Author Interviews
Check out the author interview index HERE.
Interview with Kristy Cambron
6/30/2016
About the AuthorKristy Cambron fancies life as a vintage-inspired storyteller. Her second novel, A Sparrow in Terezin, was named Library Journal Reviews’ “Pick of the Month (Christian Fiction)” for February 2015. Cambron is an art/design manager at TheGROVEstory.com storytelling ministry. She holds a degree in art history from Indiana University and has nearly 15 years of experience in instructional design and communications for a Fortune-100 company. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three football-loving sons, where she can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good Christian fiction read. The Interview1.What is your current WIP (work in progress)? What can you tell us about it?
I can describe my WIP in three words: Boston, vaudeville, and Houdini. I’m currently editing The Illusionist’s Apprentice – my fourth historical novel with HarperCollins Christian Publishing (Thomas Nelson, 2017). The Prohibition-era story centers around Jenny “Wren” Lockhart, a female illusionist on the vaudeville circuit who was also a one-time apprentice to the world-famous Harry Houdini. It’s similar to The Ringmaster’s Wife in that it’s a Jazz Age entertainers novel, but this story has again stretched me as an author… it’s my first opportunity to explore a story that incorporates an deep air of mystery in the plot. It’s a mix of illusion and mystery in a Gatsby-era world, all from the vibrancy of a vaudeville stage. I can’t wait for you to read this one! 2.What authors inspire your writing? Rather than specific authors (because I read so many different authors’ work), I’m inspired by beautifully written stories and complex characters who invite me into their worlds. If I walk away from a book with the story still on my heart and the inspiration to improve as a writer, then I know the book was special. And believe me – there are so many fine authors out there, that this happens often. I also enjoy reading outside of the genre in which I write. (You can find me reading back covers in the YA aisle of the bookstore.) I also love going back to read classics and children’s literature. The opportunities for inspiration are endless when you explore new stories and different author voices. 3.What period of history interests you the most? Does this influence your writing? I love so many eras in history – it’s why I wanted to study art history and research writing in college. And though I’ve been writing novels set in the early 20th century, it’s the grip of a good story arc or a particularly meaningful subject matter that will draw me in. I’m interested in finding redemption for characters – especially when hope rises out of darker places in our human history. The complexities of a post-war world in the Roaring Twenties or the horrific circumstances of the Holocaust were backdrops for the “hope rising” I wanted my characters to experience. What I plan to write next will stay true to this interest… even if the historical era changes. (Hint, hint!) 4.When did you write your first novel and how old were you? Here’s where I make a confession: I wasn’t an ardent reader in childhood. (I know. Shocking!) But I was quite taken by visual storytelling. When I was young, my mom would take my sister and me to the library each week and instead of the fiction aisles, I would head straight for the art and animation books. It was then that this love of great stories began to take shape in my heart. It wasn’t until college (and when I realized I was not gifted with a visual artist’s hands) that I found my niche with art history research writing. I still wasn’t ready for an author career (as I had fifteen years of learning time yet to spend in corporate America), but I found my way home in 2011 when I began the journey to becoming a Christian fiction author. 5.What inspired the idea for The Ringmaster's Wife? Two things: classic films and my publishing family. I’m something of a vintage soul. My mom inspired this love of classic films in me when I was very young. I grew up watching stunning films from the 30s, 40s and 50s. One of our favorites to watch together was The Greatest Show on Earth (1952). I was watching it again in late 2014 and an idea sparked: “I’d love to write about the circus!” But I pushed the idea away because I thought it might be too much of a niche topic. It wasn’t a week later that my editor and I were having a phone conversation and she shocked me with an idea the publishing team had been discussing. They thought Mable Ringling had a story to tell and wanted to know if I had any interest to write it. Friends, that was a God-inspired moment if ever I’ve experienced one. And it became the heart of The Ringmaster’s Wife. :) 6. What hobbies do you enjoy when you are not writing? It’s interesting to have a job that actually started out as a hobby! I was working a high-powered corporate job, and writing in the evenings and weekends was a lovely escape I enjoyed. Now, with a job I truly love, it’s opened up time for new things in my life: spending so much more time with my family, traveling for research, and finding new paths in my faith journey – especially through verse mapping. I’m trying to get back to my roots with physical exercise too, so I will head out to the basketball court to play with my sons as often as I can. Interview with Sarah Beard
6/26/2016
About the AuthorSarah Beard is the author of YA novels Porcelain Keys and Beyond the Rising Tide. She earned a degree in communications from the University of Utah and is currently pursuing an MFA in writing from VCFA. When she's not writing, she referees wrestling matches between her three boys and listens to audiobooks while folding self-replicating piles of laundry. She is a breast cancer survivor, a baker of sweets, a seeker of good love stories, a composer of melancholy music, and a traveler who wishes her travel budget was much bigger. She lives with her husband and children in the shadow of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains. The Interview1. How did you get started as an author? What or whom inspired you?
