LIGHTNING AND LACE by DiAnn Mills

Once again, we're talking with my special friend, DiAnn Mills. I've known her for many years, and I love all of her books. I believe you will, too. Her newest book is Lightning and Lace, book three in the Texas Legacy series. I've read all three books, and they are marvelous.

DiAnn Mills has sold over a million copies of her combined seventeen novels, fourteen novellas, and non-fiction book. Six of her anthologies have appeared on the CBA Best Seller List. Three of her books have won the distinction of Best Historical of the Year by Heartsong Presents, and two of her books have won short historical of the year by American Christian Romance Writers 2003 and 2004. She is the recipient of the Inspirational Reader's Choice award for 2005 in the long contemporary and novella category. DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Chi Libris, and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association.

DiAnn Mills concludes her Texas Legacy series with Lightning and Lace, a gritty novel that is part thriller and part romance. The year is 1898 when Travis Whitworth steps onto the train platform in Kahlerville, Texas. As he has a good look at the small, dusty town, he is determined to face life again and return to preaching. Having lost his last church because of a scandal involving a brothel, he is equally determined to avoid women altogether. But within an hour of his arrival, he finds himself caught in the affairs of Bonnie Kahler, an attractive, young widow whose unruly son is headed for a future of crime unless someone can reach him.

Like Travis, Bonnie also intends to face life again by rising from her grief and returning to her responsibilities. Staring over is proving hard though. Her oldest son has already been arrested once and is now living with the new preacher, and the married banker who supplied her with wine during her mourning 'to help her sleep at night,' is now threatening to reveal that she's been drinking if she crosses him. When she refuses the banker's advances, she ignites a storm of wrath that engulfs her and her family in rumors that threaten to destroy them. Her strongest ally becomes the new preacher who is hiding secrets of his own.

Are the characters from Lightning and Lace taken from real-life people?

No. They are simply characters that jumped into my mind.

Are they compilations of people you know, and if so, will those people recognize themselves? If your characters are purely make-believe, how do you develop them?

Developing characters takes more time than any other aspect of writing--for me. I live with them. I give them personality tests. I interview them. I question their motivations. I put them in uncomfortable situations to see how they respond.

Which character is most like you, and why?

None of them and all of them. I strive to make sure that every character does not resemble me, but that is impossible. I believe all of my characters have a little of "me" simmering inside.

Can you share something with our readers about what God has been teaching you lately?

This began while I was in Sudan, and it's all about forgiveness. We all have people who have hurt our feelings, wronged us in some way. But I met people in Africa who had watched their families and friends murdered, and still many of them have been able to forgive. God not only instilled in my heart to forgive but to push for reconciliation with anyone who has wronged me or I have wronged them. I don't want to stand before God and have Him ask me why I didn't help someone through the forgiveness process. Besides, He'll have lots of other things to ask me about. :-)

How do you deal with your other obligations (family, church, etc.) when it's crunch time near deadlines?

I list everything that has to be done with a due date and the approximate amount of time that the obligation will take to complete. For my writing project, I divide the number of words by the days left to complete it and make sure I don't go to bed until the word count is completed.

What's your favorite worship song, and why?

"These are the Days of Elijah." I guess because it speaks of hope, the hope since the Old Testament times when those who loved God looked for the Messiah and on to current times when we look for Christ's second coming.

What book are you currently reading?

The Count of Monte Cristo. I also went back to school for a Biblical Studies degree, so I'm knee-deep in several books. :-)

What book project are you working on now? Can you give us a sneak-peak of the storyline?

I'm working on a novella set during the Depression in Missouri. The hero and heroine were married just before he left for the Great War. But he lost his leg and could not forgive himself for the horrors of what he'd done as a soldier. He couldn't bring himself to return home. Now it's the Depression, and he has to see her one more time. She doesn't recognize him, but there is something familiar. . .

If Lightning and Lace was turned into a movie, who would you like to play the main characters?

LOL I have to think about that a moment. I suppose Reese Witherspoon for Bonnie and Matt Damon for Travis.

Do you plan the plot of your story in advance, or does it develop as the story plays out?

I do both. I have some major scenes in my mind and then I fill in the blanks, according to character, as I go along.

What did you do to ensure the authentic feel of Lightning and Lace? What sort of research was necessary?

Texas research. Historical culture: dress, food, speech, politics, church life, school, and visit the places where I want the story to unfold.

How long did it take you to write Lightning and Lace?

Three months, start to finish.

What would most surprise us about you?

This is a tough question! Perhaps that I would one day like to teach creative writing on a college level.

Give readers one good reason why they should read Lightning and Lace.

It's real life today with issues of alcohol, single parenting, and deceit in a historical setting. It's also an unlikely romance and a story of God's redeeming love.

Thank you for spending this time with us, DiAnn.

Readers, I urge you to read all three of these books. Remember, if you leave a comment, you'll have a chance to win a copy of Lightning and Lace. Also there's still time to leave a comment on Deanne Gist's and Amy Wallace's interviews.

THE MEASURE OF A LADY by Deeanne Gist

Deanne Gist burst onto the Christian fiction scene with her first novel. I'm happy to introduce her to you with her second novel. Always glad to promote a fellow Texas author.

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

I’m sure they reflect me in some ways. I don’t see how they couldn’t, but I don’t intentionally make them personal. I couldn’t even pick out what parts of the novels are personal and what parts aren’t. I’m simply not aware of it. If you were to ask my sister, though, she would probably be able to tell you. On second thought, let’s not ask my sister. That could be dangerous.

Where is it that your sister lives? Just kidding. What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I confess I do quirky things all the time. Not on purpose. It just sort of happens. Trying to pick one instance over another is pretty tough. I suppose one that always seems to come up at family gatherings is when I was trying to learn how to rollerblade (at age 43 as I recall), but I couldn’t master the art of stopping. So, I went to Home Depot, bought some PVC pipes and elbows and made myself a walker on wheels so that when I drug my left foot behind my right (to stop), I had something to hold on to and therefore wouldn’t lose my balance and fall down. Anyhoo, it wasn’t uncommon to see me skating down the sidewalk in kneepads, elbow pads, wrist guards and helmet while pushing my homemade “walker.”

My son saw me heading out of the driveway once and said, “If you say ‘hi’ to me while you’re using that thing, I’m gonna say, ‘Who is that woman?’”

The mother of one of his friends was standing there at the time. She said, “Actually, Dee, don’t say ‘hi’ to me either. Okay?’”

Sad thing about it is: I never did learn how to stop and have hung up my blades for good (much to the relief of my family and friends). :-)

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

My parents had always told me I could write, but they were my parents. It wasn’t until I was in sixth grade and got a “Delightful A” on my kumquat short story--and A’s were hard to come by in Mrs. Barnes’ class--that I began to believe that maybe, just maybe, I had some ability in this area.

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

I love my Bible. I’ll read a “how-to” book if I need to. But as far as fiction goes, romances are my favorites. Always have been. I enjoy historical romances the most, but don’t particularly have a favorite time period. I do prefer American historicals over some of the others, but really I like them all.

My all time favorite book (which, ironically, isn’t a romance) is To Kill A Mockingbird.

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

My first manuscript stunk, but I learned a lot between the prologue and the epilogue. A Bride Most Begrudging was the second manuscript I had ever written.

And it is a thoroughly delightful story. Let's switch gears now. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

By keeping my eyes focused on the Lord. Spending time with Him is my best defense against succumbing to worldly ideals, stresses and schedules. I love His Word. I listen to Christian music 99% of the time. I talk to Him, listen to Him, praise Him and pray to Him. Ain’t nothing better.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I wish I could say I go through some intense, scientific process, but you know what's embarrassing? I choose names that I like and that my husband wouldn't let me use when naming our kids. Ha!

Works for me. What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I remember typing “The End” on that first manuscript (awful though it was). That night I told my husband. He nodded and said, “That’s nice.”

I smiled, thinking he was kidding. Then realized he was serious. So I tried again. “Honey, I said I finished the book, not a chapter.”

He immediately froze. “Oh! I’m supposed to say something, aren’t I?”

Yep. It was a big moment for me. ;-)

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

I don’t think I’d make a very good animal of any kind, but I’ve always wanted to sing and I’ve always thought it would be neat to fly. So, I guess I’ll say a song bird.

What is your favorite food?

Chocolate. Hands down.

