Let’s chat with novelist Janice Hanna Thompson, author of Love Finds You in Groom, Texas (Summerside/Guideposts, June 2011).
Janice Hanna (also published as Janice Thompson) has published more than seventy novels and non-fiction books. She has also published more than fifty magazine articles and several musical comedies for the stage. Janice makes her home in the Houston area near her children and grandchildren.
Janice Hanna (also published as Janice Thompson) has published more than seventy novels and non-fiction books. She has also published more than fifty magazine articles and several musical comedies for the stage. Janice makes her home in the Houston area near her children and grandchildren.
Please tell us three random things we might not know about you.
My dad was the president of the University of Houston Cougar Cagers Club, so my birthdays, holidays, etc. were spent at basketball games. Our family traveled to Mexico with the U of H Cougars to watch them compete, which was great fun. When I was eleven, I got to play (for fun, of course) with the Harlem Globetrotters, who came to Houston for a visit. To this day, I love a good basketball game.
I once lied to a fellow camper at church camp, telling her that my dad (Billy Hanna) was William Hanna of Hanna/Barbara (Flintstones) fame. That lie still haunts me, though, to his credit, my dad did eventually work as a movie producer on our co-authored movie, Liar’s Moon. (Yes, it’s true. I got to meet and work with Matt Dillon. Eat your heart out, girls!)
I occasionally bake wedding cakes. In 2009 I baked a lovely four-tiered white cake with strawberry filling and cream cheese frosting that toppled less than an hour before the wedding. I managed to piece together two very messy/ugly layers. Thankfully, the bride did not murder me. It made for a great scene in a later book. (Nothing ever gets wasted, not even a mashed piece of cake.)
Please tell us a bit more about the plot of Love Finds You in Groom, Texas.
Always the groomsman, never the groom… It’s 1914, and Jake O’Farrell has gained an unusual reputation among the locals: He’s played the roles of groomsman and best man in all four of his older brothers’ weddings, but he’s never been able to find the woman to capture his heart. And now with the upcoming wedding of his best friend, Jake will become the last single man in the town of Groom.
Anne Denning has made the difficult decision to move with her sisters to Texas, but a train derailment forces them to seek shelter in Groom, near Amarillo. Mrs. O’Farrell, hopeful that Anne will catch her youngest son’s eye, invites the girls to stay at her home until the train is repaired and ready to pull out. Anne has no idea of the blissful chaos that lies ahead!
Tell us something interesting about the town of Groom:
Groom boasts a nineteen-story high cross. More than 100 welders worked together to erect it in 1995. Now you can see why I toyed with the idea of writing a contemporary novel! I wanted to include the cross. Because I went with historical, I decided to give the heroine a small cross necklace to wear, one that symbolizes her faith (and alludes to the “bigger” cross to come).
Why will readers enjoy your novel?
In spite of the lead character’s tough situation, the story is filled with comedic elements. Anne’s two younger sisters are a hoot. So is Maggie (the hero’s mother). She’s an Irish spitfire! I think readers will appreciate the romance between Anne and Jake. It’s filled with all sorts of sweet and comic moments.
What are readers saying about this book? Have you had any feedback so far?
So far the book has all five-star reviews on amazon (which makes me smile, of course). Here’s a review I found that really got me excited:
5.0 out of 5 stars: A Delightful Read
This delightful tale of romance which emerges out of tragic circumstances is set in a wonderful town called Groom in the panhandle of the great state of Texas. It is a story of tragedy, love, and God’s divine hand of providence that enters a situation just at the right time and changes everything. Young Anne finds herself on a train heading to Dallas with her two younger sisters after the loss of their father. When fate intervenes, the trail derails and their future is forever altered. And then there is Jake, the last available young man in Groom who finds himself to be the recipient of many jokes about his situation, especially from his brothers. Jake’s mother, Maggie, embodies everything wonderful that Anne remembers about her own
mother before she died. Throw in the mixture of the antics of Aunt Bets and the perceived sternness of Uncle Bertrand, and you have a story of new revelations and delightful outcomes.
How absolutely wonderful, in this day and age when problems seem to loom on every side and people have lost faith and hope, to read a story that is all about faith and hope. It is refreshing to read a story set in an era when one’s words meant something, when prayer was the first course of action, when faith ruled our very existence, when people looked out for one another even during hard times. Perhaps after reading this book, your faith will be renewed, as well. – Cherri Taylor
Where else can readers find you online?
I love to connect with my readers at the following places:
Love Finds You in Groom, Texas can be purchased at any number of online stores, as well as my website:www.janicehannathompson.com(front page).Readers can always join my VIP bookclub and get the locked in price of $11 (no shipping) by contacting me directly atbooksbyjanice@aol.com.
Thanks for spending time with me! I had a blast!
And now for the give-away information! Leave a comment with your email please by July 16 midnight CST. One winner will get to choose a book from www.janicehannathompson.com
Hello! I came across your comment on the Gluten-Free Homemaker regarding the 31 Thermal Tote giveaway she had recently… I can't imaging my life without 31 products! You had said, “I also love the bag with the L on it, but could never figure out what the name of the bag is.” If you are referring to the one on the cover of the catalog- It is a Skirt Purse from pages 6-7 (pg 42 also) with a Dark Denim skirt and an L embroidered on it. It is in style #40 in Sandstone. I adore the skirt purses because you can leave all your “stuff” in the purse body and change out the “skirts” to match your outfits in about one minute. I have that same purse skirt and have a K embroidered in the same style in powder pink. So girly. You can find a 31 consultant near you with the “find a consultant” link at the thirtyonegifts.com website.
Thank you Karen. I really like that one and couldn't figure it out.
Diana
Hello! I came across your comment on the Gluten-Free Homemaker regarding the 31 Thermal Tote giveaway she had recently… I can't imaging my life without 31 products! You had said, “I also love the bag with the L on it, but could never figure out what the name of the bag is.” If you are referring to the one on the cover of the catalog- It is a Skirt Purse from pages 6-7 (pg 42 also) with a Dark Denim skirt and an L embroidered on it. It is in style #40 in Sandstone. I adore the skirt purses because you can leave all your “stuff” in the purse body and change out the “skirts” to match your outfits in about one minute. I have that same purse skirt and have a K embroidered in the same style in powder pink. So girly. You can find a 31 consultant near you with the “find a consultant” link at the thirtyonegifts.com website.