Featured Book: Like There’s No Tomorrow

From the back cover:

What if loving means letting go?

Scottish widower Ian MacLean is plagued by a mischievous grannie, bitter regrets, and an ache for something he’ll never have again. His only hope for freedom is to bring his grannie’s sister home from America. But first, he’ll have to convince her young companion, Emily Chapman, to let the woman go.

Emily devotes herself to foster youth and her beloved Aunt Grace. Caring for others quiets a secret fear she keeps close to her heart. But when Ian appears, wanting to whisk Grace off to Scotland, everything Emily holds dear is at risk.

Like There’s No Tomorrow is an amusing yet heart-tugging love story about two kind, single caretakers, two quirky, old sisters bent on reuniting, and too many agendas. It’s a tale of family, fiery furnaces, faith, and the gift of each new day.

An interview with author Camille Eide:

Finish this sentence. Inspirational fiction is . . . a high calling. I believe each of us have a unique call from God that determines how subtle or overt the thread of faith will be in our work, and to what end, and I think there are as many callings as there are writers. Your love of story is a precious gift from the Lord, given out of his good pleasure for a unique purpose that only you can fulfill.

One thing I personally feel called to do with inspirational fiction is just that: to inspire. I don’t mean to be simplistic, but what inspirational fiction is to me is fiction that is not just entertaining (which it must be first) and “clean” (free of unwanted violence and sex), but is also faith-inspiring. I hope that readers will come away from my books encouraged in their faith in some way.

What’s one of your favorite scenes in Like There’s No Tomorrow?

Aw, I only get one? J Of course kissing scenes are fun in a romance, and there’s a real doozy in this book, but one scene that stands out to me is one in which Ian’s sister corners Emily and has a very frank talk with her. It’s unexpected and seems unfair—at first. But she has some interesting points. I don’t know that I’d have the nerve to say the things Claire says to the kind-hearted Emily, so I suspect that as a writer, I’m secretly in awe of her. In fact, I believe she would be a little intimidating to meet. 😉

Are you anything like Emily Chapman, your main character? If you could cast her in a movie, whom would you choose?

Oh dear. I may have a few of Emily’s weaknesses and I’m pretty sure I don’t have her selflessness—which takes a strength people don’t always fully appreciate. As far as casting an actress for Emily, I can picture Kate Mara or Evangeline Lilly playing her.

Describe Ian MacLean. What actor would you hire to play him?

Ian MacLean is a good but troubled man who has resigned himself to spend the rest of his life a loner. He takes responsibility for a cantankerous old woman and he claims he has no idea why he does it, but his sense of duty and honor are an intrinsic part of who he is. As far as casting, since he’s Scottish, I can see Gerard Butler playing him, or perhaps Henry Ian Cusick (Desmond from ABC’s Lost.)

What do you want your readers to take away from this novel?

Hope, a reminder that we are not alone and don’t have to face life’s trials alone. The joy of falling in love and seeing committed love that goes far beyond attraction. A renewed sense of God’s love and presence.

Do you have another novel in the works? Tell us about it.

I have a second novel coming out with Ashberry Lane next spring (April 2015) called Sandcastles in Snow. It’s a love story and relational drama about Susan Quinn, the woman who runs Juniper Ranch Group Home (where Emily works in LTNT) and the kids she loves with a fierce motherly love, yet who has a hard time giving herself over to that love. As a former foster and group home child, she’s been deeply wounded by abandonment and won’t let herself hope in love. Yet . . . when she’s forced to hire a big, kind handyman, who works his way into the hearts of not only her dysfunctional kids but her own, she’s forced to face the longings of her heart. When she finally allows herself to hear God’s voice, He whispers that she has built walls around her heart, but it is not a home, only walls. It’s a story about the kind of surrender that brings hope and love in spite of disappointment and pain.

I have a third novel set in 1953 about an ex-Hollywood heartthrob of the Golden Age who is now born-again and hires a lovely WW2 widow to write his memoir. It’s sort of a twist on the old cliché – in this case, the Bad Boy reforms the Good Girl. It’s called The Memoir of Johnny Devine and I hope to see it slated for publication soon. J

For fun, what do you like to snack on while you write?

You may have heard I am a fan of peanut M&Ms. They aren’t around much, for obvious reasons. I am a snacker-creator though, and often make a little trail mix of peanuts, raisins, and chocolate chips to keep handy while I write. J

About the author:

Camille Eide writes about love, faith, and family. She lives in Oregon with her husband and is a mom, grammy, church office manager, bass guitarist, and a fan of muscle cars, tender romance, and Peanut M&Ms

You can learn more about Camille and her books at: www.camilleeide.com

Camille is offering a copy of Like There’s No Tomorrow in either print (US only) or ebook to one of you. Please answer this question in the comment box along with your e-mail address so that I can contact you if you’re the winner.

Camille’s Question: What country outside your homeland have you visited and what did you like about it? And if you have not, what country would you like to visit and why?