Author Interviews
Check out the author interview index HERE.
Interview with Cynthia Roemer
7/27/2017
About the Author Cynthia Roemer is an award-winning inspirational writer with a heart for scattering seeds of hope into the lives of readers. Raised in the cornfields of rural Illinois, Cynthia enjoys spinning tales set in the backdrop of the 1800s prairie. She writes from her family farm in central Illinois where she resides with her husband and their two college-aged sons. Under This Same Sky is her debut novel. The Interview1. Who or what inspired you to become an author?
I’ve always been better at expressing myself through writing rather than speaking. Since my college days, I’ve had the dream of writing novels. I can only explain it as something God placed within me to do. I long to touch the hearts of readers by letting them experience growth and healing in the lives of my characters. Writing is a means of sharing my faith in a way the Lord has gifted me. 2. Who are some of your favorite authors? Does this influence your writing? I have several, all of which write historical. =) Laura Frantz’s debut novel, The Frontiersman’s Daughter had a profound influence on my writing. Her book opened my eyes to what it meant to get inside a character’s head and experience the story in a truer sense. I also very much enjoy Kate Breslin, Connilyn Cossette, and Kristi Ann Hunter. There are so many wonderful authors, each writing the stories God has given them to write. 3. What does your writing process look like? I usually start out knowing where my story starts and ends and fill in the middle as I go, sort of like savoring the sweet center of a sandwich cookie. I like to plot out my main events and work in some subplots along the way. At times, my characters take off and write themselves, following paths I hadn’t thought of. I like to think of this as the Lord’s way of guiding the story’s message. Once the first draft is complete, it’s edit, edit, edit! 4. Have you ever traveled for research? Not any length of distance, as in other countries or states. The farthest I’ve traveled would be about seventy-five miles, unless you count traveling back in time to the 1800s when my novels take place. I’ve done that often when I visit a museum or Lincoln’s New Salem. My biggest challenge isn’t learning about where the novel takes place, but when. I love studying the 1800s and try my best to create a setting that brings the time period to life in a vivid, authentic way. 5. What inspired the idea for Under This Same Sky? All my life I’ve witnessed people trying to blame God for tragedy and loss. In Becky Hollister, I created a character who lost everything, including a portion of her faith, but who clung to the one hope that God still cared. Much of the internal part of the story is the Lord gently wooing Becky back to Him through the experiences she undergoes and people she encounters. 6. What do you want readers to take away from reading Under This Same Sky? Under This Same Sky seeks to assure readers that God can take our deepest heartaches and bring about blessing if we allow them to draw us closer to Him. I want them to know that no matter what they are going through in life, the Lord is there with them, cheering them on and offering strength and comfort. 7. When you are not writing, what other "hats" do you wear? What hobbies do you enjoy? Let’s see, I’m a Christian, a farmer’s wife of twenty-three years, a mother to two college-aged sons, a part-time librarian, and a nature buff. As for hobbies, I enjoy gardening, reading, hiking, biking, an occasional motorcycle or combine ride with my hubby, spending time with my family, watching old movies, baking, and enjoying God’s creation. Interview with Ashtyn Newbold
7/26/2017
About the Author Ashtyn Newbold discovered a love of writing early in high school. Inspired by regency period romance, she wrote her first novel at the age of sixteen. Because she can’t vacation in her favorite historical time periods, she writes about them instead. When not crafting handsome historical heroes, she enjoys baking, sewing, music, and spoiling her dog. She dreams of traveling to England and Ireland. Ashtyn is currently studying English and creative writing at Utah Valley University. She lives in Lehi, Utah with her family. The Interview1. Whom or what inspired you to become an author? I've always loved storytelling and reading, but I always felt inspired to write after I finished a series or book that I absolutely loved. I wanted to create something that would make others feel the way I felt whenever I read something I loved. My first attempt at writing a book was when I was twelve years old, and I didn't make it very far. A few years later when I was fifteen, I gave writing another try after my English teacher assigned a creative writing paper that reminded me how much I loved writing. I had recently been introduced to the Regency period and as a romantic, I knew I would combine the two and write a regency romance. The book I started that year was published in 2016. 