Sometimes when I invite an author to stay in with me on Linda’s Book Bag I wonder if I’m doing the right thing because they make me feel so inadequate. My guest today Leigh Fossan is one such author. Not only does she write but she’s a terrific painter too.

Staying in with Leigh Fossan

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag, Leigh. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me. 

Thank you Linda!

Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it? 

I have brought my newly released debut novel, Painting Blue Water. This is my first novel, and I’m so proud of the finished product. It is a beautiful story about love and art, and I just can’t wait to share it with readers!

(If the cover is anything to go by Leigh, it really is a beautiful story!)

What can we expect from an evening in with  Painting Blue Water?

An evening in with Painting Blue Water will bring you tears and laughter. You will dive right into the romantic comedy, and you will feel like you are friends with Katherine Ross and the other colorful characters. It is a great “escape” read. One reader says: “Hypnotizing and addicting, I read cover to cover. Katherine is so relatable and you find you are rooting for her along the way…..one of the few books I will read more than once!”

(What a lovely thing to say about Painting Blue Water. You must be so pleased with those responses.)

What else have you brought along and why?

I brought an original painting of mine titled ‘Blanket’. When I am not writing, I am a professional artist, and I sell my paintings all over the world. This original oil painting depicts a scene very similar to one Katherine might decide to paint while she is in Bluewater Lake – the fictional town in which the story is set. There is something magical about standing by a quiet lake on a foggy morning…

This is such a beautiful image Leigh. I love the atmosphere and colours. What a talented person you are. It has been so lovely to stay in with you and find out more about Painting Blue Water. Thanks for being here and good luck with both your writing and your painting.

Painting Blue Water

Katherine Ross, a struggling artist-turned-successful-businesswoman, has a life many would envy. At only thirty-one years old, Katherine runs one of the top luxury real-estate firms in Manhattan, and she lives in a fabulous loft with her dreamy husband. That is, of course, until her marriage comes to a screeching halt, forcing Katherine to face the truths she’s been burying deep within her heart. She hasn’t been happy for a long time. And her life, while glamorous, is not the life she ever wanted.

Fighting through the fog of her confusion and pain, Katherine makes the daring, or possibly insane, choice to start over somewhere new. She leaves her business, her friends, and the city behind, while she ventures alone to the mountains in hopes of rediscovering her artistic roots in a place surrounded by beauty, peace, and quiet.

In the quaint town of Bluewater Lake, Katherine finds just what she is looking for—abundant natural beauty, almost too much quiet, and a collection of colorful locals. As she adapts to the slow pace of small town life, Katherine befriends the remarkable inn proprietor, Mr. Trust, and his granddaughter Ginger, a former starlet and scandal-ridden Manhattan socialite. Katherine even begins to build an exciting, albeit rocky, relationship with the ruggedly handsome, yet mysterious and standoffish, Will. And with time, Katherine discovers her passion for painting once again.

But life in Bluewater isn’t as simple as it may seem, and when her art career suddenly begins to take off in this unlikely setting, Katherine finds herself torn between two worlds. Does she pursue her lifelong dream and become the world-famous artist she always wanted to be? Or does she open her heart to the possibility of new dreams and a life she never imagined?

Painting Blue Water is available for purchase here.

About Leigh Fossan

Painting Blue Water is the debut novel for Leigh Fossan. A creative soul at heart, Leigh grew up with a paintbrush in her hand, and went on to study the arts in Florence, Italy. While abroad, Leigh was one of the few recipients of the Coluccio Salutati Award for Creative Writing.

Today, Leigh is a professional artist and her paintings are collected around the world. She lives in Colorado with her artist husband, and their young daughter, who wants to be a scientist.

You can find out more on Leigh’s art on this website, and her writing here, on Facebook and by following her on Instagram and Twitter @LeighFossan.