Fayette-A Time To Laugh by Donna Winters

Donna Winters' Fayette A Time to Laugh:

The greatest passion of Flora McAdams’ life has always been her love of animals. From girlhood she has made it her mission to care for orphaned wild creatures and hurting family pets in the pig iron town of Fayette. Now, at age eighteen, she has no lack of four-footed patients needing her skill, and no time or thought for romance, until a quiet Norwegian machinist comes to town.Sven Jorgensen hoped his first encounter with the feisty Flora McAdams would be his last. Whether at the village vegetable garden or the town racetrack, he can’t seem to avoid her. But time works miracles. And after witnessing her transform neglected and homeless canines into healthy, loving pets, his thoughts of her are altered as well. Can he somehow convince her that he has more than friendship in mind for their future?

Interview:
1) How did this story come to you?
My story is based largely on the information about the setting gleaned from historical accounts in newspapers and archives. I have a microfilm reader and purchase microfilm of historic newspapers when they are available for the location of my story. Against the true history about the time and place, I set fictional characters which often interact with true historic figures of the era.
2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
This book was the fifteenth romance novel I’ve had published and the second story about the remote iron smelting town of Fayette, Michigan that operated during the period from 1867-1891. My writing career began in 1982 with my first title being released by Thomas Nelson in 1985. Though younger writers will find this hard to believe, there was a great lull in the Christian fiction market in the late 1980’s which forced me to become resourceful in getting my work into print. I took control of the process by developing my trademark series, Great Lakes Romances, and from 1988 on I have developed titles for this series.
3) What do you love most about being a writer?
What I love most about writing is the complete sense of escape from reality into the world of my characters and their joys and challenges.
4) What frustrates you about being a writer?
The most challenging aspect of writing is expanding my readership. I hope through this interview, readers who have not heard about Great Lakes Romances will discover historic stories they can enjoy.
5) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
Some aspects of myself that would surprise many, if meeting me in person (I’m a slight-built lady), are that I was a trumpet major in college, and I am a hobby weight lifter with exceptionally large biceps. Additionally, I took up cross-country and downhill skiing at the ages of 57 and 58.
6) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
At this time I am working on expanding my readership through social internet contacts and (soon to come) a rebuild of my website at http://www.greatlakesromances.com/. Concerning writing and publishing, I have in mind to develop a cookbook based on the heritage of historic Fayette, Michigan.
7) Parting comments?
I’m new to the social websites and am profoundly grateful for the supportive nature of my contacts there. I pray God’s blessings for all who touch my life via the web.