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Friday, June 14, 2013

GINNY AIKEN Interview - WIN A FREE BOOK REMEMBER ME WHEN


Please welcome Ginny Aiken, author of Remember Me When and one of my very good friends! She is giving away a copy of her newest release and trust me, it's AWESOME. Just answer the question at the end of the interview and you'll be entered into the drawing.


           Ginny, welcome to The Suspense Sisters. So glad you could visit today. Like many of your fans, I love your books. Love the humor, love the fun, love the suspense in them! LOL. But anyway, why don’t you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m a former newspaper reporter, and live in northwestern Indiana with my engineer husband and our youngest of four sons—the oldest two have married, and they plus the third have flown the coop. The oldest and his wife have even made me the proud grandma of two precious boys. I was born in Havana, Cuba, and raised in Valencia and Caracas, Venezuela, where I discovered books early. I wrote my first novel at age fifteen while I trained with the Ballets de Caracas, which eventually became the Venezuelan National Ballet company, but then wisely burned that tome when I turned a “mature” sixteen. Stints as a reporter, paralegal, choreographer, language teacher, retail salesperson, wife, mother of four boys and herder of their numerous and assorted friends—including multiple soccer teams, marching bands, and the 135 members of first the Crossmen and then the Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps—drove me back to books in search of my AWOL sanity. I’m now an author of thirty-six published works, with two more in production, and have won various awards for my writing, including the Mid-America Romance Writers Fiction From the Heartland award, and a Romantic Times Reader’s Choice award. I love to share my passion for storytelling, and have taught novel-writing seminars and workshops at Harrisburg(PA) Area Community College and Penn State University. I’m also a frequent speaker at Christian women’s and writer’s workshops, but have yet to catch up with that elusive sanity.

Tell us a little about your new release. Is it the first in a series or a stand alone?

Remember me When is book 2 of the Women of Hope series. The books are based on the life of a biblical character, in this case, the story of Abigail, King David’s less famous wife. Abigail showed enormous courage and the conviction of her faith when she went against her first husband’s wishes and did what God called her to do. In my book, Faith Nolan is in a terrible marriage, one based on the lie that is her husband’s life. When his contrary nature and greedy actions hurt logging camp owner, Nathan Bartlett and his men, Faith risks her well-being to do right in God’s eyes.


Inspired by the biblical story of Abigail in 1 Samuel, a Christian woman stands up for what is right, despite life-threatening consequences.

When Faith married her husband Roger Nolan he seemed to be an upstanding businessman, owner of a remote mercantile outside the town of Bountiful, Oregon. But Faith quickly learned the truth-that her husband is dishonest in his business practices and likes his liquor, turning mean when he indulges. 

When Faith discovers that Roger has yet again failed to deliver critical winter supplies to Nathan Bartlett, owner of the nearby logging camp, she takes the order up the mountain herself. 

Furious, Roger confronts Faith when she returns, and she is knocked unconscious. When Faith wakes, she finds Roger dead in a pool of his own blood, and she soon stands accused of murder.

Having fought in the War Between the States, Nathan has seen enough violence to last a lifetime. He has always admired Faith's quiet strength and integrity and finds it hard to believe such a gentle woman capable of harming anyone. 

However, Nathan begins to struggle with his instinct to protect Faith when evidence mounts against her. As more and more people begin to think Faith is guilty, only her trust in God can give her the hope she needs to survive this trial.

    
How do you get the inspiration for this book?

I have always loved God’s Word, and the women of the Bible have always held particular interest for me. I find in them inspiration for my daily life, and just by playing the ‘what if…?’ game, I knew I wanted to see how those great truths would play out in a different time and place. I chose the American West because…well, how better to show a woman’s life in a new world where choices often mean the difference between life and death?


What kind of research did you do for this book?

The research for this series was extensive. I love American history, and I especially enjoy learning about the Victorian era, since it often played out against the raw landscape of western expansion. I knew little about logging camps and how our legal system played out back then. It took tons of minute digging to gather enough detail to create these stories.

What do you hope your readers will get out of the story?

The one thing I especially wanted to present to my readers was the perfect timelessness of the truths in the Word. It doesn’t matter where you are or when in God’s calendar you live, His Word remains valid, living, and never-failing.

Anything else about writing, yourself, or your books you’d like to add?

I never thought I’d be where I am today. Writing a novel and having it picked up by a real-life, honest-to-goodness publisher was a dream I didn’t think I was worthy of attaining. This year, I celebrated the 21st anniversary of my first sale to one of those honest-to-goodness publishers. Remember me When is the 36th novel I’ve sold, and the awe has never gone away: God blesses us far more abundantly than we can begin to imagine. My prayer for each one of my readers is that our Father will take my willing surrender to Him and His glory so that He can use it to bless those who pick up one of my books.
       

Where can people find you?

I’m available! I’m on facebook, so you can just search my name. But I also have a website and do answer email.

Get in touch. I love to hear from my readers! I hope you’ll get to know my Women of Hope, and love them as much as I do.

