Welcome to Author Spotlight! Each week will feature a different author. We’ll get the scoop behind their writing life and dish a little. The authors will also be giving away a copy of their latest book. FUN.

The winner from last week’s Author Spotlight with Beth Wiseman is Mary Levie! Please email my assistant Christen with your mailing address. (ckrumm@litfusegroup.com)

This week please welcome Donna Fletcher Crow in the spotlight! To win a copy her book An Unholy Communion (Lion Fiction, 2013) , leave a comment on this post.

Share a little bit about yourself. Married with kids? Empty nester? Do you work full-time and write when you can squeeze it in?

Hi Suzanne, thank you so much for inviting me to your Monday Author Spotlight!

A married empty nester. Stan and I will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary next December. The trouble with being not just an empty nester, but a scattered nester is trying to gather our 4 children and 12 grand children back for a celebration since they live in Calgary, Boston, Kentucky and Los Angeles.

I work full-time—at my writing. I try to get to my desk about 10:00 every morning and stay until 3:00 when Stan (who also works from home) and I both break for afternoon tea.

And share something about your writing. What’s your genre(s), your areas of interest…

English Christian history is my passion, so all of my 43 books, even my Idaho pioneer family saga, has something to do with English history. My best-known work is GLASTONBURY, The Novel of Christian England, which covers 1500 years through Celtic, Roman, Arthurian, Anglo-Saxon, Norman and Tudor England.

How did you get started writing? Did you have a dream of being a published author?

I was an English teacher and avid reader. I fell in love with a minor character in a Georgette Heyer novel who demanded that I tell the rest of his story. BRANDLEY’S SEARCH, which became book three in my six-book Cambridge Chronicles, was the result.

After you started writing seriously, how long was it before you were published?

It seemed like forever at the time. Several years while I attended writers’ conferences, got to know the business and honed my skills. I finally got a contract for the book, but the publisher was slow to bring it out. Then I was sitting with Carole Streeter from Victor Books at a writer’s conference when I got the news that that publisher was going out of business.

“What do I do now?” I asked Carole.

“Send it to us,” she said.

“You don’t publish fiction,” was my reply (surely one of the world’s all-time hard sells).

“We’re just starting a new fiction line,” she said. That launched the Cambridge Collection series which was later reprinted by Crossway Books as The Cambridge Chronicles.

Aside from a cup of good, strong coffee, what helps you get all of your “brain cylinders” firing so you can write well? Do you have any favorite places and routines when you write? How many hours a day do you spend writing?

Make that a good strong cup of English Breakfast tea. It helps a great deal if I have an outline, or at least some scattered notes to remind me where the story is going. Notes and pictures from my research trips are absolutely essential for putting me in the scene. My goal is to write a minimum of 5 pages a day. The next morning, after Morning Prayers and the above-mentioned tea, I do a few stretching exercises while my computer boots, check my email, and begin work by rereading what I wrote the day before. Hopefully the story will flow from there for another 5 hours or so.

What has been the biggest help to you in the journey to publication? Writers’ conferences? Writing groups? Your mom as your first draft reader?

Writers’ conferences, definitely. The Mount Hermon Christian Writers’ Conference was my “home” for many years. After attending several times I was asked to teach and was twice given their “Writer of the Year” award.

Is the “writer’s life” what you thought it would be?

Since I rather fell into it I’m not sure what I expected, but I never could have imagined anything being so much fun. Of course the struggles are terrific but I’ve been in the business for more than 30 years and every day I thank God for the joy of being allowed to do this.

What are your biggest distractions?

Biggest distraction is my greatest joy—my grandchildren. When I was writing with children at home I thought it would be easier when they were out on their own. Not so. As I mentioned above we are scattered to the four corners of the continent and getting to visit them is a challenge. It was much easier when our children were home in their own beds—even when I was changing diapers.

What was one of the best moments in your career and what was one of the worst?

Two bests: First, the satisfaction of writing and the publication of my epic GLASTONBURY.

Then the worst, a ten-year hiatus from 2000 to 2010 when I had nothing published—which led to another best—the publication of A VERY PRIVATE GRAVE, first of my Monastery Murders which has led to an almost all-new career at the age when my more sensible friends are retiring. Life is definitely never dull!

What do you least like about being a writer? Most like?

I dislike feeling overwhelmed by the amount of writing and promoting I feel I should be doing. I love doing those things, but I dislike the feeling that I’m never done because there’s always so much more than could be done.

Research is one of my favorite parts of the process. Because one of my goals as a writer is to give my readers a “you are there” experience I try never to write about a place I haven’t visited first. That means a wonderful research trip for every book. You can see pictures from some of my more recent trips on my website.

What is the role and importance of an agent?

Ah, without Janet Benrey I certainly wouldn’t be here today. Janet, who is English, really understood my Monastery Murders series and sold them to an English Publisher Monarch Books. That restarted my career, as I recounted above. Now Janet and her husband Ron have their own publishing company, Greenbrier Books and they have published several of my books in ebook format, including GLASTONBURY, my Daughters of Courage pioneer saga and The Lord Danvers Victorian True-Crime series. A TINCTURE OF MURDER is my newest release with them.

What advice would you give to new writers?

Read, read, read! Read the classics and the very best in your favorite genre. Then write from your passion.

Pretend I’m a customer at a bookstore looking for a good book. Give me a one or two sentence promo to convince me to buy your book.

