Monday, July 22, 2013

Interview with Christian/Romance Author Regina Andrews


Award-winning author Regina Andrews, a resident of Providence, Rhode Island, grew up in the nearby seaside village of Barrington. After graduating from Providence College she attended the University of Delaware, eventually earning her Master's Degree in American Civilization from Brown University. Her hobbies include travel, museums, theater, music, singing and gardening as well as reading.

Hello, Regina. Light of the Heart is the first book in The Sterling Lake Series. Please tell us about this Christian/Romance.

Sterling Lakes is a fictitious town in New England filled with natural beauty but also a cloudy past. In Book One, Light of the Heart, Cascade Preston, a successful stained-glass artist, returns to her hometown to work on the renovations at St. Luke's Church. However, she does so with a resentful heart, since this town pretended not to know that her mother was being abused by Cascade's father. She wonders how people can call themselves Christians and not reach out to help their brothers and sisters.

What a wonderful message! Where did you get your inspiration for this book?

I grew up in a beautiful small town that had its share of personalities! There was opportunity for character study around every corner. None of the characters in “Light” are based on folks from my childhood, though. The inspiration for the series grew from my growing understanding of human nature and my awe at God's love for us despite our imperfections as I matured.

Cascade is a stained-glass artist. Did you have to do much research about this subject for your novel?

Yes, I did, Linda. I fell in love with stained glass on my first trip to Paris, France, where I visited Sainte Chappelle in the center of the city and Chartres Cathedral outside of Paris. For this book, I read a lot and took a stained glass class. Let's just say I am a klutz! Fortunately, I live right near the Rhode Island School of Design, a great art University, and was able to do reference there.

What does your family think about your writing?

Another great question! My parents were really proud and happy and supportive, even though I was published after I lost them. Actually in the same year I was published, 2009, it was three different publishers who accepted four different manuscripts of mine and I felt like things were opening up. The first acceptance occurred on my parents wedding anniversary, I'll never forget it. It was like my parents were there with me. Now my husband, sister, in-laws and friends are really happy and proud. But they still can't understand why I have to work at my day job all week and then write on the weekends sometimes, instead of hanging out with them. lol!

Yes, authors tend to do that, huh. Now it’s time to tell us something about the real you that we’ll never forget.

Not to get heavy, because this has such a happy ending - but when I just started law school, my father suddenly became critically ill one day and he passed away the next day on the operating table. My mother at the time was gaining ground from a medical challenge 1 1/2 yrs earlier, and was not well. Now Dad was gone and she was alone. So of course I stayed home with my mother - for six years. I hope people remember this story as a parable for listening to what God wants for us in our lives, even if it might be really different from what we had planned. That trust is what I hope my books convey and reinforce.

What a wonderful lesson! Thank you so much for this lovely interview. I hope my followers will check out your book.

51 comments:

Jubilee Reviews said...

Wow, 6 years! You are one dedicated daughter. What a lovely book. I think it would be great to have a stained glass artist as the main character. Will add this to my TBR list,and maybe I will win a copy!
melanieinoh2003@yahoo dot com

susandyer1962 said...

I love stained glass and I bet you saw tons of beautiful glass in France. Did anyone ever tell you that you look just like Dana Delaney? Thank you for the chance to read your book!

Susandyer1962 at aol.com

Gina said...

Linda, thank you so much for having me visit your lovely blog and talk about LIGHT OF THE HEART. I know we will have a fun and wonderful week!

Unknown said...

Would love to read your book. Small town life is interesting and can be so much fun. Thanks for sharing with us.
grandmabkr at yahoo dot com

Miss Mae said...

Beautiful cover, and original premise. :) Best to you, Regina. :)

Gail Pallotta said...

Hi Regina and Linda,

What a sweet interview, just like Regina. I've read some of Regina's writing. She's a wonderful writer as well as person. Here's wishing her all the best with all of her projects.

Ben Smith said...

REGINA-looks like a great book to read,cannot wait to purchase.REGARDS,BEN SMITH

Molly Loggins said...

This book sounds very good and I like that it is a New England setting. Thanks for the chance to win a copy! mickinakm@gmail.com

Larry Hammersley said...

Hi Regina: I've not read your writing yet but have already added Light of the Heart to my list of TBR. It sounds like a great book. Who knows, maybe I'll get lucky and win the copy. Be sure to drop by Linda's site when I'm on next month.

