VALERIA'S CROSS - Kathi Macias & Susan Wales - Free Book and Free Pendant

Kathi Macias (http://www.kathimacias.com/; http://kathieasywritermacias.blogspot.com/) is a radio host and an award-winning author of more than 30 books, including the popular Extreme Devotion series from New Hope Publishers. A wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, Kathi and her husband, Al, live in Southern California, where they spend their free time riding Al’s Harley—hence, her road name of “Easy Writer.”


Susan Wales, a born storyteller and wife of film producer Ken Wales, is a popular speaker throughout the United States and a frequent teacher at writers’ conferences, as well as an award-winning author of numerous books.

The Morgan Mint has graciously partnered with my Valeria's Cross co-author Susan Wales and me to offer a limited number of King Azes II Silver Pendants (minted in the days of the very early Church) to help promote our new book. If you have already purchased a copy and posted a review on Amazon, your blog, etc., I will be randomly choosing a couple of you to receive one of these beautiful necklaces. For others who will buy a book and email a proof of purchase (minus your credit card info, of course), plus post reviews wherever possible, you too will be eligible to receive one of these lovely pieces. Just be sure to give me clear mailing instructions so I can send one if you win!

I received one of these, and it is really lovely. A real treasure.


Welcome, Kathi. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.


At the deepest level of commonality, all my characters, to one degree or another, are ME. However, in Valeria’s Cross, I would say I’m much less visible than in some of my former books. This is undoubtedly because this book is based in historical facts, with very different circumstances than anything I’ve ever experienced. That fact made the writing of this book a much bigger challenge than I’ve faced before, but because my co-author, Susan Wales, is a research aficionado and already quite familiar with third-century Rome, it was a joy to explore and create this fictional account of historical happenings.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Wow. I imagine people who know me well would say the list is long, but I tend to think of myself as relatively reserved (my German father’s daughter!). However, the very fact that I ride with my husband on his Harley, often going to various biker events to minister any way possible and being known by bikers all over SoCal as “Easy Writer” would probably be at the top of my list of quirkiness.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I never wanted to be anything else. I was an avid reader as a child, and when I ran out of things to read, I wrote my own stories. A story I wrote for a class assignment in third grade was so well received by the teacher that she and the principal decided to turn it into a play for the entire PTA. I was hooked! It was thirty-five years later before my first book was published, but I’ve considered myself a writer ever since that public “coming out” incident.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

I love both fiction and nonfiction, but I prefer books that challenge me and take me a bit deeper than the usual. I bore quickly with rehashed info and don’t care for “escape reading,” though I realize there’s a huge market for it so I’m not criticizing those who fill that niche. It simply isn’t mine.

What other books have you written, whether published or not?

I’ve written more than thirty books (published under my own name), and scores more for other people (celebs, etc.) Those thirty-plus books include fiction and nonfiction, series and stand-alones, even two collections of children’s issue-related books. All the most recent ones are visible/available on my website (http://www.kathimacias.com/). Right now I seem to be landing more fiction than nonfiction contracts, so that’s what I’m concentrating on at the moment.

I know. I'm landing more historical fiction contracts, so that's what I'm writing right now. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

LOL!!! Who says I do? (Medication helps!) Seriously, the tyranny of the urgent is always threatening to keep us from accomplishing the necessary, so I am very disciplined to maintain my relationship with the Lord first and foremost. If/when He tells me to lay down this writing/speaking ministry He has so blessed me with, I’ll do so and walk away in a heartbeat. I only want to do what He’s called me to do today, for that’s all He requires of me. Of course, it’s easier said than done to maintain that focus, but it’s necessary to preserve our sanity.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

It depends on the type of book I’m writing. It’s much more important in fiction, but when I write contemporary fiction based in the American culture, I just go with names I like and that seem appropriate to the setting. However, in some of my series where the books are set in different countries and cultures, I study the country’s names and their meanings to choose those which best fit the characters’ personalities and experiences in the story. In Valeria’s Cross, of course, the primary characters’ names are historic facts. When we needed to fill in a few blanks with minor characters, we went with common names of the era.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

That’s a tough one. Over the years I’ve worked with some of the biggest names in Christendom and won lots of awards in the process. I’ve had the privilege of ministering in some of the toughest prisons in the country, even spending an entire day on Death Row at San Quentin. I’ve spoken to groups of thousands, both in person and via TV and radio, and led Bible studies in jail cells with two or three grateful inmates. I’ve served meals to the homeless, and seen my weekly devotional ministry, which I send out free each Thursday in both English and Spanish, get picked up and read by hundreds of thousands each week. And in the midst of those thirty-plus published books, I have experienced the stunning joy of having one of them achieve best-seller status. But the greatest success or accomplishment is ALWAYS when one of my readers or listeners comes to me and tells me that something I wrote or said enabled them to receive Jesus for the first time and/or to fall more deeply in love with the Father. It’s the ministry of reconciliation, however that reads out in my life each day, that is the most precious to me.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

Oh, now, that’s a good one! I love the independence of cats (and relate well to that), but God is always dealing with me about NOT being so independent, so maybe that wouldn’t be a good thing. Dogs are so faithful and loyal, so perhaps I’d have to go that route. At the same time, I must confess that my life is WAY too busy for any pets right now.

