Author Interviews
Check out the author interview index HERE.
Mini-view with Courtney Walsh
7/30/2019
About the AuthorCourtney Walsh is a novelist, artist, theatre director, and playwright. Just Let Go will be her eighth inspirational romance novel. Her debut, A Sweethaven Summer, hit the New York Times and USA Today e-book bestseller lists and was a Carol Award finalist in the debut author category. A creative at heart, Courtney has also written two craft books and several full-length musicals. She lives in Illinois with her husband and three children. Interview1. What inspired the idea for Just One Kiss?
Truthfully, I was working out one morning and a Taylor Swift song ("Speak Now") came on. It's all about someone interrupting a wedding, and I started thinking that would be such a great way to start a romance. I was already about halfway into Just One Kiss, and there was no way an interrupted wedding would fit my story, but then I remembered how much I loved Carly and her son Jaden in Just Let Go, and how much she deserved a happily ever after. Josh wasn't the obvious choice for her, but I love second chance romance, so I set my manuscript aside and started a new one. In the end, there's no interrupted wedding in this novel either, but I suppose I have Taylor to thank for the shift in stories just the same! 2. What did you as an author take away from writing Just One Kiss? Most of my novels are written during or after some sort of revelation God's given me. In this one, it mostly had to do with Jaden, who is diagnosed with a serious illness near the beginning of the story. My own daughter was diagnosed with cancer last year, so I think in some ways this was me processing some of that. But the takeaway is, as it often is, that God can take our pain and brokenness and turn it in to something beautiful. If we let him, he can use it, and no struggle is ever wasted. 3. What is your current WIP? What can you tell us about it? I'm currently working on my next Nantucket book. It's about an officer in the Coast Guard and a private concierge. A tragic accident drove them apart--can a childhood pact bring them back together? (That's all I can share because I'm still working this one out!...but I LOVE being back on Nantucket and I LOVE learning more about the Coast Guard--they fascinate me!) 4. What top 5 books are currently on your TBR pile? 1) In Your Dreams by Kristan Higgins (I started the series just to read some general market romance and expand my horizons a little and got totally hooked, so now I'm on the 4th book and loving it!) 2) Now and Then and Always by Melissa Tagg. (I read this for endorsement, but on my computer, and I think in order to properly enjoy a book I need to hold it in my hands! I'm so old school!) 3) Sweet on You by Becky Wade 4) The Southern Side of Paradise by Kristy Woodson Harvey 5) Brunch at the Bittersweet Cafe by Carla Laureano 5. What are some of your favorite summer activities? My summer is almost exclusively made up of two things: Writing and Directing shows. My husband and I own a performing arts studio and summer is our busiest season. Once our current show Newsies, opens, though, I'm planning to spend a lot of time reading on my back porch--this is my favorite summer pastime!
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Interview with Connilyn Cossette
7/30/2019
About the AuthorWhen she is not homeschooling her two sweet kids (with a full pot of coffee at hand), CONNILYN COSSETTE is scribbling notes on spare paper, mumbling about her imaginary friends, and reading obscure, out-of-print history books. There is nothing she likes better than digging into the rich, ancient world of the Bible and uncovering buried gems of grace that point toward Jesus. Although a Pacific Northwest native, she now lives near Dallas, Texas. Counted with the Stars is her first novel. The Interview1. Is there a favorite character or one you’ve felt connected with the most in this book or the series?
