Allie and Marianne have recently posted their first lines from their novels they have written. Also my publisher, Samhain is doing a first line blog contest. Now they are on the second round after choosing the ones to continue.

I thought it’d be cool for me to give my first lines from 4 of my published books and the first line from a book I just started.

“It was 1957 I saw something that I wasn’t meant to see.” (From The Christmas of 1957, published by Booklocker.com in 2001. This book received 5 stars from The Midwest Book Review.)

“When a few drops of rain fell on his head, Brad Hunter realized he’d forgotten his motorcycle helmet.” (From No Greater Loss, inspirational romance, released as an ebook in November 2006 and print release in February 2007, by Samhain Publishing. I received 4 cups from Coffeetime Romance.)

“Jake Michaels made me throw up on prom night ten years ago.” (From A Fiery Secret, a chick-lit mystery, released as an ebook in November 2006 and print release in February 2007, by Samhain Publishing. I received a 5 rating from GottaWriteNetwork, 4 angels from Fallen Angel Reviews, and a 4 rating from Once Upon A Romance.)

“Kimberly Collins wasn’t a patient person. When she wanted something, she wanted it now.” (From Never the Same, mainstream published by Samhain as an ebook in February 2007 and will be released in print on August 21st. Since the first line is so short, I included the second line, too. I received 4.5 blue ribbons from Romance Junkies.)

“Whitney Benson put her mother’s walker in the closet.” (From my present book about 3 sisters - I don’t have a title yet and just started chapter six.)

Thanks to all who entered. I enjoyed reading your comments for each character from No Greater Loss.

The randomly selected winner is…Marianne. Congrats, Marianne! Let me know if the email gift certificate from Amazon is okay or if you prefer the paper gift certificate.

To the rest of you, I’ll probably do another giveaway soon either here at my blog or a website contest. Thanks again for your participation this week. It was fun for me and I hope for you.

I have another character here from my inspirational, No Greater Loss. For a reminder, I’ll be drawing a winner on Friday night at 9:00 pm Eastern time for the gift certificate to Amazon. Your name is entered each time you leave a comment on the character interview posts.

BACKGROUND OF FATHER RYAN WHITNEY:

Age: 55

Physical Appearance: An attractive man with wavy white hair. Medium height and build.

College: MBA from Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio

Occupation before becoming a pastor: Financial analyst

Seminary: Mount St. Mary’s in Maryland

Hobby: Goes to YMCA to lift weights and swim

Favorite dessert: pumpkin pie

Pastor at: St. Peter in Chains Cathedral

DC: With us today, is Father Ryan Whitney. Hello, Father.

FR (smiles): Hello, Diane. I’m happy to be here. Jenny told me how she enjoyed talking with you yesterday.

DC: (gives him a big grin) That’s a relief. When you rescheduled, I was afraid you changed your mind. Can I get you anything? Coffee, tea, or water? Or ginger ale?

FR (chuckles): No, I’m fine but thank you. And I bet Jenny told you I like ginger ale. Unfortunately, she told parishioners how much I like Reese’s pieces and now I’m kept in an endless supply of them.

DC: I love them, too.

FR: I’m sorry I’m couldn’t make it yesterday as we planned. I was at Children’s Hospital most of the day. A little girl had a kidney transplant, so I stayed to pray with the parents. Then I visited some other children.

DC: I hope the little girl’s body will accept the kidney.

FR: Bless her heart. She’s had a rough time of it but she’s a fighter.

DC: I’d like to hear the story of how God called you to become a priest.

FR: Everything flowed from God. My parents were traditional Catholics who instilled in me that God was first, family second and everything else follows. My brother, Joe, and I were altar boys. But I didn’t receive the call until I was twenty-five years old when I was dating this girl I thought I’d like to marry. I had a great job as a financial analyst and had just bought a house close to a church. Before I proposed to her though, I did start wondering what my responsibility to God was and if He wanted me to get married. The whole idea of the priesthood was placed in my mind. Then one night I was walking home and had to pass the church. I felt this increased awareness that God was calling me to be a priest. But I wanted to be sure, so I took several days off from my job, so I could get away from everyone. I prayed and felt positive that God was definitely calling me to be a priest.

DC: I’m glad you listened to God. How did your girlfriend take the news?

FR: She’d been having second thoughts about our relationship so that helped. She realized how awesome it was that I received the call. We talked about the great responsibility that came with it.

DC: That’s wonderful she was understanding. Did she ever marry?

FR: She married a wonderful Catholic man and they were blessed with four children. I baptized them.

DC: Did you feel any regret that they weren’t your children?

FR: No, I didn’t. I’ve always loved being a priest. And my niece, Jenny, is like a daughter to me.

DC: I’m assuming your parents were happy that you received the call.

FR (nods): They were supportive but surprised.

DC: Why?

FR(smiles): I guess because I loved my job. I also liked making money. But the Lord made it very clear that I wasn’t going to have any money. But I knew I didn’t have to be concerned about the money aspect and that the Lord would always provide exactly what I needed. And He has.

