Let Love Bloom: Where She Belongs by Johnnie Alexander

Find Your Way Home

A personal essay by Johnnie Alexander

My 2018 page-a-day calendar features a motivational message accompanied by one of Mary Engelbreit’s playful illustrations. I’m often inspired, amused, or delighted by the day’s design.

But last weekend’s page touched a special place in my heart. Along with Ms. Engelbreit’s adorable characters and a cute little cottage were the words "Find Your Way Home".

I couldn’t help but smile at this sweet token of God’s steadfast love.

You see, I’ve been a bit of a vagabond for the past several months. After living with my sister in the Memphis area for three years, I moved into my own apartment a couple of miles from my daughter’s family in Tampa.

Less than a year later, just a week before Christmas, I moved all my worldly possessions—except what I could fit in my Pontiac Vibe—into storage while I took off on a holiday road trip.

My route took me from Tampa to Memphis to Tulsa to Sierra Vista, Arizona to Tulsa to Clarence, Missouri, then back to Memphis.

When I left my apartment, I didn’t know where my next home would be. But that was okay because I knew that God knew.

Which brings us back to last weekend. By then, my two dogs and I had been hanging out with my sister for a couple of months.

I think of the message on the calendar page, “Find Your Way Home,” as an inside joke between God and me. The plans were already made. On Sunday I packed up my Vibe. And on Monday, I drove to my new home in Oklahoma.

In the opening pages of Where She Belongs, my heroine is trying to find her way home. Shelby is fulfilling her dream of raising her young daughters in the same house that gave her so many cherished childhood memories.

But as the story unfolds, Shelby realizes that home has a deeper meaning than even the most beloved house. She lets love bloom in her heart, and a new dream for her family replaces the old one.

God blesses us with our homes here on earth, but He’s preparing our eternal homes in Heaven.

His Word shows us the way.

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Author Bio:

Best-selling author Johnnie Alexander imagines heart-tugging stories in multiple genres. Her debut novel, Where Treasure Hides, has been translated into Dutch and Norwegian. She also writes contemporary romance and cozy mysteries. 

Since Johnnie also loves to talk about writing, she interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind, co-hosts Writers Chat, a weekly online show, and teaches at writers conferences and on Serious Writer Academy. 

Johnnie recently moved to Oklahoma with Griff, her happy-go-lucky collie, and Rugby, her raccoon-treeing papillon. 

Connect with Johnnie on her website or her Facebook Author Page.

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Book blurb for Where She Belongs:

Shelby Kincaid is ready to move on from her grief. With high hopes for the future, she longs to purchase her family’s ancestral homestead so she can raise her young daughters in the only place she ever truly belonged. She plans to transform the abandoned house into the perfect home of her memories. But she’ll have her work cut out for her.

AJ Sullivan never wanted the homestead. Inherited as a punishment from his grandfather, it has sat empty for fifteen years and fallen into ruin. He’s glad to finally unload it. But a clean break isn’t possible when he can’t get the young widow Shelby off his mind.

Welcome to Misty Willow, a place that will have as great a hold over the reader as it does over its inhabitants.

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Read a free preview of Where She Belongs on BookGrabbr

Buy Johnnie's book on Amazon or Other Retailers

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Connect with Johnnie:
Website/Blog ~ Facebook Author Page ~ Twitter ~ GoodReads ~ Amazon Author Page  ~ BookBub

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Enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of this book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below:

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Interview with Johnnie Alexander, author of Where She Belongs

Welcome Johnnie Alexander to the blog today! She's here to talk about her new novel, Where She Belongs. Here's the beautiful cover of her book:

Where She Belongs is a delightful story of broken hearts, family rivalries, history and hope. Most of all, it's a story that illustrates the Bible verse of Psalm 31:8. See the meme below for a clue: 

I enjoyed asking Johnnie questions about Where She Belongs. I hope that you will enjoy reading her answers.

God bless you! 

*Questions from Alexis are in bold, answers from Johnnie are not in bold

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Alexis: When we meet your heroine Shelby, she’s ready to move on from her grief. What’s her backstory?

Johnnie: Shelby’s husband, a Chicago police officer, was killed in the line of duty about a year before the story begins. But living in a big city was her husband’s dream, not Shelby’s. Now she’s raising her two young daughters on her own and eager to move back to her childhood roots.

