Joanna Davidson Politano freelances for a small nonfiction publisher but spends much of her time spinning tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives. Her manuscript for Lady Jayne Disappears was a finalist for several contests, including the 2016 Genesis Award from ACFW, and won the OCW Cascade Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence. She is always on the hunt for random acts of kindness, people willing to share their deepest secrets with a stranger, and hidden stashes of sweets. She lives with her husband and their two babies in a house in the woods near Lake Michigan and shares stories that move her at https://jdpstories.com/​. 

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1. What is your favorite dessert?
That's like asking me to pick a favorite book! Oh my, can I say all of them? Alllll the desserts! I have a terrible sweet tooth that I regularly indulge :)

2. What is your beverage of choice?
Ok now my oddities come out--Pink grapefruit juice! It's my guilty pleasure :) 

3. What is your favorite movie and/or TV show?
Ooh, Charade! I love, love, love how that movie constantly surprised me. I also loved several movies based on classic books--Our Mutual friend, A Good Woman (Lady Windemere's Fan), and Little Dorritt. I could watch those over and over!

4. Where is your favorite place to go on holiday?
Anywhere my husband is <3  We went to Scotland on our honeymoon, and I'd go there again in a heartbeat. Anywhere we can explore old ruins and beautiful countryside.

1. Who or what inspired you to become an author?
Actually, I think it was just my addiction to stories in general. Movies, books, personal anecdotes and backstories... it all drew me. I just love to sit down with someone I know (or THINK I know) and hear their story, seeing new layers open like flower petals. 

2. What did you want to be when you grew up? Did becoming an author ever cross your mind?
I think my childhood ambitions ran the gamut from lawyer to Biblical counselor. Now I get to write stories and stay home to play with my babies. Turns out that "growing up" looks a lot like childhood, so I'm not sure I ever really grew up :) 

3. Who are some of your favorite authors?  Do these authors inspire your own writing?
Oh so many! I love everything written by Kristy Cambron, Lori Benton, Joanne Bischof, and the Thoenes. Reading their stories make me so excited for books and imaginary tales and weaving word pictures. 

4. When you are not writing, what other activities do you enjoy?
I love playing with my kiddos more than anything, and they're my "day job" so I do a lot of that! We climb trees and play trucks on the floor and have long, involved games of pretend. I also love playing the piano and singing praise music at the top of my lungs with them. Outside of that, I have a great group of friends I love being around.

1. This is your debute novel and you are publishing with Revell.  Who helps represent you and your books and how did you become involved with Revell?
Yes, Revell has blown me away! I've loved writing for them and I'm proud to be one of their authors. They are gracious and talented and lots of fun. I'm represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube agency, and I owe my involvment with Revell to her. She made the connection and showed them my proposal and worked out all the details. 

2. What inspired the idea for Lady Jayne Disappears?
Well, a combination of things. First, I ran across a brief story about the three Bronte sisters approaching their publisher to inform him that they were the famous Bell brother writers (their pen names) and it took a while to convince him that these shy girls were those famous "male" authors. I loved that image! Second, I remembered writing stories anonymously as a kid and having them get passed around the class without anyone knowing who wrote them. I wrote about the people in my class and had a lot of fun giving the shy, overlooked kids superpowers and putting bullies in their place. So out of those things came a story about a girl who published stories about her family under a pen name and caused a lot of chaos in the household. 

3. What do you want readers to take away from reading Lady Jayne Disappears?
I want them to take an eternal perspective on their purpose, their life journey, and even their identity. My hope is also that people will start to shift their focus off of what people think of them and more onto what God is asking of them, and who God defined them to be. We will always notice what people think of us, but that should be in our peripheral vision, with God looming much larger in our sights than the opinions of others. God should be the "finish line" we're staring at as we work and serve and live, nothing else. 

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1. Whom or what inspired you to become an author? 
Becoming an author was one of those weird things. I never aspired to become a writer, in fact, it never entered my mind. To me, authors were odd creatures, very glamorous of course, and coming from a household of less than artistic types, writing wasn’t even on my horizon when I went off to college. With that said, though, I also wrote – whether it was skits for my sorority or turning in ten pages in my English classes when three would have sufficed. Then, when my son was in third grade, we read this awful series about birds. After book number six, he decided we could write a better story together, so that’s what we did. That book never went anywhere, but it was just so much fun to write that I started dabbling with other genres. Seven books later, I finally landed an agent, and I’ve been writing ever since.