Library Lady said...

Thanks for entering me in your book giveaway.
Janet E.
von1janet(at)gmail(dot)com

Gina said...

Hi Linda and thank you so much for having me visit your beautiful blog! It is an absolute joy!

Gina said...

Hello Melanie, so nice to meet you and thank you for your encouraging comments! Best to you :-)

Gina said...

Susan, visiting France was amazing - thanks to my sister. She is actually the model for one of my characters in the Sterling Lakes series -- maybe you could guess who?

Wow - the resemblance to Dana Delaney is quite a compliment - I must thank my photographer friend Doreen for that!

Thank you for visiting and for your your nice comments :-)

Gina said...

Brenda,you have hit on something so important- the small town life is such an interesting lens through which we are able to view all of life. That is exactly what the Sterling Lakes series and LIGHT OF THE HEART are all about.

Nice to meet you and thank you for commenting :-)

Gina said...

Miss Mae, always a joy to hear your ideas and insights - thank you so very much for stopping in today and commenting :-) You are the best!

Gina said...

Dear Gail, you are so kind to visit and share such wonderful comments. What a special person you are! Thank you for your encouraging support of my writing career and especially of LIGHT OF THE HEART - and most of all, your friendship. Hugs and blessings!

Gina said...

Hello Ben,
You are a loyal reader and follower. Thank you for your enthusiasm! It is greatly appreciated. I am sure my wonderful host, Linda, will appreciate all your kind words about her blog! Thanks again for visiting and for commenting, it is really welcome and I am grateful for your support :-)

Gina said...

Hi Molly, so nice to meet you. Thank you for taking the time to visit and to comment - your enthusiasm about LIGHT OF THE HEART is really great and I appreciate it very much. Thanks again!

Gina said...

Hi Larry and thank you so much for visiting and for taking the time to comment. It is thrilling that LIGHT OF THE HEART piques your interest - I am so glad! Maybe you could let everyone know what you think after you read it!?! :-) For sure I will visit next month when Lina hosts you on this lovely blog. Hugs and blessings to you, my friend.

Gina said...

Janet, so nice to meet you and thank you for commenting. :-) I am Regina E (for Eileen) so we already have something in common with the 'E' - in addition to loving Linda's fantastic blog. Best to you.

Becky said...

Great interview! I love stained glass. I'm sure you saw plenty of beautiful designs of the stained glass in France. I was always going to go to a stained glass class, but haven't made it yet. I have added Light of the Heart to my TBR list.

beckyqward@gmai.com

mnleona said...

I just finished a Christian Romance based in a small Minnesota town; they are aways so heartwarming.
Stained glass and God do go together.
Appeciate the giveaway.
Leona
mnleona@aol.com

Gina said...

Hi Becky, I'm so happy you commented, thank you. There is something so magical about stained glass, don't you think? It is very inspiring. We visited the Matisse chapel in Southern France and it was gorgeous, all stained glass. Nice to meet you :-)

Gina said...

Hello Leona and thank you for commenting. I love your insights - stained glass and God really do go together and there is nothing as endearing as a small town. Great to hear from you. I love your name! Are you a Leo like myself? ;-)

Ben Smith said...

Regina-I have read this book and it is indeed excellent reading!!!!!!!!!!!Please keep up the good work,and continue to post on nice blogs.I enjoy your writing. REGARDS BEN SMITH

Ben Smith said...

Regina- Six years is a lifetime for some people.Mercy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
REGARDS BEN SMITH

patty wright said...

I would love to read your book. Patty.wright1958@gmail.com

Mary Preston said...

There is great beauty in stained glass. I can still remember the sun shining through my Grandmother's stained glass window, leaving colored patterns on the floor.

marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

Gina said...

Hello Ben, I am so happy you enjoyed LIGHT OF THE HEART! Thank you for your kind and encouraging comments :-) They are greatly appreciated!

Gina said...

HI Ben - it is interesting, the time actually flew past very quickly. I was so happy to be able to do something for someone who had made so many sacrifices in her life for so many others. As a nurse, she spent most of her life taking care of people and tending to them. She was a beautiful role model and I thank God every day that I was able to do something for her and that we could spend that special time together. Plus, she taught me to read - I am sure that is why I love reading and writing so much. You never forget the kindness and love someone shares with you when you are a child. Hopefully that joy, gratitude and love shine through for others in my books today.