Would you like to take a trip to Wales? AN UNHOLY COMMUNION takes you across the idyllic landscape of mystical Wales with history, mystery and romance to keep the pages turning.

What’s on the book horizon for you?

I am just finishing A JANE AUSTEN ENCOUNTER, Book 3 in my Elizabeth and Richard literary suspense series. After that I’ll be back to the Monastery Murders with A MUFFLED TOLLING. This time Felicity is going to Oxford to help some nuns with a publishing project. “Now don’t get into trouble,” Antony warns. If you know Felicity like I do, you know that’s a laugh line.

Last question, how can readers find you and your books?

To read more about all my books and see pictures from my garden and research trips go to: http://www.donnafletchercrow.com/ And I would love to have you follow me on Facebook.

Thank you for sharing your writing life with my bleaders! (blog + readers = bleaders)

Thank you, Suzanne. It’s a pleasure to be here today. I love meeting new readers. If anyone has any questions, leave them in the comments below and I’ll drop by to respond.

Welcome to Author Spotlight! Each week will feature a different author. We’ll get the scoop behind their writing life and dish a little. The authors will also be giving away a copy of their latest book. FUN.

The winner from last week’s Author Spotlight with Deeanne Gist is Elizabeth Dent! Please email my assistant Christen with your mailing address. (ckrumm@litfusegroup.com)

This week please welcome Beth Wiseman in the spotlight! To win a copy her book The House that Love Built (Thomas Nelson, 2013) , leave a comment on this post.

What is the smartest writing advice you ever got?

Author Barbara Cameron told me five years ago to take care of myself. To keep my doctor and dentist appointments and to make time for resting. She’d been writing a lot longer than I had, and I was so excited to be published that I had jumped on the train full speed. Years later, I am heeding her advice. It’s so easy to put off everything else but writing. And there’s a price for that. Your health.

What was your biggest break?

I broke in with Amish fiction. My first series—The Daughters of the Promise—sold to Thomas Nelson in late 2007. I’ve been riding the wave ever since. ☺ Although, now I am alternating between Amish novels and non-Amish contemporaries.

I’m inspired by. . .

. . .the people and events around me. And God’s grace, of course.

My great adventure has been. . .

. . .I’m living it. Every day.

The one thing I hope to discover is. . .

. . .how to avoid fear and worry and to feel the true peace that I write about in my books.

If I could go anywhere, it would be. . .

. . .It used to be to cooking school in Italy, but since I’m dieting…I might have to rethink that, lol.

If you have only an hour. . .

. . .I would want to spend it with my family.

Describe yourself in one word

Driven.

If your house were on fire, what one thing would you save?

After my pets, I’d grab my photo albums.

What has been your most surreal, “pinch-me-I’m-dreaming” moment so far?

When my agent sold my first series to Thomas Nelson.

What drives you to succeed?

Fear of failure.

Best Saturday Afternoon Read

My reading preferences are all over the place. Hard to pick just one book, lol. ☺

Best Forgotten Custom

When my children were young, we decorated the Christmas tree together. Now, even if they are home for the holidays, I end up doing it myself. ☹

Best Way to Break a Sweat

Tennis!

Best Style Icon

I live and work in Tshirts and sweats/shorts. I’m not sure I have any style icons, lol.

Best Time-Waster

Playing games on my phone—Wordfeud, Ruzzle, and Hanging with Friends.

Best Indulgence

Mexican food!

Best Advice

Miracles happen to those who believe. BELIEVE.

Welcome to Author Spotlight! Each week will feature a different author. We’ll get the scoop behind their writing life and dish a little. The authors will also be giving away a copy of their latest book. FUN.

The winner from last week’s Author Spotlight with Catherine West is Robbie Pink! Please email my assistant Christen with your mailing address. (ckrumm@litfusegroup.com)

This week please welcome Deeanne Gist in the spotlight! To win a copy her book It Happened at the Fair (Howard Books, 2013) , leave a comment on this post.

Deeanne is giving away an iPad Mini! Click the banner below to see what others are saying about her new book, sign up to win, and RSVP for her Facebook party on 5/22!

What is the smartest writing advice you ever got?

Finish the book.

What was your biggest break?

Discovering RWA (Romance Writers of America)

I’m inspired by… 

…a deadline that isn’t looming. I hate writing under pressure or when I’m behind. But I truly enjoy the process when I’m on schedule and not under the gun.

My great adventure has been…

…backpacking through Europe during college. My roommate and I had no idea where we were going to stay or what we were going to find. We simply boarded the train and off we went.

If I could go anywhere, it would be…

…Yosemite National Park. I caught one corner of it when I was researching The Measure of a Lady and have always wanted to go back and see it at my leisure.

If you have only…an hour…

…I pray really hard for God to increase my time and then I become very focused.

Describe yourself in one word

Optimistic

If your house were on fire, what one thing would you save?

My dog.

What has been your most surreal, “pinch-me-I’m-dreaming” moment so far?

Going to my publishers for the first time in 2004 and sitting at a long conference table with all the players. Carol Johnson, the VP of Editorial, turned to me and said, “Dee, You’re not just an author to us. You’re a member of our family. We’re going to pray for you and you’re going to pray for us.” I was floored. Never in a million years did I expect to hear my publisher say something like that to me. All my anxiety immediately fell from my shoulders. I’ll never forget that moment as long as I live.

