So Laurie Tomlinson did this pre-conference mixer
last year – and she’s doing it again! YAY! The idea is to get to
know other authors and aspiring authors before you get to St. Louis – especially if you don’t already
know people :). So here’s me!!! 
Name: Dawn Crandall
Location: Fort Wayne, IN
What you write/trademark: Historical Romantic Suspense from First Person POV
Place in the book world: I signed a three book contract--for my only three books!--with Whitaker House last December! Book #1 of The Everstone Chronicles, THE HESITANT HEIRESS, released on August 1st! Book #2, THE BOUND HEART, releases November 3rd!!--YES, three months apart!! Book #3, THE CAPTIVE IMPOSTER, will release February 2nd!!
On a scale of hugger to 10-foot-pole, please rate your personal space: I am not a hugger, but I will hug you back if you hug me.
The unique talking point that will get you going for hours:
Loved ones at home you’ll be missing: My husband Jonathan, 6 month-old son Rhett, and our three cats, Lilly, Pumpkin and Clover!
Conference goals we can pray for? To have FUN!
Anything we can celebrate with you? The 3-book contract and the baby all in one year!!
To get to know more authors and aspiring authors who are attending this year, click here!
The Hesitant Heiress Blog Tour
wraps up today and it has been such a wonderful journey of book love from
reviews to interviews! Thank you all so much bloggers and readers for
participating in my first full blog tour! All of you are awesome!
Did you miss any of the
reviews/interviews? Now is the time to go back and check them out!Be sure to
enter the giveaway as well since it ends tonight at 9pm EST! I'll be on my Facebook Author Page for most of the day, and that's where I'll announce the Kindle Fire Winner!
{Book Reviews}
“My favorite thing about this
story was how much “page time” the two main characters spent together. I
enjoyed following the progression of their relationship and how easy it was to
believe them in their various moments of “love and war”. I was glad to find
their frequent encounters throughout and watch their complicated romance build
to a boil. You won’t be disappointed, trust me.”
“Really, really a delight to
read. I can’t wait for the next two books in the Everstone Chronicles!”
“Crandall
did a great job with the pacing of the novel as well as the tension. I
loved the ending because it was fast paced and I was truly surprised by it. The
Hesitant Heiress had all the elements of a good (clean) historical romance.
I would definitely recommend it!”
“Dawn Crandall
has set the bar pretty high with her first book…. I love her writing
style, it’s fresh and unique. I can’t wait for book 2!”
“I was hooked from page one. And
it wasn’t until halfway through the book I realized it was written it in first
person. I didn’t “feel” like I was only in Amaryllis’s POV. All the characters
seemed so close, familiar. I’m not sure I even know how to explain it, except
to say I felt like I knew what they were thinking.”
“Historical romance with a touch
of mystery. Dawn Crandall does a very credible job of bringing her characters
to life. She paints a setting that will have you sniffing the sea air and
relishing a relaxing tea in the parlor. The plot twists and character quirks
will keep you turning those pages - or scrolling that screen. All together an
enjoyable read that is hard to put down.”
“I’m not a fan of FIRST PERSON
point of view stories—USUALLY—but it didn’t take me long to realize I wasn’t
even aware of the TYPE of POV—but was totally engrossed in the story.”
“The Hesitant Heiress is
written in the first person, which is an unusual choice for a historical
romance, but it works. So many of the characters are hiding secrets, and first
person enables the reader to uncover those secrets slowly, and means they have
the same element of surprise to us as they do to Amaryllis. I liked that, as it
added to the suspense. This story has it all—fascinating characters, secret
love, obsession, suspense, loads of romantic tension, and a few rather fabulous
kisses.”
“Normally, I am somewhat lost on
1st person accounts, more because I—apparently—like action and
settling into various viewpoints. The
Hesitant Heiress, however, captivated me from the beginning. I found myself
turning pages to learn whether Amaryllis would finally see the truth about her
worth.”
“From the very beginning, the
conflict tugged at my heart and kept me turning pages. Amaryllis Brigham meets
her troubles head on with an inspiring faith. But this girl doesn’t know how
beautiful she is, nor what’s in store for her in the person of Nathan
Everstone. The characters are richly drawn and engaging. Dawn Crandall’s
historical research is impeccable, but so expertly woven in that you don’t even
notice, you’re just there.”
