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Saturday, August 18, 2018

Birthday Bash Interview & Book Giveaway with Ann Gabhart

Welcome, Ann! We're so glad you could stop by for our Birthday Bash! What is your most recent book birthday?

River to Redemption had a July 3, 2018 book birthday. Almost a 4th of July book. A book making it out into the reading world is always an exciting time for its author.

The inspiration for River of Redemption was a true event that happened in Springfield, Kentucky, during the 1833 cholera epidemic. A slave named Louis, who was unaffected by the disease, put aside any personal desires for freedom to bury the fifty-five cholera victims in Springfield after all who could had fled town to escape the disease. Years later when Louis was to be sold by his owner’s heirs, the town of Springfield collected money to buy his freedom because of what he’d done during the cholera epidemic. My story is a fictional account wrapped around that nugget of true history of how that might have happened. The story begins with a young girl losing her family to the epidemic and being cared for by Louis. Adria Starr never forgets what Louis did for her and is determined to find a way to free him, but in 1840s Kentucky, she needs all the courage and strength she possesses and more.

Oh, wow. That sounds like a great story! If Adria Starr was invited to our birthday party, would she come? What would she bring?

Adria would come if she didn’t have to work at Billiter’s Mercantile Store that day. She’d probably bring an attitude and maybe her soapbox since she has strong and often unpopular opinions about women’s rights and the abolition of slavery. However, since her aunt Ruth sells baked goods to supplement her schoolteacher income, she could bring some delicious sugar cookies or perhaps a yellow cake with caramel icing.   

Yellow cake is a favorite! If we asked Adria to sing us a happy birthday song, what would happen?

She wouldn’t sing the traditional happy birthday song we know that is attributed to two Louisville sisters who wrote the song in 1893. However, I’m sure Adria has a lovely voice, and she’d be glad to sing a special song to the birthday person. Perhaps it would be one her aunt Ruth wrote since besides being a schoolteacher and a baker, she loved writing verse. A verse written with the birthday person in mind might be something Adria could sing.

How interesting that her aunt was so accomplished. Now let's switch to Ann Gabhart. What was your most memorable birthday? Why?

My 33rd birthday was memorable for two reasons. One was a very sad reasons since three days before my birthday, my sister-in-law was killed in a freak accident when a gate broke off of a horse trailer instantly killing the driver of a pickup truck that then crossed the median and collided with the car my sister-in-law, who was nine months pregnant, was riding in to the doctor. She and her unborn baby boy were killed by the collision. So you can imagine how terribly sad that birthday was as I attended her and her baby’s funeral.

Frankie - Ann's current canine companion.
But that birthday was memorable for a happier reason as well. I had always talked about how I loved this little cocker spaniel my aunt had for a brief time when I was around eight. My aunt had to give it away since it killed chickens, but I did love that little dog. So all those many years later, my husband decided to surprise me with a cocker spaniel pup. We didn’t have much money at the time so he sold his class ring that he loved to wear to get the money to buy the pup. Of course, he couldn’t know the tragic events that were to happen before my birthday, but that little pup was a gift of love that helped get me through a very sad time.  

I can't imagine and shock and sorrow of losing a family member like that, but your husband's sacrifice was so touching. Wow. You married a keeper for sure. Now let's shoot off some questions in our Rapid Fire Round:

Birthday cake or Ice Cream?

Both please, but if I have to choose, let’s make it strawberry ice cream.

Streamers or confetti poppers?

The only time I’ve had birthday decorations was when I turned fifty and my church threw a surprise birthday party for me with a black cake and black streamers.

Do you like surprise parties?

I’ve only had that one actual birthday party that my church family hosted for me, so I guess the answer is yes.

Books or gift cards?

A gift card to a bookstore would be perfect.

Wrap up questions:
Where can readers find you online?

You can always find out more about my books by visiting my website, www.annhgabhart.com where you can also read my blog posts on One Writer’s Journal and the Heart of Hollyhill. I enjoy interacting with readers on Facebook, www.facebook.com/anngabhart and Twitter, www.twitter.com/AnnHGabhart. You can see book research pins and more at https://www.pinterest.com/annhgabhart or check out my Goodreads profile at https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/311723.Ann_H_Gabhart.
  
Anything else you’d like to share?

I do like celebrating a new book birthday, and I like those getting older birthdays too, even my own which is coming up soon. These days they all seem to come up soon instead of taking forever the way they did when I was anxious to go from twelve to thirteen so I could be a teenager. Now I don’t bother counting up the years and just enjoy the gift of a new year coming my way. One thing about getting older, you sometimes get to add a few grandkids into the family. Those grandkid birthdays are always fun times. I hope you have many fun things to celebrate in your life. 