What drives you to succeed?

Deadlines. Not wanting to disappoint. Wanting to use my gifts and talents to make the world a better place.

Best Surprise

My husband read—and liked—my books.

Best Saturday Afternoon

Read Years, by LaVyrle Spencer

Best Forgotten Custom

Men censoring their language in front of women.

Best Way to Break a Sweat

There is no best way to do that, sister.

Best Style Icon

Grace Kelly or Audrey Hepurn

Best Time-Waster

Pinterest. Love that site.

Best Indulgence

Anything chocolate.

Best Advice

Finish the book.

Welcome to Author Spotlight! Each week will feature a different author. We’ll get the scoop behind their writing life and dish a little. The authors will also be giving away a copy of their latest book. FUN.

The winner from last week’s Author Spotlight with Ann Shorey  JEAN BORSHEIM! Please email my assistant Christen with your mailing address. (ckrumm@litfusegroup.com)

This week please welcome Catherine West in the spotlight! To win a copy her book Hidden in the Heart (OakTara, 2012) , leave a comment on this post.

Share a little bit about yourself. Married with kids? Empty nester? Do you work full-time and write when you can squeeze it in?

Thanks for having me as your guest, Suzanne! Yes, I’ve been happily married for almost 27 years now, to the most wonderful man in the world! Our two children are now grown, and our daughter is about to get married in May! Our son studies music at Berklee in Boston. We’ve enjoyed the empty nest, but this summer after the wedding, our daughter and her new hubby will be moving home to Bermuda, so I’m looking forward to spending more time with them, as they’ve been living in Canada.

And share something about your writing. What’s your genre(s), your areas of interest…

I am a lover of all things romance! I love writing romance. All my books will have a fairly strong element of romance in them, even if they aren’t classified as a straight romance. My stories are contemporary, and lately I’ve been writing what I would call ‘family sagas’. Big, meaty books with lots of colorful characters and subplots.

How did you get started writing? Did you have a dream of being a published author?

I’ve always loved to write. I remember writing my first ‘romance’ when I was in high school. Thought I was quite grown up! LOL! That got me hooked, and I always had some kind of story on the go. I never really considered the possibility of becoming a published author until much later, once I was at home with my kids. Of course that was a busy time for me, so my writing was sporadic, but when they went off to school, I got serious about it and started to investigate exactly how I would go about getting published. This was actually a couple years before the birth of the Internet, so it was more difficult, especially living in Bermuda. Once the Internet came along, a whole new world opened for me! I found RWA and ACFW, and I was really able to learn my craft. Until then, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. It was no wonder those first few editors rejected my offerings!

After you started writing seriously–how long was it before you were published?

Many, many, many years! I can’t even remember now how many exactly. I did put my writing on hold for a few years, but I guess I wrote off and on for about fifteen years before I finally became agented. It was about another four years before my first novel was contracted.

Aside from a cup of good, strong coffee, what helps you get all of your “brain cylinders” firing so you can write well? Do you have any favorite places and routines when you write? How many hours a day do you spend writing?

Ah, yes, the coffee is a must! We have a home office that I use to do my most serious writing, when I’m in the middle of a story and don’t want to be disturbed. I enjoy the couch in the family room as well. ☺ At home, I can really write anywhere. I find it more difficult to write out in public, so you won’t find me parked in a coffee shop working away any time soon. Too many distractions. As for inspiration, books I’ve read, news articles and well-written television all help to get my wheels turning! A typical day for me, (when I’m not focusing on a wedding), would be about four to five hours, more perhaps if I sneak in some evening time. It really depends what I’m working on. These days, however, let’s just say it is a good thing I am not on a deadline! I will get back to my routine this summer. ☺

What has been the biggest help to you in the journey to publication? Writers’ conferences? Writing groups? Your mom as your first draft reader?

Without a doubt, I don’t think I would be published today were it not for American Christian Fiction Writers. The critique groups I have been part of, the mentors who’ve encouraged me along the way and all the wonderful friends I’ve made through this group have all been instrumental in my journey. I try not to miss a conference if possible, the networking is vital for me as far as keeping me focused on my goals and encouraging me to push forward, and of course the teaching is invaluable. I don’t think a writer can ever stop learning and I’m so grateful to know this conference is available to us!

Is the “writer’s life” what you thought it would be?

I’m not sure I had any fixed ideas about what it would be like! I’ve been fortunate to be a stay-at-home Mom, so life tends to go on around me and I’ve learned to balance the kids, the husband and the house and the dog with my writing life. Of course it’s much easier now that I only have the husband and the dog to worry about!

What are your biggest distractions?

Facebook, Facebook, Facebook… You could call me an addict. I love it. When I really have to do something or get a couple chapters written or write an interview…I need to ‘go dark’. Otherwise I’ll be checking it, checking my email, that’s another big one for me…I wouldn’t say I have ADD but I am definitely easily distracted!

What was one of the best moments in your career and what was one of the worst?

Oh, this one I have to answer in reverse order! The worst moment was when my agent persuaded me to put the book of my heart on the shelf. It was the book she contracted me with. She loved the story, I loved the story. We worked hard on it. I worked with two outside editors on it, because I wanted to be sure I was putting the best work out there. And yet, we couldn’t sell it. None of the big CBA publishers were interested in a romance that took place against the backdrop of The Vietnam War. Go figure. ☺ So, as heartbreaking as it was for me, I put that book aside and worked on my next novel. But that story wouldn’t let me go. Eventually I asked my agent if it’d be okay if we tried other avenues, perhaps smaller publishers.

