Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels and prairie romance novellas. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their two daughters. Her son is a U.S. Marine. She enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. Please visit her blog, The Story behind the Story, at www.liztolsma.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter (@LizTolsma), and LinkedIn. She is also a regular contributor to the Pencildancer blog and the Midwest Almanac blog.
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Welcome back to the blog, Liz. I’m so honored to have you here today. Congratulations on your recent release, The Second-Chance Brides Collection. Such a pretty cover!
Tell us how the idea came about for your novella, What the Heart Sees.
I was asked to be in a collection about second-chance brides, and it could be any time from the Revolutionary War through WWII. Since I love writing WWII, I knew I’d write about that era. I’ve had an idea about German POW camps in the U.S. for a number of years, and as I did research on it, I found that there were people in Wisconsin who had German relatives in camps in the state and would even visit them. From there, the idea took off for the heroine to discover her summer fling in a camp in her hometown.
I love hearing behind-the-story details. 😉
Do you have a favorite quote from the book?
“He’s so vanilla pudding when I want chocolate éclair.” You’ll have to read the book to figure out what that means. 🙂
Love it! 🙂 Which character in this story are you most looking forward to readers meeting?
Miriam Bradford, the heroine. She’s feisty and a little saucy.
Can you tell us one of your favorite books you’ve read so far this year?
The Illusionist’s Apprentice by Kristy Cambron. Wow. That’s all I can say.
That was such a great book. Love her stories!
Do you have a favorite book cover?
Like you said in your introduction, this book cover is so beautiful. I love all the covers Barbour comes up with for their novella collections. Not only are the covers lovely, but they have the ragged edges, the flaps, and there is artwork on the inside of the front and back covers. They are gorgeous books just to pick up and hold in your hands.
I totally agree. They’re such fun to read as a paperback. Thanks for visiting with us today, Liz. Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Thank you! Yes, the first book in my next WWII series, The Melody of the Soul, is scheduled to release in January 2018.
Love the title! Congrats, Liz. I’m looking forward to it already! 🙂
GIVEAWAY!!
Liz has graciously offered to give away a copy of The Second-Chance Brides Collection. Enter below and it could be YOU!
Thanks for entering! Contest is open only in the U.S. and ends September 5, 2017. The winner will be notified by email. Happy Reading, everybody! 😉
Sounds like a wonderful collection. I really enjoy Liz’s books.
I totally agree, Ann! Hope you get to read it soon. 🙂
Sounds like an interesting story, Liz! Blessings!
Thanks so much for visiting, Carrie!
Sounds like an interesting story, Liz! Blessings!
Thanks for the interesting interview, Liz and Savanna – I enjoyed reading the background and the story line for your novella. I love Barbour novella collections and know I will love your novella also. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!!
There are SO many good Barbour novella collections out there! 🙂 Good luck in the drawing, Bonnie. So happy to see you stop by!
Thanks for the interesting interview, Liz and Savanna – I enjoyed reading the background and the story line for your novella. I love Barbour novella collections and know I will love your novella also. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!!
How fun, love these author interviews! I seriously laughed out loud when I read this line “He’s so vanilla pudding when I want chocolate éclair.” Makes me want to find out exactly what that means 😉 I have to agree with the cover being beautiful, I think the Barbor novella collections have some of the best ones out there. They are also my favorite collections. If I had to choose one, which by the way is HARD to do, I’d say my favorite one was “Seven Brides for Seven Texans”. Seven different authors featuring seven brothers tasked by their father to marry a bride by certain time in order to keep the family ranch. Each story builds on the other one unlike so many Barbor sets where each story is unique unto itself. It was such a fun collection to read by some of my favorite authors 🙂 If you haven’t read it yet Savanna, I highly recommend it! Erica Vetsh had posted on FB before the release that the inspiration for this was the movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, so I had to see if my library carried it. Sure enough they did, and I checked it out to watch before I read this. So fun!!
