Blog Tour: Character Interview with Daniel from Through Her Eyes! (and Giveaway!)

I'm thrilled to welcome one of my favorite characters from Through Her Eyes- Papa Dan!

1. Can you tell us a little bit about your childhood in Cedar Canyon?

Cedar Canyon was a wonderful place to grow up. In small communities, neighbors watch out for one another – and that might’ve been even more the case in the 1930’s when I was a boy than it is today. Young folks now would probably look back at Cedar Canyon during that time and think that there was nothing to do and that we must’ve gone peanutty as Payday candy bar livin’ there. That couldn’t be further from the truth! We didn’t have television or video games or computers, but we made our own fun. In spite of the harsh weather in the Texas Panhandle – blistering hot summers, brutally cold winters, blustering wind – I spent a lot of time outdoors. Isabel, Henry and I had great fun exploring the canyon. During our grammar school and junior high years, we often played hide-n-seek out there. When I was nine, Henry saved my life when I fell into the river after a rain when the water was unusually high. We had marvelous adventures.

2. You and your grandaughter, Tansy, have a great relationship. What has been one of your favorite memories with her?

When we lived in San Francisco, Tansy and I climbed up onto the roof of our house early one morning and watched the sunrise. That’s a special memory for both of us.

3. Losing your wife and son in an accident must have been terrible. What advice do you have for those dealing with grief over losing loved ones?

There’s no easy way to get through the grief of losing a loved one, but I found that surrounding myself with family and friends comforted me after my wife and son passed. Remembering all the good times we’d shared – and talking about them – helped, too. Staying busy with a pastime you enjoy can also help you to move on with your life after a loss. For me, that pastime was woodworking.

4. How did you become known as "Papa Dan"?

When my Tansy-girl was a baby, her mother, Millie, taught her to call me ‘Papa.’ But Millie often continued to refer to me as ‘Dan’ when we spoke, and Tansy would overhear her. Tansy was a smart little thing; she put the two names together and I became ‘Papa Dan!’

5. What made you decide to buy Tansy a camera for her tenth birthday?

Moving so much has been hard on Tansy. No matter where we went, I always had my woodworking to occupy my time when I was adjusting to a new place; I thought Tansy needed a hobby she loved, too, and maybe then she wouldn’t feel so lonely. I had noticed that she enjoyed looking at photographs – when she was just a tiny little thing, I found her flipping through my old photo albums – the ones I kept hidden away. And she was always pointing out sights to her mother and me that we hadn’t noticed – things such as a slant of sunlight across a lake or the curve of a shadow. It seemed to me she had a photographer’s eye, so I bought the camera for her and, sure enough, Tansy displayed a God-given talent for taking pictures. Photography became her passion.

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Thanks so much to both Papa Dan and Jennifer for taking the time to answer my questions! He is a wonderful character and Through Her Eyes was an amazing YA debut! Check out my review here.

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I am also hosting a giveaway for my ARC of Through Her Eyes! It was such a fantastic read, I hope whoever wins loves it as much as I did!

Rules: US Only. Ends April 29.

Fill out THIS FORM to enter!