Tuesday, November 30, 2010

An interview with a Heartsong Reader

I thought it might be fun to have an interview with a Heartsong Reader, so a couple of weeks ago, I contacted Kaitlin, who has been a faithful commentor here at Heartsong Connection. Kaitlin graciously consented to an interview about what she enjoys about Heartsong stories.

First, tell us a little bit about yourself, Kaitlin.

My name is Kaitlin, and I am 22. I live in Illinois in a teeny-tiny farm town called Onarga. Right now I'm at Illinois State University earning a degree in Elementary Education--I'll be certified in May. I am the oldest of three, one sister and one brother. My dad farms and my mom is a nurse. I enjoy reading, writing (I would love to do it as more than a hobby someday!) and scrapbooking, and I love movies and old TV shows (my favorite show ever is "Magnum PI".)



How long have you been a Heartsong reader, and how did you find out about Heartsongs?


I started reading Heartsong books sometime in high school--junior year, I think it was. I was shopping at Barnes and Noble and came across one of the three-in-one anthologies, "Great Lakes" by Andrea Boeshaar and Susannah Hayden. In the back was a form for the book club, which I joined. I would scour the stacks in every bookstore looking for the Barbour symbol on the spine, and soon I was getting the anthologies and single novellas for Christmas and birthdays, buying them through Amazon and other sites, and buying the single titles from Heartsong Presents when I would see one that sounded especially good.


What is it about Heartsongs that brings you back time and again?


I keep coming back to Heartsongs because I love them! I love the faith elements and the scriptures and that each one is like a mini Bible lesson/sermon. I love that the characters are so engaging and well formed, I love the settings, and I love that each story is resolved in the end. The hero and heroine end up together and I don't have to wait for the next book to find that out. I also love that they are a manageable size (they fit in my purse!) and I like being able to get through them in one sitting. Sometimes I don't have a lot of time to read, so I have to put it down and come back, but with the Heartsong titles, that is never a problem!


Are you a fan of contemporary stories, historicals, or both?


I prefer historical to contemporary, but I do read both.. If a story is a historical one, I am more likely to pick it up right away.. I like the contemporary stories that take place in interesting locales or have really unique heroes/heroines. My family has constantly told me that I was born in the wrong century, and with a history buff for a father, I grew up in museums and on battlefields and watching shows on the History Channel, so my love for history runs pretty deep.


Is there a particular quality you love to see in a hero or heroine?


This may sound strange, but I love cranky heroes! I just love it when they are really gruff and surly and then suddenly find themselves wrapped around some sassy lady's finger. And I LOVE cowboys! As far as heroines go, I like a wide range. I am a fairly passive person, so I like the heroines who remind me of myself. I also love the heroines who are total spitfires and could do just fine without a man.


Is there anything you'd like to say to Heartsong readers....writers...editors?



I would like to tell authors and editors to keep up the good work! All the readers out there thank you for what you do--for providing an escape from the "real world" for a little while and allowing us dreamers to live out our fantasies in your novels.


Thank you to Kaitlin. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know you better.

Question of the Day.
I'll ask you one of the questions that Kaitlin answered: Is there a particular quality you love to see in a hero or heroine?

6 comments:

  1. Kinda slow going today, so I'll start off the comments. I love to see a hero who tries to be gruff and tough but is a bit of a softy underneath. I also love a hero that stands up for what he thinks is right, even if those around him don't agree.

    For heroines, I like strong gals who can think for themselves.

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  2. For heroes, as a guy I like to go against type. I like a man who is not the typical hero, but is heroic through his faith and following his beliefs. For heroines, I want her to be intelligent and show it. Great interview, Kaitlin. When you get published, you've already got this part down pat!

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  3. For a hero, I like guys who stand up for what is right. A hero knows the right thing to do and he does it. I'm not a big fan of the "bad boy" hero.

    Heroines should be smart and strong, not pathetic. She should be able to stand up to the hero. Just as long as she caves in the end as says "yes". :)

    Heather

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  4. I like "beta" heros versus "alpha" heros. Like Heather, I'm not a huge fan of the bad boy hero.

    Heroines should be strong, independent and smart.

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  5. I like a good guy hero, one who knows what he believes and does what he does because it's the right thing. And they don't even know they are full of mush on the inside until they meet her and then they can't figure out why.

    I also like heroines who are smart and strong and stand up for what they believe.

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  6. Thanks for your feedback, Kaitlin! I enjoyed reading your interview!!

    JoAnne Simmons

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