An August Blog Tour

Authors periodically participate in a blog tour which involves answering several questions and then pointing you on to writers (next week) whose answers you may find interesting as well.

The versatile Amy Parker selected me to answer questions about my current work in progress.

Amy is a fun loving woman with a lovely southern accent from the outskirts of Nashville and last summer I had dinner with her, discussing the project that I’ll be writing after the next one.

As it happens, that project is set in her town and her mother knows some of my character’s relatives!

Such a small world!

Amy herself writes about both a smaller world (books for children) and for how small the world can be for those who have soft hearts. Click to Tweet

Her twenty books for children and adults include the best-selling A Night Night Prayer.

I’m particularly looking forward to Frederick releasing next month, the soul-searing story of a young man whose arms were sliced off by a machete in 1994 Rwanda. A co-written tale of hope and encouragement, Frederick meant Amy and her family traveled to Rwanda to visit the scenes depicted in the story.

(She took her husband and their young son, who made this video about his experiences)

Amy’s description of why she writes inspires:

“I write what I do because I’m moved to, inspired to, nagged to until I can no longer ignore the beautiful nagging. I write because I want everyone from toddlers to teens to adults to know the overwhelming love of God and the hope that it brings. I want every single person on the planet to see the beauty right here among us. I want to love on this big world. And I’ve found that, for me, right now, putting words on paper is the best way to do that.”

See what I mean?

Here are my answers to the four blog hop questions:

What are you working on now? 

Having just completed a massive World War I novel, I’m now turning to a project releasing as an ebook on November 6, The Yuletide Bride; and the writing of its sequel, The Sunbonnet Bride which also will release as an ebook on July 20, 2015. (Both from Barbour Publishing)

The Yuletide Bride is the fun story of a “grasshopper” fiddler who falls in love with a bagpipe-playing mercantile worker. The marriage can’t go through until the fiddler earns enough money ($70) to keep his prospective bride in 1873 Nebraska. Music, a snow storm and money matters complicate the novella. I had so much fun writing it–and attempting to play the bagpipes–I can hardly wait for it to come out. (It also will release as a Walmart-only special on October 14 as part of White Christmas Brides for those of you who don’t have ebook readers).

I’ll start writing its sequel this month, which features characters from The Yuletide Bride in an 1874 Nebraska story about a tornado, entrepreneurship and summer love called The Sunbonnet Bride. This one involves a teamster with a big heart and a seamstress with a great idea.

How does your work differ from others of its genre?

I love research and like to find real events to set within my stories. In both these two ebooks (Part of The 12 Brides Collection), money issues drive the story and my characters are confronting both personal and out-of-their-control challenges. I’m always curious about the why–why do people behave the way they do and what motivates them, both good and bad?

I like to blend fact with my imagination to produce a story that not only makes sense in both the historical and spiritual, but also honors God. Click to Tweet

I’ve also taken to including Pinterest boards to add a visual element to those interested in my stories.

Why do you write what you do?

The world is a grim place full of discouragement and events are not improving. As an inspirational writer, I need to point people in the direction of hope and God’s answers to our heart cries.

Emily Dickinson expresses it so well:

“Hope” is the thing with feathers –

That perches in the soul –

And sings the tune without the words –

And never stops – at all –

And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard –

And sore must be the storm –

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm –

I’ve heard it in the chillest land –

And on the strangest Sea –

Yet – never – in Extremity,

It asked a crumb – of me.

 

How does your writing process work?

I work part time, teach Bible study, play my clarinet, sing at church, and have a big family. I write on Tuesday afternoons and all day on Thursdays; many late afternoons and evenings and a good part of Saturdays. We don’t have television so the nights are quiet for writing.

I usually write off a prompt and think a lot about the story and what I know from history about the subject.

I read on my subject area continually as I write, researching all the way to the end and sometimes changing the tale to match the facts. I listen to God’s inspiration in all sorts of unusual places and am thankful for the feedback I get from fellow writers and my editor friend. I’m very fortunate in that I type 120 words per minute and because of my experience as a reporter, know to write whether I feel like it or not.

 

The next stop on the blog tour–watch for her next Tuesday, August 19–is Julia Roller:

Julia Roller‘s most recent book is Mom Seeks God: Practicing Grace in the Chaos. A deep thinker and graduate of both Centre College and The University of California, Berkeley (go Bears!) School of Journalism, she has written or edited several books, among them  25 Books Every Christian Should Read; A Year with God; and A Year with Aslan.

She and her husband have two young boys and life looks a lot different than it did during her Berkeley days! Click to Tweet

I met Julia several years ago and relished our wide-ranging conversation!