Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for NONE WITHOUT SIN by Michael Bradley on this Black Tide Book Tour.
Below you will find a book description, my book review, an excerpt, an about the author section and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!
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Book Description
When a Delaware real estate mogul is murdered, newspaper journalist Brian Wilder wants the scoop on the killing, including the meaning behind the mysterious loaf of bread left with the corpse. Reverend Candice Miller, called to minister to the grieving family, quickly realizes that the killer has adopted the symbolism of sin eating, a Victorian-era religious ritual, as a calling card. Is it the work of a religious fanatic set to punish people for their missteps, or something even more sinister?
As more victims fall, Brian and Candice follow a trail of deceit and blackmail, hoping to discover the identity of the killer―and praying that their own sins won’t catch the killer’s attention.
NONE WITHOUT SIN by Michael Bradley is an intriguing amateur sleuth mystery/serial killer crime thriller with an interesting historical religious hook, secrets, lies and murder. There are several murders in this standalone, but they are not overly graphic.
Pastor Candice Miller is an Episcopalian minister who is called to help with a woman and her daughter from her church when the husband is found dead when they return home from a show. The locally known real estate agent is found with a knife stabbed into his chest through a loaf of round bread.
Brian Wilder is an award-winning journalist who has started over by opening his own small town local newspaper. He meets his detective friend, at the scene of the murder and learns of the bread and the fact that a word was scrawled on the dead man’s sleeve.
As more murders occur Brian and Candice are at each scene and begin to trade information and discover the ritual meaning of the bread left on each victim goes back to the tradition of sin-eaters from the 18th and early 19th centuries. They also discover all the victims have a sin they are hiding and so do Candice and Brian. Could they become victims, too?
This is an easy-to-read interesting character driven mystery. So many secrets and lies among the entire cast of characters and yet they are believable secrets and lies. While Candice and Brian are the dual POV characters throughout the story, I developed a real empathy for Brian, and I can see the author being able to bring him back for follow-up stories. The historical information was woven into the story without slowing the pace of the investigation. The pace of the plot was steady throughout until the fast-paced climax, with plenty of twists and red herrings. While the climax was not a surprise to me, it was still well written.
Michael Bradley was born and raised in New Jersey, a fact he hopes no one will hold against him. He spent eight years as a radio DJ “on the air” before realizing he needed a real job and turned to IT. Never one to waste an experience, he uses his familiarity with life on the radio for many of his suspense novels, among them his first, the supernatural thriller Sirens in the Night (2015), a “smart, terrifying, heartbreaking” and “compelling read,” and his third, the thriller Dead Air (2020), a “phenomenal read” that will “make you look over your shoulder the moment night falls.”
Leedswick Castle has housed the Alnwick family in the English countryside for generations, despite a family curse determined to destroy their legacy and erase them from history.
1870. After a disastrous dinner at the Astor mansion forces her to flee New York in disgrace, socialite Beatrice Holbrook knows her performance in London must be a triumph. When she catches the eye of Charles Alnwick, one of the town’s most enviably titled bachelors, she prepares to attempt a social coup and become the future Marchioness of Northridge. Then tragedy and scandal strike the Alnwick family, and Beatrice must assume the role of a lifetime: that of her true, brave self.
1917. Artist Elena Hamilton arrives in Northumberland determined to transform a soldier’s wounds into something beautiful. Tobias Alnwick’s parents have commissioned a lifelike mask to help their son return to his former self after battle wounds partially destroyed his face. But Elena doesn’t see a man who needs fixing—she sees a man who needn’t hide. Yet secrets from their past threaten to chase away the peace they’ve found in each other and destroy the future they’re creating.
1945. Alec Alnwick returns home from the war haunted but determined to leave death and destruction behind. With the help of Brigitta Mayr, the brilliant young psychoanalyst whose correspondence was a lifeline during his time on the Western Front, he reconstructs his family’s large estate into a rehabilitation center for similarly wounded soldiers. Alec’s efforts may be the only chance to redeem his family legacy—and break the curse on the Alnwick name—once and for all.
