Summer Stories: Reluctant To Wed

Interview with Anneliese Dalaba about her book, Reluctant To Wed:

Alexis: Who is Emma and what is her role in this story? 

Anneliese: Emma is the main character, the heroine of the story. Although born and raised in America, she is the granddaughter of Baron Houlton, who plans to use her to secure greater prestige for his progeny. 

Alexis: Why does Emma leave her parents’ farm in Pennsylvania and travel to England? 

Anneliese: Baron Houlton investigates the family of his younger son living in America and uses their adversity to offer a bribe. He will save their farm if Emma will agree to an arranged marriage in England to the Earl of Devonport. The family does not coerce Emma to comply, but after much prayer Emma feels she should accept.

Alexis: Who is Earl of Devonport and what role does he play in this story? 

Anneliese: The Earl of Devonport, also known as Devon, is the hero of the story. His father and Baron Houlton were close friends who arranged a marriage between the earl’s son and the baron’s oldest granddaughter. However, Devon dragged his feet for too long. The oldest granddaughter falls in love and marries another man, much to the baron’s displeasure. Although Devon’s father has passed away and Devon is now the Earl of Devonport, he feels obligated to fulfill his father’s promise to Baron Houlton’s family.

Alexis: Is Emma a hopeless romantic? Why or why not? 

Anneliese: I don’t find Emma to be a hopeless romantic. She is an optimist. She finds good in every situation. But she is greatly challenged to maintain such an attitude in this story. She hopes for love, of course, and longs for it desperately, but seeks for it in prayer and in obedience to God’s Word. 

Alexis: Why does Devon want to keep Emma at arm’s length as his wife, with no emotional ties? 

Anneliese: Although Devon honors his father’s wish for a marriage alliance with Baron Houlton’s family, he assumes Emma is a fortune hunter or an opportunist since she is willing to come to England leaving behind all she knows. His experience in London society has not given him a good impression of wives. He sees how his friends and even his brother have to dance to the tune of their women. Devon wishes to maintain his independence. Although he agrees to marry, he plans to leave his wife in the country while he spends most of his time in London with his friends.

Alexis: Devon sounds kind of coldhearted. He’s willing to provide a home and allowance for Emma but not share his heart in love. How does his coldhearted nature affect Emma? 

Anneliese: Devon is not as coldhearted as he seems. Emma is unaware of his plans, so she continues to hope for more. 

Alexis: What is it about Emma that starts to draw Devon to her? 

Anneliese: Emma is not a pushover. She is honest and direct about her opinions but in a graceful and respectful manner. Her unpretentious attitude draws Devon from the start. He enjoys being around her but fears she is weaving a web that will cause him to become like all his married friends.

Alexis: Why does Emma think that she has to let go of her dreams? 

Anneliese: Something unexpected happens in the story just when Emma’s hopes are high that she and Devon have found love after all. It is so devastating to her. She wants to have hope in the situation but one thing after another dashes any hope she wishes to cling to. 

Alexis: What role does faith in God play in your characters’ story? 

Anneliese: It is when all hope seems gone that Emma relinquishes her dreams and hopes, accepting that perhaps God has a different plan for her life. She isn’t happy about it, but she realizes that God is faithful and can always be trusted to guide her life. She would serve Him no matter what life brought her way. 

Alexis: Did you do research for this story? If so, describe the process.

Anneliese: I’ve read hundreds of novels in the Regency time period so much of my research accumulated over years of reading. I did do some research about America in the early 1800s. I also researched some settings in England, but the towns I created are all fictitious. I researched the clothing men and women wore as well as the transportation they used. Research takes time but is very fascinating.

Alexis: What was your most memorable moment in writing Reluctant to Wed? 

Anneliese: Since this was my first attempt at writing a novel, it was all a new experience. I’ve heard it said that most writers do not know what they are doing until they’ve done it. Well, that would certainly describe me. I also heard that the characters in the story should be given the freedom to tell their own story, which I thought was rather odd or fantastical. However, as I began weaving the story that is exactly what happened. The imagination takes over and the characters become so real that they do drive the story forward. The story just flowed until it was written. That part was fun. 

Alexis: What do you want readers to remember most about this story? 

Anneliese: I want my readers to see how applying God’s Word in every situation we face and then fully trusting Him is where our true strength lies. I also hope that they will try to find something good in whatever situation they are facing. Although life can be hard, there is always something good to be found in every day. And even if you’re hurting, look for ways to bless others. In the process, you will find joy in the midst of trials. 

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Anneliese! God bless you.

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Author Bio:

Anneliese Dalaba lives in Michigan with her husband of 30 years.

She has been in full-time ministry beside her husband all of those years. He’s the hero of her personal love story and her greatest encourager. 

She is a member of ACFW and ACFW Great Lakes Chapter. For many years, she worked as an administrative assistant and medical transcriptionist. 

After raising their two children, she is now experiencing the wonderful phase of grandparenting. 

Anneliese is an avid reader and an author of Christian historical romance.

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Book Blurb for Reluctant To Wed:
To keep her parents from losing their farm in Pennsylvania, Emma agrees to travel to England and accept her grandfather's offer to arrange a marriage for her with the Earl of Devonport. She secretly hopes a marriage to this stranger will lead to love. 

To honor his father, Devon reluctantly agrees to marry Emma but determines to keep her at arm's length. A marriage of convenience is satisfactory to the earl who wants no emotional ties. He needs an heir, but he refuses to bow to the whims and demands of a wife. He would prefer simply to provide a home and a generous allowance for her but continue to enjoy his freedom.

Emma’s straightforward and unpretentious manner draws Devon’s admiration. Unfortunately, long-held fears are not easily overcome. Emma finds herself falling in love with him, but after an unexpected event, she faces her greatest challenge ever. Emma must learn to trust God even if it means letting go of her dreams.

