Blog Tour Interview With Gosia Nealon Author Of The Last Sketch

Today I had the privilege to talk with Gosia Nealon about her debut novel The Last Sketch. Be sure to check out the details below on how to win a copy of her book.

About the Author

While Gosia Nealon is a proud New Yorker, she was born and raised in Poland. Her journey to the Big Apple revealed a wealth of cultural differences, but also the values that connect us all. Like the fierce desire to protect family, find love, and ultimately, discover who we are and why we’re here. Gosia’s award-winning short stories have always delved into life’s biggest questions, but it was the drama, sacrifice, and tragedy of WWII that led her to pen her debut novel, “The Last Sketch.” Growing up in Poland, Gosia heard many firsthand accounts of the war, told from a perspective rarely captured in mainstream literature. She was compelled to breathe life into Wanda and Finn, two young people falling in love in the midst of the most terrifying conflict of our time.

The Last Sketch

They both hold tight to a terrible secret. When they cross paths in war-torn Europe, will their destinies lead to ruin… or victory over evil?

Poland, 1944. Wanda Odwaga will never stop resisting. As the Nazis occupy her beloved homeland, the twenty-three-year-old artist vows to do whatever it takes to help the underground movement mobilize against Hitler’s forces. But she’s devastated when the Gestapo storms her house in search of rebel leaders, killing her heroic father and leaving the face of his murderer forever etched in her mind.

New York. Finn Keller longs to balance the scales. Having escaped Germany with his mother as a teen, he’s disgusted his estranged twin brother has become a ruthless Nazi henchman with a vicious reputation. So when a covert government agency approaches him with a dangerous undercover mission, Finn willingly risks his life to play his part in turning the tide of war.

Still grieving her unforgivable loss, Wanda’s thirst for revenge takes an unexpected leap forward when she once again encounters her father’s killer. And as Finn dives deeply into the role of impersonating his cold-hearted sibling, he’s captivated by the beautiful Polish woman frozen in front of him… her eyes blazing with the promise of murder.

Can these two players in a deadly game survive the ravages of a sadistic conflict? ————-

Tell me about winning the Genre Short Story Category at the 89th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing competition?

My short story was awarded Fourth Place in the Genre Short Story category. Thanks to that, I started believing in my writing, and shortly after, my other stories came.

Being born in Poland, how much of the book is based on stories told about people’s personal experiences?

Growing up in Poland, I learned a lot about World War II, but my storyline and characters are all fictional.

How do you form your storylines?

I do prolonged research, outline the entire story, and then write the first draft. Later I do many corrections.

How long did the writing process take?

18 months.

What do you want your readers to come away thinking after reading your book?

That true love can survive the worst.

“The Last Sketch” is your first novel, what’s next for you?

I’m already working on my second World War II novel.

Writers are often avid readers. What type of books do you read for pleasure?

I like historical fiction with romantic elements.