Tag Archives: interviews

Friday Friends: Grace Fox Blog Tour

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Interview with Grace Fox

Has fear kept you awake at night? Has it hindered you from saying yes to a new opportunity? Has it caused you to make impulsive choices you later regretted? If so, you’re not alone! Fear is a big deal for many women. If left unchecked, it can prevent us from fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives. So, what’s the answer? How can we move beyond fear into freedom?

Author Grace Fox has partnered with Stonecroft Ministries to write a small group resource titled Moving from Fear to Freedom: A Woman-to-Woman Conversation. This resource addresses women’s common fears and gives biblical and practical strategies to move beyond them.

Q: Fear seems to be an ever-present theme throughout the Bible. Describe the difference between healthy and unhealthy fear.

A: Healthy fear steers us toward wise decisions and actions. It promotes self-preservation. For example, we look both ways before crossing the street for fear of getting hit by a car. In contrast, unhealthy fear hinders our ability to fully embrace life because it consumes us with negative thinking and what-ifs. The effects can literally make us sick.

Q: How does destructive fear stunt our emotional or spiritual growth?

A: Destructive fear—the fear of rejection, for instance—might keep us from admitting to someone that we’ve been physically or sexually abused. Without receiving the help we need to deal with those issues, we never experience freedom. Our struggles might seriously hamper our ability to truly love and receive love in a marital relationship. This is just one example among many of how our emotional growth is affected.

Spiritually, fear can cause us to say no to God-given dreams or assignments because we’re afraid of personal inadequacy or financial insecurity. If we never step out in faith, then we never experience God’s ability to equip and provide in amazing ways. Spiritual growth comes when we say yes to God and “do it afraid.”

Q: You suggest we need to place our focus on God and not on fear. In practical terms, how do we do this?

A: Several strategies that I’ve found helpful…

  • Memorize Scripture promises and meditate on them throughout the day and as we fall asleep at night. We are transformed as our mind is renewed.
  • Fill our homes with praise and worship music.
  • Spend time in God’s word on a regular basis, not just when we’re in a panic. The more we do so, the more familiar we become with His promises and the better prepared we are to face frightening circumstances when they come.
  • Talk to the Lord throughout the day. Invite Him into the mundane. Practice His presence. The more we get to know Him, the more we’re able to trust Him in the face of fear.

Q: Most of us feel inadequate at times. You suggest we cannot use our inadequacies as an excuse for not participating with God’s purposes. How do we get past this?

A: We get past our fear of inadequacy by admitting we have it. Then we need to retrain our thinking to focus on God’s adequacies rather than our inadequacies.

  • Tell God how we feel. “Help! I don’t think I can do such-and-such.”
  • Tell a trusted friend and ask her to pray for us.
  • Move forward. Do it afraid and expect God to equip us.

Q: Describe this resource and how participants can receive the greatest benefit as they use it.

A: It’s a seven-week study filled with biblical teaching and personal anecdotes that can be used easily by either a small group of friends in a private home setting or a large women’s ministry. Each session begins by viewing a 25-30 minute teaching video. When the video ends, participants follow suggested Table Talk questions for about 15 minutes. Then they do the Bible study questions together. Each participant uses her own guide book so she can take notes and write answers. Facilitator’s notes are included. The study covers these topics:

  • an overview of fear
  • fear for our loved ones’ well-being
  • fear of personal inadequacy
  • fear of rejection
  • fear of facing the ghosts of our past
  • fear of the storms of life
  • fear of the unknown future

Q: Where can I buy this study?

It’s available through your local Christian book store, on Amazon, www.barnesandnoble.com, www.christianbooks.com, www.stl-distribution.com, www.winepressbooks.com, and of course, on Grace’s website, where group discounts apply. Visit Grace’s website for more information about her other books and speaking ministry.

For opportunities for a FREE copy of this DVD & Study Guide set of MOVING FROM FEAR TO FREEDOM, please follow this CSS Virtual Book Tour on Twitter (@Christianspkrs) or Facebook.)

Here’s a brief video trailer of the Moving From Fear to Freedom study guide: 

[I was given a complimentary copy of this DVD & Study Guide set from the author in exchange for posting the author’s interview on my blog. This blog tour is managed by Christian Speaker Services (www.ChristianSpeakerServices.com).]

