Wednesday, February 06, 2013

The Next Big Thing - Blog Hop!

Over the past weeks many authors have been participating in a blog hop to help get the word out about our new upcoming books. Today it is my turn. Below are answers to questions about the "next big thing," which for me is the coming release on April 1, 2013, of Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.  I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to write about my hometown. 

What is the title of your book?

Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

Where did the idea come from for the book?  

My publisher, Summerside Press, was looking for stories set in resorts and I was raised in Lake Geneva--a perfect fit I would say!


What genre does your book fall under?  

Historical Romance

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?  

When I first developed my characters I decided that my heroine, Meg Alden, looked like an actress from the 30s whom I think is Gloria Stewart, but I can’t find the source now. 





In my mind's eye, Jack Wallace, the hero, bore a resemblance to Jack Kennedy during his college days. 

As I wrote the story, I realized more and more that I was picturing Meg and Jack more as how my parents looked at that age, which isn’t too far from the original “famous people” models I used. 


Here’s a shot of my parents when they were young and in love.






What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?  

Will she give her heart to the man who stole her job?

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I am represented by Terry Burns at Hartline Literary, and the book is published by Summerside Press, due to release April 1, 2013. You can preorder it on line right now at Amazon.com and other online bookstores.


How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Counting the three months of research, about nine months.


What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?  

Any books in the “Love Finds You” line or historical romances set in small towns during the 30s and 40s.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?  

I’ve always dreamed of wanting to write a story set in my beautiful hometown and when my editor encouraged me to come up with a proposal, I decided on focusing on the Riviera Building which was built in 1933. The “Riv” has become an icon of Lake Geneva and is historically protected. The second floor ballroom hosted many big bands during that era and it has proven itself to be a worthy “co-star” in my story. 

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Today Lake Geneva is still a beautiful  town, but it is vastly different than the town of the 30s or even the 50s and 60s. My story gives a glimpse of the town as it was when Main Street was lined with retail establishments that included at least two drugstores, a bakery, two hardware stores, a meat market, and many other businesses. People went to town to shop and socialize. Nowadays people do their regular shopping at the edge of town where Walmart and Target are located. I took great care through my research to include actual stores and restaurants that were there during 1933 depict the small town life that existed back then. It’s a nostalgic look at Americana during the Great Depression that carried forward for several decades. 

But, one thing hasn’t changed since a very-long-ago glacier first carved out Geneva Lake—the lake itself. It’s still spring-fed,  crystal-clear,  beautiful body of water there for all to enjoy.

My book is already listed on Amazon and other on-line bookseller sites. If you click on my book cover, you will be taken to Amazon to pre-order, but feel free to purchase at other sites if you wish!

Blogger's Note: Late yesterday I learned that the sequel to my debut novel Thyme for Love,  will be released in about three weeks! This blog was already written for today. Be sure to look for Love Will Find a Way, a contemporary mystery romance that concludes Marc and April's journey to love with a few mysterious twists and turns along the way!

Next week two of my author friends will be posting about their new books at their blogs. Be sure to hop on over there and check them out.



1 comment:

Lynda Lee Schab said...

Can't wait to read it, Pam!