Until That Distant Day - Author Feature
Yesterday, I wrote a detailed review of the novel 'Until That Distant Day' on my blog, which you can check out right here. As it is, today I have the special pleasure of being part of the launch tour for this novel, and of featuring Jill Stengl, the award-winning author of this French-Revolution saga on Fullness of Joy blog among many other lovely blogs. This is a very special novel, and am really excited for others to enjoy it as well. In this post, there is a fabulous giveaway which you must not miss out on, and also, I was delighted to have the opportunity to ask Mrs. Stengl a question regarding her book and receive her insightful response which you can read below. But first, here is what Until That Distant Day is all about . . .
Colette
and her brother Pascoe are two sides of the same coin, dependent upon one
another in the tumultuous world of the new Republic. Together they labor with
other leaders of the sans-culottes to ensure freedom for
all the downtrodden men and women of France.
But then the popular uprisings turn
bloody and the rhetoric proves false. Suddenly, Colette finds herself at odds
with Pascoe and struggling to unite her fractured family against the lure
of violence. Charged with protecting an innocent young woman and
desperately afraid of losing one of her beloved brothers, Colette doesn’t know
where to turn or whom to trust as the bloodshed creeps ever closer to home.
Until that distant day when peace
returns to France, can she find the strength to defend her loved ones . . .
even from one another?
"Jill
Stengl is one of the rare authors with the ability to transport the reader to
another world--a delightfully rich world of scent and sight and sound.” – Kim
Vogel Sawyer, bestselling author of Echoes
of Mercy
“Award-winning
author Jill Stengl has created her greatest work yet in the inspiring and
moving Until That Distant Day.”
Jill Eileen Smith, bestselling author of the Wives of King David series.
Meet the Author:
Jill Stengl is the author of numerous
romance novels including Inspirational Reader's Choice Award- and Carol
Award-winning Faithful Traitor, and the bestselling novella, Fresh
Highland Heir. She lives with her husband in the beautiful Northwoods
of Wisconsin, where she enjoys her three cats, teaching a high school English
Lit. class, playing keyboard for her church family, and sipping coffee on the
deck as she brainstorms for her next novel.
She blogs at Books,
Cats, and Whimsy. Do stop by and follow
her to keep up with all her writing and reading-related activities!
My Question:
Considering that this book is set during the French Revolution-an exciting and rich era for any history-buff!--how did you manage your research, and what helped you weave the threads of history, with your own story together into the making of 'Until That Distant Day'?
Jill Stengl's Response:
Great question, Joy! I own some great reference books that, aside from being useful in themselves, guided me to public-domain works and eye-witness accounts available on the Internet. One major difficulty I faced was choosing when to begin and end this book. I first attempted to bite off too large a chunk of history, which made the story thin. After cutting it down to a three-month period, I was able to focus more on how unfolding events affected my major characters. This involved entering Colette’s world in medias res: complex interlinking relationships already exist among the various characters, major romances in the book have already begun to develop, and several crucial interpersonal conflicts occur or begin in the first few chapters.
Great question, Joy! I own some great reference books that, aside from being useful in themselves, guided me to public-domain works and eye-witness accounts available on the Internet. One major difficulty I faced was choosing when to begin and end this book. I first attempted to bite off too large a chunk of history, which made the story thin. After cutting it down to a three-month period, I was able to focus more on how unfolding events affected my major characters. This involved entering Colette’s world in medias res: complex interlinking relationships already exist among the various characters, major romances in the book have already begun to develop, and several crucial interpersonal conflicts occur or begin in the first few chapters.
Trust me, this book went through many
drafts before emerging in its current form! I settled on the summer of 1792,
three years after the Fall of the Bastille and one year before the famous Reign
of Terror began, partly because the events of that time are not as widely known
and partly to leave room for possible sequels.
I hope readers will fall in love with my characters as deeply as I
did!
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| Get your ebook copy of Until That Distant Day for only .99 on Amazon! |
Is your interest piqued? Did you know that you can purchase the e-book version of Until That Distant Day on Amazon for only .99 throughout the special Launch Tour? I highly recommend this novel for all history-loving readers, and for anyone who simply loves a really beautiful and stirring story. You should check it out!
This is one of the many special stops Jill Stengl will be doing throughout this week as part of the launch of her novel. To keep tuned to the wonderful posts on different blogs as they come, here is the . . .
This is one of the many special stops Jill Stengl will be doing throughout this week as part of the launch of her novel. To keep tuned to the wonderful posts on different blogs as they come, here is the . . .
Launch Tour Schedule:
May 5
May 6
May 7
May 8
May 9
May 10
May 11
May 12
May 13 – Giveaway Winner Announced
And in grand finale, Jill Stengl is offering a super wonderful giveaway - an autographed copy of Until That Distant Day, and tin of Harney and Sons "Paris" tea!
I always love French Revolution books! A great question, Joy, and thank-you for the answer, Ms. Stengl! I find historical research overwhelming, and that's one of my biggest hurdles in this re-editing process--adding details that make the time period I've chosen come alive for the reader. :)
ReplyDelete~Schuyler
I am glad you enjoyed this post, Schuyler - it was definitely special to participate in this lovely feature.
DeleteI agree about the overwhelming I feeling of researching a novel, especially if it is set in a complicated/full historical era like the World Wars or the French Revolution :)
Your post yesterday did a lot to encourage me to read this book. Two things that impressed me were 1. how well you said she captured the historical feel and 2. how the "romance" was not the only thing the book was about.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you found my review helpful, Esther!
DeleteYes, those two points were winning things for me as I read this book, as well as the characters and writing style . . . I really enjoyed it.
Thank you for taking part in the blog tour, Joy! It's fun seeing my mother's beautiful book on display here. :)
ReplyDeleteYou don't know how much I enjoyed this blog tour, Anne Elisabeth, and of the opportunity of featuring your mum on my blog! That was very special ^_^
DeleteThank you so much for joining my blog tour, Joy--and for the lovely review. :-) I'm glad you liked my character-casting picks too. That was harder to do than I expected!
ReplyDeleteOh, it was a lot of fun and such great pleasure to have you on my blog, Mrs. Stengl! Thank you very much too :). I totally loved 'Until that DistantDay' :).
DeleteIt IS challenging casting characters, but I have to say yours were so very accurate and fitting :) God bless!
And Schuyler, yes, the historical-research aspect is very challenging, especially finding a detail balance that works. The best trick or key I have learned is to be sure my historical setting and events are vital to my plot. If it could take place in any other time or setting, I need to do some serious reworking. It is also hard to find the balance between putting work out before it is actually ready, and worrying and nit-picking it to death. A good editor really helps with that, since I am not always very objective about my own work. Blessings on your writing endeavors!
ReplyDeleteWow, these are great tips, Mrs. Stengl. I echo Schuyler's dilemma so reading your comment is a great help!
DeleteI find the French Revolution a fascinating part of history, but, sadly I've read only one book that's set in that time period. I'd love to amend that. ;)
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed such a fascinating period, isn't it, Annie? I think you would really love this novel!!
DeleteTrue that. *nodnod* Maybe when I have some extra cash on hand (who knows when that'll be? O.o) I can buy it from Amazon.... :)
DeleteWhat a lovely, lovely giveaway! I'm excited. :)
ReplyDeleteAcacia
p-o-n-d-e-r-i-n-g.blogspot.com
It sure is! Thanks for stopping by, Acacia! God bless :)
Delete