Sunday, February 16, 2025

"The Necessity of Kindness" by Marbeth Skwarcynski -- Author Interview

About the Book

Book: The Necessity of Kindness (The Rose Collection Book 7. It can be read as a stand alone.)

Author: Marbeth Skwarczynski

Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction

Release date: October 21, 2024

“Be ye kind” is a simple command, so why is it so hard for people to follow?

When the Lord opened the door for Denise’s husband, Topher, to Pastor the beleaguered Rhodes Baptist Church, she agreed to return to their hometown. Opening a bakery, supporting Topher in his ministry, and volunteering at Sylvie’s school aren’t nearly as challenging as trying to dismantle the harmful teachings that have taken over the church. Ideas masquerading as ‘biblical truth’ and ‘traditional Christianity’ resulted in spiritual bullying and a dwindling congregation. Denise is determined to help Topher guide the church toward the love and kindness of Christ.

Sixteen-year-old Sylvie is angry at being ripped away from the only home she’s known—and from her church, friends, and boyfriend, Owen. She pretends that moving to Rhodes is an adventure and admits she’s looking forward to attending a “real” school and making new friends. She’ll help her parents with their church and work at her mom’s bakery, but this isn’t the life Sylvie wants. Everything is different now, and it isn’t fair.

Sometimes, it feels like the bullies are winning.

 

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview 

1. Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantser (or a hybrid)?
I’m a proud pantser who absolutely loves it when a character takes over and I’m “stuck”
taking dictation.

2. What is your favorite part about writing?
When a character begins to evolve and tell their own story. I learn so much from them.

3. What is your least favorite part about writing?
When I realize halfway through a rough draft that the story isn’t coming together, the
characters aren’t growing, and the plot has stalled. Sometimes, it’s a matter of cutting a
voice out. Other times, it’s about splitting the POV. My most challenging book to write
was Reinvention. I spent years rewriting the book's first half, only to have it hit a wall at
that point. Finally, I pushed through and finished the rough draft. It was awful. I hated it.
Eventually, it came to me that I was missing a voice. I kept Ally’s half of the story and
added Michael’s. It all came together, broke my heart, gave me hope, and became my
favorite novel of The Rose Collection.

4. Do you have a way to keep track of your story ideas?
I have a file on my computer where I store story ideas. I also keep some in my notes app
on my phone. The best way, however, is to tell my sister.

5. What is your writing space like?
My writing space is a California king adjustable bed with cotton sheets and a fluffy white
comforter. It’s lovely.

6. When did you become a writer?
I didn’t write my first novel until I was in my 30s, but I never published it. It stayed on
my computer until 2024 when I sent a proposal to a publisher, and they accepted it. I’m in
the process of preparing it now.
I started publishing The Rose Collection as an indie author in 2020, with my first book
Plague of Lies.

7. How long does it usually take you to write a book?
The initial rough draft takes about three months. After that, it requires about a year of
rewrites, edits, formatting, and raising the money for publication.

8. Where do you get your ideas for your books?
I was, unfortunately, in a very toxic denomination and church for several decades. I write
about healing from spiritual abuse and have plenty of source material to pull from.

9. What is your work schedule/routine when you write?
As soon as I wake up, I pull my fully charged computer onto my lap and begin writing or
editing. I don’t stop until my battery is about to die. After that, my writing day can
include watching podcasts or documentaries about my subject matter.

10. Do bits of yourself/friends show up in your characters?
I share a brain with my main characters, so there are little bits of me throughout the
books. I understand Lauren’s discouragement at not being wanted, Caroline’s frustration
with how she’s treated despite her hard work, Julia’s fear and her longing to escape,
Ally’s compassion for others who have been abused, Kelly’s determination to protect
those she loves, Ginger’s desire to start over, and Denise’s resolve that kindness must
prevail.


About the Author

Though born on the east coast, I spent most of my life in the American Southwest, eventually settling in California where my husband and I raised two sons. Later we welcomed two fantastic daughters-in-law and four grandchildren into our family. After teaching history and literature for eighteen years, I resigned to write full-time. That new career move was paired with a physical move to beautiful Nevada, where I continue to write happily.

