Posts
KATHY: Hi, Grace! Welcome back to History Repeats Itself. I am so excited about your new release. Thank you for your generous giveaway this week, and for sharing a little about your writing process.
GRACE: I’m a history lover, even though my novels are set in
contemporary times. Still, I can’t resist incorporating my love of history in
different ways.
How do I add in history? What about setting?
Agecroft Hall in Richmond,
Virginia was brought over from Lancashire, England about 1925 - a five-hundred-year-old
Tudor estate that, like Wynnedower (as in A
Stranger in Wynnedower), was shipped across the Atlantic to its new home
where it was reconstructed. Near Agecroft Hall is Virginia House, also brought over
from England at about the same time. Both Agecroft Hall and the Virginia House
are transplanted houses, crated and shipped and reformed on this side of the
Atlantic. A lot like Wynnedower.
The Agecroft Hall estate is on the James River, but the
water isn’t easily seen. I corrected that in Wynnedower. Wynnedower’s not
Tudor, either, but instead, made of gray stone—that soft mellow stone of the
Cotswold houses. It’s fictitious. I don’t have to worry about cost and
practicality. That’s the joy of world building.
History in a contemporary novel.... What about story props?
I searched the Web and found an Edwardian peach-colored
tea gown and a peacock shawl that absolutely had to be in that trunk in the
attic for Rachel to find. And when she couldn’t resist, and draped that shawl
around her shoulders, she looked into the mirror and saw someone else,
mysterious and intriguing. Someone she might like to be. Add in skeleton keys
and antique furniture and old paintings...and, wow, did I have a blast writing A Stranger in Wynnedower.
Contemporary novels don’t always have historical
elements, but it’s fun when they do.
Story summary for A Stranger in Wynnedower:
Love and suspense
with a dash of Southern Gothic...
Rachel Sevier travels to Wynnedower Mansion in Virginia
to find her younger brother who has stopped returning her
calls. Instead, she finds Jack Wynne, the mansion’s bad-tempered owner. He
isn’t happy to meet her. When her brother took off without notice, he left Jack
in a lurch.
Jack has his own plans. He’s tired of being responsible
for everyone and everything. He wants to shake those obligations, including the
old mansion. The last thing he needs is another complication, but he allows
Rachel to stay while she waits for her brother to return.
At Wynnedower, Rachel becomes curious about the house and
its owner. If rumors are true, the means to save Wynnedower Mansion from
demolition are hidden within its walls, but the other inhabitants of Wynnedower
have agendas, too. Not only may Wynnedower’s treasure be stolen, but also the
life of its arrogant master.
In letting go of what she has struggled to control and
hold onto, will Rachel gain more than she could have dreamed? Or will she lose
everything and everyone she cares about?
BIO:
Grace Greene writes fiction with romance, suspense and inspiration
~ always with a strong heroine at its heart. She is also an artist and
photographer. When she's writing, all of these interests show up on the page.
BEACH RENTAL is her debut release. Her
second novel, KINCAID'S HOPE, released in January 2012. A STRANGER IN
WYNNEDOWER has only just been released. Grace lives in central Virginia.
Grace has generously agreed to give away an ecopy of her new book, A Stranger in Wynnedower to two lucky commenters. Here's what you need to do: Leave Grace a question or comment, and be sure to include your email addy. For more chances to win, "like" Grace's book on amazon, follow her on twitter or facebook, or follow this blog, and share this blogpost on your fb or twitter. That gives you a total of 7 possible entries. Good luck!
The winners will be drawn by random.org on Nov 17th at noon ET.
thanks for the chance to read this story ;)
ReplyDeletekarenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com
Thanks for being a faithful visitor, Karen :)
DeleteIt's not often i will enter a contest for an ebook, but this one sounds intriguing. Thanks for the chance.
ReplyDeletemarianneDOTwanhamATgmailDOTcom
www.reviewingnovelsonline.blogspot.ca
Thanks, Marianne. Good luck!
DeleteHi, Karen and Marianne - I hope you're having a lovely Saturday morning. Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds good! Thank you for the giveaway. I've liked on fb and follow on twitter.
ReplyDeleteMargaret
singitm(at)hotmail(dot)com
Hi, Margaret. I have you down for three entries. Thanks for visiting, and good luck!
DeleteGrace, I love that you incorporate history into contemporary stories. I think we are all influenced by history far more than we realize, and we can't really cut ties with how we became who we are--either as a culture, or as an individual. So it's refreshing to hear your take on this. Best wishes on your books!
ReplyDeleteThanks once again for visiting, Jocelyn. Grace is a Civil War buff like us. I'm sure you both have a lot in common. :)
DeleteHi, Margaret - Thanks for stopping by and checking out the blog!
ReplyDeleteGrace
Jocelyn - Thanks for the good wishes. I've always been a history buff. It's part of who we are and it's fun to be able to incorporate some of that into stories.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great mix of genres! I love history and this sounds like something I would like that isn't all history but up-to-date too. Please add my name. Blessings! Darlene
ReplyDeletespangldlady[at]gmail[dot]com
I am following your blog and will like on Amazon and FB and share this blog on FB. Hope that gets me more entries. :D
That makes five entries. Thanks so much, Darlene :) Good luck!