Liz, thanks for the fun author interview! I’m excited for your new story and your January release sounds like a great start to a series! I haven’t read too many WW2 stories, I’ll have to look for it. Savanna, thanks for featuring such a great author in today’s post. I really enjoy getting to know them via blog posts. Thanks for the giveaway also, I have my eye on this one! Second chance stories are my top favorite 🙂 Blessings!
Loved reading your comments, Trixi, as usual. 🙂 So happy you could join us, my friend. No, I haven’t read the “Seven Brides for Seven Texans” yet, but it’s definitely on my TBR list. I remember watching the Seven Brides for Seven Brothers movie at my Grandma’s when I was little and I LOVED it! Such a fun movie! Especially the barn dance scene. 🙂
Good luck in the giveaway! Hope you get to read Liz’s novella soon!
How fun, love these author interviews! I seriously laughed out loud when I read this line “He’s so vanilla pudding when I want chocolate éclair.” Makes me want to find out exactly what that means 😉 I have to agree with the cover being beautiful, I think the Barbor novella collections have some of the best ones out there. They are also my favorite collections. If I had to choose one, which by the way is HARD to do, I’d say my favorite one was “Seven Brides for Seven Texans”. Seven different authors featuring seven brothers tasked by their father to marry a bride by certain time in order to keep the family ranch. Each story builds on the other one unlike so many Barbor sets where each story is unique unto itself. It was such a fun collection to read by some of my favorite authors 🙂 If you haven’t read it yet Savanna, I highly recommend it! Erica Vetsh had posted on FB before the release that the inspiration for this was the movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, so I had to see if my library carried it. Sure enough they did, and I checked it out to watch before I read this. So fun!!
Liz, thanks for the fun author interview! I’m excited for your new story and your January release sounds like a great start to a series! I haven’t read too many WW2 stories, I’ll have to look for it. Savanna, thanks for featuring such a great author in today’s post. I really enjoy getting to know them via blog posts. Thanks for the giveaway also, I have my eye on this one! Second chance stories are my top favorite 🙂 Blessings!
I love the Timeless Romance Anthologies and Barbour’s novella collections! It’s too hard to choose a favorite!
Me too, Heidi! 🙂 Hope you get to read this new one soon!
I love the Timeless Romance Anthologies and Barbour’s novella collections! It’s too hard to choose a favorite!
I always love your books.
Thanks for visiting, Virginia!
I always love your books.
Courage to Dream by Susan Anne Mason … I’d like to read some British novellas too. I recently found out I’m more British than Irish. Lol
Hi June! I haven’t read her novella yet, but I love Susan’s books! 🙂
Courage to Dream by Susan Anne Mason … I’d like to read some British novellas too. I recently found out I’m more British than Irish. Lol
My favorite Novella collection is Seven Brides for Seven Mail-Order Husbands. Fun reads. Thanks for the giveaway and good luck everyone.
I soooo want to read that one soon. Good luck in the drawing, Debbie!
My favorite Novella collection is Seven Brides for Seven Mail-Order Husbands. Fun reads. Thanks for the giveaway and good luck everyone.
Earlier this year, I read one of my most favorite collections, also from Barbour – The Message in a Bottle collection. I loved every story. It was my first time reading one of these, and I definitely want to read more of them. 🙂
I remember hearing about that one too! Looked so good! I’m glad you could join us today, Beth!
Earlier this year, I read one of my most favorite collections, also from Barbour – The Message in a Bottle collection. I loved every story. It was my first time reading one of these, and I definitely want to read more of them. 🙂
wonderful interview. honestly I don’t know if I have read a novella collection. I have read stand alones and series
I often read more full length novels too, Lori. But there are so many cute novella collections coming out these days. I’m gonna have to try more soon! 😉 Hope you get the opportunity as well.
wonderful interview. honestly I don’t know if I have read a novella collection. I have read stand alones and series
Oh dear I’m not sure I can choose! :/ There are SO many I LOVE collections! If I have to choose just one I think it would be:
“With This Ring?: A Novella Collection of Proposals Gone Awry” I devoured the stories! LOL!
