For fans of A Knight of Silence and Read My Lips comes a YA historical western full of grit and heart...
In 1874, Ivy Steele's deafness is more than a handicap. It's a disease. Surrounded by a family that doesn't understand her, she's learned to cope and find solace where she can. Then, the unexpected happens. Her aunt dies, and her uncle sends her away to rejoin her father's family in Montana.Left to fend for herself, after the companion hired to escort her abandons her, sixteen-year-old Ivy faces continual hardship and danger. Several men see an unaccompanied Ivy as a flower ripe for the picking, and things only get worse when masked men hold up their stagecoach.
Barely scraping through, Ivy makes it to Montana with her nerves shaken and what little money she has in her boot. Expecting a peaceful if not affectionate welcome, Ivy finds herself in greater hardship than she's ever known.
Surrounded by a stepfamily that hates her, and flung into a life where hearing is vital, Ivy finds solace in a handsome cowboy named Remy. But things with her new family are not what they seem. And Ivy is about to find out that the danger she faced on the journey west, has followed her to Montana...
Bethany Swafford dazzles with her stunning young adult debut, introducing a strong heroine, the hardships of frontier life, shocking twists, and a slow-burning romance that will leave you wanting more.
Third place winner of the 2018 Rosemary Award
For as long as she can remember, Bethany Swafford has loved reading books. That love of words extended to writing as she grew older and when it became more difficult to find a ‘clean’ book, she determined to write her own. Among her favorite authors is Jane Austen, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Georgette Heyer.
When she doesn’t have pen to paper (or fingertips to laptop keyboard), she can generally be found with a book in hand. In her spare time, Bethany reviews books for a book site called More Than A Review.
Author Interview
Author: Bethany Swafford
Book: My Hands Hold My Story
Tell us about your writing - What genre do you prefer to write?
What books, stories, other publications that you've written are your personal
favorites? Anything new coming up?
Before
My Hands Hold My Story, I’ve mostly
written Regency romance. I have to say, A Chaotic Courtship has been my
favorite. I just love the interactions Diana has with her siblings while she
tries to give attention to the man she’s falling in love with. I have a trilogy
I’m working on that is more mystery than romance.
What about you as a person? What do you do to relax? Favorite
movies or tv shows? Hobbies?
Honestly,
writing is what I do to relax from my day job. I do look forward to new
episodes of Victoria and The Crown.
What gets your creative juices going? Do you write to a music, and
do you want to share your playlist?
I do
write to music, and it is the main way I get creative.
"All writers must have cats, especially if they write fantasy
or speculative fiction." Do you have a stand on this one? Any cute
pictures of your kitty or other pet?
It’s
not absolutely necessary to have a cat, but my three definitely make life more
interesting. A long haired, multi-color female by the name of Chewie, who hates
me most of the time. (Not pictured) A long haired black ninja cat, named Muddy,
who has anxiety issues and doesn’t like to be out of sight of us.. And my
buddy, Skidz, who is a gray stripped, one eared gentleman. (And we are never
letting my brother name our pets again.)
Skidz Muddy
What organizations do you recommend for those wanting to become
writers? Any advice you'd like to share about writing?
Listen
to podcasts about writing. I recommend the SPF Podcast (Self Publishing
Formula), The Bestseller Experiment Podcast, and The Creative Penn Podcast. I
get great ideas and advice from these people.
What writers inspired you to become an author?
Jane
Austen. Her grasp of the social norms of her time and the wit she used to poke
fun at these norms is amazing to read. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s characters,
especially Sherlock Holmes, was an influence as well.
Any special appearances or events coming up that you want to
mention?
Not at
the moment!
If you could travel to any time in history, when would you visit?
The
Victorian Era. They made incredible strides in science, society, and
industrial, and I would love to be able to watch it all happen.
If you could have dinner with any of your characters, which ones
would you choose? What food would you serve?
I
would have all of my heroines: Ivy, Diana, Juliet, and Emily. I think they
would all get along, though Emily would probably pick a fight. I’d go for a
simple meal: roasted chicken, with mashed potatoes, peas, and fresh baked bread
with apple cake for dessert.
If you could travel anywhere, on earth or off, where would you go?
I’ve
never been outside of the US, so anywhere would be amazing. I think I would
especially love to travel to the UK and tour all the old houses.
What color would you wear if you had only one choice?
Blue.
It can be a happy color or a somber color. It goes with my eyes too, so it’s
perfect for me!
Describe your dream writing spot.
On
the deck of a cabin in the mountains
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