Friday Friends: Janice Hanna Thompson

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Janice Hanna ThompsonJanice Hanna (also published as Janice Thompson) has published more than seventy novels and non-fiction books. She has also published more than fifty magazine articles and several musical comedies for the stage. Janice makes her home in the Houston area near her children and grandchildren.

As if she weren’t busy enough, Janice also teaches writing, and I was in her online course for the American Christian Fiction Writers group in June (they welcome non-US members, too, for those who know I’m Canadian.)

Janet: Janice, thanks for stopping by today. To get us started, what’s something random we may not know about you?

Janice: I occasionally bake wedding cakes. In 2009 I baked a lovely four-tiered white cake with strawberry filling and cream cheese frosting that toppled less than an hour before the wedding. I managed to piece together two very messy/ugly layers. Thankfully, the bride did not murder me. It made for a great scene in a later book. (Nothing ever gets wasted, not even a mashed piece of cake.)

Janet: Ouch! I’ll bet that was funnier in the book than in real life. Why do you like writing comedies with strong take-aways?

Janice: Comedy is a great outlet. We comedians can get away with a lot more than authors who play it straight. Want the reader to walk away with a little nugget of truth? Couch it in something humorous. I’ve found that light-hearted writing not only suits my personality, it’s the perfect vehicle for sharing the gospel.

Janet: Please tell us a bit more about the plot of Love Finds You in Groom, Texas (Summerside/ Guideposts, June 2011).

Janice: Always the groomsman, never the groom… It’s 1914, and Jake O’Farrell has gained an unusual reputation among the locals: He’s played the roles of groomsman and best man in all four of his older brothers’ weddings, but he’s never been able to find the woman to capture his heart. And now with the upcoming wedding of his best friend, Jake will become the last single man in the town of Groom.

Anne Denning has made the difficult decision to move with her sisters to Texas, but a train derailment forces them to seek shelter in Groom, near Amarillo. Mrs. O’Farrell, hopeful that Anne will catch her youngest son’s eye, invites the girls to stay at her home until the train is repaired and ready to pull out. Anne has no idea of the blissful chaos that lies ahead!

Janet: Groom is a wedding-themed book. Why do you write so many stories with a strong wedding theme?

Janice: I have four grown daughters—Randi, Megan, Courtney Rae and Courtney Elizabeth. Yes, I really have two daughters named Courtney. (Long story!) All four of my girls got married within four years of each other. We’re told to write what we know. I know weddings, trust me! I helped coordinate all four weddings and even worked as a wedding coordinator at my church for a season. I was also tickled to be the “Wedding Planner Examiner” for the city of Houston for a spell. What fun! You’ll see me writing about weddings for years to come, so hang on for the ride!

Janet: What is it about your lead character that will make your readers care about her?

Janice: Readers will care about Anne because she’s been through so much and still chooses to move forward. They will also love her relationship with her younger sisters. She’s the only remaining parental figure and takes that position very seriously.

Janet: Tell us a little about your hero? Is he true hero material?

Janice: Jake is a hunka-hunka Texas man! He’s a railroad man who loves his job, loves his family and loves the heroine. He’s got a great sense of humor, which is perfect for this story, because the heroine’s little sisters are loaded with antics! Jake has a lot to deal with: he’s the town’s last single man, which has made him the brunt of many a joke. His older brothers (all married with children) taunt and tease. Jake can never catch a break. Unless he’s with Anne, of course. Then he catches far more than a break… he catches the woman of his dreams!

Janet: Are any of your characters patterned after real people?

Janice: The characters are patterned more after characters than real people. I wanted the overall “feel” of the book to be a bit like that in “Anne of Green Gables.” If the reader is paying attention, he/she will notice a few Avonlea-esque images, including my heroine’s name. There are also a few nods to “Meet Me in St. Louis” in this story, as well.

Janet: The “Anne” books are set in Prince Edward Island, Canada. That’s practically next door to me. One more reason for me to read Love Finds You in Groom, Texas. What sorts of transformations take place in this book?

Janice: How much time do you have? (Ha!) Seriously, there are so many! The heroine, Anne, has been through tremendous losses and struggles with her faith from the get-go. By the end of the story, she is a woman transformed. Likewise, the hero has been through far too much taunting and teasing. He, too, has faced losses. With Anne’s hand in his, transformation comes. Even precocious Emily, Anne’s younger sister, goes through a bit of a metamorphosis as the story progresses. The biggest change of all, however, is in Uncle Bertrand. I don’t want to give away too much. You’ll have to read the story to see for yourself!