Three beloved authors share stories of the Alnwick family through the generations, revealing how love and war can change a place—but only its people can unshackle it from the misdeeds of the past.
THE CASTLE KEEPERS by Aimie K. Runyan, J’nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillan is an enchanting novella anthology of historical romances featuring three generations of Alnwick heirs and is set at the “cursed” Leedswick castle in rugged Northumberland England.
Each novella, besides the historical romance plot, had an interesting hook that made them more than just a romance. The first set in 1870, The Truth Keepers, set up the premise of the “curse” that runs through all three novellas. It also had a heroine that was a “Dollar Princess” and a mystery plot involving the castle’s Poison Garden. In the 1917 setting, The Memory Keepers, the heroine is an artist who paints masks for disfigured Tommies returning from WWI. The last novella set in 1945, The Dream Keepers, has a heroine with psychological training who works with the returned heir to help soldiers covalence in the rural castle setting and offers psychological analysis. Wars and the “Curse” have affected each Alnwick heir, and each will find a love that may be what they need to heal, learn to love, and break the curse.
I really enjoyed each novella in this anthology. The authors were able to pull me right into each romance and time period with well developed characters and interesting and varied heroines and plots.
I recommend this enjoyable historical romance anthology.
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About the Author – Aimie K. Runyan
Aimie writes fiction, both historical and contemporary, that celebrates the spirit of strong women. In addition to her writing, she is active as a speaker and educator in the writing community. She lives in Colorado with her amazing husband, kids, cats, and pet dragon.
Bestselling author and with a passion for heart-stopping adventure and sweeping love stories, J’nell Ciesielski weaves fresh takes into romances of times gone by. When not creating dashing heroes and daring heroines, she can be found dreaming of Scotland, indulging in chocolate of any kind, or watching old black and white movies. She is a Florida native who now lives in Virginia with her husband, daughter, and lazy beagle.
Rachel McMillan is the author of The London Restoration, The Mozart Code, the Herringford and Watts mysteries, the Van Buren and DeLuca mysteries, and the Three Quarter Time series of contemporary Viennese romances. She is also the author of Dream, Plan, Go: A Travel Guide to Inspire Independent Adventure. .
Tasting wine is not enough: sommelier Giovanni D’Angelo wants to create it. To put his family first, he’s always deferred his dreams—a vineyard to run, a woman to marry. But a three-week vineyard tour in Italy could set him back on track.
For Emma Rutledge, wine is in her blood. Intent to run the family wine business one day, she finds that the men in her family are only intent to push her out of it. But that’s fine—she’s got a plan.
When Gio and Emma meet on a wine tour in Tuscany, their shared aspirations fuel an undeniable chemistry. Returning home to California, they work toward setting up Emma’s vineyard and a label of their own. But when Emma receives a life-altering diagnosis, she worries it’s all been for nothing.
As Emma works to cement her family legacy while dealing with this unexpected challenge, Gio tries to convince her that their future isn’t just wine.
It’s each other.
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Elise’s Thoughts
Beginning of Forever by Catherine Bybee is a story of passion and following one’s dreams. There are deep and meaningful family and friend relationships.
The heroine Emma must contend with a misogynist father who refuses to allow her to be a part of the family wine business. To make matters worse, he has put her ex-husband in charge. Intent to run the family wine business one day, she finds that the men in her family want only to push her out of it. But she has other plans. To take some time off and decide what she will do Emma accepts a gift of a wine tasting tour in Italy.
Both Emma and Gio, the hero, are given for their thirtieth birthdays, a trip to wine country in Tuscany Italy. They form an instant connection and attraction during the three-week tour. Gio wants to continue the relationship once they return to the States and is willing to jump through some hoops to make it happen. After returning to California, they continue to see each other. The relationship takes a turn when an unexpected issue makes Emma reevaluate some things in her life with Gio right by her side.