I think because Moriyah is really the core of the Cities of Refuge series, I’ve felt most connected to her character long term. It’s been interesting to follow a character from the age of thirteen all the way through her life journey until she is a great-grandmother and to explore how her life and witness has affected those around her. I hope that readers see Moriyah as an example of what it is to be a light to the world, even when your influence is relatively small. 2. What was your inspiration for starting this series? I began this series because I wanted to explore what happened after Jericho and found myself fascinated with the Cities of Refuge and what life might have been like within the walls of such a unique place. I also just really fell in love with Moriyah in Wings of the Wind and felt that she was demanding that I tell her story. 3. How do you feel writing biblical fiction has affected your relationship with God? I started writing biblical fiction not because I was all that invested in the genre but because I was so intrigued by my own personal research a story came out of it. I think what writing this type of fiction has done is forced me to place myself “within” the stories in the Word and to deepen my perspective about the people and places that are described within the pages of the Bible. The stories of Israel’s history no longer seem “far away” anymore; I feel like I am a part of them, as if they are part of my own history as well which has given me a greater connectedness to Jesus in many ways. It has also just given me a deeper appreciation for his care and concern for me, because without him sustaining me on a daily basis none of this writing stuff would even be possible. 4. What’s one thing you wish readers would take away from this book? I hope that readers are reminded that our Father loves us with boundless, everlasting love and that no matter how far off we’ve wandered, He is always waiting for us, arms outstretched, and our names written on his scarred hands. 5. What do you find to be the most challenging when writing biblical fiction? I would say the biggest challenge is the myriad opinions between scholars and archeologists and bible teachers. There are as many ideas and theories as there are people who study the Bible and the world in which its history takes place. There are times when the research is so conflicting and so confusing that I just have to pick a position that works with my plot and run with it, even if its not the most popular opinion. But since I am not writing history books and instead am telling a fictional story with history as the backdrop, if I can create a sense of verisimilitude hopefully readers will forgive any differing ideas or they’ll be so caught up in the tale they won’t even notice! 6. Can you share with us a book you have read recently, are currently reading, or hope to read soon? I recently read A Curse so Dark and Lonely, which is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast that was quite well written and a fresh take on the familiar story. I am currently reading Finale, which is the third of the Caraval Series (kinda weird/unique fantasy but some really intriguing imagery and descriptive language), and I have a number of books up next on my TBR list such as Lori Benton’s The King’s Mercy, The Number of Love by Roseanna White, and Daughter of Northern Shores by Joanne Bischoff and lots and lots more. I’m kind of a moody reader both in genre and in style, so we’ll see what I feel up to reading first. It changes from day to day. 7. What's your preference/describes you best: Early bird or Night owl? Night owl for sure, although my sleep patterns have been shifting lately for some reason and I’ve been waking earlier and passing out before 1am most night which is really abnormal for me. Pepsi or Coke? Coke if I only have the two, but I’m a Diet Dr. Pepper girl when I drink pop. (Yes, I said pop, I’m from the Pacific Northwest). Dogs or Cats? Cats for sure. I enjoy dogs (unless they are slobbery/shedding/jumping on me) but in our family cats are people too and there are usually one or more on my desk at all times. (And yes, there is one here now). Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate. No question. If there is peanut butter, coffee, or caramel involved with the chocolate, all the better. 8. Which part of Until the Mountains fall did you enjoy writing the most? Without giving any spoilers, there is a very distinctive Part I and Part 2 within this story and during the interim my characters do a lot of changing. Some of it for the better, and some of it for the worse. So it was an interesting challenge to work through who they started out as and how they transformed, and then it was fun discovering my hero and heroine all over again after the shift and working through how they ultimately come together in light of the changes within themselves and the circumstances within which they interact. 9. Any scripture verses jump out as you brought this biblical based story to life? Oh there are so many wonderful ones that speak to the Father’s love for our prodigal hearts, but here are a couple that are just perfect for Rivkah. Isaiah 54:8 “In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord, your Redeemer. And all of Psalms 103 is a great depiction of his mercy and grace, but this verse especially is applicable to UTMF—As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. Psalms 103:13 10. How do you go about creating a story based on Biblical figures? Since my style of biblical is a little different from most, in that I tell stories of fictional people that interact with non-fictional people, history, and settings, I have a little bit more leeway when it comes to story-building. But I always start with the Word and use its timelines and details as the skeleton of my novels first. Once I have those essentials, I can begin to weave in the characters and plots that I create. If I do slip in actual historical figures my preference is to make those interchanges brief and focus on how my fictional characters might react to those people and their actions. All in all I just do my best to stay as close to the Biblical narrative as I can while using any whitespace or unknowns to stir my imagination. 