2. What did you want to be when you grew up?  
I’m pretty sure I was convinced I was going to be a movie star. The only problem with that was I can’t act and get horrible stage fright whenever I’m in front of people.
 
3. What authors do you enjoy?  Do these authors inspire your own writing? 
I enjoy too many authors to count, from Lisa Wingate to Susan Elizabeth Phillips, John Grisham to Julia Quinn, and the list goes on and on. I tend to stay away from historical when I’m writing a first draft because I find myself mimicking those stories and lose my voice.
 
4. If you could travel anywhere in the world for book research (expense covered for you by an anonymous donor), where would you go and why? 
I’d go to Scotland because it’s gorgeous there and I do have some Scottish ancestry. Not sure I’d get my research done, but I imagine something in the landscape would bring about all sorts of new story ideas. 
 
5. If you could go to tea with one of the characters from Caught by Surprise, who would it be and why? 
I’d like to go to tea with Mercy Miner because she’s just such an unusual sort – has lived a life of service and is only now finding her way. 
 
6. What inspired the idea for Caught by Surprise? 
I’ve been wanting to do a full-length friends to something more story and decided “Caught by Surprise” would be the perfect time to try that out. And then, after I read about A.T. Stewart getting his body stolen and held for ransom, well, the plot just took off from there. 
 
7. What inspired the idea for the Apart from the Crowd Series?  How did this become a 3 book series? 
The Vanderbilt family left quite the mark in the Gilded Age, and I’ve read numerous books on that family and the privileged life all of them led. However, I was always bothered by the idea that Alva Vanderbilt forced her daughter, Consuelo, to marry the Duke of Montrose, even thought Consuelo didn’t want to marry that man because she was in love with someone else. That got me to thinking this – What would have happened if Consuelo refused to marry the duke? That’s when the idea for the series was formed. Since I always write series, I developed three grand American heiresses, and…”Apart from the Crowd” began to take shape. 
 
8. When you are not writing, what other "hats" do you wear? 
I used to spend most of my time being Dom’s mom, but since he did the unthinkable and grew up, and is in his last year of college, I don’t really have much to do as a mom these days – which is very weird. One minute you’re spending all your time at the playground, school events, pools, and the zoo, and the next, well, you’ve been abandoned. These days my husband and I spend a lot of our time meeting our friends out for dinner and concerts, and then I like to work out in the yard. I love cutting grass, although I could do without operating a weed-whacker. Those things always give me trouble.  

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1. What is your favorite dessert? Cherry pie

2. What is your favorite beverage? Coffee

3. What is your favorite movie and/or TV show? 
Arrow (The Green Arrow) on the CW
​
4. Where is your favorite place to go on holiday?
Rome. I love Rome with a passion.

1. What did you want to be when you grew up?
A famous pop star  - LOL  Did becoming an author ever cross your mind? Yep. That too! LOL I sorta wanted to be everything.

2a. What authors do you enjoy?
I enjoy a wide variety of authors. I am a huge fan of Jocelyn Green, Kara Isaac, Cara Putman, Colleen Coble, and then several in the General market too: Kerri Maniscalco, Simone St. James, Susannah Kearsley . . .

2b. Do these authors inspire your own writing?
I think I’m inspired by all of them in one way or another. I’m always learning and gleaning from what other authors have to teach me.

3. When you are not writing, what other "hats" do you wear?
I am a full-time Director of Employee Sales & Development. I also have two littles and a husband. I like to bow hunt (haven’t had much time lately, though!).

​1. What inspired the idea for The House on Foster HIll?
The question “If walls could talk, would I listen?” And musing on all the sights walls have witnessed and how those images are trapped within old homes and abandoned places.

2. What do you want readers to take away from reading The House on Foster Hill?
I’d like them to take away a satisfying read! LOL I mean, who wants to close a book and be all, “whew, glad that’s finally done”! 😉 LOL! But also, I’d like them to take away a new or renewed perspective of Hope. Hope that is lasting and eternal.

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​1. Who or what inspired you to become an author?
Honestly, it was always something I wanted to do, but never got around to. It wasn’t until my husband went back to school for his MBA after we had five kids (while continuing to work full time) and I was left alone in the evenings after the kids went to bed while he did homework. I guess I was ready to use my brain again after taking care of babies for a decade. One night I sat down and just started writing. I didn’t come up for air until, three months later, I had a full-length novel.
 
