Saturday Book Interviews

Hi Nan. Tell us about your holiday release.

"Twilight Whispers" is a short story (36 pages), set in the early sixties, and takes place on a train and around a train station. The healing power of forgiveness and the gift of love are the heart of the story. Without giving too much away, I can say that it has a light paranormal element to it; nothing dark, scary, or hairy. Just underwear in the air.

I love titles. How did you come up with this one?

Much of the story takes place at twilight, and strange whispering noises make the hair on the back of Bethany's (heroine's) neck stand up. Plus… I like the way both words look in print! It still puzzles me, though, whether it refers to the whispers that occur at twilight time, or if the twilight itself is actually whispering. If anyone figures that out, please advise… hehe!

Did you have to do a lot of research for the book?

Only incidental research. My husband, son and I went into a coal mine once, which eventually popped out in the hero's back story, for instance. We took a ride on the New Hope-Ivyland Railroad to get a feel for the specific setting, and I had to consult Billboard's Top Ten charts for the '60s (because I was just a wee little girl at the time)!

Where did you get your idea for this particular book?

Almost ten years ago, my local RWA chapter, Bucks County Romance Writers, (http://buckscorw.org/) chose a topic and members wrote anything at all about it, to see how many different stories would come out of one subject. We decided to use the New Hope-Ivyland Railroad and Bucks County, PA. Several wonderful stories came out of that endeavor, and I hope to convince the others to submit their stories to The Wild Rose Press for consideration as an anthology.

Which character did you like writing about the most, and why?

I loved them all, but found Lee, the hero, to be the most intriguing, maybe because he has the most compelling back story. In the 1960s, single fathers weren't common; in the event of separation or divorce or death, kids often either stayed with the mother or a female stay-at-home relative, or might be taken into foster care or a state home in the absence of a female caregiver. The notion that men are somehow lacking as a parent because they aren't as open with their emotions, and because they're perceived to be breadwinners, not homemakers, has always bothered me. This, fortunately, has changed in the years since Lee had to deal with being a single dad with no support system!

Where can we get in touch with you and purchase your book?

First, I'd like to thank Cindy for organizing this White Christmas Jubilee, and thank those who have taken part in it—both authors and readers!

I love to hear from people. You can reach me at my website, http://nanjacobs.com , or via my blog, Silver Fox Tales http://silverfoxtales.blogspot.com/. Contest #2 "It's In The Details" is still open on Silver Fox Tales, with a deadline of Dec 23rd 2008; winners announced on Dec 24th. Please do check it out. You could win a $15.00 gift certificate to amazon.com or thewildrosepress.com!

You can purchase Twilight Whispers at The Wild Rose Press . I wish you all a very happy holiday season. Party on!

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Hi Teri. I love this cover. Tell us about your holiday release.

My holiday release this year is the first book in a new series I have with The Wild Rose Press called Hoofbeats & Heartstrings. All the romance novels in the Hoofbeats & Heartstrings series celebrate love, miracles and the beauty of horses. Each book takes place on a horse rescue farm and a portion of all the proceeds from Hoofbeats & Heartstrings are donated directly to help horses in need at Saddlebred Rescue. Book One is called Do You Hear What I Hear?, and is based on a European folktale that says animals are given the gift of speech at midnight on Christmas Eve.

I love titles. How did you come up with this one?

I chose Do You Hear What I Hear as the title first and foremost because it is the title of a well known Christmas carol, but also because that particular carol involves animals talking to people. One of the lines of the song Do You Hear What I Hear says, “Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy…do you hear what I hear?”

Did you have to do a lot of research for the book?

I did need to do some horse research, as my hands-on experience with horses is somewhat limited. I took dressage lessons for a while, but apparently not long enough to know that straw and hay are most definitely not the same thing! A dear friend of mine who is a horse expert reads all my Hoofbeats & Heartstrings manuscripts and sometimes has a good laugh and my mistakes. Then she fixes them for me, bless her soul. As far as mischievous little dogs go, I have plenty of experience in that department.

Where did you get your idea for this particular book?

I actually started this book as a short story I wanted to write and enter in the Thoroughbred Times short fiction contest. Simone and Chet were supposed to be enemies all throughout the story. But no matter how hard I tried, they wanted to fall in love. After struggling to write it purely as a horse story for a week or so, I gave up and re-started it as a full-fledged romance. I adored it!

Which character did you like writing about the most, and why?

Pollock was the most fun to write. He is a naughty little Jack Russell Terrier with a heart of gold who really just wants to see his human happy. It was fun coming up with ways that a dog could be a matchmaker.

Where can we get in touch with you and purchase your book?

I love to hear from readers, who can contact me at puppylove@satx.rr.com . They can also visit my website at www.teriwilson.net to learn more about Hoofbeats & Heartstrings and all my other writing projects. Do You Hear What I Hear is available now as an e-book at The Wild Rose Press and Fictionwise. It releases in print on February 13, 2009 at Amazon.com.