Tiffany's question for you to answer in order to qualify for the drawing of a copy of Bound by Grace:
In Bound by Grace (book 1 in Brandywine Brides), Charlotte faces
derision from her peers for not “doing what other ladies do”, yet she rises
above the criticism and maintains solid friendships with those who truly
matter. Have you been a victim of gossip, peer derision, or experiencing the
feeling of not “belonging”? What did you do about it? How did you put it behind
you and move forward?
We
left yesterday talking about your research, Tiffany. Did you learn anything about your research of the
late nineteenth century that surprised you?
I’ve
been studying the late 19th century for nearly 20 years now, so as a
general rule, no. I haven’t been surprised by anything. Fascinated, though?
Definitely. The entire culture of society is impressive, no matter what the
station. Even young children were better-read and spoke with far more advanced
phrases or words than most adults today! For a side-note and a great laugh,
look up John Branyan and his retelling of The Three Little Pigs on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxoUUbMii7Q.
You also have a web design business, something
that’s a very firm tie to the modern era of technology. Are there any
similarities between the lifestyle of today and that of your characters?
We
all still have to get up, get dressed, eat, see to daily tasks, and tend to our
families. And depending upon whether we work away from home or around the home
dictates how much time we spend with our families. The same is as true then as
it is today. Of course, in my opinion, modern technology has harmed us more
than it’s helped in terms of social interaction and genuine time spent with
real people. This too, though, depends on the person, but for the most part,
neighbors no longer know the names of the people living right next door, and
it’s rare to find friends dropping over just to chat. There used to be a real
sense of community as a whole, and today, there is so much isolation with
people losing touch of genuine interpersonal relationships. The day-to-day
desire to succeed and provide for yourself or your family still exists, and
here in America, we still have our dreams to keep us alive, moving ever toward
them.
You’re a busy mom with toddlers – do you get
any time to read for fun? What?
I
read every day, but it’s usually Dr. Seuss, Disney, and Baby Einstein. :) Fun
reading for me is only at bedtime for about 15-20 minutes. With this limited
time, my books are usually restricted to other historical fiction with the
occasional contemporary story thrown in. I read what I write, so I can keep up
with what’s selling.
What’s coming next? Can you give us a little
preview?
After
Stealing Hearts comes book 3 in the
series. Antique Dreams releases in
December, and brings the Brandywine Brides series to a close. Before that,
though, in October, is my novella in Colonial
Courtships. I once again return to the Colonial era with a story about 1 of
4 brothers living in Massachusetts. Mine is the 2nd story about the
2nd oldest brother, Jonathan Ingersoll.
Only to thank all readers of my books for your support, and to
Jim & Tracie Peterson, who first took a chance on an inexperienced author to help
me launch my dream career. It’s a thrill of a ride, and often harried at times,
but I wouldn’t trade a single minute of it!
Thank you so much for your insight and your
time.
Thank you for having me here and posing such unique questions.
You obviously took the time to do a little research yourself. :)
Readers,
Don't forget to leave Tiff a comment
that includes an e-mail address (name-at-email.com) AND a response to her
question by Friday early morning in order to be entered into the drawing for a
copy of Bound
by Grace. We need at least five unique comments/answers for a drawing, so share the news!
Posts
11 comments:
I was lucky enough to not be a victim. But if one were, I think they should try to put it behind them by finding some positive friends.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com
I answered the question yesterday, but there was another time I felt left out and that was when I entered JR High School. My elementary school friends started into cheerleading and the whole social butterfly thing, and that involved money which my parents didn't have. So I was on the outside looking in, until a wonderful girl moved in the house across the street and we became best friends all thru High School. Ane b/c she was so hilarious we ended up with a bunch of friends!
So I agree with Margie above...find new friends if you can, that was hard for my kids to do when we moved right in the middle of the school yr. But that's another story. lol!
dianalflowers[at]aol[dot]com
sorry! :(
I was bullied when I was high school. It was a painful time but I did get through. The school was small and the two girls who didn't like me told many others that I said this or that about them. Every day I was confronted about one of the lies. Went through many tears and wrote lots of poetry. I was in charge of the children's church back then too. Those children definitely kept me smiling. Thank goodness for them AND the end of the school year. Glad it didn't go on the following year.
Amy
Campbellamyd at gmail dot com
Fitting in seems to be a prevalent theme in today's group oriented society. Since all of us are individuals, we probably all sense a twinge of not being accepted from time to time. I'd say the best thing to do is try to find a common bond that exists with those I come in contact with. Then, spend the most amount of free time where I feel most comfortable and cared about. And of course, the most important relationship of all is the one between me and the Lord.
I've been the victim of gossip. I think I must be doing something right if everybody's talking about you.
greenduckie13 at gmail dot com
My parents had to move us to a new state because of my dad's job, we moved to a small town in Kansas. I never felt like I belonged in that town, I was not from there, was not rich, dad was not a farmer, and I was not pretty enough for them. I did not have many friends and felt like I was talked about a lot. I have always loved books and pretty much being a loner so I just considered my books my friends and when I graduated high school I left that town. I do not let them influence who I am as they never really knew me even though I lived there for 10 years. It makes me want to be friends with new people coming into my job that way no one feels left out.
Thank you for the chance to win - I look forward to reading this book
griperang at embarqmail dot com
Yes, I have and I didn't really do anything about it. Ijust let it run it's course because I knew the truth.
wfnren(at)aol(dot)com
In terms of not belonging When I was younger yes, but it didn't bother me much later on. I wouldn't want to change myself to something I am not so that I fit in and so I just let things stay where they were.
darkenf(at)rocketmail(dot)com
Thanks to everyone who has come to leave a comment on my interview and giveaway. As one who was subject to a great deal of peer tormenting and teasing, I love the positive tone of most stories here.
Margie, it's true you need to find positive friends to combat the negative words spoken by others. And Wendy, good for you knowing the truth and not letting the lies get to you.
Amy, Gail, Diana, you hit the nail on the head with finding common interests with others, pursuing passions that make you smile, and seeking to grow your relationship with the Lord. Those will make that teasing pale in comparison.
Angela, I can relate to the desire to be friends with others so they don't feel left out. I've been on the outside looking in far too many years (still am today), so I try to make others feel welcome, because I don't wish these feelings on anyone.
Malvina, you have a strong core and knowledge of the truth. Not wanting to change to be something you're not. Fantastic!
Thanks again, ladies. Good luck in the drawing tomorrow!
When I was in high school, I attended an eastern boy's school. As the only westerner there, I discounted and mildly harassed most of my four years, though I did make some good friends. For the most part, I kept my nose to the grindstone - academically and athletically. I graduate with honors in History and advanced placement in Chemistry, and a school letter sweater for rowing. Since then, I have worked at making my life a success, mostly in the west. Still, though, I am largely discounted by former classmates. Sometimes it makes no difference. Sometimes it still hurts.
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