Heat Wave – Guest Posts | Mich's Book Reviews

As there are three author’s featured in the Heat Wave anthology, I decided to ask them all the same question, which was:

How important is the setting in your story to the journey taken by your main character?

Here are the guest posts plus a little info on each author and their novella.

Elizabeth M. Lawrence:

In general, setting always has some sort of impact on a story. Characters are bound by the setting, interact with it, and are influenced by it in much the same way that a real life person might be inspired in a cathedral and depressed while sitting in an office cubicle. In Wishing Cotton, the setting is in many ways responsible for the events that influence the characters’ choices and behaviors.

The three main characters – Olive, Blair, and Peter – are all on vacation, staying in separate beachfront cabins. Given the time to relax and reflect, each character comes to identify what one thing he or she feels is missing. It is while lounging in the sun that Olive first begins to ponder the nature of wishes, following a train of thought she would not have pursued if they were visiting a more active location. The setting provides her with the opportunity to exercise her imagination. Likewise, normally practical Blair unwinds enough to agree to help with her friend’s fanciful experiment, even though it seems silly to her. Her surroundings have mellowed her so that she can have this experience as well.

The setting can also be said to be responsible for bringing the romantic element to life. It is because of the very peacefulness of their hideaways that all three must seek out more stimulating surroundings. The women and Peter would not encounter each other if the local carnival was not the sole option for activity in that area. For Peter, the carnival is an opportunity to observe human nature and seek inspiration. For Olive and Blair, it offers the prospect of fun and entertainment. Three people looking for such different things would not encounter each other if they were in a different setting that offered more options.

The setting affects the overall tone of the story, as well. It supports the light-hearted feel oft he characters’ interactions. What would be difficult to imagine in a more day-to-day setting becomes believable in the context of summer vacation. It evokes memories of childhood games and having the freedom to choose any future you want. Even when dealing with the unpleasantness of reality, the characters are given the chance to process their feelings through a filter. They can contemplate the unpleasantness in their lives without feeling it too much, because for their immediate future, they are in an environment in which there are few potential problems they must confront. Their lives are on hold, so they can stop and live in the moment. This is a phenomenon that would not occur had they selected a different setting for their getaway time.

The importance of setting to the story may be subtle in Wishing Cotton, but it is nonetheless a major influence on the characters. A visit to New York City or a ski trip would not have provided the circumstances necessary for the characters to think, react, and interrelate as they do at their beachside hideaway. I tried to bring that setting and the atmosphere it creates to life for the reader, as well, and I hope that I was successful. Wishing Cotton is being released July 23, 2013, by Renaissance Romance Publishing, and I hope readers will enjoy visiting the setting I’ve created for my characters.

Throw a penny in a well, wish on a star, find a four-leaf clover . . . No matter which rituals people follow, none ever seem to work. But what if there were a way to make wishes come true? For best friends Olive Alexander and Blair Adams, a beach holiday provides the perfect opportunity to see if they can find the secret. Could fellow vacationer Peter Keyes hold the key to solving this puzzle?

Elizabeth M. Lawrence is the author of both contemporary and period romances. Each book incorporates its own unique blend of humor and reverence, the paranormal and the mundane, innocence and insanity. In addition to her novels, Elizabeth serves as Editor-in-Chief for Renaissance Romance Publishing. A lifelong writer and former paralegal, Elizabeth divides her free time between her husband and two sons, her three cats, her collection of cozy murder mysteries, her slight Doctor Who obsession, and her mildly severe caffeine addiction. A native of Lawrence, Kansas, Elizabeth now works from her home in Cleveland, Ohio.

Links

* Facebook * Twitter * Blog * Goodreads * Amazon * About Me *

Jude Ouvrard:

In Under the Sun, you get to witness the evolution of Tracey. She goes from being unhappy, to I’m fine and finally, to happy. She is a young woman and she should be enjoying every second of life but she wasn’t. She was grieving the loss of someone she loved. There are flashbacks from the past that explain the reasons of Tracey’s pain and the exact same thing happen when it comes to Jackson’s past. Jackson is a bit older and has more experience.

He comes into Tracey’s life and show her the way to happiness. I think the events of their life brought them together.The message behind the story is that humans are allowed to have weak moment. It is normal to have periods in our life where we need to deal with our emotions. In my opinion, the most important part about these moments is that we learn from it and we come back stronger. I hope this is what you will learn or appreciate from the story. Always be the best that you can be.

Tracey Howard has put her life on hold for years to care for her grandmother. Now that her grandmother is gone, Tracey decides to spend summer at the beach and reflect on where she wants life to take her next. Jackson Phillips is her new neighbor, and he dazzles her from the first moment they meet. Will Jackson be able to show Tracey how to let go of old pain and embrace future happiness?

Jude lives in Montreal, Canada. She is the proud mother of a beautiful

four year old son, and has spent the last twelve years with her partner, Cedric. French is her native language, but she prefers to write in her second language, English. Besides working full time for a title insurance company and being a mother, Jude has a passion for books, both reading and writing them.

Links

* Facebook page * Facebook author profile * Twitter * Website * Goodreads * About Me * Facebook group*

Jane Reinhart:

The local flavor of a small village situated along the shores of the Hudson River in New York set the tone for this story which began in 1960. Considered “the country” by city folks, Ramsen Cove was the kind of town where everybody knows your name, life was simple, kids didn’t run in the fast lane, and most residents who were born there never left. Although the main character, Paige, had recently moved to Ramsen Cove with her family, her mother had grown up there. Many of mom’s family members had remained, and one relative in particular later played a crucial part in the ending of the story.

When teenagers Paige and Joey fell in love, the Riverton Boat Club became their home base and the scenic Hudson River provided a backdrop for important scenes. While time progressed, however, Paige and Joey tragically took separate paths. Enter Nick, a streetwise city guy from the Bronx.

The setting of small towns located within easy access to each other was important when the long journey of Paige’s troubled marriage to Nick finally led her on a mobile search and discover mission.

Paige Henderson and Joey Novak are planning their wedding. But a devastating and mysterious phone call leads Paige onto a path of self-destruction and into the arms of the wrong man. Her ensuing marriage to Nick Bruska becomes a nightmare and she struggles to regain self-worth. Joey has never forgotten Paige. Will he ever see her again? Only then could they discover the terrible mistake that changed the course of their lives.

Jane Reinhart, author and poet, resides in Westchester County, New York, with her husband and three dogs. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling and cooking.