Author Interviews
Check out the author interview index HERE.
Interview with Alysson Foti Bourque
9/27/2017
About the AuthorAlysson Foti Bourque is the author of the Rhyme or ReasonTravel series, and the multi-award winning Alycat series. Alysson received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a law degree from Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge. She believes that there is an Alycat in all of us, encouraging our imaginations to guide us through new opportunities and adventures. The Interview1. Is there a specific ritualistic thing you do during your writing time? I fix a large cup of coffee, sit in my office, and open my window. My cat, Phoebe, usually runs in and sits on the window ledge as I start writing. I get so much inspiration from watching her observe nature— so it’s perfect for the Alycat series. 2. What made you write a book about cats? Of course, I love cats. They are tenacious, fearless, and confident. When a problem occurs–which they often do for cats, they are determined to figure out a way to resolve it or move past it. Humans can learn a lot from cats so they are perfect characters for books! 3. In today’s tech savvy world, most writers use a computer or laptop. Have you ever written parts of your book on paper? Yes! The first book of the Alycat series, Alycat and the Thursday Dessert Day, was written one night on loose leaf paper after tucking my kids into bed. I have kept those papers to remind me of the excitement that I had as my imagination spilled over onto the paper. The words were written so fast that it’s pretty much scribble scrabble. 4. If you’re a mom writer, how do you balance your time? I write when my kids are at school and once they go to bed. I always bring a notebook to their activities so that I can write down ideas or thoughts that cross my mind. Fun stuff: 1. If you could go back in time, where would you go? I would go back to AD 27-29 and hear Jesus preach. 2. Favorite travel spot? Capri, Italy 3. How were you as a kid? I was a “march to the beat of my own drum” type of kid. If I found something that excited me, I gave that certain something 200% of my time. When I was about six years old, I was a flower girl in my aunt and uncle’s wedding and wore the most beautiful taffeta and lace dress! I was so smitten with that dress that I wore it for every single picture day at school until it no longer fit me. So my grade school pictures are basically all the same—except that year that I added a crown and wand to the ensemble. I’m not sure how I kept friends. Interview with Robin E. Mason
9/25/2017
About the Author“I’ve always had voices—er, stories in my head. I once said I should write them all down so someone could write them someday. I had no idea at the time that someone was me!” Ms. Mason has been writing since 1995, and began working in earnest on her debut novel, Tessa, in 2013. Meanwhile, she cranked out a few dozen poems, made countless notes for story ideas, and earned her BFA in Interior Design. Ms. Mason lived with depression for many years, and the inherent feelings of worthlessness and invisibility; she didn’t want to be who she was and struggled with her own identity for many years. Her characters face many of these same demons. Ms. Mason writes stories of identity conflict. Her characters encounter situations that force the question, “Who am I really?” For all who have ever wondered who you are or why you’re here, her stories will touch you in a very real—maybe too real—and a very deep way. “I know, I write from experience.” Ms. Mason has three novels previously published in the unsavory heritage series. Tessa, Clara Bess, and Cissy are available on Amazon, both for Kindle and in print. She also has several poems included in an anthology, Where Dreams and Visions Live (Anthologies of the Heart Book 1) by Mary Blowers, as well as a short story, Sarafina’s Light, also in an anthology, Blood Moon, compiled by Mary Blowers. She is currently working on The Tilting Leaves of Autumn, Book Two in her new series, Seasons. It releases in November, following The Long Shadows of Summer which releases in August. Books 3 and 4 in the series will be out in 2018. The Interview1. Who or what inspired you to become an author? The voices in my head! LOL I’ve always had story ideas, and once I started writing and got serious about it, this whole writing thing just took off! 2. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Did becoming an author ever cross your mind? It really never did. The stories were there but writing them just didn’t occur to me. I wanted to be an actress (I have done some acting and I love it!) When I was pre-teen, I wanted to be an Interior Designer—and I earned my degree four years ago. 3. Who are some of your favorite authors? Do these authors influence your writing? As Tosca Lee said when I asked this question in interview, “Are you trying to get me killed?” LOL I have so many author friends, so many I love to read—I could mention a few but not possible to list them all... That said, and in no particular order, I give you Pepper Basham, Mikal Dawn, Tessa Afshar, Kristen Heitzmann, Laurie Tomlinson, Conni Cossette, Varina Denman, Marian Merritt… 4. When you are not writing, what hobbies do you enjoy? Reading, of course, and working in the yard, painting / drawing, designing, creating artist books. 5. What inspired the idea for The Long Shadows of Summer? As with all my stories, there is a question of identity. TLSoS is the first of four stories that are woven together in a larger story. That larger story is what first incubated in my mind. 6. What do you want readers to take away from reading The Long Shadows of Summer? We are who God made us to be, no matter our life or circumstance. Interview with Lindsey P. Brackett
