Sit Down Saturday with Linda Hope Lee


Today we’re celebrating the release of Linda Hope Lee's Eva's Deadline.

So, Linda, where did you get the idea for this novel?
I like to write about places I visit, especially small towns. I've vacationed for years on the Washington Coast and thought it would be a good setting for a series. The fictional town of Willow Beach in Eva's Deadline is a composite of several small towns there that I'm familiar with. 

In looking at the cover, if you could add a caption or captions, what would they say?

"I'm so glad I found you."

How long did it take you to write?
The first draft took about two months.

What is your favorite scene?
The scene where Eva returns from spending Christmas in Seattle and finds herself seeking out Mark at the newspaper office. They realize how much they have missed each other and fall into each other's arms.

Who was your favorite character and why?
The hero, Mark Townson, is my favorite character. I like his loyalty to Eva's father and also his willingness to make sacrifices for love.

If you could pick fictional characters to play the hero and heroine, who would they be?
They aren't fictional characters, but the actor Patrick Muldoon, who is in a Hallmark movie I like, A Boyfriend for Christmas, could play my hero, Mark Townson. Kelli Williams, who plays opposite him in the same film, would be my choice for Eva Sinclair. 

Tell us one thing you learned during research.
I learned about the rules of inheritance.

What music would match the mood of this novel?
Being a Blues fan, I hear Percy Sledge singing "Let me wrap you in my warm and tender love" whenever Mark and Eva share an embrace. "Take Time to Know Her" and "When a Man Loves a Woman" from the same CD (Percy Sledge, When a Man Loves a Woman and Other Hits) also fit the story.  

This is your 21st book.  Exactly what does that mean to you?
It means I still have stories to tell. I've found I really like to write series and hope to produce more.

What do you plan to work on next?
I'm working on books 2 and 3 of the Willow Beach series. After that, I have a small town in Idaho in mind for another series setting.

What are you reading for pleasure right now?
I'm reading Muriel Jensen's Love Me Forever and enjoying it very much. It's set in Astoria, Oregon, which is only a few miles south of where Eva's Deadline takes place. 

Comments

  1. I love all the small town stories in Heartwarming series! Yours sounds like another winner, Linda.

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  2. Wow! Twenty one books! Congratulations!

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    1. Thank you, Dana. I have been writing for a while! i started out writing contemporary then went to romantic suspense and am now back with contemporary. I sometimes have to fight the urge to add a mystery plot, though. That might be because of all the Nancy Drew books I read while growing up.

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  3. Linda, I am looking forward to reading your book. I like the characters who populate small towns.

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    1. Thanks for your interest, Roz. It is fun to create small town characters. And I like that the same ones can pop up in each book in a series, and we can see how they grow and change as time passes, too.

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  4. Good morning, Linda! Thank you for reading my book. I like knowing that your characters and I mine are almost neighbors. And you're as much of a surprise as Victoria likes our characters to be - I'd have never taken you for a Blues fan, but, how cool. Ron and I started out together in the newspaper business, so I have to read Eva's Deadline. We even had an office dog named Deadline. Congratulations on the release. The thrill never diminishes.

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    1. Hi, Muriel. I'm loving your book! Besides being involved with the characters, I'm enjoying visiting Astoria. Haven't been there for a couple of years. Yes, I am a big Blues fan. I like to find songs that speak for my characters. For my WIP, I'm hearing Stevie Wonder sing Travelin' Man for the hero and I Never Had a Dream Come True for the heroine. And you're so right - having a book published is always a thrill.

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  5. Linda, Can't wait to read Eva's Deadline. I love small town stories and I love the Pacific Northwest--there's nothing like the rugged coast of Washington and Oregon (: I may be a little biased, but what a great setting for a romance!

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    1. Hi, Carol, Thank you for your comment. Yes, I love the Washington and Oregon coast, too. I'm already looking forward to my next trip there. Have to revisit all the places--some real and some imaginary--where the characters played out the story.

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  6. That's so cool that your story takes place so close to where Muriel's does. I love small towns stores and the northwest coast. Huge congrats on the release!

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  7. Thank you, Rula! Yes, I thought that was a neat coincidence. I'd be willing to bet our characters' paths have crossed somewhere along the way, too.

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  8. This sounds so good, Linda. Not to mention I've loved Patrick Muldoon since he was on Days of Our Lives back in the day! Congrats on #21 and here's to 21 more!

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  9. Thanks, Amy. I think A Boyfriend for Christmas was the first time I took notice of Mr. Muldoon. Anyway, I thought he'd be good to play my hero in Eva's Deadline.

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  10. Welcome, Linda! I adore series set in quaint and interesting settings. I look forward to reading your books and the new series you have in mind for Idaho :)

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