About the Book
A British nurse in WWI German-occupied Brussels, Evelyn Marche spends her days at the hospital and her nights working at a café . . . or so it seems. Eve's most carefully guarded secret is that she also spends her nights carrying out dangerous missions as a spy for a Belgian resistance group.
When a plane crashes as she's en route to a rendezvous, Eve is the first to reach the downed plane and is shocked to recognize the badly injured pilot as British RFC Captain Simon Forrester. She risks her life to conceal him from the Germans, but as the secrets between them grow and the danger mounts, can they still hope to make it out of Belgium alive?You can read my review HERE.
Kate: Rachel, thank you! I’m delighted to be here today and I appreciate you letting me share some time with your readers!
Where did your love of books/storytelling/reading/writing/etc. come from?
Kate: I give full credit to my mom. She’s a natural storyteller. I’m sure I got my love of reading from her as well. She’s not a writer per se, but she has a gift for taking an everyday experience and turning it into a funny, captivating narrative. Her stories always make me laugh.
Rachel: I credit my mom with the reason I enjoy stories as well! It is proof that the influences we have on us as children can last a lifetime.
When did you KNOW that you wanted to be an author?
Kate: I’d written a bit growing up, but with novels it was years later, when I’d been reading voraciously and finally reached the end of my favorite authors list. They inspired me so much that I began to imagine my own stories. I was working a high-pressured job in construction sales at the time too, so I was more than eager to start doing what I truly loved best, daydreaming on paper! 😊
Rachel: I LOVE this description! And I think it is so wonderful that you followed that dream. You are an inspiration for sure!
What literary character is most like you? Why?
Kate: I’ll choose Miss Molly Gibson of Elizabeth Gaskell’s Wives and Daughters, though I’m a bit more headstrong and not nearly as patient as she is. 😊 We do share a fondness for nature and being outdoors however, and we can both keep a secret. Neither of us readily embraces change and we’re fiercely loyal to those we care about. And we love, love, love our reading time! We also eat blackberries right off the vine, chase the man we love in the rain, and when we give our hearts, it’s for keeps.
Rachel: I feel like you just described ME! This story is one I need to see/read!
Who are some of your favorite authors that you feel were influential in your work?
Kate: I’ve always enjoyed Julie Garwood’s style of writing and hope it’s influenced my own storytelling ability to some degree. Francine Rivers is another favorite author, and her novels helped to inspire me into taking the step to write inspirational fiction. I love her edgy themes, and reading her Mark of the Lion series kept me on tenterhooks!
Rachel: Confession...I have never read either of these authors. I have heard such amazing things about Mark of the Lion though!
What hidden talents do you have?
Kate: I make and bottle my own infused oils and herbal vinegars, using ingredients from my garden. I like to give them as gifts to friends on birthdays and holidays.
Rachel: Mmmmmm that sounds incredible!!! I am impressed!
What is your favorite childhood book?
Kate: Any books involving Nancy Drew or Trixie Belden. I would hide out in my room for days devouring one story after another. From an early age, I loved a good mystery!
Rachel: Haha! Sounds like my childhood...Although along with Nancy Drew, I read a lot of Boxcar Children books. And then I got into the Dear America books!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Kate: Nothing really unusual. I like to have instrumental music playing softly in the background while I write and if I can find a CD with music to fit my theme, that’s even better.
Rachel: Ok, starting to think we are the same person...Haha! This is my favorite! Music to match the era/theme of the book is my sweet spot for reading!
How did you become involved with the theme of female spies in High as the Heavens?
Gabrielle Petit
Edith Cavell
Kate: I was interested in delving deeper into my research on female spies of the Great War, especially after I’d included a reference to the Dutch spy, Mata Hari, in my second novel, Not By Sight. I came across an article about a Belgian heroine, Gabrielle Petit, who had smuggled her wounded fiancé out of German-occupied Belgium into neutral Holland to rejoin his regiment. Shortly afterward, she was recruited by the British Secret Service to gather intelligence behind enemy lines to aid in the war effort. Eventually Gabrielle was betrayed, and in 1916 she was shot by a German firing squad in Brussels at the age of 23. That was my story spark and from there I continued to read about other Belgian heroines, like British nurse Edith Cavell and Belgian nurse Marthe McKenna, who was probably the most influential in my creating Evelyn Marche for High As The Heavens. My spiritual theme of forgiveness came later, as I was called to explore how we often allow our guilt to become a barrier against receiving God’s love and His mercy, and this can lead us to despair. I wanted my heroine to experience this dilemma, and to find the answers she seeks by the end of the story.
