What kinds of books do you love to read?
I love all kinds of books in a variety of genres. There are some genres, like horror, that I don’t read, but otherwise I’m pretty open to any genre if the story is good. Some of my favorite books of all time are anything by Jane Austen or the Bronte Sisters, Rebecca, Gone with the Wind, the Little House series, CS Lewis, Brave New World, The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society, anything by Francine Rivers – and so many others I can’t think of right now. But they cut across all genres. It also keeps things interesting to me to change genres and read different types of books.
What do you like about historical romance?
I write sweet, historical romances – I love the history, of course. I actually live in Australia, so learning more about American history is fun for me. I’m officially an American citizen though, because I lived there for many years and my husband is from Atlanta.
I like also that sweet historical romance gives the opportunity to tell a story without any of the explicit language some genres use. I don’t like to read those types of books, and so it’s always great when I discover a book that I love that’s a clean read. It’s great when you discover a new author who writes books you know will be a safe read, so that’s what I try to do for my readers.
Some of the books I write are also Christian, so I love having that opportunity to weave encounters with God through the tale. My new book, Of Peaks and Prairies, isn’t a Christian book, per se, but it does reference prayer and is a sweet read.
Tell us about your new book.
Of Peaks and Prairies is the first book in a new series, Paradise Valley. It’s going to be a series of sweet, historical romances. The setting will be Paradise Ranch in Paradise Valley, Montana Territory. This book follows a young woman, Genevieve, and her journey to wholeness after a childhood of brokenness. She leaves Fort Worth, Texas, running from her troubled past, and hitch-hikes on a cattle drive, north to Montana. The story is full of drama, romance and suspense. It also follows the journey of Sarah Songan and Bill Hanover from the second Cutter’s Creek book – after their wedding. So that’s been fun as well.
What will you be writing next?
Next, I have another installment of Cutter’s Creek coming out. That will be in early August. The book is called The Betrothed, and has a bit of a different angle to the other books. It will start out in England, where Lady Charlotte Bainbridge will decide to run away from home to start a new life in America. She’ll discover that it’s not so easy to establish yourself without money, status or family to back you up, and she’ll have to rely on her new friends to help her along the way. One of these friends just happens to be an attractive young man from her home town – so the romantic tension will be high! If you sign up for my mailing list you’ll get a free book, and I’ll be able to let you know when the book will be out. Here’s the link for the newsletter sign up.
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Excerpt
Of
Peaks and Prairies – Book 1, Paradise Valley
Chapter One
Fort Worth, Texas
1867
Genevieve Waters-Ewing walked from the
church with her hand resting lightly on Quincey Ewing’s raised arm. He’d shaved for the first
time in months, and she glanced with distaste at a scratch on his cheek where
the blade had nicked his weathered skin. Her whole body trembled, and she
fought hard to push down the sobs that threatened to escape her aching throat
at any moment. He turned to face her with a grin, his ten gallon hat perched
unevenly on his square head.
The minister who’d married them was so old and frail, and his hearing so
bad, each time she shook her head and shouted ‘no’ during their vows, he simply
nodded with a toothless grin and continued on with the ceremony. If she tried
to run, Quincey held her close and pinched her arm. In the end she stood her
ground, confident that the law would never uphold such a marriage — until, that
is, her new husband forged her signature on the certificate of marriage. Now
she wasn’t so sure.
She glared at him as her stepfather came up alongside her.
“Congratulations Genny, you’re a married woman now. Isn’t that what
you’ve always wanted?” He chuckled, she caught him winking behind her back at
his childhood friend - the man who’d just been pronounced her husband.
“Well, at least it’ll get you out from under my feet,” he continued. “I
can’t be payin’ for yer upkeep forever. Your Ma done died on me, leavin’ me
with a rug-rat I never wanted, and now it’s time for you to find yer own place
in life. Can’t say as I’ll miss ya much, ‘part from the cookin’ an sech of course,
but I’ll find a missus to do that soon enough, with you out of the house.
‘Course, you’re not goin’ far — just across the way. I’m sure you could find it
in yer heart to help me out a time or two.”
They’d stepped out into the bright Texas morning, and Genevieve squinted
her eyes against the sunlight that streamed down through a faint fuzz of thin
clouds above. She cast her gaze about - they were on the outskirts of Fort
Worth, Texas, and she could see the plains stretched out before them. The town
pushed toward the openness, threatening to civilize its bluffs, rises and
hollows. Chaparral tufts littered the landscape, sheltering hare and various
rodents, and giving the plains an unkempt look. She smoothed the skirts of her
burgundy plaid dress. It was the nicest dress she owned, even so it was well
worn, and pulled tightly across her chest and hips where she’d grown in recent
years. A long line of small buttons ran up the front of the bodice. The sleeves
no longer reached her wrists even when she tugged at them, and her stays
pinched her tiny waist. She sighed.
“If Ma knew what
you had planned for me, Fred, she’d roll over in her grave.” Genevieve caught a
sob, and pushed it back down with a grimace.
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Vivi Holt writes inspirational, historical romances with a western flavour. Of her books, readers say:
"The plot kept me enthralled and the pages turning."
"I cried and laughed."
"What an awesome ending. Can't wait for more!!"
Vivi lives in beautiful Brisbane, Australia with her husband and three young children. Growing up on a farm she learned to love the country life and now she writes about it in her books. History has always fascinated her as well, so writing historical romance seemed a natural progression. She loves horse-riding, hiking, and reading.
Her goal is to write touching, emotional and sweet romance stories that captivate the reader and transport them back in time.
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