I know a place near the hotel where the conference will be held that has wonderful chocolate things. Maybe we can go get something then.

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

The Measure of a Lady, after it released quickly hit #14 on the CBA Bestseller List and #4 on the CBD Bestseller List. Rachel Van Buren reaches San Francisco in 1849 to discover she is the first “real” lady to establish a home in this town full of adventure-seeking, rowdy men. Cloaking herself with a mane of respectability, she takes on the task of civilizing them ... and has a wee bit of trouble.

A Bride Most Begrudging won the Christy Award in the “Best Romance of the Year” category and has been nominated for “Best Long Historical” in the Book of the Year contest sponsored by the American Christian Fiction Writers Association.

Deeanne, thank you for spending this time with us.

Readers, for more information about Deeanne, visit her web site at http://www.deeannegist.com . Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win an autographed copy of The Measure of a Lady.

Two Winners This Week

Alexis Jacobs is the winner of Minnesota Brothers by Lena Nelson Dooley (me).

Rose McCauley won A Valley of Betrayal by Tricia Goyer.

You both need to email me with your snail mail address, so we can get the books out to you.

There's still time to leave a comment on Amy Wallace's interview for a chance to win Ransomed Dreams.

To guarantee that you receive notification when you win a book, sign up in the right hand column for Feed Blitz. You won't miss a single posting.

Ransomed Dreams by Amy Wallace

I know Amy through American Christian Fiction Writers. We're excited to introduce her first published novel, Ransomed Dreams.

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

A great deal! Little character tidbits from wedding anniversaries to favorite colors reflect facts about my life and my family. Then there are the deeper things like what the characters struggle with and how they view life. In those I often see myself as in a mirror. I don’t intend to write myself into the story, but when I read over my work for the day I sometimes see me reflected back. That’s both frightening and fun. Scary in the sense that deep parts of me are out there for all the world to see, but fun in that, unless you know me, it’d be hard to guess which character I most resemble.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Become a writer. :-) And in that admit to friends and acquaintances that I really do hear voices in my head and enjoy spending untold hours living in other worlds.

I’ve also danced in a mountain stream and been very glad that it was just God there to experience that sight.

I know what you mean. This morning at breakfast, I said something to my husband, and he said, “Writers are crazy.” However, this man is very supportive of what I do. Amy, when did you first discover that you were a writer?

When I won a writing contest in fifth grade for a book my oldest daughter now thinks is a hoot. Ever since I can remember writing has been a large part of who I am. Writing is how I work out my salvation and keep my sanity. It’s through written words that life makes sense to me and often how I “get it” when God is speaking to my heart.

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

I love reading books that make me laugh and teach me something about God. One of my favorite things about homeschooling my girls is that I get to read all sorts of great classics and amazing Biblical fiction too. But even though I read a lot of different genres, the stories I always come back to and most enjoy are books like the SisterChicks series.

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

I’ve written a fairy tale for my girls, two chick lit novellas, and two full-length moms lit novels.

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

I’m not quite sure that I do. :-) The key for me is to know who I am and accept that. I’m one of those people who like the quite and thrive in an ordered routine. But I’ve learned over the years that God is God and regardless of what I might deem best for my life, He KNOWS what’s best. Sometimes that includes getting out of my comfort zone and finding myself with so many plates spinning that I feel like the Cat in the Hat wondering when they’re going to come tumbling down. That “sometimes” isn’t all the time though. I guard my family time like a mama bear over her cubs. I also guard my time with God in the mornings. And my husband and I work hard to keep our outside commitments to what we know God has put in our lives. Often that means saying no to a lot of “good” things so that we can give our best to what God says is the “best” thing for us.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I choose a good deal of my characters’ names according to their meanings. Name websites are especially helpful if I have a specific trait or something about a character that stands out in my mind. But most of the time the names come as I’m praying about a particular story and they seem to “fit” right from the start.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Being the mommy of three precious girls who remind me every day of what an awesome God I get to call my Daddy.

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

A wolf. I’ve always loved the mysterious grace and loyalty that defines these animals. Not sure I’d call myself graceful, but I am very loyal and I think often I’m a mysterious mix of so many dichotomies that I baffle my longsuffering husband and kids.

What is your favorite food?

That’s easy… chocolate!

It's interesting to me how many authors love chocolate.

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

That Ransomed Dreams was an amazing journey for me. It started as an action-packed dream and became a novel before I had any idea what I was doing. Good thing God knew exactly what He was doing! This story has challenged me personally and professionally and taught me to cling to the Lord because He is amazing at taking shattered dreams and wounded hearts and making all things new.

Sounds like a book I want to read. Thank you for spending this time with us, Amy.

Readers, be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Ransomed Dream.

And Happy Easter tomorrow.

Four Winners!!!!

It's time to choose the winners of The Spinster Brides of Cactus Corner. (Drum roll, please.)

And the winners are. . .Susan (happyendings). . .Cara Putnam. . .Cecilia Dowdy. . .Arlin.

Ladies, please send me your mailing addresses so we can get the books to you.

Readers, remember there's still time to leave a comment on Tricia Goyer's interview for a chance to win A Valley of Betrayal and on my interview for a chance to win Minnesota Brothers.

Minnesota Brothers by Lena Nelson Dooley

You're getting a bonus this week. Someone challenged me to do an interview with myself for one of the posts. So here it is.

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

I suppose occasionally I include something in a character that comes from me. I have had a couple of school teachers. I've written about seamstresses, and I sew. And sometimes my characters have to deal with problems I've had in my own life. However, I really believe almost all authors do this.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I decided to change this answer. While I was in college, a couple of friends and I went hiking in the area around campus. At one place a pipe about a foot in diameter crossed a deep chasm. I walked across the chasm on that pipe. Only after I was on the other side did I realize that I would have been killed if I had fallen.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I didn't know people didn't write. I just thought it was part of life until I married a man who didn't read or write. He wasn't illiterate. He just didn't like to read or write. He still doesn't write, but he has read all my books, except one, and he's starting on that now.

I didn't even consider being a professional writer until May of 1984. You can read the testimony at the bottom of the main page of my web site: www.LenaNelsonDooley.com

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

I like to read almost anything. If I don't have anything else available, I'll read everything on the label of the cereal box while I eat breakfast--if I'm eating alone. I prefer fiction, but sometimes I'll get a really good non-fiction, too. I like every kind of fiction, except horror. Romance, adventure, suspense, mystery, futuristic, almost all kinds.

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

Home to Her Heart, The Other Brother, His Brother's Castoff, Double Deception, Gerda's Lawman, Mother's Old Quilt in Scraps of Love, Pirate's Prize, Windswept Weddings, Never Say Never, A Daughter's Quest have all been published, and some of them have won awards. The Spinster and the Cowboy in The Spinster Brides of Cactus Corner, Can You Help Me? in Carolina Carpenter Brides, Christmas Confusion in Montana Mistletoe, and Who Am I? will all come out in 2007. And I have one book that has never sold.

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

First, I'm centered on the Lord, seeking what He wants me to do, not what other people want me to do. Also, my husband helps me remember what is really important. That's probably one of the reasons the Lord gave him to me.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Sometimes the names just come to me. Other times I search databases, especially for foreign names during a specific historical period.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Probably finally learning to hear God's voice, knowing that He will lead me where I should go.

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

Okay, this is a crazy answer, but I'd like to be a giraffe. I've been short all my life. I'd like to see the world from that vaulted perspective.

What is your favorite food?

I didn't realize how hard this one was to answer either. I love most anything chocolate, except Flan. When they started making Chocolate Flan in the US, I hated it. I prefer the kind I learned to love in Guadalajara, Mexico. I also love Key Lime Pie, avocado enchiladas, queso (if it's not too hot), prime rib. My list could become very long if I continued.

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

At first, I would do an information dump, especially description. Tracie Peterson helped me know that this type of information had to be woven in bits through the story. I love to create a strong sense of setting, but now I don't dump it all at once. Another thing that took a while was the difference between showing and telling. I quickly learned the difference, but there are so many nuances of this, and once again Tracie Peterson, as my editor, helped me learn the depths of them.

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

Learn from those who've gone before you. Listen to their sage advice. Don't cling to your pet phraseology. And remember that only those authors who submit get published.

