Author Spotlight! Jill Eileen Smith

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 books. FUN.

This week we welcome author Jill Eileen Smith. To win a copy of Jill's latest release, leave a comment on this post!

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

I’ve been married for 33 years to my beloved engineer husband, Randy, and together we have three adult sons. Two sons live in California pursuing a film career, and one lives at home finishing an English degree. I was a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom for 12 years so the transition to almost-empty-nester has been tough! I think homeschooling moms might struggle with this more since we pour so much of our lives into our kids.

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

I write biblical fiction, which has always been my first love when it comes to fictional genres. I love to read in a wide variety of genres. Right now I lean toward historicals, anything ancient or Regency, though I love American history too. I’ve written in other genres, though those works remain unpublished. Maybe someday…I have an interest in doing a couple of women’s fiction special interest novels.

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

I started writing by default. I hunted for a novel on King David’s life that would satisfy me and couldn’t find it. So I sat down to write the book I wanted to read. That was 20 years ago and the journey to publication was more like a meandering trail through desert places with an occasional oasis along the way, rather than a paved highway with a straight path. But God’s leading has proved better than I could have asked or imagined.

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

I started testing the publishing waters early on – twenty years ago – and received a lot of nice rejections. One rejection came from an editor at Harper & Row in San Francisco with a suggestion that I turn David’s story into one about Michal. Sixteen years later, that same editor, Lonnie Hull Dupont, now with Revell, bought my first series – the first book was Michal.

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’ll take tea instead of coffee, most of the time. I actually didn’t start drinking coffee until a few years ago when one of my characters in a suspense I was writing loved Starbucks Café Mochas. Of course, I had to try one. Coffee gradually grew on me and the Café Mocha is still one of my favorite drinks.

As for brain cylinders – they fire pretty well, most of the time. Before I write, I pray for guidance. I study the Scriptural reference and reread what I wrote the day before, then try to imagine what came next. The first draft is always tough for me – oh wait, writing the synopsis is worse! Once I know where I’m going, I just have to work until I get there. I don’t have a daily number of hours. I just do what needs to be done either with the actual novel or writing-related work. When I’m finishing a first draft, I set deadlines for myself of so many words a day. Usually 1000 a day, five days a week, but if I get behind, I aim for more. I finish a first draft well ahead of deadline, but then I go back and do more research, let the story sit a while (I’m taking July off right now) and then go back into it again. This was especially helpful with Bathsheba, as I ended up having to ditch the first 40,000 words and start over!

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 critique partners and ACFW. My former critique partners (Kathleen Fuller, Jill Stengl, Tamera Alexander, Maureen Lang, and Meredith Efken) taught me so much! My writing craft would not be where it is today without these fine authors. (Kathleen Fuller and Jill Stengl still share critiques with me.) I might add that author Deborah Raney taught me things outside of the craft – things about the industry and protocol that I might not have learned if not for her. ACFW led me to my agent, Wendy Lawton, who found my publisher. I would not have sold to Revell if not for Wendy’s meeting with Lonnie. God has used many people to bring me to this place.
Is the “writer’s life” what you thought it would be? (Explain your answer)

Yes and no. Yes, because I learned so much from those who had gone before me of what to expect. I wasn’t looking for publishing to change my life too much – not in the sense of changing who I am. No, because I didn’t know what to expect at an experiential level. Until you walk a path, you don’t see the bumps and dips and smooth places in the road. I’m still on a journey—the road has just changed direction. The main difference I see is that now there is a sense of gratitude and a constant reminder to myself that I’m nobody special—I’m still just me. That God has chosen to allow me this ministry is more than I could have hoped for.

What are your biggest distractions?

My cats. And email. But those are good things. My family knows they can interrupt me at any time. Relationships are more important than words.

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

One of the best: Getting that call from Wendy that Revell wanted to buy my books!
One of the worst: Reading some reviews that were less than kind.

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

Like least: The physical stresses related to sitting so much. I’m not a huge fan of exercising, but the older I get, the more I have to move. Carpal tunnel, tendonitis, etc…I take care to avoid recurrences of these things.

Like most: Writing fiction! I am most fulfilled when I craft a fictional scene. I can write emails, columns, blog posts, grocery lists—nothing satisfies that creative bent in me like writing fiction. I like the writer friends I’ve made most too! 

What is the role and importance of an agent?

For me, an agent is invaluable. I would not have sold Michal or any biblical fiction, which was not selling, if not for Wendy. I would not know how to tell when a contract has something in it that is good or bad if not for my agency. If ever there is confusion between me and my publisher, my agent is there to help. She is a go-between, an encourager, and a cheerleader. Wendy is one of the first people I talk to when something exciting happens with the books! But I also know I could go to her if I had a concern as well.

I know the industry is always changing and roles of agents may change at some future date, but right now, I’m very grateful to be agented and to have an agent who is so enjoyable to work with!

What advice would you give to new writers?

Write what you love. If you try to write what might be popular, your chances of breaking in are weak. If you are a Christian, pray for God to direct your writing and search your heart to discover what you love most. Stories that are written just to be published will not stand out as much as those that are written with passion. When you write what you love, it shows.

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.

Michal and Abigail are written to take you there, to let you experience what life might have been like for the wives of King David. These are stories I love, and I hope you will too.

What’s on the book horizon for you?

I have my first series almost completed – bestselling Michal and Abigail, books one and two in The Wives of King David series are available now and Bathsheba will release March 1, 2011. I’m contracted for The Wives of the Patriarchs to follow and a third contract for more biblical fiction is in the wings.

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

My website and blog: http://www.jilleileensmith.com
The series website: http://www.thewivesofkingdavid.com (Here you will find book club and Bible study questions along with chapter excerpts and bonus features from each book.)

My books are available on Amazon, CBD, Barnes & Noble, and wherever fine books are sold.

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

Thanks for having me!

Giveaway and Radio Today!

A fun interview is up on Giveaway Lady's blog!