9/20/2017
About the AuthorAward-winning writer Lindsey P. Brackett once taught middle grades literature, but now she writes her own works in the midst of motherhood. A blogger since 2010, she has published articles and short stories in a variety of print and online publications including Thriving Family, Country Extra, HomeLife, Northeast Georgia Living, Splickety Prime, Splickety Love, and Southern Writers Magazine Best Short Fiction 2015. Lindsey serves as Editor of Web Content for the Splickety Publishing Group, and she writes a popular column for several North Georgia newspapers. As a mother of four chaotic kids, her home is always full of wet towels, lost library books, and strong coffee. Her love of family ties and southern places prompted her debut novel, Still Waters, inspired by her own love of Edisto summers and peach ice cream. Connect with her at http://www.lindseypbrackett.com. The Interview1. What or whom inspired you to become an author?
I have wanted to be an author ever since I read The Little House series. My parents gave them to me one by one starting when I was about eight years old. I’ve always been a voracious reader but those were my gateway books—from that point on I was a reader and I was a writer. I wanted to tell stories about my world, like Laura did, though I was an adult before I realized exactly what that meant. Other than Laura, I’d have to say books with a strong influence on my writing life were To Kill a Mockingbird and Madeline L’Engle’s memoir, Walking on Water. 2. What did you want to be when you grew up? Did becoming and author ever cross your mind? Guess you can tell it did from that first answer! I always wanted to be a writer but I struggled (and still do) a lot with self-confidence. I’m pretty good at a lot of things, and the problem with that is, it was easy to do the things that didn’t require me to be personally hurt if I didn’t succeed, such as theater, where I found a lot of joy in directing and working behind the scenes as well as on-stage. It’s much easier to be a part of someone else’s story than it is to write your own. I also had a great love for a classroom, so becoming a teacher was a natural, safe step. I’m so grateful for my years as a middle grades language arts teacher because it’s made me the writer I am today. And I just genuinely love teenagers. They are so much fun to be around and have such amazing insight into the world if you’ll just listen. 3. Who are some of your favorite authors? Do they inspire your own writing? So obviously, Harper Lee and Madeline L’Engle, who really couldn’t be more different. I write southern fiction, so Lee is a natural choice, but in that canon I have a lot of strong influence from Terry Kay, Joshilyn Jackson, and Beth Webb Hart. Not because I write like them but because I love the way they write about the world I know. The South is an interesting dichotomy, and I don’t know that you can understand it unless you’ve lived it—and even then, my very small town, rural raising is completely different from someone raised in Atlanta or Charleston. In CBA, Francine Rivers has long been a favorite, and my own editor, Eva Marie Everson. Eva’s Cedar Key novels struck a chord with me unlike any CBA book had ever done and for the first time, I thought my work may actually fit in this industry. 4. What is your current WIP? What can you share with us about this project? Well, I have several projects going, including a Christmas novella that gives Hannah and Ben (Still Waters minor characters) a story. I’ve also got a sequel for Still Waters in the works. But an agent gave me some valuable advice to pursue a completely different project because of its strong hook and sale-ability. The new project is more Southern Gothic, really strong narrative drive, teenage protagonist, and all the drama and conflict of a small community split down the county line by a tragedy. There’s football and fried chicken and country music and references to Friday Night Lights and Footloose. It’s really different from Still Waters—not nearly as lyrical—but I’m enjoying the process of creating a completely different world. It’s set in the North Georgia mountains, which is where I’m from, so that’s been fun to make people see what this culture is like, because Appalachia is not the same as the Lowcountry. 