This is a heartfelt and emotional story that includes struggling with medical issues and family. The humor and banter in the story are a welcome release for readers as they go on a journey with the hero and heroine.
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Author Interview
Elise Cooper: Did you know anyone with the disease hemochromatosis?
Catherine Bybee: That would be me. I was diagnosed after I asked to check to see if I was anemic because I bruise easily. They ran an iron panel. When it came back it was very high. They repeated the blood work. They sent me to a specialist. At the end of the day, they found out my iron counts were incredibly high. As I wrote in the story, I had the same scares as my heroine, Emma. As Emma referred to, we dealt with vampires. Now a couple of years later my liver is free of all the iron. Now I only must go to the vampires every two or three months.
EC: How would you describe Gio?
CB: He is a kind “player.” He does not try to score more girls on his bedpost. He is the culmination of the hot guy people want in their life with a high degree of loyalty. He is charming, caring, and excepting. He is flirty, a teaser, but is also family minded. He is a protective brother to his sister Chloe.
EC: How about Emma?
CB: She is a little jaded because of having to deal with her misogynist father. She is down to earth, direct, competitive, and confident, also flirty.
EC: The relationship?
CB: She does want her happily ever after. They are both very competitive and are intrigued by each other. There is some Yin and Yang. He wants to find her vulnerability. They have a completely different parental dynamic going on in their lives. He has a widowed mom who still dearly loves her late husband and is very supportive of her children. Emma is completely opposite because her mom always buffered the dad. They have a committed relationship from day one without realizing it. Having the same birthday was a little sign from the universe that she should not blow Gio off.
EC: Did the lost luggage scene ever happen to you?
CB: No. I just had to get Gio and Emma alone. This way they went together in a car to buy her some clothes. I wanted her to wear the $5 vendor T-shirts instead of the Chanel and Versace. She has class and sophistication, and this enabled me to bring her down to earth more.
EC: What was the role of Emma’s father, Robert?
CB: He is a jerk, a misogynistic, a self-centered dad. He uses the purse strings to try to control everybody. He is domineering.
EC: Were “The Golden Girls” based on anyone?
CB: Yes, the four women in the book are based on those that come from the villages in Florida. One of my best friends moved there. These women in the villages, a massive retirement community, drink a lot. They were a culmination of what I saw in the villages in Florida. It is like Disneyland for adults. They drink alcohol like it is a soda.
EC: Next books?
CB: It will be Salena and Ryan’s story titled The Whole Time, out in November. It was so much fun to write. Ryan is Emma’s brother and does not rely on the dad and only tolerates him. He rides a motorcycle. Salena s down on her luck. I threw her into the D’Angelo system by her taking over Gio’s apartment. They both have controlling parents. The characters from this book will be in it.
At some point I plan on writing Mama D’Angelo’s book with possibly Dante’s mom Rosa’s story in the same book.
The book after this one is a first in a series. It will have a billionaire theme with dysfunctional wealthy families. There is corporate espionage and twists.
THANK YOU!!
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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.
The day that every secret service agent trains for has arrived. The White House has been breached; the President forced to flee to a massive doomsday bunker outside DC to defend against whatever comes next. Only the most trusted agents and officials are allowed in with him—those dedicated to keeping the government intact at all costs.
Among these is Erik Hill, who has given his life to the Secret Service. They are his purpose and his family, and his impressive record has made him a hero among them. Despite his growing disillusionment from seeing Washington corruption up close, Erik can’t ignore years of instincts honed on the job. The government is under attack, and no one is better equipped to face down the threat than he is.
The evidence leads him to a conspiracy at the highest levels of power, with the attack orchestrated by some of the very individuals now locked in with him. As the killers strike inside the bunker, it will take everything Erik Hill has to save his people, himself, and his country.
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Elise’s Thoughts
Inside Threat by Matthew Quirk is a political thriller that will remind readers of Vince Flynn’s Transfer of Power and David Baldacci’s characters Sean King and Michelle Maxwell, retired Secret Service Agents. The plot has secrets, lies, and betrayals with the readers not knowing who the bad guys are and who are the good guys.