Image result for giveaway imageAnd now a question for your Stitches Thru Time readers: What do you like best about birthdays? Leave your answer and email address in a comment to be in a drawing to win a copy of my book, River to Redemption.


Thank you so much for being with us and for offering this wonderful giveaway to one lucky reader! 


43 comments:

  1. I love that birthday celebrations bring the family together.
    mindyhoung AT msn DOT com

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    1. That is the very best thing about birthdays, Mindy. I think everybody should celebrate the gift of a new year coming their way with family and friends. Maybe not a party. Just a good time together.

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  2. It’s another new beginning. Another year of wisdom. As I grow older I realize it’s not the age, it’s the wonder of Gods perfect plan for my life. So, here’s to another wonderful year. 🎂

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    1. Sorry, I forgot my email
      kdanheim AT hotmail DOT com

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    2. Great thoughts, Kathy. I like how you rejoice in the wonder of God's perfect plan for your life. Good advice for us all. I am looking forward to another year to enjoy life and family and maybe write another book. So I do hope I get a little wiser too. :)

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  3. Birthdays are great! I just had one and I always say, "just keep em coming!" I love Miss Ann and her books. mauback55 at gmail dot com

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    1. I'm with you, Melanie. Our pastor always says his favorite birthday is the next one. I should have said that in the interview. :)

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  4. Good morning Ann & Peggy. Ann, I'm so glad that you are helping STT celebrate its birthday. I am always thankful to celebrate my own birthday. This means that God granted me the past year and I have the promise of a new year to look forward to! My birthday celebrations are pretty low key but I do have a 4 year old granddaughter who livens up (and brightens) the day!
    Blessings to both of you!
    Connie
    cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Fun to be here on Stitches thru Time, Connie. Always fun to be part of a birthday celebration. I love having birthdays even though mine are as you say, low key celebrations. Sometimes I have a birthday dinner with family. If all my grandkids could be here to celebrate with me, everything would liven up. But those grandkids are fun and four is such a great age to have good times with grandmoms.

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  5. What I love best about birthdays? The CAKE!! ☺ It would probably be the get together of my family and the silliness of the time well spent among them with delicious foods, laughter, conversations and just being together. Sounds amazing your book. Thank you for this opportunity. Blessings.
    kerenhlylesAtyahooDotcom

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    1. And I'm guessing you love sharing that cake with your family. Nobody wants to eat a whole birthday cake by themselves. :) Although back when I didn't have to watch my calories, I used to make myself a cherry cheesecake every year on my birthday. Of course, I did have kids at home then to help me polish it off. And Mom always made us a birthday dinner with our favorite desserts. She was the best. My gift to myself used to be taking a day off to read a book. Haven't done that for a few years. Maybe I should start that up again and have a piece of cheesecake while I'm reading. Sounds like a plan!

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    2. Sounds like the perfect plan to me!

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  6. I like that birthdays take a whole year to come around again. The longer between birthdays, the better. princessdebbie1_2000(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. As long as they keep coming around, Debbie. I have noticed that the more birthdays I add on, the faster they do seem to come. When I was a kid, birthdays took forever to roll around. :)

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  7. BIRTHDAY should be special to everyone,I am grateful God allowed me to see another year.Birthdays are the day you celebrate life, family and friends, and a beautiful birthday cake.

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    1. Indeed, Amanda. Love your birthday outlook. And birthday cakes are nice too. My husband once bought me one that looked like a basketball since I'm such a basketball fan.

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  8. I already have this marvelous book! I encourage everyone to read it and follow Ann on Facebook and her blogs. They are so much fun! Thanks for writing such wonderful books!

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    1. Thank you so much for the good words about River to Redemption, Paula. I appreciate that and I do hope some more folks will join the fun on my FB page and blog. You can find the links in the interview up top.

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  9. I love celebrating birthdays as a way to remind the person how special they are and that we're glad they're here. Thank you so much for the chance to win! I so want to read this, I have not read any of Ann's books YET, but would love to. jcrea at comcast dot net

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    1. Well, I'd love for you to give one of my books a try, Jeanne. This one might be a good one to start with if you are the lucky winner. I like celebrating birthdays too. Each person is special and needs some good words and wishes on his or her birthday.

