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Let's get a little taste of the book now:
He’s everything she never knew she wanted.
A decade ago, Rochelle Delany made a decision that changed her life forever.
Wanting more than just football games and potluck suppers, she boarded a bus for California and didn't look back. But instead of a glamorous life, she became trapped in a nightmare of labor trafficking. Now, she's made a daring escape and returns home to Ohio.
Twice betrayed, he now puts his faith only in God. He' s a single dad doing his best to grow his construction business and raise his young son. But haunted by an impulsive kiss Rochelle gave him fifteen years ago, her unexpected return has him rethinking things. He' s been given a second chance to win her heart. And this time, he plans to succeed.
Can you tell us a little more about your book?
Thanks so much for the opportunity! I’d love to share a little about my book. The Little Things is a modern take on the parable of the Prodigal Son. As a young woman, Rochelle Delany leaves her small Ohio town of Redford’s Crossing and her family in search of glamour, fame, and fortune. Like the prodigal, things don’t turn out the way she’d hoped. After nearly a decade enslaved in human trafficking, she makes a daring escape and returns to Ohio, realizing that all she ever wanted was right there all along. But when her past catches up to her, she finds herself desperately in need of help from a man she rejected ten years before. And from the God she’s forgotten how to pray to.
How did you get your idea for this story?
After watching a documentary on the horrors of human trafficking, and how so many young people are deceived by vultures online, I felt compelled to write something that would bring awareness to this terrible condition.
Good for you!! That's great!
What made you decide to be a writer?
As far back as I can remember, I have used words in the form of poetry, short stories and journals to try and make sense of life. In college, an English instructor encouraged me to pursue writing more seriously but it was years before I started sending my work out. It just seemed too personal to share. But when my work started getting published in magazines, I was hooked! I wrote short stories and inspirational essays for about ten years before I decided to try my hand at novel writing!
I'm glad you made that decision! What was your first story?
The first one I can remember was a three-page mystery called Mac the Mysterious Mutt. I wrote it when I was in the third grade!
I bet it was cute!
So, do you write from an outline, or just from inspiration, or both?
I always start with a very basic outline, or at least a skeleton of what my major plot points will be. It keeps me from getting off track.
Good idea! Sometimes it's easy to get off track!
Do you have any underlying themes that you want your readers to come away with?
Mostly, I hope my readers will see in my stories portraits of how amazing the Lord is, and what a beautiful adventure life can be with Him in it! Sometimes you go miles out of your way to get to where you need to be, but nothing takes God by surprise.
That is SO true!!
Do your characters share any traits with you or someone you know?
My characters are usually a combination of many people that have crossed my path. In one scene my heroine might possess my best friend’s astounding capacity for kindness. In another scene she might borrow the sharp tongue of a stranger in an overheard argument in the supermarket. Basically, my characters are a big, beautiful, messy, melting pot made up of human nature as I have experienced it.
Wow!! What a great way to describe the process of developing characters!
Do your characters ever surprise you?
Oh, all the time, lol.
Mine, too!
What are you working on now?
I’m currently writing another romance set in the small town of Redford’s Crossing. I’m a New York girl who fell in love with Ohio and I love setting my stories in its small towns!
I'm looking forward to it!
Well, that's it for our interview. I'm so glad we had this chat today! Thanks so much!
Here's a little more about our author, and don't forget to leave a comment for the free book drawing!
Author Bio: Changing seasons. Unexpected blessings. Love that lasts forever. These are a few of M. Jean Pike's favorite things. With a writing career that has spanned two decades, Jean combines an insatiable curiosity about humans and why they do what they do with a keen interest in the quirky and offbeat things in life to bring readers unforgettable tales of life, love, and the inner workings of the human heart.
Author Blog:
https://mjeanpike.wordpress.com/
Buy links: Amazon :
Pelican:
https://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37_46&products_id=162
7 comments:
Hi Jean and Nancy! Great interview. What a gripping storyline and one that is relevant to the world around us. I'm looking forward to reading your story.
Thanks so much!
Thanks for the interesting interview and for delving into the topic of human trafficking and writing a story that needs to be told.
Thank you, Gail :)
I'm an Ohio native and enjoy books set here. Bringing the human trafficking to light is so needed. Thank you for tackling such a difficult topic.
Penny McGinnis penny.frost.mcginnis@gmail.com
Thanks for the lovely comments!
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