The book begins with an attack on the White House, obvious that it has been breached. The President, his wife, the most trusted officials, and the best Secret Service Agents move to a secure underground facility known as Raven Rock. Most impressive is how Quirk drew a simplified version of this complex. It is a facility 700 feet under a mountain near Camp David.
Secret Service Agents Eric Hill and Amber Cody, soon discover the threat is locked inside with them. Communications have been cut, exits sabotaged, and bodies piling up. Hill and Cody must use their skills and instincts to determine who can be trusted. Are the perpetrators the officials, or those in the Army, or the Secret Service? Both know they must do whatever it takes to protect the institution they have been sworn to serve and protect.
Given the current events, this concept of a threat to the government from within is very scary. Wondering who is a friend and who is a foe has readers taking the dangerous journey with Hill and Cody. The many twists will keep people reading, not wanting to put the book down. The Q&A below comes from notes from a conversation with Quirk that has been condensed.
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Author Interview
Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea?
Matthew Quirk: I try to strike a balance between a conspiracy shadow behind certain powers, while adding hope, realism, and not feeding into the cynicism. The premise has what would happen if a President came under attack? I played with these questions for the readers to think about. What is the drive behind someone going against the office they are protecting? Are they protecting a larger value by taking matters into their own hands? Is going rogue part of the problem or solving the problem? Who can be trusted? This is my go at a Die Hard or Seven Days in May story with a bit of Agatha Christie thrown in.
EC: Was the President based on anyone?
MQ: This is an interesting time for politics, with such a high temperature. I try in writing a plot to be non-partisan. Some readers of my books have diametrically opposed views. They find corollaries of what is currently happening. For them, the story will often confirm their views of how they perceive Washington DC. For instance, if there is a crooked President in the book, each side thinks the President is part of the other side. For me, it is interesting that I can write these political thrillers in an incredibly polarized time and still have them appeal broadly.
EC: How would you describe President Kline?
MQ: Some think he is paranoid, elitist, aloof, but others think he is caring and protective. One of the mysteries of the book is, can the President be trusted to defend the Constitution?
EC: What is real in the book?
MQ:“Yankee White,” a special background investigation, basically a clearance, required of anyone who will hold the President’s life in their hands such as a chef, helicopter pilot, and a doctor. There is this distinct circle of people that would single handedly be able to kill the President.
The saying “shut up and color,” which is military slang for “do your job and follow orders.” This was one of the themes of the book because what if doing the right thing and following orders are at odds.
My friend had written an entire book on Raven Rock, the bunker 700 feet under a mountain near Camp David. I tried to find a bunch of imagery. In the beginning of the book, I drew a simplified layout of the architectural buildings and tunnels. I wanted the reader to follow along with the action I did take some liberties to streamline things, but everything in the book comes from real life.
The Presidential Emergency Action Documents, which are documents that can be invoked by the President. No one knows what is in them. The President could possibly create martial law, suspend Congress, nationalize industries, and ignore the Constitution.
EC: Do you think Secret Service Agents can be flies on the wall?
MQ: I have this book quote, they “can see everything and see nothing.” I did talk to Secret Service people for the book. Their job is to protect the person and yet they are seeing Washington politics up close. They still do their job, which is protecting the office. Even if it someone they do not respect they are still willing to protect them, even to the point of sacrificing their life. This is very honorable.
EC: How would you describe the Secret Service Agent Eric Hill?
MQ: Direct, a straight talker, protective, has a slight temper, loyal and suspicious. Because of his backstory he is disillusioned.
EC: How would you describe the rookie Secret Service Agent Amber Cody?
MQ: Tough, smart, stubborn, enthusiastic, disciplined, and feels she needs to prove herself to be brave.
EC: There is a book quote about the Secret Service that reminds me of those in the military. Please explain.