What is your favorite food?

I wish I could say it was something healthy, like celery or bean sprouts, but then I’d have to repent for lying. Pizza is right at the top of my list, along with nachos and Tillamook ice cream. (Yes, it HAS to be Tillamook!) However, you’ll seldom see me turn down a good cheeseburger or taco or… Well, you get the picture.

My favorite ice cream is Blue Bell. It's made here in Texas. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

Two things. First, writer’s block. Journalism taught me there’s no such thing. Just sit your rear end in the chair and get to work, like any other job! Second, marketing. I hate it, and there’s no easy fix for that one. But I’m tenacious when I set my mind to something, and so I’ve made myself learn everything I can about that aspect of successful writing (since selling what we write is a definite part of that equation, right?), and I’m seeing some success.

What advice would you give to an author just starting out?

At the risk of being the most unoriginal person on the planet, I’d have to say, Keep your day job! Unless you’re independently wealthy and simply don’t need to generate an income for a very long time (possibly forever), you need to maintain another source of financial support. I never cease to be amazed at how many people think I’m absolutely rolling in money because I’ve had a few books published! With few exceptions, I actually made more money doing ghostwriting and editing for other people than writing my own books. And, of course, I have a wonderful husband with a “real” job, who supports me financially as well as emotionally.

Tell us about the featured book.

This is a fictional account of historical happenings, a book about lost love, torn loyalties…and a dangerous faith. In the 3rd century, pampered Roman princess Valeria falls in love with Mauritius, captain of the Theban Legion. She sends him off to battle, where he suffers under the schemes of a notorious pagan general with an ambition for power and a lust for Valeria. In a scene based on true events, the evil Galerius kills Mauritius and his entire legion for their Christian faith. And in a shocking turn of events, the grieving Valeria is forced to become Galerius’ wife against her will. Never has a marriage been set up for such failure! Valeria loathes her new husband, but he seems to undergo a change of heart, adopting a child for her and giving her power and authority, and even love. She struggles with the commitment she knows she must keep, and the love she knows she will never find again.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Shame on you! Valeria chastised herself as she serpentined through the secret passageway that led to her mother’s boudoir. Had the agonizing thought of leaving the palace during the exciting winter social season reduced her, the emperor’s daughter, to a common spy? Absolutely! Overhearing snippets of her parents’ conversation in the hallway, she knew she had no choice; eavesdropping was her only weapon. Valeria was determined to discover why her father was so insistent that she accompany her mother to Egypt.

Near the end of the tunnel, Valeria broke through a maze of cobwebs to reach the secret entrance to her mother’s room. She pushed the door, rusted shut by years of neglect, but it would not budge. As a young girl, she had frequently played in the tunnel, but a couple of years ago, she had put away her childish ways. Frustrated, she kicked the door repeatedly until at last it opened. A puff of dust blew into the room and settled over the Turkish carpet like a storm cloud, but there was no time to clean. The echo of her mother’s singsong voice drifted down the hallway, warning of her imminent approach. Valeria scurried to a hiding place behind the damask draperies—just in time! The door swung open, and her parents, Emperor Diocletian and his beautiful wife, Empress Prisca, entered the room.

Don't stop there. What a teaser! How can readers find you on the Internet?

They can find me at my website, http://www.kathimacias.com/, or my blog, http://kathieasywritermacias.blogspot.com/. I am also on Facebook, Twitter, Shoutlife, and various other social sites.

The video trailer for the book can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUfosW1wPcE

Thank you, Kathi, for the visit today.
 
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Susan Wales and Robin Shope - Free Books

Today, we're talking to two authors who write together.

Susan Wales

Robin Shope

Susan and Robin, welcome. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

SUSAN: I lend at least one of my quirky character traits to each one of my characters, even the bad guys. In the first book, The Chase, Rubric, Jill’s curmudgeon boss, is a creature of habit. He eats at the same restaurant again and again . . .that’s me. The female characters, especially the protagonist, have many of my traits. I bring my experiences to a character in a variety of ways, especially from the traumatic events of my life. I believe God has allowed these tragedies so I can use these experiences to relate to other and to encourage, inspire the readers.

