Showing posts with label Author Interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Author Interview. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 1, 2015


Sarah Sundin

Are you a morning person? A night owl? How do you arrange your schedule to allow the most efficient, productive time for writing?

I am definitely a night owl. Many writing teachers say you must write first thing every morning. No internet. Pure writing. That would be a disaster for me. My brain barely functions before nine o’clock, and creativity doesn’t kick in until noon. So I work with how God made me. In the morning, I take care of internet and social media first. For one thing, I live in California, and my publisher is three hours ahead of me. If they need something from me by the end of the day, I need to work on it immediately. Also, busywork allows my brain to wake up. After lunch, my creativity and energy burst in, and I can write nonstop until dinner—if life allows me. When I get an evening to myself (rare), I can really write! God made each of us unique, and the only “must” is we “must” find what works best for us.

When working on a manuscript, what do you do when you get stuck?

Because I outline my novels, I rarely get stuck in the rough draft. If I do, I review my notes for the chapter, read the previous chapter, and dive in. Most importantly, I give myself permission to write garbage, knowing I can delete it later. Just put something on the page. Ironically, those “garbage” beginnings often end up as my favorites.

Do you ever read your dialog aloud to see how it sounds? Have you ever performed an action you want one of your characters to carry out in order to help you visualize or describe it? Have you ever embarrassed yourself doing this?

Oh, yes! I read each novel out loud while editing. This is a great way to catch unnatural dialogue, awkward sentences, poor flow, boring parts, and repetitions. And I often act out bits, from body language to action. Recently I needed to know if my heroine could get up to standing on one leg with her hands tied behind her back, hop through a door, close it behind herself, and lock it—and fast. So I acted it out. Yes, I could do it! Yes, my family thinks I’m weird.

If you’re a plotter, have you ever tried pantsing it? If you’re a pantser, have you ever given plotting a try? Can you swing both ways, or are you a confirmed devotee of one of these methods?

I am a plotter. I wrote my first novel by the seat of the pants, and it was an overblown mess that required extensive editing and is still unpublishable. When I started attending writers’ conferences, I learned various methods of outlining—and the angels sang! Outlining fits my analytical, methodical personality, and I write faster, cleaner, and better with an outline. So I’m a confirmed plotter. But that’s what works for me. Some pantsers find outlines stifle their creativity, and they need to avoid them. For me, the structure of an outline actually unleashes my creativity.

Do you prefer writing the initial draft, or do you enjoy the revision process more? Do you revise as you write, or do you first produce a big mess that you later have to fix? If your first draft is rough, do you usually have to cut out a lot of dead wood, or add flesh to the bare bones?

While I enjoy most of the pre-writing and outlining phase, I adore the rough draft. Since the story is outlined in advance, my rough drafts are pretty clean, and the editing process is fast and smooth. The changes aren’t usually huge content issues, but smaller details—“add this historical fact,” “add in that bit about her sister,” “weave in the sailing theme,” “decrease internal monologue.” I don’t make the revisions during the rough draft phase—I just take notes. Then all the changes get made after the rough draft is complete.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Revell, 2015
Sarah Sundin is the author of seven historical novels, including Through Waters Deep (Revell, August 2015). Her novella “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” in Where Treetops Glisten is a 2015 Carol Award finalist. A mother of three, Sarah lives in California, works on-call as a hospital pharmacist, and teaches Sunday school.


Buy Through Waters Deep:
Barnes &Noble                
ChristianBook.com        

Monday, May 19, 2014

Author Cathy Bryant has a special treat for us today! An interview with the hero and heroine of her new inspirational romantic suspense release, A Bridge Unbroken - well, sort of. Her characters might have other ideas. ;)

Meet Chance and Dakota, and be sure to stick around after the interview for some some exciting info and an ebook giveaway!

* * *

Chance: (finger to lips) Shhhh! Don't tell Cathy. She'll arrive here in a sec to interview me and Dakota. But we're gonna put her in the hot seat for a change. After all, she's put us through the ringer in writing A Bridge Unbroken. It's only fair that we return the favor. Shh, here she comes. (returns to seat and acts all nonchalant)

Cathy: (enters, moves to seat) Hey, you two. Ready to get this interview underway?

