trueromance

Rainwater by Sandra Brown

Setting: 1930s Dustbowl Texas

Subgenre: Historical Fiction

Hero: David Rainwater

Heroine: Ella Barron

One sentence summary: A heartwarming historical novel about an independent woman who runs a boarding house in Dust Bowl Texas, who unexpectedly finds love amidst the chaos of her time.

Why this story is so personal to you: My dad told of an incident that happened when he was eight years old and which left a distinct impression on him. My paternal grandfather owned a dairy farm. Agents from the federal government arrived, demanding that he pour out his surplus milk. Grandpa had been giving it way to indigent families. He refused to comply with this government mandate, implemented to create a demand and thereby raise the price of milk. There ensued an armed standoff between the agents and my grandfather, who was backed by his friends and relatives. Eventually the agents retreated, and Grandpa continued to give away the milk he couldn’t sell. This story fired my imagination and provided the backdrop for RAINWATER.

Scene you like most and would never cut: The scene in the kitchen where Mr. Rainwater gives Ella the copy of “A Farewell to Arms.”

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying: Ella would never stand by and let someone harm or verbally abuse her autistic son, Solly.

Thing your heroine learns about herself through the course of the novel: She learns how to live.

Your hero, is he a man of action or a strong silent type? Mr. Rainwater is definitely the strong, silent type, but there are taut action scenes where he’s the pivotal character. He’s resolute in his convictions. It’s that strength that intimidates his enemies.

Ancillary character you most admire: Brother Calvin, the preacher. But I also admire Lola for her optimism and for making no secret of the love she holds for her husband and children.

Your heroine’s greatest desire: If I reveal that here, I reveal the plot!

Your hero’s greatest fear: That his being in Ella and Solly’s lives would bring them harm.

What you think readers will like best about this book: I sincerely hope they like it all. I didn’t create it; the story was there. I just feel very fortunate to have been the writer who found it.

Is this a one hanky, two hanky or three hanky tale? Are we limited to three?

What’s next for Sandra Brown: In the next book, TOUGH CUSTOMER, I do carry over a character from SMASH CUT. It’s the first time in more than twenty years, since I’ve been writing suspense, that I’ve done this. But Dodge Hanley, the irascible investigator in SMASH CUT, was such an interesting character, that when I finished that book, I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to him. I wanted to know what had made him such a cynic. Was it an innate trait, or had an event made him that way? TOUGH CUSTOMER weaves a present day conflict with Dodge’s back story

For Discussion:

Several scenes make me cry even though I’ve read them so many times I almost know them by heart. Which scenes put tears in your eyes?

Ladies, had you been in Ella’s situation, knowing what she did about Rainwater, would you have allowed yourself to fall in love with him? Would you have had a choice?

Rainwater is described as gaunt and pale. Conrad Ellis refers to him as a pantywaist. As you were reading the novel, did you think of him as weak or strong?

Giveaway – one FREE copy of Rainwater! Winner will be chosen randomly from comments below – good luck!

While I was in Ohio I had some great conversation with authors regarding single title books and readers preferring them to be series. Think about it, Dark Hunters, Black Dagger Brotherhood, Cynster’s, 7 Deadly Sins, etc., we love series — whether it’s 2 bks back to back like Jillian Hunter; 4 bks like Elizabeth Hoyt; or on going like Christine Feehan, & readers are ravenous. Why?

Are you one of those readers that when a series comes out you wait for the last book before you begin reading? Why are we so obsessed with reading books in order . . .especially when most are loosely connected?

What is it about having re-occuring characters thru out a series of books? One of my fav’s was Julia Quinn’s Lady Whistledown. What are some of yours?

Lots of questions today — comment on any of the above & 3 commentors randomly chosen will receive a FREE book from Kensington Publishing — ENJOY!