What is the significance of Shelby’s desire to purchase her family’s “ancestral homestead” and how does it relate to the story’s plot?

Shelby’s ancestors have lived at the Misty Willow homestead for generations. As a girl, she spent summers and holidays there with her grandparents and expected to inherit the property someday. But the house was taken by her grandfather’s rival. It’s been abandoned ever since, and Shelby’s determined to get it back. She wants her daughters to experience the same golden childhood she did.

Why does Shelby feel like her family’s homestead is the only place that she ever really “belonged”?

Shelby was devastated when her grandparents died shortly after losing their home. While she was still grieving, her parents moved to a mission in Mozambique. Fourteen-year-old Shelby didn’t fit in there, nor did she fit in with U.S. culture when she returned to the states for college a few years later. All she can think about is going home.

Describe Shelby’s character flaw, inner journey, and deepest desire. What motivates her behavior?

Shelby’s deepest desire is to restore her grandparents’ house into the place she remembers and to give treasured memories to her daughters. As the story unfolds, Shelby learns her grandparents’ most valuable legacy wasn’t the property she loves so much, but their godly influence in the community. It’s not the place, but the people that matter.

AJ Sullivan is your hero. Describe his character flaw, inner journey and what (or who) makes his heart melt.

AJ inherited the property from his grandfather but he never wanted it. He’s content teaching high school students and coaching football. Because of his past, he doesn’t believe he can ever be the husband and father he wants to be. That legacy doesn’t run in his family.

What is it about Shelby that makes her stay on the forefront of AJ’s mind?

AJ memorized Shelby’s letter asking him to sell her the property. He’s envious of her strong connection to her grandfather, especially since his own grandfather cared more about power and money than family. From the first time he sees Shelby, he’s smitten with her—and he’s crazy about her two little girls.

Why did AJ inherit the Kincaid homestead as a “punishment”? What happened in his life that made him neglect the homestead for 15 years?

I can’t tell you AJ’s secret—that would be a spoiler. But it caused trouble between AJ and his grandfather, Sully. AJ angered Sully even more when he dropped out of law school. Always one to hold a grudge, Sully left his business and money to AJ’s cousins, and Misty Willow to AJ. The house had already been empty for a few years, and AJ left it that way.

Misty Willow, the setting for your story, sounds like a whimsical and beautiful place to live. What was your inspiration for this story setting? How did you make up the name? What is your favorite feature about Misty Willow?

I lived in a huge brick 19th-century house in a rural area of central Ohio when I was a teen. It’s the inspiration behind Misty Willow. I just gave the farm, the creek, and the county different names.

We lived in a different house when I was in elementary school. A beautiful weeping willow tree grew near the road. I loved climbing that tree. So I “moved” it to my fictional farm.

My mom helped me come up with the name, and I created a backstory for it. You can read Misty Willow: A Family Tree on Natalie Monk’s blog.

What was the most challenging aspect of writing Where She Belongs? What was the most rewarding?

Shelby and AJ’s relationship is deeply affected by events that occurred before they were even born. I needed to weave in their grandparents’ history without bogging down the modern-day story. That was a challenge.

The most rewarding aspect was including a few of my own childhood memories in the story. For example, we had a stone fire ring where we roasted hot dogs on autumn evenings. AJ builds a fire ring for Shelby at Misty Willow.

What is the moral of the story?

God sets our feet in a spacious place (Psalm 31:8).

What’s the take-home message of Where She Belongs? What do you want readers to remember the most?

Create treasured memories for those you love.

Complete these two sentences: When I began writing Where She Belongs, I wanted to _________________________. But after I finished the story, I ________________________________.

When I began writing Where She Belongs, I wanted to go back to my family’s old home because I loved living there. But after I finished the story, I could let that dream go. Memorializing the house in fictional story is enough.

Thanks for the interview, Johnnie!

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Author bio: 

Johnnie Alexander writes inspiring stories that linger in the heart. Where Treasure Hides, her debut novel, won the ACFW Genesis Contest (2011) and Golden Leaf Award (2014). Her first contemporary romance, Where She Belongs (Misty Willow Series; Revell), and her first novella, The Healing Promise (Courageous Bride Collection; Barbour), release in 2016.