Rachel: Oh my goodness! LOVE! It blows me away to learn the true stories of the heroines of the wars. It makes me hope that I could be that brave in those situations.
Pinterest - German occupation
of Brussels August 1914
Can you share some something interesting you learned while researching High as the Heavens?
Kate: I’d love to, Rachel! Just a few weeks before my story opens, there was a young lance corporal sightseeing in Brussels. With camera in hand, he took many pictures while enjoying his furlough in the Belgian capital. Clad in his gray uniform, he hadn’t yet fashioned the infamous toothbrush moustache that would years later identify him as the most hated and feared man of the second world war. In September of 1917, Adolf Hitler was merely one of many German soldiers out on holiday in the city. Creepy, isn’t it?
Rachel: Ahg! No way! I mean, I knew he was a soldier in WWI...But I never thought about him being in Brussels around the time of this story. Yikes! Glad Evelyn didn't have any run ins with him....
Your books bring out so many emotions and deal with topics that can be hard to digest. But you do it in a way that is so moving. Can you share a little bit about your personal writing journey that brought you to where you are today and what inspired you to write World War Historical Romance?
Kate: Oh, Rachel, thank you for that! I think the most important thing about writing a story is being passionate about it. Through those many early years I struggled to publish in the general romance market, I was a Prodigal daughter returning to Christ. I began to notice that as my faith grew, so did my awareness of what I was trying to put out into the world. I can’t tell you how many times the Lord spoke to me, yet it wasn’t until I finally reached a spiritual crossroads in my writing that I listened and embraced the idea of creating stories that would lift the spirit and glorify Him. I believe this is why my debut novel, For Such A Time, was a spiritual journey for me as much as it was for my heroine, Hadassah. I feel so blessed to be where I am today and I’ve never looked back.
Rachel: What a testimony of God's faithfulness. Thank you for sharing this. It is incredible what happens when we turn our lives and gifts over to Him.
What writing advice do you have for pre-published authors?
Kate: Be persistent and keep writing. Finish the manuscript, polish it, have readers you trust give you feedback, then polish it some more. Start querying agents while you continue to write. Did you receive a rejection letter? Take a short time-out then sit back down and write. See a recurring theme here? Every step is a sign of progress, even when the response you get isn’t what you’d hoped for. If you’re always honest about your writing, you will continue to grow and move closer to publication. Never stop believing in yourself and remember, we’re all on God’s time, not our own. 😊
Rachel: How true! And this, "Never stop believing in yourself and remember, we’re all on God’s time, not our own." can be applied to everyone. I know waiting can be soooo hard. But in the end we know in our heart that He knows best!
It has been so much fun visiting with you today! Before we go can you tell us about your current WIP?
Kate: Thanks for asking, Rachel! Right now, I’m working on another WWI story featuring a character from my second novel, Not By Sight. I’m really having fun with my new hero and heroine as they venture deep into southern France on the hunt for something very precious! When they finally get caught in a web of intrigue they hadn’t expected, only love and a courageous leap of faith can possibly save them. This new adventure with Bethany House is scheduled for spring of 2019.
Rachel: I have to wait almost TWO years for your next book! 😠I am sure the wait will be worth it! This sounds like another incredible story!!!
Thank you so much for joining us today Kate, it is always a pleasure chatting with you!
Kate: Rachel, the pleasure is all mine! Thank you again for hosting me on your lovely blog and I pray for God’s blessing on you and all of your dear readers!
Chat with us!
What WWI or WWII spy did you know of prior to reading this interview? Or which female spy mentioned above stands out to you the most?
Kate: Rachel, thank you! I’m delighted to be here today and I appreciate you letting me share some time with your readers!
Where did your love of books/storytelling/reading/writing/etc. come from?