My preferred genre is Christian contemporary fiction. I keep my characters grounded in the real world and the real problems that Bible believers face today. While they grow, learn, and find possible solutions to their issues, my characters must also deal with the detritus of the past. Living well today doesn’t mean that yesterday is erased. I write what I know, either first-hand or through close observation, injecting the joy, happiness, and humor that comes with spiritual freedom and love.

More from Marbeth

No one warns you that some bullies grow up to be—bullies.

But some people go from victim to victorious. They stand up for others, leading them away from preferences used to bully others into submission and toward the freedom of God’s love.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, February 7

Vicky Sluiter, February 8 (Author Interview)

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, February 9 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 9

Simple Harvest Reads, February 10 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 11

For the Love of Literature, February 12 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, February 13

Tell Tale Book Reviews, February 14 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 15

Blossoms and Blessings, February 16 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, February 17 (Author Interview)

Stories By Gina, February 18 (Author Interview)

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, February 18

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 19

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, February 20 (Author Interview)

 Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Marbeth is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a paperback copy of the book!! 


Sunday, February 9, 2025

"Echo Nova" by Clint Hall -- Spotlight

 

About the Book

Book: Echo Nova

Author: Clint Hall

Genre: YA Science Fiction

Release date: January 14, 2024

Dash Keane is about to become the biggest star in history.

As a poor teenager living in the Dregs, Dash Keane can only escape his dismal reality by competing in illegal rooftop races and staying up late to watch the timenet with his younger brother.

When there is an opportunity to participate in a competition set thousands of years in the past, he uses his rooftop racer skills to catch the eye of Mr. Myrtrym, head of entertainment for the massive Dominus Corporation.

It is the chance of a lifetime when Dominus Corp. hires Dash to be a timestar—the focus of his own series in which he must survive some of the most dangerous periods in history, including the Cretaceous period, feudal Japan, the Wild West, and the Golden Age of Piracy. But when empathy for the people of the past conflicts with the desires of his new employer, he must decide whether the price of fame is worth it, a decision that may cost him everything.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Clint Hall is a storyteller, speaker, and podcast host. He has been writing stories since middle school, where he spent most of his time in class creating comic books. (Fortunately, his teacher not only allowed it; she bought every issue.) Known for instilling a sense of hope, wonder, and adventure, Clint is the author of Steal Fire from the Gods (finalist for several awards), and has been published across multiple anthologies and magazines. Find him at ClintHall.com or “The Experience: Conversations with Creatives” podcast, available on all major platforms.

 

 

More from Clint

Time is our playground

What happens when the past becomes the ultimate adventure?

If we could travel back in time, but nothing we did in the past affected the present, would we still consider the past to be “real”?

And if not, how would that “un-realness” impact the way we treated the past and, more importantly, the people who inhabited it? Would they still have fundamental human rights? Would they be protected by laws? Or would we see them as another resource to be exploited?

These are the driving questions behind Echo Nova, though I didn’t have these themes in mind when I started writing the book. I just wanted to write a fast-paced, fun story about a young hero going on adventures through time.

But as I began world-building and plotting, I faced the same issue as so many sci-fi writers before me. In time travel stories, the people going into the past often need to be careful not to make changes that would alter the future. Say the wrong thing to the wrong person in the past, and you might cause a ripple effect of changes that would prevent you from ever being born!

Of course, the problem of being unable to change anything can make for an exciting story with high stakes and lots of tension. The hero must walk a proverbial tightrope to achieve a difficult mission while altering as little of the timeline as possible.

But what if that wasn’t the case? What if the ripples of change in the timestream moved at the same speed as time itself, meaning that if we did alter something in the past, those changes never caught up to us?

For example, if we went back to 2004 and chopped down a tree, it would take 20 years for that “new” reality with the missing tree to reach 2024. But by then, we in the “present” will have moved forward 20 years to 2044, and we’d still have our tree.

If the present is unaffected, the past could become our playground. We could do whatever we wanted.

While that sounds great at first, as I developed the story, I realized that there could also be dire consequences, both in the past and the present.

In Echo Nova, the world’s governments have decreed that because changes to the past don’t impact the present, the past is not “real” but only residual energy and not under the protection of nations and their laws. Corporations can purchase past periods, mining them for valuable resources and owning the people of the past—called “echoes”—like property.

