That Unforgettable Power of Forgiveness

Join me in getting to know Pepper. 

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor. She’s a native of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a mom of five, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of chocolate. She enjoys sprinkling her native Appalachian culture into her fiction whenever she can. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she works with kids with special needs, searches for unique hats, and plots new ways to annoy her wonderful friends at her writing blog, The Writer’s Alley. She is represented by Julie Gwinn and her debut novel, The Thorn Bearer, released in April 2015. 

The Thorn Bearer 

When Ashleigh Dougall's fiancé leaves her eight months before their wedding, the unexpected blow ignites a battalion of insecurities stemming from her father’s intimate betrayal. Her worst fears are confirmed – who could ever love a soiled woman?

In an attempt to escape her shame, Ashleigh boards the ill-fated Lusitania to cross the war-torn waters of Europe. Much to her dismay, she isn’t traveling alone.

Sam Miller is always making up for his best friend’s mistakes. Determined to help his childhood friend, Ashleigh, he offers his compassion and companionship as she ventures across a perilous sea. With the faint hope of renewing his lost love for Ashleigh’s sister, Sam never expects to find the woman of his dreams in the love of his best friend.

As they travel across the Atlantic, neither is prepared for the life-altering and heart-breaking journey of their friendship.

When the truth of Ashleigh’s past explodes in the middle of a hospital in England and Sam rejects her, Ashleigh must decide if God is enough – or if the double weight of her betrayal and past will crush her life forever.

SDC: Welcome to A Pen for Your Thoughts and Mine, Pepper. Your book sounds great already.  And I love the cover. Why did you choose to write this particular story?

Pepper: To show the power of forgiveness.

SDC:  That's a strong premise. Tell us more.

Pepper: This story bloomed from a small seed of a question. What if a person was wounded so deeply he/she “couldn’t” forgive? How would unforgiveness shape them? Change them?

Based on my own experience and stories shared by women who have walked the wounded road my main character, Ashleigh, walked, I began to develop this story: where war wages on the inside and the outside. It was interesting that as the story grew, so did the many ways in which we see ‘forgiveness’ threads played out in various different characters' lives.

SDC: This sounds like it would be great in a series. Have you considered that?

Pepper:  The Thorn Bearer is Book 1 from the Penned in Time series.

SDC:  Sounds perfect. What will Book 2 be called?  

Pepper: Book 2 comes out in March 2016. It’s called The Thorn Keeper and is the romantic story of two of the secondary characters you meet in Book 1.

SDC: I look forward to getting to know your characters then. Will you have more in store for your readers after this series is complete?

Pepper: In December 2015, my first contemporary romance novel comes into print. It is called A Twist of Faith and is a modern day retelling of Pygmalion/My Fair Lady, set in Appalachia.

SDC: Great title. Give us a hint about it too.

Pepper: Cattle farmer meets a hard-headed speech-language pathology professor.

SDC: Hard-headed, huh? :) Oh my. Sounds like you might have found your subject matter right in your own backyard too. Not the hard-headed part, but the speech-language pathology professor. 

Pepper: Yes.  And since speech pathology is my 'other' profession, I really had a fun time writing this story.

SDC: I'll bet you did. Before we go, please tell us where our readers can find your book and also learn a little more about you.

Pepper: The Thorn Bearer can be found  in both print and digitally right now at Amazon. It is also available for NOOK books.

SDC:  And where can we connect directly with you?

Pepper: Come on by my website. 

www.pepperdbasham.com  

I'm also on Facebook.  

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pepper-D-Basham . 

I'm also on Twitter. https://twitter.com/pepperbasham   

     

SDC: It's been great getting to know a little about you and your books, Pepper and having the opportunity to share you with those who come  A Pen for Your Thoughts and Mine.  I wish you the best with your writing and especially your  new book, The Thorn Bearer. It sounds like an excellent read.