5. What inspired the idea for Still Waters? This novel really started with a place—Edisto Beach, where my family spent most summers of my childhood. When I first decided maybe I could actually do this, write a book, all I knew was I wanted a story set on Edisto. From there I began to build characters and to discover what brings them back or makes them stay away. As I grew as a writer, and began to understand how little I knew about novel structure, the plot changed many times, but ultimately it has always been a story of homecoming, relying on the power of family that ties us to a place. 6. What do you want readers to take away from reading Still Waters? Cora Anne has a strong need to make things perfect, to control outcomes because so much of her young life was out of her control. She really struggles with grace and with forgiveness because she’s got that legalistic mindset—if I do this, then this should happen. I really hope, as readers experience her journey, they’ll recognize if they have any of these characteristics themselves. And I hope they’ll be inspired to let, as Emily Freeman puts it, “grace for the good girl” pervade. It’s my joy, also, to hear readers tell me they can’t wait to visit Edisto now. It’s a really special place, a rare find in a world of over development, and it’s a place that encourages us to live a little slower. I hope, even though everyone can’t get there, my readers will bring some of the Edisto pace into their own lives. Interview with Angie Dicken
9/8/2017
About the AuthorAngie Dicken credits her love of story to reading British literature during life as a military kid in Cambridgeshire, England. Now living in the U.S., she's an ACFW member, a blog contributor to the Writer's Alley, a baseball mom, and a self-proclaimed foodie. You can connect with her on social media and learn about upcoming releases at www.angiedicken.com. The InterviewFun Questions1. What is your favorite dessert? Anything chocolate. The richer the better. 2. What is your beverage of choice? Besides cappuccinos, I am a huge sparkling water fan. I never thought I would be after living in Italy for a few months and constantly specifying “con gas”—but, it has cut my cola habit, and makes plain ol’ water seem boring. 3. What is your favorite movie and/or TV show? Ahhh, this is always such a hard question. I am a chick flick nut, and my favorites in a pinch are: Sense and Sensibility (that counts as a chick flick, right?), The Proposal, The Holiday, and Thirteen Going On Thirty (I know…I can be goofy like that). I am not a huge TV show watcher, but I LOVE Victoria, The Crown, and…ok, don’t judge: The Golden Girls. Author Questions1. Who or what inspired you to become an author? My grandparents. And my husband’s grandmother’s love story. That’s when I first sat down and began to write for publication. I love history, and I am blessed to have an amazing family history to glean from. 2. What did you want to be when you grew up? Did becoming an author ever cross your mind? My grandfather was an architect (and like I said, my grandparents inspire me), so by the time I was ten, I had concluded that I was an architect-in-training. After thousands of floor plans over the next several years, I assumed that I would go to college for Architecture. And I did. But I switched to Landscape Architecture instead. All through childhood though, I wrote stories upon stories, and devoured books, too. So, I was prepping for my dream career, while focusing on a more “practical” pursuit (that only lasted for two years in the real world. SAHM became my career for fourteen years after). 3. Who are some of your favorite authors? Do these authors inspire your own writing? My all time favorites are Enid Blyton, Charlotte Bronte, William Shakespeare, Jean Plaidy, and C.S. Lewis. I love the lyrical flow of classical writing and the chance to just sit in the art as well as the story. They very much inspire me to write well! Shakespeare shows up in some of my stories, and I actually have a whole series dedicated to him. :) One day I hope to share it with readers! 4. When you are not writing, what other activities do you enjoy? I LOVE hanging out with my friends. I’ve been known in some of my circles as the “social coordinator”. HAHA. Eclectic food and girl talk are some of the best things in life! Book Related Questions1. How did you become involved with writing for Love Inspired? I actually entered the LIH Matchmakers Contest, and won! 2. What inspired the idea for The Outlaw's Second Chance? I started writing this story about four years ago, targeting Love Inspired Historical. I wanted to write something connected to the land run because it’s fascinated me ever since I fell in love with movie, Far and Away. Remember it? Anyway, I also loved the idea of an Oklahoma setting since my dad was born there. :) 3. What do you want readers to take away from reading The Outlaw's Second Chance? Grace. We are too hard on ourselves, aren’t we? At least I am. In Cort and Aubrey’s story I try and illustrate that God will use the people in our lives to reveal His heart, His truth. If we open our hearts and listen, we’ll find transformation and freedom to live abundantly. Other Books by Angie DickenReleasing November 1, 2017 from Barbour Publishing... Facebook PartyANGIE'S DEBUT NOVEL RELEASED ON SEPTEMBER 5TH!
