#SaturdaySpotlight is on T. I. Lowe & Driftwood Dreams

Good Morning from Troy, Alabama!

Some of you may have noticed my new promo picture on some, or all, of my social media sites and/or website. I'm not a fan of cameras and not near as photogenic as my daughter and granddaughter so every ten years is enough. I know the depiction on this blog isn't very large so here is a larger one for you.....

Enough about me, let's get on with our guest!

Last year I attended the Dixie Youth World Series in Monroe, LA and our South Carolina team won undefeated. This year, we're in Alabama for the games which will take place in Ozark, AL. Neat how this works out so well with today's guest whose book being spotlighted is # 2 in her "Carolina Coast" series.

Tonya has shared Beach Haven (book 1) on Wednesday Words with Friends and in a Spotlight. We also found out quite a bit on Driftwood Dreams (book 2) last month in her WWwF post but today we're getting a peek into the novel!

Josie Slater has allowed the circumstances anchoring her in Sunset Cove to become a life sentence. Since her mother’s death years before, she’s spent most of her waking hours helping her dad run the Driftwood Diner. As her best friends, Opal and Sophia, make their dreams come true, Josie watches her own art school aspirations drift on by. But when a French-speaking Southern gentleman from her past moves back from Europe, Josie is launched into a tizzy of what-ifs and I-sure-do-hope-sos.

August Bradford left Sunset Cove six years ago to sow some life oats and conquer his ambitious career goals. Finally ready to lay down some roots, the successful artist is back in town and determined to win Josie’s heart. When he enlists Josie’s help in the preparations for a children’s art camp, Josie finds herself unleashing her artistic side in a way she hasn’t since before her mother’s death. August hopes to convince Josie to paint a life with him, but the problem is convincing her to let go of her apprehensions and give him—and her dreams—a fair chance.

 Excerpt: Standing in the midst of the ebb and flow of her daily chaos always gave Josie Slater the same feeling as standing in the surf—it was ever-changing, yet she felt trapped in the same spot with her feet slowly sinking in the sand. She absently handed an order slip to a passing waitress while ringing up the couple sitting at the counter in front of her.

“This place is amazing.” The middle-aged man handed over a couple of bills.

“Why, thank you.” Josie offered a polite smile along with his change. She didn’t even have to be present in the moment anymore to serve up generous portions of Southern hospitality to tourists.

“The candied pecan waffles were deli-cious,” the wife added as her husband helped her off the stool.
The couple had been sitting there chat-ting Josie up for the better part of the last hour about their thirtieth wedding anniver-sary trip to the Grand Strand. They were both dressed in brand-new swimwear and were pasty white, except for the fresh streaks of sunburn across their noses. Even if they hadn’t told her, they were broadcasting their tourist status. Josie often wondered why vacationers couldn’t figure out how to properly apply sunblock. Over the years she’d seen various red-and-white stripes, Rudolph noses, hairline sunburns, and handprints.

Even with their neon noses, Josie thought they were the cutest and wondered if such happiness was ever going to be in the cards for her. Seemed the only card she owned was the one that kept her rooted behind this counter, parroting courteous responses to customer accolades.

The man wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulders. “And just think, we were about to walk on by, but the people piling in and out of this old building made us curious enough to step inside.”

“A hidden gem is what Driftwood Diner is.” The wife added a generous tip to the old-fashioned milk can that served as the tip jar for counter service. “It’s the best meal we’ve had since arriving.”

Josie couldn’t agree more. She was right proud of the establishment created at the hands of her parents. The timeworn, rusted shanty sat proudly, even with its arthritic lean to the left, on the sand of coastal South Carolina and had been a prominent fixture in the Sunset Cove community for nearly four decades. Its breakfast fare was legendary, and it usually took just one taste of the bis-cuits and gravy to have a newbie hooked for life. Josie’s father replaced the traditionally used ground sausage with chopped shrimp, taking the already-decadent dish over the top.

“Y’all have a good time at the beach, and be sure to come back for lunch.” She waved goodbye to the couple.

“Oh, we will. I have to try the shrimp burgers.” The husband waved one last time before guiding his wife out the screen door.

Josie continued on autopilot, gathering dirty dishes and wiping down the counter while her mind wandered toward happier thoughts of the upcoming weekend meeting with the Sand Queens.

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!

