Hi, there, fortunate reader friends and fans.
Today I offer a special new book, author, and giveaway!
Leave a comment about this post to enter a drawing on Saturday morning, April 5, for an author review copy of For Such a Time from Kate.
About the Book:
Powerful Retelling of the Story of Esther
A young, bitter, Jewess-in-hiding must
send her own people to Auschwitz in order to survive, or put her trust in God
by giving her heart to the man responsible for their doom.
In 1944,
Hadassah Benjamin feels abandoned by God when she is saved from a firing squad
only to be handed over to a new enemy. Pressed into service by SS-Kommandant
Colonel Aric von Schmidt at the transit camp of Theresienstadt in
Czechoslovakia, her Aryan-like looks allow her to hide behind the false
identity of Stella Muller. However, to maintain her cover as von Schmidt’s
secretary, she is forced to stand by as her own people are sent to Auschwitz.
Suspecting her employer is a man of hidden depths, Stella appeals to him on
behalf of those in the camp. Aric's indulgence gives her hope even as she risks
discovery with every attempt to help the prisoners. When her bravery brings her
to the point of ultimate sacrifice, she faces an excruciating choice. God may
have brought her to the camp for such a time as this, but how can she save her
people when she cannot save herself?
Buy the Book:
Watch for my review coming up in a couple of weeks.
About the Author:
A
Florida girl who migrated to the beautiful Pacific Northwest, Kate
Breslin lives with her husband, John, and a very spoiled cat named
Coco. Kate has written several travel articles, published award-winning
poetry, and her first manuscript, a Scottish historical romance, was an
RWA Golden Heart finalist. FOR SUCH A
TIME is her debut novel. Kate’s writing journey has been one of faith as
well as success; after years spent writing novels aimed at the general romance
market, she finally heeded God’s call to write stories of how His love brings
two hearts together. When not plotting her next novel, she loves spending time
with author friends, reading from her mountain of books, or watching
anything Jane Austen on BBC. Kate’s also an avid gardener and enjoys
taking long walks in Washington State’s many forests. A traveler
as well, she’s toured most of the country at one time or another and also been
abroad–Paris, Munich, Rome, Pompeii, Athens, even a day trip
to Turkey. She’d love to hear from you so please stop by www.katebreslin.com and say
hello!
Enjoy an interview with the author:
Our Interview:
Lisa, thank you so much for hosting me today. It’s an honor and pleasure to be here!
Lisa says, My pleasure!
Kate, welcome. What do you love about this book?
I love
first and foremost that it’s my “coming home” story—when I got the idea to
write about Queen Esther in the more modern venue of WWII, I believe God was
already at work on me. As I wrote this novel and explored Stella’s journey of
faith, I realized how in many ways, it resonated with my own. And in a time
when I was trying to “write to the market,” For Such A Time worked to
strengthen my conviction—I found the courage to start crafting stories that
inspire and show how God changes our lives, teaching two hearts to love more
deeply and meaningfully. I also love this story because while writing it I developed
a most heartfelt compassion for those who suffered during the Holocaust, and so
I became very attached to my story characters—including my hero and heroine!
Two things I learned through the writing and publishing process:
I
learned that in order to write this story, it was imperative I do the research—not
only on Hitler and the Nazi State, and the camp where this story takes place—but
also on the subject of Judaism. I couldn’t afford to sound trite or unrealistic
in my characterization, or in the magnitude of what the prisoners went through;
the Holocaust remains a sensitive issue to this day, and I strove to be
respectful, and as believable as I could be in writing a fictional love story
involving a Jewess and an SS-officer.
As far
as publishing, while my novel was finished and polished when I sold it, my
publisher nonetheless did a triple-check of my grammar, use of foreign words,
and some historical details, etc. to make certain we handed the reader a clean
copy to enjoy. Of course, if there are still any errors lurking after all of
that, it’s my fault! J
What do you hope readers will tell other readers after they finish
this book?
Well,
Lisa, that they simply must read it! J
I do hope they’ll tell others they enjoyed the parallels between the Biblical
Esther’s story and Stella’s journey, and how much more they came to understand the
Holocaust of WWII. That the relationship between hero and heroine, while a bit
different from Queen Esther and King Xerxes, is nonetheless fraught with uncertainty,
and there are a few surprises along the way!
Where can people find you on the internet?
Or Face
Book: https://www.facebook.com/KateBreslinAuthor
I’m also
on Pinterest and Goodreads!
Anything you’d like to add?
If you
like, you can sign up on my website to become a “Kate’s Crusader” and receive
information on future events, books, giveaways, and/or blurbs from me. There’s
also a contact form, or you can email me direct at katebreslinauthor@hotlink.com.
I’d love to hear from you!
