Thanks for joining me today as I welcome author Gina Holder and her character, Kylie. Stay tuned, because Gina asks tough questions plus she's offering a lucky winner three ebooks!

Interview with Kylie Phillips

Me: Hi Kylie. Why don’t you introduce yourself to the readers?

Kylie: (HUMMING)

Me: Kylie?

Kylie: Yes?

Me: Are you ready to start the interview?

Kylie: Yes. Sorry, I was distracted.

Me: No problem. Why don’t you tell us a little about yourself?

Kylie: My name is Kylie Phillips. I’m 20 years old. I love coffee, sweatshirts, and bright nail polish. I’m pretty good at math.

Me: Tell us about your family.

Kylie: My family? Okay, my dad was a F1 race car driver, but he died. My mom is a lawyer-turned-mayor, but she’s in prison. I have a half-sister, Paige. And I might have a brother.

Me: What do you mean, you might have a brother?

Kylie: This guy is claiming to be my half-brother. I want to believe him but having him around brings up a bunch of bad memories. Peter thinks he’s a conman.

Me: That’s unfortunate. Who’s Peter?

Kylie: Peter Brunner. He’s been my best friend since middle school. He’s also my protector and kinda like my big brother.

Me: That’s sweet.

Kylie: Sometimes. Lately, he’s been getting on my nerves. I feel like he’s always sticking his nose in my business.

Me: I’m sure it’s because he cares about you. Why don’t you tell us about your business?

Kylie: I own a café called Hill O’ Beans. I’ve been open for four months. My most popular items are cinnamon rolls and brown butter tarts.

Me: Do you have any favorite customers?

Kylie: Mr. Cornelius Verne comes in every day. He’s a Black man who wears a tweed suit, a flat cap, and five watches. He carries a notebook and takes notes in it.

Me: Did you say he wears five watches? Why?

Kylie: I don’t know. I’ve never asked.

Me: What does he write in his notebook?

Kylie: I don’t know that either. I’ve been too nervous to ask, but he says he watches people and learns from them. Most of my customers at the Hill O’ Beans order black coffee. I don’t know why. I make an amazing Rudolph Mocha Frappuccino. Or you could try my Nutella Frappuccino.

Me: I don’t drink coffee.

Kylie: Oh, that’s a shame. You should try it. It’ll change your life.

Me: Looks like that’s all we have time for today. Thanks for letting me interview you. I hope readers enjoy learning more about you, Peter, Mr. Verne, and your mysterious half-brother in Grace Immeasurable.

About Grace Immeasurable:

Kylie just wants to run her café without people thinking she’s a damsel-in-distress. That proves difficult when a man claiming to be her half-brother reveals buried family trauma and forces Kylie to face the scars of her childhood.

Peter doesn’t mean to be a knight in shining armor, but as her proverbial big brother, he decides to uncover the truth about Kylie’s semi-sibling, while trying to make peace with his own mistakes.

Unearthing the past leads to a danger greater than either ever expected. In the end, who will rescue whom?

https://www.amazon.com/Grace-Immeasurable-Shadows-Over-Whitman-ebook/dp/B09HP8MVHV/

About Gina:

Gina Holder is an indie author and stay-at-home mom. She loves sharing uplifting messages from God’s Word and introducing readers to new and new-to-them authors on her blog at http://storiesbygina.wordpress.com.

When she’s not writing, Gina enjoys playing the piano, cooking, reading, watching Hallmark mysteries, and solving “escape room” puzzles. She published her debut novel in 2017. Gina lives in Colorado with her husband and daughter.       

Connect online:

Blog: http://storiesbygina.wordpress.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/storiesbygina

Instagram: http://instagram.com/storiesbygina

Twitter: http://twitter.com/storiesbygina

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gina-Holder/e/B074HC9SHX

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/gina-holder

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17074375.Gina_Holder

Giveaway: An eBook copy of all three (3) books in the Shadows Over Whitman series. Leave a comment along with your email address cleverly disguised so the hackers don't track ya. For example: donna AT livebytheword DOT com  We will draw randomly for one lucky winner!

First Page of Book:

Prologue

Eight Years Ago

Kylie Phillips gazed at the closed silver casket holding her dad's body and didn't cry.

A blustery wind rushed through the small crowd and shook the white tent covering the grave. Dark clouds cast shadows over the cemetery. Kylie pulled her jacket sleeves down, then tucked her hands under her arms and fidgeted on the cold metal chair. 

Mom shifted and crossed one leg over the other. She removed her glasses and dabbed at the corner of her eye, then rested her hand on Kylie’s shoulder.

Was she crying? No. It must be the wind. She wouldn't want it to ruin her makeup.

Mom’s grip tightened. They made eye contact, and Mom directed Kylie's attention back to the minister with a jerk of her chin.

Kylie dropped her hands to her lap, then faced forward and tried to focus on the man’s rambling. What is he babbling about? I don't want to go to Heaven if Dad is there. Her fingers knotted like a chain link fence. One stuck out from the rest at an odd angle.

How much longer before she could strip off the starchy drab dress and ankle-breaking pumps? Her sneakers, favorite hoodie, and jeans waited to rescue her from this straitjacket. She picked at the sunset-orange polish on her fingernails. I’m not sad. Why should I pretend to be?

She felt free for the first time in her twelve years.

He couldn't hurt her anymore. 

“Stupid. Worthless. You’ll never amount to a hill o’ beans, Kylie Michelle. It would have been better if you had never been born.” 

He couldn't say those things to her anymore. Couldn’t hit her anymore.

He was dead.

A freak accident had ended his miserable existence. 

Something warm ran down Kylie's cheek. 

One tear. Not of sadness. Relief.