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 Dani Pettrey is Sandi Ansell! Please email my assistant Christen with your mailing address. (ckrumm@litfusegroup.com)

This week please welcome Colleen Coble back in the spotlight! To win a copy her new book Safe in His Arms (Thomas Nelson), leave a comment on this post!

What is the smartest writing advice you ever got?

I didn’t understand branding until I want to Thomas Nelson. My editor Ami McConnell really helped me hone my strengths and figure out what my readership wanted. She once told me to “love your reader” and I always try to keep the reader in mind when I’m writing.

I’m inspired by…

Children. I love kids, their honesty, their wonder. I love including kids in my books.

My great adventure has been…

I’m living it right now. We came to Cambodia on a missions trip, and seeing the needs of the country and the sweet spirit of the people has been eye-opening.

If I could go anywhere, it would be…

Australia and New Zealand! I’ve always had a strange affinity for that part of the world, and I would love to see it. I will someday.

If you have only…an hour…

I grab a book. I love to read and have since I could first turn a page.

Describe yourself in one word.

Exuberant

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

Um, this actually happened. We lost our home to a fire in 1984. I grabbed my wedding dress and a suitcase of pictures. My husband still jokes about me grabbing the only article of clothing I’ll never wear again. ☺

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

The day my granddaughter was born. We’d thought we would never have any grandkids, and she is the light of our lives.

What drives you to succeed?

I love writing. I love every part of it, and the work itself drives me.

Best Saturday Afternoon Read

Any suspense novel. ☺

Best Indulgence

Debrand’s truffles! My favorite is the mocha or dark chocolate.

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 Nancy Mehl is Elba! Please email my assistant Christen with your mailing address. (ckrumm@litfusegroup.com)

This week please welcome Dani Pettry in the spotlight! To win a copy her new book Shattered (Bethany House Publishing), leave a comment on this post!

 

 

Dani is also giving away a Nook HD and hosting a Facebook Party on March 14th. Click the below for details.

Share a little bit about yourself. Married with kids? Empty nester? 

I am a wife, homeschooling mom and author. I am a huge fan of dark chocolate, am always in search of the best iced mocha, and would love to one day own a little cottage on a remote stretch of beach. I live in Maryland with my husband and our two teenage daughters.

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

I feel so very blessed to write inspirational romantic suspense because it incorporates so many things I love–the thrill of adventure, nail-biting suspense, the deepening of one’s faith and plenty of romance.

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

I have always loved daydreaming and making up stories. I dabbled with creative writing growing up, but set it aside. It wasn’t until after the birth of my youngest daughter and a bout with a serious illness, that I really felt God stirring me to start writing again.

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

From the first thought of “maybe I’ll try and write a book” to contract offer was seven years.

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 find spending time in God’s Word and in prayer each morning before I start the day to be an enormous help. When it’s time to write, I typically make a mocha, grab some homemade trail mix (almonds, dried cranberries, and chocolate chips), curl up on my office couch and get going. I typically write four hours a day.

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

The biggest help to me has been my family’s constant support and encouragement, along with the enormous blessing of having a truly amazing mentor.

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

It’s much busier than I imagined ☺

What are your biggest distractions?

Social media.

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

As I’m only on my second novel…can’t say that I’ve had a worst moment yet, but the best was making the bestseller list with my debut novel.

What do you least like about being a writer? Most like?
Least—Deadlines.
Most—First drafts.

What is the role and importance of an agent?

I signed with an agent after my initial contract offer, so for me, my agent has been instrumental in every aspect from that point on. She guides me in long-term career goals, subsequent contract negotiations, marketing advice, etc. I wouldn’t want to be without her—she’s an absolute gem!

What advice would you give to new writers?

Keep writing. I know it sounds trite, but it’s true. Writing isn’t easy. It can be a lonely endeavor, but if you believe God has called you to write, if you have a passion for telling stories, keep at it. Never give up on that dream.

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.

With All the Evidence Against Him, Only a Sister’s Trust Can Save Him Now

What’s on the book horizon for you?
Shattered  released February 1st and Stranded, book three in my Alaskan Courage series, will be out in September.

Last question, how can readers find you and your books?
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads

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

Thank you so much for hosting me ☺ ~Da

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 Wingate is Shirley Blanchard! Please email my assistant Christen with your mailing address. (ckrumm@litfusegroup.com)

This week please welcome Nancy Mehl back in the spotlight! To win a copy her new book Unbreakable (Bethany House Publishing), leave a comment on this post!

Nancy is also giving away a Kindle Fire and hosting a Facebook Party on March 5th. Click the below for details.

What is the smartest writing advice you ever got?

Work to perfect your craft and never decide there isn’t anything more to learn. No writer knows it all. I hope that every book I write will be better than the last one.

What was your biggest break?

Selling a cozy mystery to Barbour Books. That sale kicked off my writing career.

