Thanks so much for having me at the Eclectic Reader! My book, The Last Letter (winner of five awards including IPPY gold medal, and finalist awards for Indie Exellence and International Book Awards), has been a real joy and pain to write. The idea grew out of two stacks of letters from my great-great grandparents. One set of letters boasted the hopeful, loving words of a couple who couldn't wait to marry. The other set of letters was written 20-30 years later and devoid of all that made the first set lovely and intoxicating. I know all families have down periods and sadness, but I couldn't imagine how this family got from point A to point B...so I made it up!
What you read in The Last Letter is fiction, inspired by the letters, but not at all true. With that said, I did create Jeanie and Frank's characters with the content of the love letters in mind. Jeanie was so incredibly intelligent and practical--those things, sometimes her exact perspective of the world, made it into the book. Some of it was so sad to write, but A, that's life, and B, that's where the story went. Mostly, I think The Last Letter brings to life the struggles of a family to love and forgive when everything in the world was going so wrong for them. How well would any of us have done in their positions?
I've been asked if I'm writing another book--a sequel to this. Yes, I am editing two other books that have nothing to do with The Last Letter and yes, I'm writing, what I think would be considered a prequel to The Last Letter. I've had so many requests to SEE what happens once they've gone their separate ways, to see the 17 years that span the 1905 and 1887 story lines, that I simply could not refuse!
I hope you love the book and I would love to hear from you! (You can find me on Twitter @kathieshoop or at my website http://kathieshoop.bigbigweb.com/.) Thanks again for having me here!
Thanks Kathie, I loved The Last Letter and thoroughly recommend it to everyone. I'll be reading the sequel for sure!!
GIVEAWAY:
I'm thrilled to be able to offer 2 copies of THE LAST LETTER to readers of my blog.
1 hard copy US/Canada
1 eBook copy International
You must comment on my review of THE LAST LETTER and leave a comment for Kathie on this giveaway post. Don't forget to include an email address.
EXTRA ENTRIES:
+1 for followers of my blog (mention in your comment)
+2 post about this give-away on twitter or your blog & leave a link.
Competition ends 13th July and the winner will be announced on my blog.
don't enter me in the giveaway cuz I read this one and loved it!!
ReplyDeleteI'm really looking forward to a prequel and pretty much anything else the author writes!!
I't putting this one on my list. Thanks for the review.
ReplyDeleteAnn
cozyintexas@yahoo.com
Sounds like an awesome read! And thank you so very much for the international giveaway :)
ReplyDeletegivingreadingachance@gmail.com
I so like the sound of this and I can actually enter as you have made the e book version an international give away, thankyou. LLM(in full at y mail dot com)
ReplyDeleteNo need to enter me. Lovely post and I look forward to reading your book.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great read. I injoyed this interview. Thanks for the chance to win it.
ReplyDeletesbrockis (at) embarqmail (.) com
I commented on your review.
ReplyDeleteKathie, I love the trailer! The photos really seem to capture the time, place and essence of the story. Congrats on the awards!
Teddyree, I follow.
I posted the giveaway on Twitter, here is the link:http://twitter.com/#!/teddyrose1/status/87308542649958400
teddyr66 at yahoo dot com
I love the concept of this story. I spent a lot of time working on my family history and had ambitious ideas of 'filling in the gaps' in a book. I'd love to read this one!
ReplyDeletestacybooks at yahoo
Would like to be counted in. Follow on GFC. International entry.
ReplyDeletemystica123athotmaildotcom
Please enter me! This sounds really good. Thank you for the international giveaway!
ReplyDeletegivingreadingachance AT gmail.com