Thursday, March 14, 2013

A Hero in the Making ~ Charmed and Captivated as Told by Their Creator (Interviewed by Rel!)


What a privilege to be an invited guest to Casey’s fabulous blog! Case is such a sweetheart (not to mention a kindred spirit when it comes to supporting authors and readers…but I digress!). When she asked whether I would like to do a guest feature for her, I jumped at the chance. We tossed around ideas and I was thinking about some of the leading men who have charmed, frustrated, and delighted me recently. As we pondered which literary heroes I would highlight, we decided there were too many and one post has turned into an ongoing series... if you enjoy what we do here!

We fall in love with a well written hero upon the page—it seems almost inevitable...but before anyone wonders, I’m a happily married woman and Casey is not about to say she’ll settle for nothing less than Mr Darcy, cravat and all! We’ve simply planned a fun series, mixed with a bit of seriousness, as we delve into their spiritual example and what makes these manly heroes captivating to us and their heroines.

So, the first hero I want you to meet is an 18th Century, hammer and anvil wielding, Bible quoting, mountain of a man.

SILAS BALLANTYNE

from the imaginings of historical author extraordinaire

LAURA FRANTZ

appearing in

LOVE’S RECKONING

Borrowed from Laura's "Love's Reckoning"
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Why Silas? As I read Love’s Reckoning, Silas proved to be a man of integrity and quiet courage. Although little of his past is explained, it is clear he is a man who has experienced hardship and suffering and yet is the better for it. As strong and fierce as he is at the forge, Silas also reveals a gentle hand with delicate metal designs and his tenderness with young Eden, as she suffers at the hands of her family. His gentle beckoning of Eden towards him and his faith makes for a wonderful and fulfilling read…..sigh!

Now you’ve heard my thoughts, here are some from the creator of Silas herself!

So, Laura let’s start at the beginning, how did you choose Silas' name?  

I wanted a strong, manly name with Biblical overtones that fit his character. I’m always aware of  popular heroic names in historicals and this one hadn’t been overdone. And it seemed to fit well with Ballantyne, IMHO.

I loved this choice, Laura ~ the meaning “of the forest” suits Silas, too. He is steady as an oak, you know?!

Describe Silas in 3 adjectives

Intelligent. Intuitive. Enduring.

What are Silas' standout physical characteristics? 

Borrowed from Laura's "Love's Reckoning"
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Silas is quite tall – strapping is the better word. He has an amazing vitality/virility about him that draws attention (at least in this author’s head!). And his jade eyes and whiskey-colored hair don’t hurt!

I don’t think it’s only in your head, Laura ;-D

What scars (if any) does Silas carry from his childhood? 

Silas has always struggled mightily with his temper, something that landed him in grave trouble early on. When living in the Scottish Highlands on the Duke of Atholl's estate, he threatened to kill the duke's son. As was common in this time period, Jamie Murray, the duke's heir, had seduced Silas's sister and she later died in childbirth. When Silas turned volatile, his family was evicted from the estate as part of the Highland clearances, even though Silas's father held the coveted position of fiddler and composer to the duke. Silas had to live with the fact that he was responsible for his family's sad fate, something that led to his conversion and his driving ambition to establish the Ballantyne legacy, first as a renowned blacksmith and then as one of the leading industrialists in Pennsylvania. 

What is Eden's first impression of Silas? 
Eden as captured by (c) Brandon Hill
Borrowed from Laura's "Love's Reckoning"
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She finds him, and his unusual accent, a bit off-putting. She’s heard that Scots are somewhat volatile and believes it! But she also finds him verra braw, as the Scots say, or very handsome. Part of her confusion has to do with his attempts to distance himself from her at first which makes him appear a bit cold and uncaring. She’s also a bit frightened by his ambitions.

How does that first impression change over time? 

When he begins to leave love notes for her in the form of Scripture, in all sorts of places, her impression shifts from uncertain to admiring, even yearning. He has that little something she lacks but wants. Slowly she comes to recognize his spiritual strength, something she’s never encountered before in her narrow world.

Scriptural love notes would do it, every time! Any guys reading this?!?!

What's on Silas' bookshelf and in his Netflix queue? (So, I know it’ll be a stretch on the latter - LOL!)

Chuckling at the Netflix! Can you imagine an 18th-century blacksmith trying to grapple with that sort of queue?! Though he is used to queued lines and queued hair! Silas’s bookshelf is crammed with the classics and anything Biblical, especially George Whitfield’s Journals and Matthew Henry’s Commentary. He’s a bit of a romantic at heart so you’ll also find Robert Burns poetry and even the popular novels of the day, Pamela or Clarissa.

Borrowed from Laura's "Love's Reckoning"
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What are Silas' spiritual strengths? 

At the very beginning of the novel, he thinks, “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be His name.” He has an unswerving faith in the Lord and life that includes both the good and the bad, and doesn’t alter no matter what circumstances befall him.

What motivates (or one motivation) Silas in his personal life? 

Hearing “Well done, good and faithful servant” at life’s end. Also, his love for Eden.

Thanks Laura ~ loved these extra insights into Silas. You do have a way with leading men, my friend!

So, let’s talk Silas ~ if you have read his story, what did you think about him? As you either read the book or this interview, what qualities appealed to you in this hero? If he stood in your church foyer would you introduce yourself or stand back and observe?



My bio: Passionate about my family, faith, reading, and blogging, I find myself squeezing in time to read where I can, thanks to my Kindle, but will never forsake the feel of a real book in my hands. I blog at Relz Reviewz, am the Romance and Historical correspondent for FamilyFiction.com’s digital magazine, and review for TitleTrakk and most Christian publishing houses.




