No Direction Home (Book
One)
IT WAS AN OFFER SHE
COULDN’T REFUSE…
Grace Sanders lost
everything that mattered to her, her health to a debilitating disease and her
husband to another woman. Experimental surgery gave back her health, but
couldn’t repair her heart. Only time will heal the damage left behind by an
unfaithful man so Grace throws herself into a new project—to save her trusting
grandmother from being preyed on by an ex-con.
A MAN SHE COULDN’T
TRUST…
Convicted of a crime he
didn’t commit, Seth Taylor lost everything that mattered to him, years with his
daughter and the belief he’ll never love again. Released from prison, he finds
a job as a ranch foreman at the Cactus Rose Ranch in Cedar Falls, Colorado. His
widowed boss refuses to let growing old destroy her dreams and she believes in
second chances.
Please welcome Jude Willhoff!
DONNELL: Hi, Jude, welcome to Get Lost in a
Story. Jude and I have many things in
common. For one thing, she’s my critique
partner. For another her furnace quit
two days ago. Did you get it fixed?
JUDE: Yes, my furnace
went out and it’s all Donnell’s fault.
She started the furnace going out trend and of course I had to follow
along. And you all know these things always
happen in threes. Well, we’ll just have
to wait and see who is next in our critique group to go without heat.
And of course this kind
of thing can only happen when we have ungodly freezing temperatures, -21 wind chill
in a major snowstorm, couldn’t happen on a day we’re in the 30’s or 40’s with
clear weather. Finally, after two days
without a working furnace, the part arrived and now we have heat! I have
to say it was an adventurous couple of days.
Sure, we could’ve gone to stay at my daughter’s house or a hotel, but
then my pipes would have frozen and my plants wouldn’t have made it through the
freezing temperatures. Our furnace man
brought us several space heaters and we had our electric fireplace, electric
throws and electric blankets to keep us warm. We stayed in front of the
fireplace most of the time under our electric throws and managed. This experience gives me a new appreciation of
what our ancestors had to endure to survive
in Colorado in the winter time. Brrrrrr….
DONNELL: Me too, Jude. Your stories are set in Colorado. Is Colorado your favorite place on earth?
JUDE: I’m a transplant from the Ozarks in Missouri
but Colorado is my favorite place to live.
There’s no place quite like Colorado with all the beautiful seasons, not
to hot in the summer and usually not to cold in the winter, great schools, beautiful
mountains and open minded people and the most important thing is that all my
family loves living here. Colorado has
something for everyone. And the best
part, the economy is good enough that our children all have good jobs and love
it here as well. With everything they
want here, it really works out well for me.
It’s great to have your children and grandchildren close by. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
DONNELL: You’re very busy with your own business, with
water aerobics, when do you find time to write?
JUDE: I’m goal oriented and very organized. I do 90 minutes in the pool 3 days a week,
Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I start
early so I’m finished early and off to work, write or whatever I have scheduled
for that day. Being in real estate, and
with good agents, my schedule can be flexible.
Sometimes I can even find time to write at work, but my favorite time to
write is in the morning. I write, edit and do some marketing in the evenings. I try to keep my writing on schedule during
the week so I can spend weekends with my family, but I’m known to write all day
on Saturdays when I have to catch up what I didn’t get completed in the week or
to make a deadline.
DONNELL: What authors inspired you to write?
JUDE: I’ve always been an avid reader and there are
tons of authors that have inspired me but my biggest inspiration came from
Debbie Macomber. I had just started
writing my first book when I got the chance to meet and interview her at a book
signing. Debbie shared her story with me and she inspired me to take a chance
with my writing. The woman is as famous an author as they come but she is also as
down to earth as you or me. The first
time I chatted with her I was a nervous wreck but she immediately put me at
ease. I’ve seen her at numerous RWA
National conferences and book signings through the years and she has always
remembered me and been friendly. Also,
she was kind enough to write the foreward for my new nonfiction book, Writing
Secrets of 33 Bestselling Romance Authors.
Debbie Macomber is an inspiration and a class act all the way.
DONNELL: If you’re not writing, where will we likely
find you?
JUDE: At the movies with my honey. I love movies. Or you can find me doing fun things with my
daughters or grandchildren. I have 2 daughters and 4 granddaughters living in
town so there’s always something going on.
DONNELL: What’s in your refrigerator right now?
JUDE: Little gray men. Just kidding, that’s from Starseed, a
paranormal romance I have coming out in March. We’re working on eating healthy so my refrigerator
has the basic condiments and lots of fruits, vegetables, milk, eggs, butter,
bacon, (my husband won’t give up his bacon) shredded cheese, tortillas, cheese
slices, yogurt, cranberry juice, orange juice, apple juice, grape juice, weight
watcher candy and the makings for my pot roast for dinner.
DONNELL: Most unusual thing you have in your closet?
