Sandra Orchard: The Writer & her Book (with giveaway)

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I’m featuring the author with the fabulously fun titles for her Serena Jones Mystery series. I hope you enjoy this insight into Sandra, her latest novel, and the gorgeous boy that is her grandson, Jed. Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to add Another Day, Another Dali to your collection, thanks to Revell Books.

The Writer

Please describe yourself in three words

Hard-working, devoted, smiley

What’s your favourite season, and why?

Spring, because I love to watch new flowers and blossom emerge around my garden every week and enjoy the warmer weather and longer days after a long, cold winter.

What is the best part of your day?

Evening, because all my chores for the day are done and my mind is utterly free to play with words.

What do you miss most about your childhood?

Camping with my family.

sandra-orchard-and-jed

This book is dedicated to Jed, a decision made when the manuscript was submitted 12 months ago, because of how he inspired the babysitting scene, but a choice made all the more special by the fact that we are celebrating his homecoming after 4 months in the hospital at the same time as the book is releasing. And he’s been an inspiration to many more people in that time!

Which TV talk show host would you like to be interviewed by? Why?

Jimmy Fallon or Jimmy Kimmel, because hey, we might as well go big or go home, right? And…because I don’t watch talk shows, so I’m not familiar with any others.

You are at a fruit market – what do you reach for first?

Peaches or sweet cherries, my favourite summertime fruits.

What was the first Christian Fiction novel you read?

Probably a Lori Wick, Gilbert Morris or Grace Livingston Hill novel.

What is one author and/or book you always recommend?

For historical romance readers, Karen Witemeyer.

What book character has stuck in your mind from a book you have read this year?

This has been a crazy year, with my young grandson’s near fatal accident in the spring, another grandson’s very early arrival in the summer and planning my daughter’s wedding for this fall, so I’ve read few books and scarcely remember those I managed to get through. The only character stuck in my mind at the moment is one in a continuity series I am writing into next year.

The Book

Another Day Another Dali

A Fast-Paced, Keep-You-Guessing Whodunit with a Dash of Romance

When a valuable Salvador Dali painting belonging to her grandmother’s friend is mysteriously replaced by a forgery, FBI Special Agent Serena Jones is called in to investigate. Serena hopes finding the thief will also mean finally measuring up to Nana’s expectations. But when the evidence points to members of the owner’s own household, it becomes increasingly clear that Serena won’t be winning any popularity contests.

The Dali isn’t the only painting that’s fallen prey to the forgery-replacing thief, raising the specter of a sophisticated theft ring–one with links to dirty cops, an aspiring young artist, and the unsolved murder of Serena’s grandfather.

With plenty of edge-of-your-seat moments, Another Day, Another Dali gives the plucky Serena Jones–and readers–a new high-stakes case to crack.

What was the working title?

Don’t Dilly Dali on the Way

Describe your book in 5 adjectives

suspenseful, funny, fast-paced, full-of-twists, entertaining

Which character took you by surprise?

Serena’s Nana Stella Jones—picture Lady Grantham played by Maggie Smith in Downton Abbey with no apparent soft spot for her grandchildren. Nana didn’t turn out to be the person I thought she was.

What was the latest you stayed up working on this story?

1 am

Which character’s name was the hardest to choose? Why?

If I told you, it would give away whodunit!

What’s something that didn’t make it into the final copy?

The following didn’t because with everything happening to Serena, a smart father would not put his son at risk by asking her to babysit him. (At least not without the extenuating circumstances I managed to inject into the rewrite <wink>)

“I was kind of hoping I could take you up on your babysitting offer,” Matt said on the other end of the phone.

“When?” If he noticed the nervous crack in my voice, he didn’t mention it.

“Tonight.”

“Uh, you sure you want me anywhere near your child so soon after someone tried to make a bus sandwich out of my car?”

Silence.

“Matt?”

“I’m desperate, Serena.” He sounded desperate too. Really desperate.

A smart woman would take that as a major clue. That and the muted crying in the background.

Thanks Sandra!

