Romantic Reads: The Maritime Cure

Interview with Michelle S. Lowe about her book, The Maritime Cure:

Alexis: Why did you write this book?

Michelle: I wrote The Maritime Cure in memory of my mom and her battle with MS.

Alexis: Describe your story’s heroine, Sage Patterson. What does she look/sound/act like? What are her primary passions? What is her best quality and worst character flaw?

Michelle: Sage Patterson is soft-spoken, with long auburn hair and green eyes that reflect how deeply she feels. She is passionate about helping others. Her best quality is her confidence as a nurse. Her worst character flaw is reliving the past, and of course, her hard-headedness when it comes to dealing with her estranged father.

Alexis: Why did you make Sage a nurse? What does she love about her job?

Michelle: I am a nurse and I love the nursing profession. I have been fortunate enough to work with so many wonderful nurses who put their patients first as Sage does in the story.

Alexis: Paint a picture with words of the beach house that Sage’s mother loves. Why is it special?

Michelle: Sage’s mother’s beloved beach cottage, once painted a bright beachy pink, is now weathered and unkept due to the last few years of neglect. The white porch and railings that were once pristine, now look abandoned and neglected under the tawny sunshine of late summer. The outdated cottage is surrounded by tall, invading dune grass swaying mockingly in the ocean breeze. The beach house is special because inside, Sage’s mother’s special touch remains in every detail and reminds her of her happy childhood.

Alexis: When did Sage adopt her rescue dog Molly? How does Molly help Sage in life?

Michelle: Sage adopts her beautiful Belgian Malinois, Molly, when the injured puppy is abandoned outside her clinic in Asheboro. Molly, with her unconditional love, is therapeutic to Sage during a year wrought with disappointment and the unimaginable.

Alexis: Why is Ocean Isle Beach a picturesque place? Paint a picture of it with words.

Michelle: Ocean Isle beach is serene with its ribbony sunsets of pink and gold against the beautiful blue-green ocean. Neatly manicured sidewalks and backstreets lead to treasured beach homes along the waterway. On quiet nights one can sit at the dock and hear the fish jump along with the low rumbling motors of incoming boats.

Alexis: What role does the unknown painter whose work Sage admires, play in this story?

Michelle: The role of the unknown painter is my favorite part of this story. This mystery man teaches Sage about forgiveness through his watercolor painting of praying hands without saying a word.

Alexis: Why does Sage feel that she needs to escape to Ocean Isle Beach to decompress?

Michelle: Sage’s personal and professional life have been turned upside down by someone she thought would never do her harm. She escapes to Ocean Isle in hopes for respite from all the shame and embarrassment she feels when in her hometown of Asheboro, North Carolina.

Alexis: Describe your story’s hero, Jacob Gable. What does he look/sound/act like? What is his motivation? What are his greatest strengths and worst weaknesses?

Michelle: Jacob Gable is a tall, handsome, distinguished attorney. But being down-to-earth and honest are his most endearing traits. He is dedicated to his faith as a Christian, and his greatest weakness would be falling for Sage the moment he sees her.

Alexis: Why did you make Jacob a real estate attorney? What makes him good at his job?

Michelle: I made Jacob a real estate attorney because having to sell her mother’s beach house has been something Sage has been avoiding for some time, and I really like the irony of her meeting and falling in love with the kind attorney who would ultimately be assisting her with that task.

Alexis: What is it about Jacob that makes Sage’s heart flutter?

Michelle: His strength, yet tenderness and composure, even when he’s upset.

Alexis: What is it about Sage that draws Jacob to her?

Michelle: Jacob is drawn to Sage immediately when he sees her accidentally squeal her tires at a stoplight, her loudly barking dog in the seat beside her. But he is especially moved when he witnesses the gentle emergency care she provides to a young boy having a seizure outside his office, with no thoughts of tearing her dress or ruining her sandals against the rough pavement.

Alexis: How does Sage and Jacob’s individual faith in God help them take a chance on love?

Michelle: Sage’s faith was there all along, she only needed a push from Jacob. At one point in the story, Jacob is forced to walk away from Sage, relying solely on strength from God.

Alexis: What is the theme of this story? Why?

Michelle: The theme of this story is forgiveness. I am amazed by a God that is willing to forgive me completely of my sins. This reminds me that we, as mere humans, should most certainly be willing to forgive others.

Alexis: What do you want readers to remember most about this book?

Michelle: I would like for readers to remember the freedom and healing that forgiveness can offer.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Michelle! Do you have closing comments?

Michelle: Thank you so very much for interviewing me Alexis. I am honored and I hope readers will enjoy my book.

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Author Bio:

Michelle Smith Lowe lives in Asheboro, North Carolina with her husband of twenty years, Brian, and their son, Jake.

She is the proud owner of a very spoiled bluetick hound dog.

Michelle is a Registered Nurse as well as a Certified Multiple Sclerosis Nurse.

She has always loved to write and wishes to thank God most of all for her ability to write fiction.

Her hobbies include searching for Native American arrowheads on her property and cooking for her family.

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Book Blurb for The Maritime Cure:

Forgiveness can heal even the deepest of wounds 

Nurse Practitioner Sage Patterson is accustomed to giving her time and resources to others—and she wouldn’t want it any other way. But when someone she thought she could trust puts her reputation on the line, she can’t find the strength to move past the embarrassment and hurt. To make matters worse, she must now sell her mother’s beloved beach house.

Sage, along with her loyal rescue dog, Molly, head to picturesque Ocean Isle Beach where she finds refuge in watching the work of an unknown painter in the evenings. This tranquility is exactly what she needs to decompress… And then she meets real estate attorney Jacob Gable.

He doesn’t just turn her world upside down; he steals her heart, too. But will Sage’s anger and fear of betrayal get in the way of everything Jacob has to offer? Or will they, together with God, be able to move on from past hurts to embark on a journey of forgiveness and love?

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Buy Michelle’s book on Amazon

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Connect with Michelle:
Instagram: instagram.com/authormlowe
Twitter: twitter.com/Author_MLowe
Facebook: facebook.com/MichelleSLoweAuthor

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