Isn’t this a lovely cover, gives you the wintery vibe, but not too harshly, and what’s not to love about having a handsome man forced to spend time with you so that you can fall in love? 🙂 Welcome, Julie, to the Index!

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Questions about Julie’s Story

What inspired this story?

During my research, I learned that the Duke and Duchess of Kent and their baby daughter stayed in Woolbrook Cottage (very near fictional Sea View) during the winter of 1819-1820. I instantly knew I wanted to include them in the novel to give readers a glimpse of the early life of Queen Victoria and her parents. The royal party arrived with too many attendants to accommodate at Woolbrook, so some were lodged elsewhere. I thought it would be fun to have a few staff members stay at Sea View, including a pastry chef who invades their kitchen, a man in desperate straits, and the duke’s handsome private secretary.

Why did you choose the geographical location in which your book is set?

I chose the seaside resort town of Sidmouth, Devon because Jane Austen herself visited Sidmouth and is believed to have based her unfinished novel Sanditon on that town. When I began writing this series, I had not yet traveled to Sidmouth. I am happy to say I was able to visit in August 2022 and was thrilled to experience this delightful town in person. The highlight of that trip was meeting the staff and volunteers of the Sidmouth Museum who have been extremely helpful in answering research questions and checking setting details for me.

Did you stumble upon anything in your research for this book that you thought was strange or surprising?

While I enjoyed learning about seaside customs and strongly held beliefs about the health benefits of sea-bathing (even in winter), I was surprised to learn physicians also recommended drinking sea water!

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Questions about Julie’s Reading

Julie is giving away either a (signed paperback) (USA Only) (or an ebook)(Internationals Entry welcome). Enter the Rafflecopter below!

**If you don’t want to enter the Rafflecopter, tell me in a comment below: “I’m not entering the Rafflecopter, but please throw me in the hat” so I can manually put you in there for a chance.**

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The first dual timeline novel from a well established historical author, are you ready? Welcome, Tamera Alexander, to the Index!

Georgia , 1860s , 1861-1865 (US Civil War) , American Civil War , Pregnant , Dual/Split Time , Infidelity , Alexander-Tamera

A Million Little Choices 1863/Present – Georgia Claire Powell’s life is turned upside down when her beloved husband admits to a “near affair.” But when Stephen accepts a partnership with an Atlanta law firm without consulting her and buys a historic Southern home sight-unseen—it pushes their already-fractured marriage to the breaking point. Claire’s world spirals, and she soon finds herself in a marriage she no longer wants, in a house she never asked for. In 1863, Charlotte Thursmann, pregnant and trapped in a marriage to an abusive husband, struggles to protect her unborn child and the enslaved members of her household. Desperate, she’s determined to right the evils her husband and others like him commit. But how can one woman put an end to such injustice? Especially if her husband makes good on his threat to kill her? Both Claire and Charlotte discover truths about themselves they never realized, along with secrets long hidden that hold the power to bring God’s restoration—if only they choose to let it.

Tamera’s Website

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Questions about Tamera’s Story

What was the hardest part of your book to write?

Definitely the parts that show the marriage disintegrating. Those were brutal to live alongside the characters. All the little choices Stephen and Claire make, seemingly thoughtless decisions that lead them down a very slippery and heartbreaking slope. And yet, having been married almost 40 years now, I am not unfamiliar with those myriad daily little choices.

Which scene is your favorite, the one you never tired of working with?

Honestly? I love how Clare opens the story with the phone call from Stephen and the bombshell he drops on her. Her reaction is classic to a struggling marriage caught in a tug-of-war, and we can feel the wheels of their marriage grinding to a painfully uncomfortable place. The tug of war in marriage is real for her. And she knows which buttons of Stephen’s to push.
Alternately, we walk with Charlotte Thursmann, the woman who lived in the same house in the 1800s, and we see her in a very similar situation. Only, there are stark differences in the choices open to her and the ones open to Claire. I loved exploring that dichotomy.

Did you include a real historical character or incident in your story?

Yes, most certainly. Several, actually. The backdrop of Civil War Atlanta is the historical part of the dual timeline story, and I included some other events that I’d rather be a surprise for the reader (would be major spoilers). But as a historical writer at heart, know that real history abounds in these pages, as in my previous Southern and Colorado novels.

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Questions about Tamera’s Reading

Tamera is giving away a paperback copy (USA Only). Enter the Rafflecopter below!

**If you don’t want to enter the Rafflecopter, tell me in a comment below: “I’m not entering the Rafflecopter, but please throw me in the hat” so I can manually put you in there for a chance.**

a Rafflecopter giveaway