SHE MAKES IT LOOK EASY - MaryBeth Whalen - Free Book

Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I just follow the ideas that are placed on my heart and count them as gifts from the Creator. I plan to keep doing that as long as the ideas keep coming.

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

I have found that those monumental “happiest days” are rarely what you expect them to be. Getting married and having my children were all so surreal I can honestly say I wasn’t the happiest I’ve ever been. I was also stressed and confused and overwhelmed and… a thousand other emotions. So I guess I would look to the happiest moments instead of happiest days. The moments God gives me where I look around and think “I am really happy.” Seeing my son who almost died as a baby swim across the pool, the water sloughing off him as his arms move with such force. Thinking, “We actually got to this point. Thank You God.” Being mesmerized by my youngest’s impish grin and thinking “I am so happy I followed Your leading and had this out-of-the-ordinary family.” Looking at my husband and still feeling so much love for him after 20 years of marriage. Laughing hard with my teens over something. Cuddling up with my children. Those are the happiest moments. And for those I am truly grateful.

How has being published changed your life?

I can’t tell you how much my life has been enriched by the opportunity to enter this writing community. I have been so blessed by meeting other writers—people who process life like I do, through writing. People who “get me.” That’s invaluable.

What are you reading right now?

I am doing some research for an idea that involves a WWII storyline, so I am reading books on WWII and novels that have centered around WWII, just seeing how they did it. As a contemporary novelist, I never thought I’d be doing historical research!

What is your current work in progress?

I have a novel that will be coming out in fall of 12. This one will be a follow-up (not a sequel!) to The Mailbox, my first novel. It will be set in Sunset Beach, NC again and will be another love story that centers around an inanimate object that brings two people together. I am quite excited about it!

What would be your dream vacation?

An entire summer spent at Sunset Beach, NC. One or two weeks is just not enough!

How do you choose your settings for each book?

I choose settings I am familiar with. This goes back to the old writing advice, “Write what you know.” So far that’s been Sunset Beach, NC (where we have vacationed for years) and my hometown of Charlotte, NC.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why? I would say Ann Voskamp, author of the book 1000 Gifts. That book is so inspiring, and so is she.

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

Running. If you can call exercising a hobby. Cooking too. I love finding and trying new recipes. 

I love reading recipe books. Does that count? What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

Finding time. With six kids and a busy life, I have to make writing happen and make sacrifices to do it. That’s not always what I want… but it is necessary if I want to pursue this dream to its fullest potential.

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Write the book that’s on your heart. Read authors who are similar to your style/subject matter. Learn as much as you can about writing.

Tell us about the featured book.

Ariel Baxter has just moved into the neighborhood of her dreams. The chaos of domestic life and the loneliness of motherhood, however, moved with her. Then she meets her neighbor, Justine Miller. Justine ushers Ariel into a world of clutter-free houses, fresh-baked bread, homemade crafts, neighborhood playdates, and organization techniques designed to make marriage better and parenting manageable.

Soon Ariel realizes there is hope for peace, friendship, and clean kitchen counters. But when rumors start to circulate about Justine’s real home life, Ariel must choose whether to believe the best about the friend she admires or consider the possibility that “perfection” isn’t always what it seems to be.

A novel for every woman who has looked at another woman’s life and said, “I want what she has,” She Makes It Look Easy reminds us of the danger of pedestals and the beauty of authentic friendship.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Here is a link to the first chapter of She Makes It Look Easy for your readers: http://www.scribd.com/doc/55551500/She-Makes-It-Look-Easy

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.marybethwhalen.com

www.twitter.com/marybethwhalen

www.shereads.org

www.southernbelleview.com


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