Janet: Sounds like a plan! Anything else you want our readers to know?

Janice: Yes, I’m very passionate about my faith, which is why I write Christian books. I could no more leave out the faith elements than I could stop eating chocolate. They are integral… to my stories and my life. I’m a huge believer in stirring up the gifts that God has placed inside of us, which is what I hope to do through my teaching.

Janet: What’s the last book you read that you would recommend?

Janice: I was completely blown away by Judy Christie’s book Wreath, about a teen girl who lives on her own. I can’t tell you the last time a character impacted me like Wreath did. I read the book for endorsement. I’m pretty sure it releases in a month or two. Can’t wait to see what readers think!

Janet: Where else can readers find you online?

Janice: I love to connect with my readers at the following places:

Janet: Now that you’ve hooked me, where can I get the book?

Janice: Love Finds You in Groom, Texas can be purchased at any number of online stores, as well as my website  (front page, scroll down). Readers can always join my VIP bookclub and get the locked in price of $11 (no shipping fee for Continental USA) by contacting me directly. [Contact Janice for international rates]

Janet: Thanks so much for stopping by, and keep those books coming. We can always use a bit more encouraging comedy!

Janice: Thanks for spending time with me! I had a blast!

Friday Friends: Author Benjamin T. Collier

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I first met Canadian author Benjamin T. Collier at Write! Canada a few years back. Since we’re both members of The Word Guild, I’ve been able to keep up with his writing progress, and I was glad to hear that his first novella, The Kingdom, released in spring 2011.

Janet: Welcome, Benjamin, and thanks for taking time to join us. Novellas are sort of that middle ground between short stories and novels, correct? The Kingdom is fantasy, something I’m reading more of these days. Would you tell  us a bit about the story?

Benjamin: I’m very happy to chat with you. Thanks for the invite.

Yes, the story was simple enough to fit in under a hundred pages, and I felt that adding more just to make it novel length would’ve only served to bulk it up and slow it down. But it was definitely too long for a two-page short story. I was fortunate to find a publisher that does books of this length.

The story begins with a once-glorious kingdom that now lies in the hands of a corrupt steward. And it is up to Princess Nevaeh to restore the kingdom to glory. It starts off in a very fairytale setting and then quickly heads off in a different direction. I hope to keep the reader on their toes.

Janet: The cover art is beautiful. Where did the story idea come from?

Benjamin: I grew up with movies like Beauty and the Beast and Shrek, films that take the known formula of fairytale stories and turn them on their head in ways that speak to people’s hearts. And although the messages in those stories hit very near to my heart, they all fell short of hitting my soul. The Kingdom was written as my attempt to write a story that spoke what was really on my heart. Though in this case it’s written for mature readers.

Janet: One of the extra challenges to writing fantasy and other forms of speculative fiction is the need to invent new worlds and people. Tell us a bit about that.

Benjamin: I’ve written full length fantasy novels before, and I do enjoy the process of inventing new people and cultures and figuring out how they work. But with The Kingdom being a novella I didn’t have as much time to introduce the reader to the peoples and cultures of Allandor and the surrounding regions, I only had time for the peoples and cultures who were relevant to the story, and other aspects of the world are only mentioned in passing.

I think one of the strengths of fantasy writers like J.R.R. Tolkien and Robert Jordan is having their characters casually mention this or that person, place, or event, without going into detail over it. It makes the world more intriguing to the reader and gives it a sense of age and history that pulls them in. I hope to emulate that skill.

Janet: Emulating the masters is a good way to go. Do you have a favourite character in the story?

Benjamin: I think I would have to say Ruth, the wyvern. Just because I’m an animal lover. 🙂 I tend to gravitate toward the characters who are most different, even if they’re so different as to be another species.

My second favourite is probably Roy. He’s a particularly fun character to write, whether it’s his dialogue, behaviour, or even the personality that the narrative takes on when it’s from his perspective.

Janet: I’m looking forward to reading about them. What one key thing do you want readers to take away when they’re done?

Benjamin: As with most of my writing, my hope is for people to come away with a different perspective on the way that God works and the love that He has for them.

Janet: Any thoughts of a sequel? What projects do you have on the go now?

