Winner of the 2012 RONE Best Inspirational Book of the year (2012) and author of six Historical novels, Stephenia H. McGee has a fascination with hoop skirts and ball gowns, Greek revival homes and horse-drawn carriages, quirky Southern sayings, and home-grown recipes. She currently lives in Mississippi with her husband and two boys, (accompanied by their two spoiled dogs and mischievous cat) where she writes stories of faith, redemption, and stories steeped in the South. 
 
Visit her website at www.StepheniaMcGee.com and be sure to sign up for the newsletter to get sneak peeks, behind the scenes fun, the occasional recipe, and special offers.
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1. What inspired the idea for Missing Mercy?
You’re going to hate this…but I don’t know. I wanted to write a story with Lydia and Ruth’s (the heroines from The Whistle Walk) daughters, but that meant stepping out of the Civil War era into something new. With no war in the backdrop to cause chaos, I had no idea what I wanted to do. This story probably has 35,000 words that ended up on the trash. It took a lot of time before I finally had the story right. But once I did (lots of prayer here!) I loved it. I think this one may be my best work.
 
2. What did you as an author take away from writing Missing Mercy?
God always uses these stories to first teach me something. This story ended up right in the middle of a big change for me. I felt lead to homeschool to help my youngest son through some struggles. I also still felt called to write, but I was having a really hard time balancing the two. I was used to working six hours a day when they were at school, and now that time was gone.

A lot of what you will see my characters struggle through are things I was struggling through. Mercy fights some inner battles with what to do when God’s plans are not what you expected (or maybe not even something you wanted) and dealing with the tension of trying to give your gifts back to Him while at the same time afraid to let them go. I’ll give you the quote from this story that pretty much sums up what I took from this book. “God had His plans. And any journey He invited her to go on would always be an adventure. Perhaps not the one she expected, but always the one that would be the best for her.”

3. What is your current WIP? What can you tell us about it?
I’m finishing up my first Christmas story. This one is a time travel back to Belmont Plantation (from In His Eyes). Time travels are so much fun, and I had a great time this summer writing this little novella. Here’s the blurb for it:
 
On the brink of aging out the foster system, the last thing Isla Laird wants is to spend Christmas in an old-fashioned plantation. What’s the point of bonding with her foster mom when it’s too late to ever be adopted? But when a mysterious painting suddenly thrusts her into the nineteenth century, Isla is forced to face hurts and memories she’s long tried to bury. With time running out and her heart in tatters, can God use an impossible miracle to bring Isla hope for a new future?

4. What top 5 books do you currently have on your TBR pile?
1) My Dearest Dietrich
2) all of Tamera Leigh’s Age of Conquest books (I’ve been waiting to binge read them)
3) Outlander
4) The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond
5) Flights of Fancy

5. What is your favorite fall activity?
We finally get a break from the humidity, so my favorite thing is to sit in the hammock and read. Pumpkin patches are nice, and leaves are pretty, but honestly, my favorite thing about fall is the pretty weather that gives me time to relax outside. In Mississippi, that only lasts about two weeks, so I take advantage of it! 

Enter the giveaway HERE.

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1. What inspired the idea for My Fair Spinster?
In writing a group of Spinsters, I wanted to make them all different in some way. Grace was the challenging one because she was supposedly perfect. So I thought about exploring that. Why is a perfect woman not married? Why indeed… It turned out to be a fantastic adventure for me as an author!

2. What did you as an author take away from writing My Fair Spinster?
I loved writing Grace, a woman who from the outside had everything, but struggled with wanting approval where none could be found. It spoke to me a lot about expectations and how we see ourselves. I loved helping Grace grow and found myself wanting to see myself differently.

3. What is your current WIP?  What can you tell us about it?
My current WIP is another installment of the Swoony Sports Romances with Sophia Summers and Heather B Moore called Northbrook Hockey Elite. It is a wild ride!
4. What advice would you give an aspiring author that you wish you would have known before you became a published author?
Don’t read reviews! It’s so hard because we want to know what people think, we want to know what they hate, we’re afraid of them hating it… Don’t read them. The bad ones will stick with you and you will forget all about the many good. No one will ever love your work as much as you do. If you love it, that’s good enough.
5. What is your favorite fall activity?
I am all about the sweaters and hot cocoa. I mean, I am always about hot cocoa, but I love being out on a beautiful clear day that is cool and I’m all bundled up and the leaves are glorious colors… I would love it to be fall all year round.