I’ve always enjoyed writing and storytelling. I was involved in the literary magazine in high school as well as a campus magazine in college, and had the goal of writing a novel someday. However, it wasn’t until I was 30 that I actually came up with a story compelling enough to finish. But between having three small kids, getting cancer, and learning how to write, it ended up taking me about five years to finish. During that time, I worked hard to improve my craft by taking fiction writing classes, reading countless books on writing, and dissecting novels like textbooks. I also attended writing conferences and joined an amazing critique group who helped me fine tune my writing style. I finished my first book, Porcelain Keys, in January 2013 and spent many months querying and submitting. That summer, I received a publishing offer from Cedar Fort Publishing. And in February 2014, my first novel was released to the world. I haven’t looked back since, and have many more stories planned! 2. What writing projects are you currently working on? What can you tell us about these projects? For the first time ever, I’m working on two projects at once because both stories are begging to be told. They’re both YA romance, but one is contemporary and the other is a time travel. I’m also starting a writing MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts this summer, so it’s going to be a busy two years! 3. What does your writing process look like? My first two story ideas began with a single scene rather than a premise, and then I took that scene and developed it into a story by asking questions about the characters and their motivations. But as I’ve been working on my third novel, I’ve turned into more of a planner. This time around, the premise of the story came first. I knew what I wanted my story to be about even before I’d imagined the characters, so I outlined a rough plotline, and then developed characters based around the plot. But it still takes time and a lot of writing for me to really get to know my characters, so I allow my story to be extremely flexible when I’m working on a first draft. Also, I try not to think too much about the quality of writing in my first draft. The goal is just to get the story down. If I worry too much about word choice or sentence structure, I get paralyzed. I keep a sticky note above my computer that says, “Dare to write badly.” Because giving myself permission to write badly is the only way I can get through a first draft. Once I finish a first draft, I go back and rework sentences and paragraphs to make them prettier. Also, because I’m still mostly a discovery writer, there are always plot elements and details I have to go back and change to keep things consistent. As I revise, I begin sharing chapters with my critique partners to get feedback, then implement the suggestions I agree with. Then I read through it again and make more revisions. Then I repeat the process. Then repeat it again. And maybe again for good measure. And once it’s accepted for publication, it goes through more revisions. To paraphrase a quote from author John Irving: writing is mostly rewriting, and it’s not so much talent as it is stamina. 4. What authors/novels that you enjoy would you recommend? Some of my favorites are Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, the Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater, Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett, Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon, On the Fence by Kasie West (really anything by Kasie West), and Where She Went by Gayle Forman. 5. What period of history interests you the most? The entire 19th century is fascinating to me because it was a period of discovery, innovation, and exploration. One of the stories I’m working on is partially set in the 19th century, and the research is so fun! 6. What inspired your idea for Beyond the Rising Tide? The premise of this story was inspired by a lot of different experiences, but it all started a few years ago as I was going through cancer treatments and spending a lot of time thinking about death—examining my own beliefs, but also thinking about all the people who had died before me and crossed over to the other side. Their unseen world felt as real to me as the one I was living in. I think that’s when the seed for this story was planted, but it didn’t actually sprout until a couple years later when I was in my bedroom one afternoon and the sun was shining through the windows and turning a white blanket on my bed radiant. A scene came into my mind in that moment of a girl and a ghost-like boy, and it was so powerful to me that it brought tears to my eyes. I didn’t know at the time who these people were, but I set out writing a story about them to find out. They turned out to be Avery and Kai, and that particular scene ended up in chapter 27. 7. What other hobbies do you enjoy when you are not writing? To be honest, I used to have a lot of hobbies, but I’ve given most of them up to focus on writing. But when I’m not writing, I enjoy reading, composing music, baking sweets, and spending time with my husband and three sons. Interview with Sandra Byrd
6/16/2016
About the AuthorAfter earning her first rejection at the age of thirteen, bestselling author Sandra Byrd has now published more than forty books. Sandra's new series, Daughters of Hampshire, historically sound Gothic romances, launched in 2015 with best-selling Book One: Mist of Midnight. That book earned a coveted Editor's Choice from the Historical Novel Society. The second book in the series, Bride of a Distant Isle, released in March 2016 and has been selected by Romantic Times as a Top Pick. Her latest nonfiction title, The One Year Home and Garden Devotions, published on October 1, 2015. Check out her contemporary adult fiction debut, Let Them Eat Cake, which was a Christy Award finalist, as was her first historical novel, To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn. To Die For was also named by Library Journal as a Best Books Pick for 2011 and The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr, was named a Library Journal Best Books Pick for 2012. Sandra has published dozens of books for tweens and teens, including the