About the Book

 

Book:  The River Beautiful

Author: Andrea Carmen

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: May 26, 2020

A difficult past. A strange letter. An unsolved mystery.

Someone is following Lena, mapping her every move.

Where strength can be weakness and vulnerability-an asset, the greatest danger that threatens Lena may just be herself.

After the death of her father years ago, Lena ran from the quiet community of Kennerdell, but she’s back, forced to face a past she’d rather forget.

To make things more difficult, awkward, and terrifying, her old friend, Will, is back in her life. Even worse, she needs him there if she hopes to figure out what the letter she found in her father’s study means. They’re on a mission to find answers before her stalker does.

The River Beautiful mingles history and legend in a fast-paced ride through the deceptively peaceful Allegheny Mountains on a quest for answers amid loss, strength in the face of love, a whirlwind of self-discovery, and learning to use faith to illuminate even the darkest places.

Click HERE to get your copy!


About the Author

 



Andrea Carmen enjoys writing Romantic Suspense and Sweet Romance from a Christian perspective. A lover of bygone times, her modern-day novels contain a spark of history, a hint of mystery, or a little bit of both. Andrea finds inspiration by getting outdoors every chance she gets to explore and enjoy nature, but her favorite pastime is spending time with her family and best canine friend, Zoey.




 

 

More from Andrea

 

The River Beautiful is my first novel. The story means so much to me, and I am so happy to finally share it with you all.

This book has been years in the making and covers so many topics that are important to me. Many of them were fun to write about, but a few were hard to deal with at times.

Three elements stand out to me when I think of Lena’s story:

Love, Loss, and Legend.

Love- Love is a beautiful gift. In fact, I would say it is the most precious gift God ever gave us. Love, in its correct form, is free, unconditional, and the basis our salvation. God’s love for us cannot be altered or blocked by darkness, not even the paralyzing darkness of grief. So, when love comes into play in this story, it comes from that perspective. Lena struggles to accept love, but I think that is a place many of us have been at one time or another.

Loss can be lifechanging and usually not for the better. To turn The River Beautiful into the story it is, I had to bring up emotions from my own experiences with grief. Churning up those feelings after I’d had them tucked away for so long resulted in many tearful typing sessions. But at the end of the day, I think it brought unexpected healing and a level of authenticity to the story that it would not have had otherwise.

Legend- Researching the legends of the Lenni Lenape people was enlightening. I have always felt a connection to history and the past intrigues me so that I could not help but bring in some element of mystery from the area’s indigenous inhabitants. My usual go-to when it comes to history tends to be Early American and European, but for this project I was able to bring in a blend of all three for a fictional retelling of key events—and that was exciting!

By combining the elements of Love, Loss, and Legend, I hope I have created a story that not only entertains but moves readers as well. And I hope you love it!
 
 
 

Author Interview

 

 

When/how did you decide to become a writer?

In seventh grade I wrote a short story about two friends on an Aspen ski trip where one of the girl’s lost her mind and fell from the ski lift after behaving erratically. My English teacher gave me a bit of praise for the story and seemed quite interested in how I came up with the idea. (Was this because she thought it was that good, or was she just sort of “checking in” on me? We’ll never know.) But that moment made me feel as though I could write. After that, I used it as an outlet to express emotions and ideas that I didn’t feel comfortable sharing with those around me. When I finally wrote my first book, it was unintentional. I began the first notes for The River Beautiful as a way to express feelings of loss and grief that I’d experienced, and the story just sort of took me over. Once I finished, I realized, I really could write. So, I kept on with it. I love writing more than I ever thought possible.



What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I talk to myself quite a bit while writing. I know many authors speak to their characters or have their characters speak to them, but I mostly conversate with myself about the way I’m writing something. It’s not uncommon for my daughter to hear a resounding “YES!!!” from behind my office door. And, just as often, she might hear “No, no, no! That’s ridiculous! Something like that could never happen!”

 



What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

I work full-time so my day job work schedule doesn’t change no matter how busy I am with a book. I try to fit in time to write at night, but I find that I’m most productive and creative early in the morning. On weekends, I’ll wake up at 5:00 AM and start writing. Sometimes for a few hours, sometimes the entire day.



Do you have a favorite or special place to write?

I have a beautiful and cozy designated space in the corner of my office that I designed specifically for writing. But to be honest, I barely use it. Somehow I always find myself at the kitchen table.



What are your hobbies?

Reading, crafting, refinishing furniture, learning new things. I’m driven by curiosity and have a huge appetite for new skills and knowledge. And once I’m focused on something, I have a hard time breaking away from it, that is until something new comes along that sparks my interest. I’d like to think of myself as well-rounded, but really I think I’m just slightly obsessive with a short attention span…if that’s a thing.



Do you prefer traditional books, ebooks, or audiobooks?

Traditional. Hands down. I’ll read an ebook if the paperback or hard cover isn’t available, but I’ve always loved the experience of paper and ink.

 

 

Blog Stops

 

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 25

Reading Is My SuperPower, June 26

For the Love of Literature, June 27 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, June 27

Just the Write Escape, June 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 29

Texas Book-aholic, June 30

A Baker’s Perspective, July 1 (Author Interview)

April Hayman, Author, July 1

Inklings and notions, July 2

For Him and My Family, July 3

Vicky Sluiter, July 4 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 5

Betti Mace, July 6

Book Love, July 7 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

deb’s Book Review, July 8

 
 

Giveaway

 

 
To celebrate her tour, Andrea is giving away the grand prize of a $75 Amazon gift card!!
 
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.