Many Blessings, Amada (a.m.a.th.a)
amada_chavezATyahooDOTcom
Oh, I loved that one too. Love those authors. 🙂 Thanks for visiting, Amada!
Oh dear I’m not sure I can choose! :/ There are SO many I LOVE collections! If I have to choose just one I think it would be:
“With This Ring?: A Novella Collection of Proposals Gone Awry” I devoured the stories! LOL!
Many Blessings, Amada (a.m.a.th.a)
amada_chavezATyahooDOTcom
I haven’t read a lot of novella collections, actually..I enjoyed “With This Ring?” though!
Thanks for this giveaway! I love Liz’s books!
That was such a fun collection! Good luck in the giveaway, Raechel!
I haven’t read a lot of novella collections, actually..I enjoyed “With This Ring?” though!
Thanks for this giveaway! I love Liz’s books!
I can’t say that I have a favorite novella collection, oh how I hate the question ‘what is your favorite’, lol, I just love them all. I love that you get your favorite authors, find new ones you enjoy, many great stories all in one book, just so much to enjoy about the collection books in the genres you enjoy!!!
wfnren at aol dot com
Haha! Sorry, Wendy, I know those are tough questions. I love hearing what you all share, though. Gives me great new books to check out. 🙂
I can’t say that I have a favorite novella collection, oh how I hate the question ‘what is your favorite’, lol, I just love them all. I love that you get your favorite authors, find new ones you enjoy, many great stories all in one book, just so much to enjoy about the collection books in the genres you enjoy!!!
wfnren at aol dot com
Barbour’s novella collections are pretty hard to beat.
They’ve got so many great ones to choose from! 😉 Thanks for joining us, Melanie.
Barbour’s novella collections are pretty hard to beat.
I love WWII novels. These Barbour books are really special. Look forward to reading this one! Thanks for the chance to win.
Wonderful! Good luck in the drawing, Paula!
I love WWII novels. These Barbour books are really special. Look forward to reading this one! Thanks for the chance to win.
A Christmas novella
Marilyn
Is that the official name of it, Marilyn? Who are the authors? I’d love to hear more about it. 🙂
A Christmas novella
Marilyn
I don’t have a favorite novella collection, but this sounds right up my alley!
Hi Cynthia! So glad you stopped by. Hope you get a chance to read this collection soon. 🙂
I don’t have a favorite novella collection, but this sounds right up my alley!
I just finished the Pony Express Romance Collection. It is great.
That one looks so good. Hope to read it soon. Thanks for sharing, Jan.
I just finished the Pony Express Romance Collection. It is great.
The Second Hand Brides collection sounds great. Thank you
Good luck in the giveaway drawing, Linda!
The Second Hand Brides collection sounds great. Thank you
There are quite a few good novella collections that have been published in the last few years. One of my favorites is Seven Brides for Seven Texans.
That’s a popular favorite, Pam! So glad you could join us!
I haven’t read any collections but The Second Chance Brides collection looks like a great one to start with. Thanks for the giveaway and interview.
Hope you get to check it out real soon, Donna! 🙂
I don’t know if I can pick a favorite collection! I like novellas because they are fairly quick reads, but sometimes I don’t want the story to end. I am currently reading Timeless Victorian Collection: Summer Holiday and enjoying it so far, and I can’t wait to read The Second Chance Brides Collection!
Thanks for joining us, Laura. I haven’t heard of the collection you mentioned. I’ll have to look it up now! 🙂 Happy Reading!
It hard to pick a favorite, but I loved Mail Order Bride Collection: A Timeless Romance Anthology. The Second Chance Brides Collection looks awesome!
Hi Julie! That one looks really good too. 🙂 Thanks for visiting!
Thank you for the interview and the giveaway!!
Good luck in the drawing! 🙂