Karla Akins is the winner of our drawing!!!
With Eyes of Love
Barbara (Bunny) Richardson lives a perfect life. Wonderful
family, amazing voice, and very handsome, very wealthy fiancé. But it doesn’t
take long for her to realize he will always make decisions that benefit only
him and his business. Barbara will never know the desires of her heart, only
that she will be the beautiful woman on his arm. Then, when traveling with her
family, Barbara is stranded in a flood in Tennessee , and the handsome man who comes to
her rescue turns her perfect life into chaos. Two years later, when they find
their paths have crossed again, Jackson ,
holed up in his room, refuses to meet with her. How could she love a burned and
scarred freak, a remnant of Pearl Harbor ’s
destruction? A man who didn’t save a seventeen-year-old seaman who was counting
on him? But Barbara has other ideas. She intends to shame the pity party out of
Jackson and
when that doesn’t work, she tries a dangerous game of making him jealous at his
sister’s wedding. How deep is beauty? And do we get the chance to see real
beauty with eyes of love?
I’d love for you to meet my friend, Linda Glaz, who also
happens to be my literary agent with Hartline Literary Agency, and who also
happens to be a very talented writer. I asked her lots of questions. Her great sense of humor shines through in her answers.
Question 1
Are experiences in
your novel based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Absolutely. My
mother's family traveled with her father (road engineer) When she was young and
they did get stranded in a storm, but she was only 10 instead of 19. But it's
actually based on my mom and aunt's friendship. All fiction, but the friendship
was the point I was trying to make. They were closer than any sisters-in-law
that I ever knew.
Question 2
Which of your
characters is most/least like you, and in what way(s)?
Oh, the quiet one, Betty, would be least like me. I'm a loud one!
Question 3
Do you read reviews
of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence
your writing?
Absolutely do. If there's
constructive criticism, I want to take it in, roll it through my head and
decide what to take, what to let go.
Question 4
What book are you
reading now?
A middle-reader. Back
Before Dark by Tim Shoemaker. He
writes amazing books for youngsters.
Question 5
What are your current
projects?
I'm working on a historic novel about a young woman who runs
a dance studio just as WWII is ending. The boy who stepped on her feet in dance
school, is the same one who steps on her foot as they become re-acquainted.
Question 6
Do you have any
upcoming events?
I have a book launch at the local library on Saturday, April
13th. All sorts of giveaways and "cake"!!!
Question 7
Can you tell us about
some of the milestones you’ve reached as a writer?
Being able to finally retire from the day job, but that
excludes my work as an agent. Love it
all!!! All!!!
Question 8
What motivates you to
write, and where do you get ideas?
I can't look at a news blurb without thinking, yes! That
would make a wonderful story. And my suspense novels come from my own fears. One of my first books was about a house full
of little girls kidnapped from a birthday sleepover. That was such a fear of
mine while my girls were growing up.
Question 9
Do you have a life
verse?
Very paraphrased. Me and the Lord. Between us, we can do anything. Perseverance!
Question 10
Who is your greatest
encourager?
My kids and my crit partners. I have the most amazing! crit
partners in the world.
Question 11
Tell me about one of
your personality traits.
Oh boy, that would take a couch and about $500 an hour.
Question 12
Where can people get
a copy of your book?
Through Amazon; Christianbooks.com; many stores.
Linda’s Bio
Linda, married with three grown
children and three grandchildren, is a complete triple-A personality. How else
would she find time to write as well as be an agent for Hartline Literary Agency?
She loves any and everything about the written word and loves when families
pass stories along through the generations. If she isn't writing or putting
together a contract, you'll find her taking a relaxing bath with her e-reader
in hand. Her background in karate, soccer and the Air Force has allowed her to
meet a lot of "characters" along the way. If you find a strange and
weird character in one of her books, watch it! It might be you!!!
Linda’s Other Novels
When Abigail Richardson visits the Judge family in Tennessee , the war is winding
down, and Abby hopes to catch a peek of their youngest son and her pen pal for
the last six years since they were stranded in the flood, William Judge. As he
steps from the train and walks right toward her, her heart flutters in her
chest. Yet, Will keeps on walking, all the way to the redhead beyond her.