And don't forget to tune in this afternoon (4pm CST) to "Amish Wisdom" to hear Mary Ellis and Wanda Brunstetter! If you can't catch it today, listen another time or download as a podcast on Itunes. Ah...the beauty of life-streaming internet!

Both authors are giving away a copy of their latest book to some lucky winner who leaves a comment on the "Amish Wisdom" toginet page.

I am loving this radio gig...I get to talk to the most interesting people, week after week!

TOMORROW on Amish Wisdom: Authors Mary Ellis and Wanda E. Brunstetter

Tune in on Thursday at 4:00 pm Central! To listen in - go here and just click on the player in the top right corner.

Don't miss Amish Wisdom this week - two bestselling authors of Amish fiction-- Mary Ellis and Wanda E. Brunstetter.

The first half hour will feature Mary Ellis.

About Mary: Mary Ellis grew up close to the eastern Ohio Amish community, Geauga County, where her parents often took her to farmer's markets and woodworking fairs. She loved their peaceful, agrarian lifestyle, their respect for the land, and their strong sense of Christian community.

She and her husband now live close to the largest population of Amish in the country--a four-county area in central Ohio. They often take weekend trips to purchase produce, meet Amish families, and enjoy a simpler way of life.

Mary enjoys reading, traveling, gardening, bicycling and swimming. But her favorite pasttime is snorkeling, which she seldom gets to do living in Ohio. She is a former middle school teacher and a former saleswoman for the world's best chocolate company. Now she writes full-time and wonders why her house is still dusty and her garden has so many weeds.

About Mary's latest book, The Way to a Man's Heart:Mary Ellis (A Widow’s Hope and Never Far from Home) concludes her bestselling "The Miller Family" series with another engaging story set in Holmes County, Ohio.

Leah Miller is living her dream come true as she invests in a newly restored diner that caters to locals rather than tourists. Can Jonah Byler convince this shy, quiet young woman that she should leave her adoring fans and cook only for him?

Leah’s sister, Emma, is trying to adapt to married life as New Order Amish along with her husband, James, who gave up his Englischer ways to make Emma his bride. Will his commitment to Emma and to God stand firm when temptations from his past come to call?

Ellis offers readers another captivating novel filled with strong characters and a loving look at how faith in God and connection with family can fill to overflowing an open, waiting heart.

Leave a comment {HERE} along with your email address.Two names will be chosen at random to win a copy of Mary's The Way to a Man's Heart and Wanda's Lydia's Charm.

The second half hour will feature Wanda E. Brunstetter.

About Wanda: Award-winning, best-selling author, Wanda E. Brunstetter, became interested in writing about the Amish when she married her husband Richard who grew up in a Mennonite church in Pennsylvania. Wanda and Richard have many Amish friends in several Amish communities across the country. In addition to Wanda's many novels about the Amish, she's written several Amish-themed children's books, two Amish cookbooks, and an Amish devotional. She's also written hundreds of short stories, articles, poems, and puppet scripts. Wanda and her husband have two grown children and six grandchildren.

About Lydia's Charm: Widowed and jobless, Lydia King moves her son and herself to Charm, Ohio, to be close to her mother and help with her grandfather. Menno Troyer, a furniture store owner, is also recently widowed and the father of four energetic boys. Levi Stutzman, another newcomer to the area, is the only one in his family not handicapped by dwarfism and has dedicated his life to caring for them. As fall colors the countryside, will anonymous gifts left for Lydia bring her hope for a new life and romance, or will another tragedy flood her with infinite despair?

Cover for "The Search" is here!

Here it is! The cover for The Search is ready to be viewed! This story, I think, was the editors' favorite of the three.

Here's a peek at the story:

Long ago, as a child, Lainey O'Toole made a split-second decision. She never could have imagined the impact her choice would have on others. Now in her mid-twenties, she is poised to go to culinary school when her car breaks down in Stoney Ridge, the very Amish town in which her long-reaching decision was made, forcing her to face the shadowed past.

Fifteen-year-old Bess Reihl is less than thrilled to be spending the summer at Rose Hill Farm with her crafty and intimidating grandmother, Bertha. It quickly becomes clear that her grandmother is up to something. The summer is made slightly more tolerable by the time it affords Bess to spend with the handsome hired hand, Billy Lapp. But he only has eyes for a flirty and curvaceous older girl.

Lainey's and Bess's worlds are about to collide and the secrets that come to light will shock them both.

Interested? The Search is already up for pre-orders on CBD and Amazon. It officially releases on January 1st, but that usually means it starts trickling into stores in December. Won't be long!

In another "Lancaster County Secrets" news...The Choice is being offered for $6 on Amazon! Not sure how long it will last...but that's much less than I can get it for, straight from the publisher! Last week, I was told it's sold over 80,000 copies!

And "The Waiting" is on CBD's top twenty fiction list! All thanks to you, dear readers.

An Evening with Francine Rivers

Last night, my friend Kim and I drove two hours to hear Francine Rivers speak on the Christian life and writing. Francine was speaking at my sister's church, so we met Wendy and slipped into a packed-to-the-edges room.

Francine spoke for an hour and a half, answering questions about her books and her life and her writing process.

I think what impressed me, most of all, was that Francine had a messy life prior to becoming a Christian. But after becoming a Christian...she feels forgiven! Her writing is all about the grace of God and His mercy.

Francine was open about her regrets in her "BC" life (before Christ)--very influenced by the drug culture of being a teen/young adult in the '60s, had an illegal abortion, married a former Marine who served in Vietnam during some terrible events. She and husband Rick both brought a lot of "baggage" to their marriage, she said.

Though Francine had some success as a writer of steamy romance novels, she said she focused her entire life on writing...it was her idol. At one point, her husband said to her, "If you had to choose writing over me and the kids, I think you'd choose the kids."

"He was right!" Francine said.

