Peggy Trotter's Diamond in the Rough (featuring The Secret Things)

Peggy Trotter's

on the Diamond Mine

Please welcome Peggy Trotter to the Diamond Mine as a featured guest author. She's a special person and for those who don't know this wonderful lady and her books, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you. She's also agreed to give away one copy of her latest and greatest, The Secret Things. This book is amazing so please don't hesitate to enter! Details about the giveaway and how to enter are after the interview! Are you ready? I am! Let's get started.

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Renee: Hey, Peggy! I'm so excited to do this! I can't wait to talk about your new book and writing adventures. Why don't we start with your book, The Secret Things? How did you pick your title?

Peggy: Thanks, Renee. I'm pretty excited to be here myself. I have to say this book has been a loooonnnggg time coming! LOL I wrote this book originally about 15-20 years ago. Most of my books do not have titles until they are finished. I always write and edit with a “working title.” Deuteronomy 29:29 has always been a fascinating verse to me. It basically states that some things are meant for us to know and discover, and others, well, they are just God’s secrets. We all have secrets. True. But some block our closeness to God.  So this verse became the theme for this book. The Secret Things is just the first of a series, individual stories wrapped around some sort of secret.

Renee: What an interesting concept! I love it. We do try to hide things from God, don't we? Too bad that's not possible. I love where this book takes place. Did you pick it by some particular method? For a particular reason?

Peggy: Oh, yes! I’ve been there. The Smokey Mountains are absolutely gorgeous! I love the remoteness, the beautiful mountains, and the mystique the mist lends to the area. Plus, it’s a perfect place for a person to get…lost. So it was a perfect place for Jerrica to be discovered! And perfect for a criminal to hide.

Renee: I love the Smokey Mountains. They are amazing. I've only been there once or twice but I agree with you. They are the absolutely perfect place for your book, any book! LOL I know writing is a lot of fun, at least for us writers. Heehee. Can you share a quick, fun story about writing this particular story? What did you learn from it?

Peggy: Easy! For several years I called this novel my ugly stepchild! 😃 Let’s just say it’s been around the block. It’s had several harsh judges, none of which encouraged me to change my nickname for it. Not only that, I have seven versions of this book. (Yes, the majority of this book has been re-written and reorganized seven times!) It went from being a novella to a full-length book, from simple romance to romantic suspense. It has taken me on quite a ride!

Renee: Through it all...and I say "all" because I know you've been writing for quite a while...what writing style do you prefer?

Peggy: Visceral. That explains it all. I want to feel all the feels. I want to know what the characters are feeling, thinking, planning, fearing, imagining—everything. I think I must write that way. I know that while I write, it can be very gut wrenching. I live and feel it while I write.

Renee: I believe that is probably a good way to do it, if you ask me. Not comfortable, but good. On a more personal note, what do you do when you're not writing? Do you have any hobbies or fun activities you like?

Peggy: I have a full-time day job so I spend a lot of time doing that! But I am a very busy sort of lady, I guess. My hands are seldom idle. And I absolutely LOVE hobbies. Let me just share with you the ones I’ve been involved in over the years: knitting, crocheting (sweaters, afghans, etc.) , cross-stitch, crafting, making pillows, quilts, clothes, making jewelry, latch hooking rugs, beading, sewing Bible covers, making

Barbie clothes (yes, really), painting Scripture signs, crafting interior decorations, painting, making dolls, painting wall murals, playing numerous instruments, writing plays/poems, and any DIY project (making bookcases, refinishing furniture, building a deck, painting kitchen cabinets-twice, lol-roofing, laying flooring, dry walling, hanging drop ceilings, phew! That’s enough!) DIY still very much occupies my time! Curse this old house! 😛 Hope you enjoy a few of my projects.

Renee: Wow! You are a busy lady! I love it. I've enjoyed this time chattin' and I'm sure the folk have too. But before we go, do you think you can share why you are so dedicated to the Lord and how He continues to impact your life today.

Peggy: I would love to! As a farm girl growing up, I could always see Him in the world around me. In the intricate design of a simple flower, the complexities of the animals around me, plus their unique personalities. I always say I first met God at sunset on top of a fencepost as the geese flew south. I even painted a picture of it. So I always was aware of Him. But I didn’t completely surrender my life until my senior year of high school at church camp. At that point I felt my life take a turn, and it would never be the same. Every deed, decision, and way of life was and is filtered through pleasing God. And it has never changed. Although I fail quite frequently, I live the way I do because of Jesus Christ and what He did for me on the cross. I do as much as I can to spread God’s message, because as I tell my students quite frequently, it’s the most important decision of anyone’s life!

