THE CAMERA NEVER LIES - Elizabeth Goddard - Free Book

I'm so pleased to have one of my dear friends on the blog. Welcome, Beth. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

Lena, thank you for having me! First, I write Christian books because God is the reason I’m writing. He called me to this endeavor, in fact, chased me for years. I write romance, mystery, and suspense because that’s what I love to read. I love the tension in a suspense that keeps you turning the pages, and I love to solve a puzzle. I can’t imagine a story that doesn’t include romance.

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

 That’s a toss up between the day I was married and the birth of every one of my four children! How can I decide. Personal life aside, the happiest day of my life was when I achieved a goal I’d been working on for years—I signed my first book contract.

I remember that feeling. What a blessing God brought into each of our lives. How has being published changed your life?

I’m working harder and longer hours and I feel like I have a reason to write, that I’m not just chasing a pipe dream.

What are you reading right now?

Several things at once. Lorena Mccourtney’s Here Comes the Ride (Kindle) and Dee Henderson’s, Kidnapped. I just finished The Skin Map by Stephen Lawhead (one of my favorite authors), and Lynn Austin’s While We’re Far Apart.

What is your current work in progress?

I have double deadlines right now—two book deadlines that are within weeks of each other. I’m working on a romantic suspense for LIS called Freezing Point, and a contemporary romance for Heartsong Presents called Under the Redwood Tree—the first book in my Redwood Coast series. I’m very excited about both stories.

They sound interesting. What would be your dream vacation?

Right now, I’m dreaming about Italy!

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I don’t choose the settings they choose me! Seriously, something will catch my attention in a big way and I know I should consider setting a story there. Settings are very important to my stories—they are usually one of my plot elements.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

Wow, this is a tough question. A myriad of names come to mind, but to get the most of that evening, perhaps I’d choose Queen Elizabeth. Just imagine—I could visit her at Buckingham Palace (or wherever she’s staying at the time) and experience things I have never experienced before and never would again. In fact, I think you’ve just given me a story idea. :-)

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

Can there be hobbies outside of writing and reading? Who knew? Just kidding, of course. Taking care of a home, and home schooling three young boys in addition to writing and reading doesn’t leave a lot of extra time. I’m an artist and a musician (of sorts) so if I can grab a few minutes, I enjoy playing the piano or sketching. I also love running and nature walks. I’m onto something new now, as well—I’m taking interest in decorating my home. Ha! I mean learning how to re-upholster furniture and just over-all design.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

I have so many ideas in my head and not enough brain or time to do them all. The biggest obstacle I have is trying to decide which idea to pursue and develop into a proposal, because there are an infinite number of ways the story can unfold. It might take me as long to write a proposal as it does to write the book.

I actually hate writing the proposals, but they're necessary to sales. What advice would you give to a beginning author?

We often hear that beginners should never give up and while that’s good advice, I’ve come to believe if someone has what it takes to keep going, that burning drive is already built into them. My advice would be to attend conferences and meet people. Of course, you must continually improve craft and content, but networking is equally important.

Tell us about the featured book.

In The Camera Never Lies, Polly Perkins is a photographer invited to photograph her friend’s wedding at a national park. But she ends up photographing a murder victim instead—a man from her past whom she’d wished dead. The story is filled with a quirky cast of characters. The Camera Never Lies is a romantic mystery/suspense.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Everyone I know except my mother maintains a personal space bubble.

“Polly. . .” Tears welled in Mom’s eyes as we lounged outside at the Terrace Café, which overlooked Caldera Lake. “I’ve lost a great deal of money.” Her features drooped.

Mom’s bubble is more like a space dome, where everyone is invited in and welcomed to her conversation. I studied her. Looking uncomfortable under my scrutiny, she sighed and shifted in her seat before slumping against the wicker chair back. Though she was no stranger to melodrama, she’d never seemed this distressed. Not even the innumerable other times someone had taken advantage of her.

I leaned in and kept my voice down, hoping to lead by example. “What do you mean exactly? What happened?” Though nothing made me angrier than scams targeted at seniors, I couldn’t help but wonder if Mom might be partly to blame.

She wiped her eyes. “I tell you, I’m so mad. I want to kill that man!”

The rage in her voice pulsated through me. I sat rigid, wishing the table umbrella would shade me from more than the sun as I glanced around.

Interesting! How can readers find you on the Internet?

Elizabethgoddard.com or bethgoddard.com or http://www.facebook.com/ElizabethGoddardAuthor

Thank you, Beth, for the interesting interview.
 
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