Welcome to the Blog Tour for Like Honey for the Bones by Brandy Heineman, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: Like Honey for the Bones
Author: Brandy Heineman
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: July 24, 2023
Genre: Christian Split-time Romantic Mystery
TWO HEARTS BROKEN ALONG THE SAME JAGGED EDGE MAKE A GRISLY DISCOVERY DEEP IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY
Present Day. Solveig Borja fled Virginia to escape the guilt of one reckless night, and once she settles the family estate, she’s Norway-bound and never looking back. Meanwhile, Kyle Benton has come seeking asylum from past sins—which Solveig shatters even as their hopeless romance blooms. But when they discover a skeleton at Rice Caverns, its century-old mystery holds startling links to the here-and-now.
1919. The Great War is won. Gussie Rice longs for her beau's return from France, until she learns he’s confined at a stateside hospital and her closest confidant is part of the secret. Her bid for love sparks a confrontation that ricochets through time...
Bad blood and escalating threats swirl around Solveig, and Kyle’s new life proves no haven from the old with his brother's killer trolling the shadows. As the past rears up, the cavern’s hidden places beckon with power to light their hope or to swallow them in utter darkness.
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookBub
Excerpt
The car followed the curve of the gravel drive and blocked Kyle in. Once she saw it from the side, her throat constricted.
A county patrol car.
Hold it together. Stay with me, now.
Kyle stepped away from the window, but she continued to stare out, frozen. Waiting.
The lights died and the driver's door opened. A long-legged figure emerged. She knew the posture, gait, and frame from ten years of bad dreams. He swung a searchlight around, and she lowered her eyes, afraid the sudden flash might throw her into another full-blown panic attack.
Kyle zipped his coat.
Deep breath. The policeman couldn’t hurt her. She opened the door before he knocked. “Good evening, Officer Dade.”
“It’s ‘Sheriff’ now.” He flicked his badge. Its glint stood out from the shadows. “Missed you at the funeral.”
She flinched at his gruff voice. That, too, featured in the nightmares. “The hearse driver took me for a joyride to the cemetery, and by the time I got back, someone had vandalized my barn.”
Sheriff Dade looked unimpressed. “You want to file a complaint?”
“No, sir.”
“Then there ain’t much I can do.” He paused a beat. “You know how kids can be.”
The dart pierced the tender fourteen-year-old buried in her heart. “I do, indeed.”
Leonard Dade never had made a secret of his belief Solveig should have been tried as an adult.
About the Author
Connect with Brandy by visiting brandyheineman.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.
Author Interview
Q: What was the inspiration behind Like Honey for the Bones?
Brandy: A couple of special moments converged to plant this story seed.
First, a friend from church invited my husband and me to host two women on a mission trip from Norway. They and the rest of their group came to our area for training at a church conference, and I enjoyed the opportunity to get to know them and learn a bit from them about their country and culture. Before long, I was dreaming up a Norwegian-American heroine who needed a story…
Around that time, another friend who writes in a different genre took a tour of Grand Caverns in Grottoes, Virginia. Knowing my love for family history research, she described the Civil War era signatures on the cavern walls which can be matched to other historical records. My imagination leapt from those simple “I was here” impulses of long-ago people and invented a prayer wall, where generations of folks went to ink or etch their petitions to God. From there, a story began to take shape.
Q: How long did it take you to write this story?
Brandy: Much too long! I spent years on this novel, and I’m so happy to finally send it out into the world!
Q: Do you have a favorite quote from this book?
Brandy: This one from Solveig’s point of view comes to mind:
“Home had nothing to do with place and everything to do with presence. Nothing to do with language and everything to do with being understood. But she couldn’t make that leap toward him without knowing he’d catch her.”
Q: What do you hope readers take away from Like Honey for the Bones?
Brandy: I’m praying God uses this story as He wills. Since every reader is unique, I hope each one finds something specific to encourage, strengthen, or challenge the heart. However, since my books are meant to entertain, I want readers to have fun following the mystery to discover whose bones are they, anyway?
Q: Would you share something about yourself that most readers would not know?
Brandy: I have three mousepads to accommodate my various workstations, and without quite meaning to, I managed to go with “Cats and the Night Sky” imagery on all of them. (Incidentally, one of them might also be described as “Taco Cat in Space,” and it’s probably my favorite.)
Q: How many bookcases are in your home?
Brandy: We have five proper bookcases but have also stowed books in a few creative spots: the dining room hutch, an antique writing desk, and a cubby-style headboard in the guest room, to name a few.
Q: How long ago did you start writing?
Brandy: I was a bookish type from my earliest memories and knew I loved to write when I was still in elementary school, but around 2008 I felt my dreams tugging and launched into my first serious attempt at a novel. Even though that early piece, along with a 2011 NaNoWriMo project, aren’t meant for the spotlight, they were still stepping stones in discovering my voice and genre. Also, both projects showed me that I had a lot to learn!
Q: What is your favorite thing about being a writer?
Brandy: I love creating stories that entertain readers in a way that speaks to and celebrates our faith. I recently read through Hebrews and took in again the passage in Chapter 11 about seeking a heavenly country. My stories take place in this life, but I do hope they carry the scent of home.
Q: What do you like to do when you are not writing?
Brandy: My husband and I love to binge-watch a good mystery series. Most recently, we enjoyed catching up on The Brokenwood Mysteries, a quirky small town detective drama set in New Zealand. Next up: the last season of Endeavour!
Tour Giveaway
(3) winners will win a signed, print copy of Like Honey for the Bones and $25 VISA gift card!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight July 24, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on July 31, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
Great excerpt and interview.
ReplyDeleteGreat interview. Sounds great.
ReplyDeletefun interview! thanks for being on the tour :)
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a great read!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a good book!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this great interview
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your interview, bio and book details, I have enjoyed reading about you and your work and I am looking forward to reading Like Honey for the Bones
ReplyDeleteThis is an intriguing excerpt that leaves me with questions begging for answers.
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