Love Notes, by Sherrie Hansen - FREE BOOK

Tell us about your book. LOVE NOTES is my fifth book to be published by Second Wind Publishing, and my debut Christian inspirational romance. It’s set at Rainbow Lake Lodge near Embarrass, Minnesota, in my home state. Tommy Love is a fading pop singer / songwriter who wants to write one more big hit (hip hop, to attract the new generation), and Hope is a widow of two years who is trying to reopen the family resort where her husband was raised.

Can you give us a sneak peek at your new release?

Hope Anderson’s heart is finally starting to thaw.
Even Tommy Love’s is melting around the edges.

For Hope, recreating the past - reopening Rainbow Lake Lodge and seeing it bubbling with families, children, and laughter again – means new life. It’s the only way she can honor her late husband's legacy.

For Tommy Lubinski of Tommy Love and the Love Notes fame, Rainbow Lake means coming home - peace, quiet, seclusion - and a second chance at stardom. Once he’s bulldozed the lodge and built his dream house overlooking the lake, everything will be perfect.

Hope is sinking fast, but she’ll be fine if she can just keep her head above water until spring. Tommy’s troubles run a little deeper, but there’s no need to worry for now… Rainbow Lake is frozen solid. Or is it?

What inspired this book? We spend a few days each summer at My husband’s aunt and uncle’s cabin on Bear Island lake, near Ely, Minnesota. Stories told, memories shared, sights seen… boating adventures on the lake, a rainbow arched over the water – it all came together in LOVE NOTES.

What was the first book you ever wrote? I wrote and (crudely – an artist I am not) illustrated a book about a little boy who liked to play with boxes, He used his imagination to make up all kinds of wonderful, imaginary things with boxes – like a spaceship. My mother saved it. One day I may scan it into the computer. It’s really kind of cute.

What is your favorite character trait to write about? Almost all of my characters seem to have the stubborn gene. I can’t imagine why that particular trait seems to be a recurring theme!

What do you hope readers will take away from this book? I hope each reader will have their faith in miracles renewed. I’m a firm believer in second chances, and know from personal experience that God can take the most adverse scenario and make something beautiful out of it – in His time.

What is your favorite season? I love everything about springtime - the season of new life and new beginnings (except for tornadoes). Autumn is a close second. Indian summer days and cool, crisp nights are hard to beat.

If you could travel back in time when and where would you go? I would go back in time to Deep Valley, MN in the early 1900’s and be part of Betsy Ray’s “crowd”. I loved the Betsy Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace as a child – still do. Maud’s books influenced me greatly – I feel quite sure Betsy is the reason I became a writer. The Betsy Tacy books would also explain why I ended up living in a Victorian house. To experience Betsy, Tacy, Tib, Carney, Tony, Joe and the rest of the crowd first hand would be total déjà vu - a dream come true.

What project are you currently working on? I’m working on a book that I started a couple of years ago after a trip to Scotland called Wild Rose. The main character is the pastor or St. Conan’s Kirke on Loch Awe. I’m just loving the interactions between the church ladies and Rose, who is, well, a bit wild. I’ve also started a sequel to my first book, Night and Day, called Daybreak in Denmark. I’ve also got a great idea for a book set in the Florida Everglades and at a famous hotel on St. Pete’s Beach called the Pink Lady. It will involve gangsters, an heiress, and a 75 year old mystery.     

What has been your most challenging experience writing a book? My biggest challenge is finding the time to write. I own and operate a B&B and tea house, am a pastor’s wife, a sometimes musician, and maintain 4 houses in 2 towns, an hour and a half apart.

What is your favorite thing to write about, (i.e., forgiveness, rebellion, etc)? I love writing about second chances at romance. All things work together for good – God makes all things beautiful in His time – these are the recurring themes of my books. My characters are typically a bit older than some and come with their own set of baggage. I love seeing how God brings about redemption in their broken lives, and sunshine – maybe even a rainbow - after the storm.

What is your favorite color? My favorite color is blue, the color of my B&B, the Blue Belle Inn. My website is BlueBelleBooks.com. I have a blue PT Cruiser with the license plate BLUBELLE. Sometimes I feel like a blue belle. I love bluebells. My favorite shade is periwinkle blue.     

Where is your favorite place to vacation? I love vacationing in Europe and Canada. As a business owner, it’s good to get out of the country periodically – so far away that my staff can’t find me. In the past few years, I’ve been to Scotland, Wales, England, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Prince Edward Island, and British Columbia.

What book are you currently reading? I just finished an Advanced Reader Edition of Debbie Macomber’s The Inn at Rose Harbor. I enjoyed the characters and of course, reading a book set at a B&B with an innkeeper as the main character. I think Debbie’s new series will be very popular with her fans. 

What are your hobbies (besides writing)? I love to needlepoint, quilt, spend time with my nieces, and play the piano with our praise team.

Thanks for the opportunity to be a guest on your blog!

Sherrie Hansen Decker

Bio:

Sherrie Hansen Decker lives in a 116 year old Victorian house in northern Iowa who, just like her, got a second chance when she rescued it from the bulldozers grips and turned it into a bed and breakfast and tea house, the Blue Belle Inn. Sherrie has enjoyed learning about hope and love, and the difference a little faith makes while telling the story of Hope Anderson and Tommy Love in “Love Notes”.  “Love Notes” was released on June 4^th, and is Sherrie’s fifth book to be published by Second Wind Publishing (her debut Christian Inspirational novel). Sherrie attended Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL and University of Maryland, European Division, in Augsburg, Germany. Her husband, Rev. Mark Decker, is a pastor and Sherrie’s real life hero. She enjoys playing the piano with their worship team, needlepointing, renovating and decorating historic houses, traveling, and going on weekly adventures with her nieces and nephews.   



Links:

http://www.facebook.com/SherrieHansenDecker

http://sherriehansen.wordpress.com/

www.BlueBelleInn.com / www.BlueBelleBooks.com

https://twitter.com/#!/SherrieHansen

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2870454.Sherrie_Hansen

Endorsement by Author Lyn Cote:

"I would subtitle Sherrie Hansen Decker's inspirational romance, *Love Notes*, 'When Dreams Collide.' The hero, a famous pop singer-songwriter, and the heroine, an owner of a failing MN resort are both burdened with the "dead" past. But neither see it that way--until forced to. A cast of interesting and very alive characters and plenty of intriguing plot twists make for a satisfying read." Lyn Cote, author of the Women of Ivy Manor series.

 Sherrie has offered one free book. At least 10 people need to leave messages with email addresses or you can email me at srstormo@yahoo.com and put "contest-love notes" in the subject line. Winner announced July 1st.