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1. Who or what inspired you to become an author?
It was a mixture of things. I've always loved reading and loved stories, but in high school I was in a writing class that made me realize how much I loved it. My favorite genre to read at the time was Regency romance, so I started writing my first book. 

2. Who are some of your favorite authors? Do these authors inspire your own writing?
Many authors inspired me to write Regency romance, including Jane Austen, Sarah Eden, Julianne Donaldson, Jennifer Moore, and others. :)

3. What top 5 books do you currently have on your TBR pile?
I have not had much time for reading lately, so I'm excited to read some good ones this summer! I like just going to my local library and browsing until I find the next book I want to read. I don't plan ahead too much. :) 

4. When you are not writing, what other "hats" do you wear?
I'm a college student, I love baking, singing and playing the guitar, and anything creative.

5. What inspired the idea for Road to Rosewood?
I wanted to write a book with more mystery and adventure, with a hero that was more flawed than perfect as my other heroes have seemed. I wanted to write a story of childhood friends that fall in love. 

6. What do you want readers to take away from reading Road to Rosewood?
I want them to close the book happy; that's always my first goal. I want readers to recognize the importance of friendship, love, and trust. 

7. What is your current WIP?  What can you share with us about this project?
I've started several projects and can't seem to commit to just one! I will say that I'm trying a completely different genre for right now--probably young adult or middle grade. It's super different, but I'm excited!​

1. Who or what inspired you to become an author?
Raised in a large family of storytellers, I caught the bug like one would a cold. One learned to participate in self-defense. And living on a Boer War era ranch provided no end of grist to my storytelling mill.
 
2. Who are some of your favorite authors? Do these authors inspire your own writing?
One of my favourites is Madeleine Brent. Her stories always featured strong female leads—each with a unique ability that eventually ‘saves the day’. Because of her, the women in my books are strong without being hard. An important difference.
 
3. What inspired you to start writing biblical fiction? 
I love the scriptures. The stories are unparalleled still, even with the plethora (real word) of works that are published every. Single. Day. But because the scriptures are told largely from a male point of view, I always wondered what the women were doing. I love a background story and there is no one more ‘background’ than the women behind these great men of the scriptures.
 
4. When you are not writing, what other "hats" do you wear?
Oh, golly. Wife. Mom. Grandma. Seminary teacher. Playwright. (Also children’s theatre director and/or referee.) Writing mentor. Blogger. Promoter (more wishful than actual at the moment). Musician. Biking companion/confidante. And chief-cook-and-bottle-washer. (Wash those bottles!)
 
5. What inspired the idea for A House Divided?
Have you ever wondered if anyone regretted their decisions? I mean the major, life-changing-and-not-for-the-better decisions? I pictured the wife of Lemuel and wondered if she ever had regrets about her husband’s (and by association—her) decisions to follow Laman. Did she sit by a fire in her later life, watching her children dance about it painted in blood, and have regrets? Or imagine might-have-beens? A House Divided, the sequel to Daughter of Ishmael, was Hannah’s chance to make the different decisions later in life. Still not easy. But right.

6. What do you want readers to take away from reading A House Divided?
I want readers to know that making the major, good decisions is seldom (almost never) easy. That great sacrifice comes first. And even after one sacrifices, the rewards don’t always look like you pictured. But are always—ALWAYS—worth it.
 
7. What is your current WIP? What can you tell us about it?
I’ve just finished working on the story of God’s Tree. A take-off on the Tree of Life.
If it was discovered by a small boy.
And if he had the faith—and courage—to do something about it.

​Meghan M. Gorecki is an author of inspirational fiction about what God can make beautiful from the ashes of history, and hearts. A lover and avid studier of people, times gone by, and fiction, she has been writing since childhood and now houses her books under Northern Belle Publishing. Coffee and red lipstick color her days as a redhead from a box, alongside her treasured tribe of family and friends in her beloved hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

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1. What is your favorite dessert? Vanilla custard.
2. What is your favorite beverege? Coffee!
3. What is your favorite TV show? How I Met Your Mother. And The Office.
4. Where is your favorite place to go on holiday? On Holiday as in vacation? Gettysburg! If you meant on a holiday: staying home! J
 

1. What did you want to be when you grew up? Did becoming an author ever cross your mind?
I wanted to be married and have kids. Still do. J And as I got older, I knew I wanted to write stories. And so, through many trials and errors and humble pie—I did.

2. What authors do you enjoy?  Do these authors inspire your own writing?
Oh gosh there’s so many. Lynn Austin, Pepper Basham, Kara Isaac, Laurie Tomlinson, Jocelyn Green, and Joanne Bischof just to name a few who’ve enormously inspired my writing.

​3. When you are not writing, what other "hats" do you wear?
The latest hat is that of Campus Coordinator at my church—which is part admin, marketing, communications, facilities managing, and more. It keeps me on my toes but there is no place I’d rather be.

