Spotlight & Giveaway: Trailblazer by Anna Schmidt

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Anna Schmidt to HJ!

Hi Anna and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Trailblazer!

Tell us about the book with this fun little challenge using the title of the book:

Titles are always a challenge—how to choose a word or words that convey a sense of what’s inside! Of course, the cover art helps—and I have to say the artists who produced the covers for this series have outdone themselves in capturing the feeling of the setting and the look of each story’s heroine. I liked TRAILBLAZER as a title for Grace’s story because so often the title might refer to the hero. In this case (and in the other two novels to come), the title refers to the Harvey Girl who carries the story. Grace is in every sense of the word a trailblazer—leaving home and family to travel alone to unknown parts of the country to live and work with people she’s never met.
 

If your book was optioned for a movie, what scene would you use for the audition of the main characters and why?

“Hello, Polly…and Miss Rogers.”
That voice. Grace spun around and looked directly into Nick Hopkins’s deep-brown eyes. The color of black coffee, she thought before she realized Polly was scowling at her.
“Hello,” she murmured. The small tray shook, and the cream sloshed dangerously close to the rim of the pitcher.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” Polly muttered as she relieved her of the tray and disposed of the dishes in a dance of efficiency before turning back to their customer. The smile returned as she posted herself directly between Grace and Nick, setting a fresh cup and saucer in place as she did—cup turned upright. “So good to see you back, Mr. Hopkins,” she said. “Will you be having your usual order?”
“Just coffee today. How ’bout you let Miss Rogers serve me? I expect she could use the practice and a friendly face on her first day here.” He grinned at her.
“I wasn’t aware the two of you were acquainted,” Polly said as her smile stiffened into something that appeared quite painful.
“Met on the train from Kansas City. Isn’t that right, Miss Rogers?”
Admittedly, she had hoped she hadn’t seen the last of Nick Hopkins, but this was her first day. Could he not see he was making matters worse? “I’m still in training,” she managed. “Miss Forrester is—”
“Not at all,” Polly said. “The customer has made a reasonable request that should be your privilege and pleasure to fulfill.” She stepped aside and disappeared around the corner, leaving Grace on her own. Grace had the suspicion that Polly had not gone far and would be silently observing every move and every word.
She set his cup and saucer on a tray and went to the urns.
“By the way, I take it black, but just to give you the practice, how about you bring me some cream and sugar as well? If you like, of course.”
“Yes, sir,” she replied and turned to face the shelves. There were the creamers, but where were the sugar bowls? She scanned the shelves.
“Two compartments to your left,” she heard Nick mutter softly.
She retrieved one of the small silver bowls filled with lumps of sugar as well as a pair of miniature tongs, and set the cup below the spigot of the urn. This was going better than she’d hoped. Nick was obviously a regular at the counter and was giving her tips to make her job easier. She relaxed and touched a finger to the lever as she’d observed Polly do. But Polly evidently knew exactly how much pressure to apply. Grace did not, and the coffee came rushing out like a creek breaking free of its ice bonds in spring. It spattered onto the counter and worse, onto her pristine white apron.
Polly was at her side instantly. “Go and change,” she hissed. “I’ll do this.”

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: Print copy of Trailblazer (Cowboys & Harvey Girls #1) by Anna Schmidt

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Book Info:

MEET THE HARVEY GIRLS
These real-life pioneering women were symbols of elegance in the wild frontier: taming rough manners, falling in love, and changing the face of the West forever.

Grace Rogers is ready for the adventure of a lifetime. With her family’s farm falling on hard times, she accepts a position with the prestigious Fred Harvey Company and heads for Juniper, New Mexico. There she meets a handsome cowboy who quickly turns her head. Too bad the Harvey Girls are forbidden to marry…

Nick Hopkins has a plan: buy a little land, marry, and raise a family—in that order. But after meeting Grace, he can’t keep away. Their only choice is to marry in secret…but Nick isn’t the only man entranced by Grace’s charms, and this unexpected rival doesn’t plan on taking no for an answer. He will have her, no matter the cost: to Grace, to Juniper, or to the happily ever after Grace and Nick fought so hard to make their own.

Buy Links: Amazon| Barnes & Noble| Kobo| iBooks| Indiebound
 
 

Meet the Author:

Award-winning author ANNA SCHMIDT delights in creating stories where her characters must wrestle with the challenges of their times. Critics have consistently praised Schmidt for the reality of her characters—exposing their flaws as well as their strengths as she delivers strong tales of hope and love in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. She resides in Wisconsin and Florida. Visit her online at joschmidtauthor.com.