​1. Who or what inspired you to become an author?
I’ve always been a writer. It has just always been something I do. From my first short story at the age of 7, I’ve been writing stories. But it was my friend Kelly Blewett who convinced me I could be an author. We were co-workers about ten years ago, and one day I told her about this story idea I had. But then I said, “I’ll never finish it.” She said, “Yes, you will.” And so she proceeded to ask me every day if I’d written the night before. I got tired of telling her that I hadn’t, so I set up a calendar and set about writing my book. I finished that book in three months, and it became my first published novel, The Kidnapping of Kenzie Thorn, in 2009. I was so gratefully for Kelly’s support and help that I featured her puppy Henry in the book, and I’ll be forever grateful for her encouragement.

2. What top 5 books do you currently have on your TBR pile?
I want to read all the books! It’s so hard to narrow it down to only five, but the ones I’m most excited to pick up are:
1)The Story of With by Allen Arnold – A book about learning to create with the Creator
2)Sons of Blackbird Mountain by Joanne Bischoff – Because Joanne.
3)More Than Meets the Eye by Karen Witemeyer – Because I love her books. They’re so fun yet filled with deep truths.
4)Once Upon a Laugh – This might be cheating because there are 8 novellas in this contemporary rom com collection, but with so many great authors like Pepper Basham, Jessica Patch, and Betsy St. Amant, how could I not love it?
5)Matchmaking for Beginners by Maddie Dawson – I’ve heard wonderful things about this general market contemporary romance novel, so I’m so excited to get to dive into it.

3. What inspired the idea for A Sparkle of Silver?
A trip to Hearst Castle with my dad in 2010. It was his idea to tour the grand estate, but when we got there, my writer brain ate it up. It was such a fascinating place, and I immediately dreamed up an idea about a woman who played one of the period actors at a similar house.

4. What did you as an author take away from writing A Sparkle of Silver?
Every book I write is a reminder to myself that God is with me. I’d never get through a whole book without Him lifting me up and carrying me through, and He is so faithful. If I ever doubt, I need only look back at my writing seasons and to see that He is with me.

5. What is your current WIP?  What can you tell us about it?
I just finished writing A Glitter of Gold, book two in the Georgia Coast Romance series. It’ll release sometime next summer—probably August—and involves a shipwreck, a two hundred and fifty year old journal, and a woman who gives pirate tours in Savannah for a living. I adored writing it, especially the journal sections set in 1759, and soon I’ll get to work on the editing phases.

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​1. What inspired the idea for Love Sidelined? How does this story tie into Love on Pointe and Love Unscripted?  
You’re probably going to laugh, but it was a combination of my own experiences as a cheerleader and a song I heard while running on the treadmill at the gym—“Beneath Your Beautiful”. As I listened to this song, Allie and Jason came to life in my mind. Their story was so clear that I couldn’t stop thinking about it all day. I was so moved that I had to write the story down. Allie was the first character I ever wrote. In fact, I only intended to write her point of view, but then Jason Jennings had a lot to say . . . and then so did all his siblings.
 
All three of the books that I have written are part of what I like to call a “stand-alone series.” This means that each book can stand alone, or rather be read and enjoyed on its own. This series follows the Jennings family siblings, so while each book has recurring characters in the background every book highlights a new characters’ love story. I recommend readers begin by reading Love on Pointe, but this is not required to enjoy each book.

2. What did you as an author take away from writing Love Sidelined?  
Writing Love Sidelined was an incredible experience for SO many reasons, and I took away so many life lessons. The first has to do with patience. When I first submitted my manuscript (fun fact: it was originally titled Catching 22) to Covenant for evaluation, it was “not rejected, but not accepted.” Unfortunately, they had something too similar that was about to be published and my book needed to wait for the right time. The good news is, Covenant asked me if I would be willing to submit something else to them for consideration, and luckily, I was almost ready to submit Love on Pointe, which ended up being my first novel published.
 
The second takeaway has more to do with the content of the book. Readers may or may not know this, but I love to explore deep themes (in addition to love and romance, of course) in my novels. Both Jason and Allie have been through some incredibly traumatic experiences and both are healing. Walking through the steps of that healing process with Allie was so hard, and it gave me so much compassion for survivors of abuse. My hope is that readers will develop greater empathy and understanding by walking in both Jason and Allie’s shoes.