1. What inspired the idea for Amongst the Roses?
A homeschool assignment in fourth grade! It was to keep a diary as if I was a girl from the North living through the Civil War. Between that, Little Women, and Lynn Austin’s Refiner’s Fire series, I ran with it and turned it into a story called Amongst the Roses. I kept Margaret, Connor, Adam, and Annelise’s names, and the era/setting—and those are the only resemblances to the original girlhood version.

2. What do you want readers to take away from reading Amongst the Roses?
I hope and pray they take away that God can build something beautiful in the midst of trials, and that He is ever near. With the heart of a good, good Father.
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3. What is your current WIP? What can you tell us about it?
The sequel to Amongst the Roses: A Rose Long Awaited! It picks up right where Roses leaves off, and takes us and the Bryant and Doyle families through to the end of the Civil War. And that’s all I can say about that lest I give away spoilers.

1-When you are not writing, what other hats do you wear?
For the past 21 years I have been a professor at Taylor University, serving as director of the professional writing concentration in the Department of Communication.  I teach three writing courses each semester, serve on academic committees, attend our chapel three times per week, and do student advising.  During the summers I do guest appearances at writers conferences. This summer, 2018, for example, I will be teaching at the Write to Publish Conference (Wheaton), the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference, and our own Taylor University Christian Writers Conference (Aug. 3-4).  I write a column for each issue of Christian Communicator magazine, I make webinar training presentations for the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, I teach an adult Sunday school class at Wallen Baptist Church in Fort Wayne, and I enjoy spending quality time with my four grandkids. My wife Rose and I have been married 46 years, and we love to travel. In recent years we have been to Scotland, England, Ireland, the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Poland, Turkey, Greece, Canada, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Bermuda, Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska, and China.
 
2-Who are some of your favorite authors, and what authors inspire you?
I wrote my doctoral dissertation on American author Jack London (1876-1916) because he is my all-time most respected writer. I actually prepared a 600-page annotated version of Jack’s autobiographical novel Martin Eden, as well as a library reference book called Jack London’s Masterplots. He is a master at descriptive writings, whether talking about the Yukon, the South Seas, or even the slums of London. His plots have incredible narrative drive.  The Call of the Wild has been translated into more than 80 languages and has been a best-seller every year since 1903. His novel The Sea Wolf has been made into a movie six different times.

I liked to read the early novels about banking and business by T. Davis Bunn.  I enjoy all the cop novels by Jerry B. Jenkins.  Dave Barry’s nonfiction books crack me up.  My son is grown, but when he as in grade school years ago, he and I read Mark Twain’s novels and roared with laughter. 
 
3-What inspired the idea for your novel The Man Who Could Transfuse Time?
Some years ago I was hired by a large circulation magazine to do a feature article about people who were born with superpowers they never asked for. I was to find out if they felt blessed or cursed.  It turned out, it was some of each.  The woman I talked to who had a photographic memory got all A grades in school because he remembered everything she read in her textbooks, but she was unable to forget any negative thing anyone had ever said to her or about her.  A man who was ambidextrous wanted to be a pianist, but once his dad and various coaches discovered he could do everything equally well both left and right handed, he was hounded all his life to be part of baseball, basketball, and hockey teams.  A woman with perfect pitch could not enjoy attending a recital or concert if even one instrument was slightly out of tune because she could hear only that imperfection (over and over).  I made a note in my writer’s journal, asking myself, “If given the choice, would anyone really want a superpower?”

A year later I signed a contract to write a book on aspects of time management.  While interviewing executives who were experts on setting priorities, sticking to schedules, and managing work teams, I kept hearing one refrain from each of them: “Oh, if only I could go back 30 years, knowing what I know now. Wow, would my life be radically different.”  So, I made another note in my writer’s journal: “Would it be worth becoming younger in body if the mind was totally out of synch with everyone who was actually that age?”

As my subconscious was playing with both of those questions, I happened to attend a sermon one night in which the pastor talked extensively about spiritual gifts, and how each person was blessed with a different talent and ability.  Well, click, all of those other elements suddenly fell into place, and I asked myself, “What if someone had a superpower that no one else had, such as transfusing time from one person to another?  Would the people he touched feel cursed or blessed by his intervention?  How would they then lead their lives?”  I went home that night and started making notes for the novel.

A big challenge was to somehow make the story plausible. To do that, I did a lot of research on a disease called progeria, in which children age seven times faster than normal. I contacted geneticists at universities, hospitals, and research centers to find out what they were doing to try to cure this disorder.  I also asked them the reverse—what causes the body to stay young and fit and healthy? I weaved this scientific information into the plot of my novel..