Sandra Orchard writes fast-paced, keep-you-guessing mysteries with a dash of sweet romance. Her novels have garnered six Canadian Writing Awards, a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, a National Readers’ Choice Award, a HOLT Medallion Award of Merit, and a Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. Learn more about Sandra’s novels and bonus features at www.SandraOrchard.com

Relz Reviewz Extras
All things Orchard @ Relz Reviewz
Connect with Sandra on Facebook
Visit Sandra’s website and blog
Buy at Amazon: Another Day, Another Dali or Koorong

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27 Responses to Sandra Orchard: The Writer & her Book (with giveaway)

  1. I simply adored A Fool and His Monet!!! Look forward to reading Another, Day Another Dali soon.

  2. I’ll confess I’m not a big art fan, but I’ve heard amazing things about the Sisten Chapel so I’ll go with that for my answer. The main reason I wanted to leave a comment was to say I just finished reading “Another Day Another Dali” and I am in the TANNER camp. All. The. Way. I’m trying to prepare myself in case Serena chooses Nate, but confess I’ll be devastated if she does.

  3. I would love to see Michael Angelo’s works. I’m not into art much, I would rather see sciences painted by God. I’m so happy Jed is doing better, Sandra. What a miracle.

  4. I would like to see the famous David statue, I think Michealangelo sculpted it. I’ve seen pictures of the neck and head but in pictures it seems small, I know it’s extremely large in person.

  5. I’ve always admired Monet’s paintings so it would be nice to see them.

  6. I’d love to see portrait drawings by John Singer Sargent and paintings by William-Adolphe Bouguereau.

  7. Some of my favorite painters are of course Thomas Kincaid, Norman Rockwell, and trying to think of someone else, but can’t remember the name at the moment. I like pretty much anything that looks real, and captures such beauty.

    I thought it was so cool that you said your first Christian fiction authors to read were Lori Wick, Gilbert Morris and Grace Livingston Hill. Those were mine too. Haha. They’re all very good. Also thought it was cool how you said you would recommend Karen Witemeyer to someone who likes Historical. I’d have to agree, Historicals are probably my favorite, along with suspense. 😉 And KW is my favorite author. Actually the first time i read one of her books, i thought she reminded me of Lori Wick. 🙂 Also I’m currently reading LW’s Tucker Mills Trilogy.
    Have a good day. God bless.
    Thanks for the wonderful giveaway!

  8. Rel,
    Thanks for another great looking author to get to know.
    This sounds like a really fun book!
    I’ve enjoyed many of the authors you suggest and I find I can trust your opinion!

  9. I love, love this series and I’m voting for Tanner, too! And I’m over the moon that Jed is coming home!!

    And Rel, ever since I met you in Nashville and watched your vlogs, I can hear your accent in your answers! Way cool!

  10. Love Downton Abbey and Jimmy Fallon and his lip sync competitions are great! I’m so happy your grandchildren are alive! Thank you for sharing their survival with your community.

  11. I am a voracious reader, but have to confess I have not read Sandra. So sorry. I read Mitch Albom’s books over and over. I met Sandra through my sister sending me her facebook page asking for prayers for Jed after the accident and put little Jed on our church prayer chain. Since we moved to Regina I haven’t seen much on facebook but Jed and Sandra and the family are never far from my mind. I am so glad to hear that he is or soon will be home. I would love to read Sandra’s book. Or perhaps you could tell me where I could buy it. Rosemary

    • Thank you so much for your prayers, Rosemary. Jed is home now. I answered the interview questions a while ago. He came home, as did my newest little grand baby, in time to celebrate my youngest daughter’s wedding. It was a wonderful celebration. My novels are available wherever books are sold. Your local Christian bookstore may even stock it. But any store can order it in. Amazon.ca, Chapters, CBD.com all have it in their online catalog. For online shopping, book depository.com is often my choice, because it ships even a single book free. They are also available in all Ebook formats for reading on tablets, phones and Ereaders. Thanks for asking!

  12. I would like to see an original Monet and the Mona Lisa.

  13. My mother is an artist, I would love to see one of her works hanging in someplace famous like the White House!

  14. I LOVED book one in this series and am desperate to read this one! I can’t really pick a single piece of artwork, I’ve never seen any famous ones so I would enjoy getting to visit a place that simply has historic art. I think, though, I’d love to see Thomas Cole’s series of 4 paintings called Voyage Of Life. I’ve loved that series since I saw pictures of them in my art appreciation class when I was a homeschooled kid.

    Blessings!
    Jasmine

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