Welcome, Kayla. Tell
us how much of yourself you write into your characters? I don’t include a great deal of myself within my characters.
I always have the goal
of making my characters able to stand up to all the obstacles they face. Other
than sharing Kendra’s Christian faith in
Finding her Family’s Love, I’m not like
her character. She is an accomplished athlete and a talented knitter, both of
which I am not.
I place my characters in small towns because small towns fascinate
me. I live in a large suburb of Chicago.
What is the quirkiest
thing you have ever done? “Quirky” would not be an adjective anyone would
use to describe me. However, for a Girl Scout book discussion I replicated the Arctic within my house by blasting the air conditioner as
high as it could go. Everyone shivered and had to don parkas and mittens. I covered
the furniture with white sheets making it look like mounds of snow surrounded
us. The book included some physical trials for the main character, so I also
created obstacle courses and competitions.
When did you first
discover that you were a writer? I discovered that I was a writer in spring
of third grade in Ms. Eaton’s classroom. We all wrote a story, which I enjoyed
doing. Then, our teacher explained that authors write for a living. Although I read
voraciously, I never thought of who wrote the books I devoured. I remember
everything about that moment, including my teacher’s sleeveless green dress,
the way the breeze rattled the window blinds, and how my heart leapt at the
idea of crafting my own stories.
Tell us the range of
the kinds of books you enjoy reading. I work as a middle school librarian.
My goal is to read a book a day, and I read in multiple genres to support my
students. In my reading of books for adult, I turn the pages of inspirational romance, romantic suspense, contemporary
fiction, mystery, historical, select memoirs, and some nonfiction. I don’t like
horror books.
How do you keep your
sanity in our run, run, run world? I spend time with my family, and I love
to exercise, which includes a brisk walk, a dip in the park district pool, or stationary
bike ride when I feel stressed.
How do you choose
your characters’ names? I look up names’ meanings. In addition, I consider
the sounds of names. For example, I liked how the name “Kendra,” brought to
mind for me a strong person. The “Old English meaning: bold power.”
What is the
accomplishment that you are most proud of? I am proud that my husband of
thirty-two years and I have raised three happy and kind daughters who all strive
to make our world a better place.
If you were an
animal, which one would you be, and why? I’d be a dog because canines rank
as my favorite animal. Specifically, I would be a Standard poodle, therapy dog
so that I would not provoke anyone’s allergies, and I could help others.
What is your favorite
food? I love fresh salmon cooked any possible way, and of course a salmon
dinner would include chocolate for dessert.
What is the problem
with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it? I
used to write a great deal of nonfiction. I had an article assignment while I
was on bed rest while pregnant with my second daughter. I wrote the article
while lying down and met my deadline. In hindsight, I wished I told the editor my
situation.
Tell us about the
featured book. Pregnant, widowed, and alone, thirty-year-old Kendra
McFarland yearns for family for herself and her unborn baby. She strives to put
the pain of her emotionally abusive marriage behind her. With her strong faith
and optimism leading her forward, she works to regain her self-confidence and
open her heart to love.
Kendra visits the small town of Shallow Stream thrilled to
meet her late husband’s family for the first time. To her shock,
her grieving mother-in-law accuses Kendra of being a gold digger and rejects her. Will
Pierce, her late husband’s cousin, offers her the love and family she seeks, or will
the relationship create new heartbreak?
Please give us the
first page of the book.
Heart thrumming, Kendra McFarland
stood outside the farmhouse and waited
for the rest of her life to begin.
“We’re here, little one.” She gave
her still-flat belly a pat. Kendra
couldn’t
wait to tell her mother-in-law the news about the baby. She
imagined
the woman’s delight would equal hers. Mrs. McFarland
deserved to
be the first one to hear about Kendra’s pregnancy and
warmly
welcome her and the baby into the family.
Soon, she’d meet her Shallow Stream,
Illinois, relatives. Instead of the
McFarlands’ vehicles crackling across the gravel driveway, only the chirps of
robins greeted Kendra. Her mother-in-law, Mrs. MerylMcFarland,
had scheduled the extended family to gather at 3p.m., exactly when
Kendra arrived for this first-time meet up. Where was everybody?
No cars lined Hickory Road,
a remote street that her GPS had
difficulty locating.
Her stomach fluttered. Perhaps, the
family would stop by later that Sunday
afternoon, clutching steaming chicken casseroles and chocolate chip
cookies warm from the oven. Her mouth watered. Even more, she craved the
idea of sharing a meal. Family. She rolled that delicious word around her
tongue.
Strolling along the cobblestone
path, crimson rose bushes edged both sides
of the curved pathway. Rosebuds leaked their sweet scent, and,
overhead, the leaves rustled. A hint of a summer storm sliced through the
90-degree air, but Kendra still shivered. On the freshly painted
front porch, a new-looking mat proclaimed, “Welcome.”
She smiled at the simple word.
Before she
reached the doorbell, a man in his thirties, clutching a water
bottle, flung open the front door. Placing the bottle on the front porch's
wicker chair, he bent to tighten his athletic shoe’s laces. Then he looked up
and gazed right at her. His gray-blue eyes sparkled under his thick
brows. Her heart quickened. His stance reminded her of the way her late
husband stood. She bit her lip at the memory of her David, gone from her
life only two months ago.
The guy on the wraparound porch
stood taller. Wind ruffled his dark, wavy
hair, but he didn’t bother to smooth it back. Unlike her late husband, he
didn’t shout or scowl.
“Hi, I’m Kendra.” She took a deep
breath and held out her shaking hand to
accompany her trembling voice. “Uh, David’s wife. I’m happy to be able
to meet the whole family today. I...I guess I should’ve said I’m David’s
widow.” She’d never get used to that term, especially being widowed at
age thirty.
How can readers find
you on the Internet?
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KaylaKensington
Instagram: @kayla_kensington/
Web site:
https://kaylakensington.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kayla-Kensington-Writes-112240217205129
Thank you, Kayla, for
sharing this book with my blog readers and me.
Readers,
here’s a link to the book.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=finding+her+family%27s+love&i=digital-text&crid=1V61VJKFGRNBT&sprefix=Finding+Her+FAmily%27s+Love%2Cdigital-text%2C193&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_25
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