Gina said...

Nice to hear from you, Patty! Thnk you for stopping in and commenting :-)

Gina said...

Oh Mary, what a pretty image! It's like stained glass shows us things in a new light, isn't it? Nice to meet you and thank you for commenting and sharing your precious memory with us.

Rita Wray said...

Stained glass is very lovely. It is so beautiful when the sun shines through it.

Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

Gina said...

I agree, Ingeborg :-) It shines right into the heart. Thank you for commenting!

Gina said...

Oh friends, I just had some wonderfully exciting surprise news that I am so happy to share with you! The third book in the Sterling Lakes series, PRAISE OF THE HEART, was released today.

Here is the link: http://www.writers-exchange.com/Praise-of-the-Heart.html

We were expecting it just a bit later, so this is a real thrill. It is in ebook form now and will be out in print shortly. Thank you to Karen Wiesner for the beautiful cover art, and thank you to Sandy Cummins, Editor at Writer's Exchange. They are both outstanding and I am lucky to work with them. :-)

Unknown said...

Thank you :D
darkworld_cutie@yahoo.com

patty wright said...

I love Christian and Amish books. I'd love to read your book. Patty.wright1958@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Your book seems great, i would love to read it, thank you for this chance. I wish you all the best.

marija.grsic9(at)gmail(dot)com

LAWonder said...

Thank you both for that wonderful interview! It was very interesting. I would love to read and review your book Regina.
I have lived in two small towns. One was a nightmare and I couldn't wait to leave and the other has been a beautiful experience with great individuals. There is always room for service to others no matter where one lives.
THANK YOU FOR THIS GIVEAWAY.

Diane Craver said...

I enjoyed reading LIGHT OF THE HEART. There are many moving scenes, and Cascade is a wonderful character.
ANGELS OF THE HEART, Book 2 in the series was a great read, too! In both books you captured the small town atmosphere so well that I felt like I was right there.

I'm looking forward to reading the next book in your series, PRAISE OF THE HEART! You are a gifted storyteller, and I wish you continued success.
Hugs,
Diane

Gina said...

Hi Abby, thank you so much for stopping in and commenting. Nice to meet you!

Gina said...

Hello Patty, it was so nice of you to stop in and message! It is very nice to meet you and I hope if you read LIGHT OF THE HEART you enjoy it.

Gina said...

Thank you for visiting and commenting, Marija, it is a joy to meet you :-) Your name is so beautiful! I appreciate your kind wishes, and I wish you the best, too. Keep in touch.

Gina said...

Hello LAWonder, so very nice of you to comment and great to meet you. Your comments about a small town are so astute, chemistry is everything in a small town environment. I am so glad you have had a positive experience! That is major. I would be happy if you could read and review LIGHT OF THE HEART, thank you for your offer. On a sidenote, it is funny, my name before I was married was Lawlor. :-D

Gina said...

Hi Diane, and thank you so much for visiting and commenting. You are such an inspiration as a writer and as a friend.

It is a joy to know that you enjoy the STERLING LAKES series - and you have read both LIGHT OF THE HEART and ANGELS OF THE HEART. Hope you enjoy PRAISE OF THE HEART, too, when you have the opportunity to read it.

Your encouragement and kind wishes for success are really, really appreciated.

Hugs,
Gina

GeorgiaBeckman said...

You had me at "Sterling Lakes is a fictitious town in New England".....but I did continue to read the rest of the interview! I love the thought of New England, although I've never been there except for a brief jaunt through the Boston airport. Anything about New England appeals to me. It just seems a place of beauty.

georgiabeckman@hotmail.com

CAT said...

You are just the kind of author I have been looking for!
I'm so weary of reading books that I have to throw away because of language or sexual inuendo or worse!
I'm excited to start reading your book! Small towns are like family! I believe family (family friends included) is the most important relationship we can have on this earth! I will add this to my TBR list,and maybe I will win a copy!
whizkidcat(at)yahoo(dot)com

Stormy Vixen said...

Thanks for sharing the hop and your giveaway. evamillien at gmail dot com

Daniel M said...

great interview and thanks for the hop! - regnod(at)yahoo(d0t)com

bn100 said...

Nice message for the book

bn100candg at hotmail dot com

Linda Weaver Clarke said...

Congratulations, Leona Olson! You're the winner of this awesome book. I know you'll enjoy it.