What are some of the
spiritual themes you like to write about?
Forgiveness, reconciliation, and grace.
What other books of
yours are coming out soon?
Rebekah just released in January/February 2013. It is book two
in the Wives of the Patriarchs series. Book three about Rachel and Leah will
not release until 2014, and I don’t have a release date for the Loves of King
Solomon e-book series.
If you could spend an
evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would
it be and why?
Beth Moore. We both love to study the Bible, and I’ve
learned a lot from her Bible studies. I think it would be fun to compare notes
about David and the Patriarchs and anything else we might have poured ourselves
into learning.
Or … a Messianic Jewish rabbi who is an avid student of the
Scriptures. I would enjoy listening to his perspective on things I see with
Gentile Christian eyes.
Our church is large
with a diverse congregation, so one of our pastors is a Messianic Jew. He holds
the messianic services. I do enjoy talking to him. What historical person would
you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?
Only one? King David, for sure, as I’ve spent years studying
his life. But I can’t wait to meet all of the men and women I’ve already “met”
and written about from Scripture. I look forward to hearing them tell their stories
as they really happened.
Oh, and I think I would add Mary, Jesus’ mother near the
top, because I have always loved Two From
Galilee by Marjorie Holmes, and I wonder how Mary really felt in those days
when she carried and raised Jesus on earth.
That was the first
biblical novel I ever read, too. I loved it. How can you encourage authors who
have been receiving only rejections from publishers?
Keep writing. Keep studying the craft. Rejections don’t
always come because the work isn’t good. Sometimes an editor just can’t accept
any more books that year – they may have met their quota. But sometimes a
rejection means we need to keep learning and growing in the craft. So keep
writing. Listen to good critique partners, attend conferences, take classes,
read how-to books, but most of all, write what you love. When you learn to
evoke emotion in your reader, you will have reached a place where people will
want to read your work. Strive to reach that place deep within yourself and
pour those emotions into the story. But don’t overdo them. Less is often better
than more, and subtlety is often a writer’s most powerful tool.
Don’t quit unless God leads you to do so.
I love your cover. Tell us about the
featured book.
Can love heal the rift
between two souls?
When her beloved father dies
and she is left in the care of her conniving brother Laban, Rebekah knows her
life has changed forever. Though she should be married by now, it’s clear that
Laban is dragging his feet, waiting for a higher bride-price to line his
pockets. When she is given a chance to leave her home to marry Isaac, a cousin she
has never even seen, Rebekah’s hope for the future is restored. Little does she
know what a wondrous and heart-wrenching journey she is beginning.
As Rebekah experiences the joy
of young love and the bitterness of misunderstanding and betrayal, her resolve
will be tested. When the rift between her and Isaac grows so wide it is surely
too great to be mended, can she trust the God of Isaac’s father Abraham to
bridge the gap?
Please give us the
first page of the book.
Light flickered from clay oil
lamps in every corner of Bethuel’s bedchamber, the effort valiant but feeble,
useless to dispel the gloom. Attendants hurried in and out, the hum of their
whispers mixing with the sounds of their movements as they refilled a water jar
here, wrung out a cool cloth there, and adjusted blankets, fussing, fearing . .
.
Rebekah stood to the side,
unable to take her eyes from the form of her father lying prone on the raised
wooden bed, his head engulfed in soft cushions and layered with cloths meant to
bring his fever down. But his clear moments had been few, his words strained as
though he were speaking through stretched and cracking parchment.
Tears filled her eyes, and she
pulled the cloak tighter about her, desperate to subdue the shaking. Not now,
Abba. Please, do not leave me.
She heard voices in the hall
outside the room and swiped at the unwanted tears. Though the time for mourning
was almost upon them, she did not want her grief put on public display. Not
yet. Not while there was still a chance her father might recover.
How can readers find
you on the Internet?
Website/Blog: http://www.jilleileensmith.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jilleileensmith
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JillEileenSmithThank you, Jill, for spending this time with us today.
Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Rebekah: A Novel (Wives of the Patriarchs)
- paperbackRebekah (Wives of the Patriarchs Book #2): A Novel
- KindleLeave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
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