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Showing posts with label author interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label author interview. Show all posts
Apr 26, 2014
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Welcome to The Sheepish Scribe,
Jericha Kingston! I’m glad you were willing to slip on some boots and join me
on the farm today. Oh! And doesn’t that lead in nicely to your debut release, Waiting for Lily Bloom? Give us a
snippet to set the scene.
Thank
you for hosting me, Pegg! I’m thrilled to be here.
James ran in the
direction of the fence. It was no use. Instinctively, his eyes closed,
worthless in the blinding storm. The last thing he’d seen was Lily’s thin frame
being engulfed by a dust wall that blotted out the sky.
Father, save her.
“Lily, listen.” He
yelled, choking on dust. “Use the fence to walk to me. I’m coming.” He took his
handkerchief from his pocket and tied it around his head, protecting his mouth
and nose. He gripped the fence railing, quickly sidestepping. Sand pelted him,
stinging his skin. A rock flew into his forehead. Warmth oozed down the side of
his face.
“Lily, if you hear me, knock on the planks.”
Loud knocks reached his ears in rapid, frantic blows.
“I’m coming for you, Lily. Walk toward my voice. I hear
you.” He shouted above the squall. “That’s the way. Keep knocking.”
The knocking beat in his head like a woodpecker, her
constant, anxious rapping drawing him nearer. “Almost there. Come to me.”
Craaack. He froze. A tree split, the deafening racket besting
Lily’s constant hammering. Wood splintered, groaning as it crashed downward.
Lord, don’t let it fall on Lily.
Time stopped. How big was it? Where would it land? He braced
himself for impact. With a whoosh and a thud, the limb
collapsed onto the fence.
The wooden plank ripped from his hands.
There was so much despair and
destruction surrounding the Dust Bowl years, what prompted you to set this
story there?
Precisely
because of the turbulence of the era, Pegg. We’ve seen it in our own lives. Devastating
events bare us, disclosing our flaws. The setting gave me a slingshot and a
mirror. The slingshot propelled the story forward, and the mirror exposed the
strengths and weaknesses of the characters.
James has prayed for a wife to help
him on the farm and you sent him a big city gal. That was mean, Jericha! Why is
Lily the perfect woman for James?
(Laughing)
I’m so glad you asked this question. How many times have we prayed for
something, only to discover we needed the polar opposite? We’re quick to tell
God what we want, but He knows our thoughts, our personalities, every molecule
of our being. Lily is perfect for James because she reveals James’s total
dependence on the Lord. She increases his faith.
Lily has no thoughts of men or
marriage when she travels to visit her aunt and uncle. What is there about
James that changes her mind?
Ah,
James. I love him. He’s kind and patient. But most of all, he hears Lily. Even though she’s mute,
James understands her expressions, her gestures, even her silence. How great is
that? A man so attuned to his wife, she can’t help but love him in return.
I was privileged to read this before
it Pelican picked it up. They are running it as an Easter novella, but it’s
really more than that. It’s a great story of faithfulness, trust, and love. I
know readers will connect with James and Lily and enjoy this story! Tell the readers where they can find the book
and how they can connect with you on social media.
Thank
you for having me, Pegg! Waiting for Lily
Bloom can be found at Pelican Book Group’s web site,
Connect
with me here:
Nov 21, 2013
I'm excited today to interview Candice Patterson, author of the Christmas novella, Bright Copper Kettles.
Here's a bit about Candice:
Candice Sue Patterson
studied at The Institute of Children’s Literature and is an active member of
American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives in southern Indiana with her
husband and three sons in a restored farmhouse overtaken by books. When she’s
not tending to her chickens, splitting wood or baking bread, she’s at her
computer working on a new story. Candice writes contemporary romance with
threads of nostalgia set in the east coast.
Here's a bit about Bright Copper Kettles:
Christmastown, Vermont: where it’s Christmas 365 days a year…
To Darcy Carr the holiday is depressing enough without reliving it every day. Her thriving wreath business and faithful cat are no longer enough to distract her from the pain of her past memories or her current loneliness. Is her frosty neighbor, the only man in town with no Christmas decorations, just another Scrooge, or could he be the one she’s been looking for?
