THE GOOD GIRL - Christy Barritt - One Free Book

Welcome back, Christy. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

I’m excited to be writing romantic suspense for Love Inspired, as well as continuing on to write my mystery novels. If I can continue to do both of those things, I’ll be as happy as a clam.

Tell us a little about your family.

I have two precious sons. I homeschool my oldest, and my youngest is only three. My husband is a special education teacher full-time and a church children’s director part-time. We love spending time together as a family, whether that’s at church or by taking walks together or working on projects. I’m blessed!

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

I’m definitely pickier as a reader, and I hate that! But I also know when a book really captures my attention and when I can move past that pickiness, that I’ve found a really good book! I primarily read mystery and romantic suspense. Being a mom has changed my reading habits because I don’t have as much free time! LOL

What are you working on right now?

I’m working on the fourth book in my Squeaky Clean Mystery series. It’s called Dirty Deeds. I’m also writing my new proposal for Love Inspired Suspense. I have a couple of other books I’m toying with as well.

What outside interests do you have?

I love singing and playing the guitar. I love decorating and having coffee with friends. I wished I loved exercising, but I don’t. J

I’m with you there, but I have to do physical therapy exercises and walk. How do you choose your settings for each book?

I love to travel, and I like to find things that interest me. I also set a lot of books in places that are within a day’s drive of my home. I find it easier to write about places I’m familiar with.

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

Agatha Christie would be kind of fun! I’d love to pick her brain, find out what her writing methods were and how she produced so many books.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

For me, I think it’s that you never really feel like you’ve arrived. You always want your next novel to be well-received, and to get good reviews, and to have good sales. To keep readers happy, you need to keep releasing books. You’ve got to continue to grow at your craft. Before I was published, I thought I’d simply find a publisher and settle in for publishing happily-ever-after. It hasn’t quite worked out that way, but I’m not complaining. I’m doing what I love and making a living at it.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

He’s teaching me to find my confidence and self worth in Him and in Him alone. I found myself riding this emotional rollercoaster, especially when it came to writing. When I had good sales and good reviews and lots of positive buzz, I felt great. But then I might get a not-so-nice review or sales might slump for a week or two, and I’d feel down. I realized I was letting my emotions be too easily ruled by external things. I’ve stopped reading my reviews and checking my sales so often, and I’m concentrating instead on writing the stories He’s placed on my heart.

What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

Keep writing, keeping reading, and keep submitting. Persistence can really pay off, but you always need to continually grow in your craft, no matter what stage you’re at.

That is so true. Tell us about the featured book.

The Good Girl is about Tara Lancaster. As it says on the back cover, she can sing “Amazing Grace” in three harmonies, two languages, and interpret it for the hearing impaired. She can list the Bible canon backward, forward, and alphabetized. And the only time she ever missed church was at seventeen because she had pneumonia and her mom made her stay home.

Tara’s life is turned upside down though, and her reputation is left in ruins. She flees halfway across the country to dog-sit, but she doesn’t get the escape she wants. Instead, she finds a knife with a threatening message, a fame-hungry friend, a too-hunky neighbor, and evidence of ... a ghost?

Following all the rules has gotten her nowhere. And nothing she learned in Sunday School can tell her where to go from there.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Chapter 1

Forrest Gump was known for saying that life was like a box of chocolates. You never knew what you were going to get.

My Grandmother Griffin had a different saying. She said that life was like a Bible story. You didn’t always get a happy ending—at least not here on this earth.

For years, I didn’t believe Grandma Griffin. After all, she honestly thought that “cleanliness is next to godliness” was in the Bible. I mean, I was a Christian, so life was supposed to be blessed. And blessed meant that life was full of unconditional love and feel-good moments and abundance. Right?

Wrong.

Now, I have my own sayings. One is that life is like a beautiful apple. Sometimes you don’t know it’s rotten until you bite into it. Other days, I thought life was like the solid wood coffee table that my uncle fell on—revealing it was actually made of particleboard, thus my saying, “You never know what you’re made of until you’re broken.”

I’m Tara Lancaster, and I come from a family of missionaries, preachers, and Bible college professors. One could never be too righteous in this clan. I was right on track in my family tree, following a path that would have made Mother Teresa and Billy Graham proud.

That was, until two years ago.

It’s taken me a long time to figure things out. First, I had to battle a ghost, question my faith, consult a psychic, and fall in love with someone who wasn’t my husband.

It’s a long story. It’s a story about a good girl gone ... well, I can’t tell you. I will say this: Life is like a movie. Just when things seem perfect, the movie ends.

And that’s where my story starts.

I love reading your books. I can’t wait until I get my hands on this one. How can readers find you on the Internet?

They can find me at www.christybarritt.com, as well as on Facebook at www.facebook.com/christybarritt.

Thanks so much for the interview, Lena!

My pleasure, Christy.

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

The Good Girl - Christianbook.com
The Good Girl - Amazon.com

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