Okay, readers, if you could travel back in time and talk to anyone, who would it be and why? And no, you can't say Jesus. You can still talk to him. I'm talking about a dead person. LOL. Those who leave a comment and contact information, will be entered into a drawing for a free copy of Remember Me When. Good luck!


What People Are Saying About Ginny’s Books!

“In this engrossing second installment of her Women of Hope historical series, Aiken delivers a beautiful, inspirational slice of life set in 1880s Oregon… Rich with details, the events unfold very naturally.”

“Aiken’s second Women of Hope novel connects nicely to the first… The 1880 Oregon setting is accurately illustrated and the heroine’s journey to renewed faith in God is nicely depicted.”

“Masterful storytelling, witty dialogue, and characters you’ll never forget.”

“An engaging tale of duty, romance, family and love… I’ll be eager to see what character Ms. Aiken chooses next to feature in this exciting new series.”

“Ginny Aiken is a captivating storyteller who offers her readers a delightful journey they won’t soon forget.”

“Ginny Aiken has a beautiful ability to mingle comedy with tragedy, making the reader laugh and cry almost in the same breath.”

 


 


21 comments:

  1. Hmm... That's a hard question. I think I would talk to Laura Ingalls Wilder as an adult. I have always loved Little House on the Prairie and Laura-- I think I would love to hear some of her stories about life from her own lips!!

    This book sounds great! Thanks for the peek at it and the chance to win a copy!


    ladettek[at]gmail[dot]com

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  2. Welcome to Suspense Sisters, Ginny. Congratulation on the book.

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  3. I would to say one of my ancestors, my great great grandfather, who was a Civil War veteran and became a POW during the war. AND he lost 4 of his children within a year's time while he was off fighting. It just fascinates me that he made it through that time. He must've had great faith in God.
    campbellamyd at gmail dot com

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  4. I believe I would like to speak with my grandparents, since I never new them. They were born in Russia, and went through so many hardships. It would be so wonderful to learn more.
    Thanks for the giveaway.
    bettimace(at)gmail(dot)com

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  5. I think I would like to speak with my father's mother (my grandmother) who died a year before I was born. I was told that she was sweet and kind and always told that I physically resembled her quite a bit.
    Thanks for the giveaway.
    Brittany McEuen
    kbmceuen(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  6. I would like to talk to my grandfather (my mom's father) to learn about how my mom was like when she was growing up.

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  7. Since I can't pick Jesus, I would love to have a chance to meet his mother, Mary, and talk with her about her life. I think that would be very interesting.
    may_dayzee (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  8. I would pick my mothers mother Nellie Roos, who taught me so much about Gods love
    God bless you
    Chris Granville
    granville@frontiernet.net

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  9. I would like to go back in time and talk with my aunt. With the perspective of time, I would like to tell her how much I appreciate her.

    Thanks!

    Becky
    ischu9@aol.com

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  10. I'd love to chat with Jane Austen, my favorite author. Thanks for the giveaway! danandlyndaedwards(at)msn(dot) com

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  11. I would talk to my mother. She died when I was 2 1/2. As, no one ever talks about her, I know very little about her.

    Tina
    dotson24@comcast.net

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  12. I would like to talk to my grandma & ask her many questions about our family history. Ann Redeemed1ru@gmail.com

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  13. I would talk to my Dad. He died when I turned 2 and I have no memories of him at all. He was murdered and people don't often talk about him or the circumstances surrounding his death.
    Michelle L
    mimiladybug [at] Verizon [dot] net

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  14. My Grandpa John Stevenson is someone I would love to talk to again especially to listen to all his stories again about his life growing up on a farm in Oregon when horses were still the main mode of transportation.
    Hi Lynette and Ginny!
    jennydtipton[at]gmail[dot]com

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  15. I would love to talk with Laura Ingalls Wilder. I read all the books and loved the TV Series!

    marissamehresman(at)aol(dot)com

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  16. I would love to talk to Mary, the mother of Jesus & learn what life as the mother of the savior of the world was like.

    bonnieroof60(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  17. I would go back and talk to my Dad. He passed away 4 years ago and I'd just love to tell him I love him one more time.

    Thank you for the interview and giveaway.

    Wanda Barefoot
    flghtlss1(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  18. The person I would like to speak with would be my great grandmother on my father's side of the family. From incidents that my mother has shared I believe she was saved and prayed for her grandchildren. She passed away shortly after my parents were married and expecting her first great grandchild. Thank you for giving us a glimpse of your new book. pjeanemmons@yahoo.com

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  19. I love mysteries so maybe Agatha Christie or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

    catbooks(at)rocketmail(dot)com

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  20. i would like to meet my birt father he die when i was 4 but my parents were seperated and so i never knew him
    jcisforme@aol.com

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  21. It's impossible to choose! There are great leaders, my favorite authors, family members, etc. But I do like the premise for Remember Me When. Fairy Tales often show up in new incarnations. Why not Bible stories?
    nonestica gmail dot com.

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