Welcome back, Helen. Why
do you write the kind of books you do?
So Christian fiction is the only option for me. I don’t want
to write anything that I would be uncomfortable having others read, and I want
to write stories that have the potential of touching readers in a positive way.
My stories aren’t meant to preach, but to provide wholesome entertainment for
Christians and portray or demonstrate a biblical principal or lesson. And it’s
fun!
Besides when you came
to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?
That would have to be my wedding day, which was fifty years
ago this week. (May 31)
James and I will
celebrate our 50th Anniversary in November. How has being published
changed your life?
In a nutshell, made it busier. I now have to juggle my
attention between my current work in progress, edits, promotional articles,
book signings, etc.
What are you reading
right now?
My last Carol Award entry
What is your current
work in progress?
A historical romance set in 1885 Kansas .
What would be your
dream vacation?
My idea of a good trip is simply going to visit my kids or
close friends and spending time with them. However, if I were to decide to
become a globetrotter, I would probably visit Australia .
How do you choose
your settings for each book?
I tend to stick close to my home turf, feeling more secure
writing what I know.
If you could spend an
evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?
Billy Graham. I admire the integrity of the man and the
Christian work and influence he has consistently wielded over the years.
What are your
hobbies, besides writing and reading?
I am an amateur musician and ventriloquist. I still play the
piano and sing for church, but the ventriloquism has been neglected since I
retired and resumed writing seriously. I also play the trumpet.
What is your most
difficult obstacle, and how do you overcome it?
The Internet. It distracts me. Pulls me off onto rabbit
trails. Absorbs too much of my time. And I haven’t overcome it—yet. I’m working
on it. Sometimes I take a notebook and go out on the back porch and sit in the
glider to write. No PC=no Internet. If I need to brainstorm, I go for a walk.
What advice would you
give to a beginning author?
Learn the craft. Read writing blogs and books. Enter
contests for feedback. And make up your mind you’re in this business for the
long haul. Don’t give up. Write. Write. Write.
Tell us about the
featured book.
Ozark Reunion is set toward the end of the Great Depression,
when the “alphabet” agencies were prominent—WPA, CCC, NYA, etc. The hero,
embittered about the death of his teenage brother, is not a Christian, while
the heroine is such a strong Christian that she has become a bit pious. When she
tried to lead him to the Lord years earlier, they parted in anger.
Please give us the
first page of the book.
Riley Blake tramped through the trees, a rifle cradled in
one arm, the other hand clutching a stick from which two dead squirrels
dangled, the stick driven through the tendons of their feet. No longer walking
with hunter stealth, dead leaves rustled beneath his feet.
He emerged from the woods near the road and worked his way
through the strands of a barbed wire fence. As he came upright and pulled his
coat tighter against the cold November air, motion to the left drew his
attention. The late afternoon sun highlighted a figure in a dress flying down
the hill toward him on bicycle.
He recognized Jolene Delaney’s little sister, Irene. A
pretty, black haired thing, she had been a familiar sight riding up and down
this road from the time she could ride. She would be about fifteen now. But the
way she was bent low and pedaling furiously signaled trouble.
Alarm skittered up his spine. Could something have happened
to Jolene? Not that she mattered to him in any special way. Not any more. He
hopped across the ditch and waited by the gravel road.
The girl braked and skidded to a stop a few feet past him,
hopped off, and backed up. “Dad cut his leg with the axe. Bad,” she added,
struggling to draw air into her lungs. She looked pale and scared. She must
have beaten all her speed records on the mile ride from her house.
“Let’s get Mom. She’ll know what to do.”
He set out at a fast clip for the house a hundred yards
further down the road. Irene pushed her bike alongside him. “When did it
happen?” he asked, the squirrels flopping against his knee.
“Sometime …this afternoon,” she managed to say between
gasps. “I came home from school and found him in the kitchen floor. He had
dragged himself in there and wrapped a towel around his leg.”
“Where’s Jolene?”
How can readers find
you on the Internet?
Web page: http://www.helenbrowngray.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helen.gray.9081Thank you, Helen, for sharing this new book with us.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Ozark Reunion - Christianbook.com
Ozark Reunion (Heartsong Presents)
- AmazonOzark Reunion (Heartsong Presents) - Kindle
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