Increasing marital difficulties in Francine's life finally pushed her to try to attend church. A pesky little 8-year-old neighbor boy was helping the Rivers move into their new home in Northern California and said, "Have I got a church for you!"

Francine ended up attending the church, alone. It was the first church she had ever attended that preached the Bible. Eventually, she took her children, and finally, when her husband continued to refuse to attend, she asked the pastor to come to her home To quote her, "If Rick wouldn't go to church, I was going to bring the church to him!"

The family became Christians--and then (are you expecting a happy ending?!)...life fell apart! She said that writing didn't make any sense any more, yet it had been her entire identity. The pastor continued giving Bible studies in their home and they read through the book of Hosea. Francine felt God prompting her, "This is the romance I want you to write!"

That book was Redeeming Love--which might always be her best book. It still hits the bestseller lists! And it's been published into 25 languages.

She talked about the writing process--she starts with a big question, and spends the book answering the question through her characters. She studies Scripture diligently because, she said, she doesn't know the answer to the question she's asking. She "goes to God to find out the answers."

"I believe God works in all of us that way," Francine said. "We ask the questions, God starts to answer."

Loved that remark!

It was a wonderful evening--well worth four hours of driving (actually, my friend Kim did all the driving! I was editing a manuscript with a flashlight in the dark.) I admired Francine's enthusiasm about her faith, about Christ as the center of her writing. She loves Jesus Christ, passionately! "If you can take Christ out of a novel," she said, "then it isn't a Christian story."

Her writing now is a form of worship in her life, rather than an idol. She writes four pages a day and stops. Period. And she said that if she ever doesn't have a story to write that glorifies God, she hopes God will take her writing away.

Impressive! And inspiring.

Author Spotlight! Lena Nelson Dooley

Last week's winner was Susan Marlow! She won Ocieanna Fleiss' Love Finds You in Victory Heights, Washington! Congrats - please send my assistant your mailing address. (amy@litfusegroup.com)

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 books. FUN.

This week we welcome author Lena Nelson Dooley. To win a copy of her Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, 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 husband and I are empty nesters, but most of our family lives nearby. We’re very involved with them. I was really blessed by the Lord to be able to quit work about 8 years ago and write fulltime.

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

My tagline is Characters who grip your heart. So my stories fit that line, and I’ve written several genres. I’ve sold more historicals than I have contemporary, and I do teach classes about writing historicals. The members of the critique group that meets in my home consider me an expert on historicals.

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

The dream of writing professionally didn’t come to me until I was in my 30s, after my children were mostly grown. And God told me to become a professional writer. You can read that testimony on the About Me page on my blog: http://lenanelsondooley.blogspotcom

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

It took 8 years to sell the first book, then 10 years to sell the second, but since 2002, I’ve had over 25 book releases.

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 don’t drink coffee, but I do drink iced green tea with no sugar. I do my best writing while sitting in my office at my computer. My husband gave me a large, flat-screen monitor a few years ago for Christmas, and I love having all that space. I spend 4-6 hours per day, 5-6 days per week, according to whether I have a deadline or not.
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 conferences and writing groups. When we’re connected to other writers who are farther along on the journey, they help us grow. And when we help those who aren’t as far along as we are, we grow along with them in many ways. I don’t want to ever stop learning more about writing.
Is the “writer’s life” what you thought it would be?

It’s much more solitary. I’m sure God chuckled when He gave me the talents, because He knew I’d be a people person. That’s why I have to take forays into the real world and interact with friends on a regular basis.

What are your biggest distractions?

Before I learned to control it, the Internet was a big distraction. And I love to read. I review the books I get to read. If I get into one that’s compelling, I have to pull myself away to do my work.

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

There have been a lot of good moments. Being presented the ACFW Mentor of the Year in 2006 is a real high point. I don’t dwell on the bad moments, so I can’t think of one right now.

What is the role and importance of an agent?

I sold many of my books without an agent. Now I have Joyce Hart, and I love having her take care of those business things for me. But it’s important that you and your agent become friends. She was my friend for several years before I signed with her. Now she is indispensable.

What advice would you give to new writers?

Read. Read. Read. Learn. Learn. Learn. Write. Write. Write.
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.

Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico, is my heroine-in-peril, mail-order-bride gone awry story.

What’s on the book horizon for you?

A three-book series proposal goes to pub group on Monday. I’m hopeful about the publisher buying this series.

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

I’m all over the Internet:
http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com – click on the book tab, to contact me, use the contact tab
www.shoutlife.com/lenanelsondooley
www.facebook.com/lenanelsondooley
www.twitter.com/lenandooley

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

TOMORROW on Amish Wisdom: Author Judy Christie

Join me on Thursday as we hear how to slow down and simplify our lives. I will have pen and paper in hand. :)

About Judy: Judy Christie is a writer and consultant who loves to help people slow down and enjoy each day more.

She is the author of the popular Hurry Less Worry Less series, published by Abingdon Press, including “Hurry Less Worry Less for Families,” “Hurry Less Worry Less at Work,” and “Hurry Less Worry Less at Christmastime.”

Her debut novel, “Gone to Green,” was released last year, and “Goodness Gracious Green,” second in The Green Series, has just come out. The novels are about a big-city journalist who becomes the owner of a tiny newspaper in rural North Louisiana, fighting corruption and prejudice and changing the town, while the town changes her. “The Glory of Green,” book 3, will be out in February 2011.

Judy is also the author of “Goodbye, Murphy’s Law: Whatever Can Go Wrong, God Can Make Right.”

A journalist for 25 years, she was the editor of newspapers in Louisiana, Indiana, Tennessee and Florida. She has a bachelor's degree from Baylor University and a master's in arts from LSU in Shreveport. She is married to Paul Christie, an 8th grade science teacher.

She loves flea markets, eating good food, and sitting in the porch swing.

More information is available from http://www.judychristie.com/.