3. What writing tips do you have for an aspiring author?  
Just do it! No seriously, jump right in and get those words down. My mentor, Melanie Jacobson, gave me the most perfect advice when I first began writing and I’m going to pass it on to your readers now, it was this: The best way to learn how to write a novel is to write a novel. My second bit of advice is to read. Read everything you can get your hands on and take note of what does and does not work for you as reader.

4. What is your favorite fall activity?  
Fall is my absolute favorite season! Unfortunately, we don’t get too much fall weather here in Southern California, but we sure like to pretend. One of my favorite activities is to rake all the pretty, fall-colored leaves into piles and jump and play in them with me kids. I also enjoy decorating with fall colors and scenting the house with pumpkin candles. I wish I could say that I enjoy baking, but unfortunately, I’m not a very good baker. I blame my oven, but it’s probably just me being impatient and not following directions very well. Maybe that’s one of the reasons I love writing so much—it’s okay to break the rules. ;)
 

5. What top books are currently on your TBR pile?  
I have so many great books in my TBR pile, but these five books are at the top:
1) Secrets and Suitors by Joanna Barker (I received an eBook ARC of this sweet regency romance from the publisher, and I am loving this one so far! It releases in October.)
2) E is for Engineer by Brenna Jacobs (it’s not out yet, but I’m getting excited!)
3) Roxy’s Song by Raneé Clark
4) Hope and Other Punch Lines by Julie Buxbaum

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1-What inspired the idea for The Witness Tree?
I enjoy writing historicals that take the reader to different locations and time periods in the history of my native Georgia. In looking for inspiration for a new story, I came across mention of the Moravian mission at Springplace, the school for children of Cherokee chiefs on the property of Chief James Vann. The Moravians in the early 1800s were a little-known sect of “plain people” born out of the resistance of Bohemian priest John Huss to the Catholic church. The focus that brought them to the New World was missions.  I had visited the Vann plantation as a child and even blogged about Moravian Christmas traditions, but I’d never realized the connection between the Moravians from Salem, North Carolina—like a cute, mini-Williamsburg—and the Vann house in Northwest Georgia. One of the things the Moravians wanted to do was to learn and record the Cherokee language. The Cherokees at this time were divided between embracing European ways and resisting change. Many opposed the writing down of their language. In this unusual intersection of cultures, I saw some great plot tension!

2-What did you as an author take away from writing The Witness Tree?
Haha, well, that ties into the last question, and the answer would probably be not to make it so hard on myself as a writer.  Properly and honorably depicting the two very different cultures, which could hardly communicate with one another at first contact, was extremely challenging. But to take that a step further, the story itself focuses on how we react when our dreams don’t flesh out as we’d hoped, and even when we fail. That’s something I’ve definitely walked through in my professional and personal life, but in the end, God always has a purpose and a redemption plan.

3-What top 5 books do you currently have on your TBR pile?
To be honest, I don’t actually have a physical TBR pile at the moment. I read a lot of books as I’m evaluating them for potential publication with Smitten Historical Romance and Heritage Beacon Historical Fiction, the imprints for which I serve as a managing editor. (Yes, The Witness Tree is releasing through Smitten, but it was actually contracted before I started as an ME. :)) I also read a number of novels for beta reading or author endorsements for my fellow writers. With four novels of my own releasing between now and March, plus a daughter becoming a high school senior and an older daughter getting married in December,  I don’t have much down time. But once I do, I have a whole list of Smitten back titles to choose from, as well as lots of novels by my dear author friends.

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1. What inspired the idea for Fall Flip?
At the time I wrote Fall Flip, my agent had encouraged me to write some contemporary romance since it’s often easier to place for publication. I guess she was right--because three of my modern stories will be hitting the shelves between now and March. I wanted to do something “Hallmark-y” that would also interest HGTV fans. However, I’m happy to say we’re having success with my historical novels as well, and I have several of those pending. 

2. What did you as an author take away from writing Fall Flip?
I’ve never been much of a strict formula writer, but Fall Flip does offer the anticipated doses of meet cutes, pumpkin spice, dogs and toddlers, surprises, and reverses. I guess I’m convinced now that writing with percentages and formulas in mind can add to a romance--even while originality is maintained. One of the things that make this story original is that Shelby isn’t the typical young widowed heroine. Her first marriage brought a lot of good things into her life, but it wasn’t perfect. In fact, some things were downright hurtful. Admitting what didn’t work and allowing herself to seek something different without guilt is part of her struggle in the story.