Benjamin: I’ve considered a sequel. 🙂 But nothing’s been determined yet. Before The Kingdom I also wrote two sci-fi/fantasy novels that I want to go back to and revise now that my writing craft is more developed. But probably the next thing I’ll work on is updating and editing my autobiography (about my life with autism) and get that ready for publishing.

Janet: You certainly have plenty of project ideas. What got you started writing?

Benjamin: I’ve always been a storyteller, but up until the age of five I was non-verbal, and could only communicate through drawing pictures. I’ve always been a big fan of movies and video games, and as a kid I drew a lot of pictures about various video game and movie characters.

For me, writing creatively started as me jotting down notes and background information about the characters I drew. These eventually turned into full-fledged short stories, until one day I decided to take my latest idea and see if I could actually write it down as a novel. That’s when I realized the career path that God was taking me down.

Janet: That’s an interesting way to get here. What do your family think of your writing?

Benjamin: I think they were surprised at first. Books weren’t my first love. But after years of seriously pursuing this as a career my friends and family have seen over time how different parts of my life and personality all come together in this one journey. Now they’re very excited for me. My mother in particular gets excited every time she sees my name on the book cover.

Janet: It is exciting to see someone discover and pursue what they’re designed for! What do you like best about the writing life?

Benjamin: The hours. 🙂

Writing creatively is something I’ve been able to do for my own enjoyment for years. But if there’s a way that my writing can be shared with others, and that they can be blessed through it as well as I am, then it’s great confirmation that I’m doing what God made me for.

Janet: What do you like least?

Benjamin: Deadlines. I don’t know if it’s an autism thing or just me, but time limits and I don’t get along. I manage my deadlines well enough, but they’re one of the more stressful aspects of the business for me.

Janet: Some people thrive on deadlines, but I agree with you. They’re stressful. Writers are told to read widely and voraciously. I think that’s one of the perks of the deal. What are you reading these days?

Benjamin: I’m almost finished my second read through the Lord of the Rings trilogy (I’m in the appendix right now – which is several chapters in itself). I read it years ago but I was given The Silmarillion for Christmas and I wanted to get the world fresh in my mind before I read it.

Janet: Love Lord of the Rings, although somehow I’ve never read The Silmarillion. Is there a particular song or Scripture verse that’s made a big difference for you?

Benjamin: I think the song that’s meant the most to me over the years has been “Trust Me (This Is Love)” by Amanda Marshall. It’s a song that’s come up often on the radio as I’ve been going through a bad time, and it brings me comfort. 

Janet: Thanks for sharing the song. I hadn’t heard it in a while. The chorus is so encouraging, and isn’t it funny how God will bring a song along just when we need it? What do you like to do to get away from it all?

Benjamin: Video games are my most common pastime. In particular I am attracted to games with deep customization options and tools for creativity. My main game lately has been Little Big Planet 2. Occasionally on my blog I’ll have a post that’s just about what I’ve been up to in that one game alone.

Janet: What’s the most surprising or zany thing you’ve ever done?

Benjamin: That might be the skit that some friends and I did at a youth retreat. They went to a wrestling match and I had a fight with my sweater – which I lost. Later on the sweater tossed me through a door into someone’s house and I started savagely beating it with a random boot prop and got my revenge. I still have that sweater, but it was never the same after that.

Janet: I’m giggling—thanks for that image! Thanks so much for taking time to let us get to know you a bit, Benjamin. May the LORD continue to bless you and make you a blessing to others—in every area of your life.

Readers, you may enjoy a photo of the author at rest. (Scroll down to see the photo caption.)

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I’m hoping to pick up an autographed copy of The Kingdom at Write! Canada. The print book is available through the standard online and retail outlets (may have to be ordered into your local bookstore), and the e-book is available in Kindle format and through Books on Board. Visit Benjamin T. Collier’s blog to learn more about the author and his book.  Chapters.ca Amazon.ca

Friday Friends: Author Sara Davison (part 2)

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Last Friday we chatted with Canadian author Sara Davison, whose novel, The Watcher, released in March 2011. [You can read part one of the interview here.]

Janet: Welcome back, Sara. You’ve persevered a long time on the road to publication. What hope can you share with those of us still slogging?