Additionally, I talked with numerous theologians who have theorized that the reason people are born with superpowers (ambidexterity, perfect pitch) is because Adam had superpowers before the fall from grace.  The Bible says he could work in the garden, but it makes no mention of blisters, sore muscles, or sweat.  It also says that all by himself, Adam came up with a name for every animal in creation.  Wow, what a creative mind.  Maybe some of his “super” genes arise every now and then in people yet today.  So, I infused that theory into my story, too. It added credibility to what was, initially, a rather wild plot idea.  Readers have bought into it.
 
4-What do you want your readers to take away from The Man Who Could Transfuse Time?
By presenting a tangible story that has real-life characters, elements of science and solid history, contemporary settings, and high drama, my hope is that I will help people get a better grasp of ethereal concepts, such as eternal life, being born again, and other seemingly abstract theological matters. In no way am I trying to shove religion down anyone’s throat.  However, I am striving to open people’s minds to the consideration that a greater power may exist and that life has value and purpose and meaning.
 
5-What are your current writing “works in progress?”
​In 2016 Diana Savage and I coauthored a contemporary novel titled Pseudonym (Whitaker Publishing House). She and I are half-way through writing a sequel to that book.  I also am in the midst of writing a three-part series of books that are nonfiction motivational books that also have a series of short stories embedded in them, showing Jesus running a business on earth in the 21st century.  The first book, Jesus in the 9 to 5, was released in 2013; its sequel, Jesus in All Four Seasons, was released in 2015; and I am now finishing book three, Jesus in the Yesterday, Today, and Forever.  Additionally, I wrote a writing textbook titled, Finding Success with Your Dream Writing Projects (Bold Vison Books, 2017), and I am now finishing a companion volume to that for release later this year.  And, my literary agent, Chip MacGregor, is shopping a one-year devotional book I have written.  So, yes, I stay very busy as a writer.  I still love it.

Chelsea Curran lives in the desert valley of Arizona. Though secretly a romantic, she used to spend most of her time brooding over the idea of love until her college roommates (now best friends) introduced her to the exciting and fantastic world of romance novels. When she’s not teaching, dancing, painting, laughing or baking cookies, she’s in her blanket fort giggling over the handsome hero capturing the fair lady’s heart. And no matter how old she gets, that will never change.
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Countless authors have inspired to her to write stories for those who seek the same ideas that brought her comfort, joy and hope for the future. By experience, she believes one good book can change a person’s life forever.

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1. Who or what inspired you to become an author?
I was inspired to become an author during college when I first fell in love with contemporary romance novels. After witnessing many relationships fall apart in my life, I sought the philosophies of my favorite authors to help me figure out what mine were. When I began to have my own relationship experiences, I discovered I had a lot to stay about it. And I loved the idea of reaching out to someone like myself who would feel comfort and joy in the things I wrote.

2. Who are some of your favorite authors?
My list of favorite authors is endless, but to name a few are Anita Stansfield, Diana Gabaldon, Brandon Sanderson, Marissa Meyer, and Marcia Lynn McClure.

3. If you could go to tea with one of the characters from The Burnheart Redemption, who would you pick and why?
If I could go to tea with any of my characters from The Burnheart Redemption, it would definitely be Adam Garrow. Not only is he incredibly handsome, but he has a fascinating background with dozens of stories to tell, a great sense of humor, and a natural charm that would make for the best tea time conversation.

4. What inspired the idea for The Burnheart Redemption?
What first inspired The Burnheart Redemption was me and my two college roommates spending an Saturday relaxing and laughing the day away. That afternoon I had listened to the “Tangled” soundtrack, and the song “Kingdom Dance” had came on. Immediately I imagined the three of us in a regency setting dancing at a fancy ball with three dashing heroes of that time. Just for fun, I wrote a short story version for them that progressed into a full novel. And I will forever thank them for that inspiration and encouragement on that project.

5. What do you want readers to take away from reading The Burnheart Redemption?
I would love for my readers to know that the heroes in this story are based on very real men I’ve come to know in my life, who understand the meaning of respect, humility, chivalry, and sacrifice. To those readers, I hope they will take those examples I’ve written down to heart and remember that they deserve someone who also show those qualities. And of course I would hope that these fictional heroes will make them feel just as giddy as they made me.
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6. What is your current WIP?  What can you tell us about it?
My current work in progress is a romantic comedy taking place at a Renaissance festival. The outline is still in the beginning stages, but it’s fun getting back into the contemporary genre and writing down all my ridiculous and amazing experiences I’ve gathered in the recent years. So expect some swoon-worthy knights in shining armor, and everything turning upside down when a metropolitan girl gets pulled into the world of medieval culture. This one is definitely dedicated to all my nerd friends who’ve made my life so much better after pulling me into their fandoms.

