5-5-5 Day 4: Stephanie Grace Whitson

Welcome to the 5-5-5 event, Stephanie! I’m so honored to be hosting you today. Now, five questions! First of all, could you tell us a little about your most recent book, Messageon the Quilt?

The Message on the Quilt is set in 1890 Beatrice, Nebraska, which hosted a huge event called Chautauqua which brought literally tens of thousands of people to the community to hear famous orators and to participate in other cultural events. The main character is Emilie Rhodes, whose newspaper editor father has always encouraged Emilie to think for herself—until, that is, thinking for herself leads Emilie away from the future her parents have planned for her. When Emilie goes to work for her father’s competition, she meets and falls in love with “The Man of Many Voices,” a noted orator appearing at the Chautauqua. But Noah Shaw’s professional life is only one reason he’s in Nebraska. He’s on a quest to find answers about the past. As Noah discovers the real meaning behind the symbols his mother embroidered on a treasured quilt, he realizes that a future with Emilie is probably impossible.  

What’s something you love about Message on the Quilt?

The line that says something to the effect that God is often doing His best work when we are tempted to think He isn’t paying any attention at all.

If Message on the Quilt was made into a movie…do you have actors/actresses in mind to play the main characters? If not, can you describe a bit of what you’d be looking for?

I often seek character inspiration in my collection of 19^th century photographs. Here are the inspiration for Emilie and Noah (together) and Emilie’s father, the newspaper editor.

You’ve written multiple books. Out of all the covers, which is your favorite? Hard question, I know.

I love different covers for different reasons. Of course cover styles change over the years, so my older book covers would be considered “dated” now. It’s also a fact of the publishing business that different publishers often establish a specific artistic “look” to their covers. Many readers responded positively to the cover art for Sixteen Brides, even mentioning the cover when they contacted me about the book. What I love about this particular cover is that “my” women’s personalities do show up in the way they are posed and in what they’ve chosen to wear.

Finally, what can we expect from you book-wise in the future?

Readers will go back to 1867 St. Louis with me and board the Laura Rose, a steamboat plying the Missouri River. They’ll meet Laura Rose White and Finn MacKnight, who are polar opposites but who are forced to learn to work together. A Captain for Laura Rose releases in the spring of 2014.

Find Stephanie on the following websites: 

 

www.Facebook.com/stephaniegracewhitson

www.stephaniewhitson.com

www.stephaniegracewhitson.blogspot.com

www.footnotesfromhistory.blogspot.com

Thank you so much for coming, Stephanie! I can't wait for that next book. So much fun to get to know you better! 

Next up, links to the other things posted on Austenitis related to Stephanie Grace Whitson and her books.  

• The Quilt Chronicles series (The Key on the Quilt, The Shadow on the Quilt, The Message on the Quilt)
• The Dakota Moons series (Valley of the Shadow, Edge of the Wilderness, Heart of the Sandhills) 
• The Prairie Winds series (Walks the Fire, Soaring Eagle, Red Bird)
• Sixteen Brides
• A Most Unsuitable Match
• A Claim of Her Own
• Unbridled Hope 
• Jacob's List
• Cover Focus (Sixteen Brides, A Most Unsuitable Match)
• Older interview with Stephanie 

Told you she was one of my favorite authors. ;) Now, Stephanie has offered up a copy of Message on the Quilt for one of you lucky people! It was a great book that I really enjoyed, and I think you will too. 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Barbour Blog Tour: Message on the Quilt

Author: Stephanie Grace Whitson

Genre: Life, adventure

Series: Quilt Chronicles

Number in series: 3^rd

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 9.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 315

Time period: 1800s

Publisher and price: Barbour, $12.99

My overall opinion: Wow, I really really enjoyed this book! I knew I’d like it…just didn’t know I’d like it this much. It was even better than Key on the Quilt, which I loved! The heroine, Emilie, was feisty, funny, fascinating and to be honest – so much fun! Besides which, she shares a name with a great-grandma of mine (who pronounced it Amelia – yes, really). And then the hero, Noah – also a pretty neat guy, with a very interesting background. The book had all the things needed to make a “good” book, and was actually super sweet. I look forward to re-reading it many times in the future!

