I was out of town last weekend and the last scheduled post completely escaped me. I'll postpone the next installment of the Encouragement for the Waiting series until next weekend.
To make it up to you, I have CBA bestselling author Pam Hillman here to tell us insider info about her August release, Stealing Jake! I'm also giving away my autographed paperback copy of Stealing Jake. I'll have to get another copy for myself, but this is a book that must be shared! And who better to share it with than you guys!
Hi, Pam! So glad to have you here!
--So tell us in three sentences, what is this book
about?
Can
a former pickpocket fall in love with a small town sheriff,
especially when he’s doing everything he can to get rid of the
riffraff spilling out of Chicago onto his streets? And what will the
sheriff do when he finds out about her past?
Tell us about the main characters. Who are they, what makes them
unique?
Livy
O’Brien has a soft spot for street kids, since she used to be one
herself. Changed by a kindly woman and the love of Jesus, she longs
to help other street kids find hope and a future.
On
the other hand, sheriff’s deputy Jake Russell, is determined to
send the street kids roaming the alleys of Chestnut back to Chicago
where they belong. It isn’t until he meets and falls in love with
Livy that his eyes are opened to the true realities these kids face
every day. Then he risks everything—including his life—to save
them.
Gibbons’
family has a reputation to uphold as some of the most vile crooks in
all of Chicago. But Chestnut is the perfect place for Gibbons show
his family once and for all that he’s capable of being just as
ruthless as the rest of them. And since no one cares for the street
kids anyway, why not use them to their fullest potential?
Luke,
a street kid from Chicago, is trying his best just to survive. When a
string of robberies occurs in town, everyone suspects him and his
little band of ragtag street urchins... but all he wants is to fill
his stomach, survive the winter, and find his kid brother.
What
was your inspiration for writing this book?
I
honestly can’t remember how I came up with the exact idea for the
pickpocket theme, but it was the old adage of opposites attract. If
she’s a thief (even if she’s reformed), he’d better be a
lawman.
Give us one fact about each main character that no one else knows.
Jake
blames himself for his father’s death and is determined to work
night and day to care for his family, regardless of the cost to
himself.
Livy
is short for Olivia, which is a nod to Oliver Twist.
How do you believe this story relates to the lives of readers?
Livy’s
ashamed of her past, and most of us have things in our past that
we’re ashamed of. Livy knows God has forgiven her, but will the
people in her new town accept her if they ever find out? From their
actions and words toward the street kids, she’s afraid she knows
the answer. Jake and the townspeople feel justified in their desire
to get rid of the kids, but they don’t know the whole story.
Sometimes it’s easy to assume the worst of others when we ourselves
are well-fed, clothed, and sheltered.
What is the biblical background or basis for the book?
Forgiveness.
Accepting God’s forgiveness, forgiving others, and possibly the
hardest of all, forgiving oneself.
Why did you choose to focus on a female protagonist?
The
premise called for a female pickpocket and a male sheriff. While they
both have a sympathetic backstory, hers is much more emotionally
gut-wrenching than his. The reader is going to cheer extra loud for
her when she faces her fears and overcomes them. On the other hand,
Jake faces his fears and overcomes them, too. But Livy has just a
tiny bit of an edge on Jake when it comes to pulling readers’
heartstrings.
Describe your feelings when you opened the box and saw the first
published copies of your very first book.
My
heart smiled. I don’t know how else to explain it. I didn’t throw
confetti or have a big party. But my heart smiled. Still does when I
think about it.
What are your hopes for your future as an author?
I
hope to keep telling stories that reach out and touch someone. If I
entertain, encourage, and uplift one person today, I’ll call it a
good day.
CBA
Bestselling author PAM HILLMAN was born and raised on a dairy farm in
Mississippi and spent her teenage years perched on the seat of a
tractor raking hay. In those days, her daddy couldn't afford two cab
tractors with air conditioning and a radio, so Pam drove an Allis
Chalmers 110. Even when her daddy asked her if she wanted to bale
hay, she told him she didn't mind raking. Raking hay doesn't take
much thought so Pam spent her time working on her tan and making up
stories in her head. Now, that's the kind of life every girl should
dream of.
You can connect with Pam through one of the following sites:
Website: www.pamhillman.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PamHillman
or @PamHillman
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/wrtnbyph/
Seekerville
(group blog): http://www.seekerville.blogspot.com
Up for grabs this week is an autographed copy of Stealing Jake. Comment with your email address to be entered! Open to U.S. residents only, please. Giveaway ends 9/3 at 12p.m. Central Daylight Time. Winner will be announced next weekend.
Comment fodder:
It's cooling off here in Mississippi. I'm so ready for fall! What's your favorite thing about fall? Hot apple cider? Scarves? Something else?
Comment fodder:
It's cooling off here in Mississippi. I'm so ready for fall! What's your favorite thing about fall? Hot apple cider? Scarves? Something else?