CONGRATULATIONS TO CARYL K. THE WINNER OF A PRINT COPY OF HIGH AS THE HEAVENS!! ENJOY!!
I’m so privileged to have my friend, inspirational author Kate Breslin with me today for an insider’s look behind her and her writing. Stick around to the end to enter for a chance to win a print copy of her new release, High as the Heavens!!
It’s so great to have you here, Kate. Thanks for joining us!
Hi Cynthia! Thanks so much for inviting me to be on your blog today and have the chance to talk and share with your readers!
~ Could you tell us a bit about your background. Who/what inspired you to become a writer?
I loved reading books and writing poems as a child, and went on to write tons of prose in my diary growing up. When I reached adulthood my book reading waned a bit, but I continued to write poems, and some song lyrics for my guitar. It was years later though, when I was working a high-stress job in construction that I rediscovered books. Once again I escaped into my fictional world and I especially loved reading historical romance. Those many authors taught me to love history, and inspired me to finally tackle novel writing! After almost two decades of learning the craft, writing, revising, and accumulating a mountain of rejection letters, my work began to gain notice. I’d reached a point in my return to faith as well, and considered writing inspirational fiction. I was introduced to novels written by Linda Nichols and Francine Rivers, and I found their edgy styled faith stories uplifting and compelling. I decided to craft my debut novel for the Christian market, and my writing career essentially took off. I am so grateful to those wonderful authors for kindling my passion to write, and hopefully to follow the plan God had for me all along!
~ It’s so wonderful to have mentors to guide us in our writing journeys. If for some reason you couldn’t have been a writer, what would you have enjoyed doing instead?
I’ve had one or two careers prior to becoming a full-time writer, including bookselling and government work overseas, but if my dream job wasn’t novel writing, I think I’d love to own a garden nursery! I enjoy digging in the dirt and watching my flowers bloom, especially African violets. I have a house full of them!
~ Beautiful! I wish I had your green thumb! Your latest novel, High as the Heavens released in June. Thus far, all three of your novels have been set during war-time. What draws you to write about this historical time period?
I never really set out to write war-time stories, Cynthia, but I seem to be drawn to them. With my debut novel, For Such A Time, I got the idea to superimpose the Biblical story of Queen Esther into what I thought was a more modern and similarly horrendous timeline ”the Holocaust of WWII. With my second novel, I watched a pair of suffragettes hand out white feathers of cowardice to men out of uniform in an episode of Downtown Abbey and shortly after that, Not By Sight was born. Now, with the release of High As The Heavens, I admit that I’m continually fascinated by the real lives and events of war; ordinary people rising beyond themselves to accomplish the extraordinary, and heroes and heroines saving lives, even when it might mean sacrificing their own. Their stories inspire me.
~ Me too! Your writing contains a lot of intrigue and espionage. What interests as you were growing up hinted of this fascination?
You know all of the reading I said I did growing up? Mysteries! Authors like Carolyn Keene, Agatha Christie, Phyllis Whitney, and Victoria Holt fueled my imagination and started my whodunit beginnings with writing short stories in school. Later, as an adult novelist, I discovered the spy mania of the First World War and I was hooked!
~ How fun! Do you have a favorite character in your novels? If so, who and why?
I actually have a favorite from each of my books. In For Such A Time, it was Joseph, the clever and courageous boy who took risks to help others despite his dangerous circumstances. In Not By Sight, it was Clare Danner, a bit hard-edged on the surface, but a loyal friend through and through once you scratched away the armor. In High As The Heavens, it’s Evelyn Marche, my crafty heroine, for her bravery and persistence and her willingness to put her own life on the line for what matters most.
~ It’s amazing how life-like characters become to writers as well as readers. Thanks for sharing your favorites with us! Speaking of favorites, which of your novels do you consider your greatest work? Which was your favorite project to work on?
Well, Cynthia, with three published novels, I’d have to say that my best work was my debut, For Such A Time, particularly because I had years to write, revise, tighten, and polish the story before it ever landed on an editor’s desk. The book that was most fun for me to write was my second story, Not By Sight, because it was much lighter reading compared with the Holocaust of WWII, yet I feel the story had an important message to impart.
~ Not by Sight was a lot of fun to read too! So, what can we look forward to reading from you next?
Speaking of fun, I’m enjoying writing my next project for Bethany House! It’s another WWI story set in 1918 Europe, and includes at least one character from Not By Sight. With more espionage, romance, and I hope a few more surprises, the novel is scheduled to release in spring of 2019.
~ Sounds wonderful! We’ll look forward to it!
