Milk Money by Cecelia Dowdy

Milk Money by Cecelia Dowdy
ISBN: 978-1-60260-255-7
Heartsong Presents Title #826
Publication Date: January 2009




Hi, Cecelia! Thanks for stopping by my blog to talk about your latest book from Heartsong Presents, Milk Money. Before we get into the story, please tell us what makes your heroine, Emily Cooper, a feisty female character worthy of being here on the "She's Got Character" blog!

Emily is strong-willed, intelligent, and fights for what she believes in. She wants to keep her family farm and she'll do whatever it takes to keep it, because it's her family's livelihood. Most of all, she has a strong faith in God. She prayerfully takes all of her burdens to the Lord!


Okay, she sounds interesting! So what's Milk Money all about?

Here’s a brief summary of the novel:
Running a dairy farm is a big job, but doing it alone is almost impossible.
When her dad dies, Emily must work hard to save the family farm, but she manages. Until the day the CPA pulls in her drive and announces he’s there to do an audit on the place.
Franklin Reese is appalled at the lack of interest Emily has in the financial end of her livelihood, but he dives in, determined to assess the farm and do his job. But Emily Cooper begins to draw his attention more than he likes. And the further he looks into Mr. Cooper’s dealings, the more uncomfortable he becomes.
Can he uncover the truth of the situation and still earn the love of the amazing Emily Cooper? Will his addiction to alcohol keep them apart, even after the farm is taken care of? Only God can heal hurting hearts and repair broken lives.

Your hero, Franklin, is an unsaved alcoholic and the heroine, Emily, is Christian. What particular challenges did this relationship present?

His being an alcoholic, and not being saved, created a very strong challenge with their relationship. Emily is a Christian and she knows how the Lord feels about being unequally yoked with a non-believer. Frank drinks alcohol to dull the emotional pain he’s suffered since his wife was killed. In spite of this, their attraction continues to grow, yet Emily knows they can’t be together romantically. It creates an interesting conflict in the novel.


Emily is running the family dairy farm alone since her father died. What kind of research did you need to do about dairy farming for this story?

In my novel’s dedication, I mention The Higgins family. I visited their small family dairy farm during their evening milking and it was an…interesting and smelly experience! While Mr. Higgins milked those large black and white Holsteins I asked him a plethora of questions about dairy farming. I also observed what he was doing, comparing his actions to what I’d researched on my own. I also milked a cow! I read some books about dairy farming and wanted to point out that if you know NOTHING about a subject, it’s best to start simple to get a basic understanding of the subject. Reading a lot of children’s books about dairy farming really helped me. I’ve used this method (reading children’s books) to research other occupations, too.

What do you hope people take away when they finish reading Milk Money?
I hope their faith in God is strengthened when they read my story.


What’s next for you in the writing arena?

I have another Heartsong Presents novel being released in June 2009 entitled Bittersweet Memories. Here’s a brief summary of my next release:
Karen Brown is angry at God, and at herself, for falling in love with Lionel Adams, her ex-fiancé. When her beloved suddenly disappears, along with thousands of dollars stolen from their mega-church, she re-locates back to her hometown in Annapolis Maryland to live with her mother, and to heal from her traumatic experience. However, she’s stunned to discover handsome plumber Keith Baxter living next door.
Keith is smitten with Karen, but wonders if she’s still in love with Lionel. He wants Karen to accept him into her life, but he doesn’t know if he’d be a good match for her due to his troubled past. Can Karen forgive Lionel, and let the Lord back into her heart? Can she let herself fall in love with Keith Baxter?

You are very well traveled. Of all the places you’ve visited, which is your favorite?

I love any tropical place with a nice beach with clear blue water! Places like Tahiti, parts of Mexico, and the Cayman Islands are my favorites.


What would people be surprised to learn about you?
Probably that I used to travel the world by myself! You have to be careful doing that though. When you go to those tropical islands and men see you traveling alone, they’ll try and make a pass at you!


What’s your favorite thing to read for pure enjoyment?
Just about any type of Christian fiction. AlthoughI tend to prefer Christian women’s fiction and Christian romance novels.


Last but not least, how can people keep up with your latest publishing news?
You can find out more news about me through my blog and website: www.ceceliadowdy.com and www.ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com

Thanks again for being here, Cecelia, it was great to chat with you.

Readers: To get Milk Money at the low price of just $2.97 click HERE