Author, Spotlight

Lori Benton: author spotlight + q&a

Beth Erin

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Faithfully Bookish

Anyone who loves rich Colonial and early American historical fiction, NEEDS to get their hands on books by today’s featured author. NEED to READ, y’all! I’m completely serious here. As a matter of fact, there’s a link to the first two chapters of her next release just below… SCROLL!

About the Author

Lori Benton’s novels transport readers to the eighteenth century, where she brings to life the Colonial and early Federal periods of American history.

When she isn’t writing, reading, or researching, Lori enjoys exploring and photographing the Pacific Northwest wilderness with her husband.

She is the author of Burning Sky, recipient of three Christy Awards, The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn, Christy nominee The Wood’s Edge and A Flight of Arrows.

website | facebook | instagram

 

Five Favorites

Lori: You know it’s equally hard to pick just one favorite of five topics as five favorites of one, right?

Beth: Well, it’s nice to have options anyway, right?! 😉

Favorite childhood books

Lori: C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia! Books that inspired me to write.

Beth: “Courage, dear one.” ????

Favorite time period

Lori: Love the 1700s in Scotland and Colonial/Federal America

Beth: Nice! I’ll gladly read those!

Favorite outside activity

Lori: Right now it’s landscape photography

A post shared by Lori Benton (@lorilbenton) on

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Beth: LOVE!!! ❤ I adore following you on Instagram! 

Favorite book setting

Lori: Anything frontier, where cultures collide

Beth: Yes and yes! ????

Favorite series

Lori: The Brother Cadfael books (20 Medieval mysteries by Ellis Peters… her exquisite writing, y’all!)

Beth: Now these I have not heard of! I will have to look them up because we were all BFF on all the other favorites!

 

Books

Tell us about your latest release

Lori: So excited for this book to hit store shelves on August 29.  I began writing Many Sparrows during a time when I was feeling unusually dry creatively, and though I didn’t really set out to do so, the characters’ story came to mirror a challenging season the Lord had just brought me through, in the sense that how they grow through their particular trials (not at all like my own!) and what they need to come to understand about God’s working in their lives, was very much what He’d been showing me in the months prior to my writing this story.

So this book comes from a very raw but very real place in my heart. My hope is that readers will (of course!) be entertained by this tale of frontier adventure, but also look deeper and find a hunger for more awareness of God in their own hearts, for eyes to see His hand, for the patience to wait for His timing.

LOOK!!! A Special Sneak Peek at the first TWO chapters of Many Sparrows

Beth: By the way, y’all can take advantage of a special preorder offer from the publisher, reader friends. Details in our latest Bookish Bargains post!

Many Sparrows by Lori BentonWhen settler Clare Inglesby is widowed on a mountain crossing and her young son, Jacob, captured by Shawnees, she’ll do everything in her power to get him back, including cross the Ohio River and march straight into the presence of her enemies deep in Indian country.

Frontiersman and adopted Shawnee, Jeremiah Ring, promises to guide Clare through the wilderness and help her recover Jacob.

Once they reach the Shawnees and discover Jeremiah’s own Shawnee sister, Rain Crow, has taken custody of Jacob–renaming him Many Sparrows–keeping his promise becomes far more complicated, the consequences more wrenching, than Jeremiah could have foreseen.

goodreads | amazon | bookdepository | christianbook

Beth: Oh oh! This is the first I’ve read the blurb, looks like things are going to get interesting!!! (no blurb necessary for me to decide to read a book by Lori Benton, just the fact that it IS written by Lori Benton pretty much seals the deal!)

 

Tell us about your next release

Lori: My work in progress, tentatively titled The King’s Mercy, will take readers back to North Carolina as a setting, during an earlier period in the 18th century than I’ve written about before, the 1740s! And the story, like Many Sparrows, has some ties to an earlier novel of mine, The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn.

Beth: Now I REALLY MUST get my hands on Tamsen!!! Eeep!

 

Q&A

What do you want readers to gain from Many Sparrows?

Lori: Patience with God’s timing and trust in His goodness. He’s got this! You, me, us. All the many sparrows.

Beth: Amen! What a beautiful truth to be reminded of!

Will readers be able to follow Clare and Jeremiah in future books?

Lori: Quite possibly. I love for characters to cross over into other stories and make it happen as often as I can!

Beth: As a reader, I love this too!

What kind of research did you do on the Ohio country setting?

Lori: This time around I got to do some on-site research, traveling along the Ohio River and even sleeping at Yellow Creek, the setting of the opening chapter… there are a race track and hotel there now!

