I want my characters’ story to inspire hope in the heart of the reader. But most of all, I want my readers to enjoy the read, because that’s what I want most from the books I read for pleasure.

How does my writing process work?
I’m a big fan of Scrivener. I put together an idea, assemble some characters, decide on a location and an era then build on my idea. I usually write chapter-by-chapter and work a few chapters ahead of my critiquers. When the critiques are all in, I go back and edit the earlier chapters.

So when I had answered all her questions, Nike demanded to know the names of my co-conspirators. I held out as long as I could, but in the end, blabbed it all.  In my defense, she came at me with a raccoon. Yeah, you read that right. A raccoon. It was incredibly cute.

Linda W. Yezak holds a BA in English, a graduate certificate in Paralegal Studies, and a bucket list as long as her arm. Among the things on the list is owning a stable full of horses. Since that’s not likely to happen any time soon, she includes horses in each of her novels, from her contemporary western romance Give the Lady a Ride and her newest release, The Cat Lady’s Secret, to her works-in-progress. Until the day she can retire with her husband to their land in Central Texas and ride to her heart’s content, she’ll continue with her writing and freelance editing careers.

She is a two-time finalist in ACFW’s Genesis Contest (in 2008 for Give the Lady a Ride, and in 2010 for The Cat Lady’s Secret) and a finalist for the 2012 Carol Award (for Give the Lady a Ride). She is a member of Women’s Fiction Writers of America, American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), and The Christian PEN, a professional editors organization. 
Last known address: 777 Peppermint Place

Ann H. Gabhart caught the writing bug at the age of ten and has been writing ever since. She’s published over twenty-five books for both adults and young adults. Scent of Lilacs, her first inspirational novel, was chosen as a Top Ten Books in Christian Fiction by Booklist magazine. Her first Shaker book, The Outsider, was a finalist for ECPA Christian Fiction Book of the Year and was a Top Pick by Romantic Times Book Review Magazine.

Ann lives on a farm in Kentucky not far from where she was born. She and her husband have three children and nine grandchildren. Ann loves hiking on her farm with her grandkids and her dog, Oscar.
You can find out more about Ann at annhgabhart.com.

Victoria Bylin is a romance writer known for her realistic and relatable characters. Her books have finaled in multiple contests, including the Carol Awards, the RITAs, and RT Magazine’s Reviewers Choice Award. A native of California, she and her husband now make their home in Lexington, Kentucky, where their family and their crazy Jack Russell terrier keep them on the go. 
For more information: victoriabylin.com. 

In exchange for surrendering all my informants, I have been granted leniency. But I have to do penance by publicizing this on Facebook and Twitter. Please help me out and share liberally!

A Writer’s Life–In Pursuit of Dreams–Ann Gabhart

On By Betty OwensIn Ann Gabhart, dreamer, Harriet Tubman, Hollyhill, Kentucky, Louise Brown, Rosey Corner, Shaker, Summer of Joy, Walter Mitty, writer, Writing4 Comments


• Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.–Harriet Tubman

I’m finishing out the month of March and my “Dreams” theme with a writer who continually inspires me to dream. She makes it look easy, but I know it’s not. It’s hard work and she’s never been afraid of that. Every time I’ve been privileged to hear her speak, I know dreams can come true. They may not be the big, overblown dreams that garner the media’s attention, but I never wanted to be a meteor. I want to be the twinkling star that lasts. Kind of like Ann Gabhart.

1.   Would you consider yourself a dreamer?

Ann: There are so many ways to be a dreamer. You can be a dreamy dreamer and maybe walk around in a fog all the time. You can be a focused dreamer and fix your eyes on a goal in that dream and reach for the stars. Or you can be a Walter Mitty type dreamer and just have fun imagining adventures.
Probably, over the years, I’ve been all those types of dreamers. I certainly dreamed of being a writer when I was a kid and imagined my stories finding their way into readers’ hands. Then, as I got older, I tried to figure out ways to make those dreams come true. My dreams became my goals. I didn’t just say someday I want to be a writer. I wanted to be a published writer right then. It took a few years of working toward that dream, but I did see it come to reality. I’m still dreaming now. I think it’s important to keep dreaming. And of course, I think I’ve always been the Walter Mitty type and enjoyed living in my dreams and turning them into stories. 
 