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

Minnesota Brothers is a repackage of my second, third, fourth, and fifth novels. The Other Brother, His Brother's Castoff, Double Deception, and Gerda's Lawman make up a series of historical novels about immigrants who came to Minnesota in the 1890s. They were first published by Heartsong Presents. Barbour Publishing put all the books in one volume. The good thing about this is that you get the whole series without starting to read them and then having to go find the next one.

This book is my first book to go into Walmart stores as well as Christian bookstores and other major chains.

Leave a comment on this interview for a chance to win a copy of Minnesota Brothers. These books were fun to write, and they've been well received by readers.

Valley of Betrayal by Tricia Goyer

This feature is different from the usual interviews I post. We're part of Tricia's blog tour for the release of her newest book.

I've known Tricia through ACFW for a long time. She's a wonderful storyteller who really pays attention to the details in history. Her books are richer for her efforts.

The Story Behind the Novel:

A few years ago when I was researching for my fourth World War II novel, Arms of Deliverance, I came across a unique autobiography. One B-17 crewmember I read about claimed to make it out of German-occupied Belgium after a plane crash due, in part, to his skills he picked up as a veteran of The Spanish Civil War. Reading that bit of information, I had to scratch my head. First of all, I had never heard of the war. And second, what was an American doing fighting in Spain in the late 1930s? Before I knew it, I uncovered a fascinating time in history—one that I soon discovered many people know little about. This is what I learned:

Nazi tanks rolled across the hillsides and German bombers roared overhead, dropping bombs on helpless citizens. Italian troops fought alongside the Germans, and their opponents attempted to stand strong—Americans, British, Irishmen, and others—in unison with other volunteers from many countries. And their battleground? The beautiful Spanish countryside.

From July 17, 1936-April 1, 1939, well before America was involved in World War II, another battle was fought on the hillsides of Spain. On one side were the Spanish Republicans, joined by the Soviet Union and The International Brigade—men and women from all over the world who have volunteered to fight Fascism. Opposing them, Franco and his Fascist military leaders, supported with troops, machinery, and weapons from Hitler and Mussolini. The Spanish Civil War, considered the “training ground” for the war to come, boasted of thousands of American volunteers who joined to fight on the Republican side, half of which never returned home.

Unlike World War II, there is no clear line between white and black, good and evil. Both sides committed atrocities. Both sides had deep convictions they felt worth fighting and dying for.

Loyalists—also know as the Republicans were aided by the Soviet Union, the Communist movement, and the International Brigades. If not for the weapons and volunteers from these sources their fight would have ended in weeks rather than years. While many men fought side by side, their political views included that of liberal democracy, communism and socialism. The Catholic Basque Country also sided with the Republic, mainly because it sought independence from the central government and was promised this by Republican leaders in Madrid.

Nationalists—or Francoists were aided mainly by Germany and Italy. The Nationalist opposed an independent Basque state. Their main supporters were those who believed in a monarchist state and fascist interests. The Nationalist wished for Spain to continue on as it had for years, with rich landowners, the military, and the church running the country. Most of the Roman Catholic clergy supported the Nationalists, except those in the Basque region.During the Spanish Civil war, terror tactics against civilians were common. And while history books discuss the estimated one million people who lost their lives during the conflict, we must not forget that each of those who fought, who died, had their own tales. From visitors to Spain who found themselves caught in the conflict, to the communist supporters, Basque priests, and Nazi airmen . . . each saw this war in a different light. These are the stories behind A Valley of Betrayal.

The premise of the book sounds intriguing. We're giving away a free copy of the book to one of the people who leave a comment. Someone will win. It might as well be you.

To find out more about Tricia's other books, visit her website at www.triciagoyer.com

The Winner of Why I Jumped

. . .is :-)ronie. Ronie, please send me your mailing address so we can get this book to you. Congratulations.

Readers, there's still time to leave a comment on the interview with the authors of The Spinster Brides of Cactus Corner. Remember, we'll pick four winners next weekend.

If you want to be sure to know whether you won or not, just sign up with Feedblitz under my picture, and you'll know when a new post goes up and what it's about.

The Spinster Brides of Cactus Corner

Announcing the release of a new novella collection by Frances Devine, Vickie McDonough, Jeri Odell, and me. We're really excited about this book.

And to celebrate, we're giving away 4 copies of the book, not the usual one, so you have a better chance to win--if you leave a comment.

Here's Vickie McDonough. Her web site is www.vickiemcdonough.com .

This is Frances Devine. She doesn't have a personal web site yet, but you can find out more about her at www.barbourbooks.com/author/detail/frances-devine .

Here's Jeri Odell at Lake Tahoe. Her web site is www.jeriodell.com

I'm interviewing all three of these women for you.

How did your story for Spinster Brides come about?

Vickie: My heroine is gung-ho about expanding the orphanage mentioned all through the book. I got to thinking what if she wanted to buy the same piece of property that someone else wanted. I could see that would create some good conflict and created my story around that issue.

Frances: To be honest, I’m not sure. It was just there.

Jeri: I’d actually had this story in mind for several years. My youngest son was in law school at the time, so I did a little research on early women lawyers. The story grew from there.

Lena: My answer is similar to Vickie's. I knew in that time period, women weren't often owners of ranches, especially young women. If her father had asked for a man to check on her, conflict would flare.

What are you reading right now.

Vickie: Reluctant Runaway by Jill Nelson

Frances: I’m re-reading Bodie Thoene’s Zion Covenant books for the umpteenth time.

Jeri: Fireworks by Elizabeth White

Lena: Caught in the Middle by Gayle Roper

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

Vickie: Heartsong Presents books: Sooner or Later, Spinning Out of Control, The Bounty Hunter and the Bride, A Wealth Beyond Riches Anthologies: A Stitch in Time, Brides O’ the Emerald Isle, Lone Star Texas, Kiss the (Cook) Bride

Frances: Miss Aggie’s Gone Missing for Heartsong Presents Mysteries

Jeri: I’ve written six novellas in various collections by both Barbour and Tyndale, and I’m now in the process of writing my fifth Heartsong with two more to follow. I also wrote a non-fiction book a few years back titled Spiritual Single.

Lena: I've written nine Heartsongs and five novellas. You can find out all about them on my web site www.lenanelsondooley.com

How did collaborating with this team impact you?

Vickie: Working with an anthology team is a great way to build new friends and strengthen friendships you already have. It’s a big give and take, where you have to be willing to let go of some of your ideas and accept ideas from your teammates.

Frances: It gave me confidence and fulfilled a life-long dream.

Jeri: I loved working with each of these gifted women. Vickie is a wonderful writer and is the brains behind the book. Lena has so much experience and expertise. And Francis, being in the early stages of her career, brought so much excitement and enthusiasm to the process.

Lena: This was a very good team to work with. You'll find that helped create an interesting book.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Vickie: Usually I pick a name I like. I sometimes have to do a search on surnames or baby names to get ideas, but often, I just have a good idea of what a certain character should be called.

Frances: Sometimes they’re just there. Sometimes I look through lists of names.

Jeri: I keep a list of names that I hear and like. When naming a character, I go over the list, check meanings, and chose one that fits.

Lena: I could say, "All of the above." In addition, I've even had characters insist I change their name while I'm writing. Each time I've had to change it in the whole book, because I kept typing the wrong one.

What did you want the reader to “get” from your story?

Vickie: I want my readers to be entertained with a fun, clean story and to be inspired in their walk with God.

Frances: I want them to enjoy the story, but also to be reminded that sometimes we have preconceived ideas about others that prevent us from offering compassion.

Jeri: That we don’t all, as Christians, have to see eye to eye on every subject, and often some of our preconceived ideas are actually misconceived.

Lena: I want them to enjoy the story, but also understand that if we compromise, everyone wins.

Why are you a member of American Christian Fiction Writers?

Vickie: ACFW helped me get published. I met authors on the loop who liked my writing and gave me a chance to work with them, which is how I first got published. I’ve learned so much about writing through ACFW’s online classes, their e-zine, and best of all, the ACFW annual conference, which is the best fiction writers conference in the U.S.

Frances: It’s a wonderful group that offers fellowship and communication with other writers while also providing many writing helps.

Jeri: Encouragement, fellowship, and wisdom. They also have a great annual conference that stretches me, challenges me, and improves me as a writer.

Lena: Another all-of-the-above moment. See why we worked so well together. However, it probably is the best Christian fiction writers conference in the whole world.

Will you be at the conference in Dallas in September?

Vickie: You betcha!