DC: I heard how popular your radio show is. What made you decide to have a daily program?

FR: I noticed a lot of people came to me with the same sort of problems, so I started thinking how there were probably others with the same questions about religion and their lives. I felt a burden that maybe they were not seeking spiritual guidance to solve their problems.

DC: I think it’s wonderful how you reach out to so many people.

FR: Thank you. I can’t take all the credit though. I’m an instrument of the Lord’s love to all of us.

DC: Has there been anytime you felt like you gave the wrong advice to anyone?

FR(fingers his white, ordained collar): Yes, but not to any parishioner or radio caller. I wonder sometimes about the time I gave my blessing to my niece to marry Brad. They were both so young but they were so much in love. We had lost Jenny’s father who was also my brother and she lost her mother at age seven. I felt like she needed more in her life than just me. I really believed it was the right time for them to get married. And I thought a lot of Brad. But she’s never recovered from losing Brad. I’m the one who identified his body and had to be the one to tell her. I’ll never forget how she looked when I told her.

DC: And then only months later, she lost her baby.

FR: That was so hard on her, and I had a tough time, too, after both deaths.

(I notice the sadness in his eyes so I reach across to squeeze his hand.)

FR: Christopher was my godson. I loved that little guy so much. For the brief time, he was on earth, he brought so much joy into our lives.

DC:That has to be the hardest thing for a parent to experience. It’s just not natural for a child to go before a parent. I had a miscarriage and I was shocked how people tried to comfort me by saying to me that I could have another one. I couldn’t replace that lost baby with another. That baby was already real to me.

FR: They wanted to comfort you, but needed to appreciate the loss and grief you were experiencing.

DC:What do you think of the future of the priesthood?

FR: I believe in the next 15 years or so we’ll see an increase in men becoming priests. I think the youth today are much more spiritual. But also older men are becoming priests. We do have to let the people of the parish do what they can. Priests should never take away from the people their right to be the church. We must give them the opportunity to do what is theirs to do. We are all responsible for being the church.

DC: Thank you so much for taking time out of your schedule to talk with me. I’ve really enjoyed it. I know you have to leave soon for your radio program so I don’t want to keep you.

FR (glances at his watch): You’re right. I better go. And thank you. Please stop in to see me sometime. (he grins) I’ll even share some of my candy with you.

During my interview yesterday with Jennifer Hunter, she mentioned hiring Luke Brunsman to help her to remodel her old farmhouse. He’s a bit late so I’ll give you some facts about his background. Luke’s thirty-five years old with black hair and brown eyes. He was a schoolteacher before becoming a builder. He was married to Cassie Peters, a supermodel, for ten years. She died from breast cancer. After Cassie’s death Luke built a house for his sister and her husband. They are out of the country, so he’s living in their house until they return.

Luke Brunsman enters, carrying a big cup of coffee. “I’m sorry I’m late. I wanted to stop at the site where we just started a new house, and check in with my workers.”

DC:That’s fine. Thank you for taking the time to talk with me, Mr. Brunsman.

LB: Please just call me Luke.

DC: Do you miss living in New York?

LB: Not at all. I never liked being a New Yorker. I’m glad I came back to Ohio to live.

DC: What do you like best about being back here?

LB: My brother Jack lives here with his young family, so I’m enjoying being able to see my nieces and nephews more often. And since my wife died, it helps to be around family.

DC: I’m sorry you lost your wife. She was very beautiful. If you don’t mind me asking, how did you meet her?

LB (his brown eyes filled with sadness): My sister Leslie was a model and she introduced me to Cassie. We fell in love right away.

DC: Was it hard being married to a supermodel?

LB (nods): Yeah, it was. I wanted children and she didn’t. She didn’t want to get pregnant and ruin her figure.

DC: Since you like children, why did you leave teaching to become a builder?

LB: Cassie didn’t like me teaching. She thought there was too much violence in the schools.

DC: Do you miss teaching?

LB: (he sips his coffee) I missed it when I first left it, but not now. I really like being a builder.

DC: I interviewed Dr. Hunter yesterday. She mentioned hiring you to help with remodeling her house. Do you prefer building new houses?

LB: I do like the whole process of building a new house. I told Jennifer I could build her a new house but she doesn’t want one. That’s okay because I think it’ll be fun working on her old house.

DC: I bet it helps she’s gorgeous.

LB: (grins) Is she? I hadn’t noticed.

DC: What do you like doing in your free time?

LB: I like playing rugby. I’m on the Cincinnati Rugby Football team. We’re called the Wolfhounds. You might have heard of us.

DC: I have. Rugby’s a pretty intense game.

LB: (nods) That’s why I like it. It’s a very rough and physical game.

DC: I went a long time ago to a college rugby game and I enjoyed it.

LB: You’ll have to come sometime to one of our games.

DC: Thanks. That sounds like fun. Luke, thank you for stopping by.