Thanks for this peek into your book, Tonya, we are SO looking forward to hearing more on book 3 in the series!

Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight friends and that you'll check back each week for more Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlights.

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends welcomes T. I. Lowe @TILowe back with Q&A on book 2 in her Carolina Coast series!

Good Morning Friends,

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!

Check out Tonya's previous posts HERE  HERE and HERE.

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

#SaturdaySpotlight is on T.I. Lowe & Beach Haven!

Good Morning!

Welcome to the last Saturday Spotlight in May 2020. Today's guest visited with us last month and shared insight into the writing of her book. Today we get a sneak peek into the story itself....

Free-spirited Opal Gilbert seems to have everything she needs to keep living a happy life in Sunset Cove as she refurbishes vintage furniture to sell at her funky ocean-side boutique, Bless This Mess. Until Lincoln Cole, a new-to-town ex-Marine nursing deep wounds and harboring hurts he can’t seem to shake, wanders into her shop. Opal knows a person in need when she sees one and offers Lincoln a job in her workshop. But the brooding former soldier has no interest in Opal’s offer. Thanks but no thanks.

But then a hurricane strikes, damaging Bless This Mess. Feeling guilty for how he treated Opal, Lincoln decides to help her repair the store. And soon it becomes clear Opal wants to restore not only her business, but also help Lincoln find restoration. As much as Lincoln tries to keep her at arm’s length, Opal’s well-meaning meddling begins to heal his wounds . . . and capture his heart almost before he realizes it.

Weaving through a jungle of the most outlandish antiques he’d ever come across, Lincoln Cole was dumbfounded and intrigued all at once. Surrounded by unusually dressed pieces of furniture, he did a three-sixty and scratched at the scruff on his cheek. The scruff indicated he was more than a few days past needing a shave, but the rebellion that had taken root in him since the injury he sustained in Syria had overruled grooming protocol that morning. Waking up from the recurring nightmare often left him too raw to focus on such mundane things. At least he had managed a shower and a fresh change of clothes.

Whimsical feminine humming somehow found its way to him as he suppressed the limp wanting to reside in his left leg while hobbling another few steps forward. Although it was a sunny day in late September, his leg was telling him the pleasant weather wouldn’t last for very long.

Nothing good ever lasts long . . .

Lincoln huffed in frustration over his own thoughts and stood semi-hidden in a section of old desks. He cast his gaze upward and blinked a few times. Various tables and chairs were suspended from the ceiling. A few had been converted into light fixtures, while the rest of them looked like they were being held hostage by thick cables.

“Good morning,” a cheery voice came from behind him. “Welcome to Bless This Mess.”

Keeping his focus on the ceiling, Lincoln spoke the first thing to flicker through his mind. “Is that even safe?” He pointed to the pieces of furniture that appeared to be floating above their heads.

“Oh yes. Code inspectors have deemed my mess safe.”

The woman’s teasing voice finally had Lincoln turning in her direction. Peering at him from the other side of a wooden hutch that had been transformed into a bath vanity was a sprite of a woman with the wildest head of golden-red curls he’d ever seen. The tips were lighter as if the sun had reached down and stolen the color. She closely resembled the mosaic fairy he’d seen on the outside of the building.
Clearing his throat, he offered a curt “Good.”

A smile began to blossom across the lively woman’s face as she smoothed some kind of flowy blouse with her petite hand, causing a gaudy collection of bracelets to clang against one another.

Lincoln assessed her as he’d been trained to do in the military. He measured her no bigger than a minute and figured he could apprehend her with one hand tied behind his back, but he considered those big green eyes of hers and cataloged them as her secret weapon. They sparkled, but that wasn’t what set off the warning bells. No, those eyes were watching him way too closely and had already seen way more than they should. Assessment complete, he began to slowly back away.

“I have the perfect piece for you.” She held an index finger in the air, halting his attempted retreat. She skipped off in the opposite direction, sending the spirals of soft red-and-blonde hair into a dance. “I’m Opal, by the way,” she said quickly over her shoulder.

She disappeared from sight, but he could hear the banging and clattering from his two o’clock, giving away her location. “I didn’t come here for furniture.”

“Oh, that’s okay. This piece was meant for you, nonetheless, so I insist on you taking it.” Her grunts came from the back and sounded like she was struggling with something.

