Interview with Sara L. Foust and #Giveaway!!!!

Today we welcome Sara L. Foust to my blog. Sara is very graciously giving away one copy of CAMP HOPE (ebook or print - USA only for print) to one commenter. YOU MUST INCLUDE CONTACT INFORMATION!) 

Sara, thanks for stopping by. Tell us about the book – a brief blurb: 

AMY DAWSON directs a summer camp for foster children near Briceville, Tennessee. A foster mom for the first time, her responsibilities as mother to a traumatized child bring a whole new set of challenges and joys.

But when Amy’s four-year-old foster daughter is dragged into the mountains of Royal Blue by a former employee, parenting challenges are overshadowed by a new nightmare. The Sheriff's department fails to procure viable leads, and Amy can’t sit idle. Her childhood friend and first love, JACK EVANS, returns to lend his skills as tracker. Problem is, he also stirs up romantic memories Amy would rather leave buried.

Jack struggles to let go of his past failures and prove his reliability by bringing Mattie home, but fears when he left camp nineteen years ago and failed to keep a promise to Amy he permanently lost her confidence.

As Amy plunges into the wilderness on horseback to search for Mattie, she must decide who she trusts, let go of her childhood traumas, and learn to rely on hope in God. Facing dehydration, starvation, and a convoluted kidnapper, will she succeed in recovering her precious foster daughter or get lost in the vast wilderness forever?

Are any experiences in Camp Hope based on personal experiences? Did you draw upon any stories or movies for inspiration for the novel? 

I used to have horses, so my (limited) knowledge of horsemanship and jargon came from personal experience with owning horses for several years. We used to feed ours marshmallows for treats, like Amy does in my story, and it was so funny because the marshmallows got stuck to the roofs of their mouths and they would toss their heads and lick like crazy trying to get them free. I also read a lot of Zane Grey Westerns. He is one of my all-time favorite authors, and many of the things I’ve picked up and learned from the real-life Westerner helped inspire some ideas for the trail Amy takes.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in Camp Hope? 

I don’t think so. I’m pretty happy with the story, mostly because I prayed a lot about it!

What was the hardest part of writing your book? 

It was very hard to write about the pain from Amy and Jack’s childhoods and about the memories of the trauma Amy experienced.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

  I feel like I refined my “voice” as an author more in this book.

Did you have to travel much for research for Camp Hope? 

No, the mountains of Royal Blue and the town of Briceville are practically in my front yard.

What was it like coming back to for the second novel in the series? Do you foresee any more stories for this family of characters? 

Camp Hope is the second installment in the Love, Hope, and Faith Series, but it doesn’t shrae the same cast of characters as the first book, Callum’s Compass, or the third (coming March 2019), Rarity Mountain. However, one of the characters, Kat, from Callum’s Compass does make a cameo appearance in Camp Hope.

Who was your favorite character in Camp Hope? 

I really like Jack. He is a Southern gentleman who is grounded in his faith and turns into a really good influence on Amy’s life.

Was there anything in Camp Hope that you did not enjoy writing about? 

Trauma and abuse are, sadly, far too common for foster children. Writing about the statistics was hard, but writing the actual emotions was extremely difficult. Putting myself in Amy’s and Jack’s shoes was heart-wrenching.

Share your bio and links for social media and to buy: 

Sara is a multi-published, award-winning author who writes Inspirational Romantic Suspense from a mini-farm in East Tennessee, where she lives with her husband and their five homeschooled children. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from the University of Tennessee and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Her debut novel Callum's Compass won second place in Deep River Books' 2017 Writer's Contest. She also has a story, “Leap of Faith,” in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Step Outside Your Comfort Zone. Sara finds inspiration in her faith, her family, and the beauty of nature. When she isn’t writing, you can find her reading, camping, and spending time outdoors with her family. To learn more about her and her work or to become a part of her email friend’s group, please visit www.saralfoust.com. 

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/1945094494

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/camp-hope-journey-to-hope-sara-l-foust/1128889642?ean=9781945094477