GO TO HER EVENT AND RSVP TO HER LAUNCH PARTY ON THE 12TH! FUN, GAMES, AND GIVEAWAYS! CAN’T WAIT TO CELEBRATE! Interview with Rachel Ward
9/6/2017
About the AuthorRachel Turner Ward graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho, graduating with an Bachelor’s in Arts of English, with an emphasis in Literary Studies. She has contributed to several online publications, including Mormon Mommy Blogs and SheSteals as well as Healthy Mom Magazine. She has written a personal blog since 2009, Trapped Between a Scream and a Hug. Her first novel, Dear Jane, was published in 2016. Fun Questions1. What is your favorite dessert? All of them? Honestly, dessert is my very favorite food group. I think my very most favorite dessert might be lemon meringue pie. Or lemon bars. I’m a sucker for lemon if you can’t tell. So, so good. 2. What is your favorite beverage? Diet Coke. More specifically, a local Utah specialty: Diet Coke with peach puree and half and half. 3. What is your favorite movie and/or TV show? I don’t think that I can pick just one movie or TV show. Like Sydney in Right Next to Me, I love The Princess Bride, the book even more than the movie. I also love, love Star Wars. As for TV, it’s a toss up between the West Wing and Parks and Recreation. I really wish that I had a Leslie Knope in my life. 4. Where is your favorite place to go on holiday? f all the places I’ve ever been, my most favorite is Hawaii, specifically Oahu. There is something special about that island. That being said, I haven’t been nearly enough places. Author Questions1. Whom or what inspired you to become an author? I have always loved to read. For as long as I can remember, I blew through books like crazy. As a kid, it wasn’t unusual to read a dozen a week during the summer. I read everything: science fiction, fantasy, horror, historical fiction, I loved it all. In college I discovered Barbara Kingsolver and fell head over heels. She still holds the high honor of my favorite writer. I remember reading one of her books being so enchanted with the language. It was a description of a landscape and I could almost hear the pulse of life through the pages of the book. I remember thinking that I wanted to create something like this. 2. What did you want to be when you grew up? Did becoming an author ever cross your mind? I wanted to be a dozen different things. A doctor, a dancer, a writer, an editor, maybe even a teacher. Being an author was a dream, but it always seemed impossible so I never gave it much thought. 3. What authors do you enjoy? Do these authors inspire your own writing? As I mentioned, Barbara Kingsolver is my favorite, but there are probably hundreds that I have loved. Anne Tyler, Amy Tan, JK Rowling, Rick Riordan, Orson Scott Card, Jane Austen, Chaim Potok, Madeleine L’Engle, Markus Zusak, Charles Dickens, C.S. Lewis and Susanna Clarke, just to name a few (or a lot!) I think that everything that I read inspires my own writing. I learn new things from every book, see new methods, new angles and sometimes, unfortunately, what not to do. 4. When you are not writing, what other "hats" do you wear? I have six children, so mostly I’m Mom. Aside from that, we recently bought a home that needed a little bit of fixing up and I have thrown myself into the world of DIY. I now know how to use power tools. And I now love using power tools! Book Related Questions1. What inspired the idea for Right Next to Me? For both of my books, the story has sparked from a what if? Kind of question and snowballed from there. For Dear Jane, it was was the idea of dealing with a breakup. For Right Next to Me, it was the question of what if you had a crush on your best friend’s girlfriend? 2. What do you want readers to take away from Right Next to Me? I had a lot of fun writing Right Next to Me and I hope readers have a lot of fun reading it. 3. What is your current WIP? What can you tell us about this project? I am currently working on a novel about a woman who loses her boyfriend and her job on the same day, and rather than facing the fallout, runs away. By starting over fresh she is able to design a life that she loves. |
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