Chance: (with a smirk) Of course. Why wouldn't we be?

Dakota: (her eyes shoot daggers) Yeah, it's not like we have anything else to do with our time, thanks to you.

Cathy: (shifts uncomfortably) Uh...what do you mean?

Dakota: Renovate a farmhouse, fix a bridge, work on our relationship, get away from the antagonist, all while dealing with an unexpected gift of a dog and chickens? I mean, really, couldn't you just send us to outer space in a defunct space shuttle or something?

Chance: (pats Dakota's arm) Easy, honey, your Irish temper is showing.

Dakota: (continues to shoot daggers)

Cathy: (swallows hard) Um, sorry. First question: Why did you two introduce yourselves to me with such major problems to overcome?

Chance: Ha! You're the one who created us, not the other way around. Why'd you give us so much to overcome?

Cathy: I wanted to explore the topic of forgiveness. It's a huge part of our faith, but we struggle with it, especially when the offender seems determined to destroy us.

Dakota: (nods) Even worse is when our actions hurt others. We can't go back and undo it. Sometimes we can't even forgive ourselves. And when the other party accepts no responsibility... (her words trail off as she glances at Chance)

Chance: (frowning) Haven't we discussed this enough? Yeah, so maybe I have a hard time seeing the speck in my eye--

Dakota: Speck?

Chance: So maybe it's a little bigger than that.

Cathy: Maybe?

Chance: You, too?

(Cathy and Dakota share a knowing look.)

Chance: (sighs) Okay, beam. You happy now?

(Cathy and Dakota smile.)

Cathy: (glances at clock) Well, let's move on to question two. Dakota, why do you run away so much?

Dakota: As I recall, you gave me a pretty tough childhood. (inserts sarcasm) Let me express my undying gratitude.

Cathy: Anything to help the story.

Chance: Yeah, speaking of that, why do you put the story above the characters? Don't we deserve some gratitude for bowing to your commands?

Cathy: Um, first of all, you are the story. That's just the way it works. And as for bowing to my commands? Y'all are the most unruly characters I've ever written. You took over on more than one occasion.

Dakota: You should be grateful.

Cathy: If I wrote by the seat of my pants, maybe. But I like knowing what you guys are gonna do before I ever start the story.

(Chance and Dakota look at each other.)

Dakota: Great. Our author has OCD.

Chance: Big time. But at least it explains why she put us through so much.

Cathy: Enough about me. Chance, would you explain how you got those scars on your face?

(Chance blushes and squirms in his seat.)

Dakota: (compassion in eyes) Uh, I'll take responsibility for that. Sorry, Chance.

Chance: (smiles tenderly at Dakota) It's over and done with. Besides, I'm not the only one.

Dakota: I think we've done pretty well in moving past it all. (She takes his hand.)

Chance: (brings her hand to his lips and plants a soft kiss) Agreed. (He stands and pulls Dakota up with him.) Interview over.

Cathy: (her face incredulous) What? I'm not through.

Chance: Oh yes, you are. (He and Dakota turn and move away.)

Dakota: (glances back over her shoulder) Seriously, Cathy, how can you expect to write a romance and not give your hero and heroine some alone time? I mean, really.

Cathy: (watches them walk away, with a sheepish grin) Sorry. Did I mention they don't always do what I say? (shakes her head as she exits)

* * *

A BRIDGE UNBROKEN
Letting go to build a bridge…

A frightened runaway's plan to start afresh is derailed when she co-inherits her late grandfather’s farm with the man responsible for the scars on her heart. But he isn’t the only ghost from the past. Someone else is out to get her and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Will Chance and Dakota lay aside their grudges to restore the old farmhouse and bridge, or will evil forces sabotage their attempt at forgiveness?