And then came the best moment of my career. ☺ I sent that story, Yesterday’s Tomorrow, to Ramona Tucker at OakTara. She loved it as much as we did. In March 2011, the book of my heart was published. And I learned a valuable lesson. Timing, God’s timing, is everything.

What do you least like about being a writer? Most like?

Hmm. I have to say I don’t like the pressure I put on myself. I’m always wondering how I can do more, sell more, get the word out…etc…it’s emotionally draining. I’m trying really hard this year to just do what I can and be satisfied with that. I’m not superwoman. I’m not Karen Kingsbury. I need to be okay with that. I also don’t enjoy the misconceptions people seem to have of being a published author. I’m always being asked when my next book is coming out. They seem to think it’s an automatic given that once you’ve been published, you’ll just keep popping books out year after year. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way!

What is the role and importance of an agent?

These days, with very few houses even considering an un-represented author, I say an agent is vital. A good agent. I’ve heard some horror stories, and while I don’t know any bad agents personally, I know they exist. Do your homework before you start querying agents. An agent will work for you because they love what you do. You need to love your agent and they need to love you. It’s important to have an agent that you trust, that you can communicate openly with and rely on to guide you through issues in the publishing world that you might not have a clue about!

What advice would you give to new writers?

I always say, if writing is the path God has put you on, stick to it. It’s discouraging, it’s hard, but it’s truly worth it if it is where you know you’re supposed to be. Study the craft, go to conferences if you can, find good critique partners and never, ever, give up!

Pretend I’m a customer at a bookstore looking for a good book. Give me a one or two sentence promo to convince me to buy your book.

You existed before you were adopted. But what if the woman who gave you life doesn’t want to be found?

What’s on the book horizon for you?

How I wish I knew! At the moment we’re shopping a couple of projects, one romance and the other a family saga…so we’ll see what happens there. I’m continuing to write while I wait, and that’s about all I can tell you!

Last question, how can readers find you and your books?

Website
Facebook
OakTara Website
Blog
GoodReads

Amazon Links:

Yesterday’s Tomorrow

Hidden in the Heart

Welcome to Author Spotlight! Each week will feature a different author. We’ll get the scoop behind their writing life and dish a little. The authors will also be giving away a copy of their latest book. FUN.

The winner from last week’s Author Spotlight with Valerie Weaver-Zercher in the spotlight is Naomi Martin! Please email my assistant Christen with your mailing address. (ckrumm@litfusegroup.com)

This week please welcome Ann Shorey in the spotlight! To win a copy her book When the Heart Heals (Revell, 2013), leave a comment on this post.
Share a little bit about yourself. Married with kids? Empty nester? Do you work full-time and write when you can squeeze it in?

I’ve been married for twenty-two years to the best husband in the world. We’re empty nesters who lavish affection on our dog, Amber, when our grown daughters aren’t available. I’m blessed to be able to write full-time.

And share something about your writing. What’s your genre(s), your areas of interest…

I love history and historical fiction, so that translates to my writing. Currently I’m writing in the Historical Romance genre.

How did you get started writing? Did you have a dream of being a published author?

My dream of being an author started way back in high school, but wiser heads told me I needed to find a way to actually make a living. Fast forward a few decades to the days after my late husband died. Our children were already out on their own. I’d always wanted to write, and now had the time to fulfill my dream. So I took classes, devoured Writers Digest, and attended conferences.

I first wrote a nonfiction family history, then took inspiration from family stories and began to write novels in 2001.

After you started writing seriously–how long was it before you were published?

My first novel was accepted by Revell in 2007 and released in 2009.

Aside from a cup of good, strong coffee, what helps you get all of your “brain cylinders” firing so you can write well? Do you have any favorite places and routines when you write? How many hours a day do you spend writing?

The good, strong coffee is #1—there’s a cup sitting on my desk right now. Aside from caffeine, prayer is my first stop before writing. Once I commit my words to the Lord, and seek His help for the day’s output, I sit down and get busy. I write for four or five hours a day in my home office—with my dog keeping me company beside my desk.

What has been the biggest help to you in the journey to publication? Writers’ conferences? Writing groups? Your mom as your first draft reader?

For me, it’s been writer’s conferences. Between the classes and the networking, they’re the best investment of my time and finances. I started with attending conferences in my home state, and then branched out to traveling to conferences out of state. The ACFW Annual Conference is my hands-down favorite.

What are your biggest distractions?

Email and Facebook are huge distractions. I have to turn off my email to really focus on writing.

What do you least like about being a writer? Most like?

The toughest part is having to say no to participating in family activities that come up when I’m on a tight deadline. The thing I enjoy the most is spending time creating characters and stories. What fun!

What is the role and importance of an agent?

My agent is Tamela Hancock Murray. I love how she’s there for me. One of the most important aspects of being agented, and Tamela does this perfectly, is having someone between me and the publisher who will handle my questions and concerns.

What advice would you give to new writers?

First of all, don’t get discouraged and quit. Find a good critique group of serious writers and pay attention to their suggestions. Be willing to delete even your most golden words if they detract from your story.