**Barbour sent me a free copy of this book in return for an honest review. I wasn’t paid for this review, and wasn’t required to post positively.**

Need to Read #6: Key on the Quilt

Title: Key on the Quilt

Author: Stephanie Grace Whitson

Book blurb: Enter a historic Nebraskan prison where three women find betrayal, love, and ultimate truth. Jane Prescott is serving a ten-year sentence for murder. Can a broken spirit be healed behind bars? Matron Mamie Dawson feels called to help the wounded women in her charge. Will a guard's attentions keep her from her mission? Warden's wife Ellen Sullivan has changed her preconceptions about these female prisoners. Will it be enough to save her from a life-or-death situation? Will the cryptic quilt connecting their lives expose the truth of one woman's past and ensure a better future for them all?

Quick endorsement: Stephanie has been publishing amazing books for several years, and this is the first in her newest series, The Quilt Chronicles. It was a riveting book and one I look forward to re-reading in the years to come.

Link to review: http://austenitis.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-key-on-quilt.html

Cover Focus: Sixteen Brides

Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Grace Whitson

 

Book blurb from goodreads.com : “Sixteen Civil War widows living in St. Louis respond to a series of meetings conducted by a land speculator who lures them west by promising "prime homesteads" in a "booming community." Unbeknownst to them, the speculator's true motive is to find an excuse to bring women to the fledging community of Plum Grove, Nebraska, in hopes they will accept marriage proposals shortly after their arrival
Sparks fly when these unsuspecting widows meet the men who are waiting for them. These women are going to need all the courage and faith they can muster to survive these unwanted circumstances--especially when they begin to discover that none of them is exactly who she appears to be.”

Read my review: It was a great book and one I really enjoyed! http://austenitis.blogspot.com/2011/04/sixteen-brides.html

Why I like this cover: I think much of the draw of this book at first glance is the title. SIXTEEN brides? Wowza. But I do love the cover. All that green grass leading up to the immediate focal point – that big orange/yellow parasol held by the lady in the matching dress. My favorite color dress is the blue one, but I think that the black is my favorite style. A carpet bag and another parasol complete their accessories. As stated, this is a great book that I highly recommend!

The Shadow on the Quilt

 

Author: Stephanie Grace Whitson

Genre: Life

Series: Quilt Chronicles

Number in series: 2^nd

 

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 9

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 319

Time period: 1800’s

My overall opinion: I found this book highly enjoyable! It was a touching story, one that was easy to empathize with. It had distinctly Christian elements, but wasn’t preachy, something that I appreciate. This is fiction at its best! It’s truly a beautiful story about the power of faith and love. Shadow on the Quilt is sure to touch your heart – it’s a book worth buying! I certainly won’t be getting rid of my copy. It’s an excellent story from a wonderful author! I admit…I totally empathized with Juliana, the heroine, even though many of the things she went through are things I’ve never experienced. I could still feel what she was feeling. Cass was a wonderful hero! This book fits well with Stephanie Grace Whitson’s other books…I give it two thumbs up, and recommend it for all Christian fiction lovers!

**I reviewed this book for the publisher, Barbour Books. I was not required to give a positive review, nor was I recompensed in any way for this review. The opinions expressed herein are my own. I received a free copy of the book, but nothing else.**

The Key on the Quilt

Author: Stephanie Grace Whitson

Genre: Life (a Nebraska prison in the late 1800s)

Series: The Quilt Chronicles

Number in series: 1^st

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 9.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 318

Time period: 1800’s

Passage from book: “If it wasn’t for the occasional night when he tried to kill her, Owen wouldn’t be a bad husband. Jane Marquis risked a sideways glance at him. Moonlight and shadows revealed an all-too-familiar expression on his weathered face, as Owen guided the wagon across the spring prairie towards home. Doing her best to suppress a shiver, Jane ducked her head and closed her eyes. ‘Oh…God.’ It wasn’t much of a prayer, but it was the best she could do.”