Sara: It is a difficult journey, and a tough business that is only getting tougher as a result of uncertain economic times and on-going developments in technology. When this book was rejected yet again a year and a half ago I launched a blog called Choose to Press On, emphasizing the fact that if you believe in your story, and believe that God gave you this gift and this calling (and you really, really have to believe that or I would strongly recommend looking into other career options) then you have to just keep going and not give up. The stories are given for a purpose, and that purpose will be fulfilled in God’s time and in his way, not ours. In the meantime, keep working on your craft, honing it to  continually become a better and stronger writer. To get published now, work can’t just be good, it has to be excellent which, as writers working for the glory of God, should be our objective anyway. After that, we have to leave the results up to God.

Janet: Sound advice. Thank you. Are you working on a sequel?

Sara: Good question Janet. And the answer is maybe. When the book was UnBroken, I had a sequel written. Now that it has all been changed I’m not sure if the sequel still works or is needed. However, people have been asking about one, so I am taking a hard look at the other book to see if it can be rewritten to follow The Watcher or not. I will have to keep you posted on that. I do have another suspense novel written, The Child-Snatchers, which was short-listed in the Word Alive contest, so I am currently looking into publishing options for that one as well, but that one is the first in a completely different series.

Janet: Is there a particular song or Scripture verse that’s made a big difference for you?

Sara: The song “Praise You in the Storm” by Casting Crowns has had a big impact on me. The first time I heard it, a girl from our church was singing it at the funeral for her twenty-year old brother who had died suddenly in a car crash. Praising God is always powerful, but I was overwhelmed by how powerful it was that someone could be in the midst of devastation and heartbreak, and still praise God. I often thought of this song, and of the moment I first heard it, when I was writing about how Kathryn dealt with what happened to her in The Watcher. 

Janet: I think the choice to praise God in the hard times and in the pain is very powerful. And it’s something we all need to do at times. Next question: Are you a writer who likes to immerse herself in details of the setting while incubating the story idea?

Sara: Actually, that depends on what I am writing. The Child-Snatchers is set in a diner in Toronto, so I have spent a lot of time in diners in my town, trying to capture the feel, sounds, smells etc. Other than my husband questioning why I am suddenly spending so much more money on coffee and breakfast, I love being surrounded by everything my characters see and experience in the book. In The Watcher, the setting doesn’t play as big a role as the actions and interactions of the characters, so I did not end up spending extra time on a ranch, or travelling out to British Columbia. I do immerse myself in the dialogue, internal and verbal, of the characters whenever I write, however. I don’t tell this to many people, but I do act out a lot of the scenes, holding up both (or more) ends of the conversation and really putting myself into the action so that I can feel and think everything the character would be feeling and thinking. Like most writers, I find my characters become very real to me. In fact, I realize they are becoming too real to me when my poor husband says something to me and I find myself thinking “Nick would never say that to Kathryn!” That’s when I have to stop and remind myself that Nick is a fictional character and it’s not really a fair comparison.  

Janet: What do your family think of your writing?

Sara: Well, other than moments like that, they are unbelievably supportive. It’s not an easy thing to live with a writer, and to go through all the emotional ups and downs that come with that calling. It would be extremely difficult to pursue that vocation if your spouse and children (and, in my case, grandmother, parents, sisters, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephew, aunts, uncles, cousins etc.) didn’t support you and encourage you daily not to give up. My husband Michael is my biggest encourager, and tells everyone about the novel, whether they want to hear about it or not J. My kids think it’s pretty cool that I’ve written a book, and they seem to be impressed. My older two anyway. My youngest son, who is seven, recently said to me, “I’m glad you stay home with us and don’t work. Well, except for writing books, but that’s easy!” They make me laugh, anyway, and that goes a long way toward keeping me sane and keeping me going.

Janet: Writers are told to read widely and voraciously. I think that’s one of the perks of the deal. What are you reading these days?

Sara: At the moment I am reading The Story of Edgar Sawtelle for a book club I attend and it is a beautifully written book. I am also reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, another beautiful, poetic book that is teaching me to live with a perpetual attitude of gratitude, and an awareness of the grace of God in the ordinary and everyday things of life. I also recently read In the Company of Others by Jan Karon, as enjoyable as the rest of the series, and Rescued by Donna Dawson is next on my list. I try to read a variety of books and authors, and to expand my horizons beyond what is familiar and, sometimes, even comfortable, in a desperate attempt to learn how great writers tell a story that has a powerful effect on their readers.

Janet: What do you like to do to get away from it all?