Pretend I’m a customer at a bookstore looking for a good book. Give me a one or two sentence promo to convince me to buy your book.

If you enjoy stories about unconventional heroines, you’ll love When the Heart Heals. The main character, Rosemary, is a nurse in a time when nursing was not an acceptable profession for young, unmarried women.

What’s on the book horizon for you?

The next novel in the Sisters at Heart series is coming out in early 2014, and I’m busy with edits, cover design, and all the other fun stuff that goes with a book release. Additionally, I have a novella included in a collection with authors Jane Kirkpatrick, Amanda Cabot and Laurie Alice Eakes. The release date is mid-2014. This will be Revell’s first venture into the novella field, so it’s exciting to be part of the process.

Last question, how can readers find you and your books?

My website is www.annshorey.com. Readers can find my contact information there. Additionally, find me on Facebook.
Please check your local bookstore for my books—if they don’t have them in stock, I know they’ll be happy to order a copy for you.
My website has direct links to several online retailers, including Amazon.com and Christianbook.com: http://www.annshorey.com/novels.html

Thank you for sharing your writing life with my bleaders! (blog + readers = bleaders)

Thank you for inviting me, Suzanne! It’s been a pleasure.

Welcome to Author Spotlight! Each week will feature a different author. We’ll get the scoop behind their writing life and dish a little. The authors will also be giving away a copy of their latest book. FUN.

The winner from last week’s Author Spotlight with Lisa T. Bergren is Betti Mace! Please email my assistant Christen with your mailing address. (ckrumm@litfusegroup.com)

This week please welcome Valerie Weaver-Zercher in the spotlight! To win a copy her book Thrill of the Chaste (The Johns Hopkins University Press 2013), leave a comment on this post

Share a little bit about yourself. Married with kids? Empty nester? Do you work full-time and write when you can squeeze it in?

I am married and have three sons, ages 12, 10, and 8. I am a freelance editor and do developmental editing and copyediting work for a variety of publishers and individual authors. In addition to writing Thrill of the Chaste: The Allure of Amish Romance Novels, I write book reviews, features, and essays for a variety of publications. I love both writing and editing, and try to maintain some balance between the two.

And share something about your writing. What’s your genre(s), your areas of interest…

In addition to more academic or analytical nonfiction, I enjoy writing creative nonfiction and memoir. Frankly, I love to combine a journalistic approach to a topic with personal narrative writing, so that the prose ping-pongs back and forth between an investigation into some issue and my own experience of that issue. I also enjoy writing review essays that examine two or more books that revolve around the same topic.

How did you get started writing? Did you have a dream of being a published author?

I have enjoyed writing ever since I was in elementary school. My first job out of college (after a year abroad) was in editing, and it gave me the chance to write editorials and features and news articles. That first job was invaluable in terms of teaching me to write in a disciplined way, and under deadline! It also gave me critical experience in the editing side of the publishing equation; now that I have editors editing my writing, I understand and appreciate their role more than I would have had I not had that first job.

After you started writing seriously–how long was it before you were published?

That first editorial job gave me the opportunity to publish short pieces, and it gave me the confidence to keep submitting pieces for publication even after I had moved on to other jobs and to graduate school. Only after I had kids, however, did I begin to take myself more seriously as a writer and start treating it as a vocation that I wanted to pursue rather than just a hobby to be dabbled in. I don’t think I started really seeing myself as a writer until a few years ago, actually. It was much safer to call myself an “editor” or a “mother” than a “writer.”

Aside from a cup of good, strong coffee, what helps you get all of your “brain cylinders” firing so you can write well? Do you have any favorite places and routines when you write? How many hours a day do you spend writing?

I usually write in my basement study. (This room, which we remodeled a few years ago into my study, is likely different from most home offices in that it is, shall we say, a “multipurpose” room. There are a toilet and a sink in one corner! Our house was built in the 1960s, and we assume that the original owners decided to add a toilet in case they ever added a whole bathroom. We have simply put bookshelves up in front of it to hide it from view.) Anyway: I write best by myself—i.e., not in a coffee shop and not when my kids are home. I don’t have to have a beautiful place to write: just a computer, a desk, a chair, and some quiet.

What has been the biggest help to you in the journey to publication? Writers’ conferences? Writing groups? Your mom as your first draft reader?

Although I had already been publishing by the time we began meeting, my writing group has been invaluable in terms of helping me learn to revise. The women in my group are incredibly intelligent, careful, and compassionate critics and teachers of writing, and they offer helpful feedback whenever I show them a piece of my writing.

Is the “writer’s life” what you thought it would be? 

I don’t think I anticipated how much I would love the writing life. It is much more difficult than almost anything I’ve done, but also much more absorbing and lovely than most activities that fill my life. When I am in the middle of a large writing project, the time passes extremely quickly and I am surprised and saddened when the end of my work day arrives.

What are your biggest distractions?

Apart from raising kids and keeping a household running (someone always seems to be getting sick, and the laundry always accumulates way too fast), my biggest distraction these days is worrying about how my book is being received. I am very distracted by reading reviews of my work, scheduling interviews and signings, and worrying about whether people like my book. My tendency is to become the epitome of the needy-writer stereotype, and I’ve really had to work on separating myself from those extrinsic rewards and criticisms. I’m slowly learning to focus on the work of writing itself rather than people’s responses to it.

