This week I’m hosting Cynthia Hickey with Cooking Up Love, Ann H. Gabhart with Small Town Girl (US and Canada for print copy–an ebook in other countries), Christine Lindsay with Captured by Moonlight (US and Canada only), and Anne Elisabeth Stengl with Dragonwitch (US only). If you want to enter the drawings for the books, please leave a comment on one of the post during the week with your email address. I will not enter you without an email address (my way to contact you if you win). If you don’t want to leave an email address, another way you can enter is to email me at margaretdaley@gmail.com. The drawings end Sunday (July 7th) evening.
Interview with the heroine from Captured by Moonlight by Christine Lindsay
1. Laine, tell me the most interesting thing about you.
My job of course. I am a Matron in the Queen Alexandra Imperial Military Nursing Corp serving in India. I’m not one to sound off about myself, but I know that my writer will only burst a gasket if I fail to mention that I was awarded the Royal Red Cross medal for valor in France during the Great War. But really, my author Christine Lindsay gets far too uppity about what honors her characters receive. As a nurse I’m more practical, and don’t bother with such high-falutin’ airs.
2. What do you do for fun?
Love a brisk round of golf, a stiffly competitive tennis match, always up for a rubber of bridge, and tripping the light fantastic to that American Jazz. You’ve not lived until you’ve danced the Brazilian tango to the song Down in Zanzibar.
3. What do you put off doing because you dread it?
I’ve put off confronting Adam Brand, my former fiancé, as to why he so unceremoniously ended our engagement during the war. The blighted man had the cheek to send me a letter, stating in bald terms that he no longer felt he could marry me, and wished me God’s blessing. A fine how-do-you-do! If I ever work up the brass to see him face to face, I’ll give him a swift quick in the shins for making me so gun-shy of romance.
4. What are you afraid of most in life?
Please keep this to yourself…I’m afraid of dying a lonely spinster nurse in some backwater in India. I love my career, but lately I’m finding it isn’t enough.
5. What do you want out of life?
I haven’t told another soul, but I want to get married and have children. I so envy my friend Abby Fraser who had a second chance at love, and now has two beautiful children whom I absolutely adore.
6. What is the most important thing to you?
Loyalty. It really frosts my morning mango when people fail to remain loyal to their friends. I suppose it was Adam’s lack of loyalty in ending our engagement that has embittered me toward God. I know what my friend Eshana says—she’s always talking about her Christian faith—but I’m not sure yet how I feel about the Good Lord. Nor am I sure the Lord would want this brassy, bad-tempered nurse in His heaven. I’m afraid I don’t measure up.
7. Do you read? If so, what is your favorite type of book to read?
Oh dear, to ask such a question you must be one of those avid readers like my former fiancé, Adam. He was the scholarly sort, always had his nose in a serious book such as those by Virgil, and other stuff authors. Well, I’m not ashamed to admit that I like a ripping murder mystery, a whodunit. I’ll also admit…but you’d better keep this to yourself as well…I like a romance novel. Love to curl up on the old hammock on the verandah and read during my afternoon off from the hospital.
8. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I’d like to be a better person. Oh I’m not a bad sort, really, but when you compare me to Eshana my Indian friend who runs that Christian mission, well it’s hard to measure up, even if I am a nurse. It’s just that Eshana has higher standards of personal sacrifice than even I do. It could be that personal relationship that she has with God that makes her such an inspiration to a down-to-earth sort like me.
9. Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?
Love animals. Had many while I was growing up in the south of India. The usual run of housecats, my favorite being an orange tabby called Marmalade. And then when I discovered that Adam was raising a tiger cub up at his plantation, well I couldn’t help myself—that darling creature is so beautiful with his strong warm body and massive paws. Talking about the tiger cub, my dear, and not Adam. I can’t explain it—I just adore cats, big and small.
10. If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?
I’d go back to 1914 and stop that blighted war from starting. Too many marvelous men and boys died in that ridiculous war, and over what? Nothing but a few miles of mud. They say now The Great War was the war to end all wars. If I were a praying woman, that would be my prayer—no more war. Too many soldiers have died in my arms.