Renee: Thank you so much for being on the Diamond Mine today...as an author. You are a true blessing in the Christian Fiction world as well as our little ol' Diamond Mine. I'm so happy that your very own diamond in the rough serves as a beacon for God's glory to the world.

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BOOK GIVEAWAY!

Comment about blog for a chance to win your very own copy of this amazing book!

One winner will be selected by random draw on 5/24/17.

Name and email required to validate entry.

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About the Book, The Secret Things:

Deep in the Smokey Mountains, secrets abound. Jerrica Rankin doesn't know who she is. But she's certain she isn't the woman in the wedding photo. So who is the stranger on her porch gripping this incriminating picture? How will Jerrica conquer her panic attacks and find her identity to prove he's wrong?

Brock Langston buried his wife three years ago. But he finds her, deep in the Smokey Mountains, very much alive and denying who she is. How could she have forgotten their relationship and why didn't anyone contact him? Is Jerrica really his wife? Or an impostor?

About the Author, Peggy Trotter:

When Peggy Trotter‘s not teaching or DIY-ing, she’s immersed in a story scene of some sort, always pushing toward that sigh-worthy, happy ending. 2 kids, 2 in-kids, and 2 grands delight her life as well as her Batman of 32 years whose cape is much worn from rescuing his wife from one scrap or another. Winner of the prestigious ACFW Genesis Award in 2014, she flips from Christian historical to contemporary to suspense. But ultimately, it’s always about revealing God’s incredible love.

Meet Mary Manners

If you're a fan of novellas, Mary Manners has a treat for you this week. She's giving away e-copies of not one but three of her novellas. Keep reading to find out how to enter.


About Mary Manners

Mary Manners is a country girl at heart who has spent a lifetime sharing her joy of writing. She has two sons and a daughter, as well as three beautiful grandchildren. She currently lives along the sunny shores of Jacksonville Beach with her husband Tim.

A former teacher as well an intermediate school principal, Mary spent three decades teaching math and English to students from kindergarten through middle grades. While growing up in Chicago and as a student at the University of Illinois, Mary worked her way through a variety of jobs including paper girl, figure skating instructor, pizza chef, and nanny. Many of these experiences led to adventures that may be found between the pages of her stories. Mary loves long sunrise runs—she’s completed three marathons—ocean sunsets and flavored coffee.

Find out more about Mary on her website: www.MaryMannersRomance.com. “Like” her author page on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

Welcome to the Diamond Mine, Mary! We're thrilled you could join us this week and share a little more about yourself with us and our readers. 

I’m from the Nashville area and have visited the Smokey Mountains a few times over the years. It’s a place filled with God’s beauty. What’s your favorite thing about living there year-round? Do you dread or look forward to tourist season?

Before recently retiring to North Florida, I lived at the foothills of the Smoky Mountains for 35 years and loved every moment of the beauty. When I moved there from Chicago more than three decades ago to begin my teaching career, there was only one stoplight on the twenty-five minute drive between my home and the school. Of course, this has changed over the years, but the beauty of the mountains remains just as majestic as ever. Nothing compares to the Smokies, and people flock there to share in the wonder. I never minded tourist season, as the height of it occurred while I was off from teaching for the summer.

You taught algebra and reading. In my experience, writers aren’t usually math-oriented. Why the variety in subject matter?

I chose to teach math because I wanted the kids who were not very good at it, who actually despised it, to learn to love it. I taught in ways that brought an understanding of the concepts. Although I am a writer, I am actually quite organized in my thinking. This crosses over to teaching math quite well.

How do you balance writing during the school year when you’re busy teaching, grading papers, and preparing tests?

I used to say that the day I signed a writing contract would be the last day I taught. But when my first contract came nearly eight years ago, I could not bear to walk away from the students. So I learned to balance by waking up very, very early in the morning and putting in several hours of writing before heading to school. I wrote at night and on weekends and holidays. I wrote while I waited at my daughter’s band practice, and in the car while my husband drove. I wrote on summer vacation. I learned to adapt. When you love writing as much as I do, you find a way.

