Please welcome award winning author Anita Higman to
One lucky winner will win a copy of Winter in Full Bloom, see the
bottom of this post for your chance to win.
Anita Higman was able to answer a few question, I hope you enjoy
the answers:
1. I was curious as to what is her favorite scripture could be. She told
me it was Psalm 121:2-3 (KJV) "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,
from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which
made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved:
he that keepeth thee will not slumber." I have to agree with her, I
find great comfort in this scripture it is so true and a great scripture
to cling to because God is always our help.
2. Winner in Full Bloom is set in Texas as well as Australia. What made
you want to set the novel in these two places? Well I live in Texas so I
wanted to make use of my home state. After living here for about 30
years, I have a soft spot for Texas now. Also I have visited Melbourne,
Australia for about three weeks and have taken notes, and since it was
such an exotic place and I had such an amazing time there, I wanted to
share some of my experiences with readers.
actually, I did. The publisher sent me a few samples to look at, and
I chose this one. But the cover you see now was tweaked a number
of times. One of the changes was the addition of the red tulips along
the snowy path. I'm so glad the publisher was open to changes. I'm
very happy with the final cover. It reflects the story even better than,
and I think that bit of unexpected intrigue along the road will be
eye-catching to the bookstore browser.
4. The title is unique. How did you come up with Winter in Full Bloom?
Sometimes I brainstorm titles, and then sometimes I use the phrase I
find within the manuscript that works well as a title. Winter in Full
Bloom was created in one of my brainstorming sessions. As a side note,
there are couple of meanings to this title. The heroin's name is Lilly
Winter. Also half of the book takes place in Houston at the advent of
winter, but when she flies to Melbourne at the same time of the year,
Australians are experiencing the beginning of spring. So even though
Lilly has begun getting ready for winter, she suddenly enters into the
season springtime --- literally and in her personal life.
5. Are the characters from your imagination, or do they come from
real-life? My characters are a mixture of both. I'll be watching someone
at the airport or the mall or at church, and I'll think, "Wow, that gesture
is perfect for my characters." Then some of my character traits will
come straight from my imagination. Usually it's a fun brew of all the
above.
6. Do you and your husband travel a lot? We travel much more now that
we have an empty nest. Last year we went to Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada.
This year we've been to Mexico, California, and right now as I type this
answer, my husband and I are waiting at the airport to fly to Ireland.
Can't wait. I'm hoping to set one of my future novels in Ireland.
7. Why do you write? I have a real need to express myself creatively ---
guess I was born that way --- writing and I fit well together.
that element to the story? I was going through this rough phase of
motherhood , and I thought it would be good to add this to the story. I
hope it added an element of authenticity to the tale. And too, forcing
myself to write about the pain surely helped me deal with it better.
30 years. It's been a long stumbly kind of journey. I've had some dark
hours --- those moments when I really didn't know what I was doing or
why I was doing it. Moments when rejection swept me under like a
scary undertow. Moments when getting published seem pretty much
impossible. But I never gave up, and I'm glad I didn't. I have had 34
books published in many genres, and even though it's been a rough
ride, it has also been deeply satisfying.
10. This story is about twin sisters. Are you a twin or do you have a
sister? I'm afraid I have to say no to both of these questions, but
I've always wanted to have a sister. And that desire I suppose
fueled the dialogue and some of this story.
11. Winter in Full Bloom is a love story but also story of family
reconciliation. Have you experienced that last part in your own
life? Yes, I have known the miracle of family reconciliation, and
has brought me great joy.
12. Any final words for you readers? If you have ever taken the time
to read one of my novels, I thank you with all my heart. I sincerely
hope that Winter in Full Bloom inspires you, and makes you laugh,
and when you come to the last page and close the book, I hope your
heart and your step feels just a little lighter.
Book Description:Lily Winter's wings are folded so tightly
around her daughter that when empty nest arrives, she feels she can
no longer fly. But Lily's lonely, widowed life changes in a heartbeat
when she goes to visit a woman who is almost a stranger to her-a
woman who also happens to be her mother. During their fiery
reunion, her mother reveals a dark family secret that she'd been
hiding for decades-Lily has an identical twin sister who was put
up for adoption when they were just babies. Without looking back,
Lily-with her fear of flying-boards a jumbo jet and embarks on a
quest to find her sister which leads half way around the world to
Melbourne, Australia. Befriended by imprudent Aussie, he might
prove to be the key to finding her sister. But her journey becomes
a circle that leads her back home to attempt a family reunion and
to find the one dream she no longer imagined possible-the chance
to fall in love again.
My 5 Star Review:
Winter in Full Bloom a novel
by Anita Higman
Wow what I journey this book will take you on. The author Anita
Higman gives such vivid descriptions, that you can not help but feel
like you are in the mist of the story. Lily Winter has lived a hard life.
She has endured the hardship of being raised by a cruel mean unloving
mother. She has lost her father and husband but clings to her dear sweet
daughter, whom she loves and adores. After a nasty confrontation
with her estranged mother Lily finds out she has a twin sister she never
knew about. So her journey begins and takes her to Melbourne Australia
in the search of her long lost sister Camille. There she meets American
Marcus Averill; he is charming, strange, funny, gentle. Like Lily, Marcus
has lived through tough times. Together they face life’s toughest
challenges, forgiveness, redemption and the quest for acceptance and
love.
Anita Higman is a fairly new author to me, I have not read many books
by her but the few I have read I have really enjoyed. I highly
recommend this book; it is a Christian fiction with a little romance.
If you like what you have read here today and would like the chance
to win a copy, let me know in the comments below. I will announce
a winner on Octber 27, 2013. Include your email address so I can
notify the winner.
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