About Hurry Less Worry Less for Families: "Hurry Less, Worry Less" is intended for all those busy women and men who want to slow their lives down but don’t quite know where to start. It offers quick tips, strategies for change, and an invitation to a Christian life. The author writes: “This book shares the path that I took and is written with the certainty that there is a better way to live, even in these hectic times…especially in these hectic times….An unexpected part of the journey was how God began to speak to me and help me grow….I discovered that part of the yearning inside me was for this underdeveloped part of my life.” "Hurry Less Worry Less for Families" also has a study guide in the back for individual or group study.

Judy will also be giving away copies of Hurry Less Worry Less: 10 Strategies for Living the Life You Long For, Hurry Less Worry Less for Families and Gone to Green, her first novel. Just leave a comment {HERE} for a chance to win. Don't forget your email address - the winner will be notified via email

Judy has also offered to send out her assessment worksheet that will help people step back and assess their families and their priorities. If you would like to receive the worksheet, simply email Judy (udy@judychristie.com) and put Assessment Worksheet: Amish Wisdom in the subject line and she'll send it to you.

The Amish in the News

In Amish country where life is supposedly simple and quiet, crime is a rare event.

Not this month. Not in western New York, anyway.

A few days ago, a 17-year-old Amish boy was arrested on counts of underage possession of alcohol, overdriving an animal, reckless endangerment and failure to stop at a stop sign.The boy ran his buggy through a stop sign in the presence of Sheriff Deputies (big mistake #1). An attempt was made to stop the buggy by Deputies and the suspect refused to stop.

The chase ensued for approximately 3/4 of a mile when the suspect attempted an unsafe turn in a driveway and crashed the horse and buggy. The victim then exited the buggy and took off on foot, leaving the scene of the accident. (Never a good idea!)

You can read more about the story here.


Earlier this month, in the same Cattaraugus County, another Amish person was driving a buggy was stopped by a group of males in a car. Someone in the car pointed a hand gun and demanded money. When the Amish did not have any money, the suspects fled. The full story is here.

Both stories sound as if they could be in any local newspaper--they just happen to hit the news because they involve the Amish, a horse and a buggy. But people are people, wherever they are. And teens are teens, Amish or not.

Some Pix from my Trip to the Amish

See the clothesline stretched along the sky? A very typical sight.

We went out one day and stopped to take pix of this covered bridge. I love those bridges!

Nearly every Amish home has a play set in the yard. Children are treasured!
This was hanging in my friend's home.

The Amish love to attract birds to their gardens--both for insect control and for enjoyment. This is a bluebird house.


A wonderful breakfast my Amish friend made for Nyna and me. Homemade grape juice!


What more could a horse want? Green grass, a creek of fresh spring water. And English admirers...snapping their pix.

Author Spotlight: Ocieanna Fleiss!

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 books. FUN.

This week we welcome Love Finds You in Victory Heights, Washington, author Ocieanna Fleiss. To win a copy of this great book co-authored by Tricia Goyer, leave a comment on this post!

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

Thanks for having me! Well, I’m married with kids—four of them, aged ten and under. I also homeschool and work as a copyeditor. My life is very…full. I’m often asked how I find time to write. The answer is I don’t know! I pray a lot, and somehow the time seems to present itself. I also get a lot of support from my amazing husband.

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

History is for me! I relish researching for a book. It’s so fun finding out about the lives of people who lived in different times. I love the unusual tidbits and have way too much fun incorporating them into the stories.

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

I’ve always loved to write. When I was in my late twenties, I decided I wanted to be an author. I jumped in with both feet (as they say). Now, twelve years later, I’ve finally had a couple books published. It’s a long, sometimes painful process, but the Lord walked with me. And, I’m grateful for those hard years, because God used that time of waiting to teach me, train me, and draw me closer to Him. Those things are more important than any publishing contract (although, I’m glad I finally got a couple!).

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’ve found intently planning out a scene in detail before I write it, helps to prevent those moments of staring into space trying to figure out what the character will do next.

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

Waiting on the Lord’s timing and being faithful in the little things—those opportunities to write for newsletters, blogs, even encouraging e-mails. Also critiquing, helping others, just being a blessing to those around you.

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

My goodness no! In many ways it’s different.

1. Early on I really wanted the whole publicity thing. I pictured myself on talk shows, etc. Now, that stuff scares me. I’d rather sit in my office and write!

2. I also envisioned a leisurely writing day spent pondering, researching, and finally writing. I thought I’d have at least a year to write a book. That’s not how it worked out for me. I’ve had tight deadlines, so none of the pondering stuff at all. Time is so limited, and I never even know if what I produce will be good or not! Sometimes I’ve spent hours on a scene only to axe it—this is very stressful when you’re on a tight deadline. But, I’m so grateful for this process. It’s incredibly helped me learn time-management skills. And even more importantly, I’ve faced so many times when I felt like I couldn’t go on under all the pressure. Of course it’s in those times that I turned to the Lord, desperately crying out for help, and He so faithfully walked me through.

3. Finally, I had no idea about the emotional commitment of writing a book. I’d always written on a superficial level, but as I went through the process of the first book, Love Finds You in Lonesome Prairie, Montana, I realized I was holding back my emotional commitment to the story and characters. Once I let that go, my writing improved dramatically, but I spent a lot of time trying to focus on my computer screen through eyes blurred with tears. This was very difficult, but again, what a growing process!

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

One of the worst was when I didn’t final for a writing contest I felt pretty sure about. This was after many years of writing, and I thought if I couldn’t even final, after all those years of trying to write, why was I doing it at all? I actually decided to quit striving to be published at that point.

After that happened, I was content to just blog and write for my own enjoyment, but not go to conferences or put together proposals.

Then, one of the best moments happened.

Out of the blue, I was offered to write for Summerside Press (it’s a long story). It was an amazing moment when that happened—a blessing I wasn’t expecting or even actively hoping for. God just blessed me.

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

Spending some Saturdays behind the computer instead of with the family. I most like the chance to unleash the welled-up creativity in a way that perhaps will bless others.

What is the role and importance of an agent?

