A Bride's Sweet Surprise in Sauers, Indiana by, Ramona Cecil - FREE BOOK

Tell us about your book.

My book A Bride’s Sweet Surprise in Sauers, Indiana is set in a small farming community in my county, settled by folks of German heritage. The story is an arranged marriage situation with my heroine and hero promised to one another by their fathers. Having failed with his two older daughters, Regina Seitz’s father is determined Regina will marry a German farmer to whom, he can one day bequeath his farm. He writes to a friend in his old village in Germany and offers the man and his son passage to America if the son will agree to marry his youngest daughter, Regina. For their own particular reasons, neither Regina nor Diedrich Rothhaus are keen on the idea of matrimony. But when they meet, reluctance soon turns to rapture. Just as love claims their hearts, a cruel family secret comes to light threatening to snatch away their joy.

Can you give us a sneak peek?

From the first page of Chapter 4:

            Regina looked down at her plate of fried rabbit, boiled potatoes, and dandelion greens and fought nausea. Not because of the food on her plate, which she normally loved, but from Papa’s enthusiastic conversation with Herr Rothhaus speculating on the earliest possible date for her wedding.

            “By the end of May, we should have the planting done.” Papa wiped milk from his thick blond mustache that had lately begun to show touches of gray. “The first Sunday in June, I think, would be a fine time for the wedding.”

            June? Regina’s stomach turned over. Unless she could think of a way out of it, in six weeks she would be marrying the stranger sitting across the table from her. She looked up at Diedrich, who sat toying with is food. Did the alarmed look in his eyes suggest he shared her feelings about their coming nuptials? Her budding hope withered. More likely he found the date disappointingly remote.

           

What inspired this book?

I have family history that goes back to Sauers, and my uncle has done extensive genealogical work for families in the area. The story is actually inspired by a couple true events my uncle unearthed while putting together our family history.

What has been your most challenging experience writing a book?

Where to start the story. I pondered for days over the book’s opening scene.

What is your favorite thing to write about, (i.e., forgiveness, rebellion, etc)?

I suppose I would have to say forgiveness. Many of my stories tend to have that theme.

What do you hope readers will take away from this book?

The healing power of forgiveness, and that only through God’s grace is true forgiveness possible.

 

What is your favorite color?

Yellow.

Do you have a favorite recipe?

Persimmon pudding. It’s an old family recipe made from an autumn ripened fruit found in my part of the country.

If you could travel back in time when and where would you go?

Whatever happens to be the setting of my current work-in-progress. I’d love to experience first-hand the setting in which I’m writing. So I guess if I could time-travel I’d be a frequent flyer.

 What project are you currently working on?

I just finished a short historical romance, Hearts’ Heritage, which will be released later this year by Barbour Publishing in their Heartsong line. The story is set in my southern Indiana county in 1812 against the backdrop of the War of 1812 and the threat of the great Shawnee war chief, Tecumseh.

 I’m also working on another historical romance, The Bridge at Bramble Ford, set in 1870 and inspired by the colorful history of my own town, Seymour. Think Sleepless in Seattle meets the Wild, Wild West.

Ramona has offered one free book to a lucky winner. At least 10 people need to leave comments WITH email addresses for there to be a contest OR you can email me at srstormo@yahoo.com and put "contest-bride" in the subject line. Winner announced April 1st.