I’m inspired by…

Writers who don’t give up. This business has its ups and downs. Being able to ride out the rough times is the difference between those who have long term careers and those who get discouraged and walk away.

My great adventure has been…

My greatest adventure has come from being a mother. Watching my son grow into a wonderful young man, marry his soul mate, and become a father, has been the best adventure of my life!

The one thing I hope to discover is…

What God has planned for me. I don’t believe I’ve reached the summit of my journey. My goal is to become everything He created me to be.

If I could go anywhere, it would be…

To Missouri so I can be near my kids and my grandson. Thankfully, that’s in the works! We should be there sometime this year.

If you have only…an hour…

I would tell everyone I love how important they are to me. And I would tell my unsaved friends about Jesus.

Describe yourself in one word.

Tenacious.

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

My dog! Hopefully, my husband has already run outside! LOL!

What drives you to succeed?

Believing that God has a good plan for my life. I want to see it come to pass.

Best Surprise

Finding out my daughter-in-law was pregnant!

Best Saturday Afternoon Read

Something written by Tosca Lee or Ted Dekker.

Best Way to Break a Sweat

Walking in our favorite park.

Best Time-Waster

Television

Best Indulgence

Television! LOL!

Best Advice

Don’t give up. God has a good plan for your life. Just trust Him and 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 Richard Marby is Fenny! Please email my assistant Christen with your mailing address. (ckrumm@litfusegroup.com)

This week please welcome Lisa Wingate in the spotlight! To win a copy her book Firefly Island (Bethany House Publishing), 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?

In addition to being a writer, I’m a ranch wife, small-town girl, and mother of two — ordered girls, got boys, learned that boys can be delightful. I started writing when my boys were little, and my first attempt at a women’s fiction novel was inspired by a visit from my grandmother when my first son was born. These days, that baby boy is almost ready to graduate from college, and this year his younger brother will graduate from high school. So… like it or not, we’re practically empty nesters. That’s an adjustment I’m still working on!

Other than walking around with my head in a story, I’ve always enjoyed living in the country, spending time with family, skiing although I’m afraid of heights and a big chicken, so the family leaves me behind and ski instructors point me out as an example of how to slowly make it down a mountain. I love people-watching, as most writers do. I also love teaching Sunday school to high school seniors. Their faith is fresh and growing, and so are their insights into the nature of God. They are at a seeking stage in life, and that causes me to seek also.

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

I’ve been writing all my life – a special first grade teacher told me I would be a writer, and I guess you believe what your first grade teacher affirms. My first mainstream novel, Tending Roses, was published in 2001 in the general market by Penguin Putnam. At the time, there was a strong division between general market books and Christian books, and Tending Roses was one of the first novels to fall in that middle ground. Since then, I’ve been blessed to write eighteen novels for both general market and Christian publishers. I love having books shelved in places where people who have never tried a faith-based novel might give one a try.

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

My first grade teacher really did make a writer out of me. I think I honed those skills playing let’s pretend in the backyard with friends during childhood. These days, writing is still like a game of let’s pretend for me. I never know what will happen at the end of a book when I begin the story. It’s a journey.

Other than dreaming of being a writer growing up, I dreamed of being an Olympic gymnast or winning the National Finals Rodeo. Those dreams were thwarted by an inability to do a backflip on the balance beam and parents who wouldn’t finance a rodeo career, but one out of three isn’t bad.

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

Selling Tending Roses took a little over a year — roughly four months of searching for the right agent, and then about seven or eight months of shopping the book around to publishers. Because it fell somewhere between Christian and mainstream publishing, which were very separate back in the day, that was an interesting process, involving many rewrites and much discussion with several publishers. Eventually, we ended up selling the book to Penguin.

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?

My daily writer nectar is chai tea in a hand-thrown mug sent to me by Elizabeth Weiler, a sweet friend I met after she put one of my books, in her book about book clubs. Chai tea with a little whipped cream on top (the chocolate variety in this photo) is one of those little bribes I offer myself when a nap or Dr. Phil tempts me in the afternoons.

My mother makes her own chai tea mix, so it’s low fat and optional sugar or sweetener. If you’d like the recipe, you can find it here.

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

Definitely my mom as my first draft reader and the help of writing friends. My mother is my assistant (officially) and helps with many aspects of the publishing process. Aside from that, there’s no substitute for connecting with other writers, through conferences and loops. Writing can be a lonely business, and a listening ear, as well as a sharp second eye on those plot lines can help tremendously!

Is the “writer’s life” what you thought it would be? (Explain your answer)

Yes and no. I think, even from an early age, I understood the difficulty of putting an entire story together, of writing an entire book, from once upon a time, to the end. Like a lot of people, though, I think I had a very Hollywood image of life as a writer. The only real writer I ever met as a child was Wilson Rawls. He was speaking at our school because the movie, Where the Red Fern Grows, was being filmed nearby. I don’t think I ever understood that the writing business is more tough days in an office by yourself than it is booksignings and movie deals. That’s a lesson I think each writer has to learn for himself or herself.

