Southern-Style Meet & Greet with Annalisa Daughety

Time for another week with another Meet & Greet! This week, I've got another sweet, Southern author, and one that I've ACTUALLY gotten to meet in person, too!! How exciting is that?! But first, gotta let you know who won last week's giveaway of The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck by Kathleen Y'Barbo. Thanks to our dear friends at Random.org, the lucky winner is:

Jo (ladijo40@...)

Congrats, Jo! I'll be in touch with you shortly to get all the necessary mailing info. :o)

And now, it's time for our next author....Annalisa Daughety! Like I said before, I had the great privilege of meeting Annalisa at a local book signing some time ago, and truthfully...I had a little bit of a starstruck moment. I remember that I could hardly think of anything witty to say, so I just said "thanks for signing my book, and can we get a picture, please?" If I could do it over again...well, that's why we're having this here meet and greet. :o)  Since she's Southern, and a local Southerner to boot, we're gonna have all kinds of fun talking about our favorite Southern things.  Stay tuned to the very end for a nice surprise!

Welcome, Annalisa!
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When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve been writing stories since I learned to hold a pencil so I guess I’ve been a writer almost my whole life. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve loved to read—and I think that love of words and books contributed to my desire to be a writer.

If you were not a writer, what would your dream job be and why? (This is, of course, assuming that writing IS your dream job!) :o) 

Writing is definitely one of my dream jobs. :) I’ve been blessed to have worked in my other “dream” fields as well. I worked as a Park Ranger for the National Park Service, which was definitely a dream job. I loved working at a Civil War battlefield (Shiloh) because I’ve been a Civil War buff since I was a little girl. My other dream job is working as an event planner, which I’ve done for many years. I love seeing a special event come together and be a success. Most recently I worked in that capacity for the National Foundation for Transplants and loved working for an organization I believe in.

I've been to Shiloh once, thanks to my Civil-War-buff hubby.  I'm sure we'll go again at some point in time...he can't get enough of all that history.  :o)

What genre do you most like to write? 

I’m still finding my way—at this point, I think the genre I most like to write would be labeled women’s fiction but most of the books I’ve written that have been published are romance. Being a history buff, I would eventually like to branch out and do a book that blends contemporary and historical, yet still ties in a little romance. Guess I’m sort of all over the place.

Do your own personal experiences, or those of family and friends, ever find their way into one your stories? 

Of course! Usually amplified in some way though. And I always change names. :)

What do you hope readers “take away” with them after they read one of your books?

My main purpose is to entertain and tell a story. My books aren’t preachy, but the characters definitely rely on their faith to get them through tough times.

What is your latest book release?

My July release is from Summerside Press—Love Finds You in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Here’s the back cover blurb:

Two women with nothing in common—except the need for a friend and a fresh start. When Amish-born Lydia Ann Raber and Southern belle Caroline DeMarco discover a shared history of loss, the unlikely duo decides to open a gift shop in beautiful Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Lydia Ann is surprised to find herself drawn to handsome woodworker Simon Zook. When God offers her a second chance at love and family, will she take it? Or will the secret Simon harbors cause her even more heartbreak? For Caroline, love comes in the form of journalist Michael Landis. Their low-key romance is a dream come true for Caroline, a fugitive from an infamous past. Is Michael to blame when reporters start hovering once again, or can Caroline find a way to trust him with her heart?

My guess is that this is a semi-sequel to Love Finds You in Charm, Ohio.  Oh, I do hope I'm right!  

Are you currently working on another novel, and if so, can you give us a snippet about it?

I just turned in All Shook Up which will release through Heartsong Presents Book Club in January. It’s set in Memphis, which made it really fun to write!

Graceland wedding planner Suzanne Simpson finds love with writer Nick Taggart after a chance meeting during Elvis Week. Will Suzanne’s fierce independence and Nick’s fear of commitment doom their blossoming relationship? Or have they finally found a love that’s worth the risk?

For the record, I probably should admit that I've never been to Graceland in my life, and I've lived close enough to visit it for 23 years.  Oh, the horror...  But you can bet your bottom dollar that I'll be reading this one when it comes out!

Where can readers find you on the web?

My website: www.annalisadaughety.com
My blog: www.princessofpatience.blogspot.com
Also I’m very active on Twitter and Facebook and would love to connect with readers there!

What is your most favorite thing about the South?

I love everything about the South. I love the hot, lazy summer days and the way lightning bugs dance around the yard at dusk. I love meeting new people in a small Southern town and spending the first fifteen minutes of our conversation establishing who we know in common and how we may or may not be related. People in the South are great storytellers and I think that’s one reason there are so many wonderful Southern authors. Southern hospitality and manners are still alive and well and when I hear a Southern child say “yes ma’am” it does my heart good. And I can’t gush about the South without talking about the food! Barbecue, fried okra, and sweet tea are some of my very favorites.

Oh, just wait...we are definitely gonna talk about some food!


Iced Tea—sweet or un-sweet?

Sweet--the sweeter the better!

BBQ Pork or BBQ Beef? 

Barbecue is my FAVORITE food! In fact, I just finished up writing a book set in Memphis and I’m ashamed to tell you how many times barbecue is mentioned! Definitely pork.

Definitely pork for me, too...nothing will do but Corky's.  Yum, yum, yum!!!

Potluck dinner or restaurant dinner? 

Restaurant. Unless it’s just my family and then I like potluck.

Summer or Winter?

I’m a summer girl through and through. I like one snow per year—the kind that shuts the city down and allows me to stay inside and drink hot chocolate—and then I’m ready for summer again.

One snow per year for me, too, although lately, it's been coming around more than once.  That's okay, too...I'm good with 2 or more days off work!

Country gal or city gal? 

I’m kind of a mix. I grew up in the country surrounded by rice fields—but I’ve lived in the big city for the past fourteen years. I love the city, but after a little while start to feel very stifled and long for wide open space again.

You, you all, or y’all? 

Y’all. No question. :)

Y'all is right!  

Annalisa, I think somehow we must be "kindred spirits" (courtesy of dear Anne).  I won't be so bashful next time around if I see you at another book signing...or at a BBQ restaurant!  :o)  Thank you so much for coming and chatting today, and telling all of us about your newest (and also forthcoming) books!

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Remember that surprise I promised you?  Well, you probably guessed what it was anyway, but it's always nice to be surprised.  :o)  Annalisa is giving away a copy of her brand new book, Love Finds You in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (which I, for one, cannot WAIT to read) to one special person that comments on this post.  If you'd like to be entered for a chance to win, please leave a comment with your email address before Sunday, July 31.  If there's no email addy, sorry, but your comment will not count toward the drawing.  The winner will be announced next Monday, August 1st.  US addresses only, please.

Thanks for stopping by, as always, my dear friends!  I love meetin' with you here each and every week!