Coppersmith Dean Whitfield hasn’t celebrated Christmas—or anything else—since the death of his wife and unborn child. And he certainly has no desire to carry on the family tradition of crafting a star for the town’s Christmas tree, even if it will benefit a charity. Can Darcy and the joy of the season thaw his frozen heart and help him love again?
To Darcy Carr the holiday is depressing enough without reliving it every day. Her thriving wreath business and faithful cat are no longer enough to distract her from the pain of her past memories or her current loneliness. Is her frosty neighbor, the only man in town with no Christmas decorations, just another Scrooge, or could he be the one she’s been looking for?
Coppersmith Dean Whitfield hasn’t celebrated Christmas—or anything else—since the death of his wife and unborn child. And he certainly has no desire to carry on the family tradition of crafting a star for the town’s Christmas tree, even if it will benefit a charity. Can Darcy and the joy of the season thaw his frozen heart and help him love again?
And now the interview! I love the title Bright Copper
Kettles. A line from one of my favorite
songs. Which came first, the title or
the story?
The title came first, as it
does with all of my stories. It all started with an article I read about the D.
Picking Company in Ohio who still makes copper kettles by hand after over 140
years in business. I love all things nostalgic and knew I wanted to include
that in my story. The picture that accompanied the article showed a gleaming
copper kettle that reflected images of the room. That sparked the faith message
of the story. And the title is part of a very famous song, so with that I
figured I couldn’t go wrong.
What is Darcy’s biggest fear?
Darcy’s biggest fear is never
finding Mr. Right, growing old in a big house with no one but her cat for
company.
What do you like most about Dean?
I
love his heart. He’s a warm, giving person who let grief bury him so deep he
forgot who he was. I love his transformation back to the man God created him to
be.
Why is the setting important to this
story?
Many of us love Christmas so
much that we want it to be Christmas every day. In Christmastown, Vermont, it
is. In a snowy village full of bed and breakfasts, candy stores, and craft
shops, there’s no better place for two business owners to fall in love.
Which Bible verse would you most ascribe
this story and why?
Jeremiah 18: 6—O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as
this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so
are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. (KJV)
Even though the story is about
copper kettles and not clay, the same principle applies. It takes work,
patience, molding, and sometimes fire to make a usable earthly vessel, the same
as it does for our lives as Christians to become usable vessels for Christ that
reflect Him.
What do you hope readers will take with
them from Bright Copper Kettles?
Sometimes
in the midst of tragedy, it feels like God isn’t there, even though He is. The
book’s theme is: The God on the mountain (good times) is still God in the
valley (hard times). The thing I want readers to take away most is that even
when we’re hurting or angry, we can tell God. He already knows what we’re going
through. If we tell Him how we feel, it keeps the door of communication with
Him open so he can speak to us. If we clam up and don’t pray, even when it’s
hard to, we close that door and can allow our emotions control us. Then we
become unusable vessels for Him.
What are you working on now?
Very soon, I will begin a new
Christmas story (book #2 of My Favorite Things series). I’m currently putting
the final touches on a novel that I’ve been working on all year.
Where can people connect with you?
I love meeting people through
my blog and Facebook page.
Candice is a member of the Quid Pro Quills, the American Christian Fiction Writers critique group I belong to. We've known each other for over a year now. Candice keeps me in line and helps my characters become "real." Her characters are very real and fresh. You'll enjoy Bright Copper Kettles.
Nov 18, 2013
I'm excited today to interview Robin Patchen, author of the new Christmas novella, Faith House.
Here's a bit about Robin:
If time
and money were no object, Robin Patchen would travel constantly. Her goal is to
visit every place in the entire world--twice. Because, as you know, the first
time, you don't know exactly what you want to see. So you flit from one tourist
attraction to another and enjoy every minute of it. But it's always on the last
day that you find the best thing, and you don't have enough time to explore it
properly, and you wished you'd discovered it first (but even if you had, you
wouldn't know it was the best thing, because you hadn't seen everything else
yet). So you have to go back a second time. It's just logical.