“The Hesitant Heiress stands out as an exceptional novel
because Crandall develops all of her characters in equal measure, whether main
or secondary, male or female, villain or hero/heroine. There is no doubt
between the various settings and plot lines that every single character will
grab readers’ attention and hearts. Even characters who appear for brief
moments are significant to the story and have their moments to make an
impression upon readers. The male protagonist, Nathan Everstone, charms his way
into the page from the very first moment his character enters the story.
Handsome, intelligent, charismatic, and persuasive, Nathan is a man who is used
to getting what he wants when he wants it.”
“From the very first pages,
mysteries are begging to be solved and will keep you turning the pages. I
wish I could give more details, but I don’t want any spoiler alerts.
This debut book is also so well written in 1st Person Point of View which makes
this book even more interesting to read.”
“[Dawn Crandall] writes with an old voice (Jane Austen fans, you will love her!) that
spins you into her heroine’s world and keeps you there deeply ensconced in her
surroundings and emotions. Amaryllis and Nathan, along with the beautiful
setting of Boston, come alive with each page you flip. Their connection is
tangible and with the added touch of intrigue--who is really behind the
problems that seem to plague Amaryllis?--you’ll be up late into the night to
finish this book.”
“Written in a manner that would
please Jane Austin herself, and any fan, but with a voice that is truly her
own, The Hesitant Heiress is a read
sure to please! Elegantly written, intriguing, a hint of suspense and
description that throws you into the Victorian era. Dawn invites you to follow
Amaryllis Brigham as she struggles through past hurt and rejection to find
God’s place and plan for her life—a journey with which many of us can relate.”
“This novel is set during the
Gilded Age in Boston. Told in first person, it follows the reluctant journey of
Amaryllis Brigham through the top echelons of society when all she wants to do
is run away back to the wilds of Washington. To gain independence, she must
marry…yet that is the last thing she wants to do. Amaryllis has a
strong core she hides from everyone beneath the shell of a distant, protected
woman. She has to choose to allow someone in…to see the real person. There’s a
hint of intrigue, a dash of suspense, and a longing for love that will
satisfy stalwart historical romance fans.”
“If you are a fan of Jane
Austen’s writing with character driven plots where the entire story focuses on
the emotions and lives of the characters, then this is the book for you. The
characters drive the whole story.”
“Amaryllis is a complex
character, very independent and intelligent. She is trying to find her way in a
society too stuffy for her, yet not willing to sacrifice her own happiness for
money. She feels as though she’s not had any control over some of her past life
events, and this has borne a deep longing for consistency in her life. I
enjoyed the fact that she wants to use her God-given musical talents to help
others.”
“Unanswered questions teased me
throughout the story, but as the tale unraveled they were all answered
satisfactorily! Mysteries, misunderstandings, and even murder, all added
intriguing and exciting layers to The Hesitant Heiress. And when
Amaryllis wasn't exasperating me with her lack of perception, I found the
interactions between her and Nathan intensely intoxicating. The story’s finale
was one of the best endings I've ever read. Suffused with compelling drama and
tension, it was thrilling while bristling with romantic tension. Well done Dawn
Crandall!”
“I met Dawn for the first time
at my very first ACFW conference in 2011. We were roommates. I recall reading
the first couple of pages of her manuscript in our hotel room, and my jaw
dropped. This gal had a unique voice, and I knew she was going to be published
one day.”
“I loved The Hesitant
Heiress number of reasons. One is that it doesn’t follow the
formula romance or suspense novels and yet delivers well on both points.
It’s told in the first person only from Amaryllis’s point-of-view. Good writing
is in the details. I loved how Dawn brought depth not only to the hero and heroine
but also the minor characters. The same goes for the setting, that is
especially true of the scenes on the Maine coast. I want to go there after
reading this book!”
“There is amazing
character growth and spiritual depth with, of course, some
suspense/mystery mixed in to leave you on the edge of your seat! Also,
can’t forget all that romance that leaves you breathless!”
***To read even more VERY in depth book reviews for The Hesitant Heiress, visit GoodReads and Amazon!!
{Interviews}