My overall opinion: Wow, did I ever enjoy this book! I’ve never read any books before about life in a women’s prison in the 1800s in Nebraska, and I’m guessing you haven’t either. This was an enlightening read! While some “enlightening” books can be quite boring, this one was riveting. I’m making it sound like an interesting text book, but it’s nowhere close to a textbook. It’s a delightful historical fiction type of book. I really enjoyed getting to know each of the main women: Mamie, Jane, and Ellen. They each had a very different role in the book – one was in prison, one was the female … guard/supervisor/boss, and one was the prison warden’s wife. All of their stories were neatly melded into the one book. It was clear how each woman’s faith in God grew, though The Key on the Quilt wasn’t a preachy book at all. I highly recommend that you read this wonderful Christian fiction! And I can’t wait to read the next book, Shadow on the Quilt.

**The author supplied me with a free copy of this book. I have received no compensation for this review. I was not required to write a review, much less a positive one, and the opinions expressed in here are my own.**

Cover Focus: A Most Unsuitable Match

A Most Unsuitable Match by Stephanie Grace Whitson

Book blurb from goodreads.com : An unlikely attraction occurs between two passengers on a steamboat journey up the Missouri River to Montana...

She is a self-centered young woman from a privileged family who fears the outdoors and avoids anything rustic. He is a preacher living under a sense of duty and obligation to love the unlovable people in the world. She isn't letting anything deter her from solving a family mystery that surfaced after her mother's death. He is on a mission to reach the rejects of society in the remote wilderness regions of Montana. Miss Fannie Rousseau and Reverend Samuel Beck are opposites in every way... except in how they both keep wondering if their paths will ever cross again.

Read my review: http://austenitis.blogspot.com/2011/09/most-unsuitable-match.html

Why I like this cover: Two reasons, primarily. 1. It’s pretty. 2. It’s unique. Now for a little more detail, starting with the lady (whose name, incidentally, is Fannie). That yellow dress is one of unique parts of the cover. It looks like a yellow and green plaid underskirt, and a yellow overskirt, and a big (look at it, very large) plaid bow. Plus a little more plaid around the collar and on the hat. I, for one, am curious to see what it looks like from the front. And don’t you love that yellow parasol? Goes perfectly with the outfit, and so dainty. Then the guy (whose name is Samuel, and whose outfit isn’t so interesting) has a basic black suit, and isn’t it called a derby hat? I think so. All the colors on this cover are so interesting! So many reds (like on the deck) and yellows (especially on Fannie’s dress). If you look out between the rails, you can see they’re not sailing across an ocean, but up a river. Did you notice the sky? Either sunrise or sunset, very pink, and I love the clouds. Before you go, take a special look at the “A”. See all the pretty stuff (for lack of a better name) behind it? Adds greatly to the effect. J

Interview with Stephanie Grace Whitson!

Please join me in welcoming one of my favorite authors, Stephanie Grace Whitson! She's written a variety of books that I greatly enjoy. Find all my reviews here (and, at the bottom of this interview, I'm linking to each of my reviews of her books separately). Her books are ones that I can (and have) read over and over.

Welcome, Stephanie! Before we really begin on the interview, I'm going to copy and paste some of the stuff from your website about you! :)

Stephanie was born in 1952. She remembers things like the Vietnam War and St. Louis Missouri before the Arch. :) Now, she's lived in Nebraska since 1975. Her very first book, Walks the Fire, was published in 1995; however, she started writing before that. She had five children, four biological, and and one step-child. She does her best not to be an evil step-mom. ;) In her free time, Stephanie loves to ride her motorcycle (named Kitty), listen to music (including Josh Groban!), volunteer at church, read, and quilt.

Now that you know a bit about her, let's start.

What do you enjoy most about being a published author?