Time travel has also become a pastime of the wealthy. If you have enough money, you can travel back in time to go on a dinosaur safari, watch gladiators battle in the Colosseum, or attend a feast hosted by Cleopatra.

For everyone else, the past is mainly experienced through broadcasts operated by these corporations. These broadcasts feature people called “timestars” who go on adventures in the past to entertain people in the present.

But exploiting humans for our own personal gain and entertainment has terrible consequences, even for those who may claim that they’re “only watching.” When we start to view people as anything other than individuals with rights, flaws, intrinsic value, and everything else that makes us human, the damage goes both ways – hurting those who have been dehumanized as well as those who are guilty of dehumanizing, even if they did so passively.

For instance, while working on this book, I watched the O.J. Simpson documentary and was struck by how people behaved during the infamous Bronco chase. Here was someone accused of a heinous crime, fleeing police while threatening to end his own life, and people responded by flocking to the streets and overpasses to watch. They held up homemade signs while laughing, waving, and smiling for the multitude of news cameras. This wasn’t real life to them. It was part of the show.

As an author, it’s hypocritical for me to be overly critical of entertainment. Further, I believe there is incredible value in well-told stories, both real and fictional, across all mediums. And sometimes, I’ll even admit that I need to turn my brain off and watch something relatively mindless for an hour or so.

But if we’re not careful, we can lose pieces of ourselves on the altar of entertainment.

Echo Nova explores these questions, as well as our culture’s relentless obsession with fame and the dark places in which we can find ourselves in our pursuit of it.

If that all sounds a bit heavy, the book also features pirates, gunslingers, and temporally displaced sea dinosaurs.

After all, sometimes you just need to read something fun.

Blog Stops

The Lofty Pages, January 31

Simple Harvest Reads, February 1 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, February 2

Denise L. Barela, February 3 (Spotlight)

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, February 4

Artistic Nobody, February 5 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 6

For the Love of Literature, February 7 (Spotlight)

Wishful Endings, February 7

Guild Master, February 8 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, February 9 (Spotlight)

For Him and My Family, February 9

Fiction Book Lover, February 10 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 11

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, February 12 (Spotlight)

Tell Tale Book Reviews, February 13 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Clint is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card, a signed copy of the book, and a bookmark!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54146

Saturday, February 8, 2025

"Securing Charity" by Julia David -- Author Interview


About the Book

Book: Securing Charity

Author: Julia David

Genre: Inspirational Historical Romance

Release date: October 17, 2022

Has God and all that is good truly abandoned her?
After a fearless Swedish man intervenes to save her from a brutal attack, Charity Baldzo, a Roma beauty with a hidden disability and a lineage shrouded in mystery, escapes to her mother’s farm. But as she grapples with her past and the scars it left, will she ever find the safety she desperately seeks?

Ari Johansson’s world spirals into chaos after his act of bravery turns to tragedy. The vengeful hand of the man who assaulted Charity strikes back, slaughtering his sheep as retribution. Now, Ari’s brother languishes in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, and flames devour his home and barn, leaving him with nothing but a future of despair. The only glimmer of hope is Charity, who now cares for his young nephew, Soren.

As desperation mounts, Ari is reluctant to lean on the fierce Roma women. But when Charity’s mother proposes an unexpected deal—one he should refuse—he’s faced with an impossible choice. Could marrying the beautiful Charity and securing the neighboring land be the key to ensuring Soren’s safety and freeing his brother?
Attraction sparks between them, but can their disparate worlds coexist? Can they navigate their differences and build a future together?

PG- A clean and swoon-worthy historical romance with deep veins of grace, courage, and heart-hugging acceptance. Curl up and escape to a happy ending.

 

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview 

1.What is your favorite part about writing?
My favorite thing is having uninterrupted time to write. It allows me to really dive into the
feelings and motivations of my characters, exploring what drives them and how they evolve
throughout the story.

2.  What is your least favorite part about writing?
Editing is always a challenge—there’s nothing quite like discovering all the mistakes you
missed! It can feel like someone’s picking apart everything you thought was great. But a good
editor knows how to highlight the positives too, which helps soothe the fragile ego and make the
process feel a little less painful.