ROBIN: I bestow each female with an aspect of my personality. At times I create females with the attributes I wish I had, or attributes that I admire in others. The men are a combination of people I have known.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

SUSAN: My husband Ken wanted his marriage proposal to me to be unforgettable. The evening began like a scene from a movie with a sunset drive along the coast to one of Malibu’s finest restaurants. When we were seated at a fireside table with two-dozen of my favorite Sonya roses, I became suspicious. The maitre ‘d appeared with two flutes of vintage French champagne on a silver tray. He and the waiters hovered over us, I assumed to await my reaction to the bubbly. Wanting them to go away, I quickly picked up the glass and took a big sip of the champagne. Everyone gasped. Perhaps they are upset I gulped instead of sipping such fine champagne? All of a sudden I understood as a foreign object slid down my throat. My ring was hidden in the glass of champagne. I swallowed my engagement ring! After the waiter’s Heimlich maneuver, the ring popped out on the table. Ken didn’t miss a beat as he picked up the ring and proposed to me. Not exactly the romantic evening Ken had envisioned, but it truly was—an unforgettable proposal!

ROBIN: Rick and I spent our honeymoon at a Christian Camp. It was 100 degrees and the room had no AC. It also had one lumpy bed so I gave Rick that to sleep in while I slept on the floor over the sump pump under the floor.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

SUSAN: My mother created dramatic story hours for my sister and me. If we were reading Jack and the Beanstalk, she would give us a ‘hunk of bread and a piece of cheese.’ We’d wear crowns and have tea parties when she read Cinderella. Best of all she would ask us make up new endings to the stories, and later, make up our own stories. In the second grade, I began writing my stories down and reading them to my friends. After all these years, I’m still doing it. When my childhood friends became bored with too many stories, they would beg, “Can’t we go play dolls?” Now those same friends beg, “Can’t we go shopping?”

ROBIN: I discovered I wanted to spend my life writing when I was in 5th grade, and tried to impress my English composition teacher with my stories.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

SUSAN: My mother’s story hours ignited my passion for books. Our town librarian introduced me to Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Count of Monte Cristo, Les Miserables, Sense and Sensibility, Rebecca, and my favorite book, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Favorite Christian books are C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity, and Catherine Marshall’s book, Something More. New author Joshilyn Jackson’s first book, gods of Alabama, and Pulitzer Prize winner, Rick Bragg’s Ava's Man and All Over But the Shoutin’ are current favorites of mine. Here’s an excerpt from one of Bragg’s stories. "This is a place where Grandmothers hold babies on their laps and whisper in their ears that the lights in the sky are holes in the floor of heaven." Ah, I must confess I’m green with envy. Writing doesn't get much better than that does it?”

ROBIN: I love to read Cynthia Rylant’s books, and I enjoy short story collections, but my favorite read is a good mystery.

What other books have you written, whether published or not?

SUSAN: Fleming Revell published our three novels, The Chase, The Replacement, and The Candidate. My first book with Ann Platz was the Match Made in Heaven series for Multnomah. Ann and I also wrote four gift books, From This Day Forward, (Multnomah) Social Graces, The Pleasure of Your Company and Social Graces for Your Wedding (Harvest House). I’ve written three gift books with Alice Gray, A Christmas Keepsake, Keepsake for a Mother’s Heart, (J Countryman) and A Grandmother’s Love, coming out in 2008 with Howard/Simon Schuster, and I’ve written two others, The Art of Romantic Living (Janet Thoma/Thomas Nelson) and ‘Tis the Season. Two books with Dr. Ted Baehr accompanied films, Faith in God and Generals (B&H) and Amazing Grace, (New Leaf Press), produced by my husband, a biography for a soap opera star, and a non-fiction book, Standing on the Promises (Multnomah/Random House). My five-year-old granddaughter and I’ve written and illustrated a lot of books that haven’t been published.

ROBIN: I have written two cozies, four full length mysteries, and one Young Adult book, yet to be published.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

SUSAN: I have learned to say, "no." Helen Hayes, the late great stage actress, found it impossible to say no, so her friends gave a "no"’ pin to wear and point to when she needed to say no. I considered buying a "no" pin, but instead, I retreat in my home, especially when I have a big project or a book contract. These retreats allow me to spend time alone with God to restore my soul. During my retreats, I say ‘no’ to all invitations, even the tempting ones. When I’m not on retreat and life gets crazy, I take a ten-minute time out for a walk on the beach or a power nap. I also pray a lot, “Lord, I need some help down here!”

ROBIN: I spend time with God and ask Him to clear my mind and bring me His peace. I also take time out for me, but have to schedule it.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

SUSAN: I have a blast because I name my characters after my friends and family. If they’re alive, I ask their permission, especially if the character is a bad guy. All the guys love having a bad guy named after them. Go figure? This also gives me a great excuse to call and catch up with old friends I sometimes haven’t seen in years. When the book comes out, I’ll send them a copy.

