Hey, everybody! My guest this week is my friend and agent-mate, Janette Foreman, whose debut, Last Chance Wife, just released on Tuesday! Here’s the blurb…
When six-time mail-order bride Winifred Sattler is stranded in Deadwood, Dakota Territory, she’s grateful to find a temporary position at Mr. Ewan Burke’s business until she can return home. Ewan is handsome, but stuffy and serious—her complete opposite. Unlike her new anonymous correspondent, Mr. Businessman, who appreciates her bubbly optimism.
To keep his mining company afloat, Ewan can’t be distracted by Winifred’s vivacious beauty. He needs a no-nonsense wife. Someone like Miss Thoroughly Disgruntled, the only respondent to his recent ad with whom he truly connected. In person, Winifred and Ewan don’t get along, but in their letters they’re falling in love. Will they discover a perfect match in each other?
Janette is graciously giving away an electronic copy of Last Chance Wife to one lucky commenter on this post! Full instructions are at the end.
Welcome to the blog, Janette! It’s great to have you here!
Thanks for having me!
First question for you…what was the inspiration for Last Chance Wife?
I wanted to write a story about people falling in love through letters. I’d brainstormed a few ideas but never could quite come up with the right concept. Then, Love Inspired had their Manuscript Match contest, and one of the categories was Mail Order Bride. Perfect! The premise for Last Chance Wife stemmed from that.
Which character was easiest for you to understand while writing? Which character presented more of a challenge?
Well, a mixture of both the hero and heroine! Certain aspects of Ewan and Winifred were easy, while other aspects were a struggle.
For example, Ewan analyzes everything. He wants to do his work by the book, which sometimes traps him into thinking ‘inside the box’. I have been guilty of this! However, I don’t identify with his strained relationship with his father and twin brother, as I’m very close with my parents and siblings. So that took some digging.
Winifred’s desire for meaningful romance and worries of self-worth are things that I personally have felt. Plus, she has good intentions that somehow land her in comical fiascos. (I think many of us can identify with that to some extent.) Also, I share her love of drawing! But we’re different in that she’s vivacious and longs to be with people. I’m an introvert. 🙂
As am I! Introvert power!
What does your writing routine look like? What obstacles do you face in finding time to write? (I bet I can think of two… 😉 )
Ha!! Yes, raising twin toddlers takes a bit of my time. So, right now, my writing time basically happens during naps, or on an evening where my husband watches the kids while I sneak off to a restaurant to write alone.
I, too, am a member of the Write During Naptime Club, although all my kids have outgrown their naps (WOE).
How did God change you during the writing of Last Chance Wife? What spiritual lessons do you hope your readers take away from the book?
The theme of Last Chance Wife is all about worth—how our worth is tied to Who created us, not to our accomplishments (or failures). It’s a lesson I’d been learning for a while before writing the book, and I wanted to infuse it into the characters’ growth as well.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
Play with my kids! As far as personal hobbies go, though, I love to read; quilt with my mom, grandmas, aunt, and friends; draw; and garden.
Last question! If you could have coffee/tea/gratuitous amounts of carbs with any author, living or dead, who would you choose? What would you want to talk about with him or her?
Melissa Tagg! I would really love to sit down with her and talk about writing romance, finding God in the writing space, and fictional heroes that really shine (Logan Walker, anyone?).
Thanks so much for being here, Janette! I can’t wait to read Ewan and Winifred’s story!
GIVEAWAY INSTRUCTIONS: One commenter to this post will be randomly selected and the results posted in the comment section. Janette will be in touch with you to deliver your prize!
Last Chance Wife can be found at some Walmart stores, as well as Amazon, Christianbook.com, and Barnes and Noble.
A former high school English teacher turned stay-at-home mom, Janette Foreman is passionate about inspirational, God-centered romances and teaching people to see themselves as having worth in God’s eyes. Janette is a proud member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), secretary of the ACFW Dakotas Chapter, and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray at the Steve Laube Agency. When she sneaks in time for her extra hobbies, Janette loves to read, quilt, make cloth dolls, and draw. A graduate of York College and Black Hills State University, Janette makes her home in the northern Midwest with her amazing husband, polydactyl cat, bird-hunting dog, and the most adorable baby twin boys on the planet.
Janette would love to connect with you on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or at her website.