Other Miller’s Creek Novels

“Miller’s Creek, Texas…where folks are friendly, the iced tea is sweet, and Mama Beth’s front porch beckons…”

* * *

A Texas gal by birth, Cathy enjoys spinning tales set in the fictional town of Miller's Creek, Texas. When she's not writing the Miller's Creek Novels, you'll find her rummaging through thrift stores or up to her elbows in yet another home improvement project in the mountain cabin she shares with her minister husband of over thirty years. You can find out more about Cathy and her books at www.CatBryant.com

Here are a few other places to find Cathy:

* * *

$100 Visa Card Giveaway/Launch Party

Cathy is celebrating the launch of A BRIDGE UNBROKEN with a $100 Visa Card Giveaway. Other prizes include t-shirts, coffee mugs, tote bags, bookmarks, eBooks, print books and Amazon Gift cards. Winners announced at the Facebook Launch Party, May 22, 2014, 7-8 p.m. CST. CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE VISA CARD GIVEAWAY. See you at the party!

https://www.facebook.com/events/315502748601792/

* * *

eBook Giveaway!

In addition to the awesome tour-wide giveaway and Facebook party, Cathy is kindly offering an ebook copy of A Bridge Unbroken to one of our BB readers! Just leave a comment with your e-mail address (so we can get in touch with you if you win), and let us know what you think of Chance and Dakota, and their story. Are you a romantic suspense fan?

(Note: This giveaway is open internationally. Winner will be announced next Monday, May 26th, in the comments section of that day's post.)

Monday, April 28, 2014

Please welcome Alicia Willis to the BB! Alicia is the author of two novels and two novellas, with more books on the way. :) She loves historical fiction, and that's the main topic of our interview today. Come learn more about Alicia's books and enter to win an e-copy! (You can also connect with her on Facebook, Google+, and her blog.)

***

Amber: Welcome to “The Borrowed Book,” Alicia! Could you share with us what inspired your love for history and historical fiction?

Alicia: I think I was born loving history! As a young girl, my Mom would have to take the history books from my hands at night. I would literally go to bed reading history.

I think my love for historical-fiction grew out of the knowledge that some people see history in black-and-white. I wanted to show people that history is alive with color and vigor, with individuals who really lived and were just as real as we are. That has always been my goal: to portray history as being exciting, not just boring dates and facts.

Amber: That's an admirable goal, and one I can definitely relate to as a fellow historical fiction author! Now, you’ve written books set in the Middle Ages, on the prairie, and at the Alamo. So which era of history is your favorite?

Alicia: Probably the Middle Ages. I love knights, squires, and the unique way they lived their lives. I have also written a Roman novel (coming soon!). The Roman Empire is another favorite era of mine.

Amber: You’ve written both full-length novels and novellas. What are the challenges and joys of writing stories of differing lengths?

Alicia: The joys of writing full-length novels include expanding the character developments, which I enjoy. I love getting to know my characters better! However, this joy can also be realized in writing a short novel because I continue to make up the story in my head even after I’ve reached my word count. For me, no matter how long or short the book, a character is never really finished with his/her story. It always continues on in my heart and mind.

The challenges really only have to do with the publishing process itself. My full-length novels are published through a Christian hybrid publisher, so my only challenge is in communicating with my teams and signing my life away. :) My novellas are self-published through KDP, so the challenge is in doing the hard work of interior layout and copyright myself.

Amber: Love what you said about characters' stories continuing despite the length of the story! So true.

Your latest release is Remembering the Alamo, and it’s a mix of modern day and historical fiction. What made you decide to blend contemporary and historical storylines instead of staying strictly in the past? What do you hope readers will take away from the parallels and contrasts?

Alicia: I’ve noticed that many folks (particularly young people) don’t see how history applies to them today. Too many individuals think of history as boring facts. I wanted to show how the valiant sacrifice of the Alamo defenders can be beneficial and even exciting to people today. The story centers around a youth group visiting San Antonio and the story their pastor tells them – the story of an 1800 wheelwright who left everything to defend Texas. By blending 21st century characters with Alamo heroes like David Crockett and William Travis, my goal was to show readers everywhere how important it is to remember the sacrifices of our forefathers.

Amber: Very cool! What’s next for you on the publishing front? 

Alicia: Praise God, my Roman novel entitled From the Dark to the Dawn was a top thirty winner/finalist in a nation-wide contest with over three hundred entries. Lord willing, I will be publishing it within the next few months. Additionally, I hope to release the third and final book in The Comrades of Honor Series this year. How does the title Rising to the Challenge sound to you all? I hope readers are ready for a feisty Iceni slave, a cruel Roman master, a rebellious squire, and a God-fearing knight!

Thank you for having me here today!

