ROSE HOUSE - Tina Ann Forkner - Free Book

Welcome back to my blog, Tina. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I like to examine various issues through fiction. I write women’s fiction because it allows me to delve more deeply into the lives of my characters.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

The day my daughter was born. From the moment I saw her, I was in love!

How has being published changed your life?

Some things are the same. I still have to clean house, run errands, be a mom, etc. My life has definitely gotten busier. Since I have been published, I have to fight harder for my writing time.

I was really glad when I could stop work and stay at home and write. What are you reading right now?

I just finished reading an ARC of A Slow Burn, by Mary E. DeMuth. It is a wonderful book. I’m also almost finished with The Time Traveler’s Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger, which really has an amazing premise. On my nightstand waiting to be read is Wyoming Brides, by Debbie MaComber. She is going to be the keynote speaker at the 2009 ACFW conference, so I want to read a few of her books before hearing her speak. As you can see, I read a wide variety of books. I really lean more toward literary books, but I also like historical fiction, some suspense and the occasional romance.

What is your current work in progress?

I am working on two specific novels right now, but they are secrets! I am one of those authors who doesn’t like to let ideas out before they are ready. I think they are like little birds. If you aren’t careful when you open the door, they will fly right past your hand and out of the cage and be gone forever.

What would be your dream vacation?

There really isn’t just one place I dream of going. I have never been to Italy, so I would love to go there, but I am not picky. Any vacation will do if it gives me an adventure.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

My settings are based on places I have been, and then I fictionalize them using the best parts of my memory. I have never set a full novel in a big city. I am more attracted to small towns and small-town people.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I really enjoy gardening, although I’m not very good at it. It’s difficult to garden in my part of Wyoming, but I do what I can. This is why I write a lot about gardeners. I love that in a novel I can make anything grow!

I hadn't thought of that. Maybe I could gain a green thumb that way, too. What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

Confidence is definitely my biggest obstacle. I always feel like my writing isn’t good enough. There is nothing I can do to overcome it except to write, write, write for that audience of One. He is my only judge.

That is so true. What advice would you give to a beginning author?

To not worry about getting published and focus on the act of writing. Once publication becomes the sole goal in writing a story, the quality of writing becomes substandard. Beginning writers should focus on the joy that comes with writing stories.

Tell us about the featured book.

Here is a description from my publisher:

A vivid story of a private grief, a secret painting, and one woman’s search for hope. Still mourning the loss of her family in a tragic accident, Lillian Diamon finds herself drawn back to the Rose House, a quiet cottage where four years earlier she had poured out her anguish among its fragrant blossoms. She returns to the rolling hills and lush vineyards of the Sonoma Valley in search of something she can’t quite name. But then Lillian stumbles onto an unexpected discovery: displayed in the La Rosaleda Gallery is a painting that captures every detail of her most private moment of misery, from the sorrow etched across her face to the sandals on her feet.

What kind of artist would dare to intrude on such a personal scene, and how did he happen to witness Lillian’s pain? As the mystery surrounding the portrait becomes entangled with the accident that claimed the lives of her husband and children, Lillian is forced to rethink her assumptions about what really happened that day.

A captivating novel rich with detail, Rose House explores how the brushstrokes of pain can illuminate the true beauty of life

Wow. I can hardly wait to read it. How can readers find you on the Internet?

They can visit my website at http://www.tinaannforkner.com/. I would love to hear from them!
Thank you, Tina, for spending this time with us.

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