Former bookseller-turned-author Kate Breslin enjoys life in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and family. A writer of travel articles and award-winning poetry, Kate received Christian Retailing’s 2015 Best Award for First Time Author and her novel, For Such A Time, won the 2015 Carol award for Debut Novel. Kate’s third novel, High As The Heavens released in June 2017. When she’s not writing inspirational fiction, Kate enjoys reading or taking long walks in Washington’s beautiful woodlands. She also likes traveling to new places, both within the U.S. and abroad, having toured Greece, Rome, and much of Western Europe. New destinations make for fresh story ideas. Please visit her at www.katebreslin.com.
Contact info:
Website: www.katebreslin.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KateBreslinAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kate_Breslin
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/katelbreslin/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorkatebreslin/?hl=en
High As The Heavens
A British nurse in WWI German-occupied Brussels, Evelyn Marche spends her days at the hospital and her nights working at a café . . . or so it seems. Eve’s most carefully guarded secret is that she also spends her nights carrying out dangerous missions as a spy for a Belgian resistance group. When a plane crashes as she’s en route to a rendezvous, Eve is the first to reach the downed plane and is shocked to recognize the badly injured pilot as British RFC Captain Simon Forrester. She risks her life to conceal him from the Germans, but as the secrets between them grow and the danger mounts, can they still hope to make it out of Belgium alive?
Reviews
“What a thrill ride! Breslin’s latest has non-stop action and intrigue set in the fascinating time period of World War I. The characters are detailed and realistic, reflecting emotions that speak to a broad audience in any era. The storyline is intricately plotted and filled with incredible detail that will keep readers engaged and desperate to know what will happen. The romance is tender and the historical events are captivating, making this a book that is not to be missed.” RT Book Reviews TOP PICK
Now’s your chance to enter to win a print copy of High As The Heavens! Choose 1 or more of the options below to be entered in the drawing! The more you do the greater your chances! You have until early July 11th. I’ll announce the winner by or before July 12th.
Really enjoyed the interview. I have read and loved this book.
Hi, Ann! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts! Blessings!
Thanks so much, Ann! I really appreciate your kindness and encouragement!
You are a new author to me so I’m anxious to read this book. Thank you for the chance.
You’re quite welcome, Deana! So great to meet you! Blessings!
Thanks, Deana! I hope you enjoy reading High As The Heavens!
Fabulous interview with Kate! I loved Not By Sight. I’m currently reading For Such A Time.
Thank you for the giveaway.
You’re so welcome, Caryl. I loved Not By Sight as well. Thanks for participating in the giveaway!
Caryl, hi! Thank you for your support and I hope you enjoy reading High As The Heavens, too. Blessings to you!
You are a new author to me so I am looking forward to reading this book! I love Kate’s books!!
Thank you for the give away!
You’re welcome, Mary. It’s so good to meet you! Kate if a gifted writer and a good friend. I wish you the best and appreciate your visit. Thanks for stopping in and checking out my site/debut novel!
Thank you for your kind words, Mary! I wish you the best on the contest!
You are a new author to me. I really enjoyed the description of your book and I’m looking forward to reading the book.
Thank you so much, Dianne! I pray you’ll be blessed in reading Under This Same Sky! Thanks for your kind words.
Hi Dianne! I’m so glad to be a new to you author! I hope you get the chance to read some of my stories. God bless!
I have only read Not By Sight and I love it. I do love the names of your books.
Thank you for not giving up.
Thanks for stopping by, Sonnetta. It’s so good to meet you!! Blessings!
Hi Sonnetta! It’s great to connect with you here on Cynthia’s blog site. Thank you for your encouragement, it really means a lot. I hope you enjoy reading High As The Heavens, too!
I don’t think I’ve read any Kate Breslin books, but I’d love to remedy that!!
I’m sure you’ll greatly enjoy them. She’s a gifted writer! Thanks for commenting!
It’s so nice to meet you, Rosalyn! I hope you get the chance to read High As The Heavens, as well as my other stories. Blessings to you!
My favorite Kate book is Not by Sight. I have High as the Heavens on my #TBR list.
Same here, Sharlene! Thanks for sharing! God bless.
Hi Sharlene! It’s great to have you visit with Cynthia and me! I’m so glad you enjoyed Grace’s story, and I hope you’ll like Eve’s in High As The Heavens just as much. God bless!
I have not yet been fortunate to read one of her books yet but would like to. I like good, clean books to read and they are getting harder to find, so it would seem. So glad when I come across a giveaway like this and gladly enter. Thank you for hosting this!
Thank you, Mary! It’s fun to meet new people and this is a great way to do it. So glad to introduce you to Kate. She’s a wonderful person and author. If you’re looking for another clean read and like historical w/light romance, I invite you to check out my debut novel, Under This Same Sky. It’s very clean and available on Amazon in both e-book and print. God bless!