3.How long does it usually take you to write a book?
It takes me about three months to complete a book, including research, multiple rounds with beta
readers, and plenty of rewrites. Speaking of editors. Mine thought Charity was too feisty (or
maybe it was the author) so I had to go back and make her more pliable.

4.Where do you get your ideas for your books?
One thing that’s driven much of my writing is a refusal to create perfect Christian characters. The
Bible doesn’t portray flawless people, and I don’t think stories should either. I’m also not a fan of
the "one chaste kiss at the end"; formula you often see in Hallmark movies (though, I’ll admit, I
still watch plenty of them!). If there’s attraction between characters, I want to explore
why—what flaws or struggles are at play? There’s always a deeper layer. My tagline is Escape to
an Era Where True Love Prevails, but that love comes with its share of challenges. There’s going
to be some salt and pepper (and sugar) along the way.

5.What is your work schedule/routine when you write?
 I work for my local school district, so I have summers off. Living in a super-hot part of
Northern California, I spend long days writing with the AC cranked up, fueling my fingers to
keep typing!

About the Author

Julia David is an Amazon #1 ranked romance author, serial DIY’er, and certified life coach. Addicted to Hallmark movies and baking, she believes it’s crucial to have some predictable things in life. Her tagline, ‘Escape to an Era Where True Love Prevails’, was from her own reason for reading stacks of books.
Married and a mother to five, she also loves to camp and hike around the Pacific Northwest.

 

 

 

More from Julia

Fun fact: My daughter’s dear friend is a talented photographer who was born missing half of her left arm. Her agility and confidence are truly inspiring, and she served as a major inspiration for our heroine, Charity.”

My favorite part of being an indie author is witnessing how God provides the perfect cover models just when I need them. Each of my books features amazing ladies (and gentlemen) from my Northern California area, and I absolutely love creating the costumes myself.

Below are photos of our heroine, Charity, showcasing costumes that are largely sourced from Goodwill. I truly enjoy the creative process!

Blog Stops

Stories By Gina, January 28 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 29

Vicky Sluiter, January 30 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, January 30

Texas Book-aholic, January 31

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, February 1 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 2

For the Love of Literature, February 3 (Author Interview)

Madi’s Musings, February 4

Tell Tale Book Reviews, February 5 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, February 5

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 6

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 7

Blossoms and Blessings, February 8 (Author Interview)

Books You Can Feel Good About, February 9

Holly’s Book Corner, February 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Julia is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.



Thursday, February 6, 2025

"Treasures of the Wise: 30 Devotions For Storing Up Heavenly Riches" by Tracy L. Smoak -- Author Interview

 

About the Book

Book: Treasures of the Wise: 30 Devotions For Storing Up Heavenly Riches

Author: Tracy L. Smoak

Genre: Pictorial Devotional

Release date: December, 2024

Stories have been written throughout the centuries about the search for gold. But the true treasure we all need is easier to find than we think. For the wise person, treasure that will not be wasted, tarnished, or stolen can only be found in God’s Word.

Join author and educator Tracy Smoak on a thirty-day journey around the world as she showcases coins to highlight the beauty of the eternal treasure given to us from God. Each devotional is short but filled with riches beyond what the world can offer, as well as photographs of unique international coins and snippets of information about them.

Start your day off as one of the wise, who seeks after priceless insights offered by our Heavenly Father.

 