My agent, Janet Grant, is amazing! I’m so grateful for her guidance and knowledge. I don’t know where my career will go from here, but I’m so blessed to have her helping me along the way.
What advice would you give to new writers?

Don’t spend all your time and energy striving, fretting, and pursing being published, instead seek excellence and wait on God’s timing.

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.

Look at that beautiful cover! Love Finds You in Victory Heights, Washington, will inspire you with the strength and courage of the amazing folks on the homefront in World War II who worked so hard for victory. Read it and be inspired, blessed, and entertained.

What’s on the book horizon for you?

I’m working on a couple historicals at the moment. We’ll see what God does next!
Last question, how can readers find you and your books?

The books can be found at any establishment that sells fine Christian books. And you can find me on my blogs: O History! www.ocieanna-ohistory.blogspot.com and Mommy-O www.ocieanna.blogspt.com Also on Facebook and Twitter.

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

Thank you for having me!

Thursday on Amish Wisdom: Author Ann Gabhart!

Tune in on Thursday at 4:00 pm Central! To listen in - go here and just click on the player in the top right corner.

We'll be chatting with author Ann Gabhart. Her latest series centers around the Shakers. Can't wait!

About Ann: Living just thirty miles from a restored Shaker village in Kentucky, Ann H. Gabhart has walked the same paths that her characters might have walked in generations past. Gabhart is the author of several books, including the best-selling novel The Outsider.

About her latest book, The Seeker: Charlotte Vance is a young woman who knows what she wants. But when the man she planned to marry joins the Shakers--a religious group that does not marry--she is left dumbfounded.

And when her father brings home a new wife who is young enough to be Charlotte's sister, it is more than she can bear. With the country--and her own household--on the brink of civil war, this pampered gentlewoman hatches a plan to avoid her new stepmother and win back her man by joining the Shaker community at Harmony Hill. Little does she know that this decision will lead her down a road toward unforeseen peace--and a very unexpected love.

Please leave a comment {HERE} to win a copy of The Seeker (leave your email addy) - we'll notify you by email if you win!

Lessons from Psalms

This summer, I'm reading through the book of Psalms. Loving it! Here are a couple of things I've learned from studying them this summer:

The Psalms were a prayer book for the Hebrews, who had several centuries of a head start on us in matters of prayer and worship.

In the original Hebrew, the prayers of Psalms were earthy and rough, not genteel or cultured. They were polished up in future English translations.

Prayer is intended to be elemental, not advanced, language. It is meant to be the means by which we get everything in our lives out in the open before God.

The collection of Psalms spanned centuries. Did you know there's even one written by Moses? (Check out Psalm 90.)

Many psalms were set to music and used during worship.

Unquestionably, the Psalms are meant to show us how to have a relationship with God. Nothing is off limits. Anger, outrage, envy, feeling abandoned, forgotten, praise, love. They're vivid utterances from passionate people!

If you feel a little distanced from God, or need to boost your prayer life, read through some of the Psalms. I'm using "The Message" by Eugene Peterson this summer.

Getting started in learning to pray is easy enough. The impulse to pray is deep within us, at the very center of our created being, and so practically anything will do to get us started.

In fact, "Help" and "Thanks!" are a great place to start.

Conversations with Dad

My sister and I went to visit Dad yesterday. It took a while to find him...he wasn't in his usual places. While my sister went through Dad's clothes and drawers (she was hunting for his wedding ring. It's gone missing--not an unusual thing in an Alzheimer's wing. Clothes and belongings sort of move from room to room. But still--its loss is a source of sadness. In retrospect, we should have taken it away sooner...but it was one piece of evidence that linked him to Mom and, also, it was her father's ring.) I went down to find someone to help me locate Dad.


A worker and I knocked on a half dozen rooms, and finally found Dad sitting in a chair in a woman's room. He had the radio on, full-blast, tuned to a scratchy-sounding classical station. The woman in the bed was ancient, either asleep or comatose, she looked to be around 100 years old. Clearly, she was loved--a cheerful homemade quilt covered her up. But she had no awareness of Dad being there. I motioned to have him come with me and he hesitated...I think he thought he was keeping her company.

I brought a couple of photograph albums for Dad to look through. It kept his attention and gave me something to talk about...and, after a while, he started to recognize one or two family members. I don't think he recognized my sister or me this time...but the longer we were there and looking through the photos, the more "context" seemed to help. Once or twice he pointed to someone in a picture as if he recognized the person.

As we were leaving, we walked down a hallway that held a baby bassinet, a cradle, some dolls, and some baby clothes that had been hung on the wall. I pointed to some adorable baby socks, and said to Dad that my daughter--his first grandchild--was going to be having her first baby in just eight weeks. A little boy!



Dad hadn't really said much during our visit--but he pointed to the socks on the wall and said, "Just take 'em!"

I didn't!

Author Spotlight! Curt Thompson

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 books. FUN.

This week's Author in the Spotlight is Curt Thompson!

Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win Curt's new release - Anatomy of the Soul!

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 nearly twenty-four years to Phyllis and have two children, one in college (Rachel) and one in high school (Nathan). Tending those relationships is the most important part of my life’s vocation. As I write about in Anatomy of the Soul, they are also the most important sources for my experience of being known. I earn my living as a psychiatrist, and have been in private practice for about twenty years. But mostly, my calling in life is to invite people (not least myself) to exploring the truth about their stories in order to come to a fuller place of health and healing—whether that’s in the office, on the basketball court (which I still try to play regularly) or over dinner with friends.

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

Anatomy of the Soul is the first book I have written. So, I guess I haven’t necessarily established a foothold in a particular genre. The book is about brain/mind science, relationships, and following Jesus, and how each of these dimensions of our experience (if one is a God-seeker) shape each other. The book draws heavily from both clinical stories as well as many passages of Scripture that are both narrative and instructive in nature. I’m not certain what genre that falls into, but whichever one it is, there you have it! All of this has emerged from my interest in the integration of the many areas of neuroscience and mental health intervention and Christian spirituality. I speak and teach on this topic fairly frequently in various venues.