Frances: I hope to be

Jeri: I hope to be. I’ve attended the past four years in a row.

Lena: Since's it's in Dallas, and I live near there, I'll for sure attend. I have been at all five nationals and the two regional conferences.

What is the best piece of advice you received as an author?

Vickie: Study your craft and keep writing. It takes persistence to get published.

Frances: Stay teachable and don’t fall in love with your words.

Jeri: God is sovereign over my writing ministry, so whatever is happening, trust Him.

Lena: All good advice. Maybe another piece of good advice is: Don't compare your writing or your success to anyone else's. This fits with Jeri's. Let God work His will and His timing in your writing.

Vickie, Frances, Jeri, thank you for spending this time with us. I think we all have book signings coming up in the next couple of weeks. If you're near southwestern Missouri; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Tucson, Arizona; or Hurst, Texas, please come to the signings. Mine is Sauturday, March 31, at Walmart on the corner of Harwood Road and Precinct Line. Be sure and tell me you read about it here.

Also, sign up for one of the 4 free copies.

Winner of Too Good to be True by Trish Perry

Anicz, you are the blessed person.

There's still time to leave a comment on Wanda Dyson's Interview for a chance to win a copy of Why I Jumped.

To ensure that you won't miss the post announcing you as a winner, sign up on the right hand column to receive notification of the posts by Feedblitz. You won't be sent any spam because of signing up.

Introducing Wanda Dyson

I first became acquainted with Wanda Dyson as a reader. I just love her suspense three-book series: Abduction, Obsession, and Intimidation. Actually, I connected with her on the Internet before the third book came out. They are wonderful. Then in 2006, I was privileged to meet her in person and spend some time with her at the national American Christian Fiction Writers conference. Now she has a bestselling nonfiction book.

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

It’s different for each character, but they all carry a little something of me. I suppose they have to since they are my creation. But usually when I create a character (or they create themselves) their story reminds me of someone I know and so there is probably more of their fears, their hopes, their dreams, and their victories in that character than mine.

I can see how that would happen. What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

That is now an easy question to answer. At the ACFW conference booksigning, I sat down at my table and realized that everyone around me had these beautiful displays with bookmarks and candy and buttons and pens and I had left all those goodies with my books in the bookstore and they were all gone. Not to be left out, I turned into (drum roll please) EveryWriter!... I ran around from table to table, scooping up a little bit of something from everyone’s display and brought it back and made a display that included everyone there… I even told people that picked up a book mark from say… Susan May Warren… that I would be glad to sign that for her. I had everyone in stitches as I pretended to be “Every Writer.”

Oh yes, she was even Lena Nelson Dooley. What fun! When did you first discover that you were a writer?

When I was in junior high school, I was maybe 13 or 14 years old and our English teacher gave us assignment to write the first chapter of a book. I wrote mine and turned it in, not thinking anything of it. Not only did it get the highest score in the class, but everyone wanted a copy and then I was begged to keep writing more chapters by other students. So I did. And each time I would come in with another chapter, it would get passed around the school.

A built-in reader base. Good job! Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

I have an extensive library of reading material since I hate to get rid of books. There are probably close to a thousand titles on those shelves. I have fantasy, romantic suspense, thrillers, women’s fiction, theology, Christian living, writing craft, biographies, Hebrew prayer books, and of course… SUSPENSE, suspense, and more suspense.

I'm finding that I've been choosing more and more suspense books to read. Maybe I should try my hand at writing one. What other books have you written, whether published or not?

Abduction, Obsession, and Intimidation are the three suspense titles published. Why I Jumped is the true story that came out last October. And sitting in my filing cabinet are: Legacy of Love and Legacy of Grace (circa 1995-6) The Restoration (circa 1999), Shadow of Death (Circa 1997), On a Wing and A Prayer (Circa 1998).

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

When it all starts to get to be too much, I grab my IPOD loaded with worship music and walk down to the pasture and wander out there with the horses, worshipping as I watch the horses graze, the hawks circling the treetops, the deer skittering along the edge of the woods, the fox peering out from the brush, and the groundhogs disappearing in their underground lairs. If it’s a cool enough day, I’ll saddle up Grace or Pawnee and take a ride around the property, just relaxing to the music, the creak of the leather, and the occasional whinny of someone in the herd that’s missing his buddy.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

For the most part, they tell me their names. Sometimes, they only give me a first name and then I’ll page through one of the many phone books I keep around until I land on a last name I think fits their personality.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

In spite of only having a ninth grade education (I had to quit school and help raise my siblings) I’ve gone on without any diplomas or formal education to become the marketing director of an international company, then an ordained minister, and finally a published author. Actually, I shouldn’t say “finally” because there’s no telling what Father will have me accomplish next.

Quite a list of accomplishments, Wanda! If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

Probably a horse. Duh, right? But not because I love them as much as I do. I’d be one because I’ve always loved to run free, wander at will, and maintain my independence…until the Lord put a bit in my mouth and taught me to bend at the poll and yield to His gentle hand in guiding me in where I needed to go.

What is your favorite food?

Fattening. No. Really. Mashed potatoes, hot bread with butter, French crullers, pound cake. But #1 is prime rib. Yep. Fattening again.

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

Why I Jumped is the true story that was captured as it unfolded in Green Bay Wisconsin. A young mother, in the throes of depression, led the police on a high speed chase to the top of the Tower Drive Bridge, calmly got out of her car, walked over to the edge and jumped. A State Police officer (off duty) heard the call and had been on her bumper for about ten miles. He scrambled out of his car, ran to the edge, and just as she started her downward plunge, reached out and snagged her by the wrist, nearly being pulled over himself. If that were the whole story, that would be exciting enough. But what no one knew was that behind the scenes, for weeks, twelve young women had felt a burden to pray for this woman and every Wednesday night, faithfully, they came together to pray. There are several incidents like that in this book that show that God’s hand was the one that reached out and held on to that woman…and how He’s worked in her life since that day to bring about healing and restoration.

What Wanda didn't say is that the book was featured on Oprah and Good Morning America. I think you'll find it interesting.

Remember to leave a comment for a chance to win a copy, but if you don't win the free book, you'll want to get a copy and read this marvelous true story.

Wanda, thank you for spending this time with us.

The winner of The Bachelor Club

. . .is Cindy Woodsmall. Please send me your mailing address so we can get the book out to you right away.

Congratulations!

Readers, you could win a free book on this blog if you leave a comment on the interviews. There's still time to leave one on Trish Perry's interview.

Our Newest Winner

Sheryl is the winner of Through Every Storm by Sharlene Maclaren.

Sheryl, click on the link to my e-mail address and send me your mailing address so we can get the book out to you.

Too Good to be True by Trish Perry

As I've often told you before, I'be known Trish Perry as an online friend for a long time. That's one of the wonderful perks of networking with other authors. She's also in ACFW. Now she's had her first two books published in less than a year. Way to to, Trish.

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

Oh, Lena, I’m a mess. When my characters behave badly, that’s pretty much me. I have such an easy time writing their embarrassingly human moments, because I’ve been there—not in the exact circumstances they face, but in some of their truly stupid reactions to other humans. And some of the more smarty-pants comments are much like me. Good grief, I don’t sound like a very good egg, do I?

But you sound completely human. Our readers need to know that about us. We're just flawed human beings, who happen to write novels. What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I have a thing about locking the door to the house. I saw an episode of "America’s Most Wanted" about ten years ago, and it freaked me out to no end, the way the bad guy sneaked into the house while the wife was outside waving goodbye to her hubby. So, when my son was just a wee one and my hubby was in the hospital with appendicitis, I wanted to mow the lawn for him, using his riding mower. My son was inside, napping. I locked the door and mowed a small patch of grass. Then I left the mower idling to dash in and check on my son. As I fiddled with unlocking the door, I saw the lawn mower speed happily across the driveway and toward our pond. I actually took the time to make sure the door was locked before I took off running after the mower. It took out an entire flowering hedge, but when I cried out, “Oh, Lord, please help me!” the mower suddenly slowed, turned to the left and waited for me to come drive it back to the garage, where it stayed until hubby came home. I still lock the door religiously, regardless of what’s going on outside.

