Friday, September 7, 2012

End of Summer Bash: Party with Laura Frantz!

If you love historical romance that is deep and wonderfully written, Laura Frantz is the author to know! She is so sweet and encouraging as a person - not to mention her amazing books! You can read my reviews of Courting Morrow Little and The Colonel's Lady  HERE and HERE. My review of Love's Reckoning will be posted tomorrow, along with this week's winners!

Today we're talking about Love's Reckoning! Read all the way through to learn how you can enter the giveaway!

Amber: Welcome, Laura! What’s one summer-themed song you would love to hear at an “end-of-summer” party?

Laura: Oh, that’s gotta be the Beach Boys. =) How about "California Dreaming"?

 
 
Amber: That sounds great to me! (As I'm putting this post together, I keep playing the song over and over again, LOL!) Gotta love the Beach Boys!

If the heroine of Love's Reckoning was planning an “end-of-summer” party, what might it look like?

Laura: Since Eden spends so much time in the garden, she’d bring a big pitcher of lavender lemonade and a plateful of shortbread, her Scottish hero’s favorite treat. Since he’s also a blacksmith, they would have to play horseshoes! And, given Silas Ballantyne plays a mean fiddle, there would be plenty of music and dancing! Eden is quite adept at dancing though she gets precious little of it what with all the turmoil in her household. But when she goes to the ball at the neighboring estate of Hope Rising…oh my!

Amber: Shortbread and fiddle-playing? May I be invited to that party?? =)

Now for the hero of Love's Reckoning… What would he look forward to most about autumn? 

Laura: Autumn in Scotland – that’s tattie-picking time (potatoes for you =)), cooler nights, gorgeous fall foliage, bonfires… Silas Ballantyne’s favorite season in his native land is autumn.

Amber: Ooh, autumn in Scotland sounds delightful! 

Could you please share a little more about Love's Reckoning? We’d love a brief snippet if you’d care to share one! 

Laura:


~ Excerpt from Love's Reckoning ~

Shifting in his chair by the window, he breathed in the scent of hot cider and cinnamon, strong and sweet. It threaded through the winter parlor, the very essence of autumn. For a moment he was cast back to the unending orchards of Blair Castle with their gnarled, low-hanging branches bursting with aldermans and lemon queens and lass o’Bowries. A far cry from the American varieties Liege touted. Still, he’d made note of those apples in his journal, for his and Eden’s orchard years hence. Newtown pippins and Roxbury russets and winesaps, to name but a few. 

“Would you care for some cider, Silas?” 

Mrs. Lee was at his elbow with a steaming mug. He took it, murmuring his thanks, aware of the scrape of Liege’s cane across the plank floor as he made his way down the hall to bed. ’Twas only eight. Elspeth sat sewing across from Eden by the hearth. The bairns were asleep. 

Eden was looking at him, sewing forgotten in her lap, a spark of hope in her expression, as if daring to think they might be left alone. He set his book aside and glanced at Mrs. Lee. Quietly, as if adhering to some prearranged plan, she withdrew out the same door Elspeth had passed through minutes before and shut it softly behind her. 

For a moment neither he nor Eden moved and then he tugged the curtain closed, eyes returning to the door before resting on her. He ached to touch her, to breathe in her soft scent unhindered. No bairns. No overbearing father. No volatile sister. In mere days they would be left alone to experience the mystery . . . and they shall be one flesh. As he thought it, his heart seemed about to burst its banks. He reached into his pocket and withdrew a scrap of paper on which he’d penned a particular Scripture—a promise to carry them through the dwindling days. 

I will betroth thee unto me forever. 

“Silas . . .” Eden stood across the room, the candlelight calling out all the unforgettable details he loved—the clear depths of her blue eyes, the irrepressible warmth of her expression, every fire-threaded strand of her hair. 

He left his chair and went to her, tucked the paper in her palm, and was rewarded with her soft smile. When his hands cupped her shoulders, he nearly shuddered from his need of her. “Soon I’ll not have to bid you good night.” His lips grazed the soft curve of her ear as he bent his head, half-forgetting to listen, to be alert. “You’ll be by my side . . . forever.” 

“Forever,” she whispered, “is hardly long enough.” 

~ End of Excerpt ~ 

Amber: Oh, Laura, what a romantic autumn scene! (And might I add that the cover of the book is just gorgeous? Perfect for fall!) Thank you for visiting with us today! 