2.   Daydreams or night dreams? How else do you come up with ideas? 

Ann: I do dream at night and did a pile of daydreaming when I was a kid. I don’t daydream as much now unless you count writing fiction as a working daydream. I often dream elaborate adventures when I’m sleeping, but even though I can remember that the dreams were very involved, the actual happenings in the dreams vanish once I open my eyes and get out of bed. A few times, when something has jerked me out of sleep in the middle of a vivid dream, I’ve wanted to hit a pause button so I can rejoin the dream when I go back to sleep. That never happens. I just plunge into a whole new dream.
That question about coming up with ideas can be answered in dozens of ways because ideas come from so many sources. Everything a writer experiences, remembers, reads about, or imagines can inspire an idea. Even other people’s memories can be the idea instigator as my mother’s stories of growing up during the Depression years were the idea beginnings for my book, Angel Sister. That story led to my other Rosey Corner books, Small Town Girl and Love Comes Home (releasing in July). On the other hand, my own memories of growing up in a small rural town were the inspiration for my 1960’s setting in my Heart of Hollyhill books, Scent of Lilacs, Orchard of Hope and Summer of Joy. Then my Shaker books were inspired by the Shaker village near my house and the many historical accounts I’ve read of their Society.
Research can light a creative fire and make ideas spring up in my mind. That’s how Words Spoken True came about. When I read about the dramatic events in 1855 Louisville, I wanted to drop my characters down into that era and see what happened next. And then, of course, sometimes I just dream up an idea with no idea of where in the world it came from. Wes and his Jupiter stories in the Heart of Hollyhill series were like that. He just showed up in Scent of Lilacs. A gift, but who knows from where? Jupiter perhaps?  
 

3.   What steps do you take to bring your dreams to life?

Ann: If you mean my dream to write and be published, then the steps I took were writing and more writing and never giving up even when I was walking through rejection valley. I just kept writing. I kept trying to tell a better story. I kept bringing characters to life in my imagination. I kept researching for story ideas. And I kept reading to grow my familiarity with words and stories.
The first book I wrote was a gothic romance. That got me the interest of an agent, but she said gothics were a waning genre and why didn’t I write a historical romance? And so I did. I took the step of being willing to try something different. I’ve done that throughout my writing career. I’ve written in several different genres for both adults and kids. When one thing wasn’t working for me, I tried something new.
Now I try to be continually working on a new idea, a new story. And I’m still dreaming about writing a story everybody wants to read and that lands on the New York Times Bestseller list. Wouldn’t that be something? A person needs to dream big and to look forward with new goals.
I love this quote from Michelangelo. “The greatest danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark.”
I want to aim high and not limit my dreams.  

4.   Filling in the middle: How do you keep yourself moving forward?

Ann: I’ve always been a goal setter with my writing. In the beginning, it was just to write something every day. When I was a young mother with very little free time, I found that keeping a writing journal helped me stay focused and accountable. Too many days with no entry of time spent writing would make me try harder to find those extra hours needed to move toward my goal of completing a story or whatever project I was writing. Then later, after I began to concentrate on writing novels, I set goals of when I wanted to have the book completed. I made my own deadlines as a way to motivate myself to write and move forward with my stories. That doesn’t mean I’ve always met my goals. Often, I did not. Life happens and there is always something going on to pull you away from your desk when you have a family. But at the same time, I didn’t give up even when time to write was hard to come by. I just set new personal deadlines for my writing goals. Now I have contracts for my books with publisher imposed deadlines that keep my fingers on the keyboard.
While goals and deadlines can help you stay on track, they don’t make the writing any easier. With most every story, I hit what I call the writing doldrums somewhere along the way when I wonder if the story is worth writing. I’ve found I just have to keep plugging along with my writing. Generally, the creative winds will pick back up and I can keep the story going.
Writing can be hard work. That’s something that many people don’t understand. They think writers are doing what they love–and we are–but that doesn’t mean that it’s not work. Getting the story down in the first draft is the hardest part for me. It can be exciting to have a great idea and think about writing a book, but it takes perseverance to see the story through the middle and end.       

 

5.   Do you have any advice for other dreamers?

Ann: Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world. (Harriet Tubman)
When you think about what Harriet Tubman did, guiding so many slaves to freedom with danger stalking her every step, then you can get a vision of her dream. Our dreams won’t be like hers. My dream won’t be like yours. But we all have God given talents the Lord wants us to use. He gave us the capacity to dream. He wants us to dream big and use those talents to bring sunshine and joy into the world. While He doesn’t promise pursuing our dreams will be easy, He does promise to always be with us through the good and bad times, and sometimes He blesses us with stories.
So dream big, work hard, pray harder, and never give up.  
“Never give up. And most importantly, be true to yourself. Write from your heart, in your own voice, and about what you believe in.”(Louise Brown) 
ANN H. GABHART, the author of several bestselling novels, has been called a storyteller, not a bad thing for somebody who never wanted to do anything but write down stories. She’s published twenty-six novels for adults and young adults with more stories on the way. She keeps her keyboard warm out on her Kentucky farm where she lives with her husband, Darrell. They have three children and nine grandchildren.
To find out more about Ann or her books visit www.annhgabhart.com. Check out her blog, One Writer’s Journal, www.annhgabhart.blogspot.com or Jocie’s Heart of Hollyhill blog www.hollyhillbookofthestrange.blogspot.com. You can follow Ann on Facebook, www.facebook.com/AnnGabhart, Twitter, https://twitter.com/AnnHGabhart , or
Pinterest, http://pinterest.com/annhgabhart/.   

 

Summer of Joy, the third title in the Heart of Hollyhill series is now in stores and available on-line dressed up in a brand new cover. Come visit the 1960s and enjoy some true-to-life family drama, refreshing humor and lovable characters.