27 comments:

  1. Wow, thanks Casey, for having Rel here. And thank you, Rel, for featuring one of my very most favorite heroes, Silas. Talk about swoon-worthy. One of my favorite things about Silas was his leaving of the little Scripture notes for Eden. Such a sweet and enduring thing for a man to do. And yes, I do agree, Laura has a way with her leading men. :)

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    1. Angi, it's going to become a monthly thing and we're both pretty excited about it! Oh, that was sweet! I'm glad you reminded me of that. Laura does have a way for sure... :)

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    2. Hey Angi ~ it's a delight to be at dear Casey's blog - what a privilege, right?! I'm glad you love Silas, too, there's just something about him that is so appealing and I think, it is that spiritual strength. Gotta love that!

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    3. Angi, So glad you liked how Silas won Eden's heart - those little notes work every time, lol;) I fell hard right along with her. Glad you did, too! Thanks so much for blessing us with your comments.

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  2. Oh my! Silas sounds fascinating, and the fact that he's a handsome and tall Christian man doesn't hurt either. lol

    I haven't read Love's Reckoning, but I need to! ;)

    I enjoyed the peek at this hero. Thanks!

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    1. Oh yes, you do Cheryl! Such a perfect historical romance. Have you read any others by Laura?

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    2. I'm backing Casey here, Cheryl ~ there's a reason Silas was our first pic in our heroes series. Laura's books have some very memorable heroes, Silas being just one of them :)

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    3. Cheryl, So nice to meet someone new here:) Casey and Rel have a way about them of bringing people together. I hope if you read LR you enjoy it very much. Thanks for taking a look here!

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  3. WHOO-HOO, CASE and REL -- two of my FAVORITE blogger/reviewers on the same page!!

    LOVE this series idea, my friends and LOVE your choice of Silas Ballantyne!! Love's Reckoning is one of the BEST books I have ever read in the CBA and one of my TOP-TOP favorites ever, so I am in total agreement on Silas in every way. Laura knows how to write a hero like few others, so much so that Love's Reckoning is one of the VERY few books I intend to reread over and over.

    GREAT blog today, ladies!!

    Hugs,
    Julie

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    1. Wow, Julie that's pretty high praise! I love to reread, so for it's the fact that I REMEMBER the story truly beyond the few basic details. :)Glad you stopped by. We'll get one of your heroes up here eventually. ;-)

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    2. Julie ~ love your enthusiasm for Silas and Laura's books! As Casey said, there's a few of your young men that could take centre stage here. Case and I might have to do Paper, Rock, Scissors to decide which one - LOL!

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    3. I'm with Casey and Rel - Julie has a knack for making very memorable heroes, for sure. And she also has a knack for blessing the socks off of her friends by being so incredibly supportive!! She's done so much for me in terms of LR. Often readers come to me and say, "Julie said this was worth reading so I did!" I'm super excited about her new series, too. Just wait till you meet her upcoming hero:)

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  4. Wonderful interview, ladies! I thoroughly enjoyed it; it's always a pleasure "visit" with Laura! :D

    Love's Reckoning was beautiful, to say the least. I found Silas to be an appealing character, and like Eden, I especially admire his spiritual strength, but then there's the "strapping" physical strength which is swoon-worthy, as well. ;-)

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    1. All of her books are beautiful aren't they?! Oh goodness, the descriptions do me in every time...

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    2. Thanks Michelle - thrilled to hear you enjoyed our little post. We are looking forward to posting about someone else next month. So much fun!

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    3. Michelle, I was just thinking of you ~ and here you are! Love your comments. You write beautiful book reviews and I'm still thinking of the one you did for LR. Bless you for being such an encouragement. I so wish you lived closer and we could have lunch!!! But I could say that for Casey, Rel, Carissa, Angi and everyone here:)

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    4. Lunch would be lovely! I've got a little further to travel than everyone else so it may take me a while to get there ;-)

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    5. Ah that would be just heavenly! We would talk for hours, I know. Rel and Michelle and all our blogger friends just need to come to ACFW. ;-)

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  5. What a fantastic idea Casey & Rel. And Laura. Should become an ongoing series. There's a lot you could do with it to involve readers. Well done om it's conception.

    Ian

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    1. Ian, I so agree - a fantastic idea with loads of potential:) Thanks for being here.

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    2. Hey Ian - good to see you here. Another Antipodean is always a good thing, right?!

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  6. Silas is my favorite of Laura's heroes. He's different than Laura's previously heroes. He's the one with the strong Faith it's his example that leads Eden. I love the fact that he is a Scottish hero.

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    1. Carissa, I'm so touched by your comments about Silas. You're so right. He is my first godly hero and it's his faithful example that leads Eden. Well said, my friend:) Thank you.

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  7. OH JOY! Waking up with Silas and friends here this morning is such a wonderful way to end a Friday. And we even get a double blessing with comments by Casey AND Rel:)

    Like Ian and others said, this is such a fantastic idea and I look forward to other heroes and their stories. It really helps taking a closer look at what makes a hero tick. So often much of the story is untold and remains locked in a writer's head which makes this sort of format so inviting.

    Thanks to everyone for the heartfelt comments. They make the publishing road much sweeter. I hope you like my upcoming hero in Love's Awakening:) Galleys were turned in yesterday...

    Thanks so much for your time and the heart and thought behind this post.

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    1. Laura ~ you're just lovely! So, it's no surprise your characters are so special! Thanks for sharing some insider information on Silas for us all and for once again, taking the time to comment and chat.

      Hugs xo

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    2. Laura you've helped launch such a great new series! Love that you're part of it. Thank you so much. :) :)

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  8. Casey, Always a joy to come over here:) And so exciting to see the Lord at work in your life and on your site here. Thanks so much for including me!

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Thank you so much for stopping by, I love to hear from those who traffic my blog! Have a wonderful day. :)