So, I was looking around for someone who inspires me as a writer, someone who encourages and helps everyone around her, someone who seems to be an endless fountain of knowledge, and well, there was one person who came to mind:
Extremely talented and multi-published author LAURIE ALICE EAKES!
Laurie Alice is a wonderful writer, and I'm honored that she was willing to let me interview her on my blog. If you'd like to get to know her even better after this interview, you can stop by her website by clicking on her name above, and you can stop by her blog HERE. In the same way Laurie Alice encourages others, I hope you will leave a comment below to encourage her. After all, one who is constantly filling the cups of others, deserves to have her cup filled too!
Before we get to know Laurie Alice a bit, I'd like to announce her latest release is The Glassblower.
Book Description: Now that Colin Grassick, a master glass-blower from Scotland, has arrived to help at the Jordan glassworks, Meg Jordan's dreams of teaching the poor, local children are coming true. Finally, someone will have time to make windows for the rural New Jersey schoolhouse, to keep out the cold - and vandals. To Joseph Pyle, the wealthy, arrogant man to whom Meg will soon be betrothed, the destruction of Meg's new windows is inconsequential - as his wife, she will be forbidden from teaching. Why would Meg's father insist she marry a man like Joseph and stay away from the endearing Colin?
Here's what others are saying about The Glassblower.
This is a sweet and charming historical romance that will make your heart flutter and spark your imagination. The Glassblower is a truly excellent book on so many levels. From Heartsong Presents, it's a short read and moves quickly, but Laurie Alice is an expert at making those few pages feel complete and full, carrying you through a complex and tender story with elegance and grace. The love story is truly blissful-sigh-inducing, and there is just enough tension to make the stakes high and unyielding. I really appreciated the balance of those devices, though. So often tension feels false or over-inflated to me, based on nonsense, but that is far from the case in this novel. The author found the perfect way to offset each romantic stride forward with outside complications, and to answer each moment of antagonism with a new development in the relationship between hero and heroine. It's no wonder The Glassblower is an editor's pick this year for Heartsong Presents! This is a must-read that you'll breeze through and walk away from feeling better than you did when you sat down with it. You'll fall in love with the characters and watch them come to a deeper understanding of their faiths through the pages. Don't miss this one! ~Roseanna M. White, A Stray Drop of Blood
Laurie Alice, welcome to my blog. I'm so glad you stopped by to join us! So, tell us, how long have you been writing? How did you get your start?
I’ve been writing for about thirty years. LOL Honestly, I started as a kid, making up stories and starting to put them on paper. As for how I got started? I don’t know. I just loved stories and when I’d run out of books, I’d start writing my own. Stories have always been in my head. Serious writing, though, I guess about ten years or so, when I cut out all the starts and stops.
What made you decide to write fiction?
Again, just the stories in my head.
What made you choose this particular genre?
I’m an incurable romantic. Playing matchmaker has brought me a great deal of pleasure. So naturally I gravitated to romance. Then I add my love for history and got historical romance.
How did things change once you became a published author? Did you lose friends? Make friends? How did it affect your family?
Yes, to the first two questions. I’ve made a lot of friends. I’ve also lost a couple. Why I can only speculate and won’t go into details in a public forum. Some people have issues they need to deal with.
Being published has mostly affected my family in a positive way, frankly. I can work at home, which is good for my husband, and my mother and siblings now know what to say about their daughter/sister, who seems to continually wander around the country.
Where do you spend your time writing? Do you have a favorite place? A favorite time of day?
My favorite time of day is early morning. Unfortunately, that time is taken up getting my husband off to work. So I write when the time is there. As for space, I have an office. I like it, but often take my lap top into the living room because it has a cathedral ceiling and lots of huge windows and I just love the feel of that room, the airiness and light.
How did you come up with the story for The Glassblower?
I knew I wanted to write a historical series set in New Jersey, so started reading books about New Jersey. When I came to a chapter about glassmaking in that state, I started thinking and doing more research and—voila! The story fell into place.
What are you working on now?
At present, I am writing my first Regency for Baker/Revell, due out next September—2011.
What do you see in your future as an author? Do you have concrete ideas for more books you'd like to write on down the line, or do you plan out a book only after you've decided to write one?
Well, I have many books under contract that already have synopses, so that’s going to keep me busy for about two to three more years, three series, my Midwife and Regency series for Baker/Revell, and a series on professional women in the 1890s for Avalon Books—Doctor, Lawyer, Merchant, Chef.
Yes, I have other ideas I’d like to explore, projects I want to work on. I haven’t developed these ideas yet. No time. And when it is time, I’ll develop them.
***
Thank you so much for visiting us this week, Laurie Alice. We certainly enjoyed getting to know you and your books!
For those that are interested in getting your hands on Laurie Alice's latest release, The Glassblower, just click on the book above, and it'll take you to a place where you can buy it.
ENJOY!
Extremely talented and multi-published author LAURIE ALICE EAKES!
Before we get to know Laurie Alice a bit, I'd like to announce her latest release is The Glassblower.
Book Description: Now that Colin Grassick, a master glass-blower from Scotland, has arrived to help at the Jordan glassworks, Meg Jordan's dreams of teaching the poor, local children are coming true. Finally, someone will have time to make windows for the rural New Jersey schoolhouse, to keep out the cold - and vandals. To Joseph Pyle, the wealthy, arrogant man to whom Meg will soon be betrothed, the destruction of Meg's new windows is inconsequential - as his wife, she will be forbidden from teaching. Why would Meg's father insist she marry a man like Joseph and stay away from the endearing Colin? Here's what others are saying about The Glassblower.