Jeannine. As he introduces the small orphan, Henry, that he’s brought back from
the concentration camp in Germany ,
Jeannine makes it clear she doesn’t plan to be a readymade mother. Abby, on the
other hand, takes “Hank” directly to her heart, and it’s Will who sees more
than just a freckle-faced pen pal. Abby’s all grown up. But what of his promise
of marriage to Jeannine?
--I love that these books are part of a
story of a family, and are based around the actual, though fictionalized,
friendship of two women. My mom and my aunt. And while some things are VERY
loosely based on their friendship, it’s the friendship itself that I wanted to
bring to light. Two women who shared more than most close sisters do. The kind
of friendship that anyone would give anything they had to possess.
--Pearl
Harbor is explored in book one to show the true horrors of war. As
a veteran who served during Vietnam ,
I don’t have any firsthand experience of war, but male friends coming back gave
me enough grist to help me understand just what our men and women go through.
The surprise at Pearl
left so many not only wounded, but scarred emotionally in a way that they never
recovered completely. I wanted to show that aspect in the story and how a
person could turn from God because of it. But also, how love can reach into the
soul and help a person find their way back home, both emotionally and
spiritually.
--The concentration camps in Germany
didn’t play favorites, they were horrible to everyone, Jews, Gentiles,
minorities, it didn’t matter. If you were on the Third Reich’s hit list, you
ended up in a camp, and children didn’t fare much better than adults. Again in
book two is a sobering account of WWII, but also a wonderful romance of young
love found, love lost, and love found again. And the trust and love of a child
who has been through more than most adults have faced in their entire lives,
but the innocence that reminds those around him of God’s love.
The Substitute Bride
(to be released August 6, 2013)
What happens when a young woman traveling west is aboard a
train that derails? Hit on the head and unsure of who she is, she is greeted at
the next station by a handsome rancher who tells her they are supposed to get
married. That day!
Leave a comment and your email address to win a copy of With Eyes of Love. I'll draw the name of the winner on Monday April 8.
Fantastic post and interview! Lovely blog, just lovely.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Karla. :-)
DeleteKarla, you won a copy of With Eyes of Love!!!
DeletePlease, email me and let me know your address.
sfc58@sc.rr.com
Congratulations!
So excited! Thanks so much!
DeleteGracious, I said retiring, including agenting, but I meant, excluding agenting. I plan to do that until no one wants to listen to me or submit to me anymore. Gads! Didn't mean to mess that one up!!!
ReplyDeleteNot to worry. I fixed it. :-)
DeleteGreat interview Susan and Linda. It's always fun to learn something new about you. The book sounds great and I can hardly wait to read it. WWII and all that was happening back home during that period has the potential for so many fascinating stories.
ReplyDeleteFun interview! Just ordered my copy and looking forward to reading.
ReplyDeleteI love stories that have a basis in family stories. Looking forward to reading this one.
ReplyDeleteI love that time period, I think because I had so many great conversations with my grandmother and her brother about their lives, it simply came a live to me! I cannot wait to read this--I'm a sucker for seeing beauty where you might have missed it;)
ReplyDeleteI love this period as well. There was a great series but was only on for a couple years called Home Front. Wonderful series about this period and some of the issues that arose and moved forward from that time when women began to work outside the home. Great series!
ReplyDeleteAnd if you enjoy WWI, Cara Putman writes amazing stories about WWII. Enjoy!
Linda, your books sound fascinating and intriguing. You express such zest for both writing and agenting. How do you balance these two jobs? Thanks for all you do for Susan Craft. I love reading everything she writes. I may be a bit prejudiced (she's my bestest friend), but not much! Thanks, Susan, for a great interview.
ReplyDeleteHey, Buddy, you came by. You feeling any better? I hope so. Don't you love the covers of Linda's books? They have a really nice, warm feel about them, like from a gentler time.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the description of Linda's new book and I would love to read it. I also enjoyed the interview by my dear friend Susan- two talented writers.
ReplyDeleteJane Shuler
Recording family stories is so important! Thanks for writing, Linda and Susan.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the reading our inteview of Linda. Her books captured my interest. I am sharing with others.
ReplyDeleteContinue with your great writing! I enjoy it so much!
Kathy Richards
Congrats, Karla! And thanks, Kathy! Want to be able to do a series of books that all ages can read without blushing. Thanks everyone for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteWow! Thanks SO MUCH! I love Linda Glaz novels! Thank you, thank you. So excited!
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