11. How do you achieve the characterization and how do you decide what the characters should be like? Characters usually develop as I write the story. For the most part I try to know what their general backstory is and what their wounds are before I begin, but sometimes those things shift as I get to know the person on the page. At times it takes me the writing of the entire manuscript before I truly understand the character’s motives and goals and then I have to go back before submission and layer those traits into the story so it flows well and makes a smooth and realistic character arc. 12. How do you decide what themes you will lift from the scriptures to place in your books? With Until the Mountains Fall I’d decided from the beginning that Rivkah’s story would be inspired by the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke but usually the themes of my stories develop as I write and sometimes it takes the entire book being nearly finished before I realize exactly which themes floated to the top. To me that is how thematic elements develop the most organically and avoid being “preachy” in the telling because they are related to the growth within the characters and not because I am trying to teach some sort of moral lesson to the reader. 13. What percentage do you feel you are ancient historian, novelist, story teller, romance writer (or any other “hat” you wear as you write these books)? What an intriguing question! I feel I am about 5% historian because really I am just someone who loves history and I have zero credentials to call myself anything other than a student. I am probably about about equal parts novelist and storyteller, maybe 40% each? Then perhaps 15% romance writer because I do love a good love story but it’s not my main goal as I develop my stories, and then I am about 10% just having a great time playing around with imaginary friends and making up stuff to entertain my own crazy brain. Is that 100%? I certainly don’t know because I am 0% mathematician. 14. As a homeschool mom, how did you start and then balance homeschooling with your writing career? I have homeschooled my kids all the way through (with the exception of one very stressful week of Kindergarten for my son) and now have a 9th grader and a 7th grader (yikes! Prayer appreciated). Balancing homeschool has become a lot easier in the past couple of years because my kids are increasingly independent in their studies, are really intellectually curious, and I have found awesome homeschool enrichment classes that have freed up some time and brainpower for me while giving my kids opportunities to meet new friends and expand their minds. This year my son is planning to write his own novel over the course of the year for a Creative Writing credit, since he has the perfect built in expert and we are looking forward to seeing how that develops. He’s already showing some intriguing talent for storytelling that I am hoping to encourage! For me the important thing is to schedule out my days well, keep to a reasonable word-count plan as much as possible, but also to be flexible and just know that some days school means spending the day (or a couple of weeks) exploring topics of passion instead of following a set curriculum. We love homeschooling and hope to continue it all the way through! 15. How detailed is your research for each of your books? I spent five years writing Counted with the Stars in which I did a lot of detailed research into the ancient world of the Bible. So now with that base in mind, I do my best to mostly research the history, archeology, and the settings that pertain to each specific book as I go along looking at the broad view and then I concentrate on details that are pertinent to my character’s experiences as I write. If I am not careful I can get lost on historical rabbit trails while I am supposed to be writing, so if I have a question about something in particular I mark it with a $ sign in my manuscript and then research it later and plug it in. But I do my best to read as much as possible and spend lots of time on archeological and historical websites soaking it all in. Youtube videos can be super helpful, as can podcasts from great bible teachers and historians. 16. Did anything happen during the writing of this book that changed the trajectory of the story? I had a fairly firm grasp on this story from the beginning, when I was plotting it with my plotting group but I did find some fascinating research about Edrei, which is one of the cities in which a portion of the story takes place. I read about an amateur archeologist and explorer named Gottlieb Shumacher who claimed to have visited the historical site in current day Daraa, Syria well over a hundred years ago with the help of local guides and discovered a series of tunnels and caves below the city. There is of course no certainty that this site he explored is actually the city of Edrei but the description was compelling to me and stirred my imagination. So the scenes that take place in and below that city are because of this captivating bit of information I just happened to stumble across. 17. Did the story change at all during the writing of the book? My stories always shift and transform in the writing because I am not a firm-structure plotter. I begin with an outline and a list of chapters but within that structure I give myself plenty of room to explore. However without giving spoilers I can’t divulge too much of those changes within Until the Mountains Fall, except to say there was a secondary love story that I didn’t plan that just appeared on the page, along with a shift in the outcome for one of the secondary characters involved, and a resolution to a larger-arc thread that became much more prevalent as the writing progressed. 18. Will we see Rivkah and Malakhi again in future books? We will definitely visit these two in Like Flames in the Night, which takes place eight years after the close of Until the Mountains Fall. There is more to tell about Moriyah and Darek’s family so fear not, I haven’t left you hanging without resolution to some of your burning questions. 