Sighing, Lincoln looked heavenward at the craziness on the ceiling one last time before walking through the maze to find her. He stopped cold in his tracks when he found her sitting on a soldier’s footlocker.

“I found this on a junking trip last year.” Opal smoothed her tiny hand over the thick gray cushion that had been fitted on the top. It reminded Lincoln of a military-issue wool coat. “For some reason, I just knew it needed to be transformed into a bench seat. Possibly for an entry piece where someone can sit and remove or put on their shoes. Or maybe at the foot of a bed.” She swung her feet back and forth, looking like a little kid. Flip-flops peeked from the edges of her fraying bell-bottom jeans each time her legs swayed forward.

Not letting himself get caught in the confusing inquiry of where she found such an odd pair of jeans, Lincoln crossed his arms and regarded the piece suspiciously. “Why’d you make it so tall?” His eyes dropped to the thick wooden spindles she’d used for the legs. They were painted a neutral gray to coordinate with the creamy beige used on the trunk. It was obvious she’d put a lot of thought into the piece, even re-stenciling the ID number along the front side in the same gray as the legs.

“I had a feeling the owner would need the extra leg space. What are you, six-four?” She gave him a swift once-over.

Six-five. “Close enough.”

She smirked like she had a secret. “If you’re not here for furniture, then what are you here for?”
Lincoln moved his eyes away from the peculiar woman and swept them over the menagerie of furniture pieces while rubbing a hand through his long brown hair. Haircuts were another ritual he’d allowed to die several months ago, right along with his military career.

After giving her question some thought, Lincoln answered honestly, “I’m not sure.” He turned and began moving through the rows as quick as his achy leg would carry him.

“You forgot your bench!” Opal called from behind him. “And you didn’t even introduce yourself!”
Her petitions did nothing to slow his already-sluggish getaway. He didn’t stop until he was piled back into his Jeep and heading down the beachfront road.

“Smooth, Cole. Real smooth.” He groaned and released one tight-fisted pound against the steering wheel. Between the throb in his knee and the unsettling encounter with the store’s owner, all he wanted to do was go back to his beach cottage and hide from the feeling that he didn’t fit anywhere anymore. The doctors had done the best they could with his knee, putting enough hardware in his leg for him to be considered part cyborg, but no bolt or pin could put his destroyed life back together.

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 Beach Haven at Tyndale, Amazon OR wherever books are sold.

WONDERFUL excerpt Tonya! Thank you for sharing. Good luck and God's blessings with your new series.

Remember friends, today is the last day to enter my monthly gift card giveaway so leave a comment.

Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends welcomes T.I. Lowe!

Good Morning and Welcome to the final edition of Wednesday Words with Friends for April 2020!

Today is your last chance to enter into my monthly gift card giveaway so be sure and leave a comment. I will pick a winner and email him or her and announce on Saturday Spotlight this weekend (May 2nd).

Our guest, T.I. Lowe has visited before so please welcome her back with the first of her new "Carolina Coast" trilogy releasing from Tyndale House throughout this spring/summer.

Take it away T.I.......

1.What inspired you to write Beach Haven?
The Bible verse shared at the beginning of the book sums it up. “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope’” (Jeremiah 29:11). Storms in life can come in and make such a mess that this promise can get overlooked. Haven means “refuge,” so I was inspired to write a story centered around finding our haven in God during these storms, seeking his refuge and redemption in the aftermath. Readers will see this physically manifested through a hurricane and spiritually demonstrated through Lincoln’s redemption of faith.

2.What are you most excited for your readers to experience through reading this story?
I’m most excited for readers to experience the victory of redemption. Lincoln will make mistakes, he will fight against necessary change, and he will try running from his faith and the feelings developing for Opal. I loved, loved, loved when I finally got to the part of the story where this giant of a man humbles himself to accept it all. He is a decorated soldier and wore bravery like a fine suit before he was wounded in battle, but I found him at his strongest when he stood up for Opal and when he reconciled with his father.

3.What role does faith play in this story?
Life is a gift from God, even when we perceive it to be in ruins and past repair. During a confrontation with Lincoln, Opal points this out to him by checking his pulse. She tells him, “Each pulse you have is another chance. Another opportunity. . . . You’re a living breathing miracle. Your life is a gift from God and yet you’ve just wasted eighty-eight chances to appreciate that in the last minute.”