Hearing from readers who have enjoyed a book or who offer constructive criticism.

What kind of research did you do for your most recent book?

For A Most Unsuitable Match, I read nearly 2 dozen books and as many academic articles about steamboating history, the Missouri River, the history of St. Charles, Missouri, and the history of Fort Benton, Montana. I visited the University of Nebraska Library to find specific books and spent a lot of time on historical society web sites reading primary documents. While I planned to do some on site research in Fort Benton, I wasn't able to make that trip happen, so I had to rely on even more in-depth research I could do at home. I had fun studying the history of fashion and "shopping" for Fannie's clothes. I hadn't set a book in 1869 before, so I had to learn how women dressed.

Oh, I'll bet that was fun! So what gave you the idea or inspired you to write A Most Unsuitable Match?

As part of a class I'm taking (I'm working on my masters degree in history), we visited DeSoto Bend wildlife refuge in Nebraska. The cargo of a steamboat that sank in the Missouri in 1869 and was resurrected in the late 20th century is on display there. Learning that a few women were on board the ship when it sank raised the question "what would that have been like," and that sparked my story idea.

Please tell us a little about the plot of A Most Unsuitable Match.

An unlikely attraction occurs between two passengers on a steamboat journey up the Missouri River to Montana...
She is a self-centered young woman from a privileged family who fears the outdoors and avoids anything rustic. But she's forced to encounter both in a search for her last living relative. He is a roustabout living under a sense of duty and obligation to redeem a past mistake. She isn't letting anything deter her from solving a family mystery that surfaced after her mother's death. He is on a mission to find and rescue his sister. Miss Fannie Rousseau and Mr. Samuel Beck are opposites in every way... except in how they both keep wondering if their paths will ever cross again.

What is your favorite time period to read about?

Historically speaking, the American West in the 19th Century. When I read for pleasure I don't usually read in the genre in which I write, though. I tend towards suspense when I read for my own enjoyment. Joel Rosenberg always provides a great read. When I want something beautifully crafted that will challenge me as a writer, I can always count on Athol Dickson and Dale Cramer, who write in a more literary style than I ever could. They are true artists with words.

Always fun to know what others are reading. :) And what time period do you most enjoy writing about?

The American West in the 19th century.

If you could be any literary character, who would you be, and why?

Studying history has relieved me of the desire to go back in time. I'm very grateful for modern conveniences and I wouldn't be able to enjoy the past without my glasses :-). I would enjoy observing some events as they happened, but only from the outside looking in ... not as a participant. And since I read suspense and thrillers for fun ... no thank you. I'd be terrified :-).

Hmmm, good point. They weren't real big on glasses back then. :P What are you currently reading?

Nearly a dozen academic history books that are required reading for the two history classes I'm taking, one on American women's history and one in Native American history prior to 1860. At the moment, I'm mid-way through One Vast Winter Count by Calloway and a book about colonial women by historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. I'm also proof-reading the ebook edition of my own novel, Nora's Ribbon of Memories, which will be available as part of the Keepsake Legacies series on ebooks very soon.

What three people, living or dead, would you love to have lunch with? They can be at the same meal, or separate, according to whether you think they'd get along.

Three lunches ...

Reverend and Mrs. Tim Keller ... to thank him for how his ministry has blessed me and to thank her for enabling him as a helpmeet.

Film director Jin Ishimoto, who loves Paris as much as I do.

Dean and Gerda Koontz and their new dog, Anna. Actually ... it might be just as much about Anna as about the Koontz's :-). I'd thank Koontz for writing about Trixie and also for his gentler stories and his honesty about his writing life and how he approaches the craft. He's been a great encouragement to me as a writer because of his work ethic.

Is there a random fact about you that most people don't know?

I'm an introvert.

I have to ask...why did you include your middle name as part of your author name?

I didn't. My first publisher, Thomas Nelson, insisted. I told them it seemed pretentious to me, but they liked the idea that "Grace" is a very meaningful word to believers. Which of course it is. But the funny thing is, my name is "Grace" because I am named for my father, Grayson. 