What are your biggest distractions?

Everything that isn’t actually writing. But as far as biggest distractions, I have two little words for you: social media. I’m a people person… and… well… there are people there. Oh boy!

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

I can think of two “best” moments. One came just last year at the American Christian Fiction Writers’ conference. They’d announced early in the evening that, for the first time ever, a book had won its category with perfect scores from all five judges. I never dreamed it would be my book. When they announced that it was Dandelion Summer… I can’t even really describe how surreal that moment was, or how grateful and humbled I felt. To have that vote of confidence from other writers was incredible.

A second (and much quieter) moment that comes to mind was the moment that three early copies of my second book, Good Hope Road arrived in the mail. My boys were little then, and had just come home from school. Since there were three copies, we each took one. I remember the two of them sitting on the sofa on either side of me, reading the book. That was a very sweet moment!

A specific “worst” moment doesn’t come to mind, but it would probably involve the ups and downs of getting published in the first place.

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

Most: When one of my stories has a meaningful effect in the life of another person.

Least: When one of my story-babies doesn’t get a warm reception. Yes, negative reviews are part of the business, and the story everyone adores hasn’t been written yet, but still, it’s like having someone criticize one of your children. You love it. You and God made it. And you believe that God meant it to be. When someone offers harsh words, that cute little Taylor Swift song always comes to mind, “why you got to be so mean?” Of course, the reality is, there will always be people who love a book and people who don’t. You just hope the majority of people fall in the first category ;o)

What is the role and importance of an agent?

My belief is that if you’re writing fiction and planning to go the traditional publishing route, you probably need an agent. A few fiction writers manage to get a publishing house to read their work through a personal contact or by making a pitch at a writers’ conference, but if you’re not in that category, then your path probably begins with a careful agent hunt. When you’re considering agents, it is important to look at what sort of help you need and how the agent typically works. Some agents are more hands-on with editing, promotional advice, and so forth. It’s important to know what level and type of management works for you, and to discuss this ahead with the agent. It’s also a good idea to talk with other authors who are already represented by the agent. How does the relationship work? Are they satisfied? Will that type of relationship work for you? Author-agent working arrangements vary widely.

What advice would you give to new writers?

First, remember that everyone starts out as a yet-to-be-published author. I know it sounds elementary, but don’t attempt to set out into the publishing world until you’re fully ready. In other words, begin by finishing a novel. It’s almost impossible to sell a partial manuscript or idea if you’re unpublished. Polish it and send it out, because as much as we’d like them to, editors won’t come looking in your desk drawer. Yes, showing your work to the world involves some risk. Don’t let rejections wash you up on the beach and keep you there. While you’re waiting for news, write another book. If the first one sells, you’ll be set for a two-book deal. If the first one doesn’t sell, you have eggs in another basket.

Don’t take a critique too seriously if you hear it from one person. Editors, agents, friends, and readers are individuals. What works for one may not work for another. If you receive the same comment from multiple sources, consider revising your manuscript before you send it elsewhere. Be tenacious, be as thick-skinned as possible, keep writing while you wait for news.

If there is a particular area of your writing that seems to be holding you back (action scenes, dialog, description, characterization, etc) devote extensive study to this area. Seek out conference sessions and online workshops devoted to the topic. Study other authors’ techniques in this area. Don’t just read and admire—dissect, break down, make notes, keep a scrapbook of examples and notes-to-self. Read these notes-to-self when you’re stuck/struggling/editing something that isn’t working.

Watch for overbalance of narrative in your writing. Nothing slows down the pace of a story like huge patches of narrative. Narrative produces pages with big, blocky paragraphs that read slowly, and that tend to “tell” rather than “show”. When possible, work story elements into dialog, action, reaction, and short thought sequences, rather than using narrative. For example, rather than describing the main street of your town, have your character walk down Main, greet a neighbor or two, and reflect on a few random childhood memories of people/places. Be careful that you don’t slide down the slippery slope of having characters engage in meaningless chatter designed only to dump information to the reader, but always seek opportunities to work details in naturally during character interactions. Remember that body language speaks volumes, too.

Lastly, never marry yourself to one project. Keep creating new material—that’s where the joy is, and if you keep the joy of this business, you keep the magic of it. If you have a God-given desire to write and a story to tell, then don’t let anything hold you back.

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.

I think I’d use the “official” tweet line for Firefly Island: “Have you read Firefly Island? One reviewer said, “This book is a kidnapper! My family didn’t see me for two days!”

What’s on the book horizon for you?

I actually have two books on the horizon after Firefly Island — one coming in September 2013, and the next Moses Lake book, coming in February 2014. I’m really excited about both. It has been a busy, but fun, writing year!

