Character Interviews,  Contemporary

Character Interview: Christopher Gordon from Summertime Dream @BabetteJames #RLFblog

Summertime Dream 
Genre Contemporary Romance
Author Name Babette James
Book heat level (based on movie ratings): R
The Fourth of July is over, but for these summer lovers the fireworks
have just begun.
An unexpected inheritance brings business consultant Christopher
Gordon from Los Angeles to quaint Falk’s Bend. He’s carved a week from
his demanding schedule to list his great-grandparents’ house for sale and explore
his roots. However, disturbing family secrets and the sweet temptation of writer
Margie Olsson derail his plans, challenging him to seize the elusive dream missing
from his hectic life— love.
A recent brush with death shook Margie’s life, but not her dreams
and she’s ready to move forward. Only, standing up to her loving, over-protective
family isn’t easy. Helping Christopher explore the derelict mansion and unravel
his grandmother’s mysterious past should be a harmless fun taste of independence.
But when her experimental summer fling ignites into unexpected love, how can her
small town dreams work with his big city life?

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Amazon http://amzn.com/B00HJDS3E6

Interview with Christopher Gordon

What is it that you want,
but cannot have? Authors call this the conflict of the story.
A life with contentment. A life involving more than constant
work and running. Contentment eluded me. I took pride and pleasure in my work and
my business successes, but couldn’t say the last time I’d been content outside of
those two weeks a year at Mohave. Even there, moments of contentment were hard-won
in the effort to downshift from work mode to vacation mode and then, all too soon,
leave and swing into full-speed work again.
What’s your external complication?
In the story world your author created, explain what it is you fear most.
I came to Falk’s bend to unload a house I didn’t need and didn’t
want. I was curious about my unknown relatives, but I only had a week to spare from
my schedule. The first complication was Margie. I took one look at her and I didn’t
know what hit me. Then there was the house! What a mess. Margie’s brother was an
arrogant pain in the ass, too. My schedule was sent into shambles, I found myself
falling for this woman and this town and the people. I told myself getting attached
to any of it was a big mistake. What did I know?
Tell us about your significant
other, that person who makes living worthwhile.
Meeting Margie turned my tidy, well-planned hectic life on end.
If someone had told me I’d meet the love of my life in a place like Falk’s Bend
I would have said they were nuts. I used to think I wanted a cosmopolitan woman
in tune with my face-paced business world. I thought I could settle for like. I
was wrong. I learned I needed a woman who’d be my home and ground my life. I needed
love. Margie’s beautiful, sweet, optimistic, energetic, brave and smart. She writes
these great cozy mysteries and makes an awesome apple pie. She’s definitely made
my life worth living.
What is your family like?
It’s just my mom and I these days since Dad passed. She and I
are close and talk often, and I visit her as often as I can. Dad was career Army
and we traveled often, and while it made slipping into a rootless life too easy,
it bonded us as a family. I miss him, but I’m thankful for the values he instilled
in me and the freedom he gave me to make my own path in life. He understood when
I chose against following in his footsteps and family tradition into the military.
Are you happy with the
way your story ended? Why or why not?
I’m very happy with the way my story ended. I have Margie, I
have love, I have contentment, and I’m learning to make room in my life for things
other than work. Some of the facts I learned about my family were disturbing and
a shock, but it’s better knowing the truth.

About the Writer

Why did you choose to
write about this character?
I fell for Christopher when he and Margie were just secondary
characters in my first novel, Clear As Day. He was the quiet friend of Nate and
Kay and so sweetly besotted with Margie. Originally I had no plans to write a story
for them because they were already married and happily in love. I was pondering
some backstory information for the new River novel when several ideas collided and
Christopher and Margie’s story took off like a firecracker. I had a blast learning
more about Christopher. He’s solid and kind, and has a good sense of humor. He’s
tough and dogged when he must be, and gentle enough to be the man Margie needs in
her life. He appreciates a smart woman and the quiet everyday pleasures in life.
He believes in love, and yearned for it in his own life.
Was there anything you
discovered about this character that was a surprise to you?
Discovering his grandmother’s mysterious past was a fascinating
surprise and I enjoyed writing that story thread along with the main romance thread.
What other character from
this book do you want to write about? Care to tell us why?
I have a short story idea tickling me for Margie’s brother and
sister-in-law and their road back to healing their marriage. I really felt for them
and I’d enjoy writing their happy ever after.
Are any sequels planned
for this book?
Summertime Dream is the prequel to Clear As Day, the first novel
released in my River series and I’m nearly finished with my next novel in this series,
Love Burns, so fingers crossed for that one to be submitted soon. That story takes
off right from where Clear As Day ends. I love this couple’s chemistry, and while
it’s been a challenge to complete, I’ve enjoyed seeing their story come to life
as they work through their personal trials and find their own happily ever after
together. I have four other stories started for couples from the circle of friends
in my River series.

Author Bio

Babette James writes sweetly scorching contemporary romance and
loves reading nail-biting tales with a satisfying happily ever after. When not dreaming
up stories, she enjoys playing with new bread recipes and dabbling with paints.
As a teacher, she loves encouraging new readers and writers as they discover their
growing abilities. Her class cheers when it’s time for their spelling test! Born
in New Jersey and raised in Southern California, she’s had a life-long love
of the desert and going down the shore. Babette now lives in New Jersey with her wonderfully patient husband
and extremely spoiled cats.

Author Social Media

Amazon Author Page http://amzn.com/e/B007KDJWV8

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