My guest today is author Norma Gail. I've read her book and it is wonderful. Now you can read how it came to be. Enjoy!
Land of My Dreams: A Recipe for Romance
Scotland, two broken hearts, and a
mighty God—a recipe for romance. The ingredients for my debut novel, Land of My Dreams, began to reveal
themselves while planning our 30th anniversary trip to Scotland in
2006. Six years later, I had a contract with Lighthouse Publishing of the
Carolinas, two years after; I held my dream in my hands.
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The chief ingredient of a romance is love,
in generous measure. And I fell hard—for Scotland, its history, the people, the
accent, the dreich weather, and yes,
the kilts! Though my story is contemporary, I had to include some background of
a people with such fierce national pride. I ate haggis, black sausage, bangers
and mash, venison stew, and to this very day, I crave sticky toffee pudding and
meat pies.
I also fell in love my characters,
though I sometimes wanted to shake them for being such a dunderheided bunch. Bonny Bryant is a gutsy, wee beauty from America—the spice in the cake. Though she possesses
a penchant for hunks who often behave like self-centered children, she is
smart, savvy, disillusioned with God and love, and has a tenacious hold on life
and the men who love her.
Kieran MacDonell, a braw and bonnie man with red-blond hair and blue eyes that can melt a woman
with one glance adds the sugar. His long-time friend, Janet, describes him as
sweet, vulnerable, and the desire of every woman who knows him. He’s athletic,
outdoorsy, and imposing—a kilt-wearing piper, so wounded that God has no place
in his life, and completely blindsided by the petite redhead who threatens to
destroy the shaky façade of his life.
Then, there is Adam Lawson, the baking
powder, the ambitious lawyer who refuses to let Bonny go. Think Michael
Weatherly on steroids, ego in a business suit, a disarming smile no woman can
resist, and willing to use it. Anytime he appears is bound to be inopportune
and he could care less.
Scotland constitutes the frosting, the
sweet covering that attracts with its beauty and appeal, as unique in its culture as New Mexico, the home of both Bonny and me. As Bonny says, they are about as
similar as “water and dust”. Yet, each blends ancient and modern culture, including
people groups who lost their freedom to invading enemies, but never their
identity or customs. The two intermingle to the point that it wouldn’t be out
of the question for breakfast to include haggis alongside scrambled eggs
smothered in green chili.
Though rejected and questioned, the
flour, the ingredient that binds everything together and gives it strength, is
God, that glorious controller of all things. His love and compassion surrounds
each character, even when they are blind to His presence and angry at His
seeming neglect. Without God, there would be no love, and without true love,
there would be no romance.
So there you have it, the ingredients
of a romance readers call, “A truly beautiful story of healing and redemption”,
“A captivating love story”, and “What Christian fiction should be”.
Do you long to escape for the summer? Land of My Dreams, with timeless tragedy
and passion, set amongst ancient castles, glittering lochs, and breathtaking
green mountains topped by clouds, will carry you to a place where dreams come
true, and love reigns supreme.
Cheerio the nou! Goodbye
for now! I hope to meet you in the pages of my book!
© Copyright by Norma Gail Thurston Holtman
About the author:
Norma Gail is
the author of the contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years,
her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches
Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American
Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, and the New Mexico
Christian Novelists. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New
Mexico with her husband of 40 years. They have two adult children. You can connect with Norma Gail through her website at www.normagail.org
If you have any questions for Norma Gail, leave a comment below. I know she loves connecting with readers!
Thank you for hosting me today, Becky! I appreciate the opportunity to introduce your readers to Land of My Dreams!
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure! I loved your book and know my readers will as well. Plus my readers love to get to hear from published authors their own story...their journey in writing. thank you for doing this!
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