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

Before Anatomy of the Soul the only formal writing I did was Christmas letters! Over the past ten years, a good friend of mine, Leslie Nunn Reed (who is an author agent) had been encouraging me to write a book. We would have these long conversations about any number of topics we were both interested in, and that I was currently thinking about from an integrated perspective of psychiatry and Christian spirituality. It could have to do with parenting, marital issues, sexuality, leadership, anxiety or depressive problems, you name it. About six years ago I began to develop some thoughts around the integration of faith and the emerging science of interpersonal neurobiology (which I explore in AOTS [Anatomy of the Soul—hope that’s an ok abbreviation]). This eventually evolved into a class that I taught at my church to which there was a great deal of positive response. Leslie and my friend Dennis Hollinger, now President of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and a former pastor at our church, both encouraged me to get the material into print and try to get it published. I had had no significant dreams of becoming published—but what was coming out of the material I present in the book seemed to gather its own momentum and was asking to be written. Without any guarantees, of course, that anyone would be interested in taking a chance on a first time author writing on a relatively brand new subject.

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

Leslie led me through the process of creating a book proposal (she’s very good by the way at what she does), and then she shopped it around. I essentially wrote one full chapter and chapter summaries for the rest of the book for the proposal, sent it out—and then waited. If my memory serves me correctly, I think it was between six months and a year before we landed a publisher. Working with Tyndale House Publishers has been a very good experience, and I’m grateful for the support they have offered for this project.

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 can answer what I did, and what I would do differently if I had to do it over again. My life is such that I did not have the luxury of writing every day (even a little bit, as is often suggested). So I would work on one or two weeknights every week, and then usually several hours on a Saturday morning. I recall that there was only one time when I had a stretch of about four days straight when all I did was write. If I ever do this again (and I think I would like to, yes, I think very much) I would utilize longer blocks of time. It is otherwise a bit of a burden to gear up and down every two or three days, often not consecutively, to keep the creative stream flowing. When I would write during the week, it usually lasted from early evening till the wee hours of the morning, especially as we got closer to the final deadline. My family was SO gracious in allowing me the time to do this, and often went off to do things on their own that I would usually have been involved with just so I could get the work done.

I otherwise didn’t have any particular routine, other than to make sure I was relatively awake and rested when I started. This wasn’t always easy at the end of a long day seeing patients. But this could sometimes be countered by a particularly helpful interaction I had had with a patient. Sometimes I would allow myself to become distracted by “other things I had to do…” to avoid going to the “war room” (our bedroom, where I would write)—but my wife would gently, and firmly, remind me of what I was trying to do, and usually that would be enough to help me get to it.

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

The biggest help for me was a group of readers who met on a somewhat regular basis to read over and critique my manuscript. They were most encouraging—and in no small way because almost to a person each had been personally helped by the material I was presenting in AOTS. They asked good questions and helped flesh out not only what I was writing but also clarify my audience as I proceeded through the project.

What are your biggest distractions?

I think one of my biggest distractions was that high-pitched fear that I can barely hear at the back of my brain that says, in some form or another, “The stuff you have to say isn’t really that interesting or important…” or some such prattle. This makes me worry that what I’m writing is, well, prattle itself. If I listen too long to this voice, I can get paralyzed. Another was my tendency to think so much ahead to how much I had left to write that I would become overwhelmed and then paralyzed for that reason as well. The last distraction I think has to do with a previous question. It was easier to get distracted, or rather, harder to stay on task, when my schedule simply was too broken up (with several days between days I would be writing). This would lead to an inertia that was hard to overcome sometimes—and I could simply find something else to do. But hard deadlines are, without doubt, the most effective means for me to keep distractions at bay.

What do you least like about being a writer? Most like?
What I least like is the extended periods of isolation that are sometimes necessary to get the work done. Another might be how writing, for me, reveals so much about myself that I wish were different. So many of my weaknesses, dark corners, and stuff I’m not proud of are revealed when I find myself faced with the reality that I just can’t make things go on paper the way I want them to. Or I sound too dull, or too bombastic, or too wordy (perhaps like I’m being right now). I think you get the picture.

I think I most like two things. First would be the sense you get when you’re in a pocket, a zone, in which your fingers are flying, the keyboard unable to keep up with your brain as so many thoughts spill out (even, occasionally, coherently) that you can’t contain them. If they then actually make sense, there is great joy in that. The other is this. Gift-giving and receiving is not my, uh, gift. I mean that that is not the way I best experience relationships. But it has been a particularly special experience for me to give my book to people who I believe very much are interested in a copy, and witness their joy in receiving it. Because most of the time, I believe their interest is genuine. It’s the experience of giving a gift that you believe people really want, and can be really helpful. That’s very cool.

What is the role and importance of an agent?

As I mentioned earlier, Leslie Nunn Reed is very good at what she does. For me, her role was essential, and without her work, I doubt AOTS would exist except in my mind. As I mentioned in the acknowledgement section of the book, she veritably willed it into existence. Her most important role, I think, was to do two things. First, she led me through the vast maze of the book proposal and all that followed, including her shopping the book to those who would be interested. Secondly, she was a great support to me when times arose in which it was not certain the project (or I) would make it (I had one publisher sign a contract and then after I had finished the manuscript about nine months later, withdrew the contract—not the most encouraging day for me). I couldn’t have asked for anyone better for me than Leslie.

What advice would you give to new writers?

Like anything that is worth doing, writing is worth doing well, and that requires painstaking work. The metaphor of birthing a baby, though possibly overused, is so for its aptness. This writing thing is a labor of love that requires discipline, grace (a bounty full toward oneself), and perseverance. And no small amount of encouragement from those on the same journey. Although I was not involved in a writing group, I can easily see how this would be of great help to anyone wanting to join this fraternity.
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.

