Linda S. Glaz – Story Behind the Story – Part 2 of 2

Shannon here: Historical romance author, Linda S. Glaz shares her inspiration for her characters. Comment on any post dated July 28 – 30 to enter the drawing for two of her books, With Eyes of Love or Bride By Necessity. Deadline: August 9th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Linda:

The Seat of Your Pants by Linda S. Glaz
My first two books, With Eyes of Love and Always, Abby was based very loosely on so many of my mom’s memories when she was a child. Needless to say, I aged her in those memories so that she could be the main character in the romance. Add in my awesome aunt who was her best friend, and you have books one and two. WWII offers such wonderful opportunities for true love and sacrifice. As those folks sacrificed a great deal. But I digress.
The romance in the book has virtually nothing to do with my parents’ love story, however, there are snippets here and there. And I thought you might like to hear one of their “true” scenarios. Understand, my dad was quite the cutup and my mother quite the little prude. Okay, prude might be a bit much, but she certainly wasn’t the type to fall all over guys.
One evening when my mom and some of her girlfriends were out bowling, they were trying to appear to be concentrating on their game. And all the time they were really eyeing the guys on the lane next to them. Fellows at that time—if they were really cool, wore white flannel pants, sweaters, and white bucks (dress shoes that were, well white, of course).
Dad kept flirting with mom and she, being the lady she was, looked away each time. Truth is, she was watching him out of the corner of her eye. He was pretty athletic and didn’t mind showing off every now and then. So he continued to flirt, she continued to act disinterested.
One time while trying to get her attention, he wound up the ball and instead of looking down the alley, he was staring right at her. Instead of releasing the ball, he went flying all the way down the alley on the seat of his pants. His very white pants. She noticed him all right. And instead of being embarrassed, he stood up, pumped his fists in victory…and won her heart.
Now, what does this love story have to do with Bride by Necessity? Only this, incorporating real life situations allows characters to grow and is satisfying for the reader and the writer. We all have stories to tell, funny quirks. There are no characters better than those who jump off the page as real people.
I could just as easily have used a situation like this with my character Jonathan Lambrick. In remembering dad, I could have instilled a sense of showing off in my lead character or I could do exactly the opposite. He might have a difficult time being noticed. And that is precisely what I did. While Jonathan knew he commanded everyone’s attention, it didn’t always sit well with him. After his wife’s death, he didn’t want women to notice him at all.
I love characters full of sass and personality: Payton Whittard in Bride by Necessity, and daring, Jonathan Lambrick, and, of course, a few characters who are evil incarnate. I won’t give away who those are. Don’t you just love characters who are so bad that you love to hate them?
Bride by Necessity has plenty of romance, quirky characters, a tad of suspense, and plenty of longing in the eyes!
About Linda: Linda, married with three grown children and three grandchildren, is a complete triple-A personality. How else would she find time to write as well as be an agent for Hartline Literary Agency? She loves any and every thing about the written word and loves when families pass stories along through the generations. She was blessed to have served in the Air Force during the Vietnam era at a time when it wasn’t the politically correct thing for a woman to do. After that, she taught self-defense and karate as well as soccer. Okay, so make it a quadruple-A personality. Now, her greatest thrill, other than a contract of her own, is matching clients with publishing houses and hearing their voices when they get THE CALL. In other words, she wears so many hats, she should have been invited to “the” royal wedding.
About the book – Bride by Necessity: JONATHAN LAMBRICK NEVER PLANNED TO MARRY AGAIN
But when the master of Kent Park takes in the orphaned daughter of a tenant, Jonathan doesn’t expect his young charge to be a stunning woman. Or for a predatory relative to lay claim to her. Marriage may be the only way to protect Payton from an unthinkable fate.
Payton Whittard knows her marriage to Jonathan is about safety, not love. But the feelings that soon arise during their arrangement are anything but safe. Still, there’s something about her handsome protector that makes her trust him with her life. Can Payton trust him with her heart, as well?
 About the book – With Eyes of Love: She has the perfect live…or so she thought
Barbara Richardson is living a charmed life. Perfect family, beautiful voice, wealthy fiancé. But when she realizes her soon-to-be husband only values her for her pretty face, her life is suddenly in turmoil. Then a handsome young man comes to her rescue when she’s stranded in a storm on Christmas Eve. And the world suddenly seems full of possibilities….
Unlike her former fiancé, Jackson Judge loves Barbara for everything she is, inside and out. But how could so lovely and talented a woman ever love a scarred monster like him? All he can see, shut away in his room, are his wounds from Pearl Harbor. Jackson finds himself questioning God’s plan, but Barbara knows real love looks deeper than beauty or scars. Eyes of love see straight to the heart.
Come back August 1st for Linda Leigh Hargrove!