To follow the tour, go HERE.
I am so happy to be sharing a new novel, Jubilee’s Journey, from the award winning novelist, Bette Lee Crosby.
Bette Lee is as warm and charming as her characters. Maybe that is why her characters are so realistic, as are their stories. Read the interview below to find out for yourself.
Spare Change was the first book of Bette Lee’s that I read and it is still my favorite. To see my review, go HERE. I have been an avid fan of hers ever since.
Be sure and check out my review of Jubilee’s Journey and Bette Lee Crosby’s two great giveaways below.
BOOK BLURB FROM GOODREADS
When tragedy strikes a West Virginia coal mining family, two children start out on a trek that they hope will lead them to a new life. Before a day passes, the children are separated and the boy is caught up in a robbery not of his making. If his sister can find him, she may be able to save him. The problem is she’s only seven years old, and who’s going to believe a kid?
Jubilee’s Journey is Book Two in the Wyattsville Series. This story of discovering lost family and finding love reconnects readers with Ethan Allen and the other heart-warming characters of the bestselling novel SPARE CHANGE.
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INTERVIEW WITH BETTE LEE CROSBY
I am so happy to have you here today Bette. I believe your interview will give my readers an idea of how you are able to come up with such wonderful and interesting characters and stories for your books.
1. Who or what inspired you to become an author?
My mother, born and raised in the mountains of West Virginia, was not a writer, but, she was a wonderful storyteller. Not realizing that at heart I was my mother’s daughter, I studied art intent upon becoming a graphic designer. My first job was that of a packaging designer, but it was a short-lived career. Faced with an immediate deadline and a blank space where the copy should have been, I began to write. I never looked back, and it didn’t take long for me to realize that my love for words far outweighed any design skills I acquired along the way.
2. Jubilee’s Journey is Book Two in the Wyattsville Series, but wasn’t Book One, Spare Change, written as a stand-alone novel?
Yes it was. Actually all of my books are stand-alone novels, but after Spare Change was published, I discovered that both I and my readers were not ready to leave Wyattsville and the people living there. That’s when I turned it into an ongoing series. Like many writers, I tend to favor the books that reflect the most poignant aspects of their life. For me, it’s my Southern heritage.
3. Will there be more books in The Wyattsville Series?
Although I do not have one currently planned, I’m sure there will be. Once you get involved with characters you are fond of, it’s hard to let them leave your life forever. I find that I think of characters like Olivia Doyle, Ethan Allen, Paul and Jubilee as friends. I might not get back together with them for six or eight months, but I always know they are there…waiting for me and ready to start off on a new adventure.
4. You’ve written six novels, in those books, which character is your favorite and why?
I suppose I’d have to say Ethan Allen of Spare Change and the reason why is because he is the type of kid I imagine my mom being when she was his age. She came from a family of eleven siblings and they were what many of us would consider poor; so she had to be resilient and determined to survive. And although she wasn’t one to toss around obscenities indiscriminately, she could cuss up a storm when she was really mad. When Mama started cussing we knew to step aside and mind our manners.
5. Is Ethan Allen is modeled after your mom, is there a character that you’d modeled after yourself?
There is probably a bit of me in every character, but the one most like me would probably be Olivia Doyle in both Spare Change and Jubilee’s Journey. Like Olivia, I have quirky ideas about life, I am an eternal optimist and regardless of the odds, I will always go down swinging. When life takes a turn for the worse, that’s when you need to be strong, draw on your Faith and cling to the love of those around you…which is pretty much what Olivia does.
5. What is your next book project?
I am currently working on a novel titled “Previously Loved Treasures.” Although it is not a sequel, it does dovetail into the mystery that ended “The Twelfth Child.” One of the protagonists in this book is a delightful man of magical talents called Peter Pennington and much of the story centers around a very special second-hand store. I believe this book is scheduled for release in April or May of 2014.
6. What is your favorite quote?
It probably depends upon when and where you ask me. I would love to be deep and profound like so many brilliant writers, but I’ve learned over the years that I am still my mother’s daughter – sometimes irreverent, always a story-lover, but seldom brilliant. So here is the quote that most closely reflects my own thinking…”The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they’re going to have some pretty annoying virtues.” Elizabeth Taylor
7. What advice would you give to an aspiring author?
Be yourself. Discover what’s in your heart and create characters you love or love to hate. Never allow yourself to follow in the tracks of another author simply because he or she sold a million copies of their book. If you stumble on that pathway, your readers will know; your characters will sound shallow and superficial. But if you’re true to yourself and work to develop your own voice it will ring loud and true with believability. It isn’t something that happens overnight. I wrote four novels before the fifth was published, but the truth is that the first four didn’t deserve to be published, they were all part of my learning curve. So, stay with it and learn from the writers who inspire you, from the books you love, and from the books you hate. You learn something from every book you read, and sometimes that something is what not to do. Most of all enjoy every minute you spend writing—because if you’re not writing for fun, you shouldn’t be writing.
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MY REVIEW OF JUBILEE’S JOURNEY
“We’ll name her Jubilee, because this child is a celebration of our love.”
Thus, Jubilee’s story began and you will not want to miss it.
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Jubilee’s Journey is the sequel to Spare Change. Spare Change was the first book of Bette Lee’s that I read and it is still my favorite. I have been an avid fan of hers ever since.