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

I love connecting with readers and other writers, and story-people of all types, so I’m everywhere. On any given day, you can find me dawdling at these places:

My website
Twitter 
Facebook
Pinterest
Blogging Mondays

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

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 winners from last week’s Author Spotlight with Mary Ann Kinsinger are Carol Evirs Quinn, Ellen Shullaw, Lanore Lewis, Hope Anderson and Sue Whitmarch! Please email my assistant Christen with your mailing address. (ckrumm@litfusegroup.com)

This week please welcome Richard L. Mabry in the spotlight! To win a copy of his new book Stress Test (Thomas Nelson), 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?

My first wife passed away almost fourteen years ago, and our children have grown and moved away. God has blessed me yet again with the love of a wonderful woman, and between us, Kay and I have four grandchildren, ranging in age from fourteen to four.

For thirty-six years I was a practicing physician, the last ten as a professor at a major medical school. I’ve now been retired for almost ten years, and been writing for longer than that. I write my novels of medical suspense when my schedule permits—the person who says that retirees have lots of free time obviously is not a retiree.

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

I authored a non-fiction book, The Tender Scar: Life After The Death Of A Spouse, which was my introduction to this thing called writing. I tried my hand at general fiction, even authored a cozy mystery, but finally it became apparent to me (as it had to multiple editors and one previous agent) that if I had any talent for fiction, it lay in writing medical suspense. So, I settled on “medical suspense with heart,” and it seems to have worked out nicely.

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

In my professional life, I authored or edited eight textbooks and over one hundred professional papers, but I never dreamed of having anything published in the non-medical field. After the death of my first wife, I used journaling as a coping tool. I wanted to turn that material into a book to help others, which is why I ended up at a Christian writer’s conference. Not only did I get the information I needed to eventually produce and get a contract for The Tender Scar, but a couple of published authors (James Scott Bell and Alton Gansky) encouraged me to try my hand at fiction.

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

I envy writers who tell me with a straight face that their first effort was published. Although I had a number of articles reach print in some well-known Christian magazines, my novels didn’t meet the same reception. It took four years, writing four novels that garnered forty rejections, before I got an agent and, soon after, got a contract for my first novel of medical suspense, Code Blue.

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?

If I have a routine (and it varies), it’s that after breakfast I go into my office, check email and the blogs I follow, and then read over the last chapter I wrote. I don’t have a daily word quota (I know, thirty lashes for that), but I’m always aware of how much I’ve written and when my next deadline is coming up. I know that some writers like to take their laptops to various places, like Starbucks or their back yard, but I prefer the feeling I get by being in my office—a feeling that this is a business, and I’m a businessman at work.

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

I’ll sound like a politician, but my answer is, “yes and no.” It is in the sense that I’ve become friends with some of the neatest folks around: writers, agents, editors. It’s not because I’m an impatient type, and nothing—absolutely nothing—moves fast in the world of conventional publishing. For example, I turned in the manuscript for Stress Test in December of 2011. I returned the last revision in April of 2012. And here it is, a year later, ready for publication.

If you’re asking whether I get stopped on the street and asked for autographs, not at all. A few people in my home church know that I’m a writer, and I’m sometimes asked to sign a copy of one of my books for them, but that’s about as far as it goes. I don’t go to the head of the line at Six Flags Over Texas, Nolan Ryan hasn’t invited me to sit next to him in the owner’s seats at a Texas Rangers game, and my dry cleaner doesn’t give me a discount.

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

It’s hard for me to accept criticism of my work, even when it comes in the form of notes and revision suggestions from an editor. I sometimes have to pout for a full day before getting to work on those, at which point I generally find that the suggested changes make my novel much better. But what I like most is to read something I wrote a year or more ago and think, “Did I write this? It’s good.”

What is the role and importance of an agent?

I’ll explain with a story. A man had a machine that was vital to his business. The machine stopped, and nothing anyone could do would make it go again. Finally, he called a repairman who guaranteed to make the machine work. He looked at it for a moment, took a hammer and hit it, and the machine worked. When he presented a bill for $500, the business owner said, “I could have hit it with a hammer.” The repairman smiled. “It’s $1 for hitting the machine, $499 for knowing where to hit it.”

An agent knows where to hit it. They know what editors and houses might like your writing, and which ones wouldn’t touch it with the proverbial ten-foot pole. They offer career advice. They help talk you off the ledge when you’re down in the dumps. They’re vital to the career of a writer. Give them the hammer—in this case, the manuscript—and they know what to do with it.

What advice would you give to new writers?

Do the work! Before you get too far along, go to a writer’s conference. There are large and small ones, specialized and generalized ones, local and national meetings, expensive ones and conferences with a modest fee. Meet writers, editors, agents—but you don’t have anything to sell yet, so just listen and learn. Buy a half dozen or more of the best books you can afford on the writing craft. Read them, study them, highlight them, and go back to them if you have questions. Then write. Get someone knowledgeable to critique your work. Take their advice to heart, revise and write some more. Lather, rinse, repeat. And in time, if God wills, you’ll get the chance you’ve wanted.