Alas,
time is short and money is scarce, and Robin's family doesn't want to follow
her all around the world, so she does the next best thing: she writes. In the
worlds she creates, she can go back to the best places time and again. And when
they're not perfect, that's all right--she just edits until they are.
In the
real world, Robin is married to the man of her dreams, Edward, and together
they have three children, Nicholas, Lexi, and Jacob. Her family is a close
second on her list of priorities after her relationship with Christ.
So
that's Robin's life: God, husband, children, and made-up worlds where she has
complete control. Who could ask for more?
Here's a bit about Faith House:
When Hurricane Sandy destroys Sadie’s home, she’s determined to restore
it. She promised her dying grandmother she’d never abandon the house
that is the only link to Sadie’s schizophrenic father—a man who
disappeared twenty years ago.
Max has loved Sadie since grade school, but their mutual friend died when they were teens. A decade has passed, and he’s finally found her. This time, he won’t lose her—not to a flooded house hundreds of miles from home, or to her false hope as she awaits her father’s unlikely return.
When Sadie discovers her house is underinsured, she faces an impossible decision. Can she trust God enough to let go of her only connection to her dad? Can she trust Max enough to let go of her heart?
Max has loved Sadie since grade school, but their mutual friend died when they were teens. A decade has passed, and he’s finally found her. This time, he won’t lose her—not to a flooded house hundreds of miles from home, or to her false hope as she awaits her father’s unlikely return.
When Sadie discovers her house is underinsured, she faces an impossible decision. Can she trust God enough to let go of her only connection to her dad? Can she trust Max enough to let go of her heart?
And now the interview! You live in Oklahoma, Robin, so how
did Hurricane Sandy, which hit the East Coast, touch you so deeply?
Living
in Oklahoma, I’ve had ample opportunity to witness natural disasters. We have
tornadoes every year, some that leave total devastation in their wakes. I’ve
known families who’ve lost their homes in the storms, even families who’ve lost
loved ones. And each time, like everyone else, I pray and I cry and I try to
help.
But even
the most destructive tornadoes, like the one that hit Moore this past spring,
don’t do nearly the damage Hurricane Sandy did. Perhaps it was the length of
the storm, seeing the pictures on the TV for a couple of days, that affected me.
Perhaps it was the thought of all those hundreds of thousands of people trying
to survive it. When there’s a storm in Oklahoma, it’s confined to one or two
relatively small areas. But I thought about the people living in the places
worst hit, and I thought, their neighbors can’t help. They were hit, too. Their
churches are flooded. Their schools are damaged. The grocery stores have no
electricity, the gas stations have no fuel. So where do you turn for help? When
your insurance company can’t handle the calls because thousands of others are
clogging the phone lines, when your bank isn’t answering because their phones
are down, too—what do you do?
And then
I saw the photographs in the days following the storm, home after home after
home, flooded, moved off its foundation, or broken to bits. Each one of those
houses represents a person, a family, a story. I don’t know why it impacted me
like it did, but I couldn’t get the images of those homes out of my mind.
What is Sadie’s biggest fear?
Sadie fears she will develop schizophrenia like her
father and grandfather did. She is terrified of losing her grip on reality, of
losing her ability to control her life. So she tries to control everything,
gripping the things that matter to her life a child with a security blanket.
She’s terrified of letting go of any thread, afraid perhaps that will be that
thread that leads to her own madness. She desperately wants to find her father,
because she believes if she can only be with him again, she will feel secure,
like she did when she was a child, long before her father left and she
discovers his mental illness.
What do you like most about Max?
Max is that geeky guy from high school, the one none of
the girls wanted to date and most of the guys either teased or ignored. Super
smart, incredibly kind, and always overlooked. But now, a decade after high
school, Max is handsome and successful—a great catch for any girl. But he’s
never quit loving Sadie, the girl he fell for when he was twelve years old.
What I like best about him is that he would do almost anything for, but when
she asks him to do something he knows will be bad for her, something he knows
God is not behind, he refuses. He risks losing Sadie to obey God and,
ultimately, to take care of the girl he loves.
A portion of each sale is going to
help the victims of Hurricane Sandy.
