Book promotion: A Marriage in Middlebury

It's not often that you find a book so beautiful that you promote it before you read it. Such is the case with A Marriage in Middlebury authored by Anita Higman. After connecting with Anita through American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and learning of her book, I agreed to be one of the people to "influence" her book which is about getting the word of her latest novel out there into the world through social media and word of mouth. Anita graciously offered to send her own Q&A about A Marriage in Middlebury for publication on my blog, "God is Love". It was an offer I could not refuse. So without further ado, here's an introduction to my newest favorite author and her masterpiece of a book.

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Q & A with Anita Higman, author:

What was your inspiration for A Marriage in Middlebury?
The idea for this book came from my absolute love of tearooms in Texas. In fact, here’s my note to readers on that very subject:

More than a decade ago I met a woman named Linda Becker who opened a tearoom in the Houston burbs called, Tea for Two. Her eatery and gift shop did so well, she opened a second shop. Over the years I’ve enjoyed her wonderful tearoom fare as well as the quaint ambiance. Linda’s tearoom isn’t just a café—it’s a gathering place for friends, a place to eat home cooked food, and a place so cozy you don’t want to leave. As a writer I thought it might be fun to create a heroine who owns a tearoom similar to Linda’s and set her shop in a small town on the gulf coast of Texas. So, that’s how the novel, A Marriage in Middlebury, was born. Even though my story, the characters, and the town are fictional, Linda’s tearooms are real places you can visit and enjoy. Thank you, Linda, for the great food, and the fellowship, and the inspiration.

Everything was going smoothly for the main character when suddenly everything changes with the return of her ex. What advice do you have when life throws a curveball?

As a Christian we should trust in the One who made us, the One who’s known us from the first day when we were being knit together in our mother’s womb, the One who loves us best. Trusting in Him during life’s storms is the only answer, and it’s more than enough.

Charlotte was pressured into breaking off her relationship with Sam by Sam’s father - how should we react to family pressures and difficult relatives?

Bathe the situation in prayer and then talk things through no matter how painful. But once the air is clear, forgive and move on. Don’t keep going back over and over. Forgiveness is not easy, but it’s the only way to live free. It helps to remember that forgiveness is what God offered us when we sinned against Him.

Is there a certain Bible passage or verse that goes along with the theme of A Marriage in Middlebury?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

Are any of the characters or events in A Marriage in Middlebury based on your own experiences?

Well, I love art, flowers, quirky characters, and tearooms. And somehow I managed to put them all into the novel. It was a fun ride!

Do you find yourself returning to similar themes in your novels (i.e. forgiveness, trust, etc.) or do you have a new message with each release?

Yes, I tend to go back to the themes of forgiveness and reconciliation. These are not only good themes for a story, but they are paramount in living the Christian life.

What do you hope readers will walk away with after they turn the last page of A Marriage in Middlebury?

That with God all things are possible!

Like several of your other books, A Marriage in Middlebury is set in your home state of Texas - what are some of your favorite things about Texas?

Overall, Texas is an inexpensive place to live, it’s a great place to raise a family, and it’s one of the friendliest places on earth. I’ve lived here for about thirty years, and I’m proud to call Texas my home.

Before becoming a writer, you had number of interesting jobs - what was it about writing that drew you in?
I had an incredible need to tell stories. I don’t think I had a choice in becoming a writer—the profession sort of chose me. But I’m content in that truth.

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Author bio:

Best-selling and award-winning author, Anita Higman, has thirty-six books published. She’s been a Barnes & Noble “Author of the Month” for Houston and has a B.A .in the combined fields of speech communication, psychology, and art. Anita loves good movies, exotic teas, and brunch with her friends.

Please visit her website at www.anitahigman.com and drop her a note by clicking the “Contact Me” button. You can also “Like” Anita’s author page on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAnitaHigman and follow her on Twitter @anitahigman.

JOY in the Journey, Discovering your God-sized Dreams

Today, aboard our God-sized Dreams ship, Gindi Vincent has asked us to answer a series of questions regarding her topic of what to do if you do NOT know what your God-sized Dreams are anymore. 

Vincent’s questions: What about you? What do you love? What makes you happy? Would you share your story about what to do if you don’t know what your God-sized dream is here in the link up?

I would like to answer Gindi's questions in an open letter.

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Dear Gindi,

My God-sized dream has always been to work as a writer and producer. I want to create and produce work that will inspire people, point them to God and help them to realize their true value and worth.

Along the way to my original God-sized Dreams, other pursuits were born that took me on detours—being a teacher, working as a journalist, hoping to turn my photography skills and love for the digital camera into a full-time photography business—and I’m grateful for every detour God’s blessed me with, yes I say"blessed me with" because at the time, I was deeply troubled because I wanted to reach my destination so badly that I almost forgot the joy is in the journey.

Serving God and reaching people for Jesus Christ makes me very HAPPY, dare I say I even love it more than I love food? And girl, I LOVE GOOD FOOD! But yes, as long as I’m in a capacity of helping people I’m happy, even if I’m not paid a six-figure salary for my work (though I would LOVE that too)!

So my dream job would be using all of my talents for writing, producing, educating and photography in a capacity that serves people in a creative and therapeutic sense.

But to answer your last question, Gindi, on what to do if I did NOT know my God-sized Dream or felt like I had lost the capacity to dream, I will say this—God hears your heart. When you don’t have the words to say or energy to pray and when you feel like our dreams are dead, don’t let those lies fill your head because God still hears your heart. God gave you those dreams for a REASON and a VERY GOOD REASON at that, a mission only YOU can accomplish in this life. So don’t give up, hold on to God’s promises found in His Word (The Holy Bible) such as Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 37:4 and Proverbs 3:5-6, experience the blessing of life day-by-day and watch God lead the way.

Remember, the joy is in the journey! And the DREAM destination is WORK but you will be prepared for it as you allow God to teach you and equip you with what you need to succeed each day in the journey toward your wildest God-sized DREAMS. Sometimes our destination may be a dream you did not know you had deep in your heart. But dear Gindi, GOD KNOWS and will help you reach your destination in His perfect time, so continue to TRUST HIM!

God bless you!

Sincerely,

Alexis

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Now here’s a question for my “God is Love” blog readers: They say in this life, you need to find what makes you “come alive” and then do it. I say that’s the same thing as discovering your God-sized Dream! So tell me, what makes you HAPPY and what are you doing about it?