4.What lessons or truths do you hope people take away from Beach Haven? 
Just because a chapter of your life inserts an unexpected plot twist and is far from what you had planned doesn’t mean the story is over. Embracing change is never easy, but it’s a part of life.

5.As an author, what did you particularly enjoy about writing this story?
The most enjoyable part of this story was introducing the Knitting Club, a geriatric group of busybodies. Opal has this thought in the book: “It was said that the Knitting Club came over on the Mayflower and somehow found the fountain of youth upon landing.” These feisty broads are the comic relief of the story with interesting dashes of wisdom thrown into the mix. They are big fans of mischief and meddling.

6.What was the most difficult part of writing this story?
When I create a character with such an altruistic background as Lincoln’s military career, my goal is to pay my respects and to honor them. I’m always a little nervous about getting that right and mindful of how it will be perceived.

7.Can you tell us about your inspiration for the main character in this book, Opal Gilbert? What about Lincoln Cole?
Opal is what folks consider weird. Different. Too silly at times. She allows people to form those opinions but doesn’t allow them to keep her from enjoying the eccentric fit of her quirkiness. Opal’s purpose is to inspire readers to own up to their uniqueness. Lincoln is a big ole teddy bear hiding behind a grouchy pout, but boy does he have one fierce stubborn streak. Once his mind up is made up about something, there’s no wavering from it. Lincoln finally reaches a point in the story where there is no other choice but to come to terms with accepting God’s repurposing plan for his life.

8.Can you tell us more about your inspiration for Opal’s shop, Bless This Mess?
I’m a huge fan of the show Fixer Upper, and I love the idea of taking something old and considered unappealing and transforming it into something new and charming. On the show, the designers highlight imperfections instead of trying to hide them. None of us are perfect, but our flaws can be used in an appealing way. This is what I hope for readers to discover while they are exploring Bless This Mess.

9.What can you tell us about the relationship that forms between Opal Gilbert and Lincoln Cole?
Neither one of them wanted a relationship. Opal’s focus was restoring her shop in the aftermath of Hurricane Lacy, and Lincoln’s focus was restoring his life, which was left in ruins due to a career-ending injury and the poor choices he made afterward. Even though they both fight against their developing feelings, of course love wins in the end. Exploring the unexpectedness of their love story was an appealing challenge for me. They butt heads quite a bit, but both have that endearing quality where they have each other’s back. I’ll share one of my favorite scenes below that showcases this when a guy makes fun of Opal in public.

“Aw, come on, Opie. You know you earned your weirdo status.” Ray laughed like it was the funniest thing until the formidable man behind her leered over her shoulder. Lincoln’s rigid stance pressed close to her, and Ray’s taunting eyes froze as the shadow encased them both.

“Who are you?” Lincoln asked with enough grit in his voice to scare even Opal.

She was about to back away from the confrontation when a strong arm secured itself around her waist, a wall of muscle pressing firmly against her back in a united front.

“Ray Owens. I’m a friend of Opal’s from back in high school.” He reached a shaky hand out and Lincoln ignored it. After getting the hint, Ray retracted his hand and swiped it over his forehead, looking right nervous.

“Opal’s never mentioned a friend named Ray. Certainly never mentioned an idiot dumb enough to call her a ridiculous name. What are you, two?”

Ray stammered out a shaky laugh. “Come on, man. I was just joking around. I mean . . . look who we’re talking about.” His head tilted toward her with his eyes growing round.

“No way are you talking about this woman standing in front of you. She’s one of the most creative and kindest people I know. You’d be wise to take note of that and to also take note I won’t be putting up with anyone treating her with anything less than absolute respect.” Without another word, Lincoln used his hold on Opal to spin her around and place her away from the hurtfulness the guy had just pushed on her.

Opal was used to having Lincoln’s strong personality aimed against her, but it was remarkably comforting to have it used as a shield of defense for her.

10.In what ways do you hope this story connects with contemporary Christian women?

By the time the contemporary Christian woman makes it to the last page of this story, my hope is that she will have a renewed confidence to be the individual God created her to be. We are not intended to be cookie-cutter humans.

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 Beach Haven at Tyndale, Amazon OR wherever books are sold.

Sounds like an incredible story, Ms. Lowe! Thank you for sharing. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings. 

Hope you enjoyed today's post friends and that you'll check back each week for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday spotlight. Good luck in the drawing!

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT