It’s always a treat to chat with fellow Kentuckian, Ann H. Gabhart & especially today on RELEASE DAY for her brand new historical fiction An Appalachian Summer!
Ann H. Gabhart is the bestselling and award-winning author of several Shaker novels—The Outsider, The Believer, The Seeker, The Blessed, The Gifted, and The Innocent—as well as historical novels—River to Redemption, These Healing Hills, Angel Sister, Love Comes Home, and more. Writing as A. H. Gabhart, she is also the author of the popular Hidden Springs Mysteries series. She has been a finalist for the ECPA Book of the Year and the Carol Awards, has won Selah Awards for River to Redemption and Love Comes Home, and won RWA’s Faith, Hope, and Love Award for These Healing Hills. Ann and her husband enjoy country life on a farm a mile from where she was born in rural Kentucky. Learn more at www.annhgabhart.com.
You can also connect with Ann on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter.
AN APPALACHIAN SUMMER
GENRE: Inspirational Historical Fiction
PUBLISHER: Revell
RELEASE DATE: June 30, 2020
PAGES: 368
Discover what happens when one intrepid young woman steps away from the past into a beautiful, wide-open future
In 1933 Louisville, Kentucky, even the ongoing economic depression cannot keep Piper Danson’s parents from insisting on a debut party. After all, their fortune came through the market crash intact, and they’ve picked out the perfect suitor for their daughter. Braxton Crandall can give her the kind of life she’s used to. The only problem? This is not the man–or the life–she really wants.When Piper gets the opportunity to volunteer as a horseback Frontier Nursing courier in the Appalachian Mountains for the summer, she jumps at the chance to be something other than a dutiful daughter or a kept wife in a loveless marriage. The work is taxing, the scenery is jaw-droppingly gorgeous, and the people she meets along the way open a whole new world to her. The longer she stays, the more an advantageous marriage slips from her grasp. But something much more precious–true love–is drawing ever closer.
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Hi! Welcome to the blog!
Ann: Dogs. I’ve loved dogs ever since I was a little girl and begged for a dog of my own. I’ve had many furry buddies since then and now have two sweet dogs, Frankie and Marley. Well, Marley, the English spaniel is sweeter than Frankie, my rescue dog from the Humane Shelter. Frankie might be a lab and Australian shepherd mix. That rascal sometimes has his own agenda, but I’m still glad he’s mine.
Carrie: Dogs really take over our hearts, don’t they?
Ann: Tea. Always tea. I like it strong and hot and made from loose tea leaves instead of tea bags. I’ve never taken more than a sip of coffee, but started drinking tea while still a kid. Got to have my tea while writing.
Carrie: I don’t care for either one, but if I have to choose I’d always go with tea too. Unless coffee tasted like it smelled – then i’d be all over it haha!
Ann: Both. I love hiking up those beautiful mountain trails but I also love walking along the beach at sunrise with the tides tickling my toes. The birds singing in the mountains. The waves making music on the beach. Love both places.
Carrie: ‘Both’ is my favorite answer for this question 🙂
Ann: Card game. I love playing cards with my family. I have a granddaughter who always wants to play cards and I’m glad to oblige. Of course, she does love to play Monopoly too.
Carrie: I love playing cards and board games pretty equally – as long as it’s fun!
Q: Around here I like to say that reading is my superpower. If YOU had a superpower, what would it be?
Ann: That’s an interesting question that has me thinking. That’s an IF YOU HAD and not a DO YOU HAVE which might change my answer. Alas, I don’t really have a super power, but if I could wish one up, it might be nice to have a memory super power so I could remember all the things I’ve researched for my stories. Not only that, but I’d never put something away in a safe place and forget where the place was. I’d always know where I last put down my phone and never have to search through my purse for my keys or that receipt I know has to be in there somewhere. I’d remember everything except the things I didn’t want to remember. If I’m making up this super power I might as well tweak it to suit me.
Carrie: ah that’s a good clause to put in there – remember everything except the things you don’t want to remember. Yes please!
Q: Tell me some good books you’ve read lately!
Ann: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
A Moonbow Night by Laura Frantz
Carrie: All of those are on my TBR pile except Laura’s book which I read and LOVED! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed them!
Q: Writing spaces are as diverse as authors and books. Where is your favorite space to write?
Ann: For years I had a desk in my kitchen where I did my writing. Well, even earlier than that, I put my typewriter on the kitchen table to be right out there with my kids while I was writing. That was before my husband bought me an old wooden secretary desk with a hidden space for a typewriter on a spring activated table you could pull up on the side. By then, my kids were growing up and in school. But I’m meandering away from the question. Some years ago I received a small inheritance and we used it to add an addition to our house with an office for me. What a gift for me. It has plenty of room for the big old desk, but best of all it has windows on both sides of the desk. Love my windows that look out over green pastures and lets me see the birds flying in and out to the bird feeder. I’ve written dozens of books here in this room and I hope to write a few more.