How will this happen? There are so many great
organizations still working to help clean up and rebuild the areas hardest hit
by Hurricane Sandy, it’s been difficult to decide where exactly to donate the
money. But because my book focuses specifically on homes destroyed, I’m going
to donate to Habitat for Humanity’s Hurricane Sandy fund. See their website
here: http://www.habitat.org/disaster/active_programs/Superstorm_Sandy.aspx
Which Bible verse would you most
ascribe this story and why?
In Faith House, Sadie
needs to learn to trust God and surrender to his plans for us. There are a lot
of scriptures that address that, but that one that comes to mind is Romans
8:32: “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he
not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” In light of the fact
that God surrendered his only son out of his great love for us, how can we
doubt that he will take care of everything else in our lives? This is an issue
I struggle with, especially lately as I watch my teenage kids dealing with some
serious issues. I want to rescue them, to shield them from everything bad in
the world, but knowing how much God
loves me, and how much he loves my kids, I have to daily remind myself to trust
him. He knows what he’s doing.
What do you hope readers will take
with them from Faith House?
Greater faith. Every
time we decide to trust God, not ourselves, we build our faith. My hope is that
this book will encourage readers to take one step of faith, that will lead to
another, and then another, that we would all be more faithful believers.
What are you working on now?
The one I’m writing now takes place in Oklahoma and
begins, oddly enough, with a tornado scene. I guess I’m drawn to the natural
disaster thing.
Where can people connect with you?
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5187882.Robin_Patchen
http://www.quidproquills.com/
Robin is a member of the Quid Pro Quills, the American Christian Fiction Writers critique group I belong to. We've known each other for a couple of years now and believe me - she can write! She also keeps me in line as our group's queen of punctuation.
http://www.quidproquills.com/
Robin is a member of the Quid Pro Quills, the American Christian Fiction Writers critique group I belong to. We've known each other for a couple of years now and believe me - she can write! She also keeps me in line as our group's queen of punctuation.
Apr 12, 2012
Lynnette Bonner is joining me for the Christian Writer’s Blog Chain today and our topic this month is JOY. She is enjoying the release of her second novel, High Desert Haven. Lynnette is also a member of Christianwriters.com and is known by the username Zanzibar. It’s a joy to have you here, Lynnette!
Thanks for having me, Pegg! :)
During the process of writing, editing, and now releasing High Desert Haven, what brought you the most joy and why?
Wow, that is a hard question to answer. The writing of High Desert Haven was spread out over several years – I had started the book, and then took a break from writing, but picked it up again after my boys went off to school. I think I’d have to say the day I wrote the last line brought me the most joy! That is always such a feeling of accomplishment. I just turned in the 4th book of the series a few days ago and with each successive story I keep thinking, “Completing this book is going to be easier than that last one,” but each time I’ve been let down, so far! :)
High Desert Haven is a romance so there must be some joyous moments for your characters. Describe a joyful moment Nicki Trent experiences. Share an excerpt if you like.
There is a key moment of joy toward the end of the book, but to share that one would be to give too much of the story away, so I will share this excerpt from early on in the book. Dominique Trent (Nicki) has lost her husband to a mysterious riding accident. A man has come to apply for the job, but she really doesn’t know much about him. She’s trying to run her ranch mostly alone, and needs someone she can trust by her side. Is this man trustworthy? She needs to be sure. There’s that moment of elation when she discovers he’s a believer, like she is.
This section starts out during a conversation she’s having with Tilly, her neighbor who comes over to help watch Nicki’s son. (And to see Nicki’s handsome, young, ranch hand, Conner. :) )
“So? Who is he?” Tilly got back to the subject at hand, gesturing out the window.
“He has come to apply for the foreman job.”
Tilly peered out the little circle again. “Wait until I tell Janice. If he stopped in town, I bet she talked him into a corner. She always talks too much when she gets nervous. And you know how she gets around good looking men.” She glanced at the man out the window one more time. “He does have blue eyes, doesn’t he?” Tilly’s nervousness over the gunfire was making her own tongue run from the middle.
“Sí.” Nicki took another sip of coffee, trying to push the thought of those alluring blue eyes from her mind. “Pero, no es oro todo lo que reluce.”
Tilly turned toward her with a puckered brow. “What?”