Amber: It's a pleasure, Alicia! Congratulations on your exciting news, and best wishes on your continued success!

***



Giveaway!

Alicia is kindly offering a PDF ebook of any of her four titles: God of Her Fathers, To Birmingham Castle, Remembering the Alamo, or In Search of Adventure. Winner's choice! Just leave a comment with your e-mail address (so we can get in touch with you if you win), and let us know what you think of historical fiction and which of Alicia's books most intrigues you! You can learn more about each book on her website. (Note: This giveaway is open internationally. Winner will be announced next Monday, May 5th.)

Monday, April 14, 2014

Please welcome Tracy Leininger Craven to the BB!  She's the author of the children's historical fiction book Alone Yet Not Alone, which has been made into a movie (coming to theaters this June). She's here to tell us more about the book and movie - and there's a giveaway at the end, so read on!

***

Amber: Welcome to “The Borrowed Book,” Tracy! Could you share with us what inspired your love for history and historical fiction?

Tracy: Growing up, story time was a regular bedtime ritual. It turned into a great motivator for my siblings and myself to get our nightly chores done quickly so that we could read as long as possible. My dad read a variety of books covering everything from the Bible to poetry to biographies to fiction. Historical fiction was one of my favorites genres.

Writing children’s historical fiction combines my love of writing and discovering true stories from the past. My goal is to make history come alive for my readers. I have come to realize the importance of taking the time to learn from those who came before us. As a Christian, I see history as God’s story through time. Seeing His faithfulness in people’s lives and discovering their stories gives a fresh look at the past. It becomes personal and alive. History is so much more than dates and events. I love to find true stories of God’s love and hope in the midst of suffering or trials and share them with others. My hope is to cultivate a similar love for history and learning in my readers.

Amber: Love it. :) Which era of history is your favorite?

Tracy: Good question. There are so many eras that fascinate me. But I will narrow it down to American history during the Colonial period with the Pioneers and settlers at the top of my list. The Great Depression is a close second. I’ve come across so many amazing stories of men, women and children who worked hard to make ends meet and shared what little they had with their neighbors. It was a difficult time in our history, but the stories of survival are truly incredible.

Amber: Oh, I agree about the Depression! Movies like The Journey of Natty Gann and Kit Kittredge have really captured my imagination and inspired me with their stories of desperation and surviving hope.

So what drew you to write for children? What do you like best about writing for younger readers?

Tracy: I’ve wanted to write children’s books for as long as I can remember. It probably stems from my love for children and from my love of reading as a child. I enjoy the beauty, innocence and creativity of young minds; their simple faith, wonder, vibrant love of life and desire to learn and discover. If I, even in a small way, can cultivate that love of learning and inspire children with stories that give hope and share God’s love and grace, I am fulfilled in my purpose as an author.

Amber: That's a great mindset!

How involved were you in the making of the movie version of Alone Yet Not Alone? I noticed that it’s currently rated PG-13. Do you believe the movie is meant for a different audience than the book?

Tracy: I was not very involved with the script or production of the movie. I was able to be on set for part of the filming and I actually have a small cameo in the film. It was really fun to dress up in the colonial American dress and act in a small scene. In a way, it felt like I stepped back in history and into my book. That feeling is a personal highlight.

The story takes place during the French and Indian War and follows the dramatic events of the Leininger sisters’ capture and escape from the Indians. The book tends to focus more on relationships and I describe the intense scenes with a younger audience in mind. The movie spends more time on action and adventure and I think it is intended for a broader audience. But either way, I think it would have been nearly impossible to create a war story on screen without some level of violence.

Amber: How fun about the cameo! And those are some great things to note about the differences between the movie and the book.What’s next for you in publishing?

Tracy: I do have a few ideas I am considering. We’ll have to wait and see if those thoughts develop and take flight.

Amber: I understand. We'll all just have to stay tuned for more details. :) Thanks for joining us today!

***

Giveaway!

Zondervan has put together a special movie edition of the book Alone Yet Not Alone, and the PR people at Media Connect wanted to offer a copy to one of our readers! Just leave a comment with your e-mail address (so we can get in touch with you if you win), and let us know what you think of YA (young adult) historical fiction, or if you're planning on seeing the movie this summer. You can learn more about the movie at www.aloneyetnotalone.com.

