Author Q&A & Giveaway with Nancy Naigle

I am so happy to welcome Nancy Naigle to my blog today.  I had the great honor of meeting Nancy at the Lori Foster Author Reader Get Together this year.  I was seated at her table and had lunch with her and got the opportunity to learn more about her and what she has in store for her readers.


Website:  http://nancynaigle.com/
Twitter:  @nancynaigle
Facebook:  Nancy Naigle

Welcome to Hanging With Bells Nancy!

So Nancy I was born in raised up North and it wasn't until I moved to Maryland that I had my first taste of Sweet Tea. In fact, I had never heard of it. Now, I'm addicted to it and must have it on a daily basis. So I love that the word Sweet Tea is in the title of your book as well as being in the storyline. Tell us about your love of Sweet Tea.

I was born and raised in Virginia Beach, VA and it wasn’t until I was an adult traveling on business that I realized the whole world didn’t drink iced tea that way. What a shocker. Pearl’s Perfect Sweet Tea recipe is in the back of the book and on my website at http://www.nancynaigle.com/sweettea.htm We always have a pitcher of sweet tea in the refrigerator.

One of the characters in the book Pearl passes away and her passing was a lost for the town of Adams Grove. Pearl was a part of everyone's life that lived there and it seemed as if her advice to others was based on what she learned as her life went on. Were you ever influenced by someone like that in your life?

Not by one person, but I love the wisdom of our elders. I am simply captivated by their stories and memories. I loved writing the character of Pearl. She’s unforgettable. Whenever I tweet her Pearl-isms...people just love them. That always makes me smile. By the way, Sweet Tea and Secrets was originally titled Pearls of Wisdom.

Your book was an escape for me. Some of the books that I were reading had a real heavy feeling to it. I loved the small town setting and felt like I was there while I was reading it. Did you incorporate some of your own life into the storyline?

Wow, that’s the best compliment ever! That’s the whole reason I wanted to get my books published! It’s a crazy paced world we live in these days and we are juggling family, career, hobbies, and dreams. It can be exhausting, and daunting. I wanted my books to be the kind of stories that helped people relax. You know, suddenly your toes uncurl, your neck relaxes, and you realize .... that feels good. Life balance is so important, but hard to do. I hope my stories will help other busy gals find a little retreat from the microwavin’ drive thru pace of life we lead these days.

There are some little snippets of my life in the stories I write. I live in a small town in southern Virginia on a goat farm. Yes, you read that right. My husband is a full time goat rancher. I love the slower pace and kinder ways of our life. You’ll notice there’s at least a mention of a goat somewhere in each one of my books J In Sweet Tea and Secrets I compare Becky to a goat who always wants what they can’t have. I also mention yarn made from the fiber from Kashmir goats, oh and that goat farmer that bought the house that Garrett’s been working on...that’s a lead in to Out of Focus (coming in November).

The main character Jill in the storyline does some cooking in the book and I have to say that my stomach may have grumbled a few times while I was reading. LOL What is your favorite dish to make or eat?

I love to cook big meals. Christmas, Thanksgiving, and holiday gatherings are my favorite meals to cook. I’m a good planner so getting everything done on schedule is fun for me. I’m a southern girl so most of my best dishes are comfort food, like: meatloaf, fried cube steak, slow cooked barbecue ribs, homemade mashed potatoes, collards, butter beans. One thing that I love to eat that I’ve never mastered is good ol’ fashioned southern fried chicken. YUM.

Are you currently writing now and what do you have planned for the future.

Out of Focus is the second in the Adams Grove series and it will be out in November. I’m also working on Expiration Date, another book with ties to Adams Grove, for the spring.

Meanwhile, I co-wrote a young adult suspense with a friend, Phyllis C. Johnson. That book is written under the pen name Johnson Naigle and is titled, inkBLOT. It’s out in e-format now and the print version will be available 8/16. It’s a great story that Phyllis plotted after taking an online inkblot quiz and freaking herself out when they asked a bunch of personal questions. When she told me the idea I fell in love with it. It was a lot of fun to collaborate on a novel together. That’s something I’d never done before. You can find out more about that book at www.inkBLOTtheNovel.com.

Giveaway

Nancy is generously giving away a copy of her book
in paperback (US only) or ebook form (International):

Visit the small town of Adams Grove where the biggest crime last year was a few hunters bagging over the legal limit of deer. This sleepy little town is wide awake and locking its doors after a series of break-ins over at Pearl Clemmons' place. Adams Grove is mourning the loss of Pearl Clemmons, known for her award-winning Chocolate Pecan Pie and the best unsolicited advice in the county.

When Jill returns to settle her grandmother’s estate, she’s greeted by a Clydesdale-sized guardian dog who doesn't seem to be earning his stripes (although he drools on them pretty well), and Garrett Malloy, the ex-fiancé she left behind a year ago.

Jill insists on staying at Pearl’s amidst the string of break-ins, but Jill’s past with Garrett becomes the least of her worries when she learns that their lives are in danger and she's the only person standing between a desperate conman and a secret from Pearl’s past.

Will Pearl’s past kill any chance of Jill and Garrett’s future together?

If you're a US winner, you'll also get a bag of
yummy Iced Tea Candy!

Nancy told me about them and now I'm hooked!

Please leave an email with your comment and let me know if you are US or international. You don't have to be a follower of my blog, but I'd greatly appreciate a follow! Giveaway ends 8/09/11 at 12 PM EST and winner will be chosen using random.org.

Good luck and a big thanks to Nancy Naigle for stopping by today.