2. What authors do you enjoy? Do these authors inspire your own writing? Of course I was inspired by Jane Austen and all the amazingly entertaining movie adaptations of her books, and Georgette Heyer. Also contemporary writers like Sarah Eden, Jennifer Moore, Julie Klassen, Julianne Donaldson, Jodi Hedlund, and Josi Kilpack to name a few. Seeing the works by contemporary writers motivated me and assured me that publishing a book in that genre was possible. 3 .When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Did becoming an author ever cross your mind? I guess being an author might have crossed my mind, but my interests changed a lot over the years. I always had creative pursuits though, such as singing, acting, art, baking, and designing. I'm so glad I was inspired to write. It's another creative outlet that I now find to be the most rewarding and fun. 4. What inspired the idea for Lies and Letters? After I received a publishing offer for my first book, Mischief and Manors, the wheels started turning again. I was focused on revising my first book and submitting to publishers and hadn't written anything new for a long time. I love when writers have characters cross over between books, so I started to consider the characters in my first novel and which of them had the greatest story to tell. As readers will notice, I chose Charlotte Lyons, one of the most unlikeable characters from my first book. I started to think about why she was so selfish and snobby. What was her upbringing like? Who was her greatest role model and influence? I wanted to give her a chance to redeem herself and to grow. That's when I started dreaming up Charlotte's story. She would be faced with hard things, pushed to new heights, and have her beliefs challenged and her eyes opened. By the end of the story I just loved her and the change of heart she had. I hope others will too. :) 5. What do you want readers to take away from reading Lies and Letters? The wonderful thing about books is that everyone will feel something unique and draw different insights from them. As I was writing this story I took away important lessons about friendship, kindness, redemption, and love. I love to hear what readers have to say. My wish is that the reader will feel happy and giddy when they read Lies and Letters. I want them to feel connected to the characters. It's my dream that they'll still think about the book after turning the last page. 6. When you are not writing, what hobbies do you enjoy? I love anything creative! I love baking, sewing, singing, reading, and watching all my favorite movies over and over--North and South, Harry Potter, Leap Year, and The Count of Monte Cristo are definitely on the list. I love reading outside in the summer, going to the pool, and spending time with my friends and family.  Interview with Jean Ann Williams #2
7/25/2017
About the Author ean Ann Williams is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She writes regularly for Putting on the New blog and Book Fun Magazine on the topic of child suicide loss. Her book “God’s Mercies after Suicide: Blessings Woven through a Mother’s Heart” started out as a blogged book on her Love Truth blog. Jean Ann and her husband of forty-six years have thirteen grandchildren from their two remaining children. They reside on one acre in Southern Oregon where they raise a garden, fruit orchard, goats, and chickens. Jean Ann’s favorite hobbies are practicing archery, hiking through the woods, and big game hunting with her bow. The Interview 1. What did your writing process look like for God’s Mercies after Suicide? The book began as short articles, which I wrote for opentohope.com. At about the same time, I started my Joshua-mom blog and wrote articles there. Those articles became a blogged book in the format the print version and e-copy is today. God’s Mercies after Suicide: Blessings Woven through a Mother’s Heart released in September 2016. 2. What type of research did you do to help in the writing process for God’s Mercies after Suicide? Research came from years of experience walking through the loss of my son, Joshua, by suicide. When necessary for factual information, I read books and articles on the topic of suicide. 3. What inspired the idea for God’s Mercies after Suicide? A preacher asked me to counsel a grieving mom during my own early grief years and, after this mom to mom encounter, I discovered God planted in my heart a desire to help other mothers who have lost children. 4. What do you want readers to take away from reading God’s Mercies after Suicide? They are not alone, and there is hope even after a child has died. 5. What other “hats” do you wear when you are not writing? I’m married to Jim for 46 years, a mom of two other children, and thirteen grandchildren. I enjoy the outdoors, hunting with my bow in the mountains every fall. I’m also a small-time farmer with goats, including a milker, and a flock of chickens. In the winter months, I read several dozen books by authors who write well and tell powerful stories.  Interview with Julie Lessman #3