What do you least like about being a writer? Most like?

One of the difficult things for me about being a writer is that it’s such a private, at-home activity that many people who know me don’t really know what I do. That is, people at church and friends and acquaintances aren’t necessarily reading the things I write or edit, so I think they sometimes wonder what I do all day! Freelance writing and editing is also difficult in that the payments I receive for various jobs are quite inconsistent, and so it’s hard to plan on any specific monthly income. There also aren’t the usual “perks” of a regular job—health and retirement benefits, tech support, raises, and a supervisor to help you figure out how to do your work better,

Having said that, I feel incredibly privileged to be able to do the work that I most love to do in the world. Being able to devote some daytime hours to writing, rather than only after the kids are in bed, feels like a gift.

What advice would you offer to new writers?

I have found getting published to be an incredibly slow process of accruing contacts and confidence and skills. Frankly, I would not recommend it to the faint of heart! Learning to just keep writing and to remain hopeful in the face of rejections is akin to a spiritual discipline. In fact, writing often feels like a spiritual practice to me. So I guess I’d say: approach writing with care, cautious joy, and fear and trembling!

Pretend I’m a customer at a bookstore looking for a good book. Give me a one or two sentence promo to convince me to buy your book.

A new Amish romance novel appeared on the market at the rate of one every four days in 2012. Ten years earlier, only two new Amish novels were published. What has changed between then and now? Thrill of the Chaste: The Allure of Amish Romance Novels explores why Amish-themed fiction is so incredibly popular. If you find yourself curious about why so many people are curious about the Amish, you will enjoy this book.

Last question, how can readers find you and your books?

Thrill of the Chaste is available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the Johns Hopkins University Press website.

Welcome to Author Spotlight! Each week will feature a different author. We’ll get the scoop behind their writing life and dish a little. The authors will also be giving away a copy of their latest book. FUN.

The winner from last week’s Author Spotlight with Melanie Dobson is Sharon (sami***7)! Please email my assistant Christen with your mailing address. (ckrumm@litfusegroup.com)

This week please welcome Lisa T. Bergren in the spotlight! To win a copy of the newest book in her Grand Tour Series, Grave Consequences (David C. Cook 2013), leave a comment on this post

Share a little bit about yourself. Married with kids? Empty nester? Do you work full-time and write when you can squeeze it in?

Married for 21 years to Tim, my best friend. Our eldest of three is our first to leave the next this fall, when she goes to college. *sniff* *snort* I write when they’re all away at school.

And share something about your writing. What’s your genre(s), your areas of interest…

I write in many genres. I’ve written over 40 books–children’s, teen fiction, devotional, nonfiction, spiritual suspense, women’s fiction, contemporary romance. I often ask people what they like to read because I can pretty much come close to most reader’s favorite genres, except for sci fi.

After you started writing seriously–how long was it before you were published?

A year. God was gracious and opened a door, and then kept on opening doors…

Aside from a cup of good, strong coffee, what helps you get all of your “brain cylinders” firing so you can write well? Do you have any favorite places and routines when you write? How many hours a day do you spend writing?

I like to fill my head with good, thought-provoking nonfiction. Often those themes that God wants me to work on myself, creep into my novels. You write what you know, right? In regard to routine, I’ll not write for a month or two, then write five days a week for a month to get a decent rough draft done. I’m fast, once my research is done and I get my rear-end into a chair to concentrate. I always write at the library, hardly ever at home.

What has been the biggest help to you in the journey to publication? Writers’ conferences? Writing groups? Your mom as your first draft reader?

Reading WRITER’S DIGEST and going to writer’s conferences.

What are your biggest distractions?

Facebook and Twitter.

What do you least like about being a writer? Most like?

I least like the roller-coaster finances. I most like the flexibility.

What is the role and importance of an agent?

Steve Laube is my agent, and he’s a great sounding board and brainstormer. With publishing’s constantly shifting sands, I wouldn’t want to be without a good agent.

What advice would you give to new writers?

Read a ton of what you love, and then write THAT. Not what you think you should write, but what you can’t NOT write. Passion shows, regardless of genre.

Pretend I’m a customer at a bookstore looking for a good book. Give me a one or two sentence promo to convince me to buy your book.

Like “Downton Abbey?” You should check out my series about a group of Americans in Europe in 1913 on the Grand Tour…

What’s on the book horizon for you?

Rewrite of GLITTERING PROMISES, book 3 in the Grand Tour Series; edits on REMNANTS: SEASON OF WONDER (1st in a new YA trilogy); rough draft of the second REMNANTS; DELUGE, the fifth installment in the River of Time. And all that by end of June! Then, vacation and rest, and REMNANTS #3….

Last question, how can readers find you and your books?

www.LisaBergren.com; Facebook.com/LisaTawnBergren; @LisaTBergren

Most bookstores should have at least a copy of one of my books on their shelves, but if not, they can order it for you. Support your local bookstore! And if that doesn’t work, you can always find my books on Amazon, B&N, CBD, etc, etc.

Welcome to Author Spotlight! Each week will feature a different author. We’ll get the scoop behind their writing life and dish a little. The authors will also be giving away a copy of their latest book. FUN.

