Pepper Basham: author spotlight

If you’ve been a reader here at Faithfully Bookish for any length of time, you have no doubt seen me mention today’s featured author. Pepper Basham‘s down-to-earth humor, super swoony heroes, and heartfelt stories launched her into my favorite authors, love at first read!

about the author

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of 5 great kids, speech-pathologist to about fifty more, lover of chocolate, jazz, and Jesus.

Her debut historical novel, The Thorn Bearer, released in May 2015 and has garnered awards such as Reader’s Favorites Award, finalist in the Grace Awards, shortlisted for the Inspy Awards, and a finalist in ACFW’s Carol Awards.

Her second historical novel, The Thorn Keeper, released in Feb 2016 and her first contemporary romance, A Twist of Faith, released in April 2016 with a 4 star review from Romantic Times.

You can get to know Pepper on her website, Facebook, Instagram, or over at her group blog, The Writer’s Alley.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

 

five favorites

1. What is your favorite Christmas tradition?

Pepper: Reading Twas the Night Jesus Came to my kids on Christmas Eve. As a child, I LOVED running down the stairs at my grandparents’ house to find that Santa had left new presents under the tree for us. That was so much fun!

2. Who is your favorite secondary character from your stories?

Pepper: That’s hard because my secondary characters become main characters 😉 Mama Mitchell, I guess is one I’ve enjoyed writing the most…. oh oh and Madame Rousell!! Oh my goodness, she was fun!

Beth: I adore Mama Mitchell, can’t wait to visit her again! Madame Rousell is quite a character, that is for sure!

3. Who is your favorite secondary character created by another author?

Pepper: I LOVE Marilla Cuthbert 🙂

Beth: I was always more fond of Matthew but Marilla is one special lady, no doubt about that.

4. What is your favorite childhood book?

Pepper: The Secret Garden and Anne of Green Gables

Beth: Yes, Gil!!!

5. What are some of your favorite books?

Pepper: Oh goodness, how long of a list do you want? Courting Morrow Little by Laura Frantz (I usually love all of Laura’s books anyway), The Convenient Groom by Denise Hunter, Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, Kissing Adrien or She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell.

I love reading Tim Keller (nonfiction) and CS Lewis (both fiction/nonfiction), Tolkein, Jane Austen, Charlotte Brone’s Jane Eyre, Frankenstein, Dawn Crandall’s book The Cautious Maiden…oh goodness, I just don’t know how to pick a few 🙂

Of course, I enjoy reading the Bible, but one of my favorite books of the Bible is Romans.

Beth: I know, that question is more like a conversation starter!

 

books

Tell us a little bit about your latest release.

Pepper: The Thorn Healer is as its title says – a book about healing. And I get to bring readers by home, to the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Thorn Healer by Pepper D. Basham + giveaway + excerpt

Jessica Ross’ scars run much deeper than the wounds of war. Determined to escape the ghosts of her past and the German influence on her nightmares, she returns home to the sleepy Appalachian town of Hot Springs, NC, only to find the renowned Mountain Park Hotel has been converted into a ‘prison’ for displaced Germans. To Jessica’s dismay, her grandparents have befriended one of the treacherous internees.

August Reinhold has not only found kinship with Jessica’s grandparents, but as they share their granddaughter’s letters from the Front, he discovers a surprising bond drawing him toward the independent and beautiful woman. Displaced by a war and a painful history, he finds Hot Springs and the intriguing Jessica Ross a tempting place to start over. Determined to scale the heights of her bitterness and show her the power of love, August faces more than just Jessica’s resistance but a more devious design to harm the civilian sailors housed in Hot Springs.

Will August’s tender pursuit bring Jessica the healing and hope she needs, or will bitterness force her into the hands of a “true” enemy waiting to destroy much more than her heart?

Goodreads | Amazon

Beth: Don’t miss out on The Thorn Healer excerpt, giveaway, Facebook party information, and my review… click here!

Tell us about your next release.

Pepper: Oh my goodness!!!! This will be the first time I get to officially announce this, I think! On April 6 my favorite novel comes—a fun, Britallachian romance. If you want to know what Britallachian means, go here → Creating a Word…Shakespeare-style!

Do you want to hear about it? The novel is called Just the Way You Are—and if you like sassy humor, culture clashes, a hilarious and generous heroine and a swoony British hero, this book is for you!

Just the Way You Are has all the things I LOVE best in ONE story—mystery, humor, romance, a hilarious family, adorable kids, the Blue Ridge Mountains, England, Scooby Doo references, and some history.

Beth: I am completely having a #bestillmynerdgirlheart moment here!!! A first-time share for Just the Way You Are??? Squeee!!!
By the way, Britallachian (and the accompanying post) is fantabulous!

Here’s a little bit about it:

Single mom, Eisley Barrett, prefers to keep romance safely housed within a centuries-old mystery, but when she travels to England to unearth the secret, an actor with a sordid past offers her reluctant heart a very different type of discovery.

Wes Harrison has a past he’s ashamed to confess. Suspicious and cyncial, he’s managed to avoid romantic entanglements since a tragedy upended his career and life, that is until American Eisley Barrett comes along. Her authenticity and kindness upend his bitter assumptions and send his heart into unscripted territory.

When his past threatens to ruin a second chance at love, can some Appalachian matchmaking and letters from the grave salvage their unexpected romance?

Goodreads

Beth: Now this is just a peek at the back cover but Pepper will be sharing the front cover in February!
Thank you so much for taking time during this very busy season (bookwise and otherwise) to visit and share a little bit about you and your books, Pepper!

So let’s chat about the Brits and Appalachians! Say hi to Pepper and tell us: What characteristics come to mind for each area and its culture?

 

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