LB: Anytime.

~~~
If you’d like to read more about Jennifer and Luke, buy the book, No Greater Loss. It can be purchased at Amazon, My Book Store and More, other online bookstores, or your local bookstore.

Welcome to one of my characters from my inspirational romance, No Greater Loss. By the way, I put a picture of daisies on this page because she loves daisies!

Before I get started with the interview, I want to mention that No Greater Loss is available in ebook format at Samhain Publishing and in print. It is sold at various bookstores plus online at Amazon. I’ll be giving a $15 Gift Certificate to Amazon on Friday, June 15th, here at my blog. If you leave a comment this week about any character, your name will be entered into the drawing for the GC. Each time you visit and leave a comment, you increase your chances of winning because I’ll put your name in for each comment. If you want to know more about any character, feel free to post questions in the comment section.

BACKGROUND OF DR. JENNIFER HUNTER:

Age: 33

Physical Appearance: blue eyes, light brown hair with blonde highlights, tall

Martial Status: single but was married

Mother: school teacher
Father: police officer
Siblings: none

Jennifer’s Occupation: psychologist

Colleges Attended: Marietta College, Marietta, Ohio - undergraduate degree
Ohio State University - received Master’s and Doctorate

Favorite Dessert: cherry cordial ice cream

Residence: Recently moved to rural Brown County in Ohio, but her practice is located in Cincinnati so has a lengthy commute.

Let’s get started.

DC: Hello, Dr. Hunter.

JH: Please call me Jennifer.

DC: Would you like a cup of coffee?

JH: No, thank you. I just had a cup.

DC: Did you always want to be a psychologist?

JH: No. I originally majored in social work. I really had planned on being a social worker.

DC: What changed your mind?

JH: I lost my husband and baby during college, so to get through my grief I had to find something that would take a lot of time and hard work. I decided to continue my education, and majoring in psychology seemed like the right choice for me. I’ve never regretted it and love being a psychologist.

DC: I’m so sorry about your losses. You definitely made a good decision. I’ve heard wonderful things about your weekly radio program with Father Ryan Whitney. How did you get started on the radio?

JH: I’m glad you asked. Father Ryan is my uncle. He’s been like a father to me since my own died during a drug raid. My dad’s backup didn’t get there in time. Uncle Ryan and I both have suffered family losses so we have a strong bond. A few years ago, Uncle Ryan started a daily religious program on the air. He had me on as guest speaker one Sunday. We were flooded with calls from women who needed help, so now I’m on every Sunday.

DC: What kind of things do you discuss on the air?

JH: I cover topics like dating, childbirth, mothering, menopause, cancer, battered women…this next Sunday I’ll talk about eating disorders which is a serious disease in our country.

DC: How can you really help someone during an hour program?

JH: That is what is so frustrating about giving advice in a short period of time, but I always encourage the callers to get additional help from me or other places. We do hear again from many callers after the radio program. Uncle Ryan is so caring, and he also offers to help after the show ends. His sincerity in wanting to help comes thru so well on the radio.

DC: I heard you just bought an old farmhouse in bad condition. What made you decide to do this?

JH: I love old houses. I saw all kinds of possibilities with the one I bought. But I didn’t plan on moving before it was remodeled. My other house sold quickly because the young couple wanted to move in before their baby was born. Harry, a friend, keeps telling me that I have no business living there. I didn’t even have running water in the kitchen when I moved in so I called a plumber right away. (laughs) I can actually do dishes in the kitchen now instead of a small plastic tub. Remodeling is a challenge, that’s for sure.

DC: I’m sure it will be beautiful when finished. Have you thought about remarrying and filling your house with children? I hope I’m not being too personal.

JH (thoughtfully): I don’t plan on ever remarrying. I think God wants me to remain single. I have a full and satisfying life, so have no plans to make any changes.

DC: But if the right man came along, you might change your mind.

JC: Even if he did I’d keep my distance. Losing loved ones is just too painful. I have learned to keep my feelings intact so that no one gets hurt. I hired Luke Brunsman to help me renovate my house. After he kissed me, I told him our relationship is a business one only.

DC: If you had a free day with no responsibilities and your only mission was to enjoy yourself, what would you do?

JH: That’s a good question. I might read or watch a romantic comedy. Or sew. I have several sewing projects I’d love to get busy on.

DC: Who’s your best friend?

JH: I have two best friends. My secretary, Natasha, is a close friend even though she keeps playing matchmaker. (laughs) She’s married and thinks I should get married again. Then there’s Becky. I don’t get to see her often enough. She lives in Indiana and has a busy law practice. I’m also godmother to her baby Christine. I actually delivered Christine. Becky and I were on vacation in the Blue Ridge Mountains, staying at a cabin when she went into labor. I had to deliver the baby. But everything went fine so that was a relief.

DC: That is a really neat story. Jennifer, thank you so much for visiting today. I really enjoyed talking with you.

JH (smiles): I enjoyed our chat, too. I think I’ll take that cup of coffee now.