Thursday, July 7, 2016

Author Interview & Giveaway - Scattered Seeds by Julie Doherty

Scattered Seeds
Julie Doherty

Genre: Historical fiction, elements of romance
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing * Date of Publication: April 27, 2016
ISBN: 1-68291-050-4 * ASIN: B01E056H1Q
Number of pages: 339 * Word Count: 100,000 * Cover Artist: Fiona Jayde

Book Description:
In 18th century Ireland, drought forces Edward and Henry McConnell to assume false names and escape to America with the one valuable thing they still own–their ancestor’s gold torc.

Edward must leave love behind. Henry finds it in the foul belly of The Charming Hannah, only to lose it when an elusive trader purchases his sweetheart’s indenture.
With nothing but their broken hearts, a lame ox, and a torc they cannot sell without invoking a centuries-old curse, they head for the backcountry, where all hope rests upon getting their seed in the ground. Under constant threat of Indian attack, they endure crushing toil and hardship. By summer, they have wheat for their reward, and unexpected news of Henry’s lost love. They emerge from the wilderness and follow her trail to Philadelphia, unaware her cruel new master awaits them there, his heart set on obtaining the priceless torc they protect.

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Talking with author Julie Doherty!
What is your writing environment?
I’m in the middle of moving, so unpacking our underwear is of paramount importance right now. Here’s a before shot of the room where the magic will happen when things settle down. It’s the first time I’ve had an office of my own, and I’m pretty excited about it.

How did you get the idea for this particular novel?
At the end of my debut novel, SCENT OF THE SOUL, an American woman shows up at a Scottish gift shop with this gold torc, which she unearthed at her Pennsylvania farm:


Readers know who the torc belongs to, but they are left to wonder how it ended up in Pennsylvania. I wanted SCATTERED SEEDS to tell that story. I decided my own ancestors, Edward and Henry McConnell, would be the ones to deliver the torc from Ireland to America in 1755.
Once I had the basic plot, it was just a matter of fitting the story within known events, which meant lots of research about the French & Indian War. It also meant studying immigrant vessels of the day and learning sailing terms. I assure you, my head was spinning by the time I typed THE END on this one, but I firmly believe it was worth it.
What is your favorite scene in your new release?
Probably the one where my hero’s barely conscious love interest is in a small boat with other sick immigrants being rowed toward the pesthouse: 
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“Hang your arse over the side,” someone said, “and let it go.”
“Jesus, the stink,” a muffled voice said. “I hope you learnt your lesson ’bout drinking from a river, boy.”
“A lesson learnt too late, looks like. Oy, the girl’s eyes are open.”
A lovely blue sky rocked above. Something slapped rhythmically at water.
Oars.
“You can’t tell me she has the yellow jack. Look at her skin, Prentice. White as snow.”
“Yeah, white as snow. They say she’s a loonie, though. Shame for her, innit?”
“Aye, a shame. She’s a looker. Bet she’s pretty as an Easter sunrise under that petticoat, too.”
Something nudged her ankle.
“What are you doing? Get your grubby hands off her. The leftenant ain’t even gone below yet.”
“He can’t see. Nobody can but them boys, and they’re too busy worrying about their arses.”
“Well, it just ain’t right.”
“Aw, hell, Prentice, you turning Quaker on me? Wait . . . what’s she saying?”
A shadow loomed above her and erased the sky.
“Calling for someone, I think. Probably her maw. They always call for their maw.”
“No, it sounded like ‘hell.’ Mayhap she’s calling on the devil for help.”
“It don’t scare me none. You’re the one who touched her, not me.”
“Wait, there she goes again. No . . . sounds more like ‘hen’.”
“Maybe she thinks she’s back in Ireland, feeding the chickens.”
“Irish don’t have no chickens.”
“Sure they do.”
“Well, by the looks of ’em they don’t never eat ’em. Aw, boy, again? Jesus, get your arse over the side.”

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About the Author:


Julie Doherty expected to follow in her artist-father’s footsteps, but words, not oils, became her medium. Her novels have been called “romance with teeth” and “a sublime mix of history and suspense.”
Her marriage to a Glasgow-born Irishman means frequent visits to the Celtic countries, where she studies the culture that liberally flavors her stories. When not writing, she enjoys cooking over an open fire at her cabin, gardening, and hiking the ridges and valleys of rural Pennsylvania, where she lives just a short distance from the farm carved out of the wilderness by her 18th century “Scotch-Irish” ancestors.
She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Central Pennsylvania Romance Writers, Perry County Council of the Arts, and Clan Donald USA.
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Giveaway:
$30 Amazon gift card
5 free Kindle copies of SCATTERED SEEDS

4 comments:

  1. Great excerpt! Thanks for sharing, I can't wait to check this one out :)

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    1. Thank you for stopping by. Good luck in the giveaway.

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  2. Congratulations on your book's release, I enjoyed the excerpt! And thank you for the awesome giveaway!

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    1. Thank you! It's always exciting to release a new book, but a little frightening, too. Good luck in the giveaway.

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