3. What writing tips do you have for a beginning author?
Start with educating yourself. Read books or attend workshops on self-editing and writing in deep point of view. Surround yourself with a group of talented individuals--beta readers or critique partners plus more established authors--who can help you in your journey. Despite my background training and a strong work ethic, all of my open doors and great opportunities have come because someone else has been gracious to me. Finally, don’t be afraid to start with a smaller publisher or by self-publishing, but either way, you have to be prepared in today’s industry to market yourself. You must have an established online presence and sales numbers for increasingly larger publishers to take note.

​Tanya Stowe is an author of Christian Fiction with an unexpected edge. She fills her stories with the unusual…mysteries and exotic adventures, even a murder or two. No matter where Tanya takes you…on a trip to foreign lands or a suspenseful journey filled with danger…be prepared for the extraordinary.

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1-What inspired the idea for Fatal Memories?
I’m a full time RV’er and spend the winter months in southern Arizona near Nogales. A report of drug tunnels beneath the city sparked the idea for the story but I also wanted to capture this unique climate and location. I think I fell in love with it! 
2-What did you as an author take away from writing Fatal Memories?
I come from a loving family and I have four children and many grandchildren. I’ve always thought how difficult life would be if my family was stripped from me. So I spent a lot of time exploring Joss and Dylan’s emotions as they dealt with the loss of their family and support system. What I came away with was a reinforcement of how important it is to treat your family as you would yourself.
3-What is your current WIP?  What can you tell us about it?
Well, the title of my current work in progress is set California’s central valley and is about a deadly pathogen that can kill the world’s crops. The heroine is searching for a cure but a terrorist group is trying to kidnap her. The hero must protect her and her baby. It’s called Killer Harvest.
4-What top 5 books are currently on your TBR pile?
Who had time to read? Just kidding. I always have books lined up but right now I’m only reading research books for my next WIP. But I have a Hannah Alexander book on my list when I finish.
5-What are some of your favorite summer activities?
Traveling. Since I live in an RV, we hit the road in the summer. I love staying in a location where we can dig into the history and the culture. I have some great story ideas from our traveling.

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1. What inspired the idea for Story Raider?
Writing sequels is hard in some ways, but in some ways, it's easier. For Story Raider, I needed to continue the threads I began in Story Peddler, carrying them out to their logical conclusions—and sometimes turning them upside down. I wanted to expand Tanwen's world, to get my characters in deeper and more serious trouble, and unmask the series villain I (sort of) introduced in the epilogue of Story Peddler. The plot grew out of these goals and desires.

2. What did you as an author take away from writing Story Raider?
The process of writing this book was really hard for me. I was under a severe time crunch, trying to launch Story Peddler (which was my debut novel, so I had little idea what to expect throughout that process), and I was going through a really difficult personal season. Some parts of writing Raider felt downright manic, and I was somewhat shocked to find that my draft was fairly cohesive when I finished. So I think I learned how important it is to persevere, even when it feels like it's impossible and it'll never come together. Raider is also the first piece of fiction where I explored some of the emotional turmoil caused by the sexual abuse I experienced in my childhood. That is part of what made it so difficult to write, but the process was also very healing.

3. What top 5 books are currently in your TBR pile?
My TBR is embarrassingly enormous. But I'm excited to try Circle of Shadows by Evelyn Skye and The Memory Thief by Lauren Mansy. I'm also due for a reread of The Chronicles of Narnia because it's been a few years. I love to read thrillers and creepy, but not too scary, atmospheric books during the fall season, so I'll have to go hunting through the massive TBR to find some that fit the bill soon. :)

4. What's up next?  What can you tell us about your current WIP?
My current WIP is the third book in The Weaver Trilogy, The Story Hunter. The draft is actually complete and with my editor right now, so I'm working on non-writing things while I wait for my edit to come back. It's hard to give details about Story Hunter without major series spoilers, but the tagline for the book is "Redeeming the past is a fatal quest."

5. What is your favorite summer activity?
Relaxing with my kids! It's tough because I feel like my work calendar gets extra busy the moment they're out of school, but I love that we're able to have more family movie nights and other weekday activities when they don't have schoolwork and homework pressure on them.

Courtney 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.

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1. ​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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1. 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.