Thank you for such a warm welcoming reply to my comment! I enter these and put my heart into my comments and really appreciate the time and effort that goes into writing a book and all the steps to get to publishing and tours after! Since I’m not cut out to be a writer, I enjoy losing myself in others’ ability to transport me through books!
Aah! You’re quite welcome, Mary. And I appreciate your willingness to take time out to share your thoughts. It truly is a blessing and a pleasure to “meet” you. God bless!
Hi Mary, it’s so nice to meet you here! I have to say, it’s a blessing to me to be able to provide stories suitable for teens as well as adults. I hope you’ll get the chance to read High As The Heavens and my other novels!
And a special thank you for such a warm reply to my comment also! I really do hope to read all your books in time and I appreciate the keeping it wholesome. I’d also like to read Cynthia Roemer’s suggestion of her book too!
Blessings to you both!
Thank you, Mary. And blessings to you as well!
Thanks, Mary! I hope you’ll enjoy Becky’s story (Under This Same Sky). I pray you’ll be blessed in reading it! =)
Sounds interesting, my dad was in the RAF.
How neat! Thanks for sharing and stopping by, Ann!
Hi Ann! Thanks for your post. Wow, your dad was in the RAF? You’ve got my interest! 🙂 During my research for High As The Heavens, I enjoyed learning about how the Royal Flying Corps got its start in 1912 and eventually became known as the RAF in 1918. 100 years ago, the average life expectancy of a British military pilot was about 3 weeks. It was extremely dangerous and they flew without parachutes until the 1920s. Talk about brave men! I’m sure you’re proud of your dad!
Hi Kate, i have just seen your comment on Cynthias blog, my dad died 9 years ago and he used to teach cadets until a few years before, if you need to k ow anything i will try and find out, i will check out your book, blessings.
Ann, I’m sorry for your loss. My dad has been gone many years too, and I still miss him! Thank you for the offer to provide information, it’s wonderful to know I have you as a resource if I need it. My current work in progress involves a different branch of military service, but I’ve got another pilot story developing in the back of my mind! 🙂 God bless!
I can’t pick a favorite between For Such a Time and Not By Sight. I loved them both. I haven’t yet read High as the Heavens, though I’m hoping to soon.
Yes, it’s hard! Thanks for stopping by, Pam! Blessings!
Pam, thank you! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my stories so far. I hope you’ll get the chance to read High As The Heavens soon. Blessings to you!
this is a wonderful review. she is a new author to me. I look forward to reading her books
Thanks, Lori! So glad you enjoyed it. I know you’ll enjoy Kate’s writing.
Hi Lori! Thank you, and I’m so pleased to be new to you. I hope you’ll get the chance to read High As The Heavens, and my other stories as well!
This was a very exciting review can hardly wait to put these books on my list of readings. Wish you a lot of inspiration for many more books.
Thanks for stopping by. So glad you enjoyed the interview and learning about Kate’s books. God bless!
Mai-Britt, thank you for your encouragement! I pray that God continues to inspire me in my writing, and I hope you’ll enjoy High As The Heavens and reading my other stories as well. Blessings!
I loved For Such a time. enjoyed learning more about Kate.
She’s a neat person. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, AnnaLee! Blessings.
Thank you, AnnaLee! I appreciate your post and I’m so glad you enjoyed reading For Such A Time. I hope you’ll like High As The Heavens, too. Blessings!
Hi! Thanks for the giveaway. I haven’t read any books by Kate Breslin…yet. But I am eager to start. I’ve seen reviews by readers about her books and heard good things, so I definitely want to read them myself too. Also, her book covers are lovely.
Hi Chanel! Thanks for stopping by. I love her covers as well. Blessings!
Hello, Chanel! Thank you for your post. I’d love to be a new to you author and hope you enjoy my stories. I agree with you about the covers, too–I feel very blessed to have such a great artwork team at Bethany House. God bless!
Great interview! I too enjoyed reading High as the Heavens!
Thanks, Trisha! Good to have you stop in! Yes. Kate has a way with words!
Trisha, thank you! I’m thrilled to know you enjoyed Eve and Simon’s story! And thanks for stopping by the interview to say hello, too. 🙂 God bless!
I’ve only read Not By Sight so far, but I am sure the other 2 are just as good! I love the way Kate writes and how she makes you feel like you are experiencing everything with the characters.
I do too, Laura! Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Blessings!
Laura, I’ve always loved reading stories that make me feel like I’m right there in the scene, so your words made my day! 🙂 Thank you so much for enjoying Not By Sight, and I hope you’ll like High As The Heavens, too. God bless!
Cynthia, thank you so much for hosting me on your blog. As always, it was a wonderful experience and I enjoyed the great comments! God bless you in your own writing, my friend, and continue to get those great reviews for Under This Same Sky!
Thank you, Kate. It was my pleasure! Blessings on your continuing writing journey, my friend!