Carrie: that sounds like a wonderful place to write! And I personally hope you write a few dozen more – at least!
Q: Which character was the most difficult to write?
Ann: Piper in this new release, An Appalachian Summer, was a little difficult to write because she came from a rich, socially prominent family in the 1930’s. I don’t have any problem going back in time with my characters, but I don’t have much experience with rich. Most of my main characters have been down to earth country or small town people. So getting into Piper’s thoughts and expectations took some extra thought and more imagination since rich is a lifestyle I know little about. But then I took her to the mountains where she had to live the country life and things were fine.
Carrie: Mountains for the win!
Q: Some authors like to hide little things in their stories. Is there anything you have hidden in An Appalachian Summer?
Ann: I do sometimes hide a past character in one of my stories. I’ve done that several times in my Shaker books. None of the Shaker books are sequels. What makes them a series is my fictional Harmony Hill Shaker village setting. But sometimes I sneak in a mention of a character from a former book. For example, in The Innocent I have Elizabeth’s brother, Payton from The Believer, run away in the middle of the night with one of the sisters. Most readers might not even notice that the names were the same as he is only mentioned very briefly in The Innocent.
I did that in An Appalachian Summer too. That story takes place in 1933 which is years before These Healing Hills, my other story with Frontier Nursing history set in 1945. But I sneaked a mention of Granny Em, a character I loved in These Healing Hills, into An Appalachian Summer. She didn’t make an appearance, but her name was there as a granny midwife.
Carrie: oh yay! I wondered if those two books would connect at all!
Q: What is one of your favorite quotes from the book & why do you love it?
Ann: “I’ve heard the whippoorwill and seen the stars.”
My main character, Piper says this. I love it because it shows how the mountains have changed her. I also happen to love hearing whippoorwills on a summer night and seeing the stars lighting up the heavens.
I know you said one quote, but I’m going to cheat and share two. I also like when Truda, Piper’s aunt says, “Every person should be allowed one idiotic dream in her lifetime.”
And don’t you agree that’s true?
Carrie: Two quotes is always allowed, especially when they’re both so delightful. And yes, I totally agree with Truda!
Thank you so much for taking time to talk with me! 🙂 Before we say goodbye for today, tell us what‘s coming up next for you.
Ann: I’m headed back to the mountains again for yet another Great Depression era story. This time my main character is a mountain girl who is one of the packhorse librarians, a government work program established to put women in the mountains to work and to get reading material to mountain people, many of whom never had access to a library or reading material prior to this endeavor. These book ladies rode up into the rough Eastern Kentucky counties on horses or mules to deliver books to people in their homes. One packhorse librarian delivered her books on foot after her mule died. My character, Tansy, does have a good Morgan horse along with that love of books. Her trails aren’t easy but she stays in the saddle and even books a little romance along the way.
Carrie: I am so fascinated by the packhorse librarians – I’m really excited that you’ll be writing about one!
Revell is offering a print copy of An Appalachian Summer to one of my readers! (US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.) This giveaway is subject to Reading Is My SuperPower’s giveaway policies which can be found here. Enter via the Rafflecopter form below.
What about you? What interests you most about An Appalachian Summer and/or my Q&A with Ann H. Gabhart?
Sounds really great
Glad you think so, Lori. Hope you’ll give the story a try.
I loved the book! And very excited about the setting for her next one. Lynn Austin set a book in that time with the horseback riding librarians years ago.
Thank you, Susan. I’m enjoying the graphics you made for the book. That’s such an extra touch and very appreciated. I need to check our Lynn Austin’s book. I didn’t know she’d written one with that history already.
I lovedl the book we read/discussed for the ACFW book club and am impressed with the amount you research and produce as they are solid content and good quality.
I loved taking part in that ACFW book club. I think that was These Healing Hills, wasn’t it? That’s my other book with Frontier Nursing history. I’d love it if one of my books was picked again.
I love that Ann is a dog lover, and described her rescue dog’s personality!
The Appalachian setting is great as well as Piper. She sounds like a very interesting character.
Definitely a dog lover, Ms Barb. I got the dog hunger when I was nine or ten and I’ve had a dog in my life ever since. So many great dog buddies over the year. Frankie is in here at my feet right now because somebody is celebrating the 4th early with some boomers. He doesn’t like boomers.
I really loved An Appalachian Summer, as I did the other books of Ann’s that I’ve read. She has such a lovely way of writing. I’m looking forward to that next book about the pack horse librarians.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Pam, and thanks for reading my new book. I so appreciate readers taking a chance on my stories.
Thank you for the interview with Ann H. Gabhart. Enjoy learning more about an author whose book I enjoy. I love her choice of super powers. Since my Mom had Alzheimer a great memory is extra special to me for many reasons.
