Summary of Where the Grass Grows Blue: Penny Crenshaw is a high-society wife and mother who appears to have it all living in one of Atlanta’s wealthiest neighborhoods. When she said goodbye to Kentucky as a teenager, Penny thought she had escaped men who would betray her. That is, until her husband suddenly leaves her for a younger woman. When her beloved grandmother dies, bequeathing her home to Penny, she must return to the bluegrass state and reckon with her sordid past. 

Upon arriving in Summit, Kentucky to settle her grandmother’s affairs, Penny is haunted by the ghosts of her childhood—an abusive father; a promiscuous mother; and three siblings who died, one by one, from different genetic diseases; it shaped the woman she’s become. And worst of all, her greatest source of pain is alive and well, living just down the street. Bradley Hitchens. Her staunchest defender, the keeper of her darkest secrets, and the boy who shattered her heart twenty years ago.

As the days go by and Penny struggles to cope, a colorful brood of extended family and friends drift back into her life, reminding her of the unique warmth, fellowship—and romance—only Kentucky can provide. When fate forces her back into the nightmare she thought she left behind, Penny must finally let go of the scars she carries on both the inside and out, or she’ll risk losing a chance to finally live her life unbridled, free of the fear that’s paralyzed her for far too long.

Mary Helen Sheriff: When did you become interested in writing? Did something or someone, in particular, spark your interest? 

Hope Gibbs: As a little girl, I dreamed of becoming a writer—for soap operas. Every Friday afternoon, since that was “cliffhanger” day, I created and wrote little storylines for my favorite characters. Not exactly age-appropriate entertainment, but it stoked my creativity.

By the time I was in college, I had given up on my soap-opera dream but decided to stay in the same area by majoring in marketing and television production. I wanted to write and produce for the medium. But, as life would have it, I changed directions after graduation and began working for a large corporation in their merchandising department.

A few years later, after the birth of my first child, I decided to become a stay-at-home mother. Before I knew it, I had four more children. When my second son left for college, I realized the empty nest was barreling my way, so I started journaling. I thought it would be a good outlet for me. Then something unexpected happened—my “outlet” had turned into the first draft of a book, WHERE THE GRASS GROWS BLUE. Plus, my mother, LaRecea was an English teacher and writer. She wrote a book shortly before she passed away about my brother, NOT A WASTED BREATH. She’s a big reason I was drawn to writing, though she never knew it was my dream since I kept it secret.

Sheriff: Tell me about your publication journey. 

Gibbs: To be honest with you, I had no idea what I was doing. I spent about three and a half years writing, rewriting, and editing my novel, WHERE THE GRASS GROWS BLUE completely by myself. This was the first book I had ever written, so there was a lot of trial and error there. Finally, in late July 2021, I felt it was ready to start the process. I compiled a list of agents and started submitting. I was getting requests for partials and fulls, but I was also receiving several rejections at the same time.

In August, a friend suggested I join the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. That was one of the best decisions I made. First, it connected me with hundreds of other writers, some of whom have become dear friends, and second, it was a treasure trove of publishing advice. I started consuming all of their informative posts, articles, and webinars.

One webinar episode in particular changed querying for me. It was about alternative publishing. I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I thought there were only two ways to publish a book: through traditional publishing houses that required an agent, or by self- publishing. After that webinar, I discovered “Hybrid” Publishing and submitted my manuscript to four of them that day. A month later, I had three offers on the table, but I waited because I’d also discovered, because of the WFWA, small presses. I submitted my manuscript to Red Adept Publishing in early fall, and by the first week of December of 2021, I received an offer. Of course, I jumped at that deal because I knew and respected their writers and staff.
 
Sheriff: What advice do you have for writers looking to publish their first book? 

Gibbs: To join Bookish Road Trip, of course! I believe connecting with a group of writers and book enthusiasts is imperative. I wrote my first novel completely alone. I had no critique partners, no one to vent to. I would write after my family went to bed or whenever I had spare time in between my children’s school activities.

Also, I suggest signing up for author newsletters, joining Goodreads and starting to leave reviews, and subscribing to Publisher’s Marketplace. That site has all the industry news and is a great way to stay on top of trends and find agents and publishers.

Another tip is to set up social media accounts or an author website dedicated to your writing early on. I had no platforms before I signed with Red Adept and I had a lot of catching up to do. Also, I wish I had started blogging before my deal. I resisted doing it, but I’m so thankful I finally did because it’s helped me as a writer. It’s good practice and gives you confidence by letting the world see what you can do.
 
Sheriff: How did you discover Bookish Road Trip? What attracted you to it? 

Gibbs: A wonderful writing friend, Donna N. Carbone, who signed her deal with Red Adept the week before me, suggested we join. We were both so new to the publishing world, and we wanted a place to connect with enthusiastic readers and talented authors. What could be better? Bookish Road Trip was the perfect place. My first “book club” was for THE EVES by Grace Sammon. It was such a warm and welcoming community. Plus, I read an incredible book and won a signed copy!
 
Sheriff: Tell me about your new role in Bookish Road Trip.

Gibbs: I am the tour guide for “Author Take the Wheel.” It’s a week-long “takeover” by an author we’ve selected. Then, on Thursday of that week, I will interview the same author for a thirty-minute Facebook Live event. We’ll talk about their book, their writing process, and their own path to publication, as well as take questions from the BRT audience. I’m so excited.

Hope Gibbs grew up in rural Scottsville, Kentucky. As the daughter of an English teacher, she was raised to value the importance of good storytelling from an early age. Today, she’s an avid reader of women’s fiction. Drawn to multi-generational family sagas, relationship issues, and the complexities of being a woman, she translates those themes into her own writing. 

Hope has a bachelor’s degree from Western Kentucky University in communications and marketing. Currently, she lives outside of Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband, five children, and her persnickety Shih Tzu, Harley. When she’s not on the sidelines cheering on her family during their football, basketball, soccer, or lacrosse games, she’s on the tennis court pursuing her own athletic dreams. In her downtime, she loves pouring through old church cookbooks, especially the ones from her hometown, singing karaoke at every opportunity, curling up on her favorite chair with a book, and playing board games, especially Trivial Pursuit if she can find someone up to the task. Where The Grass Grows Blue is her first novel.

Find out more about Hope Gibbs: authorhopegibbs.com

If you enjoyed this interview, then check out this one featuring author Rebecca Rosenberg.