Today I’m thrilled to have inspirational author, Heidi Chiavaroli sharing an inspiring personal experience that ties into the theme of her novel, The Tea Chest. Plus, there’s a GIVEAWAY, so stick around!
I still remember sitting on the bed of my college dorm room, a few cardboard boxes at my feet. It was September 2001. And I wasn’t unpacking to begin my sophomore year. I was packing up to go home.
I had failed at college. But not with grades. (In fact, I’d ended the previous spring semester with a 3.98 GPA.) Instead, I had failed at my desire to be there. What I’d been working toward for years suddenly lost its appeal. My parents were mending a broken marriage, the country was reeling from 9/11, and I very much missed my high school boyfriend, now my husband. So I’d done the unthinkable—given up an amazing scholarship and the chance to pursue career dreams of becoming a dietitian. I quit so I could come home.
I failed.
This was something I thought about a lot as I sat down to write my fourth novel, The Tea Chest. While my historical heroine, Emma, dreams of supporting the side of liberty in colonial Boston even though her family is staunchly Loyalist, my contemporary heroine has some big dreams as well—she’s intent on becoming America’s first woman Navy SEAL.
Hayley was born when I stumbled on a news report about the first woman ever who entered the training pipeline to become a Navy SEAL. The report didn’t state her name but my imagination was already flying. Who was this woman? I could relate to something within her—this fierce desire to succeed, and even the feeling of failure if success didn’t prove possible.
I was the woman with the 3.98 GPA, after all. The one who spent her Friday nights in high school studying! The one who threw off dreams of becoming a writer, thinking they were impractical for someone who wanted to succeed at life. Instead, I threw myself into the sciences—and realized very quickly that God did not gift me with a methodical or even logical brain.
In The Tea Chest, Hayley struggles with intense pressure to succeed. It’s my hope readers will relate to lessons she learns—lessons that are dear to my very own success-driven heart! Because for so long, I felt my worth was in what I did and how well I did it.
Bringing these struggles to my fictional character Hayley wasn’t much of a stretch. I mean, this is a woman with some hefty goals! But I also wanted her to find freedom from this mindset. To feel that weight being lifted off her chest—to realize that her worth was not defined in what she did or how well she did it, but in whose she was. I wanted her to find true freedom, and give herself over to the One who has a way of turning disasters and disappointments into second chances, the One who brings forth new beauty in the midst of black ashes.
I know firsthand He can do this. Because five years after I sat in that college dorm room, facing my failure, I found myself sitting at a crooked, second-hand dining room table with a pen and notebook revisiting childhood dreams of writing books while two toddlers took their naps. I can honestly say that if I’d pushed forward toward my dreams of success in the world’s eyes—pursuing a career in the sciences—that I wouldn’t be fulfilling my ultimate dream of sharing words of God’s grace with beautiful readers like you.
Heidi Chiavaroli wrote her first story in third grade, titled I’d Cross the Desert for Milk. It wasn’t until years later that she revisited writing, using her two small boys’ nap times to pursue what she thought at the time was a foolish dream. Despite a long road to publication, she hasn’t stopped writing since!MORE INSPIRATIONAL FICTION
Cynthia Roemer’s PRAIRIE SKY SERIES: Stories of faith and resilience on the Midwest prairie Inspirational Historical Romance
UNDER THIS SAME SKY ~ BOOK ONE
UNDER PRAIRIE SKIES ~ BOOK TWO
UNDER MOONLIT SKIES ~ BOOK THREE
~Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble
**Connect with Cynthia Roemer on Facebook, Goodreads and Twitter.
GIVEAWAY
I love sweet tea.
Hi Margaret! Yes. Sweet tea is great. Thanks for entering. =)
I don’t like tea at all but love a good hot chocolate!
I absolutely love hot tea! I also enjoy sweet tea, but it just doesn’t compare to a steaming cup of Earl Grey 😍. I’ve never heard of sun tea, but I’m open to trying it. Thank you for the great giveaway!
YES! I love all tea, depending on the weather if it’s hot or cold and I do make sun tea as well – it’s all Teariffic 🍵
Hi Amber! It has been years since I’ve made sun tea. I need to do that again. So good. Thanks for stopping by!
I love both hot tea and sweet tea, depending on the weather, although I’ve had to switch my sweet tea to unsweetened and use Stevia to watch my sugar.
I love sweet tea!!
I love suntea. I use to sweeten it but now prefer it unsweetened.
Thank you for this awesome giveaway.
Hi Barbara! I’m afraid I have too much of a sweet tooth for that! LOL! Thanks for stopping by to enter!
Love tea and will drink most flavors. Like cold tea in the summer, hot tea in the winter.
You sound easy to please! =) Thanks, Christine!
Such an inspiring story of your path to becoming an author! Yes, I do enjoy tea, hot in the fall and winter and iced, mixed with lemonade any time of the year.