best-selling, The One Year Be-Tween You and God, Devotions For Girls. She is passionate about helping new writers develop their talent and their work toward traditional or self-publication. As such, she has mentored and coached hundreds of new writers and continues to coach dozens to success each year via novelcoaching.com Please visit www.sandrabyrd.com to learn more or to invite Sandra to your book club via Skype. The Interview1. How did you get started as an author? What or whom inspired you? When I was a kid, I wanted three careers: to be a hair stylist, to be a waitress, and to be an author. After I mohawked my Barbie I knew I wasn’t cut out for the hairstylist career. I was a waitress in a Jewish deli when I was a teenager, and then I worked for a caterer. Writing, however, was the real passion. I went to college on a writing scholarship but then I got nervous - I mean, who gets published? No one! How will I pay back my student loans? The odds seemed stacked against success, so I changed my major to business and got a degree in real estate/construction management. Later, after I became a Christian, I felt like the Lord was showing me: Don't look at the odds, keep your eyes on me, God, like Peter did when he was upon the water. God is not subject to odds. We will achieve all the good works he has prepared for us, in advance, to do. There is nothing you are called to do that you cannot do, but also no way to open a door he has shut. Once we get a hold of that, it's easier to step away from fear. 2. How many books have you written and in what genres? I have written everything from a picture book for young children, novels for tweens and teens, contemporary and historical novels for adults, and nonfiction for all. I just love writing! 3. What writing projects are you currently working on? What can you tell us about these projects? Right now I'm working on the third book in my Daughters of Hampshire series; the second one, Bride of a Distant Isle, is now into production for a spring release! I'm so eager for the cover reveal... I'm also getting ready to launch my new book, The One Year Home and Garden Devotions. So excited about that! It will release on October 1st. 4. Where is your favorite place to write? I almost always write in my office. It's set up with the lighting, the music, the view, the comfortable chair and the keyboard I need. I have an amazing set of headphones and a big fridge with cold drinks nearby as well as an espresso machine. I'm set! 5. How important are the names in your novels? How do you choose names for your characters? Do you have any name resources you would suggest? Names are extremely important! I usually go to lists online that show names of the place/era when I'm writing historicals, and choose from among them. Certain names sound like they fit better within an upper or working class, and I use those. Some have a harder or softer feel. For example, I chose the name Violet in Mist of Midnight because it has a soft feel to it, like Violets. Michelene just sounded very French, like Michelin, and that fit well, too. Although one of the most famous Gothic novels has a main character named Rebecca, that's not really why I chose it. It sounded like a missionary name, and I like alliteration in first and last names with my characters, Rebecca Ravenshaw. I have never named a character after someone I know, for good or for bad. I just see my characters as their own people, so that wouldn't work for me. I do try to keep in mind if anyone famous shares a name. My copyeditor just alerted me that I need to change one of my character's names because Charlie Watts is a member of the band, The Rolling Stones! 6. Where is your favorite place to read and why? Right now, in the big comfy chairs in my backyard. The days and evenings are perfect for that! 7. What period of history interests you the most? I love them all, but I'm mostly interested in England, France, and the US. It was a dream to write in the Tudor era, as I have always loved that period, and Victorian England is just as fun. Who knows what is next?! 8. If you could choose someone famous to star in one of your books made to a movie, who would you choose and for which character? I love figuring this out and have cast characters for all of my historical novels. Maybe you'd like to pop over to my Pinterest Page and see which I've chosen for Mist of Midnight? 9. What inspired the idea for Mist of Midnight? The Ladies in Waiting series? Mainly, I loved reading books in those genres. I spend hundreds and hundreds of hours researching, writing, and rewriting. More time than I spend with any single person on most given days! So I write about topics that I'm fascinated by, and Tudor England and Gothic Romances, just interest me. They have a slightly ominous feel, but because I believe in Happy Ever After, I have to somehow, always and hopefully unexpectedly, bring them around! For To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn, I wondered what it would be like to be Anne's best friend, walking through everything she went through with her. And did you know that Anne Boleyn was a woman of strong faith? She was! For Mist of Midnight, I blended my love of Victorian England, India, and Christianity into a historically sound novel that fused many of the things I love. 10. What other hobbies do you enjoy when you are not writing? Gardening! We just bought a beautiful Judy Garland Rose to go next to our patio dining table. And I love to cook. My daughter and I made S'more Cake Pops last weekend. Super sweet, and super fun! Thank you for inviting me to your page! I hope your readers will visit me at sandrabyrd.com, and sign up for my monthly, very brief newsletters. I offer a fun recipe and a unique giveaway each month. Note: This interview was originally from the author in August of 2015, but is just now being posted.
Interview with Heather Gray
6/15/2016
About the AuthorHeather Gray loves coffee, God, and her family – not necessarily in that order! She enjoys people who embrace God even when life is hard and who aren't afraid to laugh out loud. Like her, the characters she writes are flawed…but loved anyway. The Interview1. How did you get started as an author? What or whom inspired you?
