Calm Before the Storm Blog Tour: Author Interview + Giveaway

 

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour & Giveaway for Calm Before the Storm by Janice L. Dick, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Title: Calm Before the Storm
Series: The Storm Series #1
Author: Janice L. Dick
Release Date: August 15, 2020 (re-release)
Genre: Inspirational Historical Fiction

South Russia, 1914.

The world is at war and revolution threatens. Against this backdrop of fear and danger, three young people search for hope and love. Katarina Hildebrandt’s tranquil life on her family’s Crimean estate is about to change. Tutor Johann Sudermann has found true faith, but it will turn his life upside-down. And Paul Gregorovich Tekanin, working for the revolution in St. Petersburg, finds his choices will demand his soul as well as his wit and strength.

Will they find faith to weather the coming storm?

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon  

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Janice L. Dick is an award-winning author who writes from her rural home in Saskatchewan, Canada. She writes historical and contemporary fiction, blogs, book reviews, and inspirational articles. In September 2016, Janice became the first recipient of the prestigious Janette Oke award, presented by the InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship.

In 2016 Janice established her indie imprint: Tansy & Thistle Press: faith, fiction, forum, and has since released two more historical novels. She has completed two historical trilogies based on her Mennonite heritage in South Russia. Find out more at her website.

CONNECT WITH JANICE: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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Hi Janice! Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and giving my readers the chance to get to know you and your book- Calm Before the Storm- a little bit better!  I always like to start these interviews the same way with something fun! Tell us 5 random facts about you we WON’T find in your bio.

1. I have lived on a farm for all but about a year of my life, and I’m so thankful for that blessing. One day shopping in the city sends me hurrying home to my quiet life.

2. I am an introvert. I have some close friends that I love and trust, but I don’t need a lot of social involvement to survive.

3. I participated in small town rodeo barrel racing when I was a teen. (Didn’t do very well. My horse was very hard-mouthed and wouldn’t obey. One of the more embarrassing times of my life.) I’ve always loved horses, as did my dad and brother. Lots of hours riding the hills and valleys of the Old Man River in Southern Alberta.

4. Our eldest daughter and her family live on a neighboring farm, so we get to see them often. That is one of my greatest blessings.

5. My dear husband and I have been married for almost 45 years! We have eleven grandchildren, ranging in age from five to eighteen.

Let’s talk writing! When did you first discover your love of writing?

I’ve always loved books and reading, but I didn’t know I could be a writer. I attended a presentation in our local library when I was in my forties, and the presenter encouraged the attendees to start a writing group. We did that, and that was the beginning. I was gifted a writing course, and began attending writing conferences. After a few years of dabbling, I decided to write the story that lay on my heart…

What drew you to historical romance?

The story of my heart was about my forebears, the Mennonites of South Russia. My parents were both born in Russia, and my husband is also of Mennonite heritage. So the story was necessarily historical. The romance thread was due to the fact that I think life needs romance. I didn’t want the romance to be the primary element, but part of the whole.

Calm Before the Storm was your first book, first published in 2002. Do you remember what it was like seeing those words in print for the first time?

My manuscript was accepted by the third publisher I submitted to, so that was exciting. I remember when I opened the letter (this was before email was a thing for publishers) I couldn’t believe my eyes. I jumped up and down, shouted a bit and then called my mom! What a highlight that was!

What made you want to re-release all these years later?

My trilogy was on the shelves for over a decade, but eventually went out-of-print. Only used copies are available on Amazon now. So, since I had moved to independent publishing, I decided the only way to keep these books in readers’ hands was to re-release them myself. This also gives me the opportunity to re-edit the books, since I’ve learned a few more things about writing in the intervening years. I’ve also had input from people I trust, so hopefully, these releases will be improved.

Can you tell us a little bit about Calm Before The Storm?

Calm Before the Storm is the story of Mennonites who had lived in South Russia since the late 1700s. At the time of the story, these people had developed a socio-economic system that worked well. The religious element was also changing, in many cases moving from nominal Christianity to spiritual awakening.

It is in this era that I wanted to highlight the lives of Mennonites in the Golden Years, then show how World War I and the Russian Revolution devastated their lifestyle. Their personal losses are difficult to fathom, but they held on to their faith in the God who had led them to that place.

What do you hope readers will take away from the book?

The first reason I wrote this book/series was to preserve the stories of our heritage for my kids and grandkids. I wanted them to know where they’d come from and the legacy of faith they have.

But as I wrote, I realized that was a small part of my goal. More important was that they understood that even in tremendous suffering, God is faithful. I wanted the story to cross cultural and religious barriers to show that this God loves humankind with an all-encompassing love, that He pursues us, that He longs to share His love through His Son, Jesus, and His sacrificial love for us.

Thank you again for taking the time to answer these questions. Before you go, are there any other projects you are currently working on that you can share?

As soon as I complete the release of Calm Before the Storm, I will get back to working on the first draft of my cozy mystery, Crazy About Maisie (Happenstance Chronicles #2), which is due out in April 2021. Then I’ll start on the re-edit of the second Storm book, Eye of the Storm, for its December release. In between, I have a short story to write for an anthology with my Mosaic Collection sisters. I think I’d better get busy!

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(1) winner will receive a Calm Before the Storm ebook + $10 Amazon gift card!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway will begin at midnight August 4, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on August 11, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

 

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