Kate: I give full credit to my mom. She’s a natural storyteller. I’m sure I got my love of reading from her as well. She’s not a writer per se, but she has a gift for taking an everyday experience and turning it into a funny, captivating narrative. Her stories always make me laugh.
Rachel: I credit my mom with the reason I enjoy stories as well! It is proof that the influences we have on us as children can last a lifetime.
When did you KNOW that you wanted to be an author?
Kate: I’d written a bit growing up, but with novels it was years later, when I’d been reading voraciously and finally reached the end of my favorite authors list. They inspired me so much that I began to imagine my own stories. I was working a high-pressured job in construction sales at the time too, so I was more than eager to start doing what I truly loved best, daydreaming on paper! 😊
Rachel: I LOVE this description! And I think it is so wonderful that you followed that dream. You are an inspiration for sure!
What literary character is most like you? Why?
Kate: I’ll choose Miss Molly Gibson of Elizabeth Gaskell’s Wives and Daughters, though I’m a bit more headstrong and not nearly as patient as she is. 😊 We do share a fondness for nature and being outdoors however, and we can both keep a secret. Neither of us readily embraces change and we’re fiercely loyal to those we care about. And we love, love, love our reading time! We also eat blackberries right off the vine, chase the man we love in the rain, and when we give our hearts, it’s for keeps.
Rachel: I feel like you just described ME! This story is one I need to see/read!
Who are some of your favorite authors that you feel were influential in your work?
Kate: I’ve always enjoyed Julie Garwood’s style of writing and hope it’s influenced my own storytelling ability to some degree. Francine Rivers is another favorite author, and her novels helped to inspire me into taking the step to write inspirational fiction. I love her edgy themes, and reading her Mark of the Lion series kept me on tenterhooks!
Rachel: Confession...I have never read either of these authors. I have heard such amazing things about Mark of the Lion though!
What hidden talents do you have?
Kate: I make and bottle my own infused oils and herbal vinegars, using ingredients from my garden. I like to give them as gifts to friends on birthdays and holidays.
Rachel: Mmmmmm that sounds incredible!!! I am impressed!
What is your favorite childhood book?
Kate: Any books involving Nancy Drew or Trixie Belden. I would hide out in my room for days devouring one story after another. From an early age, I loved a good mystery!
Rachel: Haha! Sounds like my childhood...Although along with Nancy Drew, I read a lot of Boxcar Children books. And then I got into the Dear America books!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Kate: Nothing really unusual. I like to have instrumental music playing softly in the background while I write and if I can find a CD with music to fit my theme, that’s even better.
Rachel: Ok, starting to think we are the same person...Haha! This is my favorite! Music to match the era/theme of the book is my sweet spot for reading!
How did you become involved with the theme of female spies in High as the Heavens?
|
| Gabrielle Petit |
|
| Edith Cavell |
Kate: I was interested in delving deeper into my research on female spies of the Great War, especially after I’d included a reference to the Dutch spy, Mata Hari, in my second novel, Not By Sight. I came across an article about a Belgian heroine, Gabrielle Petit, who had smuggled her wounded fiancé out of German-occupied Belgium into neutral Holland to rejoin his regiment. Shortly afterward, she was recruited by the British Secret Service to gather intelligence behind enemy lines to aid in the war effort. Eventually Gabrielle was betrayed, and in 1916 she was shot by a German firing squad in Brussels at the age of 23. That was my story spark and from there I continued to read about other Belgian heroines, like British nurse Edith Cavell and Belgian nurse Marthe McKenna, who was probably the most influential in my creating Evelyn Marche for High As The Heavens. My spiritual theme of forgiveness came later, as I was called to explore how we often allow our guilt to become a barrier against receiving God’s love and His mercy, and this can lead us to despair. I wanted my heroine to experience this dilemma, and to find the answers she seeks by the end of the story.
Rachel: Oh my goodness! LOVE! It blows me away to learn the true stories of the heroines of the wars. It makes me hope that I could be that brave in those situations.
|
| Pinterest - German occupation of Brussels August 1914 |
Can you share some something interesting you learned while researching High as the Heavens?