“You should think about writing. That eulogy you wrote was something else.” It was the week after my daughter’s memorial service, and I was having lunch with a friend. My world had been turned upside down and sideways, and I was walking around in a fog of confusion and pain. Those words, though, they resonated deep down in my soul. Writing had been my friend for as long as I could remember. Sorting through emotions – messy or otherwise – was always easier with a pen in my hand. Fiction wouldn’t be that different…right? I went home and started writing that very afternoon. Five months later, I had my first book contract. I know that’s not a normal story. People don’t just one day decide to become a writer, and nobody gets a contract as quickly as I did. All I can say is that it’s from God. It’s as though God Himself wrapped it up in paper, tied a bow on it, and handed it to me. “Here. This is going to help you.” Writing will always be this spectacular gift that God gave me during a very dark and difficult time in my life. I hope I always treasure it as much as I do right now and that, in everything I write, I remember the Giver of this gift and that I honor Him with every word I write. 2. What writing project are you currently working on? What can you tell us about these projects? An Informal Date will be out in September as part of the Falling In Love box set, and An Informal Affair will see publication in March 2017. That one’s also going to be in a box set, but we’re still working on a name for that set. In An Informal Date, we run into Dr. Owen Pratt. He had a small part in An Informal Christmas, and now we get to step into his world and get to know him better. He’s a medical researcher with a very by-the-books personality – which lends itself to a chuckle or two when he starts to fall for Kimi, a bohemian artist who works at a coffee kiosk. Of course, there’s a lot more to Kimi than meets the eye, but I don’t want to give the whole story away… ;) An Informal Affair involves an ER nurse, an IT guy, and an online dating experience for the books. Or maybe the newspaper. Definitely the newspaper – in the comics section, of course. 3. What authors inspire your writing? That’s such a tricky question! I almost feel like I’m going to insult somebody by not naming them. Of course, I could prevent that by only naming classical authors who are long-since dead. I admit - I do like Geoffrey Chaucer. However, when it comes to modern writing, my inspirations are mostly contemporary. I love the way Karen Kingsbury develops her characters. It’s subtle and yet oh-so-intricate. I aspire to master character development like she has. I enjoy Steven James and the natural rhythm of life that his characters experience. His plots unfold at a pace that keeps you on the edge of your seat but still feels entirely natural. He keeps the tension high without making his readers tense, and that, too, is a skill I admire. When it comes to humor, I think of Rene Gutteridge. She doesn’t publish as much as she used to, but she’s fantastic at bringing the hilarity of everyday life to the printed page. 4. What period of history interests you the most? Does this influence your writing? Is this a good time to admit that I minored in history in college? Honestly, I really do enjoy most periods in history, but my favorite is the medieval period. Oddly enough, I’ve not written anything that takes place in medieval times, and I have no plans to do so in the future. I can’t say why exactly. I’ve written western romances and regency romances, but medieval…I’m not sure. I don’t see a direct influence of history on my contemporary fiction-writing, but I will say this: The ideals that we like in history are the same ideals that we embrace in our world today. Honor, hard work, defense and protection of the weak and innocent. In days of old that might have looked like a knight on a horse, but in today’s world those same ideals can show up in a police officer, a doctor, or a homeless person. Gallantry is a bit part of what shapes modern romance novels, and I do think that can be traced back in literature all the way to the medieval period. 5. What inspired the idea for An Informal Introduction? I attended a writing conference in 2014. As I drove home, my radio kept dropping stations (because I’d driven out of range) and picking up new ones (because I’d driven into range). It seemed like every time a new station filled the air waves, it played the same song. I must have heard Dierks Bentley and “I Hold On” a dozen times on that fourteen-hour drive. I don’t even normally listen to country music, but that song captured my imagination and got me to wondering. Could I write a hero who was steadfast, loyal, and solid like that? Could he be all those things and not be boring? (After all, nobody wants a too-perfect hero.) What would his romance story look like if she didn’t swoon at his feet the first time they met? How would he convince her they were meant for one another? By the time I made it home from that conference, I knew my hero inside and out. It took a few more months before I started to get an inkling of who my heroine might be, though. She was a little more complicated. She needed to be someone who wanted to follow God but who was having a hard time hearing Him in this situation, and she needed to have spunk so her personality wouldn’t get swallowed up by the hero’s. Eventually, An Informal Introduction made its way onto paper (or the computer screen). They were a fun couple to write, and I enjoyed being able to bring their story to life. 6. What other hobbies do you enjoy when you are not writing? Ha! Who has time for anything else? I homeschool a teenager, but his classes are primarily online now, so I’ve been relegated to supervision and moral support. I volunteer at a couple different activities, such as my church’s community food pantry. I read, I play Sudoku, and I’m great at bossing people around. (Now if I could just get them all to listen and do what I say…) ;) Life is busy and full, and I’m content. Plus, I don’t think I could squeeze anything else into my schedule, so there’s that, too. ^_^ Interview with K.S. Moore