Isn’t it though? I love Heidi’s genuine openness. I was blessed as well by her story. Hmm. I’ve never had tea mixed with lemonade. Will have to try it sometime. =)
Aww, thanks Cynthia! Thank you for having me!
Thank you, Betsy!
I love this article, and have been wanting to read “The Tea Chest”
Thanks for stopping by, Gloria! You’ll enjoy The Tea Chest. Blessings!
Tea is my favorite drink. I like it iced and hot, depending on the weather. When my best friend visits, we look over my variety of teas before deciding which flavor we will drink that day. I drink tea every morning with my breakfast.
Sounds like you truly are a tea lover! =) Thanks, Roxanne!
Mornings I drink several cups of hot tea. In the afternoon I drink PEAK California Raspberry or Peach.
I’m looking forward to reading “The Tea Chest”! Thank you for the opportunity.
Hi Caryl! You’ll enjoy the Tea Chest. The best to you in the giveaway!
I really love sweet tea, as in SWEET tea, but most of the time our teas is lightly sweetened. I occasionally drink hot tea also.
Thanks for your giveaway.
Connie
cps1950+at)gmail(dot)com
I’m with you, Connie! I like mine sweet as well. Thanks for stopping by to enter.
My all time favorite tea is Sweet & Spicy herbal !!! My sister in Oregon got me hooked on it & I’ve never looked back!!!
I Love sweet cold tea in the summer and I will drink hot tea in the winter. This book sounds intriguing and like a very good page turner! Thank you so much for sharing about it. Have a Great rest of the week.
Hi Alicia! You’ll enjoy The Tea Chest. So glad you stopped by to enter. Blessings!
Thank you, Alicia! I hope you enjoy!
I grow mint and love brewing tea with mint. Nothing better on a hot day than iced tea. I’ve had the Tea Chest on my wish list. Thank you for the chance. Blessings
Hi Lucy! Oooh. Tea with mint sounds enticing. Thanks for sharing and stopping by. God bless!
I prefer hot tea. I haven’t ever had sun tea. That would be interesting.
Hi Rachel! Sun tea is very good. You’ll have to try it sometime. Thanks for stopping by to enter!
Tea is my beverage of choice. Hot black tea for breakfast, hot decaf black tea with dessert, suntea with ice in the summer, but please no sugar.
Hi Bonnie! Hmm. I’ve not heard of black tea. Must be a regional variety. Lots of teas to enjoy! Thanks for stopping by to enter. Blessings!
Due to so many sensitivities the only tea that I can have is a hot apricot tea that I make myself, but it’s so good!
Hi Abby! So glad you have one type of tea to enjoy! Apricot tea sounds tasty. Thanks for sharing!
The Tea Chest is a book I’ve been wanting to read!
Hi Beverly! You’ll enjoy it. Thanks for stopping by to enter. The best to you in the giveaway!
I drink iced tea year round and herbal tea when it gets colder.
Hi Vivian! Yes. Tea is good anytime of the year. Thanks for stopping by. Blessings!
I love both hot tea and sweet tea
Hi Angeline! Tea is great. Thanks for stopping by to enter!
I drink tea year round.
Hi Karen! Another tea lover. Thanks for stopping by to enter. =)
Iced Sweet Tea is my favorite but I also enjoy hot tea. Especially when reading a good book.
A great combination for sure. Thanks, Rebekah!
Lipton sweet tea. thanks for the chance
You’re welcome, Lynn! Thanks for the Author Page Like. The best to you in the giveaway!
Thank you for sharing your talent with us. I drink iced tea year round.
Love iced tea. Thanks for stopping by, Debra!
Ooh, I’ll drink lots of different kinds of tea, but my favorite my be half-cut tea (half sweet, half unsweet) with loads of ice, of course. 🙂
Sounds great, Grace! Thanks for sharing. =)
Wow!! Loved to hear your personal story behind The Tea Chest! And your mom’s poems in The Orchard Tree!! I love it when books have personal touches or experiences, it makes it so much richer!
Thanks so much for sharing! And for the kindness of the giveaway!
I do not drink tea. But when I have a sore throat I enjoy some warm honey/lemon water!
Great tip. Thanks for sharing, Ashley. I’ll have to remember that! =)
I’m a tea drinker. I drink iced tea throughout the day. I like it sweetened with 🍋.
Hi Dianne! Thanks for stopping by my blog!
I don’t drink tea or coffee. They both have an odor that can’t be covered up for me no matter the flavor. Love your books.
I don’t drink coffee either. =) Thanks for stopping by to enter, Virginia!
I enjoy hot tea in the winter, especially green tea and rooibos. In the summer, iced tea is my preference.
Hmm. I’ve not heard of rooibos. Interesting. Thanks, Danielle!
I love hot tea – earl grey!
Hi Natalya! Hot tea on a cold winter night hits the spot.
English or Irish Breakfast tea
I love sweet iced tea in the summer time and hot tea with cream and sugar in the winter
I love tea of all kinds. I usually have hot tea through the winter and make sun tea in the summer for iced tea! Thank you for sharing part of your life and the wonderful historical fiction you write!