7/23/2017
About the Author Julie Lessman is an award-winning author whose tagline of “Passion With a Purpose” underscores her intense passion for both God and romance. A lover of all things Irish, she enjoys writing close-knit Irish family sagas that evolve into 3-D love stories: the hero, the heroine, and the God that brings them together. Author of The Daughters of Boston, Winds of Change, and Heart of San Francisco series, Julie was named American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Author of the Year and has garnered 18 Romance Writers of America and other awards. Voted #1 Romance Author of the year in Family Fiction magazine’s 2012 and 2011 Readers Choice Awards, Julie was also named on Booklist’s 2010 Top 10 Inspirational Fiction and Borders Best Fiction list. Julie’s most recent novel, Isle of Hope was voted on Family Fiction magazine’s Best of 2015, and Surprised by Love appeared on Family Fiction magazine’s Best of 2014. Her independent novel A Light in the Window is an International Digital Awards winner, a 2013 Readers' Crown Award winner, and a 2013 Book Buyers Best Award winner. Julie has also written a self-help workbook for writers entitled Romance-ology 101: Writing Romantic Tension for the Sweet and Inspirational Markets. You can contact Julie through her website and read excerpts from each of her books at www.julielessman.com. GOODREADS | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOOGLE PLUS PINTEREST | INSTAGRAM | AMAZON | WEBSITE NEWSLETTER | THE SEEKERS | JOURNAL JOTS The Interview1. How many novels have you written? Are all of them published? Yes, every one of the 19 books I have written — thirteen novels, five novellas, and one writer’s workbook — are all published, nine traditionally and nine independently. Sometimes I wish I had a ton of unpublished manuscripts under my bed like many authors do so that I could polish and publish them on my own. But I don’t because the first book I ever wrote — A Passion Most Pure — was published by Revell along with eight subsequent books in three series, so I guess I can’t really complain. 2. What is your current WIP? What can you tell us about this project? Well, my current WIP is book 3 in my Isle of Hope Series, His Steadfast Love, which sadly enough for me, is the final book in this contemporary series that I have really grown to love. It’s the story of a prodigal and a pastor thrown together by family and by God, creating quite a few sparks on the Isle of Hope. Here’s the jacket blurb: She’s bent on fun. He’s bent on faith. Till true love bridges the gap. Cat O’Bryen is the prodigal daughter unhappy with God. First, the father with whom she reconciled dies of cancer and now her twin sister and best friend marries, leaving Cat at home with a newlywed mother, her new husband, and a little brother. But when Cat moves in with a roommate of questionable morals, her family is worried, certain she’s on a path that could damage her faith forever. Reluctant to get involved with a woman like the one who destroyed his life, ex-Navy SEAL Pastor Chase Griffin steers clear of the attraction he feels for Cat O’Bryen. Until her family begs him to take her under his wing, hoping he can draw her back into the fold. But when the draw she has on him proves too strong to resist, he must rely on the strength of God to offer a friendship as steady and strong as the God whose love is wooing her home. 3. What inspired the idea for His Steadfast Love? Well, the entire Isle of Hope series was inspired by my own dysfunctional relationship with my estranged dad, in which God taught me how to really forgive. Book 1, Isle of Hope: Unfailing Love (which is now on e-sale for 99 cents, by the way, and its prequel novella, A Glimmer of Hope, is available for FREE DOWNLOAD), was basically a therapy session for me and admittedly, one of the most important books I’ve ever written. Prior to writing it, God brought me to a place where He asked me to step away from business as usual to take a sabbatical to focus more on Him, family, and writing for the sheer joy of writing. So I told my publisher I wouldn’t be pitching any new books or series for a while. During that time I wrote Isle of Hope instead, and from there, books 2 and 3 just flowed from my pen as easily as forgiveness from my heart once God taught me how to let go. That’s a roundabout way to get to your question of what inspired the idea for His Steadfast Love, but truly, I just saw Cat’s story as the culmination of a series on forgiveness. I had a strong sense from the beginning that this book would have a deep spiritual impact on readers, so I was really excited about that. But when I got around to writing the final four chapters, I’ll admit that I was disappointed in the spiritual takeaway. So much so, that I hit the wall and couldn’t finish those last four chapters. So I prayed hard for God to give me a powerful wrap-up, and BOOM! Just like that (well, it