2. Who are some of your favorite authors?  Do these authors inspire your own writing?
Maggie Stiefvater is at the top of the list. When I read her words, they inspire me to twist reality and see things in a new light. I also love Marissa Meyer and AG Howard. 
 
3. What top 5 books do you currently have on your TBR pile?
1) Speak Easy, Speak Love by McKelle George
2) Seeking Mansfield by Kate Watson
3) Migon by PC Keeler
4) The Rose Queen by Alison McBain
5) a craft book—The Emotional Craft of Fiction.
 
4. If you could go to lunch with one of the characters from The Windfall App, who would it be and why?
I’d go out with Marina’s grandma, who Marina calls Popo (the Cantonese word for maternal grandma). Popo is a strong woman, but her strength is tempered with kindness. And her belief in all sorts of good luck charms makes me giggle. We wouldn’t go out to lunch, though. We’d go to The Cookie Crumb, her favorite place for a treat.
 
5. When you are not writing, what other "hats" do you wear?
I have five kids, so I’m a taxi driver, psychologist, nurse, life coach, cook, maid, etc, etc, etc. I also work part-time as an orthodontic assistant, where I take a break from torturing fictional teens and do it to real ones instead.
 
6. What inspired the idea for The Windfall App?
I heard a radio add for the state lottery where the prize was a large sum of money every day for life. My first thought was, Holy cow, that’s a lot of money. And then I started wondering—if an eighteen-year-old won, would the state really be willing to pay out that much money for the rest of that person’s life, or would they find some way out of it, through whatever means necessary?
 
7. What did you as a writer take away from writing The Windfall App?
A new appreciation for the culture I was writing in. Marina is half Chinese—her mother and grandmother emigrated from Hong Kong, and her mother married a Caucasian man. So Marina has a rich cultural history, which I really love. I enjoyed working with several close friends to get the details right, and I learned a lot in the process.
 
8. What is your current WIP?  What can you tell us about it?
I’m currently working on another YA contemporary that I’m really excited about. It’s about a girl who reinvents herself by starting a roller skating gymnastics team after a scandalous picture of her goes viral and destroys her reputation. Never heard of roller skating gymnastics? Search The Moxi Skate Team and prepare to have your mind blown. You’re welcome!

When Toney Larson was a child, she dreamed of being a writer. When she grew up, she acted more responsibly and went to art school. After graduating from Southern Virginia University with a BA in Art, Toney reworked the Rapunzel fairytale in her first book, Growing Amaranth. Since then, she has continued to add tales to her YA fantasy series Legends of Draven. Originally from both Wales and Virginia, Toney uses her travels to increase her ability to relate to others. Through her writing, Toney hopes to help even one individual find comfort and companionship. A current resident of Utah, Toney lives with her husband and four children. When she’s not writing she spends her time in graphic design, homeschooling, and homesteading.

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​1. What is your favorite dessert?
My absolute, all-time favorite dessert is homemade Mississippi Mud Pie. My husband makes it once a year on my birthday. It’s a chocolate crust with rich chocolate filling (almost like a brownie, but it’s not brownie), and real whipped cream with chocolate shavings on top. In general, though, I enjoy custards, creme brûlée, and chocolates.

2. What is your beverage of choice?
Flavored water, herbal tea, or hot chocolate.

3. What is your favorite movie and/or TV show?
I love Once Upon A Time and Downton Abbey. I really enjoy clean historical dramas like The Young Victoria and A&Es Pride and Prejudice.

4. Where is your favorite place to go on holiday? 
I’m from Wales so that is where I long to be, but I love visiting my husband’s family in Washington state. The climate reminds me of the UK, actually.

1. Who or what inspired you to become an author? 
I’ve always wanted to be an author. I would say my greatest champion was my Uncle Dwayne. He used to make up stories about elves and hobbits when he would babysit and he’s always encouraged me to write. I’ve always loved a good story and was a typical book nerd. I would quiz myself on Greek mythology and devour books like Enid Blyton’s “Tales of Long Ago.” Rewriting fairytales so they’re more human and incorporating my family history, childhood passions, and personal experiences feels like it’s in my blood.

