Author of Love Finds You in Bethlehem, New Hampshire
This month I'm talking with Lauralee Bliss, author
of the novel Love Finds You in Bethlehem, New Hampshire,
which takes place in Bethlehem, New Hampshire. She is the author of twenty novels. You can visit with Lauralee at her website. She has given me a copy of this book; I'll draw a winner
for it later this month and announce the name in the next newsletter. Welcome, Lauralee, and thanks for spending time with us.
JO: Please tell us a little about yourself.
LAURALEE: Hi! I'm author
Lauralee Bliss and am so glad to be a guest. I have authored over 20 books in
both contemporary and historical romance. I'm a wife of 20 years to husband
Steve and mother to son, Joshua, whom I homeschooled. My interests besides
writing include hiking, traveling (of which I have been to 49 of the 50
states), gardening, and perusing a yard sale or two.
JO:
What do you enjoying doing when you're not writing?
LAURALEE:
I love to hike whenever I can. I love to garden as
well and am nursing baby broccoli seedlings as we speak. Right now I'm also
training our new bluetick coon hound we adopted from the SPCA. She keeps me
hopping.
JO:
Can you tell us any fun thing about you that might
surprise our readers?
LAURALEE: Since I'm an avid hiker, I'm working on a goal to climb Mt Whitney, the
highest point in the continental US in 2012, hopefully! I have already
completed the Appalachian Trail once and hope to do so again, in the opposite
direction, perhaps next year.
JO: How did
you get involved in writing?
LAURALEE: It all began back
when I was a young teen, writing creative pieces for my English teachers. They
were very supportive of my early endeavors, and I owe a lot to them for putting
me on the path I walk today. I took time out to earn a degree in nursing and
become a wife and mom before professional writing began in earnest. And I have
been writing ever since.
JO:
Where do you write? Do you have a
dedicated office or a corner or nook in a room?
LAURALEE: I have my own office space in the basement. Not
quite my home away from home, but let's just say, it's a place where I can get
away and into my characters and their unique situations.
JO:
Please tell us about Love Finds You in Bethlehem, New Hampshire.
LAURALEE:
Love Finds You in Bethlehem, New
Hampshire
is what one reader called a "twist" on the mail order bride 
story"--like the mail order bride meets up with My Fair Lady. In it there's an uneducated and penniless orphan
whose well meaning friend answers an ad for a bride, and the unsuspecting
suitor who has no idea what to make of the woman that arrives at the train
station. Even if he feels he cannot marry her, he will provide for her. But
both are in for a surprise and a change of heart and attitude--thus leading to the
idea of the first Bethlehem, that the most precious gifts don't always come as
they're expected. It is suitable for young adults on up.
JO: What takeaway value
do you hope readers receive after reading your novel?
LAURALEE: We tend
to judge on the outside rather than the inward man. God looks at the heart and
so should we. He can bring us into a further understanding of His blessings,
which are oftentimes right underneath our nose. This is what I wanted to
convey-that it isn't how we are represented on the outside that matters but
what lies on the inside.
JO: Where did you get the idea for Love Finds You in Bethlehem, New Hampshire?
LAURALEE: Since I love hiking, I love the
White Mountains-a simply beautiful place to set a book. And discovering the
rich and unique history of a tiny town called Bethlehem, it seemed the perfect
place to create this novel for the Love
Finds You series.
JO: Did you do extensive research
for this book?
LAURALEE: Initially I like to set the scene and plot
elements to see what research will need to be done. For this book, I traveled
to the actual town of Bethlehem, NH and spoke to the historian who told me
everything I needed to know about the town, its culture and people. This lent a
richness and authenticity to the story. I also bought a book on the town's
history as well as doing Internet research to supplement details.
JO: How long have you been writing? When did
you sell your first book?
LAURALEE: I have been writing professionally since the early
90's and had my first book Mountaintop,
bought by Heartsong Presents, a division of Barbour Publishing, in 1997.
JO: How do you find time
to write?
LAURALEE: Just like any job, I have my hours to write, usually in
the afternoon and evenings.
JO:
What are you working on now?
LAURALEE: I am working on the third installment of a contemporary series with
Heartsong Presents set in the beautiful state of Utah. The first book, Love's Winding Path, is out now.
It's
based on the biblical story of the Prodigal Son and takes place in Moab, Utah,
including rafting on the Colorado River
JO: What advice would you give to writers just starting
out?
LAURALEE: To quote Winston
Churchill, "Never, never, never, never give up." Press in to your call as a
writer and the mission set before you, keeping your eyes focused on the One who
holds the beginning and the end in His hands.
JO: Please tell our readers where they can get Love Finds You in Bethlehem, New Hampshire.
LAURALEE: The book is available on Amazon, Barnes and
Noble and in your favorite Christian bookstore.
JO: Where can our
readers find you?
LAURALEE: On my web site at http://www.lauraleebliss.com
My
blog, http://www.blissfulwritingthoughts.blogspot.com with a link where
you can also join my readers club on Facebook.
Lauralee,
thank you so much for spending time with us today and for this interesting interview.
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This month in 
Title: 
Title: 
This month's writing tips come from Karen Hobson,
Director, Start 2 Finish Writers Workshop, 
Finally, the doctor came in looking tired and somber.
