14 Days of Sweet Stories: "Harvest Blessings" by Christina Lorenzen

Interview with Christina Lorenzen, author of Harvest Blessings:

Alexis: What’s the significance of your story’s title, Harvest Blessings?

Christina: Well, it’s harvest season for the family apple orchards and unbeknownst to Tacy and Brody, they are both blessed when they come together for a common cause–picking the apples to help fund the church preschool. Not only does the preschool benefit, but they both learn to trust and open their hearts.

Alexis: Tell us about your story’s heroine Tacy Clark. Why did you make her a musician? What are her greatest joys and deepest sorrows? 

Christina: As I was creating Tacy, I had watched a story on television about the amazing time and work that goes into the making of a violin. That stayed with me and like a flash of light I knew that Tacy was going to play one. Her uncle blessed her with the violin that led to her love of music.

Alexis: What brings Tacy back home to Hill Top Orchards? Why did she leave in the first place? Now what makes her want to stay? 

Christina: Tacy gets an email ‘from her aunt’ asking her to come home and help with the orchards. It raises her suspicion because she knows her aunt doesn’t have a computer nor keep up with technology. But because she hasn’t been home in a number of years, she has to check for herself. She’s also propelled by the guilt of not having come home to help her aunt when her uncle was ill and eventually went to be with the Lord.

Going back to her love of music, Tacy left the orchards and the small town of Hill Top to pursue a career in music, hopefully to play in a large orchestra in New York City. The last thing she was expecting was the pull to stay in her childhood home but between her growing affection for both Brody and his daughter, and the new growth in her relationship with her aunt, she desires to make a life in her old hometown.

Alexis: Tell us about your story’s hero Brody Porter. What are his greatest strengths? What are his worst weaknesses? Why is he important to telling this story? 

Christina: Brody is a devoted dad. I’d say his greatest strength is his desire to protect his daughter and give her the very best life he can as a single dad. His worst weakness is that because of the experience he had with Cami’s mother, his ex-wife, he now judges all women in show business as the same as his ex. He’s an important character not only because he is the love interest for Tacy but because he is responsible for bringing Tacy and her aunt together.

Alexis: What is the significance of harvesting apples for the annual festival in this story? Why do the fictional town people look forward to this event? 

Christina: For many years the harvesting of the apples from Hill Top Orchard was a significant event because the funds from the apples went to the church or another need in the small town. Beyond that, the annual festival is one of the biggest events in town and the people in town look forward to as a way to socialize and celebrate their community.

Alexis: What role does Brody’s 4-year-old daughter Cami play in this story? What is Brody’s relationship with her Mom? 

Christina: Cami is a precocious adorable little girl that softens Tacy’s heart. In Cami Tacy is reminded of her own childhood, something she may not have thought had she not met Cami. Like Cami, Tacy lost her mother at a very young age and they share that common bond. When Cami’s mom leaves, she cuts all ties not only with Brody but with her daughter, a deep wound for Brody. 

Alexis: What is it about Tacy that makes Brody consider taking another shot at love? 

Christina: Because Brody is a protector, he is drawn to Tacy’s vulnerable personality. As he sees how much Cami likes Tacy he begins to open up to getting to know her. 

Alexis: What is it about Brody that attracts Tacy to him? Explain. 

Christina: Tacy’s sweetest memories as a child were those she shared with her Uncle Jerry who was like the father she never had. As Tacy gets to observe Brody with Cami, she finds herself taken with his fathering skills and his deep, unconditional love for his daughter.

Alexis: Why do Tacy and Brody need each other? 

Christina: Tacy needs someone that will care for her and make her feel her future is secure, something she hasn’t gotten on her own. Brody needs a woman first and foremost who will love his daughter and prove she is trustworthy.

Alexis: What do you want your readers to learn from this story? 

Christina: I think when I wrote the story I wanted to share with readers that when it comes to family sometimes we don’t know everything we think we do, as Tacy found out about Aunt Ruby. And that if we open our hearts and trust we can find the love we so need.

Alexis: Who is your favorite character in this story? Why? 

Christina: Though I am fond of all of the characters and hated to end the story, I do have to say my favorite was sweet little Cami. She was so much fun.

Alexis: Complete this sentence: When I was writing Harvest Blessings, I craved ________________________ because _________________________.

Christina: When I was writing Harvest Blessings, I craved being out in the country air because it brings me such peace.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Christina! God bless you.

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Author bio:

Christina Lorenzen started writing as a young teen, jotting stories in wire ring composition notebooks. Her first typewriter made it faster to get all those stories out of her head and down on paper. Her love of writing has sustained her through a myriad of jobs that included hairdresser, legal secretary, waitress and door-to-door saleswoman. 

Luckily for her, writing proved to be successful and a lot less walking than going door to door. Harvest Blessings, a sweet small town romance, is Christina's fourth book. She is also the author of A Husband for Danna, its sequel, A Wife for Humphrey and her recent Christmas release, Snow Globe Reunion. She is busy working on a modern retelling of the classic tale, Rapunzel. 

When she isn't writing or reading, she can be found walking her dog, talking to her herd of cats and spending time with her family.

To find out about Christina's upcoming releases, visit her website at http://christinalorenzen.com/.

Subscribe to Christina's newsletter and be entered automatically each month to win a $5 Amazon gift card at http://christinalorenzen.com/connect-with-christina

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Blurb for Harvest Blessings: Professional musician Tacy Clark hasn’t been back home to Hill Top Orchards since the death of her beloved Uncle Jerry. When she gets an email from her aunt, the guilt she’s been feeling since her uncle’s death forces her to make the trip back home.. When her car breaks down, a ride from her aunt’s neighbor, Brody Porter, is the beginning of a roller coaster of emotions, as Tacy is forced to deal with guilt and the pain of never having known her mother. 

Intending to stay only as long as it takes to harvest the apples for the annual festival and be free from guilt, Tacy is determined not to get involved with Brody Porter and his little girl Cami.

Brody Porter was burned by his estranged wife, Carrie Ann, a struggling actress, who came into his life during a lull in her career and then left him alone to raise their daughter, four year old Cami. He’s vowed never to play the knight in shining armor again. His only interest in Tacy Clark is making sure she gets those apples harvested for the town's annual festival. Without that harvest, the festival might not raise enough funds for the church preschool. Without a place for Cami to go every day he won't be able to put the time he needs into his livelihood, his coffee shop, Brews & Bites.

Tacy Clark and Brody Porter are both determined to get what they want and go their own ways. Will the sweet scent of apples and a harvest moon soften the hearts of two people who need each other more than they know?

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Buy Christina's book on Amazon

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Connect with Christina:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/chrisfoxlorenz/
Facebook Author page - https://m.facebook.com/ChristinaLorenzenAuthor/
Website - http://christinalorenzen.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/christina_lorenzen/

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