6/13/2016
About the AuthorI feel I should preface this with an apology because while I love creating pretend characters and the trademark for my novels is likely to be a gripping introductory first-person prologue from my lead, I find describing myself quite tedious. I’m just not all that interesting. So, (big breath) here goes… An avid lifelong lover of the written word, I read at least a book or two a week, and on a really great vacation, five to seven. When I’m not working, reading or writing, I spend my free time enjoying the outdoors with my family, mostly at our home on a small lake in Southwest Michigan, occasionally visiting a tiny rustic hunting cabin in Colorado and every once in a while, when we’re blessed with means, a Spring break vacation in the Caribbean. I must admit, I’m very much a newbie at writing. But… as a goal oriented positive thinker and self-learner, I've devoured twenty-some non-fiction books on the craft since deciding to become an author in early 2012. And, as a business operations manager, a big part of my job is written communications: business process documentation, internal and external professional correspondence and of course, the inevitable and incessant email. I have a couple of published magazine articles to my credit and a B.S. from Purdue University where I studied IT, engineering and chemistry. That’s right, science. Nothing even remotely related to writing or language arts. But oh, this is good. When I was in college, I had a freshman English class where just about every paper I turned in came back with an A- and a comment like, “Did you write this?” or something to that effect. After several of these—and because there was very little red ink elsewhere—I asked what the minus was for. The professor’s only response, after I assured him I wrote it, was to change it to an A. Maybe I should have listened to what he didn’t say. From my earliest memories I never really knew what I wanted to do. I changed majors five times in college. But after sitting down and writing my first story over the course of the summer of 2012—between a full-time-and-then-some job and two young children—now I know. I want to be an author. That first story will never be published. It has way too many speaker attributions and adverbs. And story structure? What’s that? Now I know better. But it touched my heart and that’s something. My stories are contemporary character driven tales of normal every-day people and the challenges we all face in real life: love, friendship, parenthood, morality, mortality, compassion and faith. My favorite novels are those that reach down deep, wrap up my whole heart and soul, make me laugh, and cry. And those are the types of stories I want to write. I want to touch people’s lives. I want my reader to feel better, be better, love better, because they read my words and took them to heart. I want to inspire, to comfort and to breathe faith and hope into anyone who may despair that they’re alone in this world. I really expected it to take more than a couple of tries to get it right, but my beta readers encouraged me to submit my second book, Angel Beneath My Wheels, assuring me it’s a great story and well written. Six months and forty-nine query letters later, I landed an agent who then helped me find a publisher. My first book was released on February 29th, 2016! If early reviews are any indication, I've accomplished at least some of what I set out to do with Angel Beneath My Wheels. I hope you enjoy it too. If you'd like to receive monthly short stories about real people who touch the lives of others, and announcements of future releases, please join my email list here. The Interview1. How did you get started as an author? What or whom inspired you?
A few years ago, with two children entering their teens, my husband and I became frustrated by the lack of family appropriate movies. Our children were too old for Disney and Pixar and they definitely weren’t ready—in our minds anyway—for PG-rated films. Sadly, we simply stopped going to the movies. Later that same year, my mother-in-law, a prolific reader like me whom I absolutely adore, recommended a book to me. I read it and, while it was a good story, the writing was lame. It made me think, Heck, I could write better than that. The more I thought about it, the more I talked myself into it. People around me—at work, at home, on several boards I’ve served on—often ask me to handle the correspondence or proofread for them. Obviously others thought I had a way with words. So I gave it a shot and fast-forward three years to February 29th, 2016 and Angel Beneath My Wheels was published. 2. What is your current WIP (work in progress)? Right now I’m working on an inspirational romance called Mourning Dove. It’s about a thirty-nine year old woman who loses her husband in a motorcycle accident and two years later meets a rising star Hollywood actor who convinces her it’s time to move on. There is some interesting backstory though that I’m working to weave in. The woman grew up in the slums of Detroit. The actor volunteers as a mentor to inner city kids in LA and the two of them find common ground in their desire to improve the odds for our nation’s underprivileged youth. And the ending: think Casa Blanca (a sacrifice ending). I also wrote another story while I was waiting on my debut novel to come to fruition (the publishing process for Angel Beneath My Wheels took fourteen months.) My latest is called Providence and my agent sent it out to publishers in mid-February. I’ve received a few rejections but, God willing, it will find a home with a publisher soon. I think it may be a bit too much non-Christian content for the traditional large Christian publishing houses. You can read more about that one on my website, KathrynSueMoore.com. 3. What does your writing process look like? Well…I have a full-time (and then some) job so my writing time is very limited. I use Excel to lay out an overview of my story and flesh it out by ensuring there is plenty of conflict in every scene. Along the way, I make a list of my characters and their