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Monday 20 April 2015

Blog Tour Interview & Giveaway - Letters to Loretta From the Radio Shack by Laura Lynn Ashworth


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Letters to Loretta From the Radio Shack
Author: Laura Lynn Ashworth
Genre: YA Historical Romance / Non-Fiction

Book Description:
LETTERS TO LORETTA

FROM THE RADIO SHACK, A True WWII Teenage Love Story

Read the rare and recently discovered real time letters between Sal, age 19, and Loretta, age 15, during the final terrifying three years of World War II, 1943-1946.

Both from the Douglas Park neighborhood in Chicago, the two adolescents discuss with humor and candor, the Navy, war, politics, hit music, life back home and their relationship.

Sal nicknamed Slabby for his movie star good looks, deciphers code out of the Navy’s radio shack on a minesweeper in the Pacific.

Loretta monikered Duchess for her aloofness, lives with aunts and her widowed father, while holding day jobs and enjoying an active social life with friends.

Letters to Loretta from the Radio Shack lets you experience World War II, both in battle and on the home front, through the eyes of adolescents in a way that Hollywood has never portrayed.

Buy Link:


Author Interview

1. What inspired you to write your first book?
The death of a WWII veteran who was very dear to me.

2. Do you have a specific writing style?
Yes, I write in a very concise, straightforward manner.

3. How did you come up with the title for your book?
The title, Letters to Loretta from the Radio Shack, summarizes half the content of the book, which are letters from Sal, to his neighborhood acquaintance Loretta, while he is in the Radio Shack (the communications center) of the USS Signet minesweeper during WWII.  The book also contains Loretta’s letters to Sal.

4. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Although I would prefer people read the letters and draw their own insights, I think most will see the tremendous strength of character as well as innocence of two teens who are falling in love during a world crisis.

5. How much of the book is realistic?
It is 100% realistic.  All the letters are authentic and in real time.

6. What book are you reading now?
Charmed Lives.

7. Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
I’m more of a topic reader, meaning I choose a book by content, not by the author.

8. What are your current projects?
I’m still promoting my current book, but plan to start on a romance anthology this summer called “Beauty and the Beasts.”  It will be part of my Outrageous Tales of Romance and Redemption series.

9. Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
Yes, I learned a lot about the depth of character both Sal and Loretta possessed as teens during a world crisis.  I also learned about love...what it is, how it grows and how men love differently than women.

10. What were the challenges (research, psychological etc) in bringing your story to life?
Transcribing the170 letters between Sal and Loretta was difficult because they were very faded and most were written in pencil with elaborate handwriting.  The second greatest challenge was to make sure all the language in the letters was understandable so brief notes were added throughout the text to ensure readers could understand what was being communicated between the two teens.

About the Author
Laura Lynn Ashworth is an award-winning copywriter and political cartoonist.  While helping an elderly family member with veterans administration paperwork, she ran across “the letters” and instantly knew of their rarity, freshness and historical significance.  Although she received three publishing contracts within two months of sending the letters to major publishers, Ashworth decided to publish them herself on the advice of best-selling authors.  She currently lives and works in a northwest suburb of Chicago.

10% of author proceeds will be donated to the USO and VFW in loving memory of Sal and Loretta.

Author Links:



***GIVEAWAY***

$50 Amazon Gift Card.


Book Blast Organised by:

25 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed your interview! Thank you!

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  2. The impressive cover is my favorite part of the post.

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  3. I really enjoyed the interview with the author. The premise of the story sounds great! I can't wait to read this book.

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  4. enjoyed your comments. This sounds like such really good story

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  5. Good luck with the release!

    Trix, vitajex(at)Aol(Dot)com

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  6. Loved the interview, it's always great to hear more about authors, thank you.

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  7. I really enjoyed the interview today. Thank you!

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  8. What I love best about the post is that the author has it set up so that 10% of author proceeds will be donated to the USO and VFW in loving memory of Sal and Loretta.

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  9. This may sound a bit nit-picky, but I wish a few lines could have been devoted to rationing- specifically, food. As a food historian, I know that there were shortages during this period, would like to know how they coped.

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  10. I enjoyed the author interview! Thanks!

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  11. my favorite genre, what's not to like about tbe post?

    I just request clarificarion because it says true story on the cover but fiction in the description?

    I also really wish the author was giving away a copy. :)

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  12. OMG, luv the author interview. Divine. Wow, prize amazon gc is fab. & splendid. 2 fingers snap. It is tight, fly & off the chain. Thank you for the awesomeness, the contest, and generosity. Pick me, pick me! Dear Santa: I’ve been nice. My X-Mas wish this year is to win this contest. Starving artist here desperately needs the Amazon gc to shop and eat. A life changing exp.

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  13. I enjoyed reading your interview today

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  14. hearing about this new book

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  15. Letters to Loretta from the Radio Shack sounds like a unique read. I would like to read this book. Thank you

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  16. I enjoyed the interview.

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  17. Love hearing about the cover of the book - shaunie

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  18. I enjoyed reading the book description and the interview.

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  19. I really enjoyed the interview!

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  20. Looks like the good book

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  21. Loved the interview , thanks :)

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  22. Great interview! Looking forward to reading this book

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