“All is not gold that glitters. You don’t have any idea what he is like. Just because he is fine-looking doesn’t mean that he is kind and loving. Nor that he loves our Savior, no?” Nicki spoke the words to Tilly but inwardly realized that she was preaching herself a sermon.
Tilly wrinkled her nose. “I suppose you’re right.” But she quickly returned to high spirits. Her face brightened and she said animatedly, “It will give Janice and me something to talk about, though. It’s not often that strangers come through town, much less ones as good-looking as him. And the very day he arrives, you are shot at and he saves you!”
Nicki smiled at Tilly’s adolescent romanticism. “Better than me being shot at and him not saving me, yes?”
Tilly chuckled.
Stepping over to the rag rug where Sawyer played with his pile of blocks, Nicki squatted down, ruffling his hair. For a time she closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of his little head beneath her hand, thanking God she was still here to enjoy it. When she opened her eyes he was staring up at her. She smiled. “How is Mama’s big boy this morning?”
The eighteen-month-old grinned at her, banging two blocks together. “Hi, Mama! Watch dis.” He stacked the two blocks on top of each other, adding a third, his tongue held between his teeth in concentration, then joyfully knocked over the tower.
“Wow!” Nicki said enthusiastically. “Can you do it again?”
“No.”
Nicki shook her head at his independent spirit. If she hadn’t asked for a repeat performance, he probably would have contented himself with doing the same thing over and over all morning. But since it had been her suggestion to do it again, it no longer sounded like fun.
A knock sounded on the door.
Tilly moved to open it as Nicki seated herself at the table, trying to compose her thoughts. What questions do I need to ask? I don’t know the first thing about running a ranch, so how do I know what to ask him? He might not even want the job after what he’s seen.
Jason was taller than John had been. For where there had been plenty of room for John’s head, even in this low-ceilinged building, Jason’s hair almost touched. He curled the brim of his hat into one hand, tapping it against his leg. Tilly traded him the hat for a cup of coffee, and he thanked her warmly. A blush skittered across her cheeks, but he didn’t seem to notice. His gaze was fixed on the little boy playing on the braided rug, a sudden tenderness in his eyes.
Nicki watched as his sorrow-filled glance flickered from Sawyer, to the floor, into his coffee, and then back to the baby, finally settling on her face. “I’m so sorry for your loss, Mrs. Trent.”
Nicki could barely speak around the lump that suddenly formed in her throat. “Thank you.”
Jason looked back to Sawyer. “I lost my father when I was just a little older than he is, my mother a few years later.”
“I’m sorry.”
A sad light was still in his eyes as he pulled out a chair and seated himself. “It worked out. I don’t know if I would ever have come to serve the Lord if I hadn’t been raised by my grandmother.”
Even as elation surged, Nicki heard Tilly give a little gasp from where she stood by the stove. So the glitter might have a little gold in it.
Joy can sneak up on you sometimes, and find you in places and in situations you don’t expect. How does joy surprise Nicki and Jason in your novel?
Neither character was in a position of looking for love, yet love sort of sneaks up on both of them in this book. For Nicki, it is the joy in finding love for the first time – even though she’s been married before. For Jason, it is the joy in second chances from a God of mercy who doesn’t hold our past mistakes against us.
What type of comment from someone who reads High Desert Haven would bring you the most joy?
“I loved this book so much I’d like to buy 100,000 copies so I can give one to everyone I meet!”
Oh, not that kind of comment? :) Hey, who wouldn't like that kind of comment?!
No, seriously, my whole purpose in writing is to hopefully help others to see that God loves them unconditionally and has good things for them. I think the comment with regard to my first book Rocky Mountain Oasis that brought me the most joy was from a woman who had never read a Christian fiction book before. She was a manager at my local Borders store, which has since shut down. She wrote up a promotional poster and displayed my book in the center aisle of the store for a few days. The gist of what she said was that the story remained with her long after she turned the last page, and gave her a lot to think about. Oh what joy! If my book was her first tiny seed of introduction to God and His goodness… I’ve prayed for her often, since that time. Don’t know where she is, now. But God does.
So something along those lines… may people be drawn to His Truth!