(Note: This giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only. The winner will be announced next Monday, April 21st.)

Monday, April 7, 2014

Please welcome debut author Miranda Uyeh to the BB! Miranda blogs at To Be A Person, and she offers authors assistance in putting together blurbs (etc.). She loves stories, and I'm thrilled that she's here to share a little more about her own story with you!

***

Amber: So exciting this day is finally here, Miranda! Congratulations on the upcoming release of your poignant debut later this month. Knowing your love of poetry, could you describe the premise of To Die Once to my readers in the form of a poem?

Miranda: Thank you for the sweet, warm welcome! My, you’ve caught onto something I hoped would be a surprise! You didn’t put me on the spot at all, as I’d already planned to release seven Sunny Sunday Poetry special features for the seven weeks the tour will run. Yep. Seven poems in all! The first Sunday, April 6th [yesterday] will feature the love and friendship poem stories (Part 1 and 2) of To Die Once), and I’m so excited! The rest of the Sundays will tell the story from Jennifer, Rodrigo, Stefano, Chidi, and Jacob’s points of view, and finally, a wrap-up on the beauty of God’s grace. For a snippet, I’ll give the first and second verses of poem 1 and the third and fourth verses of poem 2. Here it goes!

This is a love Story 
Not one full of Glory 
Diced with thorns, but not Gory 
Oh, just listen to the Story … 

Two unequally yoked Hearts 
Come together as hinged Carts 
At first it seemed pretty like the Arts 
But soon came along piercing Darts … 

(Verses 1&2, Part 1, To Die Once Poem Story

We love God, we love songs, and this way we’ll Stay 
We’ll sing along hymns and then we’ll Pray 
No need to worry about a party, we’ve got much to Say 
But we wouldn’t mind those fruity drinks on the Tray! 

But lo, one day a man walked In 
His eye, Jennifer caught like a Pin 
He vowed then that her heart he’d Win 
Even if it meant plunging her into Sin … 

(Verses 3&4, Part 2, To Die Once Poem Story

I hope this piques your curiosity! Poem 1 has 10 verses in all, and poem 2 has 11. You’re welcome to stop by at my blog for the full versions!

Amber: How fun that you already had this in the works! [Readers, you can find the first poem post HERE. And stop by Miranda's blog in the coming weeks for more!] 

You know my love and appreciation for flower themes in stories. :) Tell us, what is your favorite flower? What role do flowers play in your debut? 

Miranda: Yes, I know how much you love flower-themed stories! ;) My favorite flower is the rose. One of the reasons I used it in this story is because it symbolizes love/romance, which I wanted to delve deeply into. As beautiful, intense, and delicate as the petals are, so can love be. Surprisingly, on the very same stalk you find these petals, you also find the thorns. But that doesn’t stop the flower from turning out beautiful at the end of the day. It is able to grow alongside, survive, and even flourish despite the presence of the thorns for the rest of its natural life. The thorns will never have the power to stop the rose from being the beautiful flower that God intended it to be. So it is with love.

More importantly for the story theme, I wanted the rosebush to be a symbol of hope to the characters, something they could always look back on and remember that no matter how dead something/someone may appear, it is possible to bring them back to life by the power of God’s grace. Each had to learn to NEVER give up on love and life, even in dark times.

Amber: Great thoughts, my friend. So which of your characters are you most eager for readers to meet? Which character’s story resonates the most with you as the author?

Miranda: Wow! Lovely question. Intimate too. *softly smiling* I can’t wait for readers to meet Rodrigo! The guy’s a complex mix of many things. He’s intelligent, but cunning; he’s sleek and very stubborn—wouldn’t take no for an answer! It was these traits that led him (and Jennifer) into a lot of trouble, one he finally realized that neither of them could get out of without God’s great mercy and healing grace. He simply had to learn that he couldn’t always have his way. He’s a major part of the reason I titled this book To Die Once.

