Welcome back,
Jennifer. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on
the horizon?
Hopefully, He’ll continue to open doors for publication! I
have another book releasing in January titled Breaking Free, and I’m waiting to hear back from my publisher
regarding a sequel I proposed to Beyond I
Do. You might remember that title; I visited your blog last October, I
believe, to talk about it.
Many readers asked me if I had a second book planned, and
the answer is yes! Not only was it planned, it is now written and waiting
somewhere in pub-board land. :) Operating on optimistic thinking, I’ve begun
writing book three, which I’m really excited about, and I’ve been doing a lot more
speaking. So in answer to your question, I hope there will be a lot more
releases and speaking engagements on my horizon, as I really enjoy both!
Of course, I remember
featuring you with Beyond I Do. Tell
us a little about your family.
I’d love to! My husband and I have been married for twenty
years. He’s my real-life hero. I like to call him my warrior. He earned that
nickname last summer when he donated a kidney (in a large part because of Intertwined!
Long, amazing, miraculous story I’ll have to share with you and your readers
soon.) to a teenager he hadn’t met and didn’t meet until the Sunday before the
surgery. My man is such a giver! That’s what I love about him most.
Our daughter, aged 18, has begun her first year in college,
so that’s an adjustment. I’ve heard parents talk about how, once their kids
reach their senior year in high school, they’re ready for them to launch from
the nest. That has not been the case at all for us! Our daughter is such a joy
to have around it’s always strange when she’s absent. But luckily, her
university is only a forty-five minute drive away. I foresee lots of dinner
visits in our future!
I’m married to a
giver with a servant’s heart. Men like that are real heroes. Has your writing
changed your reading habits? If so, how?
Sometimes. I’ve always been an eclectic reader, and that
hasn’t changed. But I do find I can be a bit more critical, now that I know so
many “rules.” When that happens, I don’t enjoy the story as much and I have to
remind myself to turn off my editor brain and turn up my imagination.
What are you working
on right now?
I sort of answered this in the first question, but I’m in the
first draft stage of a novel called A
Different Kind of Love (wt), which I hope to be book three in a proposed
series I’ve tentatively titled the Midwestern romance series (contemporary).
Here’s the working (not edited or final) blurb:
Though she stands for everything he’s against, his heart
won’t let him walk away.
All Robby wants to do is serve God, grow a godly
family, and make a positive impact on the lives of others. But when a
pregnant abortionist and a soon-to-be paroled father ignite the pain from his
past, his mercy-filled love is overshadowed by a bitterness that threatens to
destroy him. At what point can he walk away for good? And what will it cost him
if he does?
That sounds powerful.
What outside interests do you have?
Hm … Is there life outside of reading and writing? And
Facebook? Ha ha. Let’s see … I love going for walks and bike rides, especially
when my husband joins me. I also love picnics and day-road trips into the
country. Actually, those are more romantic to me than a fancy steak dinner! And
you’ll often find me at one of the many coffeehouses in my area, sipping a
flavored latte. (I have a slight … um … fierce addiction to froo-froo coffee!)
How do you choose
your settings for each book?
Sometimes the story will dictate the setting, like in my
last novel, which began with a mandatory hurricane evacuation. Because of this,
I wanted it set on the Gulf
Coast Midwest because
one, that’s where I live, and two, I’ve fallen in love with this area with its
four distinct seasons, thriving art community, and amazing churches.
If you could spend an
evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?
Outside of Jesus—oh, wait, I get to spend time with Jesus
daily. Ha! I’d have to say Paul, or maybe President Lincoln. Hm… This is a hard
one. Harriet Tubman would be a fascinating and inspiring dinner guest! I have
such admiration for courageous people who risk their lives for the sake of
others!
What is the one thing
you wish you had known before you started writing novels?
I’m not sure I’d like to have learned anything ahead of time
as I may have been overwhelmed. I love how God leads us step by step, giving us
the information, strength, and skill set we need for whatever lays directly
ahead without overwhelming us with details of the future. In so doing, He helps
us keep our eyes on Him, which is where our focus must remain, especially if we
want to write for Him.
What new lessons is
the Lord teaching you right now?
Surrender and perseverance. Oh, and to be slow to speak and
quick to listen. All three of those seem to be lifelong lessons for me.
Hopefully, I’ve grown in those areas but man-oh-man, do I still have a long way
to go! Surrender, I think, permeates everything I do. The greater my surrender,
the easier my journey in writing and life. And yet, I’ve found, ironically,
surrender takes a great deal of strength. And trust. But when we remember who
God is, what He’s done, and what He’s promised, it becomes easier.
What are the three
best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?