Readers, Laura is giving away a copy of Love's Reckoning today! To enter the drawing, leave a comment for Laura, including your name and e-mail address. All "End of Summer Bash" winners will be announced on Saturday, September 8th (tomorrow!).

Tomorrow the winners will be announced, and the blog will be dressed in her autumn best for the new season. See you then, and don't forget to enter any and all giveaways ASAP!

(Music video found on YouTube.)

31 comments:

Faith said...

Awesome interview, I am reading Love's Reckoning right now and I am just in love with it!

Thank you so much, Laura and Amber!

Elyssa said...

Awesome giveaway and interview! I'm SO excited to read Laura's latest, and can't wait to get my hands on a copy! Thanks for the chance to win it!

lubell1106(at)gmail(dot)com

Jenny said...

I've never read anything by Laura, but I'm looking forward to getting my hands on a copy of this book! Sign me up!

jennycohen104(at)gmail(dot)com

Laura Frantz said...

Oh Faye, Sweet words! You've made this author's morning:) I'm thrilled you like Eden and her story. It gets a bit bumpy but I promise a very happy ending! Thanks so much for being here and celebrating with Amber. She's a gem - and so are you!

Laura Frantz said...

Elyssa, I LOVE seeing you here! And it's so heartening to know you really, really want to read Eden and Silas's story. Amber is great at showcasing books and throwing parties. I'm SO happy you know her!

Laura Frantz said...

Jenny, Happy to meet you here:) I love meeting new readers - some have become dear friends. Thanks so much for being here and for your enthusiasm for Christian fiction, especially historicals:)

Stacey said...

Love's Reckoning was amazing! Anyone who wins it will love it. I can't wait for the next book in her series. Great interview.

Julia said...

Great interview! I love that song, California Dreamin'! We started school this week, can't believe how fast this summer went!

I have Laura's book on Kindle but would love a hardcopy since I pass her books on to my mother. She has been reading a lot more Christian fiction lately.

julesreffner(at)gmail(dot)com

Laura Frantz said...

Stacey, Love seeing you here:) You're so thoughtful to show up when you've read the book just to leave an encouraging comment! I've said it before but I'll say it again - so wish we could clone you!! Happy Friday, my friend.

Anonymous said...

Laura, your books are some of my very favorites!! :) I would love to win Love's Reckoning... since I've started to collect your books. I own Courting Morrow Little; that, and Love's Reckoning are my favorites of yours! :)

Thanks for the giveaway! :)

-Shantelle
(shantelle@truevine.net)

Laura Frantz said...

Shantelle, Oh, love that you're collecting them. That's a gift to me! I do that with my best loved books, too. Thanks so much for being here on a busy Friday. You have a lovely name, BTW. Bless you!

adge said...

My library has your last book Laura, but has yet to get your new one. The one of your latest in the system is currently checked out, but I have put a hold on it. :)
I have never been to Scotland, but my family has old pictures, and it looks lovely there! Enjoyed the excerpt.

gasweetheart211(at)netscape(dot)net

Bluerose said...

As I'm finishing up with my final review books, I keep eyeing "The Frontiersman's Daughter" and "Courting Morrow Little" that have been sitting on my shelf unread. I really can't wait to officially join the "Laura Frantz" fan club(because with all the awesome reviews I've seen, I have no doubt that I will). I can't wait to read the others too, by the way! ;)

bluerosesheart at yahoo dot com

Abbi Hart said...

Cool interview! The Beach Boys are great summer music! I have yet to read a Laura Frantz book but I've heard nothing but good things! Thanks for the chance to win!
gatorade635(at)gmail(dot)com

Mary in Idaho said...

I greatly enjoyed reading and experiencing "Love's Reckoning". Eden and Silas are still living in my head! I have read all of Laura Frantz's other books more than once and it won't be too long before I will need to read "Love's Reckoning" again. Some people and places are just worth visiting more than once.

Amber Holcomb said...

So good to see you all here! :) It's hard to believe that today is the last day of the "bash" - boy, that went by fast!

LAURA: You are too sweet, dear friend! Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm so happy you could be one of the featured authors this week! :)

EVERYONE: This book is so well-written - really a grand historical romance! Be looking for my review tomorrow... :)

~Amber

Laura Frantz said...

Julia, I've been thinking of you and your littles, knowing you've just returned to schooling them:) Praying for you as you pack and prepare for Dallas, too! JOY!