That's very funny, but it also shows that God answers prayer, Trish. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

Although I didn’t take myself seriously as a writer until 1994 or so, there was a moment when I first got that joy of having written something lovely. I was in the sixth grade, and our teacher gave us the assignment to clip a picture from a magazine and write a poem to go with it. I chose a picture of an English garden with an open gate and a stream. I still remember the short poem that came to me. More vividly, I remember my older brother (now an English Professor at Santa Clara University) reading the poem and saying, “You know, that’s pretty good.” I loved the feeling I got with that affirmation; loved writing the poem. That may have been the first time I discovered that writing was for me.

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

Wow. I’m definitely an equal opportunity reader. I avidly read both Christian and secular novels. (I’m going to assume you mean fiction reading.) I’ll read something ultra-serious then pick up chick lit and enjoy it just as much—I deliberately follow one type of story with something drastically different. So after Scott Simon’s Pretty Birds, about the Bosnian war, comes Lisa Samson’s Women’s Intuition, an excellent Women’s Fiction novel. Then Philippa Gregory’s The Other Boleyn Girl, about the gal who lost her head (literally), followed by Kristen Billerbeck’s She’s Out of Control, about the gal who lost her head (figuratively). Back and forth from secular to Christian, up and down from light to heavy.

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

The first book I wrote, Only One, is yet to be published. As soon as I finished it (at least I thought it was finished), I wrote The Guy I’m Not Dating and its follow-up, Too Good to Be True (releasing this month). Only One is a spiritual warfare story, about Shawna Callahan, a young unsaved woman who experiments with hypnosis and thinks she’s discovered a past life. Her misguided beliefs lead her into spiritual danger and manipulation. The Lord graciously surrounds her with believers who might seem ineffective individually but who collectively lead Shawna to the Truth, just when all appears lost.

I’m now writing a third (and final) novel in my current chick lit series, tentatively titled ‘Til Depth Do Us Part. The hero and heroine are characters who were prominent in, and popular with readers of, the first two novels.

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

I may have to check back with you on that, Lena. I often feel like a woman on the verge—I make no guarantees about my status in, say a week. But the ever-patient Lord rushes in to calm me so often, to assure me that, as I’ve heard others say, “‘Important’ matters are seldom urgent, and ‘urgent’ matters are seldom important.” The way He keeps my sanity intact is by reminding me that I can only get done what I get done each day. If I lean on Him and work to honor Him, it’s all good! Deadlines help me prioritize, and my understanding family members help me cope, even when they don’t have clean socks and underwear.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I often do the Dickens thing, but not as overtly or specifically as he did. I give my spunky heroines short snappy names, while the more vulnerable, feminine gals have softer names, like sighs. My heroes often get melodic names or strong, Biblically based names. My bad guys get sharp, hard-edged names, and the mean girls get the flip-sounding names I associate with spoiled, slightly dense types. The downright evil guys get names with a mysterious feel to them. I’m not always aware of those parameters when I choose names, but I certainly feel around for the name that fits the image I want to portray. I doubt I’ll ever have an evil genius named Floyd or a chick lit heroine named Bertha, you know?

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I know this might sound trite, but the role I played in my two kids’ coming to Christ is the greatest joy in my life, next to my relationship with my Savior. I wasn’t even the one who led either of them to Him, but I know I was an important part of the process. What a privilege. And now I have a grandson . . .

Yes, the spiritual role of a grandparent is so important, and one my husband and I take seriously. Now on a lighter vein, if you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

What a fun question! The first critter that came to mind for me was a bird, of course—a mighty eagle or cooing dove, because flying has got to be one awesome experience. But let’s all stifle a yawn on the creativity angle of that answer. Anyway, I figure we’ll get to fly when we get our eternal bodies, so I’m going with the seahorse. All right, it’s a fish. Perhaps I should aspire to greater things than fishdom, but are seahorses cool or what? I know the Lord had fun with that one. Just the cutest. And the male births the babies—need I say more?

I know what you mean. I will interject that I've been enjoying hearing the doves coo in the morning lately. Ah, spring! What is your favorite food?

How much time do you have? By all rights, I should be listed in the Guinness Book under some pro-food category. I love food. How about I tell you what food I don’t like? That would be cooked celery. Everything else is my favorite food.

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

Too Good to Be True is a romantic comedy—chick lit—about Rennie Young, a young elementary schoolteacher whose husband left and divorced her more than a year ago. On the anniversary of that divorce, she learns that the adoption she and her ex began has fallen through. And the child they planned to adopt is one of her students, whom she loves dearly. The upshot of all of this stress? Ren faints, face first, in the boys’ department at her local Wal-Mart.

Truman Sayers, a handsome labor-and-delivery nurse, comes to her rescue, and the romance is on. Or is it?

Tru seems perfect, but both he and Ren bring their share of baggage on this trip down lovers’ lane, not the least of which is each of their meddlesome mothers. Add numerous siblings, well-meaning friends, old hurts and new insecurities, and Ren wonders if she isn’t hoping for something that’s too good to be true.

I hope readers have fun with the book. I like stories about the human struggle to behave in a divine fashion. We’re so bad at it! See? Christians behaving badly—that’s me!

Sounds wonderful, Trish. It's on my to-be-read pile waiting for me to finish the rewrite on my book that comes out this fall. Thank you for spending this time with us.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Too Good to be True. There's still time to leave a comment on Rhonda Gibson's interview for a chance to win The Bachelor's Club.

DFW Ready Writers - March 10, 2007

Speaking at WIN in Tulsa

The Bachelor's Club by Rhonda Gibson

I've known Rhonda for a long time. Actually, her first sale was for the novella collection Scraps of Love. I was on that writing team. I've loved knowing her. You will, too.

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

I’d say that a small part of myself goes into each heroine. Her likes/dislikes, hobbies, beliefs, and some mannerisms.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I guess you could call bursting out in song quirky. I do that all the time and sometimes it’s just embarrassing. Especially when it was in front of my children’s youth director, in my nightclothes, waving a wand, and the song is, “J.C. Pennies, donin' it right!” Email me, and I’ll tell you all about it, if your interested. Rgib2001@yahoo.com

That invitation should flood your mailbox with mail. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

The first time I picked up a Hardy Boys novel. I fell in love with them and wanted to write one of their stories. I wrote a 400 page handwritten Hardy Boys book when I was 12 years old. It’s been lost over the years but it was a great beginning for me!

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

I enjoy romance, mystery, childrens/tween books, westerns, fantasy, and some sci-fi. Horror isn’t something I enjoy. I’m a chicken at heart.

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

Published: I have written both contemporary and historical romance. Plus, God allowed me to contribute to a non-fiction book. Feel free to check out the titles at www.rhondagibson.com

Unpublished: Cozy romantic mysteries, contemporary and historical romance, a tween book, and a cookbook.

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

I spend time in the Word that alone makes any day run smoother. I also have a schedule I try to stay within.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Some of my characters come with names. For the others, I have been known to look online for popular names of certain time periods. I have a baby name book that I can refer to, and I chose family members names.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Without a doubt my children, they are both men and women of God, and for that I am most thankful!

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

A dolphin. They swim in cool water all day. Play and have fun and can eat whatever they want. Best of all, they bring joy into peoples lives. That’s what I’d like to do.

What is your favorite food?

Mexican. I love hot, spicy meals.

I love Mexican food, too, but probably not as hot as you do. What would you like to tell us about the featured book?

The Bachelor Club is a special book. The group of authors who wrote this book with me, Bev Huston, Janet Spaeth (a very special friend), and Kathleen Y’Barbo allowed me to pattern one of the main characters, Willard Lovelace, after my dad, Willard McConnell. So it is very special to me. The Bachelor Club is a book about a game four little boys started and how it turned into a competition to see who would wait the longest to get married. This is a fun book set in my home state of New Mexico.

Rhonda, thank you for spending this time with us. We'll be on the lookout for all your books.

Readers, remember to leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of this fun book.

Winner of A Merry Heart By Wanda Brunstetter

Kristy Dykes, your name has been chosen. You'll be blessed by the book. Please e-mail me your snail mail address, so Wanda can get the book to you.

Remember, Readers, there's still time to leave a comment on Sharlene Maclaren's interview for a chance to win a copy of Through Every Storm.