I’d say make your relationship with Christ your top
priority. If He called you to write, He’s gifted you and is committed to
perfecting that which concerns you. But His timetable and route to publication
might be different from what you expect. That’s where trust comes in. Rest in
His love, sovereignty, wisdom, and attentive care. And obey fully, giving Him
your best in everything you do … because the King of Kings deserves our very
best.
Tell us about the
featured book.
How about I give readers the text from the back cover?
Abandoned by her husband for another woman, Tammy Kuhn, an
organ procurement coordinator often finds herself in tense and bitter moments.
After an altercation with a doctor, she is fighting to keep her job and her
sanity when one late night she encounters her old flame Nick. She walks right
into his moment of facing an unthinkable tragedy. Because they both have
learned to find eternal purposes in every event and encounter, it doesn’t take
long to discover that their lives are intertwined but the ICU is no place for
romance …. or is it? Could this be where life begins again?
Please give us the
first page of the book.
Sure!
Tammy pulled into her garage and stared at the entrance door
to her home with a heavy sigh. Most likely, her husband Brody was asleep. Or
zoned out watching television.
Completely oblivious to their rapidly decaying
marriage.
She paused to read the verse taped to her dashboard:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy…it is not
easily angered . . .”
A similar verse was tacked to the door leading into the
house, and another one stuck to her bathroom mirror.
They weren’t helping. Nothing was. No matter how hard she
tried, how fervently she prayed.
With a heavy heart, she glanced back at her two sleeping
kids. Tylan’s chest rose and fell, his small lips slightly ajar. Beside him,
Becky’s strawberry-blonde head leaned against the window, her bangs splayed
across her forehead. Such precious little angels.
She reached back and squeezed her daughter’s knee. “Hey,
sweet girl, we’re home.”
Becky stirred before opening droopy eyes. Strawberry blonde
hair muffed, she glanced around, yawned, then got out, shuffling forward in a
semi-alert state.
Tammy moved to the rear passenger side of the car to
retrieve her sleeping son. The buzz of cicadas filled the thick Missouri air, ushering
forth memories of lazy summer evenings. Back when she and Brody were still in
love. Was it too late to rekindle their romance? To begin again?
As if to answer, the door to the kitchen creaked open, and
Brody appeared.
“Hey, Dad.” Becky stopped in front of him as if waiting for
a response.
“Hey.” Brody stepped aside to let her pass.
No, How was your day or hello hug? When had he become so
cold, so uncaring? Swallowing past an unsettled stomach, Tammy offered him what
she hoped to be a welcoming smile. “Hi.”
He nodded, stepping into the garage and continuing to the
car. “I’ve got Tylan.”
She studied his face. The normal edge was replaced by dull
eyes and a slackened mouth. “Rough day?”
He held her gaze for a moment, causing the knot in her gut
to twist tighter. “We’ll talk later.”
Nothing good ever followed those words, but whatever it was,
they’d get through it.
Right?
Her pulse quickened as she followed her husband, carrying a
sleeping Tylan, down the hall and into his bedroom. Crossing the room in three long
strides, he laid the child on his comforter, decorated with the Royals’ logo.
He stirred, and his eyes fluttered open, before closing once again. A slight
smile emerged as he rolled on his side.
Tammy unfolded a quilt on the foot of his bed and spread it
over him, tucking the edge around his shoulder. She brushed a kiss against his
temple. “Good night, sweet boy.”
Behind her, Brody’s footsteps receded.
She exited Tylan’s room and paused in the dimly lit hall to
brace herself against an impeding argument. Brody’s words replayed through her
brain. “We’ll talk later.”
Whatever he had to say, she would respond with love.
The floorboards creaked as she continued down the hall. She
popped her head into Becky’s room to say goodnight before entering the dark
living room. Brody sat with his back to her, in his favorite chair—one she and
the kids bought him several Christmases ago.
Not wanting to see her husband’s loveless eyes, she kept the
lights off.
She sank into the corner of the couch across from him,
drawing up her knees and hugging them. Brody stared at his hands, twisted his
wedding ring. Silence stretched between them.
Used by Permission. Intertwined:
A Novel, by Jennifer Slattery (New Hope Publishers, Birmingham , AL
How can readers find
you on the Internet?
They can visit my devotional blog at
JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud, they can connect with me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JenSlatte and on
twitter at @JenSlattery
And thank you, Jennifer, for sharing this new book with us. I love hosting you, and my readers enjoy learning about you and your books.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Intertwined - Christianbook.com
Intertwined: A Contemporary Romance Novel
- AmazonIntertwined: A Contemporary Romance Novel - Kindle
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