FEATURED BOOK AND INTERVIEW: Small-Town Fireman by Allie Pleiter

Karla Kennedy doesn't belong in Gordon Falls. The aspiring restaurateur has far loftier goals than running her grandfather's quaint coffee shop. The only person who seems to relate is handsome volunteer firefighter Dylan McDonald. Dylan understands dreams—he risked everything to start his fishing charter business. Now he needs Karla's help to make it succeed. As they work together, Karla and Dylan quickly discover that while their timing may be bad, their chemistry is undeniable. Karla always thought of Gordon Falls as a layover on her way to a big-city career, but could it be where her heart truly belongs?

INTERVIEW:

How exciting to have Karla Kennedy, the heroine from Small-Town Fireman written by Allie Pleiter a January 2015 release from Love Inspired Romance.

1.       Karla, tell me the most interesting thing about you.

I spell Karla with a K.  That sounds unique, and some days it’s fun, but outside of Gordon Falls where everyone knows my Grandpa Karl from Karl’s Koffee, well, it gets tiresome to explain over and over again.

2.  What do you do for fun?

I love to bake and cook and brew coffee—I’m planning on opening my own place in Chicago someday soon.  The ladies from Gordon Falls Community Church have taught me to knit, too.  I’m not that great at it—yet—but I’m having fun learning.  Dylan McDonald is threatening to take me fishing, but I’m trying to resist that little adventure.

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

Telling Grandpa I’m not going to run his coffeeshop forever.  He wants me to take over permanently, but I’m only here to help out until he recovers from his hip surgery.  I’ve got big plans in Chicago, but I can’t get Grandpa to understand that.  I’ve got to tell him soon.

4.  What are you afraid of most in life?

I’ve been working toward this dream of my own coffee shop for so long I’m afraid it will never happen.  I don’t want to get sidetracked, even by a place as nice as Gordon Falls and a guy a nice as Dylan McDonald.  A handsome firefighter can be very distracting, you know.

5.  What is the most important thing to you?

Family is important—I know that—but I’ve got to reach for this dream or I think I’ll always regret it.  I can see my future coffeeshop, “Rooster’s,” so clearly in my head and I’ve been to culinary school and everything to get ready.  It’s where God is calling me to go, even though I know it’s breaking Grandpa’s heart.

6.  Do you read books? If so, what is your favorite type of book?

I like novels, but lately my head has been stuck in business texts and cookbooks.

7.  If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I’d be less of a scaredy-cat about telling  Grandpa.  And maybe I wouldn’t find Dylan so attractive because the timing is way off for any kind of relationship with someone from Gordon Falls.

8.  Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet?

No pet yet, but someday I’d love to have a cat.

9. If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?

I think it would be fun to go back to the 1960’s when coffeehouses were amazing community gathering spots.  Back before all the big chains, when each house was an independent local business.  That’d be fun to see.