Love the cover on “An Appalachian Summer”! Can’t wait for the opportunity to read this book on my TBR list. Hoping for sooner than later.
My mother always had Alzheimers, Kay. That is, in my opinion, one of the worst sicknesses ever. You lose your loved ones twice. My sister and I sat with my mother to take her through her last few years and it was a sad time for all of us. And I know how much Mom would have hated it if the disease hadn’t messed up her thinking so badly.
I’m glad you like the cover and hope my book lands in your TBR pile.
This book sounds wonderful. Piper’s adventure of being a horseback Frontier Nursing courier in the Appalachian Mountains would definitely be a transforming experience, and I want to read about it. It is going on my TBR list.
That’s good to know, Roxanne. Thank you. I like being in TBR piles or on those lists. Piper does have some eye-opening experiences. I hope you’ll like the story when you get a chance to read it.
I’m really looking forward to reading An Appalachian Summer. My mother was a nurse as were others of my relatives, and I have a heart for serving people in need of services.
I love reading stories set in Appalachia and I think it’s so fun that Granny Em gets a mention!!
Looking forward to reading this book. Ann’s books always pulls me right into them.
This sounds really interesting! Oh and I love that cover!
Love the quote “ I’ve heard the whippoorwill and seen the stars”.
I love this quote “Every person should be allowed one idiotic dream in her lifetime.”
I’m looking forward to reading this book.
Thanks for the fun interview, Carrie and Ann! It was fun to learn more about Ann and her writing. This book sounds so fascinating! I love historical fiction. It’s such fun to read about slices of history I haven’t heard much about.
Congratulations, Ann!
Thanks, Carrie, for your never-ending help in building my TBR pile! Love you, my BFFFC!
Glad you enjoyed the interview, Winnie. I love reading about slices of history too and love getting to dive into a historical novel myself. My TBR pile is near to toppling over with books I want to read. I need to be a faster reader.
I’m always excited to read books set in the state where I grew up. Many years ago I visited the Frontier Nursing Service. I am looking forward to reading this book about the area. I’ve enjoyed all of Ann’s books and I know this one is not going to disappoint.
Always fun to hear from a fellow Kentuckian. Even if you don’t still live in Kentucky, you always have those Kentucky roots, Lee. I hope you enjoy the mountain story.
I have read some of Ann’s books and they were very good. I would like to read this one also.
I’m so glad Ann will be writing another one of her mountain stories after Appalachian Summer. I love reading her books, especially ones about the mountains.
Finding a career you love over an arranged marriage expectation sounds good. I like the depression era read. The cover is pretty. Thanks for the chance.
I normally read historical books that are much farther back in history, but after reading the description of this book, I thought I must read this. It is interesting and sounds like it would capture and hold my attention quite well. Can’t wait to read it. Thanks for the give away opportunity and good luck everyone.
This sounds like a book I would enjoy reading. The Appalachian Mountains setting for the book is also a reason I would like to read the book.
The setting sounds lovely! I’m looking forward to reading An Appalachian Summer.
Pretty cover. I liked the blurb and interview. It sounds like a really interesting book. Thank you for sharing.
A captivating and memorable historical which interests me greatly.
This sounds like such a good book.
I enjoyed the interview and was struck by the quote “I’ve heard the whippoorwill and seen the stars.” For years, you could sit outside my home and do just that. The whippoorwills are gone now for whatever reason (I’m sure home building) and I miss them. The story sounds like a lovely read. BTW, I agree with the second quote as well!
Glad you liked the whippoorwill quote. I seem to nearly always be able to work a whippoorwill mention into my stories. This one got a bit more of a highlight mention, Debra. I don’t hear the whippoorwills the way I used to because my house now doesn’t let in the bird songs since we have air conditioning and all the windows closed. But back when I lived in an old farmhouse with all the windows open, I heard them all the time. Loved hearing them.
Gorgeous cover
Where it takes place and the time period.
I’m blown away for all your great comments and so glad that many of you are interested in reading An Appalachian Summer. I’m glad too that you think the cover is attractive. Those rhododendron look great on the cover. I do hope you will all enjoy reading about Piper’s Appalachian summer when you get a chance to read the book.
Thanks too to those of you who have given some of my other stories a try. I appreciate you reading my books.
I was intrigued that Ann didn’t know how to write a rich girl’s perspective – hadn’t really thought of that. I love the smell of coffee but find I only enjoy the taste when I add in a lot of chocolate and sugar so I usually stick to tea. It was nice learning some more about the author. Thanks!
What interests me the most? I’m interested and intrigued to see if Piper will do what her parents wish when they pick her mate or will she pick who she really wants. What will happen when she starts work at the the horseback Frontier Nursing courier? It would be interesting to find out. I love books that are intriguing.
I love books like this and love the cover. I would love to read and review the book in print format.
Sounds like my kind of book.
Marilyn
The beauty of the setting and any book that takes me to another time and place!