The winner from last week’s Author Spotlight with Regina Jennings is Merry! Please email my assistant Christen with your mailing address. (ckrumm@litfusegroup.com)

This week please welcome back Melanie Dobson in the spotlight! To win a copy her book Where the Trail Ends (Summerside Press, 2013), leave a comment on this post

What was your biggest break?
In 2008 an author friend told me about an upcoming line of novels from a new publishing company called Summerside. They wanted to publish novels set in small towns across the country. I had published three contemporary novels at the time, but my desire was to write historicals and I loved small towns. I contacted the editor about a story that had been burning inside me for awhile about a woman who hid runaway slaves in her home. It turned out the town of Liberty, Indiana had been a major hub on the Underground Railroad. My first “Love Finds You” book was published in 2009, and I’ve been writing historicals with Summerside ever since.

What is the smartest writing advice you ever got?
I’ve gotten some wonderful advice at conferences over the years, but there is one piece of advice that I still think about almost every time I sit down at my computer—don’t edit as you write your first draft. I find that if I critique my writing at the same time I’m putting my story on paper, I can paralyze mentally. It’s best for me to write out of passion first and then clean up the story on the second round (my edits usually happen the morning after I’ve written the first draft).

I’m inspired by…
Deadlines! ☺ I’m also inspired by old houses, abandoned towns, crumbling tombstones, a great story, and a salted caramel mocha.

My great adventure has been…
My husband and I spent a month backpacking Europe in 2003. We didn’t know it at the time, but while we were trekking through seven countries, a birthmother was in the midst of selecting us to adopt her infant daughter. Within weeks of our return home, we were parents of a beautiful girl named Karly. Europe was an amazing adventure, but I would have to say that parenting has been the greatest adventure of my life.

If I could go anywhere, it would be…
New Zealand. It’s been my dream since I was a kid to go there and explore.

If you have only…an hour…
I love quiet hours to sip tea and read. Or take a long walk as I work through the plot of my latest novel.

Describe yourself in one word
Dreamer

If your house were on fire, what one thing would you save?
My laptop (for my pictures, emails saved from friends, and all my writing)

What has been your most surreal, “pinch-me-I’m-dreaming” moment so far?
On my wedding day when our pastor said, “Jon has written a song for you.” Standing there, listening to the man I loved sing about his love for me, in front of my friends and family. Well, that was almost fifteen years ago, and I still get goose bumps thinking about it.

What drives you to succeed?
The story that Jesus told in Matthew about the talents. My desire is to be faithful with the talents and gifts God has given me. I may fail as much or even more than I succeed, but I pray I’ll never be accused of burying His gifts.

Best Surprise
My 40th birthday party. My husband pretended we were road tripping for the weekend and then he drove our family to the airport. We ended up in Colorado and had a fondue dinner with our closest friends. One of the best nights and best surprises of my life.

Best Sunday Afternoon Read
I love curling up on the couch during our family’s “Sunday afternoon quiet time” with a mug of green tea and Jan Karon’s Mitford series.

Best Way to Break a Sweat
Line dancing

Best Indulgence
An afternoon at the peaceful Allison Spa. This involves a yummy salad of hazelnuts and veggies grown in their garden. Resting in the steam room. Sipping tea as I read in a most comfy chair. And then a massage. I start feeling relaxed just thinking about it….

Welcome to Author Spotlight! Each week will feature a different author. We’ll get the scoop behind their writing life and dish a little. The authors will also be giving away a copy of their latest book. FUN.

The winner from last week’s Author Spotlight with Mary Connealy is Passion for Books! Please email my assistant Christen with your mailing address. (ckrumm@litfusegroup.com)

This week please welcome back Regina Jennings in the spotlight! To win a copy her new book Love in the Balance (Bethany House, 2013), leave a comment on this post!

Regina is giving away a Kindle Fire! Click the banner below to see what others are saying about her new book, sign up to win, and RSVP for her Facebook party on 4/4!

What was your biggest break?

My first break, or the decision that led to the big break, was joining my local ACFW writers’ group. There I learned much about the craft and the industry. I met people who were honest-to-goodness authors and benefitted from their advice.

Through that group I heard about the ACFW conference and attended in 2010. My big break came from my 15 minute editor appointment with Dave Long of Bethany House. After listening to me pitch my story he requested the first fifty pages of my manuscript. A few months and several steps later they offered me a contract.

One of my great adventures has been…

Once my friend Kala and I decided to drive to San Diego where our husbands were working. We left Oklahoma City at 5 a.m. with seven kids and drove straight through for 23 hours. We had a system down. The kids would play on the restaurant playground while we ordered food. They ate while we drove and only drank when we were within 30 minutes of a gas station. NASA couldn’t have planned it any better. The reward was a week at the beach and the Grand Canyon on the way home.

What has been your most surreal, “pinch-me-I’m-dreaming” moment so far?

Every time I get an email or a Facebook message from one of my favorite authors I feel like dancing. I can’t believe they consider me a colleague. For instance, I’m working on a novella collection with Mary Connealy, Karen Witemeyer and Carol Cox. As the emails fly between us I feel like I’m eavesdropping on a dream team. I can’t believe I get to work with this level of talent.

Best Way to Break a Sweat

Stacking firewood and anticipating a nice, warm snuggle with hot cocoa ahead.

Best Style Icon

I follow “Shabby Apple” on Facebook because I love their dresses. I’ve never ordered one, but someday…

Best Time-Waster

Incessantly checking email. If you have enough email addresses you can make the loop last for a few minutes before checking them again. I’d much rather read a book, but the question asks for time-waster and reading a good book is never a waste of time.