Sara: Is that an option? It’s pretty tricky for me to get away from it all these days, as I have three kids and have moved away from my family and don’t know very many people in town yet. Mostly I escape up to my room with a book, and I walk every morning with a friend down to the lake or on one of the many trails around here. Now that my kids are a little older, my husband and I do actually get out for a meal or a movie once in a while, and an hour or two of uninterrupted conversation is pretty much as close to a getaway as we’re taking these days.

Janet: Uninterrupted adult conversation is nothing to sneeze at! What’s the most surprising/fun/zany/scary thing you’ve ever done?

Sara: Wow, after contemplating this question for quite a while, I have come to the conclusion that I mustn’t be a very surprising/fun/zany/scary kind of a person, as nothing significant immediately came to mind. I’m not a huge risk-taker by nature, so this whole journey of putting myself and my work out there has been an on-going process of pushing myself further and further out of my comfort zone, which is always a good thing. Flying is I guess the scariest thing I have done, mostly because I have encountered pretty much everything that can go wrong with a flight short of crashing – being lost in fog, landing in tornadoes and the plane almost tipping over, having the plane searched for a bomb after someone checked in and didn’t get on a flight loaded with Hell’s Angels. I will still do it when necessary, but it does require a leap of faith and trust every time. Oh, and one of the most fun things that ever happened to me was bumping into Donny Osmond – literally – on a sidewalk in Toronto one day when he was there performing in Joseph. 

Janet: Sounds like plenty of things that could work into future novels! Sara, thanks so much for taking time to let us get to know you a bit. May the LORD continue to bless you and make you a blessing to others—in every area of your life.

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Sara Davison blogs at Choose to Press On, and you can also find her on Facebook and on the Great Canadian Authors site. Visit her website, saradavison.org, for information on her current projects, an excerpt from and discussion questions for The Watcher, interviews, reviews and more.


Friday Friends: Author Sara Davison (part 1)

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Sara Davison is a Canadian author, and the winner of the fiction category in Word Alive Press’ free publishing contest in 2010. Her entry, The Watcher, released from Word Alive Press in March 2011.

Janet: Welcome, Sara, and thanks for taking time to join us. Congratulations on the publication of your first novel!

Sara: Thank you Janet! It has all seemed incredibly surreal since I got the call seven months ago that I had won the contest, but it’s also been very, very exciting.

Janet: Tell us a bit about The Watcher. 

Sara: The Watcher is the story of a journey. After a traumatic experience that changes her life forever, Kathryn Ellison has to find her way back to God and to the man she loves. Along the way she learns the importance of forgiveness and is able to find healing and peace. Which she is going to need as she is about to face the greatest test of her faith and trust as the man who has haunted her dreams for twenty years begins his own journey to track her down and finish the job he started twenty years earlier. Her daughter is on a quest of her own, to find the father she knows nothing about, and her search threatens to thrust both her and Kathryn back into terror again. The story is told from the viewpoint of a unique narrator, one of the many characters in the novel that represent God’s passionate love for us and his promise that we are never alone.

Janet: One of the distinctive things about the novel is the unseen narrator—the Watcher—and her companions, Grace, Faith, Hope etc. I appreciated the Watcher’s humour and her observations about humanity. At what point did she join the story in your mind?

Sara: This book, then titled UnBroken, was actually shortlisted for The Best New Canadian Christian Author Award through The Word Guild in 2008. It didn’t win that award, and was subsequently rejected by several publishers. When the Word Alive Press contest came around again, I sat down to seriously consider how to handle the biggest problem with the manuscript, which was that it took place over twenty years, a timeline more suitable to a sweeping epic than a suspense novel. I wasn’t sure how to shorten that up, until one morning in church (a great place for writers to get their inspiration, apparently) the pastor was reading Romans 5:1-5: “Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”

It suddenly struck me that all of these things are the “states of being” God desires for us, and as I pondered that it occurred to me that maybe I could add a narrator to the book that wasn’t actually human. It was kind of a crazy idea, and I had no idea whether or not it would work, but I decided to just play with it and see what happened. Putting in the narrator meant chopping up the book and mixing the scenes all around and then fitting them back together like a jigsaw puzzle, but it enabled me to shorten the timeline from twenty years to six days.

