Romantic Reads: A Persevering Heart

Welcome Lisa Prysock to the blog!

She's here to share about her book, A Persevering Heart, and she's hosting a giveaway! So remember to enter the book giveaway contest via the Rafflecopter widget that's located at the end of this blog post.

Enjoy your time with this lovely author!

~*~

Interview with Lisa Prysock about her book, A Persevering Heart:

Alexis: What inspired you to write this story and why did you give it this title?

Lisa: My inspiration for this story was to write a Christian mystery with a setting inspired by my daughter. She recently married and lives in Georgia now. The title is inspired from the Lord helping me persevere through many storms in my own life.

Alexis: Who or what was the inspiration behind your story’s heroine, Ms. Pepper Anne Barrington?

Lisa: The fictional character of Ms. Pepper Anne Barrington is inspired by all of the mysteries I’ve read over the years, and even some I’ve watched on television. I have enjoyed Agatha Christie’s novels and Nancy Drew mysteries. I loved watching the TV shows Murder She Wrote, Perry Mason, Columbo, and many more. I wanted to create a memorable character, and readers tell me she lives up to it so far.

Alexis: How does Pepper look? What does her voice sound like? What are her greatest strengths and most embarrassing weaknesses?

Lisa: Ms. Pepper is an attractive, Christian, wealthy widow at the age of forty-eight when the series begins. She’s a confident brunette who owns a plantation mansion, an L-shaped house made into a Bed and Breakfast (B&B). Her former husband, Wyatt, was into real estate, which is how they acquired the 10-acre property. They remodeled the estate together before his car accident that left her widowed. She drives a shimmery blue Aston Martin and also owns a Rolls Royce. Her voice sounds strong, likeable, and kind of like a cross between Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith from “Charlie’s Angels” (a detective television series from way back in the 80’s). At times she is soft-spoken and other times, strong and courageous.

I think her weakness is being a bit too busy with her writing and managing a B&B. Thankfully, she has hired some staff to help her stay on track. There’s a cook, a gardener, and a housekeeper. I think her most embarrassing weakness is meddling. She likes to snoop out mysteries and help find resolutions for them. And it’s also perhaps a bit of a weakness that she loves fashion. She really enjoys dressing up and driving around in her convertible Aston Martin with the top down.

Alexis: Is Pepper rich? What does she do for a living?

Lisa: Pepper is what you’d call filthy rich. She’s a mystery writer, as well as the owner of Edgewater Coventry B&B. She doesn’t need the income because her husband’s estate left her millions upon his death. Between all of his properties, insurance, and income, she doesn’t have to worry about money.

Alexis: Why did Pepper choose to be a mystery novelist and how long did it take for her books to become bestsellers?

Lisa: Pepper became a mystery novelist after she retired from teaching elementary school and her children became school age. She became a bestselling novelist with her very first book. Not exactly the stuff most of us real life writers go through.

Alexis: Paint a picture of Edgewater Coventry B&B, with words. What makes it special?

Lisa: The B&B plantation property is pretty cool. It’s in a historic neighborhood area of Atlanta not too far from downtown. It was inspired by a neighborhood in Atlanta I drove through with my husband when visiting my daughter’s school connected to the Atlanta Dream Center.

To imagine Ms. Pepper Anne Barrington’s property, you’d want to picture driving through iron gates on the approach. The drive winds to the left and up through a gently sloping lawn toward the main L-shaped house with a courtyard garden terrace in the rear. To the left of the house (if you’re facing the house), there’s a giant arch leading into a garage with a stone courtyard of its own, and parking for numerous vehicles. I found a design from some famous Hollywood mansion homes that gave me the basis for this amazing courtyard garage.

Imagine beautiful shrubs and flower beds surrounding the mansion house with shade from patches of trees here and there on the front grounds. There is a veranda with four pillars across the front of the house.

The house has spacious rooms with tall ceilings, and a fireplace in nearly every room. The main floor has a Ladies Parlor, a Library, a Music Room, and an office. The other wing of the “L” has a long dining room, a kitchen, and Pepper’s quarters on the first floor.