Welcome to Author Spotlight! Each week will feature a different author. We’ll get the scoop behind their writing life and dish a little. The authors will also be giving away a copy of their latest book. FUN.

The winner from last week’s Author Spotlight with Colleen Coble is Laurel from From Snowflakes to Hotcakes blog! Please email my assistant Christen with your mailing address. (ckrumm@litfusegroup.com)

This week please welcome Mary Connealy in the spotlight! To win a copy her new book Swept Away (Bethany House), leave a comment on this post!

Mary is giving away a $250 Visa Cash Gift Card! Click the banner below to see what others are saying about book one in her new series, sign up to win the gift card, and RSVP for her Facebook party on 3/28!

Share a little bit about yourself. Married with kids? Empty nester? Do you work full-time and write when you can squeeze it in?

I am married to a Nebraska rancher who was my high school sweetheart. We just celebrated our 36th wedding anniversary. We’ve got four grown daughters, two married, one with two beautiful little children. I work full time and write nights and weekends. Nights particularly because I am a raving insomniac, so I write to pass the hours.

And share something about your writing. What’s your genre(s), your areas of interest…

I write Romantic Comedy…with Cowboys. I think I can bring a lot of authenticity to this because I’m married to a cowboy and mostly I know how he thinks (He can still surprise me though) The comedy comes because my husband was one of seven sons and now we have four daughters. He just grew up in such a male dominated world and now he’s surrounded by women. Watching him react to the girls…well, there’s a lot of comedy in that.

How did you get started writing? Did you have a dream of being a published author?

I started writing my first full length novel when my baby went to Kindergarten. I look back on that decision to write and book and honestly I don’t know what came over me. What was I thinking??? But I did it and I love it and yes, the whole time I was pursuing publication. I have so many rejections I could set them on fire and melt the polar ice cap. In fact if the polar ice cap is melting it could be my fault because I burned them all a few years back.

After you started writing seriously–how long was it before you were published?

I wrote for ten years before I got my first contract and on that fateful day when I sold, I had twenty finished books on my computer.

Aside from a cup of good, strong coffee, what helps you get all of your “brain cylinders” firing so you can write well? Do you have any favorite places and routines when you write? How many hours a day do you spend writing?

I am a very low maintenance writer. I don’t need music or quiet or a certain drink. I can get a phone call and talk for a few minutes, then go right back to writing. I don’t have a hard and fast routine other than trying to write 1000 words a day. That’s my goal and I forgive myself if I fail but mostly I make it.

What has been the biggest help to you in the journey to publication? Writers’ conferences? Writing groups? Your mom as your first draft reader?

I’ve done so many things to try and get published. I’ve taken classes, joined professional organizations, entered contests, attended conferences belonged to critique groups queried agents and editors. The think that finally brought me to the attention of the company that pubished my first book was a writer’s contest. I won and that earned their attention and they said yes and then they saw all those finished books I had and wanted to see more. I’ve published 10 of those previously written books now and Swept Away is my 25th release so it’s going well.

What was one of the best moments in your career and what was one of the worst?

The very best moment in my writing life was when I received my first contract. There is a moment at the ACFW Conference when Barbour Publishing offers a contract to an unpublished author. When that moment came…they called out my name. I got to walk up onto a stage in front of 350 applauding authors and get handed a contract. It is one of the sweetest moments of my life.

The worst? Honestly I was rejected so many times by so many people when I look back on it all I can think it how it made me tough. How it made me determined to soldier on. I didn’t like it, but I learned from it and now when I get a one star review on Amazon, I can shrug it off because being disliked is a very familiar feeling, there is no way left to shock me.

What do you least like about being a writer? Most like?

You know, I just love being a published author. Maybe because it took me so long, but there isn’t any aspect of it I don’t love. I love starting a new book. I love revisions, making a scene faster, stronger, funnier. I love interviews like this where I get to tell people about my books. I suppose I dread public speaking but I’ve even found a comfort level with that. It’s not exactly my greatest gift though.

What is the role and importance of an agent?

I consider signing with Natasha Kern to be the best decision of my professional life. She has skills that boggle my mind. I love being agented and it’s getting close to being essential in today’s publishing world.

What advice would you give to new writers?

Write. Write. Write. Get a book finished. Make is as good as you can, enter it in contests, join a critique group, submit it to agents and editors and then, while you’re waiting to hear back from them, write another book. Learn everything you can and then apply it. Like any skill, you get better with practice so keep writing!

Pretend I’m a customer at a bookstore looking for a good book. Give me a one or two sentence promo to convince me to buy your book.

“Hi, have you ever read Janette Oke’s beautiful, gentle romance Love Comes Softly? Well, mine are just like hers except mine have mayhem and gunfire.”

What’s on the book horizon for you?

Swept Away is book one of The Trouble in Texas Series. Book two, Fired Up, is coming in August 2013. I’ve just signed a new contract with my publisher Bethany House so I’ll be writing for them for a while and I am thrilled!

Last question, how can readers find you and your books?

Seekerville
Petticoats & Pistols
My Blog
My Website
My Newsletter
Facebook
Twitter

Thank you for sharing your writing life with my bleaders! (blog + readers = bleaders)