Rebecca Walker loves searching for lost treasure but puts her plans on hold to fulfill her sister’s dying wish of performing on Broadway. She returns home when her father has a severe stroke. While there, she’s determined to achieve her father's lifelong quest for hidden Confederate gold, rumored to be buried nearby.
Former army ranger Roy Maddox
blames the accident that took his fiancée’s life on her sister, Rebecca. Now
Rebecca is back, pretending to care about the father she left behind to pursue
her dreams. Despite their differences, they’re drawn to each other.
Will they locate and retrieve
the gold, or will they be blind-sided by an outside force who is intent on
taking the treasure, destroying them both?
Good
morning, Rebecca. Thanks for joining us today. Let’s begin with where you are from. I grew up in the small town of Rock Ledge, Arkansas.
I love this town and all the people in it. I currently reside in Manhattan due
to my work, but I look forward to the day when I can come back home.
Tell
us a bit about Crushed Promises. I
had to walk away from the life I loved to fulfill my sister’s dying wish. I learned
to live in the concrete jungle, but my heart yearns to come home to stay. But in
the meantime, I have to deal with my dad’s illness and a man who blames me for
all of his problems. I’m still trying to forgive myself for one fateful night
that changed everyone’s lives.
What
did you think the first time you saw Roy Maddox? As he was my sister’s fiancé, I initially looked at
him as nothing more than a future brother-in-law. That was before the accident,
though. After that, things changed drastically.
What was
your second thought? My
second thought was I didn’t blame him for his hatred. He blamed me for my sister’s
death, and he’d be right.
So
it wasn’t love at first sight? Definitely
not. We had to warm up to each other, learn to respect each other. It was a
major process, one I’d gladly do again, no matter how painful.
What
do you like most about hin? Roy is
extremely loyal to my father, and everyone in town loves and respects him. The fact
he keeps coming to my rescue at the farm has changed my mind about him. He isn’t
as hard-hearted as I thought after the accident.
How
would you describe him? He’s
definitely a heartthrob in looks, but his opinion of me was nothing short of contempt.
I think he hated the world for awhile and that’s why he joined the army and
became a ranger. I was surprised to find he’d moved back to Rock Ledge.
How
would Roy describe you? Selfish. He thinks
I walked away from the one place I loved willingly. He eventually realized he was
wrong. I have to admit, it took a long time to get there, though.
What
made you choose acting for a career? I
didn’t choose it. In fact, it was the farthest thing from my mind, but when my twin
sister pleaded with me before she died to make her dream of a Walker starring
on Broadway come true, I couldn’t refuse her.
What
is your biggest fear? Letting my
family down. I want to be here for Dad, but I promised my sister I’d go to
Manhattan in her place. Which is more important? How do I choose? It’s a battle
that’s ripping my heart out.
How
do you relax? That’s easy. Crawling around
in caves is what centers me, what makes me happy. Since I was a kid, I think I’ve
crawled under half of Arkansas, and I’d love to crawl under more. There’s
nothing more relaxing, or exciting, than discovering a new cave.
Who
is your favorite fictional character? Bat
Girl. Probably because bats live in caves and I love caves. Plus, she has super
powers. Who wouldn’t want to be able to crush the bad guy?
What
is the best piece of advice you ever received? I’m not sure if it was Mom or Dad who told me this, but
they said that no matter what life throws at you, you push through it and keep
going. That’s what kept me going while I was all alone in New York City.
This
has been great, Rebecca. Thank you for giving us insight into your hopes and
dreams—and the love of exploring caves. Now we’d like to chat with Linda.
What
movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? Every book I read by Linda Broday, Jodi Thomas, Marilyn
Pappano, Justine Davis and Ashlynn Pearce inspires me. Each author has her own
unique style and I find I can’t put their books down. I strive to capture the
essence of their stories and emulate it to a small degree.
Is
there an event in your private life that you were able to bring to this story
and how do you feel it impacted the novel? The idea for this story came to me while I sat in a hospital room after
my father had a massive stroke. I even based the dad in the story after mine. I
wanted to bring his strong-as-an-ox character alive and show his strength. Having
this character in the book showed the love the heroine has for him and enriched
the family dynamic.
Tell
us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced
your decision to submit to them? I publish
through The Wild Rose Press and couldn’t be happier. After meeting the owner
plus my editor at a conference, I saw how professional, yet personable both
women were. It impressed me enough to trust my work with them.
What
book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? I’m currently reading Dead Man’s Hand by B.J. Daniels and Jordan
Valley Rescue by Susan Spess. In my TBR pile is: Last Rites by
Sharon Sala, Colton’s Montana Hideaway by Justine Davis, Talulah’s
Back in Town by Breanda Novak, and Faking a Fairy Tale by Teri
Wilson. Like most authors, there’s a ton more than that, though.
Last, what's up next and when
can we expect to see it on the shelves? I’m working on the fourth book in the Rock Ledge series, Abandoned
Promises, which deals with human trafficking. I’m also working on a
straight romance – my first foray into something that doesn’t have suspense in
it. We’ll see which one I finish first.
Linda
brought along an excerpt for us:
“I asked what you’re doing on my
father’s farm after dark?”
“Not that I owe you any explanation, but
feeding the calves.”
“Don’t give me that! I haven’t been gone
that long. You turn them out with
their mothers.”
He gave her a dead-pan face that
indicated she was an idiot. “They’re orphans.”
“What?” She drew back, then paused as
his words sunk in. Good grief, she was
an idiot. “Oh.”
“Yeah, oh. They have to be bottle fed.”
He started to turn away from her when
the last fifteen minutes caught up with her and she began to shake violently.
Shoot. Why couldn’t she get a grip on herself? The last thing she wanted to do
was fall apart in front of Roy Maddox. But he saw.
“Hey. Sorry I scared you. I can announce
my presence from now on if you want.” He didn’t sound sorry at all, but at
least he apologized.
She crossed her arms over her chest to
steady her racing heartbeat and shook her head. “No, it—it isn’t that. Someone
tried to run me off the road a few minutes ago. Someone driving a truck a lot
like yours hit me from behind a couple times before driving off.”
“Run you off the road?” He looked
confused. “What are you talking about?”
“What I said. They almost succeeded,
too.” Horrified to show weakness of any kind, she found her knees giving way,
and she crumpled to the ground.
To
learn more about Linda Trout and the stories she creates, go to:
Website: http://LindaTrout.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/LindaTroutAuthor
Instagram: http://instagram.com/LindaTroutAuthor
Twitter (X): http://twitter.com/LindaTrout2
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/Linda_Trout
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/linda-trout
To purchase
Crushed Promises, go to:
Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/2s3kc4a6
Barnes&Noble: https://tinyurl.com/ycyrjsbw
Goodreads: Crushed Promises (Rock Ledge) by Linda
Trout | Goodreads
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