Carole Brown – Romantic Character Interview & Excerpt – Part 1 of 1

Shannon here: Carole Brown shares insight into her character romance from her latest Historical Romantic Suspense, Sing Until you Die. Comment or answer the question in this post to enter the drawing for a kindle copy. Deadline: Dec 19th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Carole: 

Interview with Wills Mason and Claire Anne Rayner from Sing Until You Die, Book Three in The Spies of WWII series

• What’s the most romantic present your hero ever bought your heroine?

Wills, remembering what the flower meant to Claire, always tried to send it to her right before every night of performance. He knew why she loved and cherished it, why it was her signature gesture toward the person she’d lost in her life. That, in a subtle way, without revealing who sent it, was meant to tell her someone loved her.

• What simple gesture does your heroine do that melts your hero every time?

Claire has the habit of flinging kisses out to her audience, showing the service men she cares about them. But when one night she tosses out a kiss, she glances at Wills, the man it’s meant for. For Claire, that’s saying a lot, considering her past and dislike of him.

• How soon after meeting the hero did the heroine know he was the one?

Claire knew Wills Mason all her life and disliked him immensely because of his and her sister’s constant teasing and torments. Grownup now, she’s faced with working with a man instead of the young child and teenager she used to know, a man not at all like how he acted when younger. Her change of heart—in forgiving her sister Josie and Wills—came gradually, slowly but surely, until no doubt remained inside her that he was the only one for her.

• How soon after meeting the heroine did the hero know she was the one?

For Wills, growing up in the Rayner household, Claire was only a younger sister to his best friend. Always trying to outdo Josie, the childish teasing came easily, but beneath that outward show of laughter at her, came a sense of sadness and regret. It was only after he grew older that he truly repented of his cruelty to her. It was only then that he realized the person who meant everything to him, was the only person he could ever love. In that realization came the knowledge that winning her love and forgiveness meant he’d have to gain her trust. It was a constant job that carried through the whole book.

• If you hero and heroine end up married, where will they go on their honeymoon?

The story is set during the WWII era. Claire and Wills have both traveled internationally and throughout the United States. Their romance is during a period when sacrifices are being made. With their dedication to their careers, I can’t see them longing for any other place but their home area. With Spring and Summer right around the corner, neither would long for more than their back yard with a beautiful spring singing love songs and the Willow trees whispering in a light breeze words of love for them to share with each other. It would be the perfect romantic honeymoon for them.

Short Excerpt from Sing Until You Die:

Claire sang her heart out, sang to the crowd below, to herself, and to someone who’d touched her heart tonight.

But when she’d finished and was acknowledging the appoval from her crowd, she lifted her fingers to her lips and tossed out the kiss…

And her gaze flew straight to the boy—now a handsome man—she’d grown up with all her life. She saw his eyes in the lit room and knew he’d accepted the kiss when he lifted a hand, and his fingers closed on that air-borne kiss that had come from her heart.

That was the turning point for her, and she knew it.

About Carole: Besides being a member and active participant of many writing groups, Carole Brown enjoys mentoring beginning writers. An author of ten books, she loves to weave suspense and tough topics into her books, along with a touch of romance and whimsy, and is always on the lookout for outstanding titles and catchy ideas. She and her husband reside in SE Ohio but have ministered and counseled nationally and internationally. Together, they enjoy their grandsons, traveling, gardening, good food, the simple life, and did she mention their grandsons? Learn more & connect:

Carole’s Blog                Carole’s Facebook                  Carole’s Facebook Fan Page

Carole’s Twitter                   Carole’s Bookbub                      Carole’s Instagram

Carole’s Pinterest                      Carole’s Goodreads                    Carole’s Linkedin

About the book – Sing Until You Die: 

From childhood up, Claire Anne Rayner has despised the man who’s like a brother and son to the rest of the Rayner House residents. But when she puts her musical training on hold and begins singing to the troops as a means of helping support and encourage them, she is pulled into a mysterious spy’s efforts to destroy a certain high-ranking man.

Wills Mason is loved by everyone but Claire who cannot forgive him for his and her sister’s unmerciful, youthful teasing. But now, grown up and serving as a civilian spy, Wills must prove that Claire is not willingly relaying messages to the enemy, as his colonel believes, even when all evidence points that way. And can he prove he’s changed and can be trusted to cherish her heart as she deserves to be loved?

Will the web of deceit the mysterious German spy is weaving destroy their one chance of happiness with each other, or can they both let go of the past and work together to bring the spy to justice?

Can’t wait for the drawing? Worried you won’t win? Interested in Carole’s other books?

Get your copies now!  Sing Until You Die – Amazon   Carole’s Amazon Author Page

Question for Readers: If you could pick one spot in the world to go to as a vacation, where would that be and why?

Come back Dec 15th for Tara Johnson!