took a couple of days), God brought a memory back to me that I’d forgotten, a second HUGE lesson on forgiveness that literally changed my life. It involved a hidden bitterness for my baby sister whom I loved with all my heart and soul, just like Cat loves her twin sister Shannon, so I never really knew it was there. But just because we don’t know a sin is there doesn’t stop the stronghold it has in your life, a lesson that I — and Cat — had to learn all too well. 4. What do you want readers to take away from reading His Steadfast Love? Besides the usual wisdom of purity before marriage that God taught this 70’s wild child way back when, there is the deep, deep message of buried bitterness in people’s lives that needs to be addressed in order for that person to really be free in Christ. That’s what I hope this book truly imparts to everyone who reads it. 5. What other “hats” do you wear other when you are not writing? Mmm … hats, huh? Well, I don’t physically wear many hats, but I do love being a wife, mom, and grandmother (aka Juju), which are the true highlights of my life. But I also really enjoy hobnobbing with neighbors and friends since we live on a lake and only see most of them on weekends. And although I am not athletic at all, my husband has been nudging me into kayaking, biking, swimming, and boating, so this summer has been really fun.  Interview with Carrie Fancett Pagels #3
7/22/2017
About the Author ECPA-bestselling author Carrie Fancett Pagels, Ph.D., is the award-winning author of a dozen Christian historical romances. Twenty-five years as a psychologist didn't "cure" her overactive imagination! A self-professed “history geek,” she resides with her family in the Historic Triangle of Virginia but grew up as a “Yooper.” Carrie loves to read, bake, bead, and travel – but not all at the same time! You can connect with her at www.CarrieFancettPagels.com. GOODREADS | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | PINTEREST | AMAZON | LINKEDIN |WEBSITE OVERCOMING WITH GOD | COLONIAL QUILLS The Interview1. Do you have any funny stories from fans meeting you for the first time? I don’t think funny stories but I have been so blessed by the readers I’ve met, especially last year in Shepherd Michigan when Joyce Noyes brought her absolutely adorable granddaughters with her! 2. What did your writing process for My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island look like? Ohmygoodnessgraciousmeohmy! This was like having a problem child who needed a lot of therapy and rehab! 3. What type of research did you do for My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island? Did you do any traveling for this research? I actually lived on and worked on the island as a teenager and grew up in the area. And I’ve been there often visiting. One of my close friends has family from the island and she inspired that aspect of the story. We specifically stayed at both the Grand Hotel for research and at the Windermere, which is the inspiration for my heroine’s inn. 4. What inspired the idea for My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island? I wondered what an independent miss, brought up by the strong women of the island, would do if her father resisted her becoming a business manager/inn manager which is her birthright but is at a time when young women were sheltered. 5. What do you want readers to take away from reading My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island? The only inheritance you need to concern yourself with is that of being a child of the living God. 6. Do you have any advice you would give to other potential authors? Don’t give up if you have a manuscript that is giving you fits, not if the Lord tells you to keep working on it. Hire the best freelance editors that you can and pray! This problem child became an RT Book Reviews Top Pick for July PTL!  Interview with Bethany Swafford
7/19/2017
About the Author For as long as she can remember, Bethany Swafford has loved reading books. That love of words extended to writing as she grew older and when it became more difficult to find a ‘clean’ book, she determined to write her own. Among her favorite authors is Jane Austen, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Georgette Heyer. When she doesn’t have pen to paper (or fingertips to laptop keyboard), she can generally be found with a book in hand. In her spare time, Bethany reviews books for a book site called More Than A Review. The Interview1. Who or what inspired you to become an author? I love to read, but found fewer and fewer books that were truly clean, that kept any sex scenes off the page. So, I took my parents advice and began to write the kind of stories I want to read. 2. What did you want to be when you grew up? Did becoming an author ever cross your mind? Growing up, I don’t think I gave any serious thought to any particular career, though vaguely remember the idea of perhaps being a teacher. As to being an author, I enjoyed writing simply as a hobby and did not ever think I would ever see my name on the cover of a book. 3. What authors do you enjoy? Do these authors inspire your own writing? Though I have very eclectic taste when it comes to authors I enjoy, my favorites have definitely inspired my own humble tales. Jane Austen’s heroes and heroines are so relatable, it would be impossible for me not to draw from her novels. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s use of logic and mystery in his Sherlock Holmes stories have also weaved their way into my writing. 4. What inspired the idea for Not My Idea? Not My Idea came about because of a bad day and a song from one of my favorite childhood films. I was having one of those days where so much was going wrong, it was funny to think about the next day. I began to devise a plot wherein a character had a series of misunderstandings and problems come his way. The song is This Is My Idea from The Swan Princess. The two main characters are children and they do not get along through most of the song even with their parents trying to get them together. Many stories have that kind of situation and end the same way it does in the song: they are adults and fall in love. I thought it would be fun if the exact opposite happened. Two people, enemies in childhood, and they still don’t get along as adults. 5. What do you want readers to take away from reading Not My Idea? The main idea—no pun intended—that I wanted to show was that it’s not easy to be true to yourself when everyone around you, family and friends, can have an influence on you. From all sides, Lucas has people trying to influence him or tell him how to behave, what to do with his future, etc. Does he stay true to his own sense of self or let his friends and families change him? I think this is something everyone has faced in their life and it’s up to each person to chose which of those influences to allow to have priority. 6. When you are not writing, what other hobbies do you enjoy? At the risk of sounding old-fashioned, my non-writing and reading hobbies involve an embroidery needle or knitting needles. I’m not very good at either, but I find them relaxing.  Interview with Rachel Kirkaldie
7/18/2017
About the Author Rachel Kirkaldie earned a BA in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing from BYU-Idaho in 2002. While she was there, she worked as a writing assistant in the student writing center, published poetry in the school literary magazine The Outlet, and attended multiple conferences and workshops. More recently she won “Publisher’s Choice” for best Christmas story in a contest on ldspublisher.org. Although a full-time mother and a part-time state employee, she still finds time to dedicate to her writing, making it the best she possibly can. The InterviewFun Questions: 1. What is your favorite dessert? Cookies of any kind as long as they're not crunchy. 2. What is your favorite drink (juice, hot chocolate, tea, etc.)? Hot chocolate in the winter, lemonade in the summer. 3. What is your favorite movie and/or TV show? Ugh, this question is always so hard for me. There are so many. If we had to go with RIGHT NOW, I would say Moana and Gilmore Girls (still trying to watch all 7 seasons. Its a love/hate relationship). Author Questions: 1. Who or what inspired you to become an author? I can't really remember. Probably all the books I read as a kid. 2. What did you want to be when you grew up? Did becoming an author ever cross your mind? I always wanted to be an author and illustrator. I remember picturing what my name would look like on my books way back in first grade. The illustrator dream fizzled out, but the author one never did. 3. What authors do you enjoy? Do these authors inspire your own writing? Some of my very favorite authors are Shannon Hale, LM Montgomery, Diana Wynne Jones, and RIck Riordan. Yes, they absolutely inspire me. Every good book I read does. 4. When you are not writing, what other "hats" do you wear? What hobbies do you enjoy? I wear the Mommy hat most often, with my three small, mostly sweet children. I also love, well, reading, and outdoorsy things: camping, horseback riding, and hiking. Book Related Questions: 1. What inspired the idea for The Unicorn Hunter? Honestly, I started it so long ago I don't really remember. I always had an interest in unicorns and fairy tales, which is probably where the original idea came from. And then, over the years, I wanted to change it to something different, making my unicorns a little more ferocious than what you typically read about, and my princess a far-cry from the angelic princesses in most fairy tales. 2. What do you want readers to take away from reading The Unicorn Hunter? LOL, as a debut writer just soaking in the experience of being published, I just want readers to enjoy it! But I also hope they can take away that there is more to any of us than what we see. 3. What is your current WIP? What can you tell us about this project? I am working on the sequel. :)  |
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