Let's get this party started with Yvonne Lehman!

Welcome! I suppose this is the first official day of the party and I'm honored to have Yvonne Lehman as my guest . . . and Lydia Beaumont from Hearts that Survive! Surprise! Two guests in one day!! Before we get started, let me tell you a little bit about Yvonne and Hearts that Survive.

Yvonne Lehman is an award-winning, best-selling author of novels in many genres such as historical, contemporary, romance, mystery, women’s fiction, mainstream. Hearts that Survive: A Novel of the Titanic is her 50th novel. She will have a 3-day book signing at the Titanic Display in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee April 27-29. Other novels to be released in 2012 are A Knight to Remember in April and Let it Snow in December.

And here's the blurb from the back of the book . . .
On April 15, 1912, Lydia Beaumont is on her way to a new life with a boundless hope in love and faith. Her new friendship with Caroline Chadwick is bonded even more as they plan Lydia’s wedding on board the “grandest ship ever built.” Then both women suffer tragic losses when the “unsinkable” Titanic goes down. Can each survive the scars the disaster left on their lives?

Decades later, Alan Morris feels like a failure until he discovers he is the descendant of an acclaimed, successful, heroic novelist who went down with the Titanic. Will he find his identity with the past, or will he listen to Joanna Bettencourt, Caroline’s granddaughter, who says inner peace and success come only with a personal relationship with the Lord?

Will those who survived and their descendants be able to find a love more powerful than their pain?

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i blog 4 books: Yvonne, thanks so much for stopping by . . . and for bringing Lydia with you! We're glad you came! Congratulations on publishing your 50th book! What a wonderful accomplishment! Can you tell us a bit more about the plot of Hearts that Survive?
Yvonne Lehman: The ship of dreams vanished, disappeared as it sank into the sea. In its place emerged a nightmare. The sinking of the “unsinkable” Titanic was not the end of the story for the 2207 passengers, plus the crew. It was the beginning of an unforgettable event that changed history, changed culture. There were only a few hundred saved in the 20 lifeboats. Not only were hundreds and hundreds of souls lost that night, but the event touched people throughout the world. Each person had family, friends, acquaintances and their lives too were touched and changed. 

Some may want to compare this story with the book and award-winning movie Titanic, as I did when beginning this project. There is no comparison however. That is their story. This is mine and my desire, hope and prayer is that my readers enjoy this book, find it entertaining and filled with events and characters that come alive in their hearts and minds, and know what it means for a heart to survive.


ib4b: What is it about your lead characters that will make your readers care about them?
YL: 

My readers might care about them because they are like people around us, some we label as noble or cowards, those lovable or unlikable, giving or selfish. The story is populated with those like us and make us wonder how we would behave in the situations faced by these people as they read the three divisions of the novel—the before, during, and after the sinking of that ship called the greatest ever built and then became known as one of the greatest tragedies.



ib4b: If you were the casting director for the film version of your novel, who would play your lead roles?
YL: If I were the director for the film version I’d find the most difficult role to cast would be Craven because he is an enigma. Since there is the movie Titanic, I think it would be great if Leonardo Decaprio were to play him. Craven is entirely different from the young man Jack in the movie. Now that Decaprio is older, I think it would be wonderful to watch him play the mature role of Craven and it would be a terrific challenge for him to convince an audience he is not Jack, but Craven. Caroline would be someone like Annette Bening in The American President who was very likeable and yet a strong, independent person. Lydia is the most beautiful blue-eyed blonde in the world, so we’d have auditions. 



ib4b: Lydia, welcome to i blog 4 books! I'm thrilled that you stopped by! Tell our guests a little about yourself.
Lydia Beaumont: My name is Lydia Beaumont. Others behave and speak as if the most interesting thing about me is that I’m heiress to the Beaumont Railroad Company and my father is fabulously rich. However, I think the most interesting is that I’m sailing on the Titanic, the greatest ship ever built and am on my way to America where I expect my life to really begin. And yet, if anyone else knew the secret known only to me, I suspect that would be of incredible interest.

ib4b: What do you like to do for fun?
LB: Before John, I was escorted by Craven to the finest establishments in cities like London and Paris. After John, fun was escaping from those who watched my every move, and sneaking out to run around town with friends as if I were a commoner. Now that I’ve matured considerably in the past few weeks, nothing is more fun than exploring this ship with John or just talking and laughing with him.

ib4b: What are you afraid of most in life?
LB: Never being free to live and love the way I want, but having my life dictated by others.

ib4b: Do you read? If so, what is your favorite type of book to read?
LB: Oh yes, my favorite book is a best-selling one titled Once Upon an English Garden. The author is aboard this ship, in second-class unfortunately but that doesn’t bother John. The two of them have become friends.

ib4b: If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
LB: If I could change one thing about me it would be my former naïveté about my own susceptibility to temptation which led to indiscretion.

ib4b: If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?
LB: Oh, when one is in a palace on the sea, aboard the grandest ship ever built, one simply could not desire to travel elsewhere. We sail on a glassy smooth sea, with only hope and beauty ahead of us and my dear love is walking toward me. The grandeur of this ship is a world of its own. I cannot imagine traveling back from this or being more fortunate than to be aboard this magnificent “unsinkable” ship of dreams.

ib4b: Yvonne and Lydia, thanks so much for stopping by and helping me celebrate my 2nd Blogaversary! What a way to start the week!

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