attributes, emotions, backstory, etc. then I write a first-person prologue from the character who I think might be my protagonist. Sometimes that changes. Then I start writing each scene, usually not in order. Don’t ask me why. I don’t really know. Sometimes I can visualize certain scenes better than others and sometimes a scene, even as I add it to my spreadsheet, I know it’s temporary or might not be needed. That’s my first draft. Then I let it simmer (as Steven King would say) for a few weeks and move on to something else. When I come back to it, I’m in serious edit mode. Omit needless words, ensure my opening line is rock solid and enticing, ensure my opening scene is the right one, that it makes the reader care, really care, about my protagonist. I highlight the lines/scenes that “sing” to me and scratch out (using MS word) the ones that grate. Then I review the highlighted ones and try to apply what worked in those to the scratched parts. From there, once I have what I think is the best second draft I can create on my own, I give it to my alpha readers – my husband and my mother-in-law. From their feedback, I’ll revise as needed, and then it goes to a small group of beta readers. Revise as needed, and then I have it professionally edited, which is a bit costly but I think it’s worth it. Then I send it to my agent. 4. What authors have inspired your writing? Nicholas Sparks’ earliest works are the best and I would definitely consider him the most influential on my writing style although I’m certain I’ll never create an ending where the hero dies in the end. I loathe disappointing endings and a few of his have frustrated me to the point where I stopped buying every book he’d ever written. I also really like Steven King and at one point, back in college, I’d read everything he’d ever written. I guess I like the tight, draw-you-in, type of writing those two authors are known for. I’d love to bring that type of writing to the Christian Romance genre. Hopefully I have. 5. What inspired the idea for Angel Beneath My Wheels? When I sat down to decide what to write, I kept two things in mind. It had to be a story my whole family would enjoy and it had to be something that would make a great movie. I decided on a love story because every good movie contains a great romance, but I wanted it to be one my husband would enjoy. So when my brother described an interesting film called Gas Hole, an eye-opening documentary that alleged a massive cover up by oil companies, it sounded like the makings of an intriguing story and one with a definite modern-day interest, given the volatility of gas prices. According to the documentary, “Big Oil” has been suppressing innovations in fuel efficiencies for years, even going so far as to murder at least one very bright young inventor who had the idea for an engine that ran on vapor. Like many men, my husband and son are into cars. Coupled with my above-average-for-a-woman knowledge of engines, mechanics and chemistry in general, I came up with the idea of a young woman who, like me, grew up working on cars with her father. My husband and son love NASCAR too so I thought that would provide an exciting backdrop as well as tie in nicely with the idea of fuel efficiency. And finally, above all, I wanted it to be wholesome and family friendly, with a meaningful message for young people. So my heroine is a young woman of faith who’s made a commitment to God to save her virtue for marriage. She wears a purity ring and the story explores how difficult it can be for a young woman to retain those ideals in our modern culture. 6. What other hobbies do you enjoy when you are not writing? I absolutely love the outdoors so I’m very active. I walk, sometimes run, hike, play volleyball occasionally (when my kids are willing to let me join their sometimes way too competitive games) and I’m really excited to try wake surfing this summer. And of course, my favorite place to write, is outside, down by the lake with my headphones on. Interview with Sarah Monzon #2
6/6/2016
About the AuthorSarah Monzon is a pastor’s wife and a stay at home mom to the two cutest littles in the world. Playing pretend all day with them isn’t enough, she spends the evenings after their heads hit the pillow to create her own imaginary characters. When she isn’t in the world of make believe, she can be found in a small desert town in central Washington taking care of her family, fostering friendships, and enjoying all the adventures each day brings. The Interview1. How did you get started as an author? What or whom inspired you?
My love of story started when my mom bought me the very first book in the Mandie series by Lois Gladys Leppard. I don’t think my mom realized just how many books were going to be in that series or how quickly I was going to read them. Her poor pocketbook. I started writing my own little stories after that and my mom dutifully read every one and with pride shared them with all her friends. Her encouragement and cheerleading have always inspired me to keep after my dreams. 2. What is your current WIP? What can you tell us about this project? I’m currently working on Michael Carrington’s story. It will also have a dual timeline with the historical thread taking place during World War II. I can’t tell you much more than that because I’m a pantser (just the word “plot” gives me hives) and have only written the first four chapters. I can tell you this book has required the most research to date and that maiming a fighter pilot is harder than you might think. 