On Tour: Enduring Light with Author Interview and Giveaway!

From Goodreads:  She leaned toward him and rested her elbows on the brass rail at the foot of her bed. “All right, cowboy, just when did you fall in love with me? I’m definitely curious now.” He regarded her in the moonlight. “I knew I was a no-hoping goner when I caught that ridiculous hat of yours on the platform at Gun Barrel.”

Julia sucked in her breath. She tried to be severe. “Mr. Otto, nobody falls in love that fast!”

“I did,” he said simply, as he left her room.

Julia Darling is finally able to marry Paul Otto for eternity. But it’s a harsh world for a rancher in turn-of-the-century Wyoming, especially a Mormon rancher. When alienation and threats begin, Julia must prove she’s her husband’s equal in strength and endurance as she learns to let go of scars on the outside and inside.

Bestselling author Carla Kelly has woven a new story of a determined rancher, his wife, and how they discover the depths of love.

I'm so happy to be a part of this blog tour for Carla Kelly and book, Enduring Light.  My thanks to Cedar Fort for providing a copy for review and a copy to give away.  If you want to check out all the blogs participating in the tour you can find them here.


I had the opportunity to ask author Carla Kelly a few questions.  She was so kind to humor me.  After reading Enduring Light I was full of questions!

One of the things I love the most in this book is the genuine and open physical attraction and desire between Paul and Julia. You've done it tastefully and cleanly. You don't find a lot of books that can do that. Can you tell us a bit about writing such a relationship?

It wasn't hard to write because I was constantly reminding myself how much these two know and respect each other. With that respect comes circumspection, I think, at least in writing. Any writer worth her salt will tell you that a sensuous ankle, well-described, is far more potent than a page or two of burning burning graphic sex. Far more. I also reminded myself that the sexiest guy alive is the guy who washes dishes (Paul does), and changes diapers (Paul will). Also, by the beginning of the 20th century, sex was starting to come out of the Victorian closet, so to speak. People have always enjoyed sex (I've read some sizzling Civil War and Indian Wars letters), but they were reticent to talk about it. By 1909-1911, people were coming more to resemble us. That's why I'm finding it a fun era to write about.

Let me add that I enjoyed the challenge of writing a book about a newly married couple - making it sexy without being prurient. I think I succeeded. We'll see what the readers say.

In this book, Julia Darling is recovering from injuries in a fire. She lost her hair in fire and it's now growing back in curly! Have you known someone that this happened to? 

Well, when I was a little girl, I chopped off my hair and it came back in curly. Don't know why. My hair is pretty straight now, except that the ends still have a nice curl. I was thinking of that. (And also, things can happen in Romancelandia, eh?) The fun thing about this book is we see the characters with some of their flaws - Julia is definitely vain (she frets over her hair, and later, the fact that she can't button her skirts). Paul is proud, and he goes through some humbling experiences.

I knew a girl in college who had her hair burned off when her brothers tried to play a prank and it went bad.  Her hair grew back in curly!  :)

You include recipes in the back of your book for many desserts and dinners mentioned in your book. Are you a cooking extraordinaire like Julia?

I'm a good cook, but hardly a dedicated, great one like Julia. Maybe it's wishful thinking. I based much of the research for that on a wonderful history book called Perfection Salad, about the domestic science movement. Fannie Farmer was a major player in that movement, with her exact measurements, etc. I have a facsimile edition of Miss Farmer's famous 1896 cookbook which is fun to just read through.


In more than one part of the book, my stomach was literally churning over the details of the roundup dinners. Have you actually eaten and/or prepared Rocky Mountain Oysters or Sonofagun Stew? (Ew, yucky, yucky, yucky!)

Nope. I know enough about cowboy cooking, though, to know I never want to eat "The Gentleman from Odessa." SOB stew took its name from whatever state it was cooked in. I'm a Texan by experience (lived there a while, visit when I can), so it's Gentleman from Odessa for me. In Wyoming's case, it would have been called "The Gentleman from Cheyenne."

Thanks, Carla for sharing your time with me.  It's always fun to get to know authors better and make things a bit more personal.

Thank you, Aimee. We'll do this again.

I really enjoyed reading Enduring Light. Cedar Fort has generously offered a copy of Enduring Light to one lucky reader! This giveaway is open to everyone. If you are INT, you will receive an ebook copy, if you are US you have the choice between an ebook or a print copy. To enter, leave me a comment along with your name and email address so I can contact you if you win. Giveaway ends December 30th, 2011.

And here are lots of fun links to click on. They will connect you with the author, the book and the publisher!

Author Blog http://carlakellyauthor.blogspot.com/
Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000100522344
Book Poster page: http://enduringlightbook.com/
Publisher Blog http://www.cedarfortbooks.com/
Publisher Facebook https://www.facebook.com/cedarfortbooks
Publisher Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/cedarfortbooks
Publisher GoodReads http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4202252-cedar-fort