Anatomy of the Soul introduces you to the connections between new discoveries in brain science, the way relationships work, and Christian spirituality. If you desire your life to be one in which your mind is transformed, your brain is changed, and your relationships with God and everyone else is healed and deepened, this is a good place to start.

What’s on the book horizon for you?

Great question. As we are just a month out from release of AOTS, we’ll have to see how it does. But I do have ideas for next projects.
Last question, how can readers find you and your books?

They can find it by going to my web site, www.beingknown.com, their local bookseller (which I very much want to support), or on Amazon.com.

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

Writer's Block by Brad Igou

This is a reflective essay written by Brad Igou, editor-in-chief of Amish Country News. Brad lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Don't miss today's interview with Brad on "Amish Wisdom"--4pm CST on toginet.com!

Writer's Block by Brad Igou

I am fortunate to work in an office along Route 340, pretty much surrounded by Amish farmlands. As I was looking out the window during a period of "writer’s block," it suddenly occurred to me that I could write about things I see out of my window from time to time.

Of course, last year the view from my window over the winter looked like a scene from "Lawrence of Arabia," except that the sand dunes were "snow dunes," cars in the parking lot covered by several feet of snow.

But now it is spring and the browns of my patchwork quilt of fields and farmland are turning to greens. The Amish farm across the road stretches along the highway, and I sometimes see the farmer plowing, planting, or spreading manure. (I usually smell that activity before I see it!)

My favorite sight is when the horses are out in the field. Sometimes they run or chase each other, and other times they just stand around watching the cars go by. In the summer they like to stretch out and relax on the grass, or roll over to scratch their backs, their legs up kicking at the sky. A visitor once dashed into our office shouting about a dead horse in the field. I guess some people are unaware that horses don’t have to sleep standing up!

One day there was a thunderstorm, and lots of water gushed down the hillside to form a big "puddle" in the field. The horses came over to it and, just like a bunch of children, took their feet and splashed in the water. To see these magnificent animals just having a good time playing in the water is a sight I shall never forget.

Naturally, we have a parade of Amish going by every day. We see carriages pulled by beautiful, prancing horses. Weekdays there are Amish children on the way to the one-room school, carrying their lunch boxes. One lad wearing a bright red backpack used to whiz down the road to class on roller blades. And I can’t forget the lady who pulls an empty wagon behind her down the road, returning a half hour later with it full of groceries.

Finally, there’s our neighbor here at Amish Country News. He’s an Amish carriage maker, and has his phone outside. (Amish cannot have phones in the home.) While I don’t always hear the phone, his dog barks whenever it rings, and I do hear that. I sometimes see him through the trees running to answer the call.

Now the sun is setting --- another spectacular view of reds and pinks and yellows and oranges. If the view through my window is any indication, it is no surprise that the Amish are content to live without a TV set. It’s a wonderful changing program of sights and sounds with no commercials!

Source: Amish Country News Publisher's Message by Brad Igou

TOMORROW on Amish Wisdom:

Tune in on Thursday at 4:00 pm Central! To listen in - go here and just click on the player in the top right corner.

Don't miss Thursday's show - my guest this week is a fascinating man who is elbow deep in the Amish community. Brad is the Amish Experience in Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania, editor of Amish Country News, and compiler of the book THE AMISH IN THEIR OWN WORDS (Herald Press).

More about Brad: Brad grew up in Lancaster City and graduated from McCaskey High School in 1969. As a sociology-anthropology major at Ithaca College, he lived and worked with an Amish family for three months in Lancaster as part of an independent study. His interest in other cultures took him to the Peace Corps in Costa Rica, where he worked in agricultural extension and taught English for three years. Following a one-year teaching stint in York, he went to Japan, where he taught English and wrote articles on Japan for numerous publications.

Returning to Lancaster in 1987, he secured a position with Amish Country Tours and is now president and a co-owner of the company. During Brad’s tenure, he has overseen the renovation of the Amish Country Homestead, obtained “Heritage Site” status for the Homestead, as well as having written the script for and piecing together the complicated puzzle of the Amish Experience Theater’s critically acclaimed special effects driven production of “Jacob’s Choice.” In addition to the daily tours of the Amish farmlands, Brad has developed popular theme tours for both individuals and groups, especially student groups.

As Editor-in-Chief, Brad is responsible for the editorial content and publishing of Amish Country News, with half a million copies printed annually. In his 20-plus years in this role, he has written 100’s of articles about Lancaster County for the magazine. His "Amish Series" has long been one of the most eagerly anticipated in each new issue. He’s been encouraged to publish a compilation of his Amish Country News musings and may yet consider doing so.

In 2005, working with the PA Dutch Convention and Visitors Bureau, he was instrumental in planning and scripting the “Witness Movie Anniversary Tour,” which brought visitors to Lancaster from all over the world to see the farm where this famous Hollywood movie was filmed. More recently, he created the Amish Visit-In-Person Tour, which gives visitors the opportunity to personally meet and talk with the Amish where they live and work. In 2010, the VIP Tour was the first, and to date the only, experience to be designated an official “Heritage Tour” by the County of Lancaster, granting prestigious authenticity status to the experience.

In 1999, his compilation of Amish writings titled THE AMISH IN THEIR OWN WORDS was published by Herald Press, and he is currently working on a “Volume Two.” He is a past Chairman of the Board of the Pennsylvania Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau, and currently is President of the Lancaster Community Concert Association. While Brad has spent over 12 years living and traveling abroad, he says that his heart always stayed in Lancaster, which he is now proud to call “home.” For more information about Brad or The Amish Experience, please visit: www.amishexperience.com. More of Brad's personal writings on the Amish and other general information on Lancaster at www.amishnews.com.

WANT A COPY OF THE AMISH IN THEIR OWN WORDS? LEAVE A COMMENT ON {HERE} (WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS) AND WE'LL RANDOMLY CHOOSE A WINNER ON MONDAY THE 12TH!

