Presenting WHERE THE HEART LEADS by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming back another lovely lady, author Kim Vogel Sawyer. Kim’s latest book, Where the Heart Leads is the long-awaited sequel to Waiting for Summer's Return.

THE BIO

Kim Vogel Sawyer, an award-willing and best-selling author, is fond of C words like children, cats, and chocolate. Her debut novel, Waiting for Summer's Return, hit the bestseller charts, was endorsed by Janette Oke, and became a Crossings Book Club Main Selection. Between June of 2006 and March of 2008, she has celebrated the release of ten novels. In her spare time, she enjoys drama, quilting, and calligraphy. Kim and her husband, Don, reside in Kansas and have three daughters and four grandsons.


THE INTERVIEW

JA: Please tell us about your latest book, Where the Heart Leads.
KVS: This book is a sequel to my first Bethany House historical, Waiting for Summer’s Return, which released in June of 2006, so there’s been a slight time gap in between. :o) Where the Heart Leads features a grown up Thomas Ollenburger, who has fulfilled his father’s desire and earned a college degree. The only question now is…what should he do with this hard-won education? Thomas is torn between to worlds—the small town of Gaeddert, Kansas, and the lively city of Boston. Of course, he also feels affection for two women, one from each location. Thomas has been taught to follow God’s will, but right now he isn’t sure where God is leading. When he becomes involved in the presidential campaign for a candidate with questionable morals, his confusion mounts. Where does he belong?

JA: We first met Thomas in Waiting for Summer’s Return. Did you always plan to have him at the center of the sequel, or did he demand his own story?
KVS: Bethany House prefers I write stand-alone stories, so a sequel was never planned. However, reader feedback consistently requested a sequel to continue Summer and Peter’s story. When I began thinking about a sequel, focusing on Thomas and letting Summer and Peter play secondary roles felt natural. This is a very different story from Waiting for Summer’s Return, but I hope readers will enjoy this second peek into Gaeddert and the lives of the Ollenburgers.

JA: Thomas is torn between two women. I think we can all relate to times when we’ve reached a crossroads. How does Thomas’s faith come into play when dealing with his dilemma?
KVS: Thomas is a young man who respects his father and his father’s teaching. He believes in God, and he believes he needs to follow God’s will. But like so many other young people, up until this point he has pretty much relied on his parents’ beliefs rather than solidifying the relationship with God for himself. So Thomas has to do a great deal of growing in this story as he develops a personal, all-his-own relationship with his heavenly Father.

JA: What do you want people to take away after reading Where the Heart Leads?
KVS: God wants to be involved in every facet of our lives. He has a perfect plan for each of us, and we can only find true fulfillment when we are in the center of His will. When we seek Him, we find life’s answers.

JA: What’s next for you in the writing arena?
KVS: The next book will release in January of 2009. Titled A Promise for Spring, it features Emmaline Bradford, a young woman arriving from England to join her betrothed, Geoffrey Garrett, on a sheep ranch in Kansas. The conditions are not at all what she expected, and her desire to return to her homeland is strong. Geoffrey finally makes a promise—if she will stay through the winter, he will let her choose where she wants to live: Kansas or England. When spring arrives, will Emmaline sail back to England, or will she carve out a life with Geoffrey?

JA: As well as being a prolific writer, you’re also a sought-after speaker. What’s your favorite topic to speak on?
KVS: I absolutely love sharing my testimony. Years ago (in 2000), God began prompting me to speak, and I balked big time. I don’t like being in front of crowds, and I told Him repeatedly, “I have nothing of value to say!” But He kept prodding me. Finally in 2002, I finally caved in and said I would do it, but He would have to give me words to speak. He answered resoundingly on September 21, 2004, and every time I share my testimony, I get to celebrate the wonder of the moment when He reached through my shadows of pain and shame and swept the darkness away. It is so gratifying to see the shadows of other women lifted when I share the truth of God’s healing touch.

JA: One of your speaking topics is Lessons Learned from Chocolate. So what can we learn from this delightful indulgence? (Please, give me an excuse to eat more!)
KVS: LOL This is a fun one because I share how opening the wrappers on a specific brand of chocolate candy opened the door to increased Bible study. Amazing how spending more time in God’s Word brings change into your life. I also share those changes. And yes, I always bring chocolate when I share this topic!

JA: When you get a chance to relax, what’s your favorite thing to do?
KVS: I love to get lost in a good book. I also enjoy traveling. (As I answer these questions, I am bouncing across a pot-holed Yukon highway in a tour bus as part of a land-cruise of Alaska.) I also adore spending time with my daughters and grandsons.

JA: Last but not least, how can people keep up with your latest publishing news?
KVS: I keep my website up-to-date with new releases and any other publishing news. So please stop by www.KimVogelSawyer.com and take a peek—I love having visitors!

Thanks for taking time out of your vacation to visit with us, Kim. May God continue to bless your writing journey!

WIN THE BOOK

If you’d like to be entered to win a copy of Where the Heart Leads just leave a reply to this blog. IMPORTANT NOTE: There will only be a giveaway if we have more than 20 comments. So let all your friends know! I’ll pick a winner at random on August 27th. Please leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) Good luck!