Wednesday, January 15, 2020

CRAZY LITTLE TOWN CALLED LOVE, by yours truly, JILL HANNAH ANDERSON

A perfect "Galentine's" Day gift for your friends or girlfriend! 

Thirty-two-year-old Molly’s cushy life in Minneapolis tanks when her long-time boyfriend bails on her and their underwater-mortgaged home.

She needs a place to live and a new job—and the answer to both may be in a quaint town called Love. The town where her deceased mother grew up, a town where an old General Store and home have been willed to Molly’s family…a town with secrets and people with long memories.

Can she trade her acrylic nails for pounding nails to revive a fixer-upper store? Molly is ready for a do-over and a chance to prove to herself that she can make it on her own.

She puts elbow grease, heart, and half her savings, into giving the old place a facelift. As her business grows, so does her relationship with Jackson—the owner of the hardware store—and great-nephew to the woman who willed her business to Molly’s family.

The tourist town of Love brims with quirky townspeople and fun events. And it is at one of these events that Molly is first threatened.

Apparently, not everyone is happy to have her in town. As threats against her escalate, Molly has to decide if she’d be better off leaving Love or staying to fight for the life she’s created in the town that has stolen her heart.


2019 International Book Awards Finalist in WOMEN'S FICTION. 
Reviews
                                                                                                  
 "Fun, witty, and engaging, Anderson crafted a wonderful story of friendship, renewal, and second-chances that fans of women's fiction and her To-Hell-And-Back series will quickly devour. CRAZY LITTLE TOWN CALLED LOVE is a fast read that I truly enjoyed." -- Kerry Lonsdale, Amazon Charts, and Wall Street Journal  bestselling author    
                                     
 "Book 2 of The To-Hell-And-Back Club series follows Molly O'Brien from Minneapolis to the small town of Love, Minnesota. Molly finds friendship, fulfillment, independence, and yes, love, in this heartrending story. A hint of danger keeps the tension up and a bit of heat makes the pages fly! A fun, uplifting read for summer!" - Kate Moretti, New York Times bestselling author of The Vanishing Year

 "In CRAZY LITTLE TOWN CALLED LOVE, Jill Hannah Anderson delivers characters you'll want to know, a quirky town you'll never forget, and the cold edge of suspense. Family secrets, the slow burn of romance, and a heroine to root for round out a heartfelt adventure you won't want to miss." - Kathleen Long, USA Today bestselling author of Broken Pieces

 "With her latest novel, Jill Hannah Anderson has created a warm and inviting town full of secrets, and layers, and richly drawn characters that all feel so real. I had all the feels reading this one ... right up to the heart-warming, tear-producing last page. I didn't want to leave that CRAZY LITTLE TOWN CALLED LOVE!" - Amy Impellizzeri, Award-winning Author of The Truth About Thea
Q & A with me, myself, and I:

Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you started writing.

I loved reading and writing for as long as I could do either of them. Our parents were big readers and closely monitored the TV so much that I rarely saw any of the popular shows when I was growing up. Shows like The Monkees and the original Star Trek are mysteries to me. Clearly, I survived! (Thanks to books.)

What are some things you enjoy when not writing?

I need to be active when I’m not writing since it's such sedentary work. I remember taking typing class in high school and thinking, “I’m never going to sit behind a desk and type all day.” Thank goodness the typewriter has been replaced by computers!

In the winter, I LOVE to curl! The sport of curling is much more fun than it looks, and the people who curl are so great. It’s the best part of winters in Minnesota.

I started running fifteen years ago, and while I don’t always “enjoy” it, I enjoy the challenge and appreciate the endorphins. I enjoy biking and being outside (if I could be outside all day, I would. Thank goodness for laptops!) The best time spent is with our large family. We have sixteen grandkids, and they’re growing up way too fast.

Is anything in your book based on real-life experiences?

In Crazy Little Town Called Love, Molly inherits an old General Store in a small town similar to one we owned for twelve years. Some of the story stems from my first-hand experiences like scooping minnows, something I never thought I'd do, and Molly's experience with bats. (Yuck!) The characters and their actions aren’t real, but the vibe of small-town living is.

If you read reviews about this book, many write about how fun the town of Love sounds, and that they’d like to live there. I would too!

Do you have a favorite character or scene?

Yes, Ernie. He's based on a real person who lived in the same town I do. Here’s what I wrote about him in the acknowledgments:

“My dear, sweet, kind-hearted Ernie is loosely based on Bill Flagg, who passed away two years ago at the age of ninety-six. I interviewed Bill because I was curious about this gentleman, not knowing what I’d do with the information, but sure I’d find a place for it someday. When I began writing this book I realized he was Ernie, in a sense, and he became my favorite character. And no, Love isn’t my small town (although we did own an old General Store for several years.) But maybe it will find a place in your heart and become your town.”

What are you working on now?

I’ve been working on my third book for about a year now. Most authors will tell you the same thing...after a few drafts of the book, I think, “There! I’m done.” And then you realize you aren’t. You find that you need to change some things or a lot of things. The plot changes direction, you’ve got too many words, not enough words…I’ve got a mile-long list for you as to why a book takes as long as it does to write.

This story is about Lily, a married mother of three, living her perfect life—a happy marriage, fantastic children, and a fulfilling career. Until the morning she’s viciously attacked while out for a run. After the high-school football hero is convicted for the attack, and behind bars, Lily's certain someone is messing with her life, trying to destroy her. Is she losing her mind? Or, is the wrong person behind bars? 

Do you have a ‘day job’ as well?

I retired last year and enjoy the freedom. Every. Single. Day. I know, you’re thinking, “What’s taking you so long to write your next book, then?” My answer? See above. Family time, and fun time, along with more volunteering, spending more time with my aging parents…you get the point.


Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Don’t give up. Seriously, that’s it. If you want it bad enough, keep at it. Hone your craft, connect with like-minded writers, and abide by the butt-in-chair rule (assuming you write sitting down!) You’re going to fail. You’re going to be rejected, you’re going to wonder why you’re subjecting yourself to this torture. But if you’ve got a story that won’t let you sleep at night…then you need to write it.

What are the downfalls of your writing career? The best parts?

Downfalls? It’s a lot of work. I mean A LOT. It’s hard, time-consuming, brain-draining, self-doubting, and hard. Did I mention it’s hard? J

The best parts? Everything else. The fulfilling feeling of completing a novel, the connection with other writers, the connection with readers—people who you want to hug but will probably never meet in person—and the people who take the time to review or recommend your book to other readers.

Oh, and writing from home with my iced coffee and pajamas!

Is there anything you’d like to say to your readers and fans?

“Thank you” sounds contrite for how I feel. We write because a story won’t leave us alone, but having readers actually spend their valuable time reading (and hopefully, reviewing) our work is priceless. Knowing that someone I’ll never meet has read the words from my heart, and hopefully related to the story, is a fantastic feeling. So, thank you! J

To connect with me:

https://www.facebook.com/jillhannah.anderson/
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jill-hannah-anderson