I love sweet iced tea, and hot green tea with honey and ginseng.
I’m not a tea drinker. I hope this comment doesn’t get me tossed overboard! (Although I do drink water) 🙂
There’s nothing that takes the place as Southern Sweet Tea!
It depends on time of day. I love a good sun tea with lemon but at night I will drink hot tea with valerian to help me sleep.
I am definitely a tea drinker! Love all kinds except sweet tea!
My favorite is any kind of English tea and tea from Singapore, especially TWG. Thanks so much for the chance to win!
You’re very welcome, Faith! Thanks for stopping by!
Though I was into a family of hot and sweet tea drinkers, I have never liked those beverages. I’d much rather have some cold well water or hot cocoa in the winter!
I like cold iced sweet tea in the summer and hot sweet tea in the winter.
I love drinking tea. Sweet Ice tea is my favorite
Hot tea for me, I think, although I do like a glass of instant tea sometimes! 😊
Sweet tea, please!
I’m not much of a tea drinker – I love my coffee 🙂
I grew up drinking homemade sweet tea. I dont drink it like I used to, but I still enjoy it once in a while.
I love sweet tea. Your book sounds like a great read.
I love both tea and coffee. I especially like Spiced Chai tea.
I live in Texas and I like half sweet tea and half unsweet tea most of the time. However, I do like Earl Grey or English Breakfast tea with milk and sugar in the Winter.
I enjoy decaf green tea. Thanks for the opportunity to enter a giveaway! Would love to win a print copy! Looks like a great book! God bless!
I love cold sweet tea! Nothing is better on a hot day.
I enjoy all different kinds of tea. I like hot or cold.
Green tea , a bit of lemon.
I am a tea drinker. Iced in the warmer months—unsweetened. For hot tea I enjoy the breakfast teas and mint.
I like sweet tea (not overly sweet) and hot tea of various fruity types or Earl Grey. 🙂
I enjoy sweet iced tea. This book looks great. Thank you
I occasionally will drink an herbal tea, but in the summer I enjoy sun tea with lemon.
Sweet tea is my favourite but I like pretty much all teas
I enjoy hot tea – especially the orange blends. I also like to add about a one inch piece of fresh ginger as it’s brewing. This really brings any flavor up a notch.
I enjoy unsweetened cold iced tea every day!!
Hot or sweet tea are always good to me!
I don’t like any kind of tea. I wish I could drink hot tea in the winter, especially when I have a sore throat. I have tried some different kinds, but I just can’t get it down.
I am not a big tea drinker. But I like iced tea with a little bit of lemonade to sweeten it. If I can get it strong enough, I do like hot tea, too.
Sweet tea
I’m an unsweet iced tea fan. Thanks for the chance to win!
You’re so welcome, Melissa! Blessings!
Sweet sun tea for sure!
I do drink tea. I drink hot tea all year, love a cup of tea on a cold winter day.
I do enjoy tea but hot and black tea.
I don’t drink sweet tea, or any tea, but I love hot cocoa! 🙂
I drink mostly water but do drink tea once in a while, definitely not sweet though, unless it’s hot tea then I want a little sugar in it. I really enjoy cinnamon or vanilla flavored tea.
wfnren at aol dot com
Mostly I drink cold water as I am not one who likes sweetened water or even hot chocolate made with water . I do like books that have someone who drinks tea I enjoy that. ptclayton2 at aol dot com
I drink unsweetened tea, cold brew usually, but I prefer hot brew.
Romans 10:9-13; John 3:16-21
I’ve always loved tea (thanks mom!) but my favorite is a steaming hot cuppa Earl Grey with a little sweetener.
Yes, I’m a tea drinker. Hot, herbal.
I like to make a pot of tea when the temperatures outside are cooler. I especially like Red Rooibos Tea. I heard about this tea it for the first time when I read some of Alexander McCall Smith’s “The Number 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” Books. Please enter me in the drawing for “The Tea Chest”.
Will do, Linda! Thanks!
I love to drink hot tea in the winter, or when it is a cold day. In the summer I drink cold sweet tea.
I like sweet tea.
I love both hot and iced tea all year long. I’m not fond of sweet tea so if I buy some bottled tea (Pure Leaf), I will dilute it with ice water in order to dilute the sweetness. However I brew my own tea 90% of the time. My favorite is Celestial Seasonings.
I actually don’t like tea! My husband likes herbal tea, though, and drinks it often especially in winter.
I drink several cups of tea a day and start with green tea. Herbal teas are also in my daily lineup. I only add honey if feeling sick and drink Traditional Medicinals Cold Season which has 4 different herbal teas for coughs and sore throats to boost the immune system.
I like hot green or herbal tea best.
No, I’m not a tea or a coffee drinker. I sip on hot chocolate instead 🙂
Not too much fan of tea. But if I do drink it it would be Hot tea. Chamomile tea with a dash of honey. But mainly is Hot Chocolate with a dash of cinnamon.