Award-winning, bestselling author Laura Frantz is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century, and writes her manuscripts in longhand first. Her stories often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying in the years 1748-1750. Frantz lives and writes in a log cabin in the heart of Kentucky.

According to Publishers Weekly, β€œFrantz has done her historical homework.” With her signature attention to historical detail and emotional depth, she is represented by Janet Kobobel Grant, Literary Agent & Founder, Books & Such Literary Agency of Santa Rosa, California.

Visit her at www.laurafrantz.net

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Welcome back to the blog, Laura. I’m so excited to have you here today! And congratulations on your upcoming release, The Lacemaker. I’m eagerly counting down the days until I get to read it. πŸ™‚

Tell us about your hero and heroine in The Lacemaker. Why do YOU love these two characters?

I really enjoyed writing about a genteel young woman of that time period who has the best of everything. My heroines are usually more rustic and deprived of all the delightful, beautiful things Lady Elisabeth has known from birth. As for my hero, Noble Rynallt, he is just like his name, a man of integrity who is truly as good as he is handsome!

I can’t wait to meet them both! πŸ˜‰

What’s one of your favorite settings from any of your books?

I love Colonial Williamsburg so much that I actually include it in this Scottish story that’s up next though it’s about 25 years earlier in the novel. The challenge of a real historical place compared to a fictitious one is that there’s a lot more researching and detail-work to get right. Making up a colonial town sounds pretty good right now!

How long does it typically take you to write a story?

One year usually or a year and a couple of months. Research takes a lot of time and I never begin a story until I have a good grasp of the place and history I’m writing about. I am in awe of authors who can write more than one book a year!

Do you have a favorite book of the Bible? If so, can you tell us why it means so much to you?

When I was a young girl, my mom and I memorized Psalm 139 together. Ever since then the Psalms have been very dear to me. And if you’ve ever read Keller’s book on the 23rd Psalm, that’s another reason why I’m constantly returning to that book of the Bible. The Lord as our Shepherd has such appeal to me. But I have to mention Isaiah 40:11, too. When I was a new mom 2300 miles from my family and living in the garage we had built while waiting for our house, in a state where it had rained 94 days straight, I had my first baby, a very colicky boy. I came out of the hospital with the flu and soon had mastitis, and after several months of mostly sleepless nights, the Lord gave me this verse out of the blue. I literally opened my Bible and there was Isaiah 40:11 as if highlighted for me. The various translations of this particular verse are beautiful, though the NIV is my favorite and the one I discovered that very memorable day.

I love this. Bless your heart. What a testimony of God’s love to give you such a special verse in a difficult season. I love when He does that. It feels like a gift just for you, doesn’t it? πŸ™‚

Have you visited any of the historical sites you’ve written about? If not, what places are at the top of your list to visit someday?

Thankfully, I’ve been to every place I write about save one. In this Scottish novel my characters go to the West Indies, something I only dream about! I’ve been to Scotland several times and love it as it’s epic even though it’s smaller than the state of Indiana. And as a native Kentuckian, that setting is truly home to me and easily used as a setting. I dream of going to Greece, India, and – oddly enough – Dubai!

I love seeing pics from authors’ research trips to such places. It really makes their stories come alive.

Is there anything else you’d like to add? Any upcoming projects you can share with us?

I’m so glad to say more books are coming with Revell through 2022. A mix of frontier and genteel 😊. One of those novels has me jumping back another century to the 17th which I’m quite excited about. But no spoilers for you!

Yay!! Congrats, my friend. I’m so excited to read them all. πŸ™‚

Thank you for joining us today, Laura. It’s always a joy to have you here. Have a blessed holiday season.

Thanks so much, Savanna! It’s a joy to celebrate another release with you. You are one of my most faithful reading and writing friends and I’m truly thankful for your heart for my books. And, of course, meeting your readers here is an extra blessing!

GIVEAWAY!!

Laura has graciously offered to give away a copy of The Lacemaker, along with a bookmark. Enter below and it could be YOU! ;)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for entering! Giveaway is open only in the U.S. and ends December 26, 2017.Β  The winner will be notified by email. Happy Reading, everybody! πŸ˜‰