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Buy Reluctant to Wed on Amazon

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Connect with Anneliese:
Website/Blog: https://www.anneliesedalaba.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anneliesedalaba/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/adalaba2017
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/AnneDalaba/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adalaba2017/
Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/2vuQyew
Email: anneliesedalaba@gmail.com

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Let Love Bloom: Safe Refuge

Interview with Pamela S. Meyers about her book “Safe Refuge”:

Alexis: Why do you call this book “Safe Refuge”?

Pamela: For my character, Anna, her new home in Wisconsin is a safe refuge for her. Many Bible verses also refer to the Lord as a safe refuge.

Alexis: Who is Anna Hartwell and why is she planning to marry a man that she loathes?

Pamela: Anna is the first-born daughter of a wealthy Chicago family and when she was an infant, her parents arranged a marriage for her with the son of friends they had known a long time. You’ll have to read the book to find out why going against her parents' wishes is so difficult for her.

Alexis: Why does Anna call Chicago home? What makes it special?

Pamela: Although Chicago is the only home she has known having been raised there, she has never felt totally comfortable with all the trappings of wealth that her parents enjoy, and after becoming a Christian, she has found solace in volunteering at a mission school as a teacher and attending Sunday night services at the Illinois Street Church (founded by D.L. Moody).

Alexis: Who is Lyman Millard and why does he want an arranged marriage to Anna?

Pamela: Like Anna, he had no say in the marriage plans since he was a child when the plans were set. But he has no reason to not want it. It’s the custom in his family and what’s not to like about being married to a pretty woman that he can escort to social functions. To know more about this multi-layered character. You’ll have to read the book.

Alexis: What role does your characters’ faith in God play in this story?

Pamela: God sustains Anna through some very difficult times in the course of the story.

Alexis: How did the Great Chicago Fire impact the plot for this story?

Pamela: Two days before the arranged marriage is to take place, the fire erupts and totally consumes Anna’s family home and her father’s business property. The family moved north to what is now Lake Geneva, Wisconsin to live with friends until a new home on Geneva Lake can be built.

Alexis: Who is Rory Quinn and what role does he play in this story? How is he different from Lyman?

Pamela: Rory, an Irish immigrant, is the janitor/handyman at the mission school. He and Anna talk often about God and the issues they have with their respective families. He is everything positive that Lyman is not. And easy on the eyes too! Despite her being in an arranged marriage she’s attracted to Rory and knows she can’t marry him because of the arranged marriage and he’s attracted to her but knows he can’t have her because she is high-class and he is not.

Alexis: What is it about Anna that attracts Rory?

Pamela: Aside from her beauty, her faith in God, kindness, and humility, not putting on airs with those of a lower class than hers and never holding her status over them.

Alexis: If you were Anna’s Mom, what advice would you give her concerning her heart in the love triangle of sorts in this story?

Pamela: You will hear plenty from Mother when you read the story. I’m not going to reveal it all here, except to say she is not happy with Anna’s attraction to Rory pulls out all stops to get the marriage plans with Lyman back on track.

Alexis: What do you want readers to remember most about your book?

Pamela: That God is our refuge and strength and underneath are his everlasting arms. It’s a Bible promise found in Deuteronomy 33:27.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Pam! Would you like to share closing thoughts?

Pamela: Having grown up in Lake Geneva, WI next to beautiful spring-fed Geneva Lake, I was blessed to take for granted the beauty of the area and the wonderful mansions and estates that sit on much of the lake’s shoreline.

The newer homes are lovely, but a piece of Lake Geneva’s history has been lost in the process. I decided to write the Newport of the West series, starting with Safe Refuge to preserve some of that lost history. The reason for the series title is that when all the fancy large homes began appearing on the lakeshore, the area reminded people of Newport, Rhode Island where many of New York City’s wealthy built similar homes for a getaway. At the time Chicago was considered “the West” as the territories farther west hadn’t yet been established or heavily populated.

If you are ever in the area of Lake Geneva, check out the excursion boats that take passengers on a 26-mile tour of the entire lakeshore and announce the histories behind many of the homes as you pass by.

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Author Bio:

Pam has written most of her life, beginning with her first diary at age eight. Most of her novels are set in or near her hometown of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. They include Surprised by Love in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and her newest release, Safe Refuge, the first of three novels in her Newport of the West series. Her novel, Second Chance Love, released last year, and her novella, If These Walls Could Talk, was published in the Coming Home collection. 

Future novels include Whatever is True (March 2019), Shelter Cove and Tranquility Point, both part of her current series.

Pam resides in northern Illinois with her two rescue cats. She’s an hour or so away from her hometown where she can often be found researching and nosing for new story ideas. 

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Book blurb:

In two days, wealthy Chicagoan, Anna Hartwell, will wed a man she loathes. She would refuse this arranged marriage to Lyman Millard, but the Bible clearly says she is to honor her parents, and Anna would do most anything to please her father—even leaving her teaching job at a mission school and marrying a man she doesn't love. 

The Great Chicago Fire erupts, and Anna and her family escape with only the clothes on their backs and the wedding postponed. Father moves the family to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, where Anna reconnects with Rory Quinn, a handsome immigrant who worked at the mission school. Realizing she is in love with Rory, Anna prepares to break the marriage arrangement with Lyman until she learns a dark family secret that changes her life forever. 

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Buy Pamela's book on Amazon

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Connect with Pam:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pamela.meyers
Twitter - https://twitter.com/pamelameyers
Amazon Author Page - http://amzn.to/2kqP5CC
Website - www.pammeyerswrites.comSaveSave

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