About the Book
Book: Blizzard at Blue Ridge Inn
Author: Pat Nichols
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Release Date: January 21, 2024
Three strangers stranded in a North Georgia inn confront lies from their pasts and experience the healing power of friendship.
Amanda Sullivan is desperately trying to save her crumbling second marriage. Will celebrating her ninth anniversary with her husband in Blue Ridge breathe new life into their troubled relationship?
Erica Parker suspects her husband is unfaithful. She vows to learn if her distrust is real or imagined.
Wendy Peterson can hardly wait for the birth of her baby with her wealthy husband, until a shopping spree in the quaint tourist town shatters everything.
When a once-in-a-century snowstorm blankets the country and delays their husbands’ arrivals, the perfectionist, the peacemaker, and the socializer find themselves alone at the historic Blue Ridge Inn. During two days of isolation, they overcome the differences in their ages and lifestyles to discover they have a lot in common. As the temperature rises and the snow begins to melt, a stranger delivers shocking news. Their stay at the inn is no accident.
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
Award-winning author, Pat Nichols is proving it’s never too late to follow your dreams. Nine years after retiring from a twenty-seven-year corporate career with an international beauty company, her love for writing resurfaced and prompted her to launch career number two as a novelist. Now she draws on her experience to write stories with tension-laced challenges and heart-warming triumphs. The Secret of Willow Inn is a 2020 Selah Award winner. Starstruck in Willow Falls is a NGCWC Georgia Peach Award winner. Her short story The Vet and Valentine Day also won a NGCWC Georgia Peach Award.
Pat is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Word Weavers International. She has been featured on WATC Television Atlanta Alive, in Southern Writer’s Magazine, and in Voyager Magazine
More from Pat
Nestled in Chattahoochee National Forest, Southern Living Magazine named Blue Ridge, Georgia as one of 2022 South’s Best Mountain Towns. The first time my husband and I visited the town, we were impressed with the galleries, shops, Scenic Railway, and the friendly vibe. Although I was writing a series set near Savannah, the idea of Blue Ridge staring in a new series took root. When I finished writing the last book in the Butler Family series the idea had blossomed.
Another trip to the iconic town. This time to identify a setting for book one about Amanda, Erica, and Wendy, strangers who find themselves stranded in a cozy inn during a blizzard. We found the Blue Ridge Inn Bed and Breakfast. Perfect! I pressed the front-door buzzer. When I explained my mission to the woman who responded, she took my number and promised the owner would contact us. An hour later John Lavin met us on the front porch. He graciously gave us a tour and shared the 1890 Victorian home’s history.
Writing a fictional story set in a historic inn steps from the train depot and downtown Blue Ridge was inspiring. In fact, I’ve dedicated Blizzard at Blue Ridge Inn to John and guests who stay at the inn. In June, my husband and I plan to spend our anniversary in the suite reserved for Erica. We’ll ride the train and enjoy dinner at the Black Sheep restaurant, a scene in Blue Ridge series book two. By that time, book three will be finished. Then on to book four.
Interview with the Author
- What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?
When I began fleshing out an idea for a new series set in North Georgia, my husband and I visited Blue Ridge. Everything about the town intrigued me—the scenic train ride, the sights, the friendly people. When the owner of the Blue Ridge Inn gave us a tour of the historic building, I knew I had found the setting for the first book—Blizzard at Blue Ridge Inn. In fact, I dedicated the book to him and to all the guests who stay at the inn.
- How do you select the names of your characters?
My first step is to research popular names from the characters’ birth years. Then I select those that best fit their personalities. I prefer names that are easy to pronounce. To avoid repeating names, I list every character on a spreadsheet. Which also helps if I forget a name.
- What comes first, the plot or characters?
First, I imagine an overarching theme. For example, in the Blue Ridge series I envisioned a story driven by friendship. That led me to create three characters who first meet as strangers. Wendy, Erica, and Amanda range in age from twenty-three to forty-three, with different lifestyles and personalities. Under normal circumstances, they would never become friends. The last step before writing chapter one, was plotting significant events and unexpected twists.
- What is your favorite childhood book?
I remember reading Nancy Drew mysteries and a book about children living in a box car. However, my favorite is Sugar Snow, because it is Wendy’s only childhood treasure and is important to the story.
- What do you like to do when you are not writing?
My high-school-sweetheart husband and I have been married for fifty-plus years and love spending time with our family and friends. We belong to a corvette club and volunteer for guest-service teams at our church. I enjoy watching movies and playing Sudoku. Every once in a while I tackle a jigsaw puzzle. At Christmas, which is my favorite holiday, I decorate every room.
Blog Stops
The Avid Reader, April 11
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 12
Stories By Gina, April 13 (Author Interview)
Devoted To Hope, April 13 (Spotlight)
Texas Book-aholic, April 14
Artistic Nobody, April 15 (Author Interview)
Locks, Hooks and Books, April 16
Girls in White Dresses, April 17
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 18
Where Crisis & Christ Collide, April 19 (Author Interview)
Splashes of Joy, April 19
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, April 20
For Him and My Family, April 21
An Author’s Take, April 22
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 23
She Lives To Read, April 24
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Pat is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/2afa1/blizzard-at-blue-ridge-inn-celebration-tour-giveaway