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview 

1. Why did you choose to write non-fiction?
The topic of money management is on many people’s minds. Times are difficult with high interest rates and inflation.
Many are having trouble keeping up with monthly household expenses. Compound higher costs with many traumatic
incidences, such as natural disasters, and folks are stressed. I wanted to bring reassurance with God’s Word that no
matter the difficulties right now, God can be trusted to provide in the real world.
2. How do you balance writing time with other things?
My writing seems to flow best from a rich environment of good fellowship with engaging activities. If I spend too much
time alone in the writing cave, words fall flat. It is important to know what audience might benefit from the words to be
shared. With these people in mind, it is easier to phrase text to be conversational rather than preachy. If I keep my
personal life balanced with healthy involvement, then the writing goes much better. I swim a couple times weekly and
do yin yoga too. I try to walk daily. These physical outlets provide relief from hours hunched over a keyboard staring into
the blue beyond, and they clear my mind.
3. What types of research do you do?
Not only do I spend hours reading the Bible to discover special verses on the topic at hand, but I also need to know how
to find details about the coins. Google Lens provided great information about some of the money given by friends from
their travels when I had no idea the country of origin. Another aspect of research involves the production side. There’s
an incredible amount of time invested in learning how to navigate electronic images for editing and storing. I almost lost
my mind preparing raw images in the format the publisher needed to send to the printer. Another learning curve
involved studying how to create short videos for YouTube using the extra photographs with audio files for background
music.
4. How long does the researching stage usually take?
I wouldn’t say that research is a single stage. Keeping curiosity ongoing allows an open mind for new inspiration. Once I
had the idea to develop the theme of financial stewardship according to the Bible, I still had to weave together a visual
representation of a concept, plus include the coin as relevant. In some cases, the coins told their own story, like the
hands working together on the old English fifty-pence. Once I found a fact from one source, I had to verity it from others
online to ensure no bias.
5. Was there anything you found particularly interesting while researching?
When I met with a Jewish organization to get permission to use a photograph location, the director wanted to see the
coin to go along with the text. When I showed her the image of Pegasus, she said they couldn’t participate as Pegasus
represented Greek culture, which wasn’t aligned with their beliefs. I was surprised the cultural division still ran so
deeply.


(Here is a link to my YouTube channel with a short video I made to introduce the devotional and a key Bible verse about

money management: https://youtu.be/7-WsW1Qf05c. ---Tracy Smoak, tracysmoak.com)


About the Author

A native Floridian, Tracy L. Smoak grew up riding horses and climbing citrus trees. Her passion is to encourage others in their faith journey. Smoak contributes to Guideposts. Ambassador International released her debut novel, Who Brought the Dog to Church?. Bold Vision published her Bible study about encouragement titled Refuge of Grace: Finding Your Safe Place.

She loves photography, and Treasures of the Wise is the third devotional with her original images. Living Water to Refresh Your Soul features tranquil lake scenes while Arranged with Love showcases floral landscapes.

Smoak holds a master’s in Education and a bachelor’s in Communication. At her church home she leads small-group Bible studies.

More from Tracy

Laying Up Treasures

The word “treasure” can send mixed messages. On one hand, that noun can bring forth images of pirates commandeering others’ gold and valuables. We all get a gleam in our eye from time to time and dream of great wealth.

The verb form of “treasure” means to hold something dear, such as a photograph of loved ones. This object may have no special worth, other than sentiment. What priceless object do you protect? Is it a leather baby shoe stored in a tiny box or a beaten-up, old baseball glove?

Either way, what we pursue—and hold—as our prized possession reveals much about our priorities. Is our contentment based upon acquisitions? If so, we find ourselves on a merry-go-round ride that leaves us dizzy. No matter how much we get, we still want more. This constant demand is damaging.

“Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction” (1 Timothy 6:9 NIV).

To be well off, we need to put our hope in God, who richly provides us with all that we need and more.

“The emptiness we try to fill with earthly things stems from the desire for more of God,” said author and teacher Nancy Jenkins (Bibledolls: A Panorama of 28 Biblical Women).

To live well, we are advised to complete a wealth of good deeds. We are to be generous and willing to share. “In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:19 NIV).

Today’s prayer:

Dear Lord, please help us act on opportunities to do good for others. We appreciate your many gifts and find contentment in this moment, just as things are, with You by our side. Amen.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 29

Lots of Helpers, January 29

Leslie’s Library Escape, January 30

Simple Harvest Reads, January 31 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 1

For the Love of Literature, February 2 (Author Interview)

SHE LIVES TO READ, February 3

Tell Tale Book Reviews, February 4 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, February 5

Blossoms and Blessings, February 6 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, February 6

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 7

Cover Lover Book Review, February 8

Artistic Nobody, February 9 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 10

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 11

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Tracy is giving away the grand prize of a hardcopy of the color devotional!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54144

Monday, February 3, 2025

"Tracy" by Jennifer Lynn Cary -- Author Interview

 

About the Book

Book: Tracy: A Sweet, Quirky, Romantic Masterpiece (Book 6 of the Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue series. It can be read as a stand-alone.)

