Tag: Piper Huguley

Book Talk Thursday: SWEET TEA

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Althea Dailey has finally arrived. She’s made partner at her prestigious New York law firm. She’s left her hometown of Milford, Georgia firmly in her rearview mirror. Even having to travel south for her new case doesn’t induce her to visit her grandmother in Milford.

But when Allie hears that a filmmaker is making a documentary featuring her grandmother and Granda’s famous recipes, Allie determines to come home and protect both Granda and the recipes.

Jack Darwent may be a trust fund frat guy, but he’s passionate about food and films. Filming Miss Ada, the legendary cook/chef at Milford College, a historically Black college, is going to be the centerpiece of his newest project. When Miss Ada’s granddaughter shows up, with a chip big as a brick on her shoulder and attitude to match, he can only help Miss Ada’s plan to thaw Althea’s hard shell.

The title, SWEET TEA, is a play on words. Sweet tea is at the center of Allie’s lawsuit, and T and Sweet T are her grandmother’s nicknames for her.

SWEET TEA is another departure for Hallmark Publishing. They are definitely trying to diversify their line and it’s showing. With its interracial couple, SWEET TEA is a welcome addition to the Hallmark family. 

Allie and Jack are well rounded characters, not stereotypical and not shallow. I enjoyed their story a lot and I highly recommend it!

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I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher, but that did not induce me to review it, favorably or not. 

Book Talk Tuesday: The Lawyer’s Luck

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The Lawyer’s Luck is a historical novella, a prequel to Piper Huguley’s new series, Home to Milford College.

llRealie is on the run from the slave catchers. She meets up with freeman Lawrence, a circuit lawyer, studying for his exams. Actually, she tries to steal Lawrence’s horse and gets herself shot.

While she heals, she and Lawrence discover things about the other that they never expected.

I’m thrilled to be a Golden Heart® finalist in the Inspirational category along with Piper. She knows her market and her characters and I’m excited for this new series. The Lawyer’s Luck is a lovely introduction.

Spotlight Thursday: Piper Huguley

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We’re visiting every week with some of my fellow Golden Heart ® finalists.

PperToday I’m pleased to introduce you to Piper Huguley from Georgia.

Welcome, Piper! Tell me about your GH Finalist manuscript. Is this your first time entering/finaling?

A Virtuous Ruby is the first book in my “Migrations of the Heart” series. These books are historical romances about five African American sisters who journey from the south to the north between 1915-1936 during The Great Migration. Each sister leaves home for love or finds love when she arrives at her destination–my hometown of Pittsburgh. Ruby is the oldest sister. A Champion’s Heart, the fourth book in the series, was nominated for the Golden Heart in the Historical Romance category. That book is about the baby sister, Cordelia.

Sounds fascinating! Best of luck to you, although since we’re in the Inspirational category, I should probably wish you God’s blessings!

Now for the really important question: chocolate or peanut butter?

I see where I’m supposed to say both, so I guess I will. Primarily in the form of Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs or whatever holiday shape the candy takes: pumpkins, trees, valentines. Now there won’t be anymore until Sept. 1….*sniff*

I’m so with you on that one! I love all the Reese’s products. Anyway, what’s your day job?

I’m an English professor at Spelman College. And no, there is no summer off this year.

Tell me a bit about yourself. Family, hobbies, etc.

I am married and I am the mother of one child–a man-sized 12-year-old boy child with size 14 feet. Besides reading and writing (my son believes I collect books as a hobby), I love taking my son places and exploring the world through his eyes.

Yes, I tell my husband all the time, “Not needing another book is no reason not to buy one!” Speaking of books, who are your favorite authors?

For what I call my “work people” I read Zora Neale Hurston, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Langston Hughes. I also like Theodore Dreiser and Jhumpa Lahiri. For my “pleasure reading,” I enjoy Siri Mitchell, Serena Miller, LaVryle Spencer, Philippa Gregory and Beverly Jenkins.

Best vacation spot? Wherever I can discover unknown history. That is the most fun for me.

Are you coming to San Antonio this summer and what are you looking forward to most? What are you wearing to the awards banquet?

Yes, I am coming and combining it with our family vacation so we will all be there. I’m looking forward to spending some time with my family and seeing my author friends, old and new. It’s going to be exciting. When I was shopping for conference clothes last year, I found a black and white colorblock dress on the clearance rack and I bought it, thinking that I might need it sometime. It turned out that now was the time!

That’s awesome! I love those little serendipity moments in life. If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?

I don’t usually do nature, but… I like those Spanish moss trees in Savannah with all of the moss hanging from them. Those trees have always fascinated me.

What did you do/think when you got “the call” on March 26th?

I was ready to hunker down and see who made it in the Inspirational category. I had put in two entries to help keep the category open. However, I had also personally asked a number of people to enter to help the category stay open since it had been cancelled last year. I wanted to see which one of them would be nominated. I saw a FB friend had been nominated in Romantic Suspense and I was in the middle of sending her congrats, when my phone rang with a strange area code. I thought, “That can’t be for me.” But it was on my phone! I was shocked because my Ruby has been around the block more than a couple of times. I didn’t think that story would be nominated, but it was!

Congratulations! What are you currently working on?

I am preparing my novel The Preacher’s Promise for self-publication at the end of July. The prequel novella, The Lawyer’s Luck will be published on July 1.

Thank you for the opportunity to respond Carrie!

Thanks for stopping by, Piper!

You can find Piper online at:

Twitter: @writerpiper
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/piperghuguley
Blog: http://piperhuguley.com