The author shares about her 3-in1 romance
Harbor Hopes (Romancing America: Maine):
Will rocky beginnings lead to mayhem or romance?
Q: Your ‘Romancing America’ book started out as separate titles for the Heartsong
Presents readers. Tell us how the individual novels are linked together into a
larger picture.
This
series starts with Photo Op and the heroine, Dena Russell, a freelance photographer,
who comes to Squabbin Bay, Maine to help her son, the pastor of a local church
with their fund raiser. She meets and falls in love with Wayne Kearns, a local
carpenter and lobster fisherman.
In the second book, Trespassed Hearts,
Dena hires Jordan Lambert
to work for her. He finds love with Randi Blake, a good friend of Wayne Kearns
daughter, Jess.
Jess is the heroine of the third book in the series,
Suited For Love, and she
meets and falls in love with Krispin Black.
In each of the stories the meeting
of each couple an accident occurs. Wayne opens a door and Dena is covered with
cream pie. Randi accidentally drops lobster bisque on Jordan not just once but
twice. Jess’s accident is a bit more life threatening, she runs over Krispin’s
kayak with her father’s lobster boat.
Q: When you were originally writing the series, how much were you focused on each
individual title — and how much were your eyes on how each piece fit into the
larger story?
I don’t
always have the title before I start a story. In most cases the title fits with
the story in some way, and in the third book it became a phrase in the story.
The story itself is the focus for each book.
Q: What was your inspiration for the original series? (And how much did your
original plan change over the course of the arc?)
The original story was to write a
love story for older people. Most romantic novels are of younger heroes and
heroines. I thought it would be fun to tackle a story with older people who
already had careers and families. Regarding the story arc, each story stayed
real close to the original concept for each book.
Q: How does your faith influence your writing?
Each of
my stories have a spiritual arc (spiritual growth) for each of the characters.
Dena & Wayne were believers for many years and have a more seasoned faith
that becomes tested in ways that more mature people find their faith tested
today. In book three Krispin discovers Chrisitianity and develops as a
Christian. My personal faith is such a deep part of my writing that I’m not
sure I could write separating myself from it. I believe God is the ultimate
creator and through me He helps me create stories to entertain and challenge
the reader.
Q: What do you most hope readers get out of your fiction?
I think
the last sentence in my answer is probably the best I’m hoping to do with my
stories. I want to entertain my readers but I also hope they will challenge
them to go deeper in trusting God with every aspect of their lives. God is an
awesome God who gives to each man or woman differently. Our lives and the
challenges we face are different from those around us. But through our
experiences and the other experiences of those who share their lives with us,
we hope to grow with greater understanding in God’s sovereign nature. I find no
greater truth in that statement as I find myself in a new life experience that
I had hoped I would never go through, the death of one of my sons. Through his
death I am growing deeper in understanding God and His sovereign will in
appointing a time for each man to die. And through experiences of others I have
fellowship with I’m trusting in God’s provision to help myself and my husband
live full and victorious lives even with the loss of our son.
Writing
fiction allows me an opportunity to share my faith and put it in an
entertaining and encouraging package. In other words, a mini testimony of whom
Jesus Christ is.