She also has won Best Novel and Best Writer awards (Florida Christian Writers Conferences), and Bronze Medalist (My Book Therapy Frasier Contest). She volunteers as a category coordinator for the ACFW Genesis Contest, judges various contests, and serves as marketing director for the MidSouth Christian Writers Conference.

A graduate of Rollins College (Orlando) with a Master of Liberal Studies degree, Johnnie treasures family memories, classic movies, road trips, and stacks of books. She lives in the Memphis area with a small herd of alpacas and Rugby, the princely papillon who trees raccoons.

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Connect with Johnnie:
Blog ~ Facebook Profile (Friend or Follow!) ~ Facebook Author Page  ~ GoodReads ~ Twitter ~ Amazon Author Page

Book Spotlight: Where She Belongs

Today, I'd like to share the delightful details about Johnnie Alexander's latest release, Where She Belongs! Here's the cover photo:

Lovely, isn't it?

Continue reading this blog post where you will be treated to a review about Where She Belongs, an excerpt from the book, purchase links for the book and notes on how to connect with the author.

Happy reading! 

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Review written by Kavon and published via Amazon with 5 stars on January 19, 2016, In Kavon's words, Where She Belongs is: That moment when you are happily reading a wonderful story and suddenly what you think is going to happen doesn't and then other things you never even dreamed of start happening instead. You're like -- whoa, wait. Noooooo! And you start waving your arms around like a rabid music conductor as you try get Character A to cool his jets so you can coach Character B to stick with it a bit longer while praying for Character C to just shove off to another book all while trying to hip check secondary characters into an appropriate holding pattern while...Yeah. There were a lot of those moments in this book. All that arm waving and not one single character listened to me. Not even the dog.

Enthralling because I wasn't sure what would happen next. Gut-wrenching because it didn't always go the way I hoped. Dipsy-swoony because when the romance is on it's really, really on! Thud! Heart-stirring because the author explores the power in relationships -- both the past and the present -- and how they shape us. Soul-nourishing because of a solid inspirational thread that anchors it all.

Read this one in a day because . . . I. Just. Couldn't. Stop.

*Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

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Book blurb: Shelby Kincaid is ready to move on from her grief. With high hopes for the future, she longs to purchase her family’s ancestral homestead so she can raise her young daughters in the only place she ever truly belonged. She plans to transform the abandoned house into the perfect home of her memories. But she’ll have her work cut out for her. 

AJ Sullivan never wanted the homestead. Inherited as a punishment from his grandfather, it has sat empty for fifteen years and fallen into ruin. He’s glad to finally unload it. But a clean break isn’t possible when he can’t get the young widow Shelby off his mind. 

Welcome to Misty Willow, a place that will have as great a hold over the reader as it does over its inhabitants. 

~*~
Where She Belongs excerpt details from Johnnie Alexander:

Shelby Kincaid’s dream is to raise her daughters in the same house where she spent golden summers with her grandparents. After signing the papers that allows her to do just that, she celebrates by dining at a little Italian café. When AJ Sullivan shows up at her table, she reluctantly invites him to join her. Her happiness overshadows the anger she feels toward him because he let the house fall into ruin.

Story excerpt: 

“I’m sure it was. Once.” AJ bit into the soft, hot bread. Shelby’s green eyes mesmerized him, but her mercurial attitude confounded him. One minute, he felt like her enemy. The next, as if they could be best friends. Maybe even something more. “But the first time I saw it, the house had already been empty several years.”

“You didn’t want to fix it up? Live in it?”

“It’s kind of large for one person, don’t you think?” He ventured a grin. Thankfully, she nodded agreement.

“You could have rented it out. Made some money.”

He searched for a noble reason why he hadn’t done even that. But the simple truth was that he wanted nothing to do with the house or the memories it embodied. Shelby might be hurt by that truth, but perhaps his explanation would make up for whatever wrongs his family had done to hers.

“Granddad—everyone called him Sully—had several business interests,” he said. “And three heirs. My two cousins and me. I got Misty Willow, and they got everything else.”

“To punish you?”

“Yeah.”

She didn’t ask, but he read the question in her eyes. What had you done?