DeleteHi, Darlene - Thanks for the follows and likes. I like a mixture, too - love, suspense, history, contemporary characters and historical. Most of all, when it comes to fiction, I want something to enjoy but also a story and characters that stick with me.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize that some England homes were transplanted across the ocean to America! thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletelaurafabiani at videotron dot ca
We have one in Elmira that everyone calls the Castle. It is pathetically run down now, but has the bones to make me believe it must have been grand at one time.
DeleteThanks for stopping by, Laura. Good luck on the book giveaway!
This sounds GREAT!!! Hello Grace! :) My question to you is...Did you get any inspiration from Mr. Rochester in Jane Eyre for your character Jack Wayne? While your book sounds completely unique it peeked my interest that the plot had a Jane Eyre/The Secret Garden feel to it :) Am I way off base?
ReplyDeleteThanks for this opportunity! :)
Amada (pronounced: a.m.a.th.a) Chavez
amada_chavez{AT}yahoo{DOT}com
Exodus 14:14
Hi, Amada. Thanks for entering. Great question! giving you an extra point for that. :) You're a follower, so that gives you three.
DeleteThanks for the opportunity and points Kathleen God bless!
DeleteHi Grace! Since Richmond is my 2nd Home I loved reading about Agecroft Hall. I lived across from the Windsor Farms area of Richmond for several years. There are so many beautiful homes in that area. Have you been to Reveille United Methodist Church? It is a sight to behold. I don't have an E-Reader but I wanted to drop my thoughts and say "Hi" anyway! <3 Brenda
ReplyDeleteHey, Brenda. Thanks for coming by and leaving a great comment for Grace. I would love to take a blog photo tour of these great homes and historic buildings. :)
DeleteHi, Laura - Yes, it's true. I grew up outside of Richmond and my dad used to talk about the houses. I took the tours a couple of years ago when the idea for Wynnedower was percolating in my brain.
ReplyDeleteAmada - Yes, you're right on! Jane Eyre, Gosford Park, The Great Gatsby and so on.... Jane Eyre is the strongest influence, but I had to stop short of burning down the house :-)
ReplyDeleteLOL! :0) Awesome I would LOVE to read your book! I have to get my hands on it somehow! :0)
DeleteThanks for the giveaway.
Hi, Brenda - Richmond is full of all sorts of historic buildings and sites. I grew up outside of the city, but my dad was born and bred in town and told me tales about Richmond. Funny how these things surface when you're deep into writing a story. I haven't seen the Reveille United Methodist Church, but next time I'm over that way, I'll check it out.
ReplyDeleteWhat was your inspiration for this story?
ReplyDeleteamccalli(at)gmail(dot)(com)
I love Virginia and its history and historic homes. A Stranger in Windover sounds like a book that I'd really enjoy. I love your ideas of how to incorporate history into contemporary novels.
ReplyDeletemay_dayzeeATyahooDOTcom
I forgot to mention that I am a follower of History Repeats Itself.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kay. I've got you down for two entries, then. :)
DeleteHi, Shadowwolf - Many, many years ago there was a house outside of Roanoke, VA - a huge rambling mansion that was lived in by four architecture students. The got free rent in exchange for repairs and caretaking - at least the kind of caretaking where you have warm bodies living in the house and thereby discourage vandals. We attended a New Years party there. It was the kind of house that you could wander through from room to room and lose your bearings. That house stuck in my mind. I wish I knew where it was and if it was still standing.
ReplyDeleteSo, that was my initial inspiration. For many years, I knew I wanted to place a story in that house. More recently, the other parts of the story came together and thus came A Stranger in Wynnedower.
great question, Shadowwolf, and great answer Grace. I want to visit a house like that!
DeleteThanks, Kay! Incorporating historical elements into a contemporary novel offers so many rich opportunities for setting and subplots. I can't resist taking advantage of it!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great read.
ReplyDeletegodblessamerica.jan(at)gmail(dot)com
Nice to see you visit Jan. Grace has written three amazing books set in Virginia. Hope you get a chance to read her work. :)
DeleteJan - Thanks for dropping by and commenting! I love your email address.
DeleteGrace
Hey Ladies! Great post. Fun read on how you added the historical element to your contemporary. Best wishes on your new release Grace. Kathy, like always another great post. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteKathy and DebbieLynne - Thanks so much for the opportunity to talk about my book and my writing on your blog. It's always a wonderful place to visit! I wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving - a week from today!!
DeleteAnd we have two winners for the free ebook that Grace has so generously offered to give. Congratulations, Amada and KarenK! You have been selected by random.org as our winners.
ReplyDeleteBig thanks to everyone who stopped by this week and left comments for Grace. And a Blessed and Happy thanksgiving to all of you!
Thank you Grace, for being with us this week. all the best to you on your book launch.