2. What did you want to be when you grew up? Did becoming an author ever cross your mind?
Yes. Author was my occupation of choice until I was a teenager when I felt like it wasn’t a realistic goal. So I went to art school instead, where I ended up writing my first novel anyway! So now I’m a graphic designer and author.

3. Who are some of your favorite authors?  Do these authors inspire your own writing?
Some of my favorites are the Bronte sisters, Jane Austen, Gail Carson Levine, Robin McKinley, Patricia Wrede, and Charles Dickens. I love the classics and retold stories and certainly all of them have inspired my writing. I don’t consider my novels romances because my deeper messages have nothing to do with the love interests, but my readers say the romance is their favorite part. And of course my books are retellings along the same lines as “Ella Enchanted” and “Beauty.”

4. When you are not writing, what other "hats" do you wear?
I’m a wife and stay-at-home-homeschooling mother of four. I also teach art and music lessons and do graphic design work like print layouts and covers for independent artists.

1. What inspired the idea for Unmasking Cassandra: a Cinderella Retelling?
When I wrote my first novel “Growing Amaranth,” Cassandra was a character that was mentioned, but never appears and I wanted to let my readers know more about her. My YA books are clean, no language or adult content, but still cover heavier issues in an inspiring way. “Unmasking Cassandra” deals with prejudices based off of looks.

2. What do you want readers to take away from reading Unmasking Cassandra? 
I hope that if they feel like they are being bullied or unfairly treated that they realize they’re not alone and that things can and will get better, even if it’s not in the way they think it should.

3. What is your current WIP?  What can you tell us about this project?
It’s book three in the “Legends of Draven Series” and is called “Engaging Helen.” It’s based off a little known fairytale called “The Riddle.” There are characters my readers fall in love with in my first novel “Growing Amaranth,” but they don’t get the ending many people want them to have. So it’s sharing what happens to them after “Growing Amaranth” and is a fun and lighthearted book, especially compared to the first two. The story involves elements like riddle solving and witty banter.

I’m actually running a contest right now that I would love for more people to join in. In anticipation of “Engaging Helen,” I am putting together a book of original riddles, written by anyone who wishes to participate. Every riddle submitted will be entered into the book and it will be published around the same time as “Engaging Helen.” Send us the riddle without the answer and we will have three days to guess. If we can’t guess, you will be entered into the contest to win either a copy of the riddle book itself or a copy of my first novel “Growing Amaranth.” There are no limits on the number you can submit. The contest ends March 25, so if you want to participate, please submit it on my author facebook page or email it to my publishing email talltowerpublishing@gmail.com. I also have a daily riddle to answer on my author page, just for fun.

J.E. Grace was born in California where she managed a campground for quite a few years.  In the late 60’s, she lived on a 4,000-acre horse ranch situated along the coastline of Northern California. She moved to the Midwest in 2000.
She has a background in Retail Management which she worked in for over 10 years and enjoyed very much.  After relocating to Missouri, however, she decided to pursue her lifelong dream of working in Real Estate.

She is also a traditional oil/pastel painter, as well as, a digital artist.

​She has enjoyed writing since an early age and continues to educate herself in the craft.  She currently writes in the science fiction, mystery/suspense/romance, and Inspirational Christian fiction genres.  She writes for Winged Publications-Forget Me Not Romance.

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1. When you are not writing, what other “hats” do you wear? I laid down my real estate hat in 2012 when I retired in 2012, but I still wear a “housewife” hat and have been happily married to my husband, Joseph, for almost 28 years.

When I’m not writing, I’m wearing several other somewhat related hats.  Like so many other authors, I have to put on my “editing” or “researching” hat quite often. Then, of course, there is my “advertising” hat.

I’m also a self-taught artist and on occasion my painting urge surfaces and I have to pull out my easel and do some landscape painting in either pastel or oils. So, I also have an “artist” hat.  My work is on Fine Art America, Society 6 and Zazzle under Julie Grace.

2. What did your writing process of Redemption at Shadow Lake look like?   I started with an idea and then started laying out character descriptions. I then choose a setting (place where the story takes place) and decide if I need to do research for that process. Sometimes I have an outline for the book, but for Redemption at Shadow Lake, the story just seemed to evolve as I wrote.  I typed everything down as it flowed. Then at the end, I started the process of cutting, correcting and re-writing portions of the book that needed it.
 