Buggies, Books, and Children

Some pix from a trip I took a few months ago to visit some Amish families in Pennsylvania. We stopped to drop some flowers off at my friend's daughter-in-law's house. Adorable little children playing in the front yard.

And then I had my first buggy ride!

This was Twila, the horse who obliged us. She doesn't look too excited to go out, but she rallied!
This is taken from the inside of a buggy. It's surprisingly noisy inside...the clip clop of the horse, the wind swirling past you. Imagine how it feels to have a car or truck pass you! Like an tornado rattles by!


Three-year-old Laura's favorite spot in the buggy.
My friend's finished basement--quilt frame in one corner, waiting to be quilted. A ping pong table in another! Notice the bookshelves!

If you think the Amish' education ends at 8th grade, have another think! Formal schooling might end, but not their education. They are live-long learners.

Author Spotlight! Maureen Lang

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 books. FUN.

This week's Author in the Spotlight is Maureen Lang!

Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win Maureen's latest novel, Whisper on the Wind!

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’m a full-time writer, but since I also have a family, working at home means I always seem to be juggling my priorities. One of my kids is grown and on her own, but my two boys still live at home, one of whom has Fragile X Syndrome. Fragile X is a brain disorder that can affect people with a wide range of disabilities. For my son, who is almost fifteen, the symptoms are pretty severe; he has virtually no language, and functions like a two-year-old in a very grown up body. But he smiles quite a bit, and is actually quite easy to be around most of the time. He does take up more of my time, however, which adds to my time-juggling act. The fact is, if I haveto be a caretaker I couldn’t be more blessed than to get to care for someone who is as sweet as he is. It also makes working outside the home virtually impossible, so writing is the perfect fit for me.

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

I consider myself a passionate reader who’s learned how to write the stories I want to read—which are always romantic and include either contemporary or historical settings. I have to admit historicals are my favorite, though. In fact, I’ve been so fascinated with the First World War era that I’ve written five books set during that time! My newest title is Whisper on the Wind, which is set in Belgium when the Germans occupied that little European country. When my heroine wants to prove herself worthy to the man she loves, she forces her way into the secretive work he’s doing—producing an uncensored and therefore illegal newspaper that the German army is all too eager to crush. But if it costs her life, what good is all of her risk and work?

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

A long time ago (in the 80s) when I was far from God and living quite differently than I live today, I wrote secular historical romances. From the time I joined RWA until I received my first contract was probably around 2 or 3 years. I wrote consistently for about three or four years after that and published three books, but ended up going through some major personal changes (divorce, single parenthood) and I ended up giving up writing because it just didn’t pay enough to support me and my daughter. But eventually my life settled down again and I rediscovered the faith I’d left behind. The second time I made a serious attempt at publication, it was in the Christian market and took about 3 or 4 years to receive my first contract. So…neither one was a quick success!

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’m actually a very routine-oriented writer. I work when my sons are at school (or day camp in the summer) and in the morning hours when the house is quiet. That’s optimal for me, at least while I’m writing a first draft. For revisions and editing, I’m more flexible. But even knowing that, I recall occasionally writing a scene when everyone was home, noise from every direction, and being able to follow through on what I was doing. I guess it really depends on how passionate I am about whatever point I’m at in the project! Anything’s possible when a scene is going right.

As far as what inspires me, when I take a walk with the dog I love to listen to praise music. Often times I’ll come across a song that might reflect the struggles of one or more of my characters, or some point in the story that resonates with what the song might be about. Or, if I’m listening to an instrumental piece, it might match the mood of the story I’m dwelling on. Having a soundtrack to whatever book I’m working on at the time always fires up the emotions that match the theme, characters or mood.

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

Initially, the biggest help for me was going to conferences. Even though they’re expensive and time consuming, they’re such a great place to get connected. Not only to connect with other writers on this same, tough journey, but to meet with editors or agents face to face. When a writer is just starting out, conferences help us to get to know the business. Once a writer is at the point of looking for an agent or an editor, conferences are just about the best way to do that these days.

I would also say that having a critique group has helped me grow as a writer, in experience and in confidence. Seeing how others react to what we write is very important to figuring out what works—and what doesn’t.

What are your biggest distractions?

Summer time! My family is home, the weather beckons, there are trips to plan, people to have over or visit with… There just seems to be an endless list of things to do in the summer. I’ve learned to set my expectations more realistically, and know that the bulk of my writing gets done during the school year when my husband is teaching and my sons are in school.

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

Like many other writers I know, I’m an introvert. That means being the center of attention is something we would naturally avoid, but when it comes to promoting our books we’re supposed to do just the opposite.

But in a very odd way, the thing I like least—being the center of attention—is a symptom of what I like most about being a writer. That feeling of acceptance that comes when someone tells me they like my book. Go figure.

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.

This book—the one with the pretty cover—has both romance and action. What better combination could there be?

What’s on the book horizon for you?

In the spring of 2011, I have another book releasing that’s set in this same World War One era. It probably comes as no surprise that most of the characters filling my former books in this setting have had German bad guys. Being German myself, and married to a German, I always felt a little sad about this. Once I asked my German plumber to verify some German phrasing, telling him the Germans were the bad guys again and he said something along the lines of “Of course! That’s always the case.”

Not so this time. My 2011 release is titled Springtime of the Spirit, and it’s set in Germany at the end of the war. Every single character is German—both the bad and the good ones. So much opportunity for angst, and some of the material seems like it could have been taken from today’s headlines. Economic worries; how much of a role should government play in our lives; socialism, conservatism…

But before you think all this sounds too political, I assure you it’s a romance! The heroine is torn between two men—a socialist revolutionary and a soldier who only wants to protect her, and to remind her of the faith she seems bent on forgetting.

I learned a lot while writing this book, but I also had fun putting my characters through all their turmoil. Authors can be so cruel, you know?

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

Look for me in these places:

www.maureenlang.com
http://maureenlang.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/maureen.lang

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

Thanks very much for having me!