Any other joyful thoughts to share with the Chain Gang today, Lynnette?
I guess just this…. We’ve all been created for a certain purpose. And our creator has set out certain rules for us to live by. When we choose to ignore those rules and do things our own way, destruction comes into our lives. Ah, but when we live the way God intended us to live, then we find True Joy.
May True Joy be yours!
Lynnette’s books are published by OakTara and are available in Christian bookstores. She has a webpage http://www.lynnettebonner.com/ where you can order a signed copy of her books! Or check it out at Barnes & Noble.
Lynnette is also offering a free electronic copy of her book to one commenter on today’s post. So leave a comment telling us about the thing that brought you the most joy this week to be entered into the drawing. Comments will be left open until Friday, April 20th and then the winner will be notified via email. Be sure to leave your e-mail address to be entered!
This post is part of Christian Writers’ April Blog Chain on the topic, “Joy.” Check out the other Blog Chain posts by clicking the links right.
Mar 29, 2012
Pegg: You grew up in Bay City, Michigan. What disastrous turn of events pried you from our fair state?
Jennifer: I’m calling it a blessed disaster: true love. Met my hubby and he was accepted to med school in MN, so that’s where we moved. Then we had to follow his “match” for residency training, which landed us in St Louis. He landed his dream job, working with his brother in NC, so that is how I was “pried” away from the land of Petoskey stones (which I have hidden all over my house because they make me happy).
Pegg: True love will do that to you! I understand that you and your hubby regularly spend time in Northern Michigan. What is your favorite thing about being here?
Jennifer: My dad has a place between Traverse City and Charlevoix. I yearn to be at the lake all year long - especially when NC gets stuck in 95+ temperatures every day for weeks on end. So we plan a trip every year at the end of summer to escape the heat, and play in the beautiful waters of northern Michigan. I love the look of the trees, the sound of the lake lapping against the shore, being with family, and playing on boats. The cottage is situated on the eastern shore of a lake, so we make a point to watch the sunset every night over the water - and the sun sets so late up there! Almost an hour later than here in NC. In August, the universe is situated so we look at it “the long way,” which means there are more stars to see. And I think somehow, I see even more at the lake, with no lights nearby. I love staying up really late and watching for shooting stars beside the lake.Pegg: I love this photo of you by the lake! A Familiar Shore is your first novel and you’ve set it, at least in part, here in my neck of the woods. What prompted you to use this area as the backdrop for the story?
Jennifer: I think it was my love for the place . . . but I also wanted to set it at a family cottage. I wanted to present a weekend when an extended family would be there, and my excuse became Memorial Day weekend - when everybody goes up north. The cottage in the story is on Lake Charlevoix.
Pegg: Will we Michiganders find some our favorite things in your story? Walks in the woods, blueberry picking, fishing, some Traverse City cherries, our lovely Great Lakes shoreline, or a nice local vintage of wine?
Jennifer: Definitely! There’s an eventful foray into the woods, you’ll take a spin through a cherry orchard in bloom, the marina in Charlevoix, lilacs, and of course, Murdick’s fudge!
Pegg: I know you teach Bible studies and are a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. What spiritual message will we find in your story?
Jennifer: While there is not an overt spiritual thread in the story, it was inspired by the story of Joseph. I wanted to place a contemporary character in the same place Joseph stood when he had the opportunity to take revenge on his brothers for all the trouble they brought upon him. The story is informed and backed up with a Christian worldview and the reason I wrote it like this is because I saw an enormous need for books in the ABA that are not laced with sex, cussing, graphic violence, and the like. We need more stories written with a Christian worldview that might somehow relate to people without one. While that means the novel is not evangelistic, I’m hopeful that this novel will be the first of many contributions to the general market, which provide a meaningful story sans junk.
Pegg: I know a couple of authors who are publishing in the ABA with books like yours. I think it’s great that a Christian worldview is available this way. Some people can be reached through traditional evangelism and some seeds need to be sprouted more softly. People recognize and receive Christ through different experiences. Thank goodness we have people who can write in all sorts of different ways!
Thank you for spending time with us today! Your book is available in print and digital editions at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, but of course, if anyone can support their local bookstore – so much the better!
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