Author: Jennifer Lynn Cary

Genre: Sweet, Wholesome Romance (Retro)

Release date: October, 2024

Her heart can’t take more breakage…

…He’s been wounded enough

Yet they’re becoming best friends without ever having met.

Tracy Callahan has learned that relationships aren’t for her. The struggling glass artist puts up barriers to keep romantic entanglements from causing more pain. However, her feelings are growing for her roommate’s brother, despite having never seen him in person.

How can just his voice on the phone hold that much attraction?

Danny Mitchell left a large part of himself in Viet Nam and is learning how to navigate life back here in the states. It’s better to just avoid the public. As long as he doesn’t have to see anyone in person, he can pretend he’s his old self, and the caller on the other end of the phone won’t know the difference.

But Tracy is breaking through, resurrecting feelings he thought were dead and gone.

They might find a way to make a telephone relationship work. Unless meddling loved ones get involved.

When that happens, can Tracy and Danny’s friendship survive meeting face-to-face?

Or could there be something more than friendship in store for them? Maybe a God-designed masterpiece built from their broken parts?

Return to 1973 Kokomo, Indiana where the legend of the cardinal in the sycamore can still prove true love.

You will enjoy this sweet, quirky tale of hidden worth, because sometimes what we need is right in front of us.

 

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview 

1. What is your favorite part about writing?

That’s easy. Brainstorming. My writing friends have called me the idea queen. But I get energized talking about idea and what if’s and throwing everything, even the crazy stuff, at a seed of a plot. My problem isn’t too few ideas, it’s weeding them down. But doing that with friends? That’s the best.

 

2. Do you have a way to keep track of your story ideas?

Since my series is based on song titles from the 1960s and 70s with girls’ names in them, I probably have a method that doesn’t translate to other series. I didn’t start out to do it this way, but it sort of worked out. I made a list of all the songs I could find from the 60s and 70s with girl names and then marked the ones l thought would make good story titles. After the first couple (Judy in Disguise, Sylvia’s Mother) I noticed a cadence. So then I grouped the ones I liked so that every four has a similar rhythm, and I’m planning to eventually release them in boxed sets of four. 

The first four would be the Class of ’72 (Judy in Disguise, Sylvia’s Mother, Runaround Sue, and Cracklin’ Rosie). The next four are just single names and boxed as the Class of ’73 (Ronnie, Tracy, Shilo, and Bernadette). Then the next four are phrases again labeled the Class of ’74 (Pieces of April, Take a Letter Maria, Walk Away Rene’, Julie Do You Love Me?) Though I have ideas and song titles to keep going for a long time, that’s twelve already, and I don’t want to get tired of it or start repeating plot twists. So, I might stop at that point. Keep in mind, I’ve only written through Shilo and plan to start Bernadette in the next week or so. I’m really projecting out here, and you know about man making his plans and all. 😉


3. How long does it usually take you to write a book?

When I first got started, I wrote all day every day. In 2020 I logged over half a million publishable words. I released six books and one box set that year. Fortunately, I’d banked a lot of drafts because 2021 turned out to be my nemesis. Starting with covid, then being diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, then a car accident that took the jaws of life to get me and my broken bones out, and all in a matter of six months. I had to put my writing aside. Just thinking became tough. It’s taken awhile, but now my goal is at least three books a year, four if I can swing it. If I work steadily, but don’t push myself to Craziville, I can finish a rough draft in about 6-8 weeks. That’s if the book is about 60,000 words. Moving up to 80,000 words might need another week or two. But I’ve learned to give myself grace. And others too. Life is what is going on while I’m trying to write and to be honest, it’s a little more important. I need to keep that in mind, give this looney business of ideas to God, and then trust He will help me get where I need to be when I need to be there.


