Author Interview: Beth Fehlbaum

Hope in Patience:

Hardcover

Publisher: Westside Books

Date: October 27, 2010 (YES that means today!)

ISBN: 978-1934813416

Price: $16.95

Description:

Fifteen-year-old Ashley Asher has spent half of her life living in fear. Her stepfather has been sexually abusing her for years, but her mother doesn't believe her. After his latest assault lands her in the emergency room, Child Protective Services finally removes Ashley from her home, and sends her to live with the father she barely remembers and his new family.

Her new life in Patience, Texas, is much better. She's in therapy to deal with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and is trying to make her way in a new high school. She's getting used to living with her father, stepmother, and stepbrother, and she's made new friends in the summer course taught by her stepmother, Bev. She even joins the track team at the urging of her new African American friend, Z. Z.

But Ashley is so traumatized by her past that she sometimes scratches herself until she bleeds and sleeps in her armoire, even though she knows she's safe now. Worse, when her stepfather is finally put on trial for hurting her, she learns that truth and justice don't always go together. Will Ashley adjust to a better life? Will she trust enough to date Josh, the cute guy on her track team who likes her? YA readers will be caught up in the heart-pounding story of a damaged girl trying to heal herself and get on with the rest of her life.

[Read the first chapter of Hope in Patience and learn more about Ashley here: http://www.bethfehlbaumya.com/]

Interview with Beth:

BETH FEHLBAUM-AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY:

Born in Dallas, TX, Beth Fehlbaum has never left the Lone Star State. A special place for her, Fehlbaum has authored two young adult novels set in Texas.

Fehlbaum graduated in English from the University of Texas at Arlington and received her masters in Elementary Education from Texas A&M-Commerce. The author has always had a passion for teaching, social justice and insisting upon authenticity in the classroom, much like one of the characters in her newest teen novel Hope in Patience (October 27, 2010, WestSide Books). Fehlbaum was inspired to write Hope in Patience, which tells the story of a young teens road to recovery after being sexually abused, from her own personal life experiences.

Aside from her career as a writer, Fehlbaum enjoys teaching 5th grade students in a bilingual education program in East Texas.

Fehlbaum married her high school sweetheart, and together they have three daughters in college. Her favorite place in the world is her own front porch, where she writes books at a table built by a good friend.

Q & A:

What is your hope in sharing Ashley’s story?

Everyone has something they are afraid of; something they think they cannot possibly overcome. I want them to know that it IS possible to face one’s greatest fears and overcome what is most frightening to them.

Your book is about surviving, and you have survived. What is your advice for those who are struggling with abuse?

Tell. Tell someone they trust. If that person doesn’t listen, tell someone else. Keep asking for help because there are people in the world who will believe you.

Ashley has a group of friends that she meets over the summer and they soon become a support group, who is your support group?

My inner circle: my husband, daughters, and very close friends. We all hold each other up when it’s hard to stand on our own.

You have had a hard life, seeing where you are now, would you change anything?

That’s a great question. I’ll answer it by saying that it’s impossible to live in the world of what-if. I was in that world for years; I struggled with accepting things as they are in my life—without certain people in it, and with the painful stuff that happened. I’ve made peace with what I’ve lost, and I love my life and the people in it. I have everything and everyone I need to function well in the here and now. Accepting the truth and living in reality is a very peaceful place to be.

I just want to say that I think you are very strong person and I respect you in ever sense of the word.

Thank you, Kara! That’s very cool of you to say.

I do want to bring some fun into this interview so I just want to know some fun things.

What is your favorite Ice cream?

I don’t know if you have Braum’s ice cream stores where you live, but I have a real weakness for their frozen yogurt chocolate-vanilla twists in a waffle cone.

How many kids do you have?

Three daughters. My oldest is 24 and getting her Ph.D. in Sociology; my middle one is 22 and getting her Master’s of Fine Arts in Creative Writing & Publishing; my youngest is 20 and studying to be a nurse.

What is your favorite author or book?

I have a lot of favorite authors; the last book I read that I could not put down was HATE LIST by Jennifer Brown. I get distracted easily, so for me to be unable to put a book down—that means the story’s got me and it’s not letting go.

If you could spend a whole day with somebody, living or dead, who would it be?

I’d love to spend the day with all three of my daughters. They all live out of state and we won’t be all together again until Thanksgiving. I’m really looking forward to it.

What are your future plans as far as books go?

I’m at work on TRUTH IN PATIENCE. I’m planning to finish it this coming summer. I’m a teacher and I don’t have a lot of time for writing during the school year. TRUTH IN PATIENCE continues Ashley’s story. I anticipate it’ll be the last in the Patience series. But who knows?

Will you ever dabble in fantasy or historical fiction or do you like contemporary better?

I doubt I’d write fantasy; maybe historical fiction. But I really seem to fit with realistic fiction.

Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions!

They were great questions! Thanks for asking them. :) I invite readers to drop by my website, http://www.bethfehlbaumya.com/ , to check out Chapter 1 of HOPE IN PATIENCE. Click on the events link to see where I am on my blog tour, tv & radio appearances, and appearances I’ll be making in the future!

I really encourage you to check out the first chapter it was really good and worth every second of your time! Check back to see my review!

Other Books by Beth:

Courage in Patience (the first book in the series)

just sayin,