Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Five Secrets From Multi-Published Author Amanda Cabot


It truly is a joy to welcome Amanda Cabot to the blog once again. She is an incredibly prolific writer with 34 titles to her credit. 

Here is a review of her new book from Publisher's Weekly; "Readers will enjoy the surprising ending as well as the romance always found in Cabot's books...a promising start to the series."

Welcome to An Indie Adventure, Amanda. Congrats on a great review from PW.  Tell us, what inspired you to write your book A Stolen Heart?
I’ve always been intrigued by the secrets we hold and the effect they can have not only on ourselves but also – depending on their magnitude – on future generations.  Add to that the conflict inherent in a Northerner coming to a small town in Texas in the aftermath of the War Between the States and Reconstruction, and I had both the overarching theme of the entire Cimarron Creek trilogy and the primary conflict in A Stolen Heart
If you were not a writer, what vocation would you pursue?
A skydiver, a rock climber, a race car driver?  No!  I’m definitely not that brave.  But, if I couldn’t be a writer, I’d love to be a concert pianist.  Why?  Music touches me in many of the same ways that a well-written book does.  Unfortunately, my musical skills do not qualify me for Carnegie Hall.

Do you prefer to read in the same genre you write in, or do you avoid reading that genre?  Why?

I’m a fairly eclectic reader and read in a number of different genres.  No horror and limited sci fi, but I enjoy mysteries, the occasional thriller, mainstream and women’s fiction in addition to romance.  Within the romance genre, I read many but not all subgenres. 

How is your main character completely different than you?

Lydia is a successful candy maker, whereas I …  Let’s just say that no one’s lining up to buy (or even eat) my homemade candies.

If you could live during any era of history, which one would you choose?

Even before Downton Abbey captivated the world, I thought it would be wonderful to live in early twentieth century England, provided – of course – that I was among the wealthy.  That way I’d have servants, so the absence of modern conveniences like microwave ovens and food processors wouldn’t be my problem, but I’d have what appears, at least on the surface, to be an elegant and enjoyable lifestyle.

Give us a brief summary of A Stolen Heart:

From afar, Cimarron Creek seems like an idyllic town tucked in the Texas Hill Country. But when former schoolteacher Lydia Crawford steps onto its dusty streets in 1880, she finds a town with a deep-seated resentment of Northerners—like her. Lydia won’t let that get her down, though. All will be well when she’s reunited with her fiancĂ©.

But when she discovers he has disappeared—and that he left behind a pregnant wife—Lydia is at a loss about what to do next. The handsome sheriff urges her to trust him, but can she trust anyone in this town where secrets are as prevalent as bluebonnets in spring?

Buy Links: 


Bio:
Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of more than thirty novels including the Texas Dreams trilogy, the Westward Winds series, the Texas Crossroad trilogy, and Christmas Roses

A former director of Information Technology, she has written everything from technical books and articles for IT professionals to mysteries for teenagers and romances for all ages.  Amanda is delighted to now be a full-time writer of Christian romances, living happily ever after with her husband in Wyoming. 

Find Amanda:


21 comments:

  1. LA -- Thanks for inviting me back. It's always fun to be part of your blog.

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    1. It's always such a pleasure to have you here. Wow, 34 books, I'm in awe. Hugs, L.A.

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  2. Good to see you here, Amanda. I'm looking forward to reading A Stolen Heart

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    1. Hi Jill, well you're on your way to 34 books! Good to see you here.
      Hugs
      L

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    2. Jill -- I hope you enjoy it. This book was fun to write ... most of the time.

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  3. Amanda, I started A Stolen Heart and am enjoying every minute! Excellent!

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    1. I'm glad you're enjoying it, Karen. The suspense isn't anywhere nearly as intense as in your book, but there's a bit of it. Adding that was one of the things that made writing this book fun.

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    2. Hi Karen, good to see you here. I haven't yet started Amanda's book, but can't wait. It sounds wonderful.
      Hugs
      LA

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  4. Excellent post, Amanda. Always a pleasure to hear of another of your book offerings. This one sounds great.

    What a rich playground for an author having a northerner in Texas during reconstruction! And we all have family secrets that pass through the generations. Looking forward to watching a romance navigate such shoals and reefs.

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    1. Thanks, Brad --

      When I did the research, I was surprised at how difficult Reconstruction was for many Texans. That's actually the subject of a blog that I wrote for another site -- one that'll be published later this month. Some of the abuses were truly appalling, so -- since this is a romance -- I only alluded to them.

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    2. Hi Brad, yep shoals and reefs in Texas...during the inland sea period...nah, I don't think so, although CO was inland sea. Just pulling your leg. Good to see you here. I really can't wait to read Amanda's book.
      Hugs
      LA

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  5. I always thought the Reconstruction period didn't touch Texas that much. Your book is teaching me some things about the attitudes of Southerners after the war. Lydia is up for some challenges!

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    1. Dena -- From what I've read, Reconstruction was particularly difficult in Texas. Part of that had to do with one particular governor and his aspirations -- that's the subject of the blog I mentioned to Brad.

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    1. Thanks, Mary. This book was fun to write, in part because it felt so good to be back in the nineteenth century.

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    2. Hi Mary,
      So glad you were able to stop by. Hope you're well. Fill us in on what you're up to.
      Hugs
      L.A.

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  7. Leslie, thank you for inviting Amanda back to your blog.

    Amanda, I'm looking forward to reading A Stolen Heart and revisiting the conflicts of the North and South. Conflicts, I understand, that are still trickling through parts of the South even today. BUT, as you said, this is a romance, so I'm even more intrigued to see how the H/H will overcome their obstacles.

    Candy? You make candy? I never would've thunk it. I'd say that's the bonus secret you've offered the blog today!

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    1. Audra -- Stay tuned for another blog about my candy making efforts. That's coming before the end of the month.

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    2. Ohhh, I can't wait to hear about this. I know you buy your chocolate from the Pennsylvania Dutch Country area...

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  8. Amanda, enjoyed your post. I think it would be great fun to be a candy creator. I can imagine that your book satisfies a sweet tooth. Cheers

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    1. Marilyn -- As I told Audra, stay tuned for the story of my real life candy making adventures.

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