Little Library Muse: Sound of the Heart Blog Tour: Review, Interview and Giveaway with Author Genevieve Graham

Title:Sound of the Heart

Author:Genevieve Graham

Publisher:Berkley Trade

Publication:May 1, 2012
Audience: 18 and up
Genre: Historical Romance

Rating: 4 out 5

Source: Author

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Amazon| BN

Synopsis

From Genevieve Graham, author of "Under the Same Sky", comes a sweeping romantic historical novel of one man’s strange gift and dangerous battles...
Dougal MacDonnell, a fierce warrior from the Highlands of Scotland, is able to hear the thoughts of other men and dream how the future will unfold.
Devastated by the loss of his family during the Battle of Culloden in 1746, he fosters a deep hatred for the English. But when Glenna, the love of his life and a Scottish outlaw, is captured and shipped overseas, Dougal is forced to join an English army made of vanquished Scots. Now fighting on the side of his sworn enemies, he embarks on a journey that will take him across the seas to the colonies. There he will risk everything for the chance to find his true love.

My Thoughts: Honestly, I grew up on romance novels...yes, my mother let me read them and yes,they have distorted my reality. This book is not one of those smutty romances and it made me sad, though. Dougal and Glenna are constantly experiencing captivity but what is great is that they hold on the the sense of home and spirit.They both have lost family to war death and disease. They somehow find solace in each other until, one day changes everything and they must travel the seas to find each other again before it's too late. It is interesting how strong they are within themselves to keep pushing through their hardships and even inspiring others in the same predicament. I liked the the fire and tenacity of Glenna and Dougal, and think they are a well suited match. The story seems well researched and the author does a great job of giving the work a Scottish feel. This book would be good for those that like romance novels without all the heavy sexual hoopla but a love story that time can't touch.

Author Bio

Genevieve Graham graduated from the University of Toronto in 1986 with a Bachelor of Music

in Performance (playing the oboe). While on a ski vacation in Alberta, she met her future husband in a chairlift lineup and subsequently moved to Calgary to be with him. They have recently settled in a small, peaceful town in Nova Scotia with their two beautiful daughters. Writing became an essential part of Genevieve’s life a few years ago, when she began to write her debut novel, Under the Same Sky. The companion novel, Sound of the Heart, will be in stores May 1, 2012.

Interview

Tell us about Genevieve Graham.

I’m a disorganized person with a mind like a sieve. But I mean well. I’m 47 with two really independent and intelligent teenage daughters, and I’m incredibly lucky because I have the most supportive husband in the world. When I first started writing—about five years ago—I felt like it was a guilty pleasure, like I should be doing something more “useful” instead. But he was the one who encouraged me, who knew how important it was for me to get these words out of my head.

What else? I can’t cook, but I can bake. I’m juggling way too many things, but I get excited when something new comes up. I love plants and flowers, but can’t grow them to save my life.

What inspires you to write?

When I get into the “zone” and stories start blooming on the screen in front of me, it’s the best place in the world. I want to see how they flow, how they end, because to me it’s like I’m in the middle of everything and I have no idea which way I’m headed. And my all-time favourite thing is to go back to something I’d written a long time before, then read a passage I don’t remember writing and think, “Hey! That’s pretty good!”

Was it difficult deciding how to bring the characters to life?

My characters lead me through the stories. I feel them in my head, hear their dialogue, see their movements. I think the challenge is more for them - bringing me to life when I’m feeling lazy!

Are there any similarities between you and your characters?

No. I’m not nearly as courageous as they are, not on any level. But I admire them, and I aspire to be more like them. Isn’t that weird? To want to be more like something you’ve created? But it’s true.

If you could be a character in a book, which book and what character?

I recently read “The Rose Garden” by Susanna Kearsley. It was a time travel romance, and the heroine had the opportunity to pass between worlds almost at will. Of course she *spoiler* chose to stay back in time, with the men in waistcoats and all ... But imagine getting that opportunity? That’d be awesome. Plus she had a really great attitude about it all. Kind of like “Cool. Here I am. Yes, it’s way dirtier and rougher than I imagined it’d be, but I kinda like it here. Maybe I’ll just stay.”

What's the best advice you've could give about pursuing your dreams?

Never, never listen to anyone who says you won’t be able to reach your dreams. If you’re going to listen to anyone, go to the people who have achieved what they set out to do. Learn from them. Don’t be discouraged. No one has the right to take your dreams from you.

Favorite Quote? Book?

All my favourite quotes, I fear, are from “Outlander” because Diana Gabaldon’s characters are my idea of the perfect characters. They truly exist for me. And Jamie Fraser, well, anyone who knows the books knows Jamie is … incredible. Anyway, I love far too many lines in those books. One of my favourites, though, has to be,

“When the day shall come, that we do part,” he said softly and turned to look at me, “if my last words are not 'I love you' - ye'll ken it was because I didna have time.” - that was from “The Fiery Cross”

Scenario: I'm 19 year-old female that hates to read but the cover of your book has caught my attention, what would you say to get me to read it?

I would say that a great deal of historical romances are tied up in stories of salon etiquette and the silliness that sometimes occurs as a result of that. Yes, my covers look like they might belong in those scenarios, but they don’t. My characters have never stepped into a ballroom, never seen a pearl. They are real, their adventures are real, and their stories will show you a whole new kind of passion.

What is a question that you wish interviewers would ask, and the answer to that question?

I can’t think of any right now!

Choose only one. If you could choose between invisibility or the ability to fly, which would you choose?

Invisibility.