4. Where do you get your ideas for your books?

Let’s just admit up front, I have a crazy and fertile imagination. Yeah. I can remember in grade school getting in trouble for daydreaming. But the teacher would say something that would trigger a thought and the next thing I knew, I was off on a totally different topic. It got embarrassing at times. Once, in high school Spanish class, my teacher was from Panama and was explaining that her husband didn’t speak Spanish, and she was learning English when they met. It confused me and I asked how they worked it out since her husband was also deaf. He wasn’t. I had dreamed that the night before. So realistically that I didn’t remember it was a dream until after I’d made a fool of myself.

So, yeah, that’s the first part of the answer. 

But the second part is, I start with a 1960s or 70s song with a girl’s name in the title. All the titles in this and my previous series were also song titles containing a girl’s name. That becomes the title of my book. 

Then I try to picture her. What’s she like? What are her strengths? Weaknesses? What is the lie she believes? How does she need to learn to trust God? 

Then I get to set up her foil, er, hero. And I ask the same questions about him. Often the song lyrics will give me clues or ideas. Sometimes just the title can be enough inspiration. 

I mentioned a book I want to write, Pieces of April. I love that song but what was it all about? I knew that it had something to do with memories. Then came the what ifs. What if he gets amnesia and has these flashes of a girl? What if the girl doesn’t look like the woman who says she’s his wife? How can I add humor and lightness to this? 

Now I’ve got some ideas. 

I need to write one more book before I can write that one, but the longer it stays floating around in my brain, the more ideas I have to start with.


5. Do bits of yourself/friends show up in your characters?

Always. Everything gets filtered through me, my experiences, my passions, how I understand the world around me. So, I can’t not reveal parts of me or others I’ve shared life with. However, I’m careful, especially when it comes to others, to change enough so that it doesn’t reveal anything personal.



About the Author

Historical Christian Romance author, Jennifer Lynn Cary, likes to say you can take the girl out of Indiana, but you can’t take the Hoosier out of the girl. Now transplanted to the Arizona desert, this direct descendant of Davy Crockett and her husband of forty plus years enjoy time with family where she shares tales of her small-town heritage and family legacies with their grandchildren. She is the author of The Crockett Chronicles series, The Relentless series, and The Weather Girls trilogy as well as the stand-alone novel, Cheryl’s Going Home, her novella Tales of the Hob Nob Annex Café, and her split-time novels The Traveling Prayer Shawl and The Forgotten Gratitude Journal. Her current spin-off series, The Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue, contains standalones with a common thread.

 

More from Jennifer

Have you ever met characters in a story that stayed with you, even when they weren’t the main characters? That’s what happened to me after I wrote Runaround Sue. Sue’s brother and her roommate seemed to hit it off so well, and I loved those characters.

It only made sense to give Tracy and Danny their own story.

However, I will confess that I had planned to make a character named Tracy because of the song, “Tracy” by the Cufflinks. It’s such a happy, bouncy tune and I thought that fit Sue’s roommate.

I do need to add that I relied on a childhood friend for some Danny’s antics. At one point I was told that something he did wasn’t possible. The problem was, I knew it was because my friend, Maureen McKay did that very thing. Maureen had a personality like Tracy’s and determination like Danny’s.

A few years ago I was back in Kokomo for a special wedding anniversary party. I noticed a guy sitting at a table and went to talk with him. At that time, I was combing faces for someone I’d known back when I went to school there. He had that look, but as we talked, it was obvious we didn’t know each other.

A little later I told my cousin about that, and she said that he was ahead of us in school, but he had a younger sister who would’ve been about my age. I knew immediately why he’d looked familiar. He was Maureen’s big brother.

I searched him and his mother out quickly and let them know I remembered Maureen. I mentioned a few of our escapades. Then I told them that my husband and I had lost a son, and that the kindest thing anyone could say was that they remembered our Ian. So, for that reason, I wanted them to know I remember Maureen.

And that’s why Tracy is dedicated to the memory of my friend Maureen McKay.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 21

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 22

Texas Book-aholic, January 23

Vicky Sluiter, January 24 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, January 24

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 25

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, January 26 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 27

Simple Harvest Reads, January 28 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 29

For the Love of Literature, January 30 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 31

Tell Tale Book Reviews, February 1 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, February 2

Blossoms and Blessings, February 3 (Author Interview)

Leslie’s Library Escape, February 3

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a signed copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54137