Interview with Penny Zeller, author of 'Kaydie' + Book Giveaway!

Please welcome Penny Zeller, whose latest release is 'Kaydie.' I hope you enjoy the interview, and check below for details on a giveaway of 'Kaydie'!
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Thank you so much for having me as a guest on your blog, Andrea.

You're welcome, Penny! Please tell us about your recent release.  

I am thrilled about my new release, which is titled Kaydie and is book two in my Montana Skies Historical Romance Series (Whitaker House). The first book in the series is McKenzie. 


Here is a short blurb for Kaydie:

For the first time in years, Kaydie Worthington Kraemer can breathe easily. Although she is still haunted by memories of her abusive husband, Darius, she takes comfort in knowing the man is dead. Staying with her sister McKenzie and brother–in–law, Zach Sawyer, at their ranch, Kaydie is still wary of men, especially now that she has another life inside of her to protect. As she looks forward to her baby's birth, she builds a protective wall around herself that won't be easy to tear down.

Ranch hand Jonah Dickenson views his boss, Zach, like a brother. He does not, however, envy Zach's new role as a husband. Deserted by his mother at a young age and forever despised and rejected by his own father, Jonah has few close relationships. But there's something about Kaydie that draws him to her and makes him question his decision to remain a bachelor.

When Cedric Van Aulst, an old friend of Kaydie's, comes to town, an unforeseen prospect of marriage arises. Cedric is someone Kaydie trusts. Will she settle for a safe union with him, or can she trust God to guard her heart and her life in the arms of Jonah?

Cindy Sproles recently produced a book trailer for Kaydie:

Kaydie is available for purchase everywhere books are sold, including online at Amazon.

Are your characters completely fictional? Or do you base them off real people?

The characters in my fiction books are a potpourri of many different people.

I love to people-watch, so this gives me a great resource for characters. For example, I will take the hairdo of the woman in the mall, the nose of the woman in the airport, the eyes of the woman in church three rows up, and maybe some personality traits of two or three people I know as acquaintances. I combine all of these attributes into one person to develop my characters.

Share something you’ve learned about the writing/publishing process of this book. 

I have learned that the hard work comes after the book is published. J I also learned that one of the most thrilling events is to receive your box of author copies (and trying not to stalk the UPS/mailman while waiting for those copies to arrive!).

What do you want readers to take away from the book?

I hope my readers will get from Kaydie - and all of my novels- the power of God’s love, redemption, hope, and forgiveness. I want them to catch a glimpse inside my characters’ lives and see that God can and does change hearts. In addition, in Kaydie, I hope that readers will take away from the book the importance of depending on God and putting our full faith and trust in Him. As Psalm 46:1 tells us “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” What a reassuring promise!

What are some of your likes and dislikes? Your hobbies, interests? Where do you like to vacation?


I love spending time with my family and hiking, camping, canoeing, playing volleyball, reading, and gardening. My family and I love to camp in the summers and often head to the mountains. I dislike mean people and asparagus. J

Tell us something surprising about yourself that readers may not know.

What a fun question to answer! *grins* Let’s see, I think one of the most interesting things would be how I met my husband, Lon, of almost 19 years. I met him through a prank phone call when my sister, cousin, and I found his football picture in the newspaper and decided to call him one day. I thought he was just the cutest (he went to a neighboring school and was a football player, while I was a cheerleader at my school)! We met in person for the first time the following week at the local gas station. Lon rode up on his motorcycle and I drove up in my old-fashioned high school clunker. Our eyes met…and the rest, as they say, is history!

What are you working on now and what's next for you?

I just finished the third book in the series, Hailee, which is scheduled for release in September. I'm also working on a second historical romance series that takes place in the Post-Civil War Era. I recently finished book one in the series and have started writing book two.

Where can fans find you on the internet? 

I love to connect with my readers at my website, my blog, on Twitter, and

on Facebook.

Any parting comments?

I would like to thank you again, Andrea, for having me here, and also thank my readers for their support and encouragement. I couldn’t do it without you!

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Thanks for joining me, Penny! And thanks for offering a copy of 'Kaydie'! 

Here are the ways to enter to win a copy!

1) Leave a question for Penny here on this post. Please make sure to leave your email address in this format – sample[at]gmail[dot]com. 

2) Add my blog button to your blog or website. You can grab the HTML code on the right hand side of the blog. Please leave a comment (with your email address) letting me know your URL where the blog button has been placed. Thanks!

3) Follow me on Twitter; if you are already a follower, that counts, too!  Please leave a separate comment to that effect.

4) Follow Penny on Twitter. Please leave a separate comment to that effect.

5) Send a tweet on Twitter. Please feel free to use this one:

Win a copy of ‘Kaydie’ by @PennyZeller from @andrealschultz. http://bit.ly/joCJLo   Please RT!

Please leave a comment with the link to your tweet. You can tweet up to once per day. Please add a new comment for each tweet.

6) 'Like' Penny's author page on Facebook. Please leave a comment to that effect.

7) Follow me as a Google Friend on this blog; if you are already a Friend, that counts, too! Please leave a separate comment to that effect.

8) Become my Facebook friend. Please leave a separate comment to that effect.

9) Follow this blog as a NetWorked Blog Follower after you’ve become my Facebook friend. Please leave a separate comment to that effect.

So there are many, many chances to enter and therefore win! Please limit one entry per option (except for the Twitter retweet option), and don’t forget to include your email address, or, sad to say, the Random Number Generator will have to choose a different winner.

This giveaway is for U.S. residents only. The deadline for entry is Thursday, May 26, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. EST. One winner will be chosen via the Random Number Generator on Friday, May 27, 2011 and will be contacted via email. The best to all of you!