3. What inspired the idea for Redemption at Shadow Lake?
The abandoned mansion idea came from a castle ruin here in Missouri that was perfect for my story.
All of my books start out with an inspirational Christian theme and a romance. This one was a little different as I needed to research the historical part I would incorporate into my story.  Of course, I changed the names and embellished for the fiction aspect.
 
 
4. What did you take away from writing Redemption at Shadow Lake?  
I found myself really enjoying the mystery aspect of this book and through the process of writing it, discovered that I was leaning away from my outline.  It was like the characters were leading me where they wanted to go.  I had an ending in mind but was surprised that it wasn’t exactly what I planned. In the end, I liked it better.

I learned through the writing process on this novel, that when I pray before writing each day, the process goes smoother and the words flow more easily.
 
 
5. What is your current WIP? What can you share with us about this project? 
I actually have two that I’m working on.  The first one is another mystery/suspense novel set on Magnolia Island, S. Carolina in the present day (fictional place).

The Belmonte’s have lived on Magnolia Island for generations, but what secrets are they hiding?  Can a young female P.I. uncover the truth?
​
A newspaper tycoon, a powerful investment group, and a female private investigator is in the mix of characters.  Not to mention a cold case and a new kidnapping for good measure.  I’m having a lot of fun with this one.  
My other project is Book 3 of the Pacific Cove series titled, “Love’s Enduring Legacy.”  It’s a continuation of the Sanders family covering Peter & Amanda as husband and wife at Pacific Cove Ranch.

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Julie Matern is a resident of Utah. She attended the University of Exeter in Exeter, England, and graduated with a double major in French and Education. She was born and raised in England, moving to America after her marriage and is the mother of six children. She has served in the PTA for over 20 years, taught tap dance, and enjoys amateur photography. She is the author of ‘British War Children’ ( for which she received a “Recommended Read” award from the League of Utah Writers) and ‘British War Children 2: An Enemy Among Us’.
​
Hometown: Highland, UT

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1. If you could go to tea with any of the characters in The Secret of Haversham House, who would you go with and why?
Lady Augusta Haversham firstly, though she might refuse the invitation as I am a social ‘nobody’! I would ask her if she is lonely and whether her pride is worth the price of exclusion from her family. I would also ask her if she has any regrets about her own behavior.

Secondly, I would be very interested to talk to Antonio, Francesca’s birth father, about how he felt when he learned that he had a daughter and all the emotions it stirred up and if he was angry about the contract they made him sign.

I think I might also like to go to tea with Mario and ask what he really thought of Giorgio’s revelation about a secret granddaughter and the search for her.

2. Did you travel to gather research for The Secret of Haversham House?  If so, where did you go? If not, what did you do to gather your research for this story?
I travel to England frequently to visit family and I have lived in France twice and often pop over when I am in England. So my research has been conducted over a lifetime. I have been to Italy once but a daughter spent time there on a study abroad and shared her love of it. In terms of research of the language style, I read Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Elizabeth Gaskill and watch lots of period dramas.

3. What did your writing process look like for The Secret of Haversham House?
This was my first book for adults and though I was careful not to write down to the middle grade readers obviously, the language for an adult regency book needed to be of a higher level. Also, the number of characters was much greater (necessitating some family group sheets and family trees to keep it all straight!) and the plot was more complex. I am not an extensive planner when I write (though many authors are). I know the end and perhaps the middle but then I let the story write itself. It can surprise me and is an exciting way to write. The characters are like this to some extent too. I write a bio of each character for reference at the beginning but they often change during the course of the novel and I have to go back and edit the bio. I also often write amidst lots of noise and activity. I am drawn into the writing so much that I am able to block the disturbance out, fortunately, which means I can be in the middle of my family while writing and not closeted away.

4. What inspired the idea for The Secret of Haversham House?
Social class. It is still alive and well in England but not to the extent it was in this period. One day I wondered what would happen to a person who discovered that they were actually from a much lower class. Would it change the way friends and family treated them? I decided it would and thus a main character with a secret past was born.