Last June I retired from teaching (the last three years I was an intermediate school principal) to full-time writing. I love the freedom to immerse myself in writing every day, as well as the time to network with readers and fellow authors. It is a dream come true for me.

Since you used to teach middle school-aged students, have you ever considered writing YA fiction?

Yes, I have! One of my books, Wisdom Tree, was actually written when I was in middle school. It was the first full-length book I wrote. The first draft was from Corey’s—the middle-school-aged brother’s—point of view. Over the years, through editing, that changed to what Wisdom Tree is today. But that book remains the story of my heart, and it was my first book to make the shelves of brick and mortar bookstores across the country.

Where is your favorite place to write? Do you have any necessities you require with you?

I have an office, but I often wander to other parts of the house to do my writing. As I pen this response, I am seated at the kitchen counter. I don’t really have any necessities, but I love to write with a breeze and sunshine filtering through the windows. A cup of flavored coffee is really nice, too! I don’t write to music—I like the sounds of nature and nothing more. My brain is already too busy with my story characters ‘speaking’ to me!

What would you like readers to come away with when they read your books?

 

I would like for my readers to come away from my books with a sense of renewed hope that the world is a good place to be. I’d like them to feel warmed by faith, friends, and a touch of romance.

You have several books and novellas published. Which do you recommend to someone who has not read anything by you before?

For a quick taste of my work, I recommend one of my shorter Christmas stories, such as Angel Song. For a series, I think my Sweet Treats Bakery Series is a good place to start. For a longer book, I recommend Wisdom Tree.

Sidenote, here, I love reading Mary's Christmas stories! They're all short and sweet!

Tell our readers a little about your newest series.

My Honeysuckle Cove series is a 12-book collection of shorter-length stories that will release one per month throughout 2017. Honeysuckle was chosen for its meaning…Bond of Love/I Love You. I feel that honeysuckle is a symbol of God’s grace—always present, unfailingly strong, and eternally loving. Honeysuckle Cove is a tight-knit community of imperfect believers and though generally lighthearted, each story relates a real-world message of grace. The stories are all set in Honeysuckle Cove, a fictional town in the Southeast. Portions of the town, especially the property upon which Honeysuckle Cove Inn is seated, meanders along the shores of Wanderlust Lake. Honeysuckle Cove Inn, a historical gathering place, is the anchoring point of the stories. Readers are sure to fall in love all over again, every month of the year!

Thank you for taking some time with us this week, Mary. It's been a pleasure having you!

More details about a couple of the Honeysuckle Cove books:

Sunrise at Honeysuckle Cove

Honeysuckle Cove Inn has been in the Brennan family for three generations. When Maggie Brennan’s parents retire, they call her home to Honeysuckle Cove and hand over the reins of the historical inn. If Maggie successfully maintains the business over the course of a year, the inn is hers forever. Maggie considers the timing perfect, with one exception—she finds her path entangled once again with that of Dylan O’Connor.

Dylan has made a name for himself as the go-to guy when it comes to renovations and repairs in Honeysuckle Cove, and he’s waited nearly a decade for high school sweetheart Maggie Brennan to return home. But his handyman skills will be put to the test when it comes to rebuilding the bridge between Maggie’s heart and his, and designing a future…together.

Beyond the Storm

Recreational Therapist Ava Kennedy is in charge of Valentine’s Day festivities for shut-in patients at Honeysuckle Cove Children’s Hospital. When a winter storm threatens to derail planned events and steal the children’s joy, Ava calls on longtime friend and firefighter Nick Jones for rescue. The two have been close, platonic friends since kindergarten, but Ava soon finds her heart whirling like the drifting snowflakes outside her office window.

Nick Jones is skilled at extinguishing fires, so he doesn’t count on kindling a flame with lifelong friend Ava Kennedy. But he’s got a sweet spot for kids and women…especially when one particular woman—Ava—possesses a soft heart and laughter that draws like an electron magnet. Despite Nick’s valiant efforts to resist, he finds himself caught up in the attraction.

Will these friends’ new feelings weather the shifting tempest…or is this simply a passing storm?

And now for the giveaway!! Mary is graciously offering one of our readers e-copies of the first 3 books in her Honeysuckle Cove series. The two above, and her March release, Honeysuckle Cove Secrets. Simply let us know how to reach you (email) in the comments below in case you win. Five people must comment in order for contest to be valid.