19. What is your favorite children’s book? My favorite children’s book is probably Anne of Green Gables, since I was fairly enthralled with it when I was young and absolutely wanted to be Anne. Although the Narnia series is of equal value to me, and in particular the Magician’s Nephew, which is my favorite of the bunch mostly due to the enthralling description of Aslan’s Creation of the world with song. To me those scenes had to have been divinely inspired and they give me chills whenever I read them, just as they did when I was a kid. 20. What advice would you give to a young person who wants to write books? Read. Read. Read. Read books that challenge you, that are a little bit tough to get through or are outside the style you might gravitate toward. Explore different genres. Write down and hoard lovely words and lines that capture your imagination. Don’t allow any negative self-talk as you are learning or tell yourself that you aren’t good enough, just enjoy playing with language and write stories and poems and lyrics that you want to read and connect with your own emotions. And don’t limit yourself to writing what is “popular” at the moment. There’s always room for interesting, out-of-the-box writing that breaks the rules or crosses genres. But above all, just write words, every day and in whatever form strikes your fancy. You never know how God will use your passion for writing in the future! I’m proof of that! 21. Is there a secret to writing an emotional scene that makes the feelings jump off the page? I think the most important thing to know about a character is their wounds. Understanding what hurts they harbor will affect how they perceive the world around them and how they will react in certain situations and if those things are explored effectively, the reader will feel the impact more deeply. Also, I draw on my own emotions as I write. Whether or not I’ve actually experienced a moment like the person on the page, I can always think back to a time I’ve felt pain or grief or joy or frustration or fear and remember the visceral reactions I’ve had to those emotions. Writing is much like acting in that way, so tapping into your own emotions and then applying them to whatever character you are embodying as you write is the best way to make your reader feel those things as they live out the story in their minds. Brain science has shown that we actually feel the emotions along with characters in well-written fiction, so if I find myself crying or laughing or sighing as I write out a scene, chances are my readers will too. And I’ll just tell you, I cried a lot during the writing of Until the Mountains Fall. Fair warning. 22. Do you get a say in the design of your book cover? What is the process? The first part of the process for me is creating a secret Pinterest Board with all sorts of images that relate to the story I am building. Characters, settings, details etc. When my editor asks for inspiration I can then share that board with her and the cover designer at Bethany House and I also include notes about the story and characters and any pertinent details that might be helpful. And then, I wait. And wait. And wait. And then one day I get an email with the subject “We have a cover!” and I squeal and gasp and hold my breath as I open the attachment and then I spend hours and hours staring at it and thanking the Lord that Bethany House is my publisher. Each one has perfectly captured the emotion of the stories and my heroines and I have adored each one. If there are little details that perhaps don’t quite fit I can always let them know and see if they address it, but honestly I’ve only done that once and I was super pleased with the result afterward. You can tell how much I love my covers because I put them on photo canvas and decorate my office with them, where I will continue to stare at them for years to come. Mini-view with Amanda Tero
7/25/2019
About the AuthorAmanda Tero began her love for words at a young age—reading anything she could get her hands on and penning short stories as young as age eight. Since graduation, she has honed her writing skills by dedicated practice and study of the writing craft. She began her journey of publication with a few short stories that she had written for her sisters and continued to add to her collection with other short stories, novellas, and novels. It is her utmost desire to write that which not only pleases her Lord and Savior, but also draws the reader into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. The Interview1. What inspired the idea for the Tales of Faith Series? At first, it was just going to be a short story from a one-question idea: “What if the beast was Belle’s father?” That, of course, turned into a novella, and then people started asking me if I’d do other retellings. So, I guess you could say it was inspired by one question and morphed into something much bigger! 2. What did you as an author take away from writing each book in the series? This series has been a huge growing point for me as an author. From “Befriending the Beast,” I learned not to cut myself short but to actually let the idea come to full fruition. “The Secret Slipper” taught me a lot about adding angst and tension to my story. And in “Protecting the Poor” my lesson has been more that God’s in control of my schedule, as I had hoped to publish it a year ago. As authors we get so trapped into our agenda and preferences we forget to seek God not only on the messages of our stories, but also the timing of when to publish and release them. Or at least, I can say such for myself. 3. What is your current WIP? What can you tell us about it? This one is exciting! I am working with three other super sweet ladies to compile a four-novella collection: “Librarians of Willow Hollow.” Each of our stories can be read stand-alone, but they feature the same fictional Appalachian town and several townspeople. Our projected publication date is late 2020, Lord willing. 4. What top 5 books are currently on your TBR pile?
This is an excellent question, because (at the time of replying to this), I’m preparing for a 3-week vacation/road trip. I definitely have five books that I’m hoping to read! 1) Code of Valor by Lynette Eason 2) A-Spying We Will Go by Perry Kirkpatrick Here I’ll have to diverge and just finish with the authors I’m hoping to try for the first time; I haven’t quite decided which of their books to try: 3) Dani Pettrey 4) Kate Breslin 5) Siri Mitchell 5. What are some of your favorite summer activities? My summer highlights are always two things: church camps (with several local churches) and my church’s revival service (which is Sunday-Friday, morning and evening!). After spending two semesters in college, these times have been especially refreshing. In addition to those, this summer in particular, my favorite activity has been writing. I had to put aside writing while I focused on college work (my major is piano performance) so I really missed it and have jumped in with both feet on the weeks I’m actually home. Mini-view with Rebecca Connolly
7/10/2019
About the AuthorRebecca Connolly writes romances, both period and contemporary, because she absolutely loves a good love story. She has been creating stories since childhood, and there are home videos to prove it! She started writing them down in elementary school and has never looked back. She currently lives in the Midwest, spends every spare moment away from her day job absorbed in her writing, and is a hot cocoa addict. The Interview1-What inspired the idea for By Hook or by Rook?