5. What did you as a writer take away from writing The Secret of Haversham House?
When I started the novel I did not know that Phillip was going to experience an emotional crisis. His reaction to Francesca’s heritage showed me that we all might have hidden prejudices that we only discover when circumstances tease them out. I also firmly believe that through Christ we can overcome all and any prejudices.
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6. What is your current WIP?  What can you share with us about this project?
Arranged marriage was obviously the standard during this period. Jane Austen’s writings show us that marrying for love was an often unattainable wish. It is a concept so foreign to our culture that I wanted to examine it. In order to do this, I created a character who is thrust into different households as a governess. She experiences the difficulties of arranged marriage as an observer. I plan on writing a third novel from the viewpoint of the bride of an arranged marriage.​

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1. If you could travel anywhere in the world for book research (expense covered for you by an anonymous donor), where would you go and why?
Hmmm, since all my stories so far are set right here in Loudoun County, Virginia, where I’ve lived since 1972, there wouldn’t be too many expenses. But since someone else is footing the bill, I do have a Christmas novella idea about a mail order bride from Germany. The more I think about it, the more certain I am that I’d need to travel there to discover her culture and customs, right?

2. What genre(s) do you write?  Why do you choose to write in this genre?
I write historical romance but am very interested in trying historical suspense as well. Why HR?  I guess I’ve always been a bit of a history geek. As a child, I tuned in every week to share the joys and struggles of the Ingalls family on Little House on the Prairie. I slept in a night cap, had a slate and chalk to play school and even a tin lunch pail. When mom wasn’t looking, I sat on the back of the couch pretending it was the seat of our Conestoga wagon as we crossed the prairie through the Dakota Territory. Ummm, yeah, I wasn’t kidding when I said I was a history geek. Then one September night in 1979, Laura Ingalls peered lovingly into Almanzo Wilder’s eyes and called him “Manly” and I’d discovered something new—historical romance. However, it wasn’t until my sister introduced me to Love Comes Softly, nearly twenty-five years later, that I knew Christian historical romance existed as a genre.
 
3. What top 5 books are currently on your TBR pile?
 1) More Than Meets the Eye, Karen Witemeyer
2) The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond, Jamie Jo Wright
3) The Love Letter, Rachel Hauck
4) The Lady & the Lionheart, Joanne Bischoff
5) This Wilderness Journey, Misty Beller
 
 4. What inspired your idea for A Love Restored?
A Love Restored is based on my real-life love story with my husband, Mike—all of our ups and downs, including our emotionally devastating break up. When I first began writing, I tinkered with a story about Irish mail-order brides (the whole mail order bride thing just fascinates me). Hubby read it, told me it “wasn’t bad,” then suggested I write our story. Skeptical, I questioned him. “Are you sure. I mean you don’t look so good in that story for a long time.” He grinned and responded, “Yeah, but I think it turned out all right.” I’d have to agree. We celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary in mid-June.
 
5. What do you want readers to take away from reading A Love Restored?
A Love Restored is not only a story of love, romance, heartache and restoration, but also a story about the power of words over our lives. It is a story about the struggle each of us faces to take our thoughts captive to the truth of Scripture so we may experience the fullness of God’s unequivocal love for us. As my husband and I discovered, it is only then that we are truly able to give and receive love, unconditionally.
 
My prayer for you and your lovely readers is that you will not allow the enemy to steal the joy that is rightfully yours as a child of God. Speak the truth of the gospel over yourself every day and ask God to give you His eyes to see yourself as He does.
 
“For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, butthe Lord looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7b
 
 
6. What is your current WIP?  What can you tell us about this project?
My current series, also set in Virginia, follows the Ashby family as they struggle to survive as the nation and their family are torn apart by America’s Civil War. Surrendered Hearts examines what happens when God calls us to surrender those things we hold most dear. Characters are called to sacrifice their dreams and ambitions, their pride, and ultimately their hearts as God recklessly pursues each of them. Hearts and wills are challenged, and lives transformed as characters experience restoration with one another and with God. Here is a little teaser for each of the books in the series.
 ​
Saving Jeremiah Stone -- A man crippled by War. A woman called to heal. But can she save Jeremiah from himself?
 
Resurrecting Asa Campbell – Sometimes you have to die before you can live again.
 
Redeeming Madelyn Ashby – A dream forfeited. A heart betrayed. Can love be ransomed from deceit?
 

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1. What inspired the idea to write My Israel Trail?
I thought others might enjoy vicariously joining me on a walk through the Land of Milk & Honey. And more, I thought others might perhaps benefit from the personal growth I experienced on the hike, the lessons learned which helped me complete the trek and meet and overcome the personal challenges I was facing (recovering from my devastating divorce).