Sharlene Maclaren - Through Every Storm

I'm going to introduce you to Sharlene today, and we'll learn some interesting things about her. I do recommend that you also go to her website:

www.sharlenemaclaren.com

Sharlene, tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

That is an interesting question and one I’ve needed to ponder. I think there is probably more of me in my characters than I realize, particularly when it comes to my values and the way I view life. I always want to portray Christ as being the answer—not that we can tie up all of life’s difficulties into a neat little bow and be done with them—but that we can know with all certainty that no matter what struggles we may have to experience, God is there in our midst, lending strength, peace, and comfort. Romans 8:28 is my life’s verse, and it’s proof that no matter what we face, God has our best interest in mind. All He asks is that we trust Him. I try to weave this truth into all my stories and my characters’ lives.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I don’t know about quirky—absent-minded maybe. One story comes to mind immediately, so I’ll go with that one! Several years ago, I was hurriedly preparing the evening meal, hurrying because we were expecting guests. I had just peeled a dozen potatoes, several carrots, and a couple of large onions for my good-sized beef roast. Upon finishing, I swept the potato peelings, carrot shavings and onionskins into an empty Wheaties box that had been sitting there since breakfast. When done, I shoved the box aside. Later, I went about cleaning up my cluttered kitchen—emptying the dishwasher, stashing away a week’s worth of mail and a couple of old newspapers. It was a mad rush because I still had to vacuum and dust! (You know the routine we ladies get into before company arrives.) Well, in my rush, I grabbed the Wheaties box and – you guessed it – put it up in the cupboard. It was, after all, where I always stored the cereal. About a week later, my husband went to the kitchen for his favorite evening snack, a bowl of Wheaties. I will never forget that howling sound, as I was relaxing in the living room with a cup of tea and my Better Homes and Gardens magazine. “Honey!” he wailed. “What is this gross crap I just poured into my bowl?” And believe me, it was gross. Not to mention smelly.

I'm sure it was. I've not done anything like that, but I have put some strange things into the refrigerator that didn't go there, because I was plotting a book in my head. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I have always been quite the storyteller, so my friends tell me. As a kid, I weaved many a tale around a cozy campfire, taking special delight in scaring my listeners with surprise endings. I was also known for inventing a few whoppers, like the time I convinced my best friend I’d spotted a big black bear in the woods out behind our house. Of course, I didn’t intend for her to pass on my “news”, but she did, and before I had a chance to blink, the entire neighborhood wanted details. Oh, it was a tangled web I’d woven, but that’s another story entirely. Back to the question… I didn’t actually take novel writing seriously until the summer of 2000. As a mom who’d thrown her life into raising her two daughters, I wasn’t taking the “Empty Nest” too well, and so I pleaded with God to give me a new purpose. And He did! One summer day I sat down at the computer to see if I could get past page one of a story that had been stirring around in my brain. The rest is history. My passion was born that day. In three short weeks, I completed a 90,000-word manuscript. (My husband kept me watered and fed, bless his heart.) Incidentally, I have never written that fast or furiously since…and I don’t intend to try.

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

I enjoy a wide variety of genres, anything from autobiographies, to mysteries, to inspirational studies, to romance. Of course, romance is my favored writing genre, so it’s also what I enjoy reading most. But I think it’s important for writers to drench themselves in all kinds of styles and genres. It’s how we learn. Right now, I’m doing a Beth Moore Bible study (very challenging) and a small-group study on the Book of Matthew (very intense). I’m also reading Coming Home by David Lewis, husband to Beverly. It’s about family issues, past hurts, relationships gone sour—and God’s sustaining grace and healing power. Of course, there is a thread of romance woven throughout the story, which keeps me turning pages!

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

Oh, I probably have four or five completed manuscripts waiting for a home, and a hundred or so stories stirring around up there in my head. (tee-hee) I’m currently working on a three-part historical series. I’ve signed contracts for the first two in the series with an option on the third.

That's wonderful! How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

You know what? I’m retired, so it’s wonderful. I gave 31 years to the wonderful profession of teaching and loved almost every minute of it. Although my writing keeps me busy, as do the two weekly Bible studies I’m involved in, and a host of other volunteer-type activities, I am at a point in my life where I can go at my own pace. Obviously, some days are zanier than others, but for the most part, I’m living a slower lifestyle than when I was working full-time. Praise the Lord!

How do you choose your characters’ names?

A lot depends on the period in which I’m writing. Through Every Storm, which is set for release in January ’07, is contemporary. My Little Hickman Creek Series (three-book set) takes place in Kentucky in the late 1800s. You have to do a bit of research to determine popular names of that era. One of my favorite websites belongs to Sandra Petit, www.sandrapetit.com. On it, she has a name generator. I have no idea how many names are in that generator, but I’ve never run across the same one twice. I always go into that site when I’m searching for names for my characters.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

You ask tough questions! I know what the pat answer might be—meeting and marrying my wonderful husband and still going all ga-ga over him after 31 years. Or maybe it’s giving birth to two of the most beautiful girls that ever lived, then watching them grow to be women of God and, best, marrying men of God. Or might it be that I chose a career (education) that allowed me the opportunity to invest in the lives of hundreds of kids, then have them visit me years later to say those incredibly rewarding words, “You were my favorite teacher.” And then I can’t forget that wonderful feeling of elation when you first lay eyes on a hot-off-the-press book and it has your very own name on it!

Yes, these are the pat answers, but now that I think about it, they’re also my greatest accomplishments.

That moment you hold your new book in your hands is priceless, and I feel it with every one. Right next to that is seeing it on the shelves of a bookstore or Walmart. Now for some fun. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

Whew! Finally, a not-so-deep question! Ha-ha. Well, it certainly wouldn’t be a mouse, since, of all God’s creatures, I hate those things the most! I don’t even like the fact that way back when some computer guru decided to call that little gizmo we shove around with our hand a mouse. What’s wrong with “kitty” or “puppy”? The nerve! Anyway, I’d probably be a dog. I cannot live without a dog! Dakota, my 100# collie lies at my feet while I type away. He’s my bud.

What is your favorite food?

CHOCOLATE! That qualifies, right? In fact, in the typing of that word just now I started thinking about whether or not I have any more chocolate chips up in my cupboard.

Chocolate is a writer's or a girl's comfort friend. I love dark chocolate best.

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

I’m so humbled to think this book is going to print. Of all the books I’ve written, it’s one of my favorites. Its premise is sad, a young couple (Jeff and Maddie Bowman) losing their only child to a tragic crib accident. But the outcome is a good one, finding Christ in the middle of their turmoil. While they suffered greatly for their loss, including the near crumbling of their marriage, one little boy (Maddie’s seven-year-old cousin) with a heartful of faith helped them see that there is life after tragedy.

The story, while rather gloomy in concept, carries a hopeful tint and, of course, Timmy, the young boy who comes to live with Jeff and Maddie on a temporary basis, adds buoyancy and bits of humor and life to the mix. In essence, he teaches them to smile again.

Although I’ve never experienced a loss of this magnitude, I have tasted grief, and I know how hard it is to struggle through the emotions day in and day out. I hope this story will inspire my readers to trust Christ through the good times as well as the bad, knowing that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

To find out more about the book, go to Sharlene's web site. Thank you, Sharlene, for spending this time with us.

Remember, readers, leave a comment for a chance to win an autographed copy of Through Every Storm.

Teresa Slack, You Are a Winner!

. . .of cyndy Salzmann's book, Dying to Decorate.

Just click on the e-mail link under my picture and send me your mailing address.

Readers, there's still time to leave a comment on Wanda Brunstetter's interview for a chance to win a copy of A Merry Heart. Someone will be a winner next week. It might as well be you.

A Merry Heart by Wanda E. Brunstetter

I've known Wanda online and at ACFW conferences for several years. We are both published by the same publisher, too. You're going to love getting to know her.

You received wonderful recognition last year. Tell us about it.

My novel, The Storekeeper’s Daughter, won the 2006 Christian Retailer’s Choice award in the women’s fiction category. The announcement was made during the International Christian Retailer’s Show in Denver on Monday, July 10, 2006.

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

Some of my characters have had various aspects of my personality, but I’ve also based many of my characters on other people I know or have met.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I learned ventriloquism when my husband and I first became involved in a puppet ministry over twenty years ago. I bought a book on the subject, practiced every day in front of a mirror, and six months later I was talking for two.

My daughters and I started the puppet ministry in the church we attended when they were teenagers. I wrote the scripts. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

When I wrote a poem to go with a picture of a moth I had drawn in the second grade. My teacher was more impressed with the poem than the picture, and from that moment on I began writing poems and short stories.