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.

Dr. Matt Newman’s career is going down the drain. His freedom and perhaps his life may be next. But with the police convinced he’s a killer and the kidnappers still trying to finish what they started, Matt must find the truth—and the faith to keep going.

What’s on the book horizon for you?

My next novel after Stress Test is Heart Failure, in which a doctor finds that the man she thought would fill the hole left in her heart by the death of her husband isn’t the person she thought he was…in every respect. That one’s due out this coming fall.

I’m currently writing the next book, working title Critical Condition. In it, a surgeon must deal with her own emotional issues while trying to help her recovering-addict sister who is the main suspect in not one, but two homicides, one of which took place in the doctor’s front yard.

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

They can learn more about me by checking my website and my blog. I’m on Twitter and Facebook. And my books are available in print and e-reader format via Amazon, Barnes and Noble, ChristianBook, or your favorite bookseller.

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

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 Jamy Whitaker is Betty Powell! Please email my assistant Christen with your mailing address. (ckrumm@litfusegroup.com)

This week please welcome Mary Ann Kinsinger in the spotlight! To win one of five (5!) copies of her book Life with Lily (Revell), 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?

Happily married stay at home mother to four children ages 8 months to 12 years. I try to squeeze in some writing time everyday.

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

I am currently writing a children’s series about the life of a little Amish girl based on my own childhood of growing up in an Old Order Amish home.

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

From the time I started writing there was almost a year and a half to the release date of my first book.

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 never did learn to like coffee so you won’t find me sipping any trying to get a jump start to my day. Instead I try to take a few moments to un-clutter my mind by reading a Psalm or two before sitting down to begin writing.

The time spent each day writing varies a lot since there are four children in the house. The baby seems to have an aversion to seeing Mom at the computer so I do most of my writing while he is taking a nap. And even then it can be challenging. I have learned not to be surprised at all the things the children will find that are so important they can’t wait to tell or ask Mom. There is never a dull moment in our house.

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

My biggest help to becoming published was my blog and becoming friends with my co-author Suzanne. She opened a lot of doors to the publishing world for me.

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

The thing I like the least about being a writer is the amount of time it takes away from my family.

What I am liking the most is the people I have gotten to know and meet.

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 have ever wondered what it would be like to be an Amish child I think you will love “Life with Lily” where between its covers you will be transported to a different culture and enjoy life through the eyes of a young Amish girl.

What’s on the book horizon for you?

I’m excited to have readers be able to follow Lily as she gets older in the three books that will be following “Life with Lily”

Book two, “A New Home for Lily” is releasing soon and we’re celebrating with a giveaway! Two winners will win an ereader as well as “Life with Lily” and “A New Home for Lily”. You can enter here.

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

You can find me at A Joyful Chaos and on my Facebook. My books are available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD, and where ever books are sold.

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

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 Julie Klassen is HANNAH PEASHA! Please email my assistant Christen with your mailing address. (ckrumm@litfusegroup.com)

This week please welcome Jamy Whitaker in the spotlight! To win a copy of her book Get REAL: Stop Hiding Behind the Mask (Westbow Press), 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 live with my amazing husband and five energetic children in rural Indiana. With children ranging in age from 4 to 14, I write when I can find the time – early in the morning, waiting for cross-country practice to end or late at night.

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

I enjoy writing to women exactly where they are – speaking to theirs hearts and needs.

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

I started writing a blog and it simply went from there. It has always been a dream of mine to publish a book, but I didn’t really believe it would happen; kind of like my dream to run a marathon.

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

It took about a year and a half from the time I started my blog until my book was published.

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?

Coffee is a must while I am writing, no matter what the time of day. I enjoy writing out on the deck overlooking our pasture, woods and pond first thing in the morning, if possible. However, with the kids, that does not always happen. My office, lovingly created for me by my husband, would be my other favorite place to write. I do not have a set number of hours per day that I write due to the kids’ schedules. Therefore, some days I write for hours at a time and other days not at all.

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

The single biggest help would have to be attending the Proverbs 31 She Speaks conference this past summer in North Carolina. Through this conference, I met several facebook and twitter friends before hand that helped and encouraged me along the way. My husband has been incredibly supportive from the early stages of my writing all the way through publication.

Is the “writer’s life” what you thought it would be? (Explain your answer)

No, a writer’s life is a lot more involved than I initially thought; with building and maintaining a platform as well as promoting and marketing the published work. With that said, I still absolutely love what I do.

What are your biggest distractions?

Without a doubt, my biggest distractions would be the telephone and a messy kitchen.

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

What I like least about being a writer would be staring at the blank computer screen and wondering what direction to go.

I love getting all my thoughts and inspirations from inside my head down on paper and then having those words touch someone’s life.

What advice would you give to new writers?

The advice I would give a new writer would be to write, write and write some more. It does not need to be perfect, simply get your ideas and thoughts down onto paper. Also, do not get discouraged or caught up in the “number” game – comments, followers, likes; simply focus on the calling you have on your life. God will take care of the rest.