The southern charm and giving nature of the characters captivate me. It makes me think of Hillary Clinton’s book, It Takes A Village. This book drives home the point that a community can accomplish so much more than a single individual. We can definitely learn some lessons from the loving and giving characters in Bette Lee’s novels.
I love her covers and this one speaks to me as strongly as all the others. They are some of the most touching and emotional covers in their simplicity. The cover design for Jubilee’s Journey was done by Kathleen Valentine of valentinedesign.com. Bette Lee will also occasionally incorporate a friend or fan’s name into her novels.
Living in coal country is never easy, but for Paul and Jubilee it became impossible.
Their mother died and my tears began. Paul did his best to be there for Jubilee – he never returned to school, so he did all he could think of to make Jubilee’s life better and took care of the house. After his father’s death, they were evicted from the only home they had ever known. How would Paul keep his promise to his mother to take care of Jubilee and his promise to his father to never work in the mine?
He knew of an aunt in Wyattsville, Virginia. He only had a name, Anita, but off they went.
- Into the clouds – (c) Sherry J Fundin
Hurt McAdams dad had abused him and raised him with fear. As a defense, he took the offensive line and became a bully, then a murderer. He ended up in Wyattsville on his search to find his father and make him pay for his miserable life.
Oh no, Paul is in the store looking for work and here comes Hurt. I am very fearful, my heart is heavy with dread. I knew it. Bette!!!! But, what’s this? Who should arrive but Ethan Allen and I breathe a sigh of relief. No way will he allow anything bad to happen to Jubilee.
“Grandma Olivia’s nice. She helps kids in trouble.”
That being said, I knew things would be okay. Somehow.
Bette Lee Crosby writes stories as if they are biographies. They are full of the cruelties and unfairness of life, but also the beauty and wonder. The worlds and dialogue are so real, I feel as if I am there and I feel frustrated because I do not know what to do to help. She packs so much life and realism into her novels, sometimes a BOX of tissues is not enough. I laugh and cry with the characters. I go through their highs and lows, their ups and downs, all the while trying to figure out how Bette is going to make this end with a happy ever after.
The ending left me begging for more. I was sitting on the edge of my seat as if my happiness was on the line.
5 STARS Would Buy It For Them (lol)
I received this book from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review. I can hardly wait to see what she has in store for us next.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Award-winning novelist Bette Lee Crosby brings the wit and wisdom of her Southern Mama to
works of fiction—the result is a delightful blend of humor, mystery and romance along with a
cast of quirky charters who will steal your heart away.
Crosby’s work was first recognized in 2006 when she received The National League of American
Pen Women Award for a then unpublished manuscript. Since then, she has gone on to win
several more awards, including another NLAPW award, three Royal Palm Literary Awards, and the FPA President’s Book Award Gold Medal.
Her published novels to date are: Cracks in the Sidewalk (2009), Spare Change (2011), The Twelfth Child (2012), Cupid’s Christmas (2012) and What Matters Most (2013). She has also authored “Life in the Land of IS” a memoir of Lani Deauville, a woman the Guinness Book of Records lists as the world’s longest living quadriplegic.
Crosby originally studied art and began her career as a packaging designer. When asked to write a few lines of copy for the back of a pantyhose package, she discovered a love for words that was irrepressible. After years of writing for business, she turned to works of fiction and never looked back. “Storytelling is in my blood,” Crosby laughingly admits, “My mom was not a writer, but she was a captivating storyteller, so I find myself using bits and pieces of her voice in most everything I write.
Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook
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GIVEAWAY
There are two giveaways, so be sure and enter both.
The first is the giveaway here on my blog.
Check out this fantastic giveaway from Bette Lee Crosby.
US/Canada – One (1) print copy of Jubilee’s Journey
OR
International – One (1) ebook of Jubilee’s Journey
To enter, leave your email, what giveaway you are entering (US or International) and answer the question.
What do you think of when you look into Jubilee’s eyes?
To enter the second giveaway, go to Bette Lee Crosby’s blog and enter the rafflecopter HERE.
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To get your copy of Jubilee’s Journey or any Bette Lee Crosby novel, click on the covers below.
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To see my Review of What Matters Most, go HERE.
To see my Review of Spare Change, go HERE.
To see my Review of Cupid’s Christmas, go HERE.
To see my Review of Cracks In The Sidewalk, go HERE.
To see my Review of The Twelfth Child, go HERE.
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To see all my Giveaways, go
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All I can say is WOW! I was blown away. I read it straight through, it took me six hours. I devoured it. The cover was interesting and caught my eye. I really liked the clean, crisp, simplistic look. The cover and the title were both descriptive of the book. It was very well written and the story flowed smoothly. The suspense built from the beginning and continued to the last page. A lot of times, the books by authors from the UK can be difficult to read and the flow can be interrupted by the phraseology. Definitely not so here. The characters were both likeable and hateable. I loved Samantha for her goodness and naivety. I loved James for all his heroism and willingness to risk his own life, but he left me wondering what he would become in the future. I even felt empathy and sadness for the “villain”. I can hardly wait until I can get my hands on the next book. A Class Apart would make an interesting movie that would be enjoyed by people of all ages, just like the book. I received this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
