Laura Hilton and Free Books!

His lions were coming out of the darkness. Would God shut their mouths?

Before we meet today's author, I want to announce that the winner of the e-copy of These Healing Hills, by Ann Gabhart, is:

quilting-lady@...

Congratulations! We'll get your book right out to you. I encourage readers to keep commenting and/or subscribe at right (above my list of books) in order to participate in future book give-aways! Subscribers are entered a second time when they comment.

And now let's chat with novelist Laura Hilton, author of the Amish contemporary romance, Christmas Admirer (Whitaker House, September 2017).

Laura V. Hilton is an award-winning, sought-after author with almost twenty Amish, contemporary, and historical romances. When she’s not writing, she reviews books for her blogs, and writes devotionals for blog posts for Seriously Write and Putting on the New.

Laura and her pastor-husband have five children and a hyper dog named Skye. They currently live in Arkansas. One son is in the U.S. Coast Guard. She is a pastor’s wife, and homeschools her two youngest children.

When she’s not writing, Laura enjoys reading, and visiting lighthouses and waterfalls. Her favorite season is winter. Her favorite holiday is Christmas.

Please tell us a bit more about the plot of Christmas Admirer.

Benaiah Troyer has loved Susanna King for as long as he can remember, but other than a lone summer filled with romantic buggy rides, marrying her remains an elusive dream. When his parents died in an accident a year ago, he broke up with her—for her own good. After all, they left him as the sole caregiver for his three younger sisters and his grandparents. What woman wants to step into a ready-made family like his? Still, he leaves her monthly gifts from “A Secret Admirer,” hoping she’ll know that someone loves her, even though he isn’t free to step forward.

Susanna has never gotten over losing Benaiah, and hopes he’s her secret admirer, but now the clock is ticking. Susanna’s father is remarrying in January and his wife-to-be doesn’t want to leave her Amish community and family in Iowa. So when Susanna’s daed sells his glass-blowing business to his right-hand man, Benaiah, she’s left with three options: 1) Go with Daed to his new home with a new frau and step-kinner, 2) Flush out her mysterious secret admirer, or 3) Resign herself to life as an old maid. She doesn’t want to follow Daed where his new frau is leading him. And number three isn’t happening. Marrying Benaiah is her greatest desire—but he broke her heart, and now he treats her like a pesky younger sister. Can she make him see her as a woman, one who could stand by his side as he cares for his family?

As Christmas approaches, Susanna and her friends start making gingerbread houses for select members of the community. Susanna plans for hers to go to Benaiah’s family. But while her gingerbread may find a home—will her heart?

What is it about Susanna that will make your readers care about her?

Susanna’s life is falling apart when her father announces he’s getting remarried, selling her home and moving to another state – with a woman who has ten children and clearly doesn’t want Susanna tagging along. Only her secret admirer can save her. But he’s too busy battling his own “lions”.

What’s a news story from the last year or so that you think would make a good basis for a novel?

Amish moved in to the Sault Ste. Marie area.

I wasn't even aware there was a sizable Amish population in Michigan and Ontario, but apparently Michigan is home to the sixth largest Amish population. I do see articles about an influx of Amish to that area last year. Write it, Laura!

What is the last novel you read that you would recommend?

Over Maya Dead Body, by Sandra Orchard. It’s a cozy mystery that kept me guessing and held my interest.

What are you working on now?

I have another Amish story contracted called Firestorm and yes, there’s a volunteer firefighter and a wildfire involved.

The book can be purchased online via the following button:



Where else can readers find you online?

Visit my blogs: lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com and lauravhilton.blogspot.com
twitter: @Laura_V_Hilton
Facebook
Pinterest

Finally, what question would you like to ask my readers?

Have you ever had a secret admirer? Whether you did or didn’t, what type of gifts do you think he would bring?

Thank you, Laura, for visiting and telling us about yourself and your book. Readers, Laura has offered to give away a signed copy of her book. To enter, leave a comment and your email below in answer to Laura's question, above. "Please enter me" won't get you entered. Remember that subscribers are entered an additional time in each drawing. The drawing is done by email, so leave your email address, like so: trish[at]trishperry[dot]com. Many commenters are left out of the drawing because they forget to include a way for me to notify them of their win (their email).

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Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. See full disclaimer, as well as my Disclosure of Material Connection HERE