THE QUAKERS OF NEW GARDEN - Claire Sanders, Jennifer Hudson Taylor, Ann Shrock, Suzette Williams - Free Book

Today I'm featuring a new Barbour novella collection, The Quakers of New Garden. Two of the authors are visiting with us today.

Welcome, Claire. How did your story for the collection come about?

I was invited to submit a proposal for a novella collection after my story Equally Yoked appeared in A Quaker Christmas (Barbour, 2011). I had to do quite a bit of research about Quakers and that led to a plethora of story ideas. I’m hoping the Quaker series really takes off at Barbour Books because that would mean the readers enjoyed the subject matter and want to see more of the same.

What are you reading right now?

I’ve been immersed in young adult books lately. I’m currently reading Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer. A lot of the young adult books I’ve read have a supernatural bent to them and Wolfsbane is no different. I’d like to get into the young adult market, but I’d like to write something more uplifting than a story about werewolves.

What other books have you had published?

My first story, Fresh Start, is a romance about a school teacher who’s been left at the altar. She wants to get as far away as possible, so she takes a job teaching at a one-room school in Montana. Fresh Start is not a Christian romance and readers should take that into account before buying it.

Equally Yoked is featured in the book A Quaker Christmas from Barbour Books. It is a Christian fiction book. My story involves a young woman who helps a runaway slave.

What is the hardest thing about writing a part of a novella collection?

Equally Yoked was my first novella and I thoroughly enjoyed the format. Typically, when I finish the first draft of a novel, I’m about 30,000 words short of my goal. So writing a story that had to stay under 25,000 words was a relief.

How did collaborating with this team impact you?

The best thing about collaborating with other authors was the many tips they gave me about marketing. I love writing and can easily lose myself in the story, but selling the book is a challenge. The other authors have more experience with the marketing end of the business and they’ve steered me in the right way.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

If it’s a sympathetic character, one I want the reader to like, I simply choose a name I like. I also keep a list of the names I’ve used in a story so I won’t reuse them in another story. Likewise, if it’s a character I don’t want the reader to like, then I choose a name I don’t like. Many times, especially if it’s a minor character, I simply pause and wait for a name to pop into my head.

What did you want the reader to take away from your story?

           

One theme I see in all of my stories is a girl who doesn’t know her true worth. In Fresh Start, the major character was rejected by her fiancé and misunderstood by her mother. She doubted her worth and her attractiveness. The same is true of Leah in New Garden’s Inspiration. Leah has been told she’s unattractive and no matter how hard she tried to help her uncle’s family, he made it clear that he thought her a burden. Leah only discovers her worth when a new family shows her how they feel about her.

Are you a member of American Christian Fiction Writers? If so, why?

I am not yet a member of ACFW but I hope to join soon. I am an active member of Romance Writers of America and serve as an officer in the West Houston chapter.

What is the best piece of advice you received as an author?

Persevere. That’s a good piece of advice for many ventures, but it’s especially true for those who wish to publish. Expect to receive rejections and remember that rejections and negative critiques are about your product, not about you.

Where can my readers find you on the Internet?

Please visit my web site - www.clairesandersbooks.com and visit me on Facebook.

About the book:

Join four Quaker women on a journey through the trials of faith and love.

Ruth Payne's bridegroom has cold feet. . .for the second time. Will their third try be the charm?

Things get complicated for Underground Railroad worker Deborah Wall when she meets a bounty hunter head-on. Will love have them seeing eye-to-eye?

Leah hopes to turn a marriage of convenience into a marriage of love. But will letters be a firm enough foundation?

Christian Jaidon Taylor wants to win the heart of Quaker Catherine Wall. But will religion make them as incompatible as night and day?

Welcome, Jennifer Hudson Taylor. What other books have you had published?

Highland Blessings and Highland Sanctuary, as well as another novella collection entitled. Highland Crossings.

What is the hardest thing about writing a part of a novella collection?

I found it to be refreshing and interesting. The only thing I worried about is if I could afford to take the time away from writing my full-length manuscripts, but in both cases of my novellas, all moved forward smoothly.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

My mother’s family was the Wall family of Guilford County, NC. We still hold our Wall family reunions at one of the Quaker churches, Marlborough Friends Meeting. As the first novella story, I chose this surname from my grandmother, Mary Vada Wall.

What did you want the reader to take away from your story?

That things are not always as they seem and with a little faith in what God can do with our loved ones, God can perform miracles.

Are you a member of American Christian Fiction Writers? If so, why?

Yes, it’s been a wonderful organization and full of encouragement to me. I’m not sure I would be published right now if not for ACFW. This is how I met my agent.

Where can my readers find you on the Internet?

Blog: www.jenniferhudsontaylor.com

FB: www.facebook.com/JenniferHudsonTaylor

Twitter: www.twitter.com/jt4novels

Thank you, Claire and Jennifer, for stopping by to introduce us to your new book.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.

The Quakers of New Garden (Romancing America) - paperback
The Quakers of New Garden - Kindle


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