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  10. My family is not big celebrators of birthdays, but we do usually have a special favorite meal of the birthday person and a cake or special dessert. I like the dessert part especially! lclee59(at)centurylink(dot)net

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    1. That's a good way to celebrate and they way we usually celebrate around my way. Sometimes we do go out to eat if the kids aren't going to be here. I think maybe I should start a new tradition and go out on the kids' birthdays even when they can't join in. Two of my kids live in other states and can't pop over for birthday meals, but that doesn't mean I can't celebrate having them, now, does it? P.S. And I won't have to cook dinner. :)

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  11. I love birthdays because we usually have a family get together. A meal if it’s an adult’s bday and a real party if it’s the grandkid’s. And of course, there’s always cake and ice cream!

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    1. Those grandkids love those real parties, Anne. It's fun to be the important person of the day. That's true no matter what age we are. Any excuse for cake and ice cream.

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  12. As I try to think of an answer I realize that my answer changes over the years. Such as this year what I loved best was hearing from my grandson who is a Marine. I miss him immensely so when I hear from him it really means a lot to me.

    I have not heard of this book before or the author but it sounds like a great book and I’ll be adding it to my TBR. My email is somi19ad at aol dot com.

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    1. You have to love a grandson Marine who remembers to call his grandmother on her birthday, Sherry. Your best birthday gift this year made me smile. I'm sure he's missing you too.

      I hope you will give my book, any of my books, a try, and that if you do, you'll like the stories.

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    2. Getting together with my family and my best friend and her husband for a dinner out together is my idea of a great birthday. Ann, I can hardly wait to read your latest book.
      ReadingMama922 at gmail dot com

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    3. That's great, Debbie. Hope you'll enjoy River to Redemption when you do get a chance to read it.

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  13. Gathering with as many of my family that can make it and going somewhere (preferably Mexican!) to eat. That’s a great birthday. kathys2014@icloud.com

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    1. I like those Mexican dishes too, Kathy. I may go somewhere and celebrate like that this year.

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  14. What I like about birthdays is it is another year of memories to add to the ones you have. Thanks for the chance to win a copy of Ann's book. PBond(dot)Pattti(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. That's a great attitude about birthdays, Patricia. It is good to add on a few more great memories and hope for many blessings as a new day, a new year comes toward you.

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  15. So nice to learn more about Adria and Ann in this birthday bash interview. I read River to Redemption last week. What a lovely and powerful story about a nugget of true history during the cholera epidemic. Adria and Louis stole my heart from the beginning of the story along with Matilda. Thank you for sharing here on STT, Ann Gabhart.

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    1. Fun to be here, Marilyn, celebrating birthdays. Love birthdays, and now that I'm some, quite a sum, actually, past my teen years, a book birthday is even more exciting than a regular people one for him. Thank for you much for reading my book, River to Redemption. It was great writing about a man like Louis.

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  16. I love my birthday because I don't have to cook, clean or do anything. I also get to choose which restaurant to eat at and anything fun to do :-)

    The birthday person gets spoiled, in other words! Thanks for the giveaway chance.

    teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com

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    1. I love that, Trixi. One special day for the birthday person who can take the day off and do what they want to do. My birthday lands on a Saturday this year. Maybe I need to think up something fun to do with the family.

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  17. Thank you for the interview! The book sounds so interesting and with the history aspect!!! And the cover is gorgeous <3
    I’m so sorry for your loss Ann...so sad 😢
    I love surprise birthdays and I love to surprise others too!
    Thank you for the chance!
    Blessings,
    kykla99ATgmailDOTcom

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    1. Thank you, Natalya. It was a very sad time for us and though many years have passed, I still think of my sister-in-law often. She had such a love for family and life.

      I do love the cover of River to Redemption. I hope if you get a chance to read it you will enjoy the story. It was interesting taking a real person and writing a story around something that person had done.

      Hope you have many fun birthday surprises, yours and others, in the year ahead.

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  18. It was great visiting all of you here on Stitches thru Time. Thanks, Pegg, for inviting me over to share about my new book, River to Redemption. I very much appreciate the chance to talk about why I wrote the book and to have a little fun in the interview talking about birthdays too. I love birthdays! I have picked a winner in the drawing. I gave each of you that commented a number and then used Random Number generator to pick the winner and that was (drum roll please) Trixi. I'll be in touch via e-mail Trixi to get your current mailing address to send the book. However, if I don't hear from Trixi by next Wednesday, September 5th, (and sometimes people forget to look at those e-mails) then I'll come back and start over to pick a different winner. So, Trixi, check your e-mails. And thanks again, everyone, for the great birthday comments.

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    1. Thank you so much Ann!!! I've sent off my info to you via email and was SO excited to see that I had won :-) I've been a fan since I read These Healing Hills and look forward to reading River to Redemption. Can't wait!

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    2. Congratulations, Trixi! River to Redemption was an astonishing story to read. Loved it.

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    3. Thank you Marilyn, it's a book I'm certainly looking forward to!

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