Today I’m excited to be interviewing Rachel Fordham on her debut novel The Hope of Azure Springs. Can we just take a moment to pause and look at the beautiful cover? Cover love!
Here’s the book blurb:
Seven years ago, orphaned and alone, Em finally arrived at a new home in Iowa after riding the orphan train. But secrets from her past haunt her, and her new life in the Western wilderness is a rough one. When her guardian is shot and killed, Em, now nineteen, finally has the chance to search for her long-lost sister, but she won’t be able to do it alone.
For Azure Springs Sheriff Caleb Reynolds, securing justice for the waifish and injured Em is just part of his job. He’s determined to solve every case put before him in order to impress his parents and make a name for himself. Caleb expects to succeed. What he doesn’t expect is the hold this strange young woman will have on his heart.
Having just finished the book this past week, I can tell you that Rachel weaves a story of inward beauty and finding one’s worth. Her descriptions will catapult you back in time as you follow the story of Em and Caleb in the Western town of Azure Springs. And you’ll love the themes she wrote about and the reasons she included them (see below).
Rachel agreed to be interviewed and…she’s hosting a giveaway! Keep reading!
1. What draws you to historical fiction? I’m convinced I was born in the wrong era. My whole life I’ve been drawn to quieter, simpler times. Even having said that I logically know that every era had it’s hardships and struggles but a part of me just loves those other time periods. As a reader I love historicals. I love it for the things I learn and the way my soul seems to feel at home in those time periods. When it came time to write, it only seemed natural that I would be write books that took place in those intriguing times!
2. What did you have to research for this book?How did you research? Did you visit any small towns to get an idea for your setting? For The Hope of Azure Springs I spent a fair amount of time reading accounts of orphan train riders. I read them all online. When I started researching setting I looked at a map of where the orphan trains often went and settled on Iowa because it was a popular location for the trains and because I’d been there. I did not know this book would be published so I couldn’t justify a trip just for research but that would have been so fun!
3. How long did it take you to write this book? I started this book in May (or maybe it was early June) of 2015. The words were flying onto the page. June 24 when I was about a third to a half of the way done my son became extremely sick. I spent the next five months so overwhelmed with caring for him that I did not write. I believe it was November of that year that I finally opened my computer again and decided to finish what I started. I made it to the end in early 2016 and then did some self editing before seeking an agent to represent the book. Once I found an agent the book went on submission with publishers. May of 2017 I signed with Revell and started working on editing with them. The whole process was very slow but I was able to write some other manuscripts during the “waiting” phases.
4. When do you write (what’s your schedule)? I write around my kids schedules. I have six biological children with ages ranging from 2-12. I often have a foster child living with me as well. Typically I write during nap times and at bedtime. Depending on their ages and needs it can be very difficult to carve out time to write. I dream of the day when I can have a consistent schedule but then I cringe because I don’t want my kids to grow up to fast so for now I’m content writing in the school pick up line and late into the night.
5. You have the themes of adoption, not feeling loved, outward beauty vs inward included in your book. Why were these important to you to write about? When I began writing my goal was to write a book that my daughter could enjoy. I suppose to some that seems like a low goal but I thought writing was something someone else did, someone more qualified than me. My daughter is young and I worry about her facing the world as she grows older. I decided that the messages of beauty would be a lovely message to weave through for her. With the constant outward messages flooding the airwaves and feeds I wanted to counter that. As for adoption, I’ve always been drawn to foster adopt stories. What I didn’t know while writing this book was that I’d be a foster parent before this manuscript ever came out. I love a book that entertains and uplifts and leaves you with a smile and maybe a tear. I don’t enjoy books that are too heavy with preachiness and so I tried to keep the messages subtle but was happy to find ways to weave them in.
6. What’s your next book about? Yours Truly, Thomas begins at the dead letter office in 1883. Penny spends her days opening other people’s mail and wondering what her future holds. The monotony of it all is broken when a letter arrives from Thomas to his true love Clara. She makes it her mission to find her and put the letter in her hands. I really enjoyed the letter elements that are woven through the story. It passes through Azure Springs which was fun. I hadn’t written about those characters in years so having them pop back up was like spending the day with old friends.
Thanks, Rachel!
Now for the giveaway…
This book should be a “must read” in everyones stack. I enjoyed it so much! I also can’t wait to read her newest one about the dead letter at the post office. Congratulations Rachel!
Great interview with Rachel Fordham. When will the giveaway start? I clicked on the rafflecopter and it said the contest starts soon. Thanks!
Sorry about that! Rafflecopter defaults to midnight as the start time and I missed that.
Aw! So fun being on you site.