2. What did you as an author take away from writing My Israel Trail?
It was almost harder (certainly longer!) than the actual hike. The writing consolidated my thinking, and certainly reinforced, and planted even more deeply with my consciousness, the lessons I learned and wrote about. I find myself more patient, tolerant, optimistic and focused as a result of the writing (as well as the trek itself.)

3. What type of research did you to so you could write My Israel Trail?
Well… I walked the entire length of the Land of Israel – that’s sort of a ‘practical research’ aspect, no? Otherwise, I did look up sources for the quotes and historical references I made in the book (to assure accuracy). But it’s a memoir, so not really relevant imho….

What did your writing process for writing My Israel Trial look like?
Went through many phases. I tried to dedicate 8 hours a day for a few months; then 4 hours every morning as I completed and re-edited the work. I ‘borrowed’ a room in a neighbor friend’s home and disconnected from the Internet to reduce home/house-related distractions, and took a week’s writing retreat on the Golan at friends who own a B&B. And I periodically took long walks in the countryside to re-kindle the feeling of the trek and remind myself of the pace and feel of the hike.
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4. What is your current WIP? What can you tell us about this project?
The lessons I learned on the Trail and which helped me move on with my life are incredibly applicable to our conflict here in the Middle East. I had originally included these applications to develop a radically new approach to resolving the Arab-Israel conflict, but my publisher (rightly) suggested we leave this to another book. So… When My Israel Trail becomes a bestseller (!) I expect to publish a companion, or follow-on, applying the themes of the book to our situation. (I published an article along these lines a year ago – see here.)

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1. Who or what inspired you to become an author?
I honestly don't really know! It just felt like what God wanted me to do, so I set out to do it! (That's a terrible answer, isn't it??) 

2. Who are some of your favorite authors? Do these authors inspire your own writing?
I am trying to purposely read authors who write very differently from me right now... Liane Moriarty is a masterful storyteller, and I want to be her when I grow up. I am also loving Kristy Woodson Harvey, who I've just discovered. But then I have some favorites whose books are similar to mine (Becky Wade, Melissa Tagg, Denise Hunter) who inspire me as well. Mostly when I read a good book, it makes me excited to jump back into my story again! 

3. What top 5 books do you currently have on your TBR pile?
Funny! I just posted something about this on my Instagram stories because my TBR pile is SO big! Here are five (of many!) I'm hoping to read: 
1) Secrets of Southern Charm by Kristy Woodson Harvey
2) Things I Never Told You by Beth Vogt
3) No One Ever Asked by Katie Ganshert
4) Saturday Night Supper Club by Carla Laureano
5) The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay 

4. If you could go to lunch with one of the characters from Just Let Go, who would it be and why?
I think I would like to go to lunch with Judge. He's got so much wisdom, I'd like to soak it all up. But also Grady because...I mean...good-looking Olympic skier?! Yes, please. (But of course I'd bring my husband along!) :) 

5. What did your writing process for Just Let Go look like?
Angsty. LOL My writing process is always a little angsty. I'm not a plotter, so I basically have a loose outline and then fill in the blanks as I go. I always, always, get stuck around 30K words. It never fails. I have to go back to the beginning at that point. Sometimes I change the whole story or a major plot point. I am always second-guessing and praying and deleting and praying... you'd think I'd expect this process by now, but I'm always surprised when it happens. 

6. What inspired the idea for Just Let Go?
I got the idea for the title first, and I knew I wanted to write about letting go. After that, I had this image of Quinn as a little girl, sitting on the front porch, and I knew she was waiting for something. When I started asking questions--Who is she waiting for? Where have they gone? How does this shape her as an adult, I was able to learn more about her story. I began to fill in the blanks from there. There were very specific themes I wanted to explore, and my characters' journeys allowed me to do that. 

7. What did you as an author take away from writing Just Let Go?
Usually I'm writing to learn. In this case, learning about forgiveness and letting go was very therapeutic for me. I learned a lot about how to accept an apology you never got and how to move on, even when people who hurt you aren't sorry. I think that's one of the most difficult things for us as humans to do! 

8. What is your current WIP?  What can you tell us about this project?
My writing schedule is a little strange, and the book I'm working on now won't release until 2020... but I'll be writing another Harbor Pointe novel to release next year and I haven't quite settled on the details of that one yet because there are two heroines I REALLY want to write about! :)