Interview & Giveaway: Romancing Olive by Holly Bush

Holly Bush is an avid reader of historical books, both fiction non-fiction. She’s a fan of David McCullough, Mary Balogh, Diana Gabaldon, Jane Austen, Lee Child and Maggie Osborne. Holly is from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania where she resides with her husband and a menagerie of dogs and cats.

1. Let's begin with your book, can you tell me a few things about Romancing Olive? 

Sure! Romancing Olive is the story of Olive Wilkins, a spinster librarian from Philadelphia. She receives news of her brother’s and his wife’s death and travels to Ohio to rescue her orphaned niece and nephew. Set in 1891, she arrives to find the circumstances of her brother’s life deplorable and her long held beliefs of family and tradition, shaken. Her niece and nephew, Mary and John, have been living with a neighboring farmer, widower Jacob Butler, the father of three young children of his own and a man still in pain from the recent loss of his wife. 

2. What triggered the idea of it, where did it all begin? 

I’m not sure how to explain this without sounding odd but I see my characters in my head. They lodge themselves there. I saw Olive seated on the train west to Ohio, purse strings looped over her arm, bonnet tied and traveling coat buttoned-up, staring out the window at the passing landscape. She was very consciously not engaging other passengers and dreaming her dreams about raising her niece and nephew in her family home in Philadelphia. I didn’t have a clear picture yet of why Olive had to rescue these children, only that she did. 

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3. What do you love the most about your book? 

I love that so many readers have shared that they felt as though they knew Olive and Jacob by the time they’d finished the book and that they had laughed and cried as they read. 

4. What do you think is the best and what's the worst thing about being a writer? 

The best thing about writing is watching the characters grow or change as the story evolves. My characters are very real to me. I don’t outline when I write so when I’m writing the character doesn’t follow any preconceived notions of what should happen. The story just comes out. The worst thing about writing is that it is a very lonely business. 

5. Do you have any tips or suggestions for new writers? 

Write. Just keep writing and reading. Even when the stuff you’re writing is lousy; lousy is better than a blank page. That’s what editing is for. And join a writer’s group. I’ve always belonged to one and there is quite a bit of benefit from hearing others read their work and then hearing what the group’s comments are. I think I learned the most from reading my work aloud and getting immediate feedback as well as developing an ear for what doesn’t work. 

6. What should we expect from you in the future? Are there any more projects under construction?
I have 5 historical romances completed and will be publishing them over the next year. I’ve also got a women’s fiction novel done and a second one is in the works. There’s an excerpt of Romancing Olive on my website and also a short excerpt for my next book, Train Station Bride. 

Find Holly

www.hollybushbooks.com

Buy Romancing Olive

Amazon | Nook | All Romance EBooks

Giveaway

Feb.15 - Feb.21

Holly is offering an ebook of Romancing Olive to one lucky winner.

Just leave a comment with your email below, so I can contact the winner.