Legacy of Love Interview

Hello everyone. I’m Anna Simmons from Pearlman, Michigan, and I’m excited to have here with me today Brandon Landers, the dreamy hero of my very own story, as told by Christine Johnson in her November 2012 Love Inspired Historical release, Legacy of Love. Brandon doesn’t like to talk about himself, but we’ve got him cornered now. I can hardly wait to hear what secrets he’s going to reveal.

1. Brandon, tell me the most interesting thing about you that I don’t already know. And stop frowning! This is supposed to be fun.

Anna, I told you not to ask any personal questions. Besides, what could I possibly tell you that you don’t already know? You’re relentless in unearthing my past. [grin] Did I tell you that I went to Luxor and saw the Valley of the Kings? Of course Mr. Carter hadn’t discovered King Tutankhamun’s tomb yet, but plenty of workers were on site.

  

2. Oh my, I wish I’d been there. Maybe someday. I suppose I know the answer to this question, but I still have to ask. What do you do for fun?

Work is fun. I love reading about antiquities, sniffing around curio shops and going through old books. Nothing is more exciting than finding a curiosity that piques the imagination.

3. What do you put off doing because you dread it?

Dread is rather a strong word. A man must tackle even the most unpleasant tasks in due order, but if you mean which tasks I dislike, it would have to be bailing my kid brother out of trouble. Unfortunately that happens far too often. 

4. Is that what you’re most afraid of in life, that your brother will get into trouble again?

In a way. I don’t want to lose the respect of the people I care for, and his behavior has been irresponsible at times. Granted, I’ve made some mistakes in life, but I don’t want anyone to go through what I did. Respect, once lost, is gone forever.

5. I can’t believe anyone would fault you for his behavior. You’re the most careful, cautious man I’ve ever met. So then, is respect what you want out of life?

Partly. After years living from place to place—from preparatory school and college to working in Boston before going to Europe in the war and then going from one hospital to another trying to recover from my injuries—I’d like to put down roots somewhere. Pearlman would be perfect. Nice slow pace.

6. Slow? You think that’s good? I’d love to see the world, go to all those places you’ve been to. Rome and Athens and Egypt would be a great start! How can little old Pearlman measure up to that? It sounds like you think this slow-paced little town would make you happy. Is that the most important thing to you?

As long as I had someone to share it with.

7. Oh! [blush] Maybe you will. Maybe you’ll find someone perfect. Ma says God made a perfect match for everyone. You just need to find that person. I guess it’s kind of like searching for hidden tombs or buried treasure. But she says that sometimes searching isn’t enough. Sometimes you have to change in order to find your dream. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

That I could still hold onto dreams like you do. I wish the war hadn’t taken that away. Hold on tightly, Anna. Don’t ever let go of your dreams.

8. I won’t. I promise. But I don’t understand why you think you’ve lost your dreams. You have this huge mansion all to yourself. You have your new antiquarian bookstore. You know archaeologists and have seen the world. What’s missing?

It can be lonely.

9. Maybe you should get a pet, then. Did you ever have a pet?

No. Father forbade animals in the home. After Mother died, I was sent to boarding school and never had a chance to have a pet.

10. That’s so sad. We had cats and dogs when I was little. Lots of them, but none the last few years. I think that’s because it was hard for Ma to make ends meet after Papa died. You could get a dog. It’ll cheer you up. After all, it’s a great time to be alive. There’s a world of opportunity! What’s your favorite thing about living in 1922? New inventions like radio or talking movies?

I prefer the slower pace of the past. The only benefit of the new technology is that it allows us to better understand our past and improve our future. Hopefully we will learn from our mistakes and never repeat the Great War. Medical advances might make influenza pandemics and diseases like polio a distant memory. Most of all I hope we hold onto each other and our communities. If these inventions can help us do that, then they’re worthwhile.

Thank you, Brandon, for stopping by to visit today. For all the readers out there, you can unearth more of Brandon’s secrets in our story, Legacy of Love. Until we meet again there, have a wonderful holiday season filled with every good thing. With love, Anna.