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Interview with Penny Zeller

Author of Hailee

Penny Zeller is the author of several books and numerous magazine articles in national and regional publications. She is also the author of the humor blog "A Day in the Life of a Wife, Mom, and Author" (www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com). Her passion is to use the gift of the written word that God has given her to glorify Him and to benefit His kingdom. Hailee is the final book in the series, which began with McKenzie and Kaydie in Montana Skies, her first series with Whitaker House. When she's not writing, Penny enjoys spending time with her family and camping, hiking, canoeing, and playing volleyball.

Welcome Penny, I'm thrilled to get to know you. Where are you from and who do you live with? Thanks so much for having me as your guest, Dorothy. I'm excited to meet your readers! In answer to your question, I live in Wyoming with my husband and two children.

Tell us how you came to write this book. Hailee is the third book in my Montana Skies Historical Romance Series. The character and the book were inspired by a piece of mail I received regarding orphanages. I knew I wanted to write a story about a girl placed in an orphanage and how she came to find herself in that predicament. Wow, I love it when a spark like a 'piece of mail' gets a book idea going. That's very 'olde world' of you, considering how much we communicate outside the mail box these days.

If you could've lived in another time in history, when would it be and why? I have to admit that I enjoy living in this period in history, mainly due to the modern conveniences. However, the mid-to-late 1800s to about 1910 have always interested me, and I would love to go back in time for a week or so to see what it was like in those days. One of the reasons historical romance is my favourite genre to write (and read) is because I love that particular era in history. I hear you! We share the same affliction!

Have you been to Australia? If yes, what fascinated you the most? Or... What would you like to exerience if you had the chance to visit? I've never had the privilege of traveling to Australia, although it is one of the places on my bucket list! Some of the sites I would enjoy are the Great Ocean Road, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Outback. I've also heard there are some fantastic shopping opportunities in Melbourne, which would be perfect as I love to shop. You're so right about the shopping! Just say the word, and I'd love to be your host!

How has writing this book changed you? Wow! This is a great question! I love to write and to use my writing to impact lives for Christ. One of the themes in Hailee is that the Lord is always with us - He never leaves us and is never too busy for us. Writing this book reinforced that constant reminder in my own life. I love that theme - God never leaves us.

Where can we find you on the internet?

At my website: www.pennyzeller.com
On my blog: www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/pennyzellerbooks
On Twitter: http://twitter.com/pennyzeller

Thanks for being with us, Penny. I hope to have you back soon with more of your author news. Thanks so much for having me as your guest, Dorothy.

Here's a peek at the first page of Penny's book. Leave a comment below and you will be in the running to win your own e-book copy of Hailee! Check back here on Friday to see if you're the lucky winner! You have until them to add your comment.

Isn't that great? Free book, people!!

July 1893

Cincinnati, Ohio

Hailee Annigan removed the discolored sheet of paper from the community board in the train depot. Time and weather had faded the poster, so the message was barely readable, but she had memorized the words:

Looking for Philip and Reuben Annigan.

If you have any information, kindly respond to

Hailee Annigan,

c/o Dot Pangbourn’s Boardinghouse,
West Eberlee Street, Cincinnati, Ohio

She crumpled the paper in her hand and stuffed it into her purse. In its place, she posted the notice she’d written that morning, then stepped back to make sure it would be noticeable to people passing by or preparing to board a train.

Looking for Philip and Reuben Annigan.

If you have any information, kindly respond to
Hailee Annigan,

c/o Pine Haven School,
Pine Haven, Montana

For the past several years, she had replaced the posting every month, two times in order to alter the address where she could be located if someone knew of her brothers’ whereabouts.

Hailee swallowed hard to hold back her tears. She didn’t want to leave Cincinnati and diminish her chances of finding her younger brothers. However, she knew that a change in location would do her heart good, and that she was following God’s prompting to fulfill the dream she’d had in her heart since she was a young girl.

Tomorrow, Hailee would travel nearly two thousand miles to a place she’d never been, where she had accepted a job as the schoolteacher. Yes, such a drastic change would help her to leave the past behind and start life anew.

Monday, April 02, 2012