Jennifer and Chidi resonate with me in a lot of ways. I really can’t choose one over the other. I guess it’s the reason I put them together as friends. While Jennifer has a heart for adventure and love, Chidi plays the role as Jennifer’s voice of reason. Chidi’s passion for God and common sense rule her world, even her personal dreams. Merge these two characters together … equals me! I recently took a quiz that confirmed it—the Jane Austen Character quiz? I ended up being Elinor Dashwood! Posted the button on my blog’s sidebar too. :)

Amber: Nice! I confess I'm excited for your readers to meet the complex and intriguing Rodrigo, as well. :) 

The journey to publishing a book is often a long and difficult one. What helped you to hold onto your passion for To Die Once when challenges arose? Based on your experiences so far, would you say the journey has been worth it? 

Miranda: The word “often” in your question consoles me a lot because at some point I seriously started to wonder if there was some sort of conspiracy somewhere to keep me from being published! Yeah, I know, it’s a crazy thought! But don’t worry. I finally calmed down and became reasonable about it. It is often said in this industry that “writing ain’t for the faint of heart.” There are other authors out there that go through their unique struggles on their journey to being published, and afterwards. It truly has been worth it. I’ve learned to relax and not panic even in the worst of situations where there seems to be no hope at all. I just need to take it to God in prayer. He’ll make a way where there seems to be no way. This journey has taught me to trust God on a far deeper level than I ever did before.

Amber: I so agree. God really does provide all we need to walk in His will. It's been encouraging to me to see things come together for you! Now, what’s next for the “Child of Grace” series and for your blogging? 

Miranda: It is my good pleasure to let you know that I’ve started working on book #2, To Lie Once. This story centers on Jennifer’s sister, Joyce—“a good girl gone bad” story. I’m so excited! This time, we’re going to Paris! And a little bit more of Nigeria. Stay tuned! ;)

As for my blog, there will be more entertainment (music/movies) and spiritual-themed posts.

Amber, it was nice of you to have me today! I truly enjoyed answering these questions. Let’s do this again and again, yes?

Amber: Yes, let's! ;) Great to have you here, and looking forward to seeing where God leads you next!

***

Miranda A. Uyeh is an assistant lecturer at a local college in Makurdi City, Nigeria, where she teaches two geology courses. Her love for books goes as far back as when her father placed Disney's Rapunzel in her hands - her very first storybook! By the time she was thirteen she knew she was going to be a writer. You can find Miranda on her blog where she shares her love for books, entertainment, and Christian spirituality with her readers. Miranda holds a B.Tech (Hons) in Applied Geology from ATBU, Nigeria. To Die Once is her debut novel, #1 of the Child of Grace book series.

You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Goodreads, and Google+.

About To Die Once

"Two men, one woman, a rosebush … 
… a terrible past, an uncertain future 

Jennifer, a woman unexpectedly trapped in a path of love and passion against everything she believes.

Rodrigo, a man set to get what he wants at the cost of what matters most.

Stefano, a man with a past, a story to tell and passion to offer.

Chidi, a friend in need, a friend indeed. Or not?

From a culture where good girls follow the norm and live as they’ve been told, Jennifer is no different from any other girl until by happenstance, she meets and falls in love with Rodrigo, a man who’s handsome, rich and foreign. Different. She has no idea who he is or what he does, and is swept into a world of romance and passion. It is not long before she discovers a shocking truth that shakes both her world and his.

Then he is gone.

Stefano shows up at a time when Jennifer has made up her mind about the rules of life. He thinks she’s beautiful and is in love with her. In a bid to convince her to give him a chance in her life, old memories once buried are brought to life. And the events that follow don’t leave anyone unaffected by the truth of the past that was left unsettled.

Meanwhile, Jennifer with her friend Chidi, find themselves on a self-discovery journey that has one of them raising questions.

Some just have to ask, where is God in all this?

… an inspirational romance, from Lagos to Italy."

Giveaway!

You can be one of 10 readers to win an e-copy of To Die Once each week of the blog tour (making a total of 70 ebook winners in all)! Visit Miranda's Facebook page to enter, or enter using the Rafflecopter form below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
(Note: The giveaway is open internationally and is not hosted by The Borrowed Book. Winners will be emailed their prizes after the blog tour concludes.)

Newsletter Subscribe

Followers

Categories

Blog Archive

Powered by Blogger.

Historical Romantic Suspense

Historical Romance

Comments

Comments

Popular Posts

Guest Registry