Today we talk about A love to last, a book by Kendra Slee published with our publishing house Europe Books.
Europe Books had the pleasure of interviewing the author Kendra Slee to get to know her better, where she found the inspiration to write her book A love to last, as well as what is the meaning of Love for her.
Below you can find our interview. Take a seat and enjoy your reading!!!
- Where did you find the inspiration to write this story about Love?
I have always loved romantic stories and writing has always been a passion of mine, so writing a romance novel came naturally to me. The idea for A Love to Last came one day while I was working maintenance at a golf course. We weren’t allowed to listen to music while we worked, so throughout the long days I had a lot of time to let my mind wander and develop the story. For various reasons, the revisions spanned over eleven years, so while the bones of the novel always stayed the same, the in-between and dialogue was always changing. While I invented much of the story, I also pulled inspiration from my life or the lives of people I know with each edit. An event may have sparked an idea in my mind that I twisted, turned, and played around with to make fit the love story of Madison and Jake.
- What are the human and character traits of the main characters and how do they evolve during the story?
I think the character of Madison evolves the most throughout the novel. She’s heartbroken in the beginning for a couple reasons, and feels she needs to really sit with that pain and guilt she’s experiencing. Because of this, she’s very guarded and doesn’t think she deserves to be happy. However, as the story progresses, we see this change, and learn more about why she was initially standoffish. With time, we see Madison come out of her shell and I think this is when people really start to have a soft spot for her. Jake’s evolution is similar and different at the same time. While he’s also experienced heartbreak and immense guilt, he learned how to manage and work through those feelings before the story begins. Yet, throughout the novel, that growth is constantly tested in various situations, and we get to see how he handles himself. From start to finish, Jake is one of the most likeable characters in A Love to Last. However, not only do I think readers come to fall in love with Madison, I think they also begin to fall in love with the relationship that’s developing between her and Jake.
- What does it mean “to love” in 2021?
2021 was a year that was entirely encapsulated by the pandemic, so I think for many people loving could have been just as easy for some as it was hard for others. However, I think that throughout Covid-19, most people have truly learned how important relationships are (romantic or not), and that “to love” can simply just mean showing up for the people you care about. Personally, I’ve experienced a new kind of love in 2021 when our son was born last April; our first born. You always hear and read about how the love you feel for your children is incomparable to anything else, and my husband and I certainly understand that now. Watching him grow, learn, and love us so unconditionally has been such a beautiful thing. Many friends became first time parents in 2021 as well and watching them fill their new roles has been very special for us.
- How did it feel to see your first book published?
Seeing my first book published has been one of my proudest moments. Initially, just completing the novel was a huge sense of accomplishment for me. When I received the publishing contract and went through its process up until approving its cover, everything felt very surreal. Once A Love to Last was printed and finally in my hands, it was such an unbelievable feeling; I couldn’t contain my excitement! I’ve been writing stories/ songs and poems since I was a little girl, so having something I wrote and dedicated so much of my time to has been really amazing. With that said, there has also been a bizarre feeling of vulnerability with having other people read something I have devoted so much of my time to. However, the love and encouragement from family, friends, people I have reconnected with, and even strangers, has been truly special. Thank you so much to everyone for their continued support.
- Are you working on a new writing project?
Yes, I’m working on my next romance novel. I have really enjoyed starting the journey of writing a new love story and creating its new characters. I wrote the first draft of A Love to Last so long ago, and while their characters were always developing, I forgot how much fun it is to have a blank page in front of you. One of the many things I love about writing is the creative output it gives me as well as the challenge of inventing characters, their back stories, their relationships etc.. With life always being busy, I like using the time during a run or puttering around the house to not listen to a podcast or music, but rather letting my mind drift to my next novel’s story. Time seems to slip by very quickly when this happens, so hopefully it won’t be another eleven years before my next novel comes out!
Europe Books thanks the author Kendra Slee once again for taking the time and answering our questions. We are really pleased to have walked alongside her on the editorial path that led to the publication of her book A love to last. We wish her the best of luck for her future works.
To you, my dear reader, I wish you to escape from the thoughts of the day and let yourself be abandoned to the emotions generated by this intriguing love story between the 2 protagonists, full of emotion and passion.
So, my dear reader, I just have to wish you to enjoy this passionate and loving reading!!!
Your editor!