Haha, who would have guessed? Thanks so much for coming by, Stephanie! It's been a true joy to have you. :) How can my readers learn more about you or contact you?

http://www.stephaniewhitson.com/
http://www.footnotesfromhistory.blogspot.com/
stephanie@stephaniewhitson.com

There you go, everyone! Make sure you check out her website and blog. Oh, and if you've read any of her books, you might want to email and let her know what you thought of them!

Okay, just me now. I'm going to include the titles of hers that I've read and reviewed on this blog  below. Each should be linked to its review.

• Jacob's List
• Prairie Winds series: Walks the Fire, Soaring Eagle, Red Bird
• Sixteen Brides 
• Unbridled Dreams
• Dakota Moons series: Valley of the Shadow, Edge of the Wilderness, Heart of the Sandhills
• A Claim of Her Own
• A Most Unsuitable Match

Ta-da! Make sure you check them out, and get something new to read! She's sure to be an author you'll enjoy. :) And her book covers are beautiful...especially Sixteen Brides, Unbridled Dreams, and A Most Unsuitable Match.

A Most Unsuitable Match

Author: Stephanie Grace Whitson

Genre: Romance, life

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 9

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 334

Time period: 1800's

Main characters: Fannie, Samuel, Lamar, Edmund, Eddie

Exciting events: Life in wild Montana!

My overall opinion: I enjoyed this book so much! Stephanie Grace Whitson is definitely one of my favorite authors. The book was fun and amazing, and you should certainly read it! I'm sure you'd enjoy it. :)

A Claim of Her Own

Author: Stephanie Grace Whitson

Genre: Romance, adventure

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 9

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 318

Time period: 1800's, Gold Rush

Main characters: Mattie, Aron, Tom

Exciting events: Definitely. It's full of them.

Passage from book: "Walking down the main street in Deadwood is like stepping onto hell's front porch. It's frenzied and filthy, and it's the last place on earth a man would want to bring any woman he cared about. Be patient. I know it's hard,  but you have to trust me about the timing." Mattie had thought Dillon was just trying to scare her when he wrote that...

My overall opinion: It was a good one! I enjoyed it a lot. Oh, and I said it was Gold Rush, but it's in the Dakotas, not California.

Heart of the Sandhills

Author: Stephanie Grace Whitson

Genre: Romance, life

Series: Dakota Moons

Number in series: 3rd

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 296

Time period: 1800's

Main characters: Gen, Daniel

Exciting events: Oh, definitely, yes.

My overall opinion: First, the reason there's no picture with this is because I'm in a hurry to get it out...I thought I had before. :P Secondly, it's a very good book! I recommend it. :)

Edge of the Wilderness

Author: Stephanie Grace Whitson

Genre: Life

Series: Dakota Moons

Number in series: 2nd

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 429, but mine was large print

Time period: 1800's

Main characters: Gen, Simon, Daniel

Exciting events: Death, Indian ministry, more!

My overall opinion: Good read! Recommended series. :)

Valley of the Shadow

Author: Stephanie Grace Whitson

Genre: Romance, life

Series: Dakota Moons series

Number in series: 1st

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 9

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 291

Time period: 1800's

Main characters: Genevieve, Daniel, Simon

Exciting events: Wow, yes, this definitely has exciting events. Read the book. :)

Passage from book: He needed a horse. His two friends needed horses. And they would have them before the sun rose. Crouching behind a patch of tall grass, Red Thunder peered through the darkness at the homesteader's cabin. The trader's whiskey he had drunk last night was bad, and things were not quite in focus, but even with the firewater eating at his belly, Red Thunder knew he was worth ten settlers. He scurried across the open ground towards the barn. Once there, he raised his hand to his mouth and hooted towards where his friends Two Stars and Otter waited a few rods away behind a massive tree.

My overall opinion: See, I told you it was exciting! And what's more, it ends exciting too. Leaves you hanging. :P Definitely totally recommended.