This is a sweet and charming historical romance that will make your heart flutter and spark your imagination. The Glassblower is a truly excellent book on so many levels. From Heartsong Presents, it's a short read and moves quickly, but Laurie Alice is an expert at making those few pages feel complete and full, carrying you through a complex and tender story with elegance and grace. The love story is truly blissful-sigh-inducing, and there is just enough tension to make the stakes high and unyielding. I really appreciated the balance of those devices, though. So often tension feels false or over-inflated to me, based on nonsense, but that is far from the case in this novel. The author found the perfect way to offset each romantic stride forward with outside complications, and to answer each moment of antagonism with a new development in the relationship between hero and heroine. It's no wonder The Glassblower is an editor's pick this year for Heartsong Presents! This is a must-read that you'll breeze through and walk away from feeling better than you did when you sat down with it. You'll fall in love with the characters and watch them come to a deeper understanding of their faiths through the pages. Don't miss this one! ~Roseanna M. White, A Stray Drop of Blood
Laurie Alice, welcome to my blog. I'm so glad you stopped by to join us! So, tell us, how long have you been writing? How did you get your start?
I’ve been writing for about thirty years. LOL Honestly, I started as a kid, making up stories and starting to put them on paper. As for how I got started? I don’t know. I just loved stories and when I’d run out of books, I’d start writing my own. Stories have always been in my head. Serious writing, though, I guess about ten years or so, when I cut out all the starts and stops.
What made you decide to write fiction?
Again, just the stories in my head.
What made you choose this particular genre?
I’m an incurable romantic. Playing matchmaker has brought me a great deal of pleasure. So naturally I gravitated to romance. Then I add my love for history and got historical romance.
How did things change once you became a published author? Did you lose friends? Make friends? How did it affect your family?
Yes, to the first two questions. I’ve made a lot of friends. I’ve also lost a couple. Why I can only speculate and won’t go into details in a public forum. Some people have issues they need to deal with.
Being published has mostly affected my family in a positive way, frankly. I can work at home, which is good for my husband, and my mother and siblings now know what to say about their daughter/sister, who seems to continually wander around the country.
Where do you spend your time writing? Do you have a favorite place? A favorite time of day?
My favorite time of day is early morning. Unfortunately, that time is taken up getting my husband off to work. So I write when the time is there. As for space, I have an office. I like it, but often take my lap top into the living room because it has a cathedral ceiling and lots of huge windows and I just love the feel of that room, the airiness and light.
How did you come up with the story for The Glassblower?
I knew I wanted to write a historical series set in New Jersey, so started reading books about New Jersey. When I came to a chapter about glassmaking in that state, I started thinking and doing more research and—voila! The story fell into place.
What are you working on now?
At present, I am writing my first Regency for Baker/Revell, due out next September—2011.
What do you see in your future as an author? Do you have concrete ideas for more books you'd like to write on down the line, or do you plan out a book only after you've decided to write one?
Well, I have many books under contract that already have synopses, so that’s going to keep me busy for about two to three more years, three series, my Midwife and Regency series for Baker/Revell, and a series on professional women in the 1890s for Avalon Books—Doctor, Lawyer, Merchant, Chef.
Yes, I have other ideas I’d like to explore, projects I want to work on. I haven’t developed these ideas yet. No time. And when it is time, I’ll develop them.
***
Thank you so much for visiting us this week, Laurie Alice. We certainly enjoyed getting to know you and your books!
For those that are interested in getting your hands on Laurie Alice's latest release, The Glassblower, just click on the book above, and it'll take you to a place where you can buy it.
ENJOY!
Don't enter me. I already own a copy, but I had to drop in and say that I adore Laurie Alice's writing. Remember her name because you're going to be hearing it a lot in the coming years. She's also a really nice lady.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy learning more about Laurie Alice--and she's one of the first names to pop into my mind when I'm thinking of authors who inspire me, too! I, for one, am eager for those upcoming books!!
ReplyDeleteGreat interview! I always love learning about the lives and works of authors. So many books under contract - that's wonderful!
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat interview. THE GLASSBLOWER sounds like an intriguing story. Your writing on your laptop in your living room must be delightful.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the opportunity to win a copy of the book.
Blessings,
A J Hawke
I'd like to offer my thanks as well to Laurie Alice for her willingness, despite her heavy writing schedule, to weigh in with her vast knowledge to help the writers on HisWriters email loop. We can always count on her to have the answer or the resource available. And "Glassblower" is a delightful read :)
ReplyDeleteLaurie Alice is a wonderful writer. She has also helped me when I have questions about the time period I am writing in. I love her heroes. They are hunky men. The only way I can describe her is smooth. The flow of her books make reading a pleasure. Keep it up, Laurie Alice. I look forward to reading more of your published books.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your kind words. I find myself glancing around to see where this Laurie Alice person is. I'll have to read one of her books sometime. Oh, who me? It hasn't really sunk in yet that this lifelong dream is coming true.
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely to meet Laurie Alice here, under a real castle! Congratulations on another great interview and sharing your wisdom.
ReplyDeleteLisa
What a great interview, Sandi and Laurie Alice. I read the GLassblower, and I agree--it is a sweet read and a tender romance. I can't wait to get my hands on the second in the series, The Heiress.
ReplyDelete