Alice J Wisler's new book, Under the Silk Hibiscus

Under the Silk Hibiscus

Alice J. Wisler

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas

Release date: November 11, 2014

ISBN-13: 978-1941103302

Print: 11.39

Buy on Amazon

About the Book:

During World War Two Nathan and his family are sent to Heart Mountain, an internment camp in Wyoming for Japanese-Americans. Nathan's one desire is to protect the family's gold pocket watch, a family heirloom brought over from Japan. He fails; the watch is stolen. Struggling to make sense of his life in a bleak camp as the only responsible man of the household, Nathan discovers truths about his family, God, and the girl he loves.

What motivated you to write about this topic?

I grew up in Japan and so Japanese people, their culture, and their life in America are of interest to me. I want to share about the sad period of time when they were discriminated against in this country during WWII and sent to internment camps to live out the war.

What do you love about this new book?

I love that Under the Silk Hibiscus shares a portion of WWII history our country (USA) often neglects. I enjoyed researching about Heart Mountain,Wyoming, the setting for my story.  I was also glad that I could interview a woman who lived in an internment camp during the war. She gave me great insight for my novel. 

Introduce us to your favorite secondary character.

My favorite secondary character is the cookie-lovin' Aunt Kazuko, and a runner-up is the beautiful singer, Lucy. Both are in the internment camp with my main character, Nathan Mori. 

(Find the cookie recipe on A Taste of Friday)

Are you trying any new promotional venues?

I am always looking for new venues.  I'm hoping tweets will work and that others will tweet for me. I'm on a number of blogs and a few will be giving away copies of my novel.  

About the Author:

Alice has authored four contemporary novels published by Bethany House:  Rain Song (Christy Finalist), How Sweet It Is (Christy Finalist), Hatteras Girl and A Wedding Invitation, and Still Life in Shadows by River North/Moody. Her newest novel, Under the Silk Hibiscus (Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas) is her first historical romance. 

Since the death of her four-year-old son, Alice teaches grief-writing workshops and her devotional, Getting out of Bed in the Morning:  Reflections of Comfort in Heartache (Leafwood), covers the many losses we face and how God sustains us through each one.  In 2012, Alice and her husband started a business, Carved By Heart, where they carve memorial plaques/remembrances, house number signs, bird feeders, rustic clocks, and other home décor.

Links:

Amazon Author Page:  http://www.amazon.com/Alice-J.-Wisler/e/B001J6GVNE/

Website:  http://www.alicewisler.com

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alice-J-Wisler/333751835453

Alice’s Patchwork Quilt Blog:  http://www.alicewisler.blogspot.com/

Review of A Wedding Invitation by Alice J Wisler

A Wedding Invitation

Alice J Wisler
c. 2011
Bethany House
ISBN: 9780764207334
$14.99
Contemporary Fiction

Past and present collide after Samantha attends what she thinks is her former roommate’s wedding. While visiting her esoteric aunt at a butterfly launch during a memorial service, a former student from the refugee camp where she worked several years ago invites her to a meal and destiny.

Wisler’s story of a quiet young woman with a broken heart and living in a rut is a sweet tale of misunderstanding, mistaken identity, judgment and forgiveness. Set in the early nineteen-nineties, with flashbacks to the mid-eighties, the tale is woven between Samantha’s experiences teaching American customs to Vietnamese refugees in the Philippines, awaiting placement after the end of the conflict. Samantha gives her heart to a fellow teacher, Carson, who’d promised his college sweetheart he’d remain faithful. When Sam realizes Carson means to keep his promise, she forgets about a future filled with plans to become a teacher, goes home and works for her emotionally reticent widowed mother.

After the chance encounter with her former student who is delighted to let her know that Carson lives nearby and would like to see her again, she eventually and reluctantly meets him. Their stories gradually come out and the misunderstandings are laid to rest. Even the wrongly accused student doesn’t hold Sam’s accusations of theft all those years ago against her, and asks for help finding the mother who gave her up for adoption.

Told in first person, A Wedding Invitation is an upbeat message that happiness and love involves risk, faith, and trust, and that helping others can revive even the dampest of spirits. Readers who enjoy the music and sounds of life at the end of the twentieth century, the news, the songs, the food and fun of the era, will enjoy this tale of a quirky aunt, mom, and shy young lady ready to come out of her shell.