Robin Lee Hatcher and Free Books!

He's lost his brother and she's lost her dream, but together they might find what they’re really looking for.

Before we meet today's author, I want to announce that the winner of the free copy of Pamela Meyers' historical romance, Tranquility Point, is:

friedmanc44@...

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 learn about new releases! U.S. subscribers are entered in the drawings a second time when they comment.

And now let's visit with novelist Robin Lee Hatcher, author of the split-time Christian novel, How Sweet It Is (Thomas Nelson, July 2020).

Robin Lee Hatcher is the author of over 80 novels and novellas with over five million copies of her books in print. She's known for her heartwarming and emotionally charged stories of faith, courage, and love.

Her numerous awards include the RITA® Award, the Carol Award, the Christy Award, the HOLT Medallion, the National Reader’s Choice Award, and the Faith, Hope & Love Reader’s Choice Award. Robin is also the recipient of prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards from both American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America®.

When not writing, Robin enjoys being with her family, spending time in the beautiful Idaho outdoors, Bible art journaling, reading books that make her cry, watching romantic movies, and decorative planning. Robin makes her home on the outskirts of Boise, sharing it with a demanding Papillon dog and a persnickety tuxedo cat.

Please tell us one random thing we might not know about you.

My great-great-grandfather, Gideon M. Ashmore, was an antislavery innkeeper in Illinois. In the summer of 1845, he hid Anthony and Jane Bryant and their children, escaped slaves who had been brought up from Kentucky to work a farm owned by Robert Matson. They were kept in Illinois longer than the law allowed and ran away.

My great-great-grandfather went to an attorney by the name of Abraham Lincoln, but Lincoln had already been consulted by Matson so couldn’t represent the Bryants. Fortunately, Lincoln did not win this particular case, and the Bryants gained their freedom. It’s said that Matson returned to Kentucky without paying Lincoln his fee.

And that’s my distant connection to my favorite President of the United States.

Okay, Robin. You win the prize for the most fascinating "random thing." I would love to have something like that in my family history! 

Please tell us a bit more about the plot of How Sweet It Is.

Holly Stanford is doing the best she can with the restaurant she inherited from her late uncle. But after her fiancé abandons her and the business, Holly regrets having given up her dream of becoming a pastry chef. Now a few bad financial decisions might cost her everything, including her hope for the future.

Jed Henning has done well with his new company despite his prodigal brother’s behavior. When Jed‘s father , the controlling member of the board of directors, temporarily suspends operations until his sons work out their differences, Jed resentfully chases his brother, Chris, to Boise. There Jed rents a basement apartment from Holly and hopes to convince Chris to get his act together before their company collapses.

Unaware that Holly is the one person who can help him get through to Chris, Jed starts the tough work of reconciliation armed with little more than a few family photographs, a stack of old letters, and a Bible that belonged to his great-grandfather, Andrew Henning. And as romance blossoms between Holly and Jed, the story of Jed’s great-grandfather highlights the power of God across the generations and the legacy of a family’s courageous faith.

What is it about Andrew that will make your readers care about him?

Since there are three lead characters in How Sweet It Is, I will select the historical protagonist, Andrew Henning. Andrew’s story is told across all three books in the Legacy of Faith series (each book is a stand-alone novel, not requiring that you read the others). Andrew is a man of strong faith and the wisdom he has gained through that faith and his own life experiences. Like Andrew’s descendants (who are the contemporary heroine and heroes in the books), I believe readers will appreciate what he has to share through the notes written in his Bible.

What story from the last couple of years would make a good basis for a novel?

Oh, my goodness. Difficult question. My stories don’t spring from anything in the news or tabloids. The only book of mine that came close was Ribbon of Years, which was birthed after the Columbine tragedy. That book isn’t about a school shooting, but as I wrote it, I answered the questions in my own heart of what it truly means to walk by faith when terrible things happen in life. That’s the sort of writer I am. While I may not tackle the big news issues of the day, my books explore the human heart and how God uses difficult circumstances in our lives.

I like that you've given an example of how a writer might be inspired by "issues of the day" to address particular feelings and choices, without the motivating event itself factoring into the story. As a writer, I find that idea very helpful.

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

Send Down the Rain by Charles Martin. This story absolutely wrecked me—in the best kind of way any novel can do to a reader. I cried for the final half hour of listening to the audiobook. Beautiful. Painful. Raw. Hopeful. Unexpected. Tender. Highly recommended.

Thanks so much for that recommendation, Robin. Nothing like a good cry over a beautiful story. 

What are you working on now?

I’m writing a new split-time novel. The historical setting is the late 1800s, and the contemporary story is present day. There isn’t a whole lot more that I can share about my WIP at this stage.

But I’m very excited to share about the book I finished revising just before the shelter-in-place orders began in March. Rich Beyond Measure: Zlata’s Story (Guidepost Books, July 2020) is my first novel with a biblical setting.

The protagonist is the poor widow who gave the two mites, everything she had (Mark 12:41-44). I was quite nervous going into it, afraid I might misrepresent the Jewish culture. But in the end, it turned out to be a blessed experience. Every day I spent time in the Gospels, reading the words of Christ and studying His ministry in Capernaum and Jerusalem. And through my research I learned things I hadn’t known before (or, if known, hadn’t fully understood) despite 40+ years of Bible study.

I hope that readers will be blessed by the story too.

An exciting new direction for your novels! Where else can readers find you online?

My website: robinleehatcher.com
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Goodreads
BookBub

The book can be purchased online via the following button:



Readers, f you would like to read a sample from the book, you can access it HERE

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

What is your favorite time setting in fiction? Do you enjoy split-time (dual-time, slip-time) fiction? And if so, who are some of your favorite authors?

Thank you, Robin, for visiting and telling us about yourself and your book. Readers, Robin has offered to give away a free copy of her book. To enter, leave a comment and your email below in answer to her question, above. "Please enter me" won't get you entered. Remember that U.S. 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.

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Annoying legal disclaimer: as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases; drawings void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. See full disclaimer, GDPA notice, and my Disclosure of Material Connection HERE