MQ: You are referring to this book quote, “The Service was in many ways closer than family. Agents spent more time with each other than they did with their wives and husbands and kids. They gave everything to the job, including their lives… They lived together, ate together, counted off endless hours driving through the sticks, standing in the rain, staked out in cars, and holed up in hotels.” Many of them are former military. Talking to the real-life Secret Service Agents gave me this impression. They are so dedicated. It is like a military brotherhood.
EC: A movie or TV show being made?
MQ: Yes, we just announced that Chernin Entertainment has optioned the book for a feature film. I’m really excited to be working with them. The Night Agent has been renewed for season two with the plan to be out in 2024.
EC: Your next book?
MQ: It’s early, so this could change, but the premise is that an actress who always plays tough characters and is well trained in weapons and martial arts has her friend gone missing. While looking for them, she is drawn into the world of espionage and diplomacy. To save her friend and survive she needs to become as tough as the characters she plays on TV.
THANK YOU!!
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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.
When the nouveau riche Parker family moves to an exclusive community in the heart of Southern California, they believe it’s their chance at a fresh start. Heather Parker is determined to give her daughters the life she never had—starting with horses.
She signs them up for riding lessons at Rancho Santa Fe Equestrian, where horses are a lifestyle. Heather becomes a “Barn Mom,” part of a group of wealthy women who hang at the stables, drink wine, and prepare their daughters for competition.
It’s not long before the Parker family is fully enmeshed in the horse world—from mean girl cliques to barn romances and dark secrets. With the end of summer horse show fast approaching, the pressure is on, and these mothers will stop at nothing to give their daughters everything they deserve.
Before the summer is over, lies will turn lethal, accidents will happen, and someone will end up dead.
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Elise’s Thoughts
Girls and Their Horses by Eliza Jane Brazier is more than just a book about horses. Readers should think about sports travel teams and stage mothers. Those parents who try to put their own dreams on their children and push them to succeed, even when the dream does not seem realistic. The book explores the world of competitive horse jumping, with overbearing mothers who push their children to compete, toxic coaches, and mean girls.
The story opens with a suspicious death at a horse show. Throughout the book readers are trying to figure out who has been killed since the author does not reveal the victim until late in the story. This adds to the suspense along with other accidents that put some of the girls in danger.
Besides the murder there is also bullying. One of the families, the Parkers, have joined the Rancho Santa Fe Equestrian Center, to make a fresh start. They left their Texas home because the youngest daughter, Maple, was constantly being bullied. Besides Maple, readers get the perspective of her sister Piper, her mom Heather, and some of the other families, Vera, and Pamela. While all appear superficial at the beginning of the book as readers get to know the characters they begin to like and dislike them.
Then there are the men in the story. Kieran, the owner of the center and the head trainer appears to only care about his prestige. Douglas works with the horses and is involved with some of the female characters. The father of Piper and Maple, Jeff, is only concerned about making money.
Anyone who has never read Brazier should start with this book. It is a fabulous story involving smoldering tension, manipulation, poisonous female friendships, and wealthy power dynamics, a depiction on the elite world of teen horse competitions.
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Author Interview
Elise Cooper: Are you a horse person?
Eliza Jane Brazier: I live ten minutes from Rancho Santa Fe. I worked in the horse industry for several years as a working student, a rider in a training program, and a riding instructor. I would observe the different dynamics between parents and children, which is what was the original spark for this book. There were some incidents where a mom wanted to pass her dream of riding horses to her child.
EC: Do you think in the beginning of the book the characters appeared superficial?
EJB: My characters might have presented themselves that way. I want to write my characters taking a journey. In the beginning of the book as in most cases when someone first meets a person that person can appear superficial. It is only after the reader gets to know them, spending more time with them, they see the characters reveal themselves in a natural way.
EC: How would you describe Mable?
EJB: Bullied, which affected her. She went along to get along. Very anxious, jealous, with an attitude of woe is me. She idolizes her mom, is jealous of her sister Piper, and feels unlikeable.
EC: You describe the bullying affect?