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.

Hiding who you really are is a life hazard. Get REAL: Stop Hiding Behind the Mask empowers women to let their true identity in Christ shine through.

What’s on the book horizon for you?

I am currently working on my next book. Staying in the same vein as Get REAL, it will also be a nonfiction inspirational book. I am hoping to have it completed by the end of next year.

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

Come and visit me at www.jamywhitaker.com or join my facebook page, www.facebook.com/AuthorJamyWhitaker

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

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 Linda Danis is ANGELA CARPENTER! Please email my assistant Christen with your mailing address. (ckrumm@litfusegroup.com)

This week please welcome Julie Klassen in the spotlight! To win a copy of her book The Tutor’s Daughter, 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 with kids. My husband and I have two sons, ages 12 and 15. For years I split my time between writing and working as an editor, but for the last year and a half, I have been writing “full-time” (or as full-time as I can between kids’ sporting events, homework, and all that goes along with being a wife and mom).

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

I write novels set in Regency England (early 1800s) or what I like to call the Jane Austen era. I consider myself something of an Anglophile and jokingly say the real reason I am writing is to justify my long-held desire to travel to England. My husband and I have been able to go twice now to research the books. We hope to go back someday soon.

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

Yes, I have wanted to be a writer since a young age. In fact, my mom kept a report card from the 2nd grade that said something like “Julie’s stories and poems show great potential.” But it wasn’t until much later, after working for years in advertising, then as an editor for Bethany House Publishers, that I got serious about writing and completed my first novel.

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

A few years. My journey to publication was somewhat different than the norm because I worked for Bethany House–my hoped-for publisher. My co-workers didn’t know I wanted to be a writer, but since they would be the ones reviewing my novel, I was in a quandary about how to proceed. I talked to my boss and he wisely suggested I submit the book under a pseudonym so that if it was accepted, it would be done so objectively. Of course, this also allowed me to cower under the protection of anonymity in case it was rejected! Thankfully, they liked it and wanted to publish it.

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 hardest part for me is getting started. I tend to procrastinate at the beginning of a new book and struggle to gain momentum. Research is fun and inspires ideas, but it doesn’t actually write the book. I find setting goals and having accountability partners help get me over the hump. And nothing gets the brain cylinders firing and fingers flying like a rapidly approaching deadline.

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

Originally, the biggest help to me was my experience working for Bethany House Publishers. I learned so much by working with other editors and with so many talented authors over the years. That experience taught me so much not only about writing, but how to put together a complete novel, which is much more difficult than I ever realized. Nowadays, I do have a well-read friend as my first reader. And I have author-friends also writing in the Regency era that I can go to for historical research questions. And. I have an amazing editor who is a huge help to me as well.

Is the “writer’s life” what you thought it would be? (Explain your answer)

I already knew writing was a solitary and usually unglamorous life. But I was surprised by how much more there is to the job–not only writing the books themselves, but all of the other things involved: promotion, networking, speaking, accounting, etc.

What are your biggest distractions?

Facebook and email–I enjoy connecting with readers and old friends, but I have to learn to limit my time socializing online. Especially when deadlines near.

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

Some of the best moments have been the pleasure and privilege of dedicating books to loved ones, or honoring special people in my author’s notes. Worst moment was probably being taken to task over a point of historical accuracy in my first novel. I learned pretty quickly that Regency-era history buffs can be tough critics. I do as much research as I can, but I am fallible. I’m still working to develop the “thick skin” writers are advised to have.

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

Well, no one likes negative reviews (they’ve been rare—but they still sting. These days, I don’t read reviews. My husband does and forwards constructive ones to me. Thankfully, most are positive). Truthfully, the best part is the fulfillment of knowing I’m (finally!) doing what God wired me to do–and for His glory.

What is the role and importance of an agent?

I have only had an agent for a little over a year. Personally, I wanted an agent to help me navigate the rapidly changing publishing world with its consolidating publishers, the rise of e-books, the decline of traditional booksellers, etc. Since writing is so solitary, I like having my agent in my corner to help me make sound decisions and keep more of my focus on the writing itself.

What advice would you give to new writers?

If you are unsure what to write, I would suggest choosing the genre you most like to read yourself and know the best. I would advise you to keep your derriere in the chair and tough it out until you write a complete first draft. It’s probably the hardest thing about being an author. Until you do, you will never know if you have what it takes—or would even truly want—to be a writer. I would also encourage writers to study the basics (point of view, plotting, characterization, etc.) online, at a writer’s conference, or with a local writer’s group. Once you have written a first draft, have well-read friends or a critique group read the manuscript and revise it based on their feedback before submitting it to an agent or editor. Writing is a lot of work, but definitely worth the effort.

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.

