Welcome, Deb. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?I’ve always said I hoped to be writing till the day I die, but as I close in on my twentieth book—and my second grandbaby—I can understand more how a writer might retire…or at least slow down a bit. Right now I love what I do, and the empty nest is at hand, which will allow me more time to devote to my writing. The Lord has blessed me with contracts for four more books, so I’ll continue to write as long as He makes that possible. But I also want to always have ears to hear should He guide me in a different direction.
Tell us a little about your family.
Tell us a little about your family.
I’m not a bit biased: I have the most wonderful family in the entire world. My husband Ken and I have been married for over 34 years and despite the fact that doctors told me I may never be able to become pregnant, God blessed us with FOUR children! Two boys and two girls, ranging in age from 32 to 18 now. And we have a beautiful new daughter-in-law, and a great son-in-law who’s the father of our two little grandsons (who live much too far away). Family is truly the greatest treasure God has ever given me and I feel blessed beyond words.
Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?
Sadly, becoming a writer almost ruins one for reading. If I’m reading something that’s not well-written, I can’t help but edit it in my head as I go; if I’m reading something that’s excellent, I find myself studying as I go to see how the author accomplished what they did. Seems I rarely get to just read for the sheer enjoyment of it! It’s enough to make you want to pull your hair out. In addition, so much of the reading I do is for research. Not that I don’t enjoy that type of reading, but it does cut back on my favorite type of reading: novels for the pure joy of story.
What are you working on right now?
I’m working on a new series for Howard set around the lives of the survivors of six firefighters who died in a tragic blaze in a homeless shelter in (fictional) Hanover Falls, Missouri. The Hanover Falls Novels will explore how tragedy brings people together around a shared grief. My research for this book has taken me out of my comfort zone a bit. I trained as a volunteer at our local homeless shelter and have been taking shifts there whenever our church is scheduled to man the shelter. This new series will have a mild element of suspense to it—though as president of the Big Honkin’ Chicken Club, you won’t find me writing anything too scary! ; )
That's something to celebrate. Deb Raney writing suspense. What outside interests do you have?
I enjoy decorating our home, finding treasures in antique stores and flea markets, and traveling to visit our four kids who all live out of state. An outside interest that is literally “outside” is the prairie garden my husband and I tend in our backyard. Ken dreamed of having our backyard look like the native Kansas prairie, and he’s worked for three years planting bluestem and switch grasses, native wildflowers, and wild roses. It really is beautiful and we enjoy the time we spend outside together. I created a blog for Ken for Father’s Day a couple of years ago if you’d like to take a peek at our garden: http://kansasprairiegarden.blogspot.com/ I also have a blog of novelists’ gardens that I find fascinating: http://novelgarden.blogspot.com/
What fun! How do you choose your settings for each book?
Most of my books are set in the Midwest because I adhere to the write-wha
t-you-know maxim. That’s because research is my least favorite part of writing. When choosing foreign or far-away settings for certain scenes, I choose them based on who I know that can help me with the details. It’s so important to write true to the setting.
I feel the same way. I do a lot or research on a setting where I haven't been. A friend of mine recently went to Golden, New Mexico, which is now a ghost town, but I'm using it for the setting of a historical I'm writing. She took pictures and even brought me back a rock from Golden. If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?
t-you-know maxim. That’s because research is my least favorite part of writing. When choosing foreign or far-away settings for certain scenes, I choose them based on who I know that can help me with the details. It’s so important to write true to the setting.I feel the same way. I do a lot or research on a setting where I haven't been. A friend of mine recently went to Golden, New Mexico, which is now a ghost town, but I'm using it for the setting of a historical I'm writing. She took pictures and even brought me back a rock from Golden. If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?
That’s a tough question…there are so many. I would probably choose Laura Ingalls Wilder, just for a chance to let her know how much she inspired me!
What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?
I wish I’d known what a wealth of books on the craft of writing were available. I didn’t even know there was such a thing when I first began writing. I learned SO much once I discovered these fantastic tools of the writer’s trade.
What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?
He’s teaching me to step outside of my comfort zone and not be afraid to try new things. If I’m going to continue writing, I need to be always learning, always exploring new places and new ideas. I’m also learning that God has a way of making research into ministry. It’s kind of neat that He sometimes allows us to “kill two birds with one stone” that way.
What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?
Read, read, read. Don’t ever stop studying and learning.
Keep your seat in the seat. Once you know how to write, the hard part is just doing it!
Always pray for things to happen in God’s timing. As much as you might want to speed things along, in the long run, it’s always better to wait upon the Lord.
All so true. Tell us about the featured book.
Yesterday’s Embers is the third and final book in the Clayburn novels series, and tells the stories of Doug DeVore and Mickey Valdez, whom readers met briefly in the first Clayburn novels. It’s a story about marrying for all the wrong reasons, and finding hope even in the midst of desperation. I think it’s my favorite of the three Clayburn novels!
How can readers find you on the Internet?
My website is at http://www.deborahraney.com/ and there’s a link to email me on the home page. I’ve also recently become part of the shoutlife community and I’d love to make friends with readers there: www.shoutlife.com/debraney
Thank you, Deb, for spending this time with us.
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