And thanks so much for that Kindle order. And for having a heart for your mom! Books make such great gifts!

Laura Frantz said...

Adrienne, Wonderful to see you here! LOVE those libraries - I'm beyond thrilled that my stories are there floating around and checked out:) Thanks for being on top of that!

Scotland is awesome even through photos and books. I can hardly wait to set foot in the Highlands where Silas lived. A huge blessing:) Thanks so much for being here!

Laura Frantz said...

Bluerose, Thanks so much for the thumbs up about my books and those reviews. I'm sure honored by the good ones and for those who take time and care to post them. Hope you enjoy my books when you have time for them! It's a pleasure meeting you here through Amber:)

Laura Frantz said...

Abbi, Oh, thanks for the kind words! I'm so happy you want to take part in the drawing. Amber's blog ROCKS:)

Laura Frantz said...

Mary, You just don't know how much it means to have Silas and Eden still residing in your head! They are mine, too, even though I'm beginning book 3 with their grandchildren! I wish I could just slow down and savor that first story a little longer. You always bring a blessing, Mary. Thinking of you and hoping you have a wonderful weekend!

Lynnette Bonner said...

I tried to comment this morning just before my work shift started, but my work computer gobbled up the comment and wouldn't let it go through... what I wanted to say was that last part "... half-forgetting to listen, to be alert" really makes me want to read more. Great line! And I LOVE this cover!

Amanda Stanley said...

So wonderful to see Laura here!!! Laura, Eden's end-of-summer party sounds delightful! =D And, I loved her time at Hope Rising's ball! If any heroine deserved beautiful moments like that it was dear, sweet Eden :) And autumn is my FAVORITE time of year! I can't imagine how gorgeous Scotland must be in the Fall! Especially enjoying it with a hero like Silas ;) And that scene you shared here was beautiful *sigh*

Amber, looking forward to your review, my friend! And LR's cover is a perfect autumn scene, with all those rich colors! It's one of my favorite book covers ever!! Perfect way to close out the party :)

Please don't enter me in the giveaway as I already have a copy of this FABULOUS book :)

Blessings,
Amanda

Julie said...

Oh I've been reading good things about Love's Reckoning! I've enjoyed your End of Summer Bash Amber and look forward to your Fall blog spread :)

Julie@My Favorite Pastime
gravesok(at)gmail(dot)com

Marissa said...

Love's Reckoning has one of my favorite covers ever!!!!! I am DYING to read this book!!

marissamehresman(at)aol(dot)com

Unknown said...

Laura, THAT EXCERPT. Gasp. I knew this book was going to knock my socks off, and that scene is proof. I. Can't. Wait. :-D And I loved that Beach Boys song! It really is the perfect end-of-summer song. I can hardly believe the summer is almost over. Didn't it turn 2012 only yesterday?

Hi, Amber, terrific interview. I love the way you weave the seasons into your posts, it's such a beautiful theme. Thanks for sneaking us a peek into LR. Wow, such a great scene!

Have a blessed weekend, ladies!

Laura Frantz said...

Lynnette, Thanks so much for stopping by and saying hi:) We historical authors must stick together, lol! Glad that little line made you want to turn those pages:) Yes, there's something - or someone - not so nice lurking round the corner! And thanks for the cover kudos? I must like this one a lot as it's the only one framed and hanging on my office wall:)

Laura Frantz said...

Oh, Amanda, that party tickles my fancy, too:) I'd so love to be there and have some cider and dance to a little fiddling. And you're so right. Eden needed a little respite at Hope Rising's ball, bless her. I think you'll be delighted by her life in book 2. She really comes full circle and is the essence of content, blessed woman.

Yes, Amber sure knows how to throw a party! Thanks so much for being here and making it more memorable!

Laura Frantz said...

Hi Julie, Thanks for the warm words:) So happy you're in the drawing and want to read. Happy Friday - and autumn - to you!

Laura Frantz said...

Marissa, I am SO thrilled you're dying to read the book! I'm dying for you to read it, too:) I think I may have already said that but it bears repeating again! Thanks for stopping by and taking part in the party. You're the best:)

Laura Frantz said...

Gwen, Yay, you're here:) So happy to see you, my KY friend. And am very happy this little scene - which was tremendously fun to write - delights you:) It really speaks of fall. I'd like some cider about now, for sure.

I know how much I enjoy reading your posted scenes so it's fun having you peek at one of mine:) Praying you and yours have a blessed weekend!!