I was thrilled to be invited as one of the featured authors at the Civil War Reenactment scheduled for this coming weekend in Ridgetop, Tennessee!
Most of my books are set either right before the war, during the war, or after the war at the time of Reconstruction. When I first started writing, agents, other authors, and publishers cautioned me against choosing this time period to set my stories. However, if you’ve followed my blog, you know that a dream inspired my first series, and from then on, I’ve felt compelled to write about the struggles this nation went through during that difficult time. I believe wholeheartedly that although this was a sad time for our country, it’s crucial that what happened isn’t forgotten. Hopefully, by remembering these events, we can learn from them and prevent them from happening again. If you’re in the area this weekend, come by and experience something you’ll not soon forget!
Here are the books I’ll be featuring!
The Smoky Mountain Secrets Saga. Book one, “Whispers from the Cove,” takes place at the end of the Civil War in Cades Cove, Tennessee. You’ll learn about the struggles of the poor farming families as they try to cope with soldiers from both sides coming into their cove and helping themselves to whatever they please. The families are affected by the war in more than one way, and it forever changes their lives. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06ZYYY5WKA Confederate soldier returns to his Atlanta home to find it burned to the ground and his family gone. Distraught, he hops a train, thinking he’s going west, but wakes up in a hospital bed in Boston, Massachusetts. He fearfully pretends to be mute, so those caring for him won’t know he’s from the South. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PB84TTOFollow five families in the Southern Secrets Saga as they learn to cope with life in Mobile, Alabama after the war. This seven-book series spans two generations. This series is my dream-inspired work and definitely the steamiest of all my books! This is by no means a ‘typical’ romance series. It takes many surprising turns. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0139LASFSThe River Romance series begins prior to the Civil War, and a good portion of the stories take place on steamboats on the Mississippi River. Each book is a stand-alone and comes to a conclusion. Yet, the series continues the stories of characters you’ll meet along the way. In book three, “Forgotten,” young Billy goes to fight for the Union Army. He’s fallen in love with a mixed-race slave who works for his family, and he’s determined to fight for her freedom. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZYCQIP0
For more detailed information about all of these books, be sure to check out my book tab!
I’m excited to say that my publisher, Jumpmaster Press, is featuring my book, “Regenerates,” this month at a 10% discount!
This story is probably one of the most unusual books I’ve ever written, and it was inspired by an article I read online about a cat at a nursing home that could predict when someone was about to die. First, I have to say that I highly respect people who work in senior care facilities. I cared for my mother-in-law in the final months of her life. It wasn’t easy, but the experiences I had with her at that time far outweighed the difficulties of the task. It often seemed she had one foot here on Earth and the other in Heaven. I suppose my experiences with her would be a good topic for its own blog. 🙂
“Regenerates” has more than one quirky cat, but my favorite is Mr. Blinky–the nursing-home cat. The book was written for the young adult market, yet it’s an enjoyable read for anyone, thirteen and up! It deals with death and centers around a serial killer who’s preying on teenage runaways. Oddly, the killer dresses them in fine clothes, makes them up to look like fashion models, and positions them in the city parks. The story is set in Spokane, Washington–a place I lived for a few years when I was very young.
Two teenagers become sleuths and uncover what they believe is really going on, but they’re afraid to tell anyone for fear they’d be called crazy.
I’ve lived in Tennessee for almost thirty years, and I have a confession to make… I’ve never been to the State Fair. I’ve attended the Robertson County Fair several times, and it was great, but I’ve heard that it pales in comparison to the enormous state-wide event.
Needless to say, I’m super excited to be attending the State Fair this coming Sunday. What finally got me off my tail and headed in that direction? An invitation to participate in Author’s Day! If you live in Tennessee, (or even if you don’t and want to travel to a fun, family event), I hope you’ll join me at the fair.
You’ll find me, along with many other authors of an assortment of genres, in the Fiddler’s Grove Picnic Pavilion on Sunday, August 21st, from 2:00 till 5:00p.m.
It’s the perfect time for summer traveling, but with today’s high gas prices, it’s not always feasible. So, here’s an alternative!
Take a journey with me through the pages of “His Heart’s Long Journey!” This series is based on the true story of Vern Harpole. At the age of eight, Vern is abandoned by his mother and left on the porch of a bakery in Kansas City. The kind baker and his wife take Vern in after they’re unable to locate Vern’s mother.
They teach Vern everything he needs to know about baking and running a business. They also grow to love him, and vice versa. Yet, the need to know why he was abandoned troubles Vern, and he can’t let it go. In addition, something keeps compelling him to go West. His life’s journey takes him on quite an adventure.
Today thru Tuesday, July 26th, book one, “Forsaken by Love” is available as a FREE download from Amazon. Here’s a little more about the book!
Since you’re reading this blog, that tells me you do read! Excellent!
I’m curious, do you read books? I’m not asking as a means to tell you to go out and buy mine, (although if you decide to do that, that’s okay, too😊), I’d like to know because I hear more and more that people swear books are becoming a “thing of the past.”