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

I enjoy reading historical novels, as well as mystery, and suspense, and I always enjoy a bit of romance.

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

I have written several romance novels for Heartsong Presents, as well as some novellas that have been included in collections with other authors. More recently I began writing women’s fiction novels, and I’ve also written an Amish devotional, entitled The Simple Life. This spring, I will have an Amish cookbook published, as well as a series of children’s books with Amish characters that will come out in July.

I can hardly wait to get the cookbook. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

I try to keep my focus on God, asking Him daily through prayer and my devotional reading to guide me and give me wisdom. I try to make some time to spend with my grandchildren every week, and I find that a simple thing like sitting on our patio glider, watching the birds and listening to the trickle of our backyard pond, helps me relax. I also enjoy riding on our son’s boat, which I do as often as possible during the summer months.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

I keep a notebook full of names I’ve heard, or sometimes I use names from someone I know personally.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of beside your family?

Having my books being on the CBA bestseller’s list, because I know this is a sign that the books are being read and someone out there might have read something that could help them through a difficult time.

I'm sure you've received, as I have, letters from readers telling you how one of your books changed their lives. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

I have never had a desire to be an animal, but I suppose if I had to choose, it would be miniature poodle dog, because they are so cute and lovable.

What is your favorite food?

I like many foods, and I’m not sure I have a favorite, but a couple of things I really enjoy eating are crab, prime rib, and Southern fried chicken.

Wanda, you're making me hungry. Is it time for dinner yet? What would you like to tell us about the featured book?

A Merry Heart is a revised/expanded version of my first novel, which was originally published with Heartsong Presents. It was later put into a collection with three of my other Amish novels, and that book was entitled Lancaster Brides. The book has since gone out of print, so my publisher asked me to revise and expand by 20,000 words, each of those four book, which were released as separate full-length women’s fiction novels in a series entitled The Brides of Lancaster County. A Merry Heart is about Miriam Stoltzfus, an Amish schoolteacher who was jilted by her first boyfriend and who is now struggling with a bitter spirit. Amos Hilty, a widowed Amish man, wants to court Miriam, but she’s certain he only wants a mother for his daughter and a wife for convenience sake. Miriam’s heart warms to a more interesting friendship with Nick McCormick, an English newspaper reporter, as he’s easy to talk to and makes her smile. Miriam knows she needs to let go of her bitter spirit and surrender her will to God, but can she do that within her own community, or will Miriam leave the Amish faith and find what she longs for in the outside world?

Wanda, thank you for spending this time with us. We'll be on the lookout for your books. I've seen them all over the place, even in Walmart.

Readers, be sure to leave a comment on the interview for a chance to win an autographed copy of A Merry Heart. There's still time to leave a comment on Cyndy Salzmann's interview for a chance to win Dying to Decorate.

Mary (Marylin) You Are a Winner

You've won a copy of Petticoat Ranch by Mary Connealy. be sure to e-mail me your mailing address so we can get the book out to you.

Wow, Mary Connealy, this is the most comments we've had on any of my interviews. By the way, I just finished reading Petticoat Ranch, and it is wonderful.

For those who didn't win it, go out and buy a copy. You won't want to miss it.

By the way, I've just joined Shoutlife.com. Come over and check out my profile:

www.shoutlife.com/lenanelsondooley

Cyndy Salzmann - Dying to Decorate

Cyndy is another of my online friends. She's written other things besides fiction, but today, we're featuring a mystery novel. If you want to find out about her other published works, go to www.cyndysalzmann.com . She has lots of help for those of us who are domestically challenged, to use her words.

Cyndy, tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

Okay – I’ll 'fess up. Liz, the main narrator in my Friday Afternoon Club mystery series, is pretty much me. In fact, the idea for the series came from my own group of friends that has been meeting on Friday afternoons for the last 15 years. And yes – we call ourselves the Friday Afternoon Club, too.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Frankly… I couldn’t think of answer to your question, Lena. That was until I asked my husband. His response was, “Where would you like me to begin?” Here are a few examples off the top of his head.

Since my real name is Cynthia, I rotated the way I spelled my nickname (Cindy, Cindi, Cyndi, Syndy. Sindy, Cindee, Cyndy, etc. ) depending on my mood. My publisher insisted I make a decision before my first book came out. Now it’s Cyndy. So boring…

When my husband admitted he didn’t like that his birthday was so close to Christmas, I convinced him to start celebrating it in June instead of January. His mom was NOT impressed with this idea when I told her about his “new birthday.”

I make a BIG deal out of celebrating Flag Day each year. It’s not that I’m overly patriotic or like red, white and blue. It’s just fun to celebrate a holiday that most people forget.

Okay… I guess I do have a quirky side. ; )

Yes, you do, and I like you even more for it. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

My first book was nonfiction – written in 1964 to celebrate the Beatles arriving in the U.S. It was cleverly titled The Beatles Book and bound with rubber cement. The description and illustration of Ringo Starr is particularly insightful. I still have the book.

You must have been just a baby then. :-) Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

Maybe this explains my quirky personality. I enjoy reading humor – laugh-out-loud fiction that makes strangers stare at you – and really scary suspense. John Grisham’s Skipping Christmas is the reason I started writing fiction. I still laugh when I think about that “Free Frosty” picket line.

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

People always ask me how I do all that I do. Here’s what I tell them...

Let go of perfectionism and focus on what you CAN get done – not what you CAN'T. For example, I wrote my first book while waiting for my daughter at soccer practice instead of driving back and forth. It may have not been the ideal “writing space” but it worked.

Give yourself permission to do the best you can within your personal limits. When I get behind on laundry, I take great encouragement from Genesis 2:20. "They were naked and not ashamed."

It is also very important for me to observe the Sabbath. As a Type A personality, this one was tough for me. But I force myself to take Saturday sunset to Sunday sunset as my Sabbath and always find that it restores and prepares me for the week ahead. I've also found that giving this time to God in obedience brings a spiritual blessing that I find words inadequate to describe. : )

All very good advice. How do you choose your characters’ names?

So far, I’ve named “good” characters after my friends and family. I know this is not very creative but it makes them feel special – I think. The “bad” characters are a bit more interesting. My husband warns people not to cross me or my “evil twin” may write them into a story. Heh. Heh.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

My marriage. John and I celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary this year and I just adore him. He can be a curmudgeon at times – but I know he will always be there for me. And he is my cheerleader and unfailing supporter. I still marvel at being so blessed!

I know what you mean. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

I would like to be my dog. We have a Westie, Daisy, and she is so adorable – and adored. We all fight over who gets to pet her, sit by her and sleep with her. Plus, whenever she is out – people stop to pet her and tell her how cute she is. And she’s never had to use a smidgen of age-defying cream, shave her legs or pluck a hair from her chin. : )

What is your favorite food?

That’s easy. Dark chocolate. Now, if you’ll excuse me, a bag of Hershey’s Kisses is calling my name…

Welcome back, Cyndy. Thanks for bringing one for me. What would you like to tell us about the featured book?

Dying to Decorate is the first book in my Friday Afternoon Club mystery series – which is part of Howard Books’ Motherhood Club line. It’s a lighthearted mystery with a mom lit feel – and since I’m also a cookbook author – I included 45 of my favorite recipes that go along with the story. A reader wrote me recently that her husband said my Melt-in-Your-Mouth Pot Roast was the best thing she had cooked in 20 years of marriage. As I mentioned, the series is based on my own group of friends. We have no agenda for our get-togethers. No crafts. No book club. Just a time to relax and recharge with women who get me – and don’t care if I’ve shave my legs. : )

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

I started writing nonfiction – home management books that offer “encouragement to the domestically challenged.” Three have been published by Horizon Books: Making Your Home a Haven (2001), The Occasional Cook (2002) and Beyond Groundhogs and Gobblers (2004).

The second book in my Friday Afternoon Club mystery series, Crime & Clutter, is scheduled to be released by Howard Books in April, 2007. And I’m just finishing up the third book, The Killer Karpool.

Not sure if you call it lucky or unlucky but, so far, I haven’t written any books that weren’t published.

Good for you, Cyndy. I do have an unpublished manuscript in the file cabinet. Thank you for spending this time with us today.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Dying to Decorate, and go by Cyndy's web site for more information on her other books.

Jackie C., You Are a Winner

. . .of Violette Between by Alison Strobel Morrow. Contact me with your mailing address, so I can get your book sent to you.