JUDE: A bottle of champagne tied with colorful red
and white ribbons from my son’s wedding.
I’m supposed to give it to them on their 10th wedding
anniversary. Many times I think about cracking it open but then I just keep
pushing it to the back of my closet, out of sight, out of mind.
DONNELL: Thanks for joining us
today. Now it’s your turn. Time to ask readers a question.
In No Direction Home,
Grace has lost everything that matters, her health, her husband and her
career. In my life, I’ve had my share of
health issues and I believe if it doesn’t kill you, it will make you stronger. I also believe in second chances. Do you believe in second chances?
One lucky reader who
comments on my blog will be randomly selected to win a free copy of No
Direction Home, Book 1 in my Sweet Home Colorado Series. Good Luck!
Where
readers can find Jude:
Website: http://www.judewillhoff.com
Facebook:
http://facebook.com/judewillhoff
Thanks for joining us,
Jude!
Donnell
I believe in taking as many chances as come your way. I know for myself that it's often not the first or second opportunity that sticks.
ReplyDeletemarypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Mary, I agree with you. I believe you have to take a chance at love. It just might be around the next corner. Thanks for posting!
DeleteI think it depends on the person and the 'crime'.... I wouldn't forgive adultery. ..
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the adultery, no way, no how! But in most circumstances I believe you have to go with your heart. Thanks for posting.
DeleteSecond Chances? I used to 100%. But sometimes there's a switch that gets completely fried and can't be rewired. Unfortunate, but now I know it's true. Sounds like a great book.
ReplyDelete~Angi
Angi, I can understand that switch. I've seen it in action. Hugs! Thanks for posting.
DeleteYes, I believe that everyone deserves a second chance as we all make mistakes....but I also believe that not everyone will be able to give that person a second chance...that is part of the consequences for what was done. Congrats on your book. I would love to read. I would also like to hear more about your paranormal romance, Starseed, that will be coming out. Sounds like fun.
ReplyDeleteWith second chances you have to go with your heart and be able to forgive and sometimes certain things just can't be forgiven. That's when you have to move on and maybe someone else will deserve a chance with you. I hope you enjoy my book. You may go to my website at www.judewillhoff.com and sign up for my newsletter and I will let you know the exact release date of Starseed. It was a real fun book to write and based on several incidents that happened around my home town when I was a child. Brenda, thank you for posting.
DeleteYes I believe in second chances, we all should at least get at second chance at things. What doesn't work the first time might work the second.
ReplyDeleteThe second or maybe the third time will be the charm. Never give up on love. Thanks for posting.
DeleteHi, Jude! Yes. For instance you gave your furnace a second chance. You didn't just toss it out in the cold. You had it repaired :) Always second chances... Third and forth, not so much.
ReplyDeleteDonnell
that's fourth :)
DeleteYes, my furnace deserved a second chance and so did my checking account. Lol. I was lucky the part was all it needed instead of a complete replacement.
DeleteYes I do believe in second chances.
ReplyDeleteKit3247(at)aol(dot)com
Second chances are a good thing in most circumstances but sometimes it takes more than just a second chance, sometimes it's a third or fourth with another person. Thanks for posting.
Deletedepends on the situation
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
Yes, it entirely depends on the situation and the harm that has been done to one. Thanks for posting!
DeleteSounds like a wonderful story, Jude! Yes, I believe in second chances!
ReplyDeleteLana, so glad you believe in second chances, too. Thanks for posting.
DeleteSounds like a great book, Jude! I do (mainly) believe in second chance and almost always in a romance! It's one of my favorite set-ups! Hope you're staying warm!
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting, Michelle. I'm so happy you believe in second chances in romance. My furnace is working fine and we are all warm and toasty. Thanks for asking.
DeleteAs writers, I think we have to believe in second chances, as readers I think we like to believe in them, and if you are a shelter pet your life depends on it. Jude, it's a wonderful premise for as story and it sounds like a great book. Not everything works the first time around and not every mud ball sticks to the wall on the first throw. If you believe good things can happen in your life, what do you have to to lose in believing they can happen more than once.
ReplyDeleteAs writers, we have to believe in second chances, as readers we like to believe in them, and if you are a shelter animal, your life depends on one. Jude, it's a great premise for a story and this sounds like a great book. Not every thing works the first time around and not every mud ball sticks to the wall on the first throw. If you believe good things can happen in your life, what do you have to lose in believing it can happen more than once?
ReplyDeleteGreat points, Sharon!
DeleteLove this interview! I feel like we really got a glimpse of the author as a person and the heart she brings to her work. Also, I recently read No Direction Home & thought it was a knockout—but then, I'm a sucker for second chances in life <3
ReplyDeleteI absolutely believe in second chances...unless the reason its needed is unforgivable. ;) Glad you have working heat again. Oh, no on waiting to see who loses their furnace next. ;)
ReplyDelete