ROBIN: Sometimes they are combination names of people I know or have known. For example, in the book trilogy, Pearl was my mother’s middle name and Lewis is the last name of a boy I dated in college. Jill was one of my college roommates. Other times a name just pops into my head. When I cannot seem to come up with the appropriate name for the personality of a character, I go through a book of baby names.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

SUSAN: As a mother and a grandmother seeing the things you have taught a child about God and life reflected in their lives. As a wife, knowing how I, as a helpmate, have inspired my husband and his accomplishments. As a daughter, seeing the joy in the eyes of my elderly parents that I turned out okay!

ROBIN: I am most proud of my loving family; my husband of thirty years and his missions work overseas, and our two children who both work in the health system to help others.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

SUSAN: Wow! Great question. I’d like to be an animal that could live in the water and on land, but not a hippo . . . a sea lion. I love to watch sea lions lounging on the beach in the sun with their pals. They’re so laid back and unafraid of approaching strangers. As I walk past them, they look up to acknowledge me. They fish and will share their food with their pals. When the mood hits them, they’ll waddle down to the ocean and take a dip. Their concern for one another is poignant. I saw a documentary in which a gigantic polar bear attacked a sea lion, and although they were unsuccessful, his friends desperately tried to pull the bear off of him. So if I were a sea lion, I’d definitely want to be a California sea lion!

ROBIN: I am really glad I am a human because Jesus saved me.

What is your favorite food?

SUSAN: My husband and I love salads so I’m always experimenting and creating new ones. Our favorite is a beef tenderloin salad I created. I toss my favorite greens, romaine and spinach with toasted pine nuts, crumbled goat cheese, purple onion rings, sliced strawberries, and my homemade vinaigrette dressing. A famous French chef taught me it’s all about the herbs, spices, and especially the quality of oil and vinegar in the salad dressing. If any you would like my recipe for the salad or the dressing, let me know, and I’ll be happy to email it to you.

ROBIN: My favorite food is Mexican. Yum.

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

SUSAN: I’m still working on it! After I finish writing a book, I read it, and then I’ll rewrite it. And rewrite it and rewrite it. It’s a part of the creative process. And I just keep coming up with better ideas. When the deadline is looming, I finally just have to let it go. It's a challenge, but you gotta do it. It’s an addiction, but at deadline time, I refuse to open the file and look at it again. Does anyone know of a 12-step program for addictive rewriters?

ROBIN: My greatest roadblock is finding the time to write. I am a fulltime teacher and work 50 hour weeks. Time can be the issue.

What advice would you give to an author just starting out?

SUSAN: Jesus Christ walked in excellence and to honor him, we must strive for excellence in all we do. So beginning writers, never stop perfecting your craft. If you don’t have the money to invest in a writer’s conferences or a writing class, you can find a ton of free information on the Internet on writing and great books at the library. Lena’s site is great for beginning writers. Take advantage of these wonderful resources. When friends and family members ask what you want for your birthday or Christmas, ask them to contribute to a writer’s conference fund. Conferences are invaluable. For those who have secured your first book contract, my advice for you is to listen to your editor. Discussions with your editor are great . . . ‘iron sharpening iron’, but if you reach an impasse, remember the editor is the expert. Discuss your true feelings with your editor, but if he or she still insists you make a change, hit that delete button and let it go, my friend. Choose your battles carefully, not just in writing but in life too.

ROBIN: Stick with it, believe in yourself but be open to change. Join a critic group and take writing lessons.

What would you like to tell us about the featured book?

SUSAN: The Candidate is one of three inspirational romances that revolve around Jill Lewis, an investigative political reporter. At the close of The Replacement, Jill is burned out from a life-threatening investigation and ‘torn between two lovers’ . . . what a great problem to have, huh ladies? So what’s a girl to do? Jill runs home to Mama and persuades her to buy the local newspaper. But Jill can’t seem to escape those evil politicians and finds herself right back in the middle of a murder investigation. On a recent dive, she’s also discovered the remains of what appears to be the legendary lake monster at the bottom of the lake. Will anyone believe her? Will she escape the evil politicians? Will she decide which man to marry? Her mother and sister, who have just opened a bridal shop, certainly hope so. As one reader wrote, the ending of The Candidate will make you smile.

ROBIN: I am really proud that we were able to tie legends and history of Delavan, Wisconsin, into the book. It added a flavor to the story that makes it unique. It’s a fun read.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

SUSAN: You can find me on my amazon.com blog. Just put Susan Wales profile in the amazon.com search. My website is www.susanwales.net .

ROBIN: Just type my name in on the browser.

Thank you, Susan and Robin, for letting us get to know you more.

Readers, here's the good news for you. The drawing for this interview will be for all three of the books in the series, so you'll want to leave a comment for a chance to win this set of books.

There's still time to leave a comment on these interviews:

MaryLu Tyndall - The Restitution
Margaret Daley - Heart of the Home

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