Welcome back, Liz. Why
do you write the kind of books you do?
I’ve always been intrigued with WWII, especially since I’ve
had family members have to endure the horrors of the war. It’s important to
tell these stories before those who lived them die out. Me, my children, and
future generations need to understand the preciousness and cost of our freedom.
Besides when you came
to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?
There are 4 of them – when I married my high school
sweetheart and when we adopted each of our three children. There is no feeling
like it in the world!
How has being
published changed your life?
It has changed it in ways I never imagined. I’m so much busier
with marketing and with juggling having to write another book at the same time.
One unexpected avenue is that of speaking. In the past year or so, I’ve been
speaking up to 3 times a month and have even begun to do some traveling with
it. I enjoy it much more than I would have ever thought. It’s also crazy when
someone recognizes me and gets excited to meet little old me!
What are you reading
right now?
I’m reading Blitz
Diary as research for my next series. No fun reading for me until I get
this next book written!
What is your current
work in progress?
It’s another WWII series that follows three American women
journalists in Europe . The first book is set
in London
during the Blitz. The heroine is a feisty reporter doing everything she can to
get noticed.
What would be your
dream vacation?
I’m blessed to have taken my dream vacation – a Caribbean
cruise. I was pampered, enjoyed warm weather, ate good food. What’s not to love
about that? We’re hoping we can perhaps take another cruise, this time to Alaska .
James and I have done
two Caribbean cruises and hope to do an Alaska one, but it hasn’t happened yet.
How do you choose your settings for each book?
I like to find WWII stories that aren’t very well known, so
the setting comes along with the story. I love exploring different countries
along the way.
I have an aunt who
was an army nurse in Germany
My husband! I’ve been traveling and he’s been busy at work,
so it’s been a while since we’ve had a date. We really need one!
What are your
hobbies, besides writing and reading?
I love to garden and can’t wait until it’s warm enough for
me to get my hands back in the dirt. We also enjoy camping and kayaking. We’re
disappointed that we didn’t get to snowshoe at all this winter. We had the
cold, but not the snow.
What is your most
difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?
Just finding the time and motivation to write can be
difficult. I turn off the internet and make myself do it, giving myself little
rewards for meeting goals along the way, like a cup of tea or coffee when I
reach 1000 words.
What advice would you
give to a beginning author?
Write as much as you can, learn as much as you can, and read
as much as you can.
Tell us about the
featured book.
Interred by the Japanese, missionary Irene Reynolds comes
across a mysterious note while working at the censor’s office. She memorizes
the parts she must black out and delivers it to wealthy nightclub owner Rand
Sterling. Before she knows what’s happening, she’s drawn into a web of secrets
and danger.
Rand Sterling wants nothing more than to reopen his
nightclubs once the war ends. But slimy Frank Covey wants his hand in the
till—and has news that could threaten Rand ’s
reputation if it became public. More importantly, beautiful and intriguing
Irene Reynolds cannot discover this information if he expects to persuade her
to become his wife.
When Irene is attacked by a sinister Japanese guard and
their secrets are exposed, they must learn the true meaning of forgiveness—if
they can stave off starvation until the American troops bring freedom.
Please give us the
first page of the book.
Prologue
December 8, 1941
The cool breeze off Manila Bay Dewey Boulevard ,
past large Italianate homes and Spanish-style mansions much like his own. They
were all on his right. On his left, coconut trees waved their fronds in the
wind, and they were accented by the blue of the bay. Salt scented the air, and
he took a deep breath, unable to keep a wide smile from spreading across his
face. The beautiful woman in the seat beside him, Peggy Brambly, laughed as a
gust tugged at the brightly colored scarf on her head.
“Can you go any faster?”
Faster, yes, faster.
Rand pressed down a bit on the accelerator, the
needle on the speedometer inching up. “Better?”
She sat back against the black leather seat, her
cream-colored face lifted to the sun. “I’ve looked forward to this picnic all
week. Then you had to break our date . . .”
“Nightclubs don’t run themselves, you know. Something came
up at the Azure.”
“Or someone.”
“Comes with being the boss.” He grinned at her.
“No matter.” She waved a manicured hand. “We’re going now.”
That’s the only reason he took Peggy places from time to
time. She understood that he wasn’t a one-woman man. Not since Catherine. Peggy
made no demands on him, and he appreciated that.
He steered around a slow-moving carromatas, a two-wheeled carriage towed by a single horse, and
through the heavy traffic, Studebakers, Packards, and Nashes clogging the roads
even at this early hour. Turning onto the side streets, they passed Filipina
women in striped skirts and white blouses with full sleeves selling mangoes, camotes or sweet potatoes, and other
produce along with such Filipino treats as cassava cake and a steamed rice cake
known as puto.
“I was afraid you’d cancel again after I heard about Pearl Harbor . Nasty business, that. At least it’s far
away from us.”
A bit of Rand ’s own
lightness evaporated with Peggy’s words. The Japanese had launched a surprise
attack on Hawaii
just hours ago. Yes, for now it was far away. But for how long? What was in
store for them? MacArthur had promised to protect them. Rand
had to trust in that.
How can readers find
you on the Internet?
website www.liztolsma.com/
facebook www.facebook.com/liz.tolsma/
pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/liztolsma/
blog same as websiteThank you, Liz, for sharing some of your life and this new book with me and my readers.
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