Gold Rush Bride Hannah – Author Interview with Linda Shenton Matchett

Gold Rush Bride, Hannah by Linda Shenton Matchett A Book Spotlight + Giveaway! Via Celebrate Lit Publicity!

About the Book

Book: Gold Rush Bride Hannah
Author: Linda Shenton Matchett
Genre: Historical Romance
Release date: May 18, 2021
Recently widowed, she’s doesn’t need another man in her life. He’s not looking for a wife. But when danger thrusts them together, will they change their minds…and hearts?

Hannah Lauman’s husband has been murdered, but rather than grief, she feels…relief. She decides to remain in Georgia to work their gold claim, but a series of incidents make it clear someone wants her gone…dead or alive. Is a chance at being a woman of means and independence worth risking her life? Jess Vogel never breaks a promise, so when he receives a letter from a former platoon mate about being in danger, he drops everything to help his old friend. Unfortunately, he arrives just in time for the funeral.

Can he convince the man’s widow he’s there for her protection not for her money? Gold Rush Bride: Hannah is the first book in the exciting new series Gold Rush Brides. Steeped in romance, intrigue, and history, the story will keep you turning pages long into the night.  

Author Interview

What is your favorite genre to read? What is your favorite genre to write? And why are they your favorites?

I adore reading historical fiction of any era regardless of subgenre. I’ll read any mystery, romance, women’s fiction, etc. that’s set in a past era. I prefer to write about historical romance. I’m a history geek, and whether I’m reading or preparing to write, Ilove delving into the incidents, people, and places that shaped our present times.

Once an idea takes root, how long does it take you to write it down?

After I’ve come up with a basic “what if” scenario for the book, I create a scene by scene outline that includes character point of view, date, time of day, weather and other “textural” details, and hook. It takes me a couple of weeks to create the outline, and it’s typically ten to twelve pages.

What are your hobbies other than writing?

In addition to reading, I enjoy the outdoors. I hike and kayak during the warm months, and snowshoe during the winter. My husband and I also like to travel and sightsee.

Do you have a genre that you would never write? (In the Christian genre sphere i.e. speculative, historical, contemporary, etc.)

I would never write speculative or fantasy fiction. First, I wouldn’t be very good at it, but secondly, I think it would be very difficult to create the “world” in which the characters live. I don’t even like to create fake towns for my novels. My stories all occur in real places.

What is one thing in your life that you would say has had the greatest impact on your writing? Or in your life in general?

The one thing that has impacted my writing the most was the weekend I came home from a writing conference and my husband had created an office for me. Up until that time, we had operated a bed and breakfast and our living quarters were quite small and cramped. We had closed the Inn, and he moved all the furniture out of one of the guest rooms and put in a desk, and moved in my bookshelves and books. I knew he supported me, but that action showed me how much.

About Author Linda Shenton Matchett

Linda Shenton Matchett writes about ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. A volunteer docent and archivist for the Wright Museum of WWII, Linda is a former trustee for her local public library. She is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry. Linda has lived in historic places all her life, and is now located in central New Hampshire where her favorite activities include exploring historic sites and immersing herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors.  

More from Linda

Dear Readers,  

Have you ever heard the quote about Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers that says, “Sure he was great, but don’t forget that Ginger Rogers did everything he did, backwards…and in high heels?” Originally seen in a 1982 Frank and Ernest comic strip, the line has been used by many people from comedians to politicians.  

A slight twist on the statement can be made about women in the centuries before modern attire allowed them to wear slacks…they did everything men did, but in floor-length skirts (to say nothing of when they had to wear corsets!). A few examples include cooking over an open hearth, hauling water before the invention of pumps and indoor plumbing, farm work such as milking cows or gardening, and riding a horse.

 One of my favorite aspects about writing is developing the characters, especially the female protagonists. Mine are typically…well, untypical. The gals in my books are war correspondents, mechanics, spies, doctors, pilots, and midwives, just to name a few.

While thinking about what to write next, I stumbled on an article about female prospectors, and I knew I had my story. I continued to dig and was delighted to find journals and diaries of these stalwart women who either followed their husbands, brothers, or fathers to the gold field or actually set out on their own. Instead of setting my novel during the well-known California gold rush of 1849, Gold Rush Bride Hannah takes place two decades earlier in northern Georgia where more than one million dollars of gold was unearthed.  

The few images I found confirmed my suspicion. These women prospected alongside the men, swirling their pans of silt hour after hour…all while wearing a dress.

  I hope you enjoy Hannah’s story.

Giveaway For Gold Rush Bride Hannah

To celebrate her tour, Linda is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Visa Gift Card and signed copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

Click Here to Enter the Giveaway For Gold Rush Bride Hannah!

Blog Stops

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, June 22 (Author Interview)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 22

deb’s Book Review, June 23

For Him and My Family, June 24

Texas Book-aholic, June 25

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, June 26 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 26

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 27

Connie’s History Classroom, June 28

Inklings and notions, June 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 30

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 1

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, July 2

Artistic Nobody, July 3 (Author Interview)

Reviewingbooksplusmore, July 3

Splashes of Joy, July 4 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, July 5

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