Simply pondering that idea hurts my heart–and not only because I’m an author. Books have played a big part in my life. I have my favorites from my childhood like the “Little House” books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, and “The Chronicles of Narnia,” by C. S. Lewis. I used to love getting those little flyers in school with the order forms allowing us to be able to buy books and have them delivered right to the classroom. What a wonderful treat! I don’t know if they even do that anymore.
As I got older, I still read the previously mentioned books (many times), and expanded to “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings.” The list of what I’ve read is vast, so I’m not going to put you through reading that. However, I treasure every hour spent with my nose in those pages.
I’ve discussed the subject of declining readers with several of my author friends, and they’ve told me that at in-person events, people will ask them, “When’s the movie coming out?” and go on to say, “I don’t read.” Ouch!
We’d all love to have our books turned into movies, and I hope I see that happen before I leave this earth. However, even if that does happen, I can guarantee that there’s so much more to experience by reading the book and not just seeing the movie. Movies have a limited amount of time, so a lot of details are whittled down to accommodate the time constraint.
I understand the entertainment value of movies. I happen to LOVE movies. They’re a quick entertainment fix. Maybe people are reading less because they feel it takes too long, or perhaps they feel pressured to keep busy and won’t allow themselves the time for it. I sure hope that society hasn’t made people feel that they’re not permitted to slow down long enough to indulge in the experience of really “living a story.”
When you open the pages of a book, or fire up your e-reader, your mind will take you to another place, and maybe even another time. It’s important to keep our minds sharp and active, and extremely crucial to use our imaginations. Movies offer the interpretation of the screen writers, directors, set designers, and actors. As a reader, you become those people and even the costume coordinator if the author doesn’t go into a lot of detail in that regard. Some are more descriptive than others. You paint the picture in your mind’s eye, and if the author has done their job, you’ll also feel what the characters are experiencing.
I refuse to believe that our need to have everything quickly in our grasp means the death of reading. There are thousands of books that will never be made into movies, and if you only allow yourself that format of experiencing a story, you’ll miss out on so much.
So please, pick up a book and remind yourself what it’s like to dive headfirst into an adventure. The original “virtual reality.” No helmet required, just your brain. You might be surprised to find that you have an amazing imagination!
When I first visited Cades Cove in the Smoky Mountains, I was taken back in time. If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you’ve likely seen many posts about the smokies and my passion for the history of the cove and the people who lived there.
I’m excited to share this beautiful video produced by Vince Pinkerton! He captured the feel of my story and gave me abundant chills in the process. It’s incredible to see this come to life, if only for a brief 30-second clip!
If you’ve not yet delved into the Smoky Mountain Secrets Saga, I hope you’ll consider giving it a read. Book one is just the beginning. After all, the series is a ‘saga.’ My prayer is that we’ll learn from our history and not repeat the same mistakes.
I had the privilege of being able to preview Vince Pinkerton’s debut novel, The Devil Plays Six Strings. Making me even happier, Vince allowed me to edit it, putting me even deeper into the incredible story. I told him that it was fine as it was, (he’s a brilliant writer), and that it just needed a little polish. Kind of like putting wax on your favorite fancy sportscar. I wanted his book to shine.
It’s not the sort of book I typically read, but I couldn’t put it down! There are parts that get very dark and disturbing, but what can you expect when a down-on-his luck man sells his soul to the devil in order to provide food and a home for himself and his infant son?
This story opens in 1930–a time when racial tension was even worse than it presently is. The main character, Elijah, is a black man who loses his wife after giving birth to their son. She possessed a deep faith that made her shine, and she wanted Elijah to grasp onto that faith, make good choices in his life, and pass on all things good to their baby boy. Unfortunately, Elijah doesn’t choose wisely, even though he tries to do what he thinks is best.
This isn’t a feel-good book, but it’s definitely thought-provoking. You’ll find yourself cheering the good characters on and cringing whenever the evil ones come onto the page. Mr. Pinkerton paints imagery with words almost too well!
Join me in Nashville on Saturday, November the 6th, for the 2nd annual artisan market sponsored by Andrea Kenney Ministries!
I’ll have a selection of all my titles, as well as books written by Sweet Romance writer, Darcy Flynn!
If you’re looking for just the right Christmas gift, look no further! Whether you choose to purchase books or some of the many decorative craft items, you’re sure to find something you like.
I grew up in a small town in northern Idaho, and I loved the mountains. I have great memories of hikes I took with my grandpa, as well as treks up the mountains to pick huckleberries with my mom and dad. To this day, I can still remember the smell of huckleberry bushes. As we drove up the rugged roads, we’d stick our noses in the air to catch the scent of those wonderful berries. And when we smelled them, we’d holler for the vehicle to be stopped so we could get out and hunt them up.
Almost thirty years ago, I left Idaho in pursuit of my dreams, and I moved to Tennessee. Here, I met my husband, and he introduced me to another range of mountains. The beautiful Smokies. They have some similarities to the Rockies, but they’re also different in their own right. The shades of green are definitely different, and I’ve never smelled huckleberries in the Smokies. Regardless, I fell in love with the mountains all over again.