Remember, Readers, you could be the next winner--if you leave a comment on an interview.

There's still time to leave a comment on Mary Connealy's interview for a chance to win a copy of Petticoat Ranch.

If you want to be sure you don't miss any of the posts about the winners, subscribe to Feedblitz in the column on the right. You will receive notice of each of the posts on this blog. There's also a link to Signed By the Author where you can order signed copies of my books and those of several other authors.

There's even a writing tip of the day in that column.

Six Weird Things About me - More or Less

Rachel Hauck tagged Kristy, then Kristy tagged me--telling us to blog about six weird things about ourselves. I could write a book. How do I choose only six?

Of course to authors, some of these things aren't weird.

1. There are always people living their lives in my mind. Sometimes, I really get immersed in what they're doing.

2. Until I was a senior in high school, I was painfully shy. (Don't laugh. It's true.)

3. I hated blind dates. I had one when I was in college that was a real clunker. Then I met my husband on a blind date. We were married three months and three days later. (Don't laugh. We've been married over 42 years.

4. I didn't know that the highlands in Guatemala are cool, even in the middle of summer. I'll bet you didn't know that either. I thought that since Guatemala is in Central America and closer to the equator, the whole country would be hot in the summer.

5. I love peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Don't knock it until you try it. I put peanut butter on both pieces of bread, slice the banana and place the slices on one side, then squish it all together.

6. I'm going to be a great grandmother this summer. That isn't weird. I just thought you'd like to know.

I've Been Waiting Anxiously to Run This Interview - Mary Connealy

I want you to meet a very special friend. I've known Mary online a long time. I was even privileged to help her get a manuscript ready for submission. Now she's sold several books. Way to go, Mary.

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

I don’t think much. Instead I write my characters to be how I wish I was. Fearless, sassy, saying out loud all the things I keep inside. That works in books, but mostly is messes up a real life.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Hmmmm….quirky? Me? My idea of life on the edge is taking an hour off for lunch. I feel like a madwoman, so daring, sometimes I even…brace yourself…drive to a town with a mini-mart that sells sub sandwiches. Okay, calm down. Sorry if I’ve shocked you.

Good grief. I’ve got nothing. I’m going to go do something quirky if I can think of anything, then I’ll finish this question. Okay, I’m back. I tied my shoelaces together (after I took them off) and threw them up until they snagged an electric wire. I’m now barefoot. At work. I hope you’re happy.

Mary, you are so funny! When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I wrote my first book at age twelve. Long lost (no doubt for the best.) But I’ve always loved writing. Always. You should see my daughters’ baby books. I wrote all over them. I always thought the words were more important than locks of hair and pictures.

I'm sure they love them. Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

I read widely and in all genres. I think every genre can be well done. Ummm…I haven’t really read too many vampire books. Did you know there are lots of vampire books out there? So, I don’t read EVERYTHING.

I'm an eclectic reader, too, but I'll pass on the vampire books as well. What other books have you written, whether published or not?

I have around fifteen unpublished novels on my computer. A lot of them are earlier work and need a lot of attention but I still love those stories. For a while I just entertained myself by trying my hand at everything. Jumping from genre to genre. Historical, contemporary, sweet romances, police drama, action/adventure, gothic. I’ve got a book about a demon-possessed serial killer that is one of my most spiritual books, but it’s too bloody. I’ve got to tone it down. It’s also very funny. I can’t seem to write anything without comedy. Despite saying I write everything, I don’t see any vampire books in my future.

I'm thankful for that, I think. I don't want to have to read one just because you wrote it. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

I live a very quiet life, actually. I work as a GED Instructor. I’m in one small room all day, five days a week. My lunch is, more often than not, a peanut butter sandwich, an apple and a can of Diet Coke in my car listening to KLOVE or Rush Limbaugh depending on my mood. I’m usually home with my husband in the evening, and occasionally my 17-year-old daughter gives us a break and stays home with us. I read and write for hobbies. Watch some TV, but I don’t care about much of it. I’m also really good at crossword puzzles and I’m hooked on Sudoku. That’s it, my run, run, run life. Now I’m wondering how I keep my sanity with my dull life. I like it this way, though. In my experience, excitement is usually bad. Something’s on fire. Someone got hurt. Spare me from excitement.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

That’s actually tricky. I have a huge family. Between Ivan and me we have one hundred people in our immediate families. That’s brothers and sisters, their spouses and children. All the names are taken! So I can’t name a villain after one of my nephews, now can I? I’m also aware of how a name sounds.

Clay, the hero in Petticoat Ranch, sounded strong to me. But is Clay strong? Or is it Play Dough? Sophie the heroine had an old sound to it and strong and wise and pretty. Beth, the daughter who loved animals, sounded gentle. Judd the villain sounded coarse and tough. But maybe I just thought that after I made them be that way.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

If you knew my four daughters you would never ask that. They are my life’s work and they are wonderful. I’m not sure if I can take all the credit for that, but I’m sure I’d get the blame if they were messed up, so I’m going to go ahead and take the credit.

Wow, your husband had to live with five females. James and I only have daughters, and I've told him that I believe there is a special place in heaven for men who live with only women in the house. If you were an animal, Mary, which one would you be, and why?

Funny question, Lena. (insert a two hour long pause here while I think) I’d be a deer. Not because I am fleet of foot and graceful. Because I startle easily and I’m the type to just stand there, frozen, while headlights are bearing down on me. But give that deer a typewriter and…okay, I’ve taken this analogy as far as I can.

Funny answer, Mary. So, what is your favorite food?

This one isn’t even nice. I didn’t get into this shape by being all that picky. My favorite food in the world? I love this apricot torte from the Lithuanian Bakery in Omaha, Nebraska. It is the best food in the world. But I can be very content with many, many, many different foods.

Sounds like I would enjoy that torte, too. I love anything apricot. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

I think my … disconnectedness. Is that a word? I live in rural Nebraska. If the world were flat, the edge would be about a half mile over the hill from my place. I did most of my learning alone. For the first five years I wrote alone. No writer’s how-to books, a few very old and dusty college creative writing courses. No critique groups, or writers groups or on-line groups. So I had to learn it all by trial and error. Heavy on the error. Then I started to get connected, mainly through the internet and found out I still had a long way to go.

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

Petticoat Ranch is what happens when a man with six brothers—like my husband Ivan, has a wife and four daughters.

Ivan spends a lot of time flinching over the talk in our household. I’ve seen him watch us in horror as we discuss the ins and outs of control top panty hose. He goes nuts when one daughter or another goes on some drastic diet when she’s so slim and beautiful. He can’t stand it when the girls cry over nasty boyfriends. For a while he’d give the girls money whenever they’d cry. He used to just pull out his billfold and hand them a twenty.

I love that, Mary.

I told him that was a bad precedent to set, but he would just do ANYTHING to get them to stop. So I thought, what if it was even worse? Ivan at least got to start with one wife, then one baby daughter. He at least had a mother and classmates and girl cousins. What if Clay, a mountain man, raised by his father, surrounded by other mountain men, grew up in a remote corner of the Rockies and had hardly seen a woman. Then in one short shocking day, he ends up married to a widow and her four daughters. What would that disruption in his universe be like?

Throw in a heroine with a very dim view of men because her first husband was worthless. Sophie’s been taking care of herself in a hard land for a long time. Then watch the culture shock. Petticoat Ranch is a (keep track of the genres now) historical, inspirational, romantic comedy, action novel.

When the genre is almost as long as the book, you know there’s going to be a lot going on. My main goal was to make it fun. My prayer was always to have my work be worthy of God. I hope that I’ve accomplished both in Petticoat Ranch.

Your genre sounds almost like the one I made up for spoof at the Barbour dinner at conference last year.

Mary, thanks for taking this time and letting us have a glimpse inside your life. I look forward to many more wonderful books from you.

Readers, be sure to leave a comment on the interview for a chance to win a free copy of Petticoat Ranch. If you want to see a slide show about this book, go to www.myspace.com and do a search for Petticoat Ranch. Or do a search for Mary Connealy.

Cherie - You Are a Winner

You won a copy of Legend of the White Wolf by Max Elliot Anderson. Please e-mail me your snail mail address, so we can get the book out to you.

Readers, there's still time to leave a comment on Alison Strobel Morrow's interview for a chance to win Violette Between.