Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Interview with Elaine Stock and #giveaway!!!



Today we welcome Elaine Stock to my blog. Elaine is very graciously offering one copy of Christmas Love Year Round (kindle version) to one commenter. Please include contact information. 

Elaine, good to have you stop by. Tell us about the book – a brief blurb:


The Kindred Lake Series is about rediscovering the beauty of love especially in unexpected places, strengthening faith and family ties, and finding harmony in the small town of Kindred Lake.

Book 1, Christmas Love Year Round, is Cami and Gavin’s story of love and forgiveness that gives new meaning to the “boy next door” when he becomes neighbors to the woman who bullied him during their childhood.

Blurb:

Cami Richardson is good at chasing away the men in her life: first Gavin Kinkaid, a former classmate she’d helped to bully, and later, her husband who left her widowed and a single mom. Now all she wants is to bring a smile back to her eight-year-old son. What she doesn’t expect is for Gavin to become her new neighbor.

Gavin wants to settle down after serving in the Air Force and mend the separation between him and his dad. What he never counts on is his changing feelings when he sees Cami as a kind woman instead of his former adversary.

When Cami’s son blindsides them both during the Christmas season, is their reunion at risk or will it grow stronger?



Do you create playlists for each book, write to the same music all the time, don’t listen to anything?

I am a 100% seat-of-the-pants writer and when I write fresh I need to totally become absorbed into my characters’ world so I can experience life as they do. To me that means to feel, smell, see, touch and hear what they do so no music for me at this stage. However, my favorite music is classical, especially Bach and Beethoven and listening to the local classical music station first thing in the morning before I write inspires me. Sometimes when I edit I also listen to music, though softly.



Where is your favorite place to write? Pictures?

I have 3 bad discs in my neck, which makes sitting upright at a desk quite uncomfortable. For me, it’s have-laptop-will-travel. Mainly, I park myself on the living room sofa so I can lean back with my feet elevated on a hassock…not bad considering I can look out of three large windows, plus in the winter I’m only three feet from the woodstove.


Will complete this opening? “It was a dark and stormy night…”

Interesting question for me because I don’t do nights well—it’s the time when all the bogeymen from my past, and present concerns grow to monstrous shapes. As for storms, I’m like a cat that wants to hide under the sofa at the first clap of thunder—LOL.

So…

It was a dark and stormy night when Elaine opens a novel to escape for a while then hugs her husband goodnight, jumps into bed and opens her devotional to be reminded of how much God loves her. After lights are out, she falls asleep thanking God for her blessings and praying for others.




What book that you admire do you wish you’d written?

Two:

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd, a gorgeously written novel of a slice of American history that should be required reading in school.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I read it when it first came out 3 years ago and am still thinking about the haunting ending, let alone what the characters endured.




How do you find the balance of writing time and family time?

For me, it’s juggling time with my husband, writing, and working a day job 32 hours a week. Plus, I have a weekly blog, Everyone’s Story, that I host guests. Sometimes, I admit, it gets a bit overwhelming, but I tamp down on my faith that God will get me through all this and take it one step at a time. I just do it! Plus, I’m kind of an adrenaline junkie—I function much better when I have more to do than less…as long as I have my morning coffee!!






Share your bio and links for social media and to buy:


Elaine Stock--Fusing Romance, Family Drama, and Faith in a Clean Fiction Style.



Elaine Stock is the author of the novels Her Good Girl, winner of the 2018 Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal in Christian Fiction and the 2018 American Fiction Awards in the Christian Inspirational category. Her debut novel, Always With You, won the 2017 Christian Small Publishers Association Book of the Year Award in fiction. She has since published a romance novella, And You Came Along, and Christmas Love Year Round, Book 1 of the Kindred Lake Series.

Elaine is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, and Women’s Fiction Writers Association. In addition to Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads, she hangs out on her active blog, Everyone’s Story, dedicated to uplifting and encouraging all readers through the power of story and hope.

Born in Brooklyn, NY, Elaine has now been living in upstate, rural New York with her husband for more years than her stint as a NYC gal. She enjoys long walks down country roads, visiting New England towns, and of course, a good book.


Links:

Everyone’s Story blog: http://elainestock.com/blog
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ElaineStock




11 comments:

Elaine Stock said...

Laura, thanks much for hosting me on your lovely blog. I'm looking forward to meeting your viewers!!

L Palmer said...

I especially enjoyed hearing about you, Elaine and how you write. Your book sounds very good.

Marilyn R. said...

I enjoyed this interview with Elaine and learning more about her. I do not need to be included in the giveaway since I've read, reviewed and owe a kindle verison of Christmas Love Year Round. Blessings to you both.

Elaine Stock said...

Linda, thanks for visiting with us. Laura's questions made me think and I enjoyed the interview. I hope you will have a chance to read Cami and Gavin's story and bless you with love year round.

Elaine said...

Marilyn, where would I be without you? 💕

KayM said...

Enjoyed the interview, especially the spontaneous creative writing. I'm not fond of dark and stormy nights, either. I'm trying not to think about the coming winter nights--not my favorite time of year! However, it is nice in the winter to get comfy with a cup of tea and a wonderful story like Christmas Love Year Round, which I enjoyed very much!

Elaine Stock said...

Kay, you're so sweet. Thank you. As I said to Marilyn, ditto: where would I be without you 💕

This winter when the wind howls and the windows rattle (well, at least here in the NE), let's remember each other in our thoughts.

HeidiDruKortman said...

Thanks for stopping in to my friend Laura's blog.

Linda Hoover said...

I love the premise of your story. Thanks for sharing and best of luck.
Linda

Marie Bast said...

I love Christmas stories and this one sounds perfect for a cold winter's night curled up in my favorite chair by the fireplace. (If I get it before my husband.) God bless.

lollipops said...

congratulations to Marie.

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