My husband took me on a trip to Gatlinburg, TN, for one of our first anniversaries. The town has its own charm–as does Pigeon Forge and some of the other outlying cities. We took a drive ‘up the mountain’ to a place I’ll cherish forever. If you’re familiar with my books and my writing, you’ve probably heard this story before, because I can’t stop talking about it! We ended up in Cades Cove.
When he told me we’d be going to a place that only had a one-way road that looped from one end to the other, and that everyone had to drive around it slowly, I wondered why. He talked it up as if it was the best thing in the world. Honestly, I thought it sounded horribly boring. As much as I appreciate pretty scenery, putting along on a one-way road didn’t sound too appealing. I wanted excitement and adventure–like I knew I could get at the nearby theme park.
I learned a valuable lesson on that venture. My husband was right. It was the best thing in the world. Cades Cove transported us back in time to a simpler life. One that was unhurried and pure. The cove sits in the middle of the mountains. Acre after acre of land that was once farmed and loved by the people who lived there. Some of the original cabins still remain, along with a mill, several churches, and cemeteries with the graves of those who’d called the cove their home. The unsurpassed beauty of the land touches my heart every time I go there.
We return to Cades Cove every year. I’ve memorized much of it, but I’m never any less in awe of the splendor. It had to have been difficult for the residents of the cove, when the states of Tennessee and North Carolina decided to create a National Park that included the Cades Cove land. I doubt it was easy to put a price on the land they loved, then leave it behind and go elsewhere. Some residents were able to stay, yet I’m sure it wasn’t the same.
All that being said, I’m glad that the past has been preserved in the cove. When I learned about the hardships that the residents endured during the Civil War, I was compelled to write about it. Here’s a link to the first book in my Smoky Mountain Secrets Saga: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06ZYYY5WK I did my best to capture what life was like for those families, and to this day, I feel like I can sense them walking by my side when I visit the cove.
Every place in this world has a story to tell, and I hope that you’ll make a trip to the Smoky Mountains and specifically, Cades Cove. Be sure to have your camera handy, so you can capture its majesty. It’s a little bit of Heaven on Earth with some wildlife thrown in for good measure. You might see a bear or two, as well as deer and turkeys. If you like to hike, there are plenty of trails you can take. Some will lead you to remote cabins, and others are simply for the sake of enjoying nature. More than anything, you’ll come away, content, with an appreciation for the simpler things in life.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved puzzles. Mainly, jigsaw puzzles, but I’m also fond of word games like crosswords and word searches. I’ve heard that doing those keeps your brain active, and as I grow older, that becomes more and more important. My parents are in their eighties and still sharp as ever, so I’m hopeful that I’ve inherited their sharpness genes.
So what is it about jigsaw puzzles that draws me in? Maybe it’s because I like to fix things, and if I see something all discombobulated, I want to make it right. Plus, it’s so much fun watching an image come together. I don’t know about you, but I get a happy thrill every time I put a piece in place. I guess it’s good that it doesn’t take much to amuse me!
My first puzzle memory is from when I was about six years old. We lived in Spokane, Washington at that time, and there was a local fair a short distance down the road from us. It was one of those sorts that was likely put on by the high school and run by teenagers. They had all kinds of games and activities for children. I can’t remember what the particular game was that caught my eye, but the prize for winning the game was a puzzle. They were used puzzles donated by the organizers of the event. Used or not, I didn’t care. Trouble was, I didn’t have any money and couldn’t play the game. So, was that a good memory? Oddly, yes, since it makes me smile to remember it. I didn’t get a puzzle from that fair, but my desire for jigsaw puzzles never left me.
I have quite a collection now, and many of my puzzles have been put together more times than I can count. Most of them have 1,000 pieces, and I can usually put them together in a few days’ time. I like to work on them in the evenings after a day of writing. It helps me relax, but it also allows me time to gather my thoughts for my next day of writing.
I like the puzzles that have interesting pieces–those that aren’t a typical shape. They make the entire process more challenging. However, I also appreciate pieces that fully interlock. So, I guess you could say, I love any type of puzzle.
I recently put together the most tight-fitting puzzle I’ve ever encountered. So tight that I could hold it up in the air while it still had a lot of pieces missing. Hopefully, you can see what I mean in this photo.
Yep! You can see right through the middle, and nothing fell apart when I held it up. Crazy! This is the kind of puzzle that wouldn’t even need glue if you decided to frame it.
I always start by putting together the border. I think that’s pretty typical, thought my son tells me it would be more challenging if I didn’t. From the picture on the box, I also know what it’s supposed to look like when it’s done. Again, my son tells me not to look at the image to increase the challenge of putting it together. I try that sometimes, but there are certain puzzles that stump me and I have to look.
I think my writing style is similar to the way I construct puzzles. I know how I want a story to start, (thus the border), and I know how I want it to end. (Like the finished picture). But the middle often takes me in different directions. I may add a piece that takes me down an unexpected road. Those little surprises makes the process so much fun! A character who I think is minor becomes a major part in putting together the puzzle of my story.
I suppose I also like to fix the discombobulated lives of my characters. I promise a happy ending–eventually–but they usually go through many challenges on their way to attaining it.
Thank you for reading, and I’d love to hear your ‘puzzling’ stories, too!
Jeanne Hardt 