Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Coal Black Lies by Cindy K. Sproles, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: Coal Black Lies
Author: Cindy K. Sproles
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Release Date: June 18, 2024
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction
Believing the bitter lies you tell yourself leaves little room for the sweetness of truth
Coal miner Joshua Morgan managed to do the impossible--he broke away from the stranglehold of the iron-fisted Barton family and the Company Store, to whom all the miners in the Appalachian Mountains are indebted. But it cost him the life of his young daughter, who was run down by a posse led by Thomas Barton while coming to collect Joshua's payment to the store.
Five years later, a sweet but slow-witted young girl lands on his doorstep, and Joshua's desire to protect her from the clutches of the Bartons increases his thirst for vengeance. Joshua sets out to discover where the girl came from in order to take down the Barton family once and for all.
His journey leads him to the truth about the day his daughter died, a reality he finds hard to accept. But when confronted by Thomas Barton himself, Joshua is forced to rethink the dark lies brewing in his heart. If he broke away, could Thomas have also? Despite his misgivings, can Joshua join forces with a man he once despised to free the miners from the tyrannical Barton family and forge a future of peace for both the young girl and himself?
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About the Author
Cindy K. Sproles is the author of devotions published in newspapers across the country and a teacher at Christian writers conferences. She spent her formative years showing off her beloved Appalachian Mountains to others, and she and her family still live in the mountains of East Tennessee.
Connect with Cindy at cindysproles.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.
Author Interview
Welcome, Cindy! Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and giving my readers a chance to get to know you and your new book Coal Black Lies.
Can you share 5 random facts about yourself?
I worked as a surgery vet tech for 18 years.
I actually find yard work relaxing (even though I can hardly move when I’m done.)
My heart lends itself to being an encourager
I can keep a secret
When did you first discover you had a passion/talent for writing?
Like most writers, I believe I knew this at a young age. My hobby was making up characters and inventing adventures for them to go on. I recognized the ability to write when I was in high school.
What drew you to historical fiction?
I’m a history buff. But I’ve always been in love the region where I was raised—the Appalachian Mountains. The heritage and history in these mountains is rich and strong. I didn’t want that culture to go unnoticed.
What was the inspiration behind this story?
Two things inspired this story. First, the sweet and loving nature of my son, who has Fragile X Syndrome. I see daily how his sweet disposition affects the people who come in contact with him at his job. It needed to be recognized. Secondly, studying the region and the area coal mines. The deeper I delved into research, the more I saw a part of history that is somewhat overlooked. It was an opportunity to help bring that part of history to life.
If you could describe your main character(s) in just three words each, what would those words be?
Seeking his redemption.
What was the most challenging part of bringing this story to life?
This story has multiple twists, and it became challenging to ensure that those twists fell appropriately in the story. Every part had to fit snugly together. If a piece were in question, the entire story would fall apart.
The most rewarding?
Oh my, the most rewarding was walking Joshua Morgan into forgiveness. My hope is that readers will relate to the Morgans and their plight. If they face some of their own little white lies turned black and find forgiveness in their lives, then this makes it worth the effort.
What do you hope readers will take away from the book?
I hope they see that truth is never easy but that it is always right. And I hope they see the thread of faith—that our Father is a loving and forgiving Father.
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. Before you go, where can readers follow along to see what’s coming next?
They can find me at cindysproles.com, and I encourage them to sign up for my newsletter. I promise I won’t overwhelm you with email.
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will win a print copy of Coal Black Lies plus book-related swag!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight June 17, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on June 24, 2024. 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 JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
loved this interview! What great questions & answers!
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