Beth: Very interesting! I think I’d like to float down a river sometime, how cool would that be?!

What is the best time of year along the Ohio River?

Lori: I love autumn in the eastern mountains, such colors! The climax scenes of Many Sparrows are set in autumn with those fiery mountains as a backdrop. Fun fact: the working title for this book actually was The Flames of Autumn.

Beth: Autumn colors and mountains are always a winning combination! The beauty of autumn is certainly well captured on the cover! Thank you for sharing with us today, Lori! 

 

Giveaway

Lori Benton has graciously offered to send one fortunate Faithfully Bookish reader a signed paperback of her next release, Many Sparrows!

Many Sparrows by Lori Benton giveaway on Faithfully Bookish

US only
complete giveaway rules

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Say hi to Lori in the comments!
If you have read Lori’s previous work or the sneak peek chapters, share your thoughts!

39 thoughts on “Lori Benton: author spotlight + q&a”

  1. I haven’t read any books by Lori Benton yet but plan to remedy this tragedy soon. Many Sparrows sounds fascinating and the first two chapters have totally piqued my interest. Thanks for the interview and the snippet of the book!

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  2. I received two of Lori’s books as a giveaway. I am looking forward to reading them and would love to add this one to my collection. I love historicals.

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  3. Lori Benton is a new author to me. However, her book Many Sparrows is now on the top of my TBR list after reading the first two chapters here. I loved the story she is telling and the great emotion is is able to capture in just a few lines. Amazing!

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  4. I have not read any books by Lori YET, but I have her FABULOUS things about them. I have Burning Sky on my Kindle, and just bought the book The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn. So I am ready! Thank you for this interview and for the chance to win!

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  5. Burning Sky by Lori is one of my very favorite historical fiction books, but of course they are all excellent! Can’t wait for this newest release.

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  7. I’ve heard so many wonderful things already about Many Sparrows and Lori Benton’s books. This book is definitely on my TBR list. Congratulations, Lori, on your new book release.

    Great interview, Beth and Lori!

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  8. Hi Beth and Lori, great interview! Congratulations on your newest book, Many Sparrows!
    Lori, I have several of your books on my very looong TBR list and have added Many Sparrows to that list.
    Blessings, Tina

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  9. Lori is a new author for me. i love the idea of a woman having to fight for her son’s return and battling the elements too. I couldn’t load the sneak peek, but this book sounds amazing and suspenseful.

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  13. I haven’t read any of her books yet but I have Burning Sky and The Woods Edge already. I just need to find the time to read them! Many Sparrows sounds like another great book to add to my tbr pile! I enjoyed reading the interview and the first of this new book. Thanks for this giveaway.

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  16. Lori, what a fun interview! I always enjoy your landscape photography — it’s inspiring! I’m excited to be reading Many Sparrows really soon, myself!

    Beth. You MUST read The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn ASAP! Don’t rest until you do. It’s THAT amazing. And the hero, Jesse, is your type, I believe: rugged frontiersman. Need I say more? 😉

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  17. I haven’t read any of Lori’s books yet but I have them all except Many Sparrows and I have it in my cart at CBD right now. I hope to get started on them soon.

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  18. The first book I read by Lori was At Wood’s Edge. I loved it so I was very happy when A Flight of Arrows was released to finish the story. A few days ago I finished Burning Sky and am in the midst of reading The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn. I’m really looking forward to reading Many Sparrows. I’ve learned that Lori’s books are excellent and now are “must reads” for me. Her heroines are strong, admirable women and her heroes definitely swoon worthy. Faith is also strong in her books.

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  21. I havent read any books by Lori Benton yet but this sounds amazing. I now looked up her books and excited to give them a try! Thank you for introducing me to new authors!

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  22. I haven’t read any of Lori Benton’s books, although I have seen them peppered around online. Many Sparrows is interesting and I would like to see how she handles that part of history. As a Native American amateur history buff, I love these kind of stories, whether in book form or movie.

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  25. I haven’t read anything by Lori before, though I’ve read some really great reviews on her books! Definitely want to remedy that soon 🙂

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  26. I have Lori’s books! The Woods Edge. I love books including Indians. very fine book. I would love to win this book, Many Sparrows. Thanks for a chance. Maxie

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  30. Hi Lori! You’re a new author to me but this book sounds outstanding! I’m in Ohio (north by the lake, not south by the river) but I love the historic setting! Thanks for sharing your heart and your talents with us!
    Trdivincenzo (at) gmail (dot) com

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