Catherine McGreevy
Author of clean, inspirational fiction

The daughter of a foreign-service officer, Catherine McGreevy attended international schools in France, Spain, and Morocco. During her time abroad she learned to appreciate other cultures as well as the ideals that make America special. A true book-worm, she dreamed seeing her own novels on a shelf next to those of her favorite writers, including Mary Stewart and Elizabeth Peters.

After majoring in Communications (Journalism) with a minor in English at Brigham Young University, she later earned her Secondary Education Teaching Credential at Cal State Fullerton, and taught high-school and middle-school English before moving to Northern California.

A history buff, Catherine lives in Northern California’s gold country, where she has been known to don a bonnet and petticoats to re-enact the past with the Sierra Nevada Mormon Pioneers, appearing in parades and at Sutter’s Fort and the Gold Discovery site in Coloma.
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Her first historical novel, Chance’s Bluff, was released by Cedar Fort Publishing in January, 2018. A Place Called New Hope follows in March.

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1. How did you get started as an author?  Who or what inspired you?
When I was a child, my parents took my siblings and me to the local library every Saturday, which was my favorite place in the world. I loaded up my arms with as many books as I was allowed to check out, had them all read by Wednesday, and then waited impatiently for next Saturday. In sixth grade, my schoolteacher had us write an alternative ending for a story we were reading in class. From then on, all I could dream of was being a writer and seeing my books on the library shelves next to those of my favorite authors. I could think of nothing better than bringing as  much enjoyment to other readers as those writers did to me.

2. What is some advice you would give to another writer who is just starting their writing career?
Finish your story! Plow through the entire rough draft, terrible as it might seem, before you go back and fixing anything.  Many people start writing books, but most give up after 50 or 100 pages. if you go back to polish every sentence and rewrite every chapter, you’ll likely never get to the end. Realize that it is a major accomplishment just to finish a story. Once you’ve hammered out the complete rough draft, imperfect as it is, THEN go back, tear it apart, and start fixing those things that bother you.

3. If you could go to tea with one of the characters from A Place Called New Hope, who would you go with and why?
The hero, Patrick, definitely! He is a good listener, respects what women have to say, even if he doesn’t agree, and has many fascinating adventures to tell about. Although he is blunt to powerful people he dislikes, and can be annoyingly stubborn, he has a kind, compassionate heart.

4. What inspired the idea for A Place Called New Hope?
Like my heroine, Letty, I am an idealist, always trying to come up with ways to solve the world’s problems. I also love historicals set in Victorian England. When a little research showed me how many people from that era, including Charles Dickens and many others, grappled with society’s problems, I thought, “Why not write a story that combines my favorite genre, historical romance, with a protagonist who wants to change the world?”  I’d just read a fascinating biography of Sir. Richard Burton, so I already had a model for my explorer hero. However I had to be careful not to let his story overshadow hers. Maybe I’ll write a sequel where the couple go to Africa together.

5. What do you want readers to take away from reading A Place Called New Hope?
When I grew up, the term “Victorian” was used as an epithet for “old-fashioned” and “stuffy.” I have since learned that the era was very progressive in the best sense of the word, in that many people, religious and otherwise, fought to improve conditions that, thanks to their efforts, we no longer consider acceptable. It was an era of incredible vitality and energy, which led the way for the best of the world we now live in, including quality of life, universal education, and the chance for upward mobility for the lower classes. I would hope that a reader would take away the same zeal and optimism that inspired Letty and Patrick to work toward making the world a better place.
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6. What is your current WIP?  What can you tell us about it?
My current WIP is a sweeping adventure set during the European revolutions of 1848. There are a lot of exciting plot elements, but basically it is about an impulsive and romantic young girl who will stop at nothing to prevent her father from separating her from the ruined young man she loves–even throwing aside her family and good reputation. But in a world of upheaval, violence, and changing loyalties, can she succeed?

1. If you could go to tea with one of the characters in The Forgotten Girl, who would you pick and why?
Definitely Stella. I would love to hear her actual story, feel of her strength, and ask her all the questions I wished I could ask her while I was writing this story.

2. In the story, who was the easiest character to write?  Who was the hardest?
I didn’t feel like any character was particularly easy to write. They all came with their own challenges, but I enjoyed creating Bronia’s character the most, perhaps making her the easiest emotionally to write. Stella was the most complex character I’ve ever attempted to create. She was strong and courageous, but she didn’t realize it. She was beautiful and influential, but she never saw that. It was difficult to show her good qualities to the reader while also hiding them from the MC.

3. If you were to travel back in time and visit your favorite time period, where would you go and why?
Probably regency England or ancient Egypt.

4. What top 5 books do you currently have on your TBR pile?
1)Turtles all the way down by John Green; 2)Why not me by Mindy Kaling; 3)Under the Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy; 4)Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy; and 5)What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
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5. What is something unique about you that most of your readers don’t already know?
My first job was working as a map folder for the government. Seriously. I took maps the size of ping pong tables and folded them to fit into binder sheet protectors.