Well June is more than half over and it doesn't look like we'll be getting to the beaches anytime soon, especially with the crowds of people ignoring the warnings about this crazy virus spreading so easily! Unless of course, we can find a camping spot with a tiny slice of private oasis then I'm all there LOL!
With this in mind, now is the perfect time to welcome T. I. Lowe back with book 2 in her Carolina Coast series, Driftwood Dreams.... Take it away Tonya....
What inspired you to
write Driftwood Dreams?
Don’t we all want our dreams to come true? Absolutely, but
how many times do we assume our dreams are too big? I want readers to see that
doesn’t have to be the case. To not allow circumstances or the boxes that
people tend to put us in to hold us back. I say go for it!
What are you most
excited for your readers to experience through reading this story?
The passion of creativity and the excitement of giving in to
our dreams. August just romances Josie right into going for it!
What role does faith
play in this story?
It takes a heavy dose of faith to dream. Just giving over
our hopes and desires to God to do as he sees fit, knowing that sometimes means
the answer is no. But we won’t know if we don’t pursue it.
What lessons or
truths do you hope people take away from Driftwood Dreams?
The Bible verse for this book is “No one lights a lamp and
then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it
gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds
shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father”
(Matthew 5:15-16). We all have unique gifts, discovered most times through our
dreams. We are to use our gifts to shine a beautiful light on just how
wonderful God truly is.
As an author, what
did you particularly enjoy about writing this story?
The oldest member of the Knitting Club has a more prevalent
part in this story. Dalma Jean is considered a senile old lady whom everyone
thinks they need to take care of, but the clever woman ends up taking care of
people in a sneaky way that was so fun for me to reveal to the reader, at times
even before revealing it to other characters. Fans of Lulu in Lulu’s Café will
definitely fall in love with this eccentric yet wise lady.
What was the most
difficult part of writing this story?
This is a sweet contemporary romance, so the difficulty of
not presenting issues too darkly was always on my mind while sharing Josie’s
bout with depression. We all have seasons of despair, so I wanted her experience
to be relatable to readers. And I loved how she used her experience with
depression to reach out and offer support to a friend going through a dark
season.
Can you tell us about
your inspiration for the main character in this book, Josie Slater? What about
August Bradford?
I think we all have a little Josie Slater in us, holding
back from pursuing what we view as an unattainable dream. I know I can relate,
considering it took me nearly forty years of living to pursue my dream of
becoming an author. Hello, folks! It’s never too late! And what woman wouldn’t
want a handsome, charming man encouraging her to pursue those dreams? My hand
is raised and waving like a wild woman. How about yours? Ah, August . . . I
dare you not to fall for him! Such a sweetie, that one.
Can you tell us more
about your inspiration for Driftwood Diner?
Driftwood Diner is Josie’s family restaurant, which was the
dream her parents had that they made into their reality. The dilapidated facade
of the diner represents the idea of how one person’s dream and life goals can
look nothing like another’s, and you know what? That’s totally okay! Josie’s
parents’ dream never fit her, and finally—through much persuasion and a firm,
figurative kick in the backside from her father—Josie comes to terms with this
fact and moves on to chase after her own dream.
What can you tell us
about the second-chance story of Josie and August?
We’ve probably all had that one crush from our teen years
that left the what-ifs whirling around in moments of nostalgia. Well, these two
are perfect examples of that. Both were attracted to each other but didn’t do
anything about those feelings, just leaving them behind along with their youth.
Luckily, Josie and August are presented another chance, and readers will have
front-row seats to witnessing their love bloom into something beyond simple
crushes and stronger than a wistful what-if.
In what ways do you
hope this story connects with contemporary Christian women?
We as Christian mothers, sisters, and friends have a
tendency to focus on supporting others. We are fabulous cheerleaders,
supporting our children, husbands, and friends in their ambitious pursuits, but
we can barely muster an atta-almost-girl for ourselves. What better way to
encourage others to make their dreams into reality than leading by example?
Tonya “T. I.” Lowe is a native of coastal South Carolina. She attended Coastal Carolina University and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she majored in psychology but excelled in creative writing. In 2014, Tonya independently published her first novel, Lulu’s Café, which quickly became a bestseller. Now the author of twelve published novels with hundreds of thousands of copies sold, she knows she’s just getting started and has many more stories to tell. She resides near Myrtle Beach with her family.
Connect with her on her Author Page, T.I. Lowe’s Website Instagram Twitter (@TiLowe) and Facebook
Get a copy of Driftwood Dreams at Tyndale, Amazon OR wherever books are sold. Don't forget to pick up book 1 in the series, Beach Haven!
Thank you so much for joining us again, Tonya. We wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with your new series.
Hope you enjoyed the post friends and that you'll check back each week for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight. Don't forget to leave a comment on the blog and enter my drawing for a gift card of your choice or perhaps a 1 month Audible membership!
Also, NN Light's Book Heaven's "Celebrate Audiobook Month" event is still going on (see sidebar) be sure to enter the contest to win one of 5 different gift cards!
Until next time, take care, God bless and be safe.
PamT
7 comments:
Hi T.I.,
This sounds like another delightful read. I like second chance stories, too.
It sounds like just my kind of book. Best wishes for your success. D. V. 🦉
It was nice to meet you and learn about your book. It sounds great!
A fine in-depth interview. Congrats on the publication of your new novel.
I agree, I like the sound of this too. A great post.
What a great interview! Congratulation and best of luck on the book!
Thanks everyone! I tried commenting on each individual, but I'm terrible at this tech stuff, lol. I really appreciate your comments and taking the time to read this article. Thanks again, Pamela, for inviting me! Hope you all are safe and doing well this summer! I'm from coastal SC, so it's been muggy hot and rainy! But I'm thankful my family is all healthy. Take care, T.I.!
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