Interview with Laura Frantz  & GIVEAWAY  | The Engrafted Word————————————————————————-

 

Mary Ellis grew up close to the eastern Ohio Amish community of Geauga County, where her parents often took her to farmer’s markets and woodworking fairs. She loved their peaceful, agrarian lifestyle, their respect for the land, and their strong sense of Christian community. She met her husband in college and they married six days after graduation. She, her husband, dog and cat now live in Medina County, close to the largest population of Amish in the country—a four-county area in central Ohio. They often take weekend trips to purchase produce, research for her best-selling books, and enjoy a simpler way of life. Mary enjoys reading, traveling, gardening, bicycling and swimming. Before retiring to write full-time, Mary taught Middle School in Sheffield Lake, Ohio and worked as a sales rep for Hershey Chocolate for twenty years a job with amazingly sweet fringe benefits. – See more at: http://www.fictionfinder.com/author_interview/read/interview_with_mary_ellis#sthash.8UloesBt.dpuf

Laura Frantz is a Christy Award finalist and the author of several books, including The Frontiersman’s Daughter, Love’s Reckoning, and Love’s Awakening. She currently lives in the misty woods of Washington with her husband and two sons.

Learn more at  http://laurafrantz.net/

 

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Savanna:  Welcome to The Engrafted Word, Laura! I’m SO excited to have you as my guest this week.  Congratulations on your newest release, Love’s Fortune. I can’t wait to read it! 🙂

Interview with Laura Frantz  & GIVEAWAY  | The Engrafted WordWhile writing this story, did you ever uncover a piece of history that really surprised you?

Laura:  So glad you’re ready to meet Wren and cast! Not too much longer now… I did uncover a couple of things that surprised/fascinated me while writing this third book. One was how wildly extravagant high society could be and how competitive the wealthy often were. Not only the gowns and finery but the food! I won’t spoil it for you by being more specific as you’ll find details within the novel itself. Another surprise was how much those abolitionists like Silas Ballantyne risked to help slaves to freedom. Their very lives and fortunes were on the line yet they still behaved selflessly, much like Christ asks of us.

Savanna: What did you learn from the Ballantyne family throughout writing this trilogy? What do you hope your readers take away from the series?

Laura:  I became very aware how the choices we make, large and small, impact others in manifold ways for good or ill. Hopefully more good than ill! Silas was the building block for the selflessness and courage his family lived out in future generations. His reach extended beyond the Ballantynes as you’ll see in Love’s Fortune. That said, even a man with character cannot guarantee children and grandchildren of character. I tried to paint a realistic family within the pages of each book, both godly and ungodly. In my discussion questions (http://laurafrantz.net/books/loves-fortune/), I ask readers what they think will happen with future generations of Ballantynes, etc. I hope this series causes readers to ponder their own legacy and the brevity of life. It certainly did that for me as author.

Interview with Laura Frantz  & GIVEAWAY  | The Engrafted WordSavanna:  You mention on your website that you began scribbling stories at age 7. Do you still remember one of your earliest stories and can you tell us a little about it?

Laura:  I still have the little novella I wrote at age 12. My family had recently taken a trip to Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts (a 19th-century living history village) and I was so inspired I came home and created a young girl who lived there and loved to ice skate. 🙂 Reading it now kind of shocks me as all the signature Frantz angst was there – lost skates, sickness, heartbreak and such, though it does have a happy ending! And a very sweet romance as only a 12 year old girl could make it!

Savanna: Sounds like an intriguing story to me! 😉 What a special heirloom.  It’s clear to see that history is very important to you. If you had to pick just one historical figure from the past, who would you enjoy meeting in person and why?

Laura:  That would be my beloved hero, Daniel Boone. In all my research I’ve never found anything bad about him. He was a man of integrity who was truly remarkable in every sense. Fearless and principled and unbiased, even when danger and death surrounded him on all sides. He lost 2 sons to the Indian wars and never held a grudge.

Interview with Laura Frantz  & GIVEAWAY  | The Engrafted WordSavanna: What is one of your most unforgettable moments from your writing career to date?

Laura: The moment Revell called me and offered me a contract in 2008. I knew then that the Lord was somehow about to use a gift He’d given me in childhood, in even a small way, for His glory 40 years later. Nothing compares to that realization.

Savanna:  Describe your favorite place to write. What’s your ideal setting for inspiration?

Laura:  This summer I’ve done most of my writing and editing on my deck beneath a big umbrella. It overlooks our garden and orchard and woods. My ideal setting for inspiration is the Kentucky woods on a fall or spring day. I am most inspired by nature no matter the season.

Savanna:  That sounds lovely.  Is there anything else you’d like to add today? Any upcoming projects you can share with us?

Laura:  After the Ballantynes, I return to standalone novels set in the 18th-century. Can’t wait! The title and cover art direction for my next book, releasing fall of 2015, is in the works now. I’ll share the official title with you soon!

Savanna:  Wonderful!! Thank you so much, Laura, for sharing with us today.

Laura:  I can’t thank you enough for taking time for my books and inviting me to your beautiful blog.  I feel blessed beyond measure, Savanna. Happy reading to you and others!

Readers, be sure to visit these links below to connect with Laura and watch the cover shoot for Love’s Fortune.

Facebook page ~ https://www.facebook.com/LauraFrantzAuthor
Pinterest ~ http://www.pinterest.com/laurafrantz/
Website ~ http://laurafrantz.net/

There are downloads, sign-ups, and freebies—valuable resources that I hope stir your passion for God and His Word. So take your time. Look around. Visit often. – See more at: http://www.mesuandrews.com/#sthash.h5gue3da.dpuf

GIVEAWAY!!

Laura has graciously offered one copy of LOVE’S FORTUNE to one lucky winner!

Interview with Laura Frantz  & GIVEAWAY  | The Engrafted WordHOW TO ENTER:

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Thanks for entering! Contest is open only in the U.S. and ends September 16, 2014.
Winner will be notified by email.

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