Happy Monday!
Each Monday I would like to take some time to get to know some of our favorite authors. My hope is that this will help readers connect with the authors.
Today I would like to introduce you to: Heidi Chiavaroli!
I have loved all of Heidi’s books! I love that she’s not afraid of writing about tough topics! Out of all of her books so far, The Hidden Side is my favorite! It had such a huge impact on me.
Author bio:
Heidi Chiavaroli is a writer, runner, and grace-clinger who could spend hours exploring places that whisper of historical secrets. Her debut novel, Freedom’s Ring, was a Carol Award winner and a Christy Award finalist, a Romantic Times Top Pick, and a Booklist Top Ten Romance Debut. Her latest dual timeline novel, The Orchard House, is inspired by the lesser-known events in Louisa May Alcott’s life. Heidi makes her home in Massachusetts with her husband and two sons.
To help us get to know her, I have given her some questions and here are her responses:
Q: How long have you been writing?
A: I wrote my first book titled I’d Cross The Desert For Milk, in third grade. By the time I’d gotten to high school, I had talked myself out of writing as a practical career and had turned to the sciences. I attended the University of Rhode Island (with an impressive scholarship) for a little more than a year before I realized that marine biology was not what I wanted to do with my life. I actually dropped out of college weeks after 9/11 and was married not too long after. I didn’t revisit my childhood dream of writing until I was a stay-at-home mom with two babies. I wrote during their naptimes—at first, very secretly, not even telling my husband. I was so scared this was just a foolish dream, but God had other plans! By the time I received a contract with my dream publishing house, I’d written six manuscripts and had been seriously pursuing publication for ten years.
Q: What are you currently working on?
A: We are deep in the marketing process for my upcoming February Tyndale release, The Orchard House, which involves the life of Louisa May Alcott. I’m super excited to introduce this story to readers! As far as writing, I am actually working on my first series! I found myself pretty sad to think of leaving the world of Louisa May Alcott, so I found a way I didn’t have to. This series will be Little Women meets contemporary coastal Maine with a few surprising twists and turns. While this will be a bit of a departure from my time slip stories, I’m already falling in love with these characters and I hope readers will too.
Q: What are some of your writing must haves? (Drink, snack, supplies, etc.)
A: If I can be outside at all, I love writing in my lounge chair on my porch, often with a cup of tea beside me. Other than that, I’m pretty low maintenance! My laptop, my imagination, maybe some research books, and I’m good to go!
Q: What is your favorite time period to write about? Or read about?
A: Oh, this is such a great question and I wish I had a better answer! Usually it is not a time period that calls to me so much as a character (or characters) that call to me. I might read about an interesting event in history (like the Boston Tea Party) and I’ll start to wonder what one man or one woman’s experience was. That sets things going! For The Orchard House, I was drawn to the character of Louisa May Alcott, and yet that took place almost 100 years after the Boston Tea Party. I’ve been reading a lot of contemporary novels but I just finished Tessa Afshar’s Daughter of Rome (Biblical fiction) and very much enjoyed that.
Q: What are some of your favorite books?
A: Oh my, such a tough question! The Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers is probably at the top of my list. I LOVED Rachel Hauck’s The Fifth Avenue Story Society, Lisa Wingate’s Before We Were Yours, and just about anything by Kristin Hannah.
Q: If you could spend a day with one fictional character, who would you pick and what would you do?
A: Definitely Hadassah in Francine River’s A Voice in the Wind. Wow. I don’t know what we’d do, but I think just hanging out with her for a day would inspire a more servant-like heart in me!
I have saved my favorite question for last!
Q: What would you like readers to take away from your books?
A: A lot of my books have difficult themes in them. I try to write real, even in the unpleasant. My goal is to show God’s truth and light, even—and especially—in the dark. So, most of all, I hope my readers come away with a sense of hope in my stories.
To connect with Heidi, please click on any of the following links: her website, Facebook, and Instagram.
I’m also featuring her newest release, The Tea Chest. It released in February of this year. You don’t want to miss it! Be sure to add it to your Goodreads shelf!
About the book:
Boston, 1773
Emma Malcolm’s father is staunchly loyal to the crown, but Emma’s heart belongs to Noah Winslow, a lowly printer’s assistant and Patriot. But her father has promised her hand to Samuel Clarke, a rapacious and sadistic man. As his fiance, she would have to give up Noah and the friends who have become like family to her–as well as the beliefs she has come to embrace.
After Emma is drawn into the treasonous Boston Tea Party, Samuel blackmails her with evidence that condemns each participant, including Noah. Emma realizes she must do whatever it takes to protect those she loves, even if it means giving up the life she desires and becoming Samuel’s wife.
Present Day
Lieutenant Hayley Ashworth is determined to be the first woman inducted into the elite Navy SEALs. But before her dream can be realized, she must return to Boston in order to put the abuse and neglect of her childhood behind her. When an unexpected encounter with the man she once loved leads to the discovery of a tea chest and the document hidden within, she wonders if perhaps true strength and freedom are buried deeper than she first realized.
Two women, separated by centuries, must find the strength to fight for love and freedom. . . and discover a heritage of courage and faith.
All The Bookish Adventures 
Great interview! Heidi is a new-to-me author.
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Thank you! I think you would like her books!
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Hey Kailey and Heidi! I’m excited to read The Tea Chest.
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