3. What does your writing process look like? I get an idea—either a first scene, characters that won’t leave, or I imagine what a specific circumstance would look like—and I go from there. I pray that God give me the words and message, then I open my laptop and I start writing. The characters tell me their story, and like a good scribe I record it for them. 4. Where is your favorite place to write? I don’t really have a favorite place to write. Anywhere I can get some words in is good for me. I’ve written in Starbucks, at my husband’s desk, in the rocking chair beside my daughter’s crib. However, I probably spend most of my time writing from the sofa. 5. What authors have inspired your writing? Different authors have inspired me at different seasons of my life. Right now I’m in the balancing act of being the best mom I can be while also maintaining my non-mom identity. Other successful mom-of-littles authors such as Kristy Cambron and Kara Isaac are a huge inspiration at this time of my life. 6. What inspired the idea for Finders Keepers? I was sitting out on the front stoop blowing bubbles with my kids brainstorming what elements made great first scenes. Something riveting, that grabs your attention right away with high stakes, and characters you’re immediately invested in. I was mentally going through scenarios that would put a character in danger or have them scared. It didn’t take me long to come up with cage diving with great white sharks. Sharks and alligators are #1 and #2 animals I’m afraid of. The story developed from there. Interview with Jennifer Rodewald
6/6/2016
About the AuthorJennifer Rodewald is passionate about the Word of God and the powerful vehicle of story. Four kids and her own personal superman make her home in southwestern Nebraska delightfully chaotic. Born in Colorado, she experienced both the seclusion of rugged mountain living and the busy streets of a Denver suburb during her growing up years. Somewhere in the middle of college, she married a Husker and found her way back to the quiet lifestyle of a rural area, which suits just fine. Blessed with a robust curiosity, Jen loves to research. Whether she’s investigating the history of a given area, the biography of a Christian icon, or how nature declares the glory of God, her daily goal is to learn something new. Aiming to live with boundless enthusiasm, her creed is vision, pursuit, and excellence. Jen lives and writes in a lovely speck of a town where she watches with amazement while her children grow up way too fast, gardens, and marvels at God’s mighty hand in everyday life. 1. How did you get started as an author? What or whom inspired you? I’ve written for as long as I can remember. It became my form of journaling as a child. But, as I share in a blog post called Lessons In Fiction (you can add the link if you’d like ;) ), I wasn’t sure writing fiction was a path I should pursue. Stories kept pressing in on me, however, and my Superman (the hubs) continued to encourage me to write. Nearly seventeen years into our marriage, and he is still my biggest fan, they man who pushes me when I say I’m done, that I can’t, or this is just silly. So, he’s a huge inspiration for me. But the biggest inspiration, I’m learning, is the Spirit of God. He teaches me through story, and I am ever longing to know Him more, to hear what He wants me to learn, and to be useful for His kingdom. 2. What is your current WIP? What can you tell us about this project? I have several WIP sitting in my hard drive right now, but the one I’m preparing the most intensively right now is a follow-up to my debut novel, Blue Columbine. I’m keeping this one pretty close right now, because I believe the story will be most effective if it unfolds for the reader without spoilers, but I will say that the connection between Red Rose Bouquet (the current project) and Blue Columbine is a minor character turned major. Cheryl was Andrew’s Ice-queen ex-girlfriend we met in the early part of Blue. She has a story, and I have been softened by her telling. 3. What does your writing process look like? That depends largely on the book. Could be because I’m still fairly new at this, I don’t know. But it could be that every story is unique, and my life isn’t static. Four active kids and a husband whose job is fairly demanding my world fairly chaotic, as I’m sure most can relate to. On the whole, however, I have a loose plot worked out before I start writing, and pretty much always, that plot shifts as the characters show me their story more in depth. 4. Where is your favorite place to write? My laptop pretty much stays in my newly acquired office, which I’m loving. But, my iPad or notebook travel with me in the car, and I get a lot done as I’m playing taxi and waiting for my kids and their activities. 5. What authors have inspired your writing? Hmm…that’s a tricky question. Honestly, I don’t read as much as other writers I know. Though I love story, I’m an extremely slow reader. Combine that with motherhood, writing—and all of the other things that go with writing—and just life beyond stories, and that means I get maybe two books a month read, if I’m lucky. So sad :(. For years I have read Lori Wick. I loved her stories, and would read them over and over again. I loved that she provided Godly friends and role models through her characters. But I don’t think I write like her. John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress amazes me. It is so rich in Scripture. Though I don’t write like him at all, and my stories are nothing of the same class, I think he taught me how deeply the Word of God must be written in our hearts. More recently, Tammy L. Gray and Katie Ganshert have challenged me through their books to face the things I don’t want to face, and to write with risk and honesty. 6. What inspired the idea for The Carpenter’s Daughter? That’s a long story, which I share here (“How I Met Sarah Sharpe” see below), but the gist of it is, I had my own Subway experience, and it made me think, what if… 7. What other hobbies do you enjoy when you are not writing? I’m a gardener. Love my hands in the dirt (gloved, though, because I am actually tactile defensive). My favorite smell is freshly cut grass, and I spend hours dreaming up new landscaping schemes. I also love watching my kids do what they do. I have a runner, a couple of swimmers, a couple of soccer players, and all four play the piano. One of my favorite things ever is to see others (my kids, but not only them) do what they do and enjoy the presence of God in their unique gifts. It simply thrills me, inspires me, and makes my heart rise with joy and praise. Thank you so much for having me! :) How I Met Sarah SharpThe birth of a book…sometimes it comes from a hard day’s work.
Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time my husband and I embarked on a DIY project. Okay, so we’ve done a lot of them. But this one…oiy. We designed and were prepping to pour a new, large, two-tiered concrete patio off the back of our home. The whole project was, uh, fierce. Ground prep (done by hand) forms made of both concrete blocks and wood, and then actually pouring the concrete. Have you ever poured concrete? Worse. Job. Ever. No kidding. It is H-A-R-D. So, somewhere in the middle of this project, which took months, we were working until hunger demanded us to stop. Around seven or eight in the evening, I think. Guess who is supposed to be in charge of food? Me. Yeah, the girl in ripped, nasty, out of fashion jeans, a baggy T-shirt left over from her high school days complete with soaking wet oh-my-goodness-she-stinks pits. I hadn’t planned ahead. We had nothing ready to kill the howling of our stomachs. Propelled by a hungry husband, four “starving” children, and my own demanding stomach, I hopped in the car and headed to Subway. Yep. Just like that. No shower. Not even a glance in the mirror. Didn’t even think about it until I garnered some looks from the sandwich store’s patrons. And when I say looks, I mean the kind that make you think your really actually not human, because no one is that cruel. Are they? Life goes on. Got my four footlongs and headed home for some grub and a much needed stand under warm water. Except somewhere between Subway and home I met a new friend. Her name is Sarah, and she lives in my head. She’s a construction girl, and a good one. She knows how to work. How to build. How to create. But she does not know herself. And here’s the interesting part. She had a Subway experience of her own. Some well-dressed, put together lady whispered a name about her. Loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. Butch. One word can change a life. Sarah’s was never the same. Her story has changed me. How I see others. What I think about myself. I can’t wait to share it. Because in the end she finds out something really important. She discovers that truly one Word can change a life. One word can change a life… Sarah Sharpe has grown up as a carpenter’s daughter, knowing only the rough and work-heavy world of her father’s blue-collar profession. Abandoned by her mother as a baby, she’s lived twenty-one years content to drive nails at her dad’s side. Following her father into the world of construction was a natural path, and she took it without a second thought. But a harsh comment about her “butch” appearance sends her on a search for identity. Enter handsome and easygoing Jesse Chapman, the roofer she meets on her first foray into volunteer work for Homes For Hope. In every way, the quirky man is her opposite—confident, a people kind of guy, and most importantly, happy. His likable qualities continue to draw her in, and for some reason he keeps coming back to her. But they can’t be more than friends—he’s made that crystal clear. Except for a handful of times…and the confusion is driving her crazy. Sarah’s quest for self-definition becomes more tangled than she ever imagined, and she discovers that the journey will take her deeper than clothes and makeup. Filling the void in her heart becomes an obsession she cannot escape. How far is she willing to go to discover who she really is? Interview with Lisa Orchard #2
6/4/2016
About the AuthorLisa Orchard grew up loving books. She was hooked on books by the fifth grade and even wrote a few of her own. She knew she wanted to be a writer even then. Her first published works are the “Super Spies Series.” These stories revolve around a group of friends who form their own detective squad and the cases they solve. “The Starlight Chronicles,” is the next series that Lisa created with musical misfit, Lark Singer as her main character. Lisa resides in Michigan with her husband, Steve, and two wonderful boys. Currently, she’s working on the next book in the Starlight Chronicles Series along with a few new ideas that may turn into stand-alone novels. When she’s not writing she enjoys spending time with her family, running, hiking, and reading. The Interview1. How did you get started as an author? What or whom inspired you?
I've known I wanted to be a writer since fifth grade. I would have to say books like the Nancy Drew series and the Bobbsey Twin series inspired me. 2. What writing project are you currently working on? What can you tell us about these projects? I'm working on a upper Young Adult Thriller. I've just completed it and I've sent it to my third Beta reader. I've gotten great feedback from the first two, my sister's the third one, and she's the toughest. :) 3. What authors inspire your writing? I would have to say Celeste Ng, Gail Forman, Jodi Piccoult, and Harper Lee 4. What period of history interests you the most? Does this influence your writing? I'm very interested in the World War II period of history. I haven't written a story during that time, but I love reading them. My favorites about that time period are "All the Light We Cannot See," "The Nightingale," and "The Book Thief." 5. What inspired the idea for the Super Spies Series? I would say my own desire to be a detective when I was a teen. My friends and I formed our own detective squad and even did some investigating. When I looked back on those experiences, they sparked the ideas for the Super Spies. I've got a great idea for a fourth book, but I've got to finish a couple of projects before I start it. 6. Do you write full time or part time? I write part time and work part time 7. Where is your favorite place to write? In front of the fireplace when there's a fire in it during the winter. During the summer I like to either sit out at the picnic table or in front of the window so I can look outside. 8. How frequently do you hear from your fans? Do you have a fun and/or weird fan story you can share with us? I hear from them occasionally, usually during a writing workshop. I hear more from the parents, and they're always telling me how much their child enjoyed my stories. Here's my fun fan story, I had a mother of a reluctant reader contact me. Her daughter would always fight her when it came time to read. Out of desperation, she decided to try my first Super Spies book, "The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer." Her daughter loved it. She read it twice and then proceeded to read the other two books in the series. She even plays "Super Spies" with her friends. That is such an awesome feeling when you know someone enjoyed your work that much. :) |
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