Each of the guest rooms have a name. These are the Hydrangea Room, the Magnolia Room, the Marigold Room, the Pomegranate Room, the Peach Room, the Rose Room, the Indigo Room, and the Gardenia Room. The third floor attic has been remodeled into rooms for two of Pepper’s adult children.

The design of the house is based loosely on a real-life historical plantation. There is a staircase inside the main hall leading to the second floor, and another staircase from the other wing which can be accessed from the terrace garden. Some of the upstairs guest rooms are accessed by the upper veranda. Each guest room on the second floor (in both wings) has a bathroom and fireplace. There is a central lounge upstairs in the middle of the second and third floors. (Some of these details come out as readers read my books in the series). If you count the cottage, in total, there are eight guest rooms available because Pepper’s quarters are the Pomegranate Room.

Beyond the plantation main house is a walk leading to a guest house called Brook Cottage with a lanai. It sits on the northeast corner, angled toward the walking trails winding through a wooded area, and the pond.

Guests can enjoy the rowing boats on the pond, walk the shaded trails, swim in the pool year round, use the exercise room, enjoy the octagonal gazebo, picnic in the pavilion with swings, and walk through the green house. In addition to a vegetable garden providing organic fresh vegetables for guests and a rose garden, there are lilies, hydrangeas, and many plants, flowers, trees, and shrubs on the property.

Alexis: How does Bradley look? What does his voice sound like? What are his strongest features and his most serious character flaws?

Lisa: From Nashville, Tennessee, he looks and acts a lot like a cowboy. He wears jeans, cowboy boots, a cowboy hat, and plaid shirts all through the story, except he’s not a country singer. He’s a hip hop artist and fans are crazy about him. He has brown hair, blue eyes, and he’s tall.

He has a strong voice. His biggest flaw was not being able to have fun during a long-term crisis in the book. He really had to work at trusting God to let that happen. His best feature is his dependency on God and that he doesn’t let his fame and success go to his head. He is a genuine hero. He loves to do handyman work and remodeling his grandmother’s old Victorian is a joy for him since he is a woodshop pro and a math whiz. He is also the oldest of all of his siblings.

He is not organized, and that’s one of his flaws.

Alexis: What brings Bradley to Georgia? Where does he stay and why doesn’t he leave?

Lisa: Bradley inherits his grandmother’s estate in Atlanta and he decides to remodel it and live there. Some of his siblings live in the area. In fact, he moves his whole band to Atlanta from Nashville. While he’s tackling the remodeling, he decides to stay at the B&B where he meets Patricia.

Alexis: Why is Bradley passionate about music? What is the name of his band? Are they famous?

Lisa: He is passionate about sharing Jesus through his music, and yes, his band is famous. The name of his band is Eternity.

Alexis: What draws Patricia and Bradley together? What are their first impressions of each other?

Lisa: Bradley’s antique watch turns up missing, but it is found on Patricia’s desk. Patricia is instantly attracted to Bradley. I’ll let readers find out what he thinks by reading the book.

Alexis: If you could visit the bed and breakfast in this story as a guest, how would you spend your time there? What would you do? Would you snoop around and help solve the mysteries?

Lisa: I would definitely love to stay there. I’d take a walk on the trails, have a picnic with my husband in the pavilion, ride in the rowing boats, and swim in the pool. I’d use the exercise room at least every other day. I’d love to stroll through the rose garden and the green house, and inspect the vegetable garden.

Yes, I might even try to help solve the mysteries. I’m curious like that, and if I see an injustice, I like to get to the bottom of it. I might also lock myself in the guest house to write stories and only come out for food. I’d also enjoy reading a book in the library, having tea in the Ladies’ Parlor, and reading in the gazebo and the pavilion. I’d enjoy the piano in the music room, too. Having tea by one of the fireplaces with a great book would be a favorite end of the day activity for me.

Alexis: What do you want readers to remember most about A Persevering Heart?

Lisa: I want them to know that the persevering heart who does not give up on God will be rewarded with a good life from a good God who deeply loves each of us.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Lisa! Would you like to share closing comments?

