Help me welcome Kristy Woodson Harvey as today’s Wednesday’s Guest. She is chatting with some of the characters from her upcoming release, Slightly South of Simple, which I reviewed here on Sunday. This is a terrific story of the complexities of relationships and how four women sort theirs out.
While we read some advice from ladies, based on what they learned through the ups and downs of the story, let’s have a latte from Kevin. If you grab the book, you will get to know who Kevin is. 🙂
Good morning, Maryannwrites readers! Thank you so much for having me here today. I am thrilled that my new novel, Slightly South of Simple, the first in the Peachtree Bluff series, will be out on April 25. It’s so hard to believe that it could already be time to release a new book, but time flies when you’re having fun!
This new series is about three grown sisters, the mother that bonds them all, and the year in their small, coastal town of Peachtree Bluff, Georgia that will change their lives forever. Each woman is facing her own obstacle. Ansley, the mother, is struggling to find her balance now that her children and grandchildren are home again—and making the space both mentally and practically to explore the idea of reconnecting with a long-lost love.
Caroline is facing her husband’s particularly public affair and how she wants to move forward. Sloane’s husband Adam is deployed again, and she is raising her two boys on her own for a time. And Emerson, the youngest sister, is trying to come to terms with what she really wants out of her life and how far she is willing to go to chase her dream of being a successful actor.
Maryann had the terrific idea of giving a piece of advice from each of these characters that they would give to someone else in their situation. It was so fun for me to think of these characters’ situations in this way, and I hope you enjoy their advice—and maybe even take a bit of it to heart!
Ansley (on balance): People talk a lot about balance in life, and it has taken me practically a lifetime to find mine. Of course, the children always come first, but we can’t feel guilty about taking the time to do what we love as well. For me, that’s design, running my shop and making people’s lives better. I have to take that time for myself even when I have all my girls home.
Caroline (on recovering from a separation): When it comes to matters of the heart, the best thing you can do is shut the outside world’s opinions out. Time may not heal all wounds, but, sometimes, it can make something that feels impossible to recover from a little easier to live with.
Sloane (on having a husband who is deployed): Being apart from the person you love most can feel impossible, but it’s important to focus on the little things that help keep you close. For Adam and me, that’s real, hand-written letters.
Emerson (on chasing your dreams): When chasing their dreams, people usually tend to focus on what they are going to gain. That is great, of course, but, in reality, you also have focus on what you have to give up to get what you want. Reaching the top comes with its fair share of sacrifices. Knowing that from the beginning helps make it so much easier.
Thanks again for having me, Maryann!
BUY LINKS – Slightly South of Simple will be available April 25 from your independent bookstore, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Target and everywhere books are sold. It’s available for preorder now!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR – Kristy Woodson Harvey is a born-and-bred North Carolina girl who loves all four seasons—especially fall in Chapel Hill, where she attended college, and summer in Beaufort, where she and her family spend every free moment. The author of Dear Carolina and Lies and Other Acts of Love, Kristy is also the founder of the popular interior design blog Design Chic. You can follow Kristy on her website – Facebook – Twitter and Pinterest She can also be found on Instragram as @kristywharvey