EJB: Yes. Bullies tease, push people around, and humiliate them. By complaining or showing fear the bullies are energized. I was bullied. The scene in the book happened to me, where someone pulled me down by my hair and threw me on the ground. I wanted to show how a parent feels powerless and helpless in those type of situations. The bullying motivated Heather, Maple’s mom, because she really wants to help her child, but does not know how.
EC: How would describe Piper?
EJB: She is a go-getter, a problem solver, lonely, and tried to hide her feelings about horses.
EC: How about Heather?
EJB: She wants good things for her children and is very supportive. She does not see herself as a good mom. Heather is affected by being abandoned as a child. She has not dealt with her past and is not happy in her marriage. By marrying Jeff, Heather thought she would be safe and secure with him, someone to count on. They never had any romance or love in the relationship. Her focus is on making her children happy instead of making herself happy. Heather has lost herself as a person.
EC: What about Heather’s relationship with her daughters?
EJB: She can be pushy and controlling. Eventually she realizes this and tries to back down. Her journey is the backbone of the whole book. The premise is a mom’s influence over their children and how they should yield it. No parent should be completely hands off yet should not be domineering. The other mom, Pamela, lets her daughter Vida do whatever she wants and then there is Heather, who tries to figure out where she is as a parent.
EC: How would you describe Vida and her relationship with her mom?
EJB: A bully, self-centered, devious, basically a complete mean girl. Her mom Pamela related more to Maple than Vida.
EC: Can you explain why the mother quote?
EJB: You are referring to this one. “You would worry and torment and impact your kids for the rest of their lives. They would blame you for everything. They would blame you for nothing.” I have eight brothers and sisters, with thirty nieces and nephews. I get to observe many different dynamics between parents and their children. As people get older, they realize it is not about a right or wrong decision, but which decision will be the least harmful. With parenting the consequences are huge and somewhat scary because it affects someone’s life. The characters in the book have a complicated relationship with their parents.
EC: How would you describe Kieran, the owner of the Equestrian?
EJB: He thought himself of G-d, is obsessed, narcissist, manipulative, controlling, and intimidating. All that mattered to him are the horses.
EC: He abused humans, but did he also abuse horses?
EJB: Many readers who are not familiar with horses might think he abused them. ACE is a commonly used horse tranquilizer, which he gave the horse Commotion. It is something commonly used. It is administered to calm a horse, especially after an injury. ACE is a mild sedative. This does not mask a horse’s injury.
EC: Douglas played an important role in the story?
EJB: He was confident, patient, sensitive, passionate, and charming. But he was also desperate to be loved.
EC: What was the role of the horses?
EJB: They are beautiful and smart, powerful, and can help someone. I put in this book quote, “Anyone that did not believe in magic, had never written a horse.” The horse Commotion brought Piper out of her shell, but also created jealousy among the girls. Through Commotion everyone projected their dreams. Maybe Douglas and Piper appreciated the horse as a separate being, but they also wanted to see how they can achieve their dreams through the horse. Both looked on the horse as a friend.
EC: What about any movies/TV shows?
EJB: There is something in the works.
EC: Next book?
EJB: I went into a different direction. It is about a guy and gal who meet on an overnight sleeper train going from Florence to Paris. They have a flirtation, but he disappears. Both are contract killers. It has murder, romance, and adventure. It should be out the end of the summer next year.
THANK YOU!!
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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for WHERE THE GRASSGROWS BLUE by Hope Gibbs on this AME Blog Tour.
Below you will find an author Q&A, a book description, my book review, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Enjoy!
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Author Q&A
How did you do research for your book?
Where the Grass Grows Blue is set in Kentucky, where I was born and raised, so I was comfortable with most topics—food, dialogue, and setting. But I did write in flashbacks and had to study pop culture during those decades so as to not get the year wrong. I also had to do some serious research into genetic diseases, as they are a plot point for my protagonist.
Which was the hardest character to write? The easiest?
The hardest to write by far was the main character, Penny. She is a complicated and sometimes frustrating character by design.
The easiest was Bradley, her love interest. I might have developed a literary crush on him while writing.