Lisa: Thank you so much for having me on your blog, Alexis. I would like to share with readers that I’m not the only writer in this exciting new series. Some very talented writers are contributing books to it, and their ideas have each been unique and outstanding. 

These stories have been full of suspense, intrigue, mystery, faith, inspiration, sweet romance, well-developed characters, and amazing plots. I encourage readers to enjoy all of the books in the “Georgia Peaches” series.

I’m giving away two Kindle copies of this book and one signed paperback, so we’ll choose three random readers who comment as winners. To win, what kind of mystery do you think Pepper might help solve in my next series contribution? I’d love to hear what your thoughts are about this series, as well. Do you enjoy reading mysteries and suspenseful stories?

~*~
Author Bio:

Lisa M. Prysock is an award-winning, bestselling, Christian and inspirational author of more than 28 novels. She and her husband make their home in Kentucky where the rich heritage, scenic area, local culture and history, along with her faith, are a constant source of inspiration for many of Lisa’s books. Together, they have five grown children. 

Lisa writes in the genres of both Historical Christian Romance and Contemporary Christian Romance novels, including a multi-author Western Christian Romance series, “Whispers in Wyoming.” She is also the author of a devotional. She enjoys sharing her faith through her writing.

She has many interests, but a few of these include gardening, cooking, sketching, arts and crafts, sewing, crochet, cross stitch, scrapbooking, reading, swimming, biking, and walking. Lisa loves dollhouses, cats, horses, butterflies, hats, boots, flip-flops, chocolate, coffee, tea, chocolate, the colors peach and purple, and everything old-fashioned. 

She adopted the slogan of “The Old-Fashioned Everything Girl” because of her love for classic, traditional, and old-fashioned everything. When she isn’t writing, she can sometimes be found teaching herself piano and violin, but humorously finds the process “a bit slow and painful.”

A few of her favorite authors include Jane Austen, Lucy Maude Montgomery, Louisa May Alcott, and Laura Ingalls Wilder. You’ll find “food, fashion, fun, and faith” in Lisa’s novels.

She continues the joy and adventure of sharing her faith through her writing journey as a member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and LCW (Louisville Christian Writers). Lisa’s books are clean and wholesome, inspirational, and family oriented. She gives a generous portion of the proceeds to missions.

You can find out more about this author at www.LisaPrysock.com where you’ll find free recipes, devotionals, author video interviews and book trailers, giveaways, blog posts, and much more, including an invitation to sign up for her free newsletter.

~*~

Blurb for A Persevering Heart (book):

When Ms. Pepper Anne Barrington isn’t driving her convertible Aston Martin or writing her bestselling mysteries, she’s busy solving real-life dilemmas happening to her three grown children or the guests visiting her Atlanta bed and breakfast, Edgewater Coventry B & B. It seems to Miss Pepper, there’s always an air of romance, mystery, and perhaps a little adventure and mayhem at the restored 19th century plantation.

When handsome handyman and popular up and coming musician, Bradley Fielding, inherits his grandmother’s Victorian estate in Georgia, he relocates his band from Nashville to Atlanta to oversee the renovations. He decides to stay at the Edgewater Coventry B & B while the Fielding house that has been in his family for generations is being remodeled. All kinds of things begin to go wrong, including the disappearance of his sister and an antique pocket watch.

Patricia Johnston, avid reader and administrative assistant to Miss Pepper, is perhaps the most disturbed of all when she is framed for stealing Brad Fielding’s antique watch. She’s off to the wrong start in her new job—and with one of the country’s most eligible bachelors.

Don’t miss the adventure, romance, and sometimes mystery in "A Persevering Heart," Book 1 of the new, exciting Christian and inspirational series, ‘Georgia Peaches,’ where each novella ends with a happily ever after in spite of a number of obstacles.

~*~
Buy Lisa's book on Amazon: 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085XTXSZR

View ALL of the books in the "Georgia Peaches" series:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B088811ZXL

~*~
Connect with Lisa:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisaMPrysock
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LPrysock
Website: www.LisaPrysock.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00J6MBC64
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lisa-m-prysock

~*~

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:
 a Rafflecopter giveaway