He gave a casual shrug, as if what he’d done wasn’t that big of a deal. Except that it was. He didn’t need to tell Shelby the whole story, though. Only the part that most people knew.

“I’m his namesake. His only son’s only son. Naturally, I was supposed to be a lawyer so I could take care of his legal affairs. But I dropped out of law school and became a teacher instead.”

“So he pretty much disinherited you?”

“Except for your farm, yes.”

“Why the ‘you can’t sell this for ten years’ clause?”

“According to Richard, who’s the trustee, Sully thought I was too headstrong. That I didn’t think before I acted. Forcing me to keep the property was meant to teach me patience.” AJ leaned back in his chair and traced a pattern on the tablecloth. “For all his faults, he was a visionary. The farmland around here becomes more valuable every year. The commute to Columbus isn’t that far. Seems people want to raise their kids in the country.”

“I understand that.”

“I guess you do. Anyway, what the commuters don’t get, developers will.”

“Not Misty Willow.”

“Nor the rest of the acreage. I kind of like the land the way it is.”

“I wish I could have afforded to lease all of it now.”

“I wish you could have too.” Apparently, the numbers hadn’t worked out for her to lease more than the thirty-two acres. At least that’s what Richard had said. AJ wasn’t sure what difference it made in the long run, though. He gave her an encouraging smile. “But you have first options on the rest, and it’s not going anywhere.”

“I guess that means we’ll be doing business again in the future.”

AJ lifted his glass of tea. “To the future.”

A slow smile brightened Shelby’s features as she clinked her glass against his. “To the future.”

With her perfect timing, Tiff sidled to the table with separate checks and routine questions about to-go boxes. AJ paid both bills then escorted Shelby to her car. The moon hung low on the horizon, and only a few stars gleamed in the night sky.

Shelby clicked the remote to unlock the car. “Thank you for supper.”

“Thanks for letting me sit down.” Stepping in front of her, he opened the door.

“Thank you for the key too. Tell your grandmother it means the world to me.”

“She’ll be glad.”

Shelby started to get in, then halted, standing so close her delicate fragrance beckoned him even closer. “You’re very close to her, aren’t you?”

AJ’s throat tightened. “Very.”

“It’s hard. Losing a grandmother.” She stared past him, a faraway look in her clear eyes. “The pain eases, but it never goes away.”

“Would you want it to?”

She looked at him a moment, her eyes dark in the dim light of a nearby lamppost, then barely shook her head. “Good night.”

“Night.”

AJ stood on the sidewalk, staring at the taillights as she drove away. When she turned a corner, he jammed his hands in his pockets and strode to his Jeep. He envied her. That’s why he couldn’t stop thinking about her.

He envied her passion for a rundown house. He envied her happy childhood memories. He was even jealous that she had kids.

There had been a time when he thought he could change the dysfunctional Sullivan legacy. Become a respected husband and loving father.

But God couldn’t trust him with a family of his own. Not after the way he’d messed things up.

As he slid into his Jeep, he vowed not to think of Shelby Kincaid’s dazzling eyes or delicate features. Ever again.

~*~
Author bio: 

Johnnie Alexander writes inspiring stories that linger in the heart. Where Treasure Hides, her debut novel, won the ACFW Genesis Contest (2011) and Golden Leaf Award (2014). Her first contemporary romance, Where She Belongs (Misty Willow Series; Revell), and her first novella, The Healing Promise (Courageous Bride Collection; Barbour), releases in 2016. 

She also has won Best Novel and Best Writer awards (Florida Christian Writers Conferences), and Bronze Medalist (My Book Therapy Frasier Contest). She volunteers as a category coordinator for the ACFW Genesis Contest, judges various contests, and serves as marketing director for the MidSouth Christian Writers Conference.

A graduate of Rollins College (Orlando) with a Master of Liberal Studies degree, Johnnie treasures family memories, classic movies, road trips, and stacks of books. She lives in the Memphis area with a small herd of alpacas and Rugby, the princely papillon who trees raccoons.

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Buy Johnnie's book:
Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Christian Book Distributors

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Connect with Johnnie: 

Visit her Blog, Facebook Profile (Friend or Follow!) Author Page on Facebook, Follow Johnnie on Twitter, GoodReads and learn more about her books via her Amazon Author Page.