Kate: I’d love to, Rachel! Just a few weeks before my story opens, there was a young lance corporal sightseeing in Brussels. With camera in hand, he took many pictures while enjoying his furlough in the Belgian capital. Clad in his gray uniform, he hadn’t yet fashioned the infamous toothbrush moustache that would years later identify him as the most hated and feared man of the second world war. In September of 1917, Adolf Hitler was merely one of many German soldiers out on holiday in the city. Creepy, isn’t it?
Rachel: Ahg! No way! I mean, I knew he was a soldier in WWI...But I never thought about him being in Brussels around the time of this story. Yikes! Glad Evelyn didn't have any run ins with him....
Your books bring out so many emotions and deal with topics that can be hard to digest. But you do it in a way that is so moving. Can you share a little bit about your personal writing journey that brought you to where you are today and what inspired you to write World War Historical Romance?Kate: Oh, Rachel, thank you for that! I think the most important thing about writing a story is being passionate about it. Through those many early years I struggled to publish in the general romance market, I was a Prodigal daughter returning to Christ. I began to notice that as my faith grew, so did my awareness of what I was trying to put out into the world. I can’t tell you how many times the Lord spoke to me, yet it wasn’t until I finally reached a spiritual crossroads in my writing that I listened and embraced the idea of creating stories that would lift the spirit and glorify Him. I believe this is why my debut novel, For Such A Time, was a spiritual journey for me as much as it was for my heroine, Hadassah. I feel so blessed to be where I am today and I’ve never looked back.
Rachel: What a testimony of God's faithfulness. Thank you for sharing this. It is incredible what happens when we turn our lives and gifts over to Him.
What writing advice do you have for pre-published authors?
Kate: Be persistent and keep writing. Finish the manuscript, polish it, have readers you trust give you feedback, then polish it some more. Start querying agents while you continue to write. Did you receive a rejection letter? Take a short time-out then sit back down and write. See a recurring theme here? Every step is a sign of progress, even when the response you get isn’t what you’d hoped for. If you’re always honest about your writing, you will continue to grow and move closer to publication. Never stop believing in yourself and remember, we’re all on God’s time, not our own. 😊
Rachel: How true! And this, "Never stop believing in yourself and remember, we’re all on God’s time, not our own." can be applied to everyone. I know waiting can be soooo hard. But in the end we know in our heart that He knows best!
It has been so much fun visiting with you today! Before we go can you tell us about your current WIP?
Kate: Thanks for asking, Rachel! Right now, I’m working on another WWI story featuring a character from my second novel, Not By Sight. I’m really having fun with my new hero and heroine as they venture deep into southern France on the hunt for something very precious! When they finally get caught in a web of intrigue they hadn’t expected, only love and a courageous leap of faith can possibly save them. This new adventure with Bethany House is scheduled for spring of 2019.
Rachel: I have to wait almost TWO years for your next book! 😠I am sure the wait will be worth it! This sounds like another incredible story!!!
Thank you so much for joining us today Kate, it is always a pleasure chatting with you!
Kate: Rachel, the pleasure is all mine! Thank you again for hosting me on your lovely blog and I pray for God’s blessing on you and all of your dear readers!
Chat with us!
What WWI or WWII spy did you know of prior to reading this interview? Or which female spy mentioned above stands out to you the most?
About the Author
Former
bookseller-turned-author Kate Breslin enjoys life in the Pacific
Northwest with her husband and family. A writer of travel articles
and award-winning poetry, Kate received Christian Retailing's
2015 Best Award for First Time Author and her novel, For
Such A Time,
won the 2015 Carol award for Debut Novel. Kate's third novel, High
As The Heavens
released in June 2017. When she's not writing inspirational fiction,
Kate enjoys reading or taking long walks in Washington's beautiful
woodlands. She also likes traveling to new places, both
within the U.S. and abroad, having toured Greece, Rome, and much of
Western Europe. New destinations make for fresh story ideas
Giveaway
Kate has graciously provided a print copy of High as the Heavens for giveaway. Please enter via the Rafflecopter form below. ***Please Note: Open to Continental U.S. mailing addresses only.*** Please see Policies & Disclosures for more information. Void where prohibited. Giveaway ends 8/7/17 at 12:00am PDT