I’d prefer to let someone else do the talking, so perhaps I’d quote a review like this one from Good Reads, “This is my idea of what Jane Eyre would’ve been like if penned by Jane Austen – The Tutor’s Daughter is a must read for anyone looking for a new classic in a similar vein. So whether you’re a fan of Jane Austen or Charlotte Bronte, or both, you will soon become a fan of Julie Klassen once you read this wonderful book.”

What’s on the book horizon for you?

I am working on my next stand-alone Regency novel for Bethany House Publishers
which, Lord willing, will release December 2013.

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

Readers can sign-up for my email list via my web site (www.julieklassen.com) or find me at “Author Julie Klassen” on Facebook. I’d love to hear from them. The Tutor’s Daughter is also touring the web with Litfuse Publicity! Be sure to stop by the tour page and see what reviewers are saying as well as sign up for some great prizes (and RSVP for the upcoming Facebook party!!)

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

You’re welcome–thanks for having me here!

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 Leslie Gould is Dianna Bupp! Please email my assistant Christen with your mailing address. (ckrumm@litfusegroup.com)

This week please welcome Linda Danis in the spotlight! To win a copy of her book 365 Things Every New Mom Should Know, 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 have been married for 27 years and have four wonderful kids, two in high school and two in college. Raising them has been my main job and ministry for the past two decades, which means I have worn many different hats over the years… PTA president, Moms in Touch leader, Team mom, Sunday school teacher, Bible study leader, and Carpool driver extraordinaire. I definitely fall into the “write when I can squeeze it in” category.

So, when do you find time to write? Are you a morning writer or a night writer?

Writing requires focused time for me. It takes a while for the words and ideas to start flowing. I need a chunk of uninterrupted time and that is hard to come by at my house! Most of my book was written between midnight and 2:00 AM, because that was when everyone was tucked in bed, fast asleep. Now that I have teenagers who keep later hours than I do, my best time for writing is early in the morning, before they even begin to stir.

If you happened to have a free hour, what would you do?

Well, my first instinct would be to get something done on my to-do list. But after you clarified that it had to be something relaxing, I would probably say read the latest book sitting on my nightstand or browse Pinterest for fun ideas and recipes. If it was nice outside, it would definitely be spent gardening.

What’s your favorite way to break a sweat?

Hiking or walking with friends. It’s a great way to get caught up with each other’s lives, plus we are usually so busy talking that we don’t even notice we are working up a sweat.

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

Wow, there have been so many, especially because I never thought I would become a published author. I originally just wrote 365 Things Every New Mom Should Know to give as a gift to friends when they had a new baby.

My top five moments from this amazing journey would have to be:

1. Receiving the initial call from the acquisition editor at Harvest House asking if I was still interested in having them publish my book. That took about two seconds to think about… Yes!
2. Seeing my book on the TV program, “Friends”, as Monica read from it for tips on how to help Rachel’s baby stop crying (it worked!).
3. Discovering a box at my front door with copies of my book translated into Indonesian. It was pretty amazing to think it would be read by women half way around the world in a language that I didn’t even know!
4. Finding out that my publisher was going to re-release my book this past April and give it an updated cover on its tenth year anniversary in print.
5. Knowing that I have been able to help over 50,000 moms during that exciting, yet often overwhelming, first year of parenting!

What is the smartest writing advice you ever got?

It actually was advice on book publicity. Even though I have a degree in marketing, this was the most challenging part of having a book published. I hated anything that seemed remotely like self-promotion. Even telling friends about my book was awkward, because I didn’t want to seem prideful. But then a wise friend told me, “God has given you this opportunity to share what you feel is very helpful for new moms. How can they benefit from it, if they don’t even know the book exists?” That helped me have a new perspective on publicity. I admit it is still difficult, but it helped me see that I am not promoting “myself” or “my” book, but instead I’m letting others know about a book that I truly believe will help and encourage other mothers.

What advice would you give to new writers?

Sometimes, we let perfectionism and self-doubt get the better of us. I would recommend trying to turn off the critical side of your brain and just let the words flow. Give yourself permission to write poorly at first. Our desire to choose just the right words and say it in just the right way often paralyzes us from beginning to write. For the first draft, just focus on getting the words and ideas on paper. Later you can begin the important process of editing.

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

365 Things Every New Mom Should Know: A Daily Guide to Loving and Nurturing Your Child guides a mother through the first year of her baby’s life one day at a time, offering practical advice, developmental activities, and helpful hints in caring for her baby. Weekly devotions speak straight to a mother’s heart, addressing all the joys and frustrations of motherhood, providing godly insight and encouragement.

Where can readers find a copy of your book?

It’s available at any bookstore (if it’s not on the shelf, they can order a copy for you) or online book retailer.

What have you most enjoyed about being an author?

I love hearing from my readers that I have helped them as they venture into the wonderful world of parenting. It’s a great feeling to know I may have made a small difference in the life of a child by what I taught his or her mom.

Are you working on a new book?

