Jean Thompson Kinsey's The Light Keeper's Daughter

[Anne] Congratulations on your new release, Jean. Please tell us a little bit about it.

[Jean]THE LIGHT KEEPER'S DAUGHTER is an historical romance set in the WWl era. In one day, young Belle Montague's life changes from "belle of the ball" to one of hiding out in a lonely lighthouse, after being falsely accused of a crime by the mother of her wealthy beau. When Captain Fred Logan discovers her, she isn't sure if he'll turn her in to the authorities or help her clear her name.

[Anne] Where did you come up with the idea for it?

[Jean] Lighthouses have always fascinated me. I was in awe, also, as my grandmother told me tales about her life in the time of the Great War and the influenza pandemic. It seemed natural for me to put the two fascinations together.

[Anne] Tell us about the setting. What made you chose this location?

[Jean] I simply chose South Carolina at random. It is closer to my state of Kentucky than some others. I am familiar with southern customs.

[Anne] Did a lot of research go into it?

[Jean] Yes. It took longer to research than it did to write it. I read fiction, poems and facts. I also watched movies with lighthouse settings and others about WWl times and places. The movie "1918" gave me much insight into the flu epidemic.

[Anne] Tell us about your next project.

[Jean] Ann, I am so excited about my three book Willow Shade Series, contracted with Desert Breeze Publishing. The series is set in Logan County, KY. where I grew up. My characters and plot are fiction, but almost everyone in the small rural community will recognize "Daddy" as my dad. Several others of my family members will also peep their heads in, in disguise of course. And my siblings will recognize our old homestead as Willow Shade Farm. From there on all is fiction.

Blurb The Light Keeper's Daughter

A broken heart and trouble with the law washes Belle's dreams of a beautiful life with wealthy Lawrence Rinehart out into the sea. Unjustly accused of a crime by Lawrence's mother, Belle seeks refuge in a lighthouse on the shore of a secluded little seaport.

Captain Fred Logan, penetrates her wall of defense and persuades Belle to come out of isolation. Together they face WWl, rescue a baby from the sea, and battle the deadly flu epidemic. Will Belle choose Fred or the wealthy ex-boyfriend when Lawrence's boat capsizes and she braves a vicious storm to save him? Will Divine Guidance give Belle courage to do what she must in order to truly be free?

Excerpt:

Planting each boot on the rickety steps with caution, Belle picked her way up, praying the stairs would not plummet from under her. She held onto the chest with the intensity of an overboard sailor clinging to a raft, as a muffled, hoarse cry came from inside of it. The wind yowled. The stairs trembled. If she could make it a half-dozen steps more. One -- two -- three -- four. Now just a couple more, and she'd be to the top.

Dear Lord, hold them together. Hold them in Your hands just a few more steps. Help me take care of what I fear is in this little wooden chest. Finally, soaked in seawater, with salt and sand in her hair, Belle stepped into the watch room where William met her with a ghost-white face and outstretched arms.

"William! Help me!"

She removed her rain garments with William's help, letting them crumple in a pile on the floor. Inside the box lay a bundle tied to the sides with twine, wrapped in a water-soaked, blue eiderdown quilt, a tiny fist fighting the air. The cries were barely audible. The child had used its last bit of strength screaming from terror out on the sea. It was a miracle the box had not capsized or the waves not filled the basket covering the baby's nose and mouth. Another miracle permitted Belle to hear the crying at all. God must have meant for this baby to survive as He did another child in a basket thousands of years before.

Its little voice was gone. Belle's fingers shook as she lifted the cover off the face of the infant. "A baby. What am I to do with a baby? Oh, William, is it alive? I mean it is, but is it dying? It's turning green."

"That's the sea water, I think." William rubbed the tiny foot protruding from under the blue batiste dress.

The baby made choking noises from way down in its chest and drew its knees into its belly. It tried to cry, but gurgled a slight hiccup. Its lips turned deep purple. Belle picked up the infant and held it in outstretched arms. She was afraid of the miniature little person. "We need a doctor."

William took the child and turned it over on its belly, slapped its back with gentle, firm pats. Seawater oozed from the corner of its mouth. The baby cried.

Purchase The Light Keeper's Daughter:
http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-276/The-Light-Keeper's-Daughter/Detail.bok

http://www.amazon.com/The-Light-Keepers-Daughter-ebook/dp/B007K1ODKK


Bio for Jean Thompson Kinsey
Jean Thompson Kinsey, originally from Franklin Kentucky, now lives at Brooks, KY. Jean has always wanted to write, but life continued to get in the way. She retired from real estate sales when she was diagnosed with a rare debilitating illness, syringomyelia, and dedicated her energy to raising her three children. She likes to read, play with her grandchildren, teach Sunday School and travel.

It wasn't until she became a widow in 2005, that she began seriously writing. Jean's creative non-fiction can be found in multiple Chicken Soup for the Soul and Cup of Comfort books. Her fiction is published in Disciple's World, Live, Living, Harpstring and Splickety. Jean writes inspirational fiction and non-fiction. Her suspense trilogy of Willow Shade Farm will release in August 2012, March 2013 and October 2013.