About the Book
Book: Journey to Joy
Author: Anne Perrault
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release date: April 23, 2019
Can she find joy where there has only been defeat and dishonor?
Tricked into indentured servitude, Joy Richards finds herself working for an abusive innkeeper. Her life is so destitute, she feels God has forsaken her. After one last desperate cry to God, a kind stranger steps in to take her away.
Can she trust this new circumstance?
Andrew Lloyd-Foxx abhors injustice. He can’t walk away from it. When he steps in on the young woman’s behalf, his own life is turned upside down. Burdened with his own loss, he has no room for anyone else.
Will the journey prove too difficult?
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About the Author
Anne Perreault was born and raised in Germany. By the time she was 14 years old, her family moved to Dubai, UAE. While living in this exotic place, she traveled extensively to various countries around the world. After graduating from an American boarding school in Austria, she attended college in England, where she met her husband. She graduated from New England College with a degree in biology, and settled down in Connecticut. Anne became a horseback riding instructor as well as a certified therapeutic riding instructor. She and a group of friends started a therapeutic riding center in Bristol, CT. During that time, Anne also received a masters degree in secondary education and began to homeschool her three children. While raising their three children, she began to write an inspirational story primarily for her daughter. Anne, her husband, and two of their grown children now reside in Southern Vermont, where they are building their home. Besides writing, Anne enjoys reading, spending time with her husband, grown children, and grand-dogger.
More from Anne
This book came about when my youngest son and I were studying the second awakening and some of the preachers that started to talk about abolition. I was fascinated by their passion and could see myself in the crowd, listening to them preach.
At the same time, I was probably reading a historical fiction, possibly by Tamera Alexander, and she included horses. I think it was the Bell Meade series. I thought to myself, Myself, you love history more than anything else. Why don’t you write a historical fiction and include horses?
Talk about catching two stones with one bird. Believe it or not, even though I spent most of my life on or around horses, taught horseback riding for about 15 years, competed very extensively in both dressage and equitation, and owned an off-the-track racehorse, my knowledge of racing was… limited.
But I know horses. And I love history. And, research is fun.
So, I thought back to which book had a ton of influence on me, a book that highlighted racehorses. King of the Wind, by Marguerite Henry popped into my mind immediately. I have a very special love of the Arabian horse and boy if there was ever a story, I would want to tell something like that one.
I began researching how and when and why and who imported the Godolphin Arabian to the United States and… I found out some amazing things not just about the Thoroughbreds, who greatly benefited from the influence of the Godolphin Arabian – as he came to be known – but also our very own Quarter Horses. Did you know that the reason they are called Quarter Horses is because they have incredible speed over the quarter mile. That was news to me. The first place to make a home for the Godolphin in this country was in the South, at Fenwick Park. I researched that place and the story started to come together.
I had the horses. I wanted to place the story in New England, since I live there. I had the place, pictured what it would look like, but the characters were still illusive. Abolition had to be part of the story. So, what if one of them was a slave? That didn’t quite fit history well. But what if one of them was an indentured servant?
Bada-bing bada-bang. Hello, my friends. The characters just jumped out at me and I enjoyed watching them scramble around in their relationship with each other, as well as the relationship with those around them. This book really has an amazing supporting cast of characters. I never imagined them to be so… fun.
I hope you enjoy this peek inside an author’s head. Enjoy Journey for Joy as much as I loved writing it.
Interview with Anne Perreault
What was the hardest scene to write?
That is such a difficult question. I think the hardest scene was when I killed off my one of my main characters, who was such a cool character. I cried and cried. It drained me emotionally but it didn’t depress me as I thought. Death scenes are difficult. There is so much emotion and so much to consider when writing them. Any scene that has a lot of emotion is difficult to write and I usually go over it several times in the first draft and then make sure I have it right on the re-write.
What comes first, the plot or the characters?
They go hand in hand. When a new plot develops in my head, the characters come right with it. I love writing character-driven novels. I find people and their relationships with each other fascinating. I was always a people-watcher. I could spend hours sitting still and just watching them go about. I know that’s kinda freaky. But I learned a lot through that. The relationship that is always the most important focus in any novel I write is the relationship between God and my characters. I guess you could say that my novels are God-driven.
Who is the author you admire the most in your genre?
That’s a hard question because there are so many amazing authors and I don’t necessary read what I write. I guess, the one who comes closest is Susan May Warren. I admire the way she handles deep emotions as well as deep spiritual aspects of her characters. I have taken many notes from her books and will refer to them, just to get my mind thinking in a different angle. I’m very blessed to be sitting at the feet of her and a group of amazing authors as I take instructions from them. A new author, but also part of that group of instructors, is Tari Faris. I read her book and adore her humor. Outside the genre I write, the author I most admire is Ronie Kendig, who writes military fiction. She’s the author who gave me the courage to start on this adventure. Tamara Leigh is an author I absolutely adore and I know we’d get into trouble together if we ever met. We’ve laughed about it and have agreed that we’d be a force to recon with. Her medieval romances are filled with such beauty and depth, I aspire to write like her.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
I love to write. It’s not a chore for me. When I’m not writing… Mmmm… When I’m not writing… Eh… I guess I’ll be found online, chatting with readers. I can also be seen hanging with my family. We live in Vermont and are building our house, so there’s that. Two of our grown children reside with us and we like to laugh together. I enjoy watching movies and on occasion reading a book, when time allows.
If you would invite one person over for dinner, who would it be and what would you cook?
That would have to be Tamara Leigh. As I said, we’d get into trouble but it would be worth it. I would make her and avocado sandwich with eggs Benedicts and research the best latte in the world.
Thank you, Anne, for letting us get to know you better!
Blog Stops
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 22
Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, April 23
For Him and My Family, April 24
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, April 25
Connie’s History Classroom, April 26
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 27
Locks, Hooks and Books, April 28
Inklings and notions, April 29
deb’s Book Review, April 30
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 1
Artistic Nobody, May 2 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, May 3
Genesis 5020, May 3
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 4
Simple Harvest Reads, May 5 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, May 5
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Anne is giving away the grand prize package of an eBook copy of Journey to Joy and and a $10 Amazon gift card!!
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/10b24/journey-to-joy-celebration-tour-giveaway