Where do you get inspiration for your stories?
I want to bring the charm of the South to a wider community of readers. It’s my goal to immerse them in the culture, food, and characters, so I look around my surroundings or dig back to my upbringing to find inspiration.
What advice would you give budding writers?
In the words of Nike, “Just do it!” You’ll never know unless you try. Of course, there are going to be bumps, sometimes mountains, along the way, but if you believe in yourself, your voice, and find the right support system, you can make it happen too.
Your book is set in Kentucky. Have you ever been there?
I was born and raised in the Bluegrass State. I still consider it home, though I’ve been gone for decades.
If you could put yourself as a character in your book, who would you be?
Penny’s best friend, Dakota. She is a truth-teller and doesn’t worry about what anyone thinks of her. She’s also fiercely loyal.
Do you have another profession besides writing?
I was a stay-at-home mother of five for twenty-five years. A few years ago, I started re-evaluating my life. At that point, it hit me. My children would soon be leaving for college. So I started “journaling” on a laptop. That lasted about a week before I noticed I wasn’t writing about my feelings or goals—I was creating a character. Now that my children are grown, I’m writing full-time. But that’s only one part of my “writing life.” I’m also a tour guide for Bookish Road Trip, an upbeat community of book lovers, authors, and bibliophiles. You can find them on Facebook, Instagram, and on their website. I’m in charge of the Author Take the Wheel program.
How long have you been writing?
I started about five years ago. It’s been a wonderful creative outlet.
Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you overcome it?
Of course. Music has been a huge part of my creative process. It really inspires me and allows my mind to go places, creating new worlds. Also, running and exercise helps. Some of my best ideas happen when I work out.
What is your next project?
I’m almost finished with my second book, Ashes to Ashes. It’s an upmarket fiction book, set in the South, of course, that focuses on a tight-knit group of women whose world is rocked after the unexpected death of their dear friend, Ellen, under mysterious circumstances. But before they can even process their grief, they stumble across a web of secrets and lies, unraveling Ellen’s perfect life—the one she tried so hard to project to the outside world. Now they must rely on each other to find out who the real Ellen Foster was while grappling with the idea that they never really knew her at all.
What genre do you write in?
Women’s fiction and contemporary romance. But my third book will be historical fiction because it’s set in the early 1970s. I don’t want to be boxed into one genre.
What is the last great book you’ve read?
On Gin Lane by Brooke Lea Foster. I can’t tell you how much I loved that book.
What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
“The author’s writing was like paint on a canvas, creating a vibrant picture of life in Kentucky, so much so that I was easily transported there.” Reader Views review.
If your book were made into a movie, who would star in the leading roles?
This is fun! Because it has dual timelines (flashbacks to the 70s and 80s and a “current” timeline set in 2009), I would have to cast young and older actors.
For the adult Penny, Elizabeth Olsen would be the perfect choice and for the younger version, circa 1985–89, it would absolutely be Sadie Sink. The adult Bradley? It’s Henry Cavill all the way with Tanner Buchanan taking the younger role.
As for Ruby Ray, Penny’s beloved grandmother, she would be played by Laura Dern (in the 1970s flashback) and Diane Ladd as the older Ruby Ray. They are two of my favorite actresses of all time and they are mother and daughter.
And finally, Dakota, Penny’s best friend with a salty tongue, would be played by Rashida Jones while Margo Martindale would make a fine Miss Paulette, Camden, Kentucky’s premier town gossip.
Maybe I should be a casting agent!
If your book were made into a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?
It’s funny you should ask. I literally made a playlist for this book as I was writing it. Whenever I was in the car or exercising, I listened to it over and over again.
Name by Goo Goo Dolls
American Girl by Tom Petty
Heaven by Brian Adams
When the Roll is Called Up Yonder by Johnny Cash
Cruel Summer by Bananarama
Let It Be Me by Ray LaMontagne
Feels Like Home by Edwina Hayes
The Promise by Tracy Chapman
Fix You by Coldplay
All That You Are by Goo Goo Dolls
What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing your book?