No, not right now. I believe God wants me to focus my time and energy on my family for this season of life. In my desire to help others be good moms, I don’t want to end up neglecting my own kids. I do speak to moms groups and write parenting articles, and I have several partially written manuscripts waiting in the wings. When the time is right and God opens the door again, I will be ready. The good thing about waiting is I am always learning new things about parenting. Experience is the best teacher!

Anything else you’d like to add?

Can I give one word of encouragement to any new moms who may be reading this? What you are doing has eternal significance. As we deal day in and day out with diapers, tantrums, dishes, spilled milk, and piles of laundry, it’s easy to lose sight of how important our work is as mothers. We look back at the end of the day and feel we haven’t accomplished much of anything. Yet, our work is so important! I think we need to catch a glimpse of God’s vision of motherhood – it is the greatest ministry opportunity we will ever have. We have the privilege of shaping the next generation! You are laying a loving foundation that will last a lifetime!

Thanks so much for inviting me to visit your blog, Suzanne!

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.

This week please welcome Leslie Gould in the spotlight! To win a copy of her book Courting Cate, leave a comment on this post!

What is the smartest writing advice you ever got?

Think of the first draft as the scaffolding. You have to put it up to build the building, but it all gets torn down later. I write my first drafts fast and furious, doing very little editing along the way. After I’m completely done, I begin the rewriting process. Getting the first draft written really frees me to rework the story as needed. Otherwise I tend to over think, over edit, and over procrastinate.

What was your biggest break?

My agent, Chip MacGregor. He’s encouraged me when things looked bleak, paired me with my co-author, Mindy Starns Clark, and he loved my Courtships of Lancaster County idea—retelling Shakespeare stories—from the very beginning.

I’m inspired by…

Stories! Amish stories. Mennonite stories. Adoption stories. Birth stories. Growing-up stories. Farm stories. Overseas stories. Parenting stories. Redemption stories. I love listening to people talk about their lives.

My great adventure has been…

Traveling with my husband to Vietnam in 2001 to adopt our youngest daughter, who was almost four at the time. A planned two-week trip ended up being almost five weeks. There were problems with the paperwork, which caused a lot of stress, but many good things came from our extra weeks there—spending more time with our daughter in her country before bringing her home, connecting with more Vietnamese people, depending on God, and the inspiration for my second novel, Beyond the Blue. It’s not our story, but it’s based on our emotions.

The one thing I hope to discover is…

How to truly live by faith, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day. How to wake every morning and say, “This is your day, Lord.” And not take it back in a fit of worry or control or blame.

If I could go anywhere, it would be…

That’s a really hard question. I’d really like to go back to Nappanee, Indiana and visit more with an Amish family I spent time with a couple of years ago. And I’d like to return to Vietnam and work in an orphanage for a few weeks—or longer. Russia has also been on my mind lately. I’ve never been but think it would be fascinating. Right now, though, we have three kids in college and another on her way in a couple of years, so I don’t see any big trips in our foreseeable future!

If you have only…an hour…

I wouldn’t start reading a book—that would be too frustrating! I would go for a walk with my hubby or a friend or one of my sisters and talk, talk, talk.

Describe yourself in one word…

Faithful (even though I have a hard time living by faith ☺)

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

After my kids and husband? And assuming the cats are outside? My laptop. Not only does it have all my documents, it has photos, plus addresses, contacts, and all the stories I still want to tell. (Yes, my laptop, even with an online back system in place.)

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

That would have to be winning the Christy Award for The Amish Midwife with my co-author Mindy Starns Clark. Being a finalist was so wonderful, and I felt so content with that. But when the first paragraph of our novel was read indicating we’d won, it really did feel like a dream.

What drives you to succeed?

I would write whether I kept getting contracts or not, but having deadlines and making a living at this is great motivation to keep at it!

Best Surprise…

The Amish Midwife making it to #1 on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists. I’d never had a bestselling book before at all—I was shocked!

Best Saturday Afternoon Read…

I tend to binge on books—once I get started I can’t stop. Lisa Wingate’s Dandelion Summer is one of my most recent binges. It was excellent! The Secrets of Mary Bowser, by Lois Leveen, is another.

Best Way to Break a Sweat…

Spending a day working on marketing! I feel good about my books and promoting them, but it’s hard for me to talk about myself. I wasn’t raised that way. So I really do try to focus on my books, although this interview is all about me. ☺

Best Time-Waster…

Watching HGTV with my daughters.

Best Indulgence…

Crème brûlée at Pho Van, a Vietnamese restaurant in Portland, Oregon where I live. It’s the most amazing combination of the best of French desserts with the Vietnamese addition of ginger to the hard caramel. It’s absolutely divine—this coming from a chocolate girl!

Best Advice…

If you want to write fiction, go to writers’ conferences. Start with a local one and then go to a national one. Network with agents and editors and other writers. Offer to review novels. Be supportive of the industry. Make friends. They will friend you back.