Supporting characters that demanded a story, haha! 2-What did you as an author take away from writing By Hook or by Rook? I found a new appreciation for the girls who want so much but can’t seem to get it. This book was instrumental in forming inspiration for the Spinster Chronicles series, actually! 3-What is your current WIP? What can you tell us about it? My current WIP is a new sports series with my pals! If you’ve read the Belltown Six Pack series, you’ll love what we’re up to next! 4-What top 5 books are currently on your TBR pile? 1)The Friend Zone by Sariah Wilson 2)A Lady’s Maid by Jen Giegle Johnson 3)Beneath the Italian Sky by Stacie Henrie 4)My Not So Wicked Boss by Jennifer Peel 5)A Provision for Love by Heather Chapman 5-What is one of your favorite summer activities? Ugh. I actually kind of hate summer. But I do love hanging out at my uncle’s pool in Chicago. And bonfires in the evening. And fireworks. I really love fireworks. Mini-view with Jessilyn Peaslee
7/3/2019
About the AuthorJessilyn Stewart Peaslee was born into a family of avid readers, music lovers, and movie quoters. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a BA in English. Her debut novel, Ella, was awarded the Silver Quill by the League of Utah Writers. Jessilyn grew up in the beautiful high desert of Southern California and now resides in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains with her handsome husband and five incredible sons. As you read this, she is probably folding laundry . . . or should be. The Interview1-What inspired the idea for Awake at Widmore Manor?
I love bringing fairy tales to life and making them feel like they really happened, or could have happened. I've done Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast, but I wanted to try one I hadn't seen done as much. The original Princess and the Pea story is pretty short with very few details, so it was a fun little (huge :)) challenge to bring it to life. I knew it had to have three main elements: a young woman caught in a storm, a sleepless night, and a test that she had to "pass." Beyond that, I got to play and write and rewrite. And rewrite again. :) 2-What did you as an author take away from writing Awake at Widmore Manor? I was surprised by how much this story touched me personally. It started out as a light-hearted, almost comical story, but as I got deeper into it, I found meaning and depth that I hadn't expected. There were themes such as loyalty to family, growing in trials, selflessness, and perseverance. Mostly, this story ended up being mostly about friendship, the different forms it can take, and the lengths we can go to show love and support for our friends. I found the perfect Shakespeare quote about friendship that really shaped the book. I put it right at the beginning to give the reader a little direction and inspiration before they dive in. :) This story is almost unrecognizable from where it started for me at the beginning, but I really love it. It's a sweet story that helped me want to be a better person, and a better friend. 3-What is your current WIP? What can you tell us about it? I'm actually taking a teensy break from writing right now. Writing in the summer with everyone home all day is pretty much impossible, which is actually great. It's nice to clear my head every once in a while. In the fall, I'm actually thinking of starting a non-fiction inspirational book. I've thought about it for years, and have done some presentations on the topic. It has to do with choosing to live our own happily ever afters. I just can't stay away from fairy tales! 4-What are the top 5 books currently on your TBR pile? 1)I'm going to cheat and count the first four books in our Once Upon a Regency series as one. :) 2)The Goose Girl (which I've read before, but wanted to read again) by Shannon Hale 3)Bringing up Moral Children by A. Lynn Scoresby 4)The Path Between Seas by David McCullough 5)The Pioneers by David McCullough 5-Now that it's summer, what are some of your favorite activities? We got a puppy at the end of April, so my goal is to teach that crazy, funny, huge puppy not to tackle us. He sits, stays, and shakes. We're working on rolling over. He's been so much fun! I love taking my kids to water parks, on hikes, and camping. I love quiet morning where I get to read to them and just relax before friends come over and everyone scatters. I also love taking morning walks with my husband before he heads to work. My absolute favorite place to be in the summer, if you ever need me, or my kids can't find me in the house, is sitting on the porch swing, usually eating a popsicle. :) We just hang out there and talk, laugh, and watch for hummingbirds to come to our feeder. It's my favorite thing in the world. |
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