The biggest challenge was deciding where to start. To be honest with you, I had no idea what I was doing. I spent about three and a half years writing, rewriting, and editing my novel, Where the Grass Grows Blue completely by myself. This was the first book I had ever written, so there was a lot of trial and error involved.
What is one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring author?
Write, write, write. It’s the only way to get better. Also, I suggest joining writing groups. I’m a member of the WFWA (Women’s Fiction Writers Association). It’s been a wealth of knowledge and has connected me to so many authors and aspiring writers, who are the most generous people on the planet with their time and advice.
Which authors inspired you to write?
Elin Hilderbrand. She’s the reason I started writing in the first place. I adore her. I even traveled to Nantucket last fall with a group of girlfriends to have the Elin “experience.” It was an absolute blast, plus I met her! On my website, you can find a blog post I wrote about that trip.
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Book Description
Penny Crenshaw’s divorce and her husband’s swift remarriage to a much younger woman have been hot topics around Atlanta’s social circles. After a year of enduring the cruel gossip, Penny leaps from the frying pan into the fire by heading back to Kentucky to settle her grandmother’s estate.
Reluctantly, Penny travels to her hometown of Camden, knowing she will be stirring up all the ghosts from her turbulent childhood. But not all her problems stem from a dysfunctional family. One of Penny’s greatest sources of pain lives just down the street: Bradley Hitchens, her childhood best friend, the keeper of her darkest secrets, and the boy who shattered her heart.
As Penny struggles with sorting through her grandmother’s house and her own memories, a colorful group of friends drifts back into her life, reminding her of the unique warmth, fellowship, and romance that only the Bluegrass state can provide. Now that fate has forced Penny back, she must either let go of the scars of her past or risk losing a second chance at love. Can she learn to live an unbridled life?
WHERE THE GRASS GROWS BLUE by Hope Gibbs is a heartfelt, enchanting, and beautiful Southern women’s fiction/romance story that I found impossible to put down. This is one woman’s journey that will resonate in part or in total with so many real-life women’s stories.
Penny Crenshaw is far from her poor and emotionally fraught upbringing in Kentucky and is a happy housewife and mother in affluent Atlanta until she discovers not only is her husband having an affair, but he is divorcing her for a much younger woman. Even with their divorce, her husband still controls Penny’s life.
When he takes their three boys on an extended African vacation with his new wife, Penny returns to her small hometown of Camden, Kentucky to get the house her grandmother left her ready for sale. Penny knows the memories will be difficult, but she still has relatives and friends to help. The one person she is determined to avoid is Dr. Bradley Hitchens. He was her best friend, keeper of her most emotionally shattering secret, and the one who shattered her heart.
With Southern comfort and grace, Penny will struggle with her past, find comfort in old friends and relations, and learn to live without fear for a second chance at a soul deep love.
This is an emotional roller-coaster of women’s fiction/romance with exceptionally crafted characters. I love Penny and Bradley’s second chance romance. Penny is discovering sometimes you just cannot outrun your past; you must return and face it head on to move forward. Penny’s journey is written intertwined with exquisitely descriptive small town Southern cuisine, gardening, church, supportive relatives and friends to interfering gossiping busybodies. This is a story and characters that I will be thinking about for quite some time.
I highly recommend this wonderful story!
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Author Bio
Hope Gibbs grew up in rural Scottsville, Kentucky. As the daughter of an English teacher, she was raised to value the importance of good storytelling from an early age. Today, she’s an avid reader of women’s fiction. Drawn to multi-generational family sagas, relationship issues, and the complexities of being a woman, she translates those themes into her own writing.
Hope lives in Tennessee with her husband and her persnickety Shih Tzu, Harley. She is also the mother of five. In her downtime, she loves playing tennis, poring over old church cookbooks, singing karaoke, curling up on her favorite chair with a book, and playing board games.
Hope has a B.A. from Western Kentucky University and is a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association.