All of that happened about three weeks before the deadline for the contest which was kind of scary because it meant I was working on the book right up until the day it had to be mailed in, and didn’t have a chance to have anyone else read or critique it, so even when I sent it in I had no idea whether or not it worked, but I guess (hope) it does.

Janet: I think the narrator and the looking back at key pieces of the puzzle works really well. It’s not the standard format these days, but a straight-time narrative of the 20 years would feel choppy—or be huge. This way accomplishes something else too. We don’t experience Kathryn’s trauma as a complete shock. There are enough hints and glimpses first that we’re prepared. The novel is pretty intense in places, but you did a great job of portraying the pain without traumatizing the reader. Where did the story idea come from?

Sara: I’m not entirely sure, to be honest. Thankfully not from anything I have ever personally experienced. I have completed three novels, and each time the story has been given to me. In this instance, the whole storyline, characters, everything came to me while in church one Easter Sunday morning. I went home and wrote out the first draft in a few weeks. When I showed it to an editor, however, I was reminded that, while God may give us the stories, he doesn’t do the work for us. It took five years of writing, rewriting, editing, polishing and more rewriting to get the novel to this point.

Janet: Definitely true, there’s a ton of work involved. Good thing most of it’s fun. Do you have a favourite character in The Watcher?

Sara: I think my favourite character, although not necessarily someone I completely relate to, is the narrator, or the watcher. She is a delightful, sprite-like figure (in my mind, anyway), with a deep commitment to her creator and her charge, Kathryn. She also lends humour to the novel and often makes me laugh out loud. I don’t really relate to her boundless energy and desire to always be moving and doing and active, although I completely get her obsession/addiction to coffee.

Janet: She makes a delightful narrator, and I really enjoyed her. She kept me guessing at her identity to the very end, and she had some great lines. As the author, as well as delivering a compelling read, what one key thing do you want readers to take away when they’re done?

Sara: The truth that I would most like to see readers get from this novel is that, no matter what they may be going through, whether or not they can see any purpose or point to their suffering, even if they are doubting or questioning or angry at God, the one thing they can grasp hold of and cling to is that they are never alone.

Janet: I’m so glad God never abandons us, and that He can bring good out of horror if we let Him. I know the novel just released, but what has reader response been like so far?

Sara: You’re right, The Watcher just came out a couple of weeks ago, so most of the responses I have received so far have been from family and friends. Given that they are not the most objective readers, I’m still overwhelmed and grateful for the positive responses to the book. Many have said they couldn’t put it down and they were intrigued with the storyline, and by having to guess the identity of the narrator. Several have said the book made them laugh and cry, and any time an author hears that their reader has been moved to that extent it is extremely rewarding.

Janet: Rewarding indeed! What got you started writing?

Sara: As far back as I can remember, reading and writing have been two of my greatest passions. I practically lived at the local library as a kid (still do, actually). There are two defining moments that I can remember vividly that I think really ignited my passion to write. The first was going on a class trip in the fourth grade and having to do a write-up about it afterwards. Mine was the one selected to go into the newsletter, and I can still remember how it felt to see my words in print, and know that others were reading them and learning something from them. It was a powerful feeling and made me want to do more of that. About a year after that I can remember walking up and down the aisles of the library one day, running my hands along the spines of all the books and thinking, all these people published a book, it can be done. I can do this. Although it has taken a few years to realize this dream, I know that without a doubt God had planted it in my heart even then.

Janet: Thanks for taking time to chat with us, Sara. We’ll wrap this interview up next week. [Click here to read part 2.]

Interview and Giveaway: A Second Cup of Hot Apple Cider

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Thank you to the friendly folks at The Barn Door Book Loft for hosting me this weekend for an interview. Just click the link to read the interview.

For a chance to win a copy of A Second Cup of Hot Apple Cider, go to the interview post and/or the post featuring the book, and leave a comment on that post. See contest rules on the site–you have to check back there (or subscribe) to know if you’re the winner.

Writers and Musicians

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Fans of Canadian suspense writer Linda Hall will be happy to know some of her stories are available in various ebook formats through Smashwords. Currently there are two free short stories, one 99-cent short story and the novel, Steal Away, for $2.99. The short stories may not be suspense, but Steal Away is the first in a series featuring private investigator Teri Blake-Addison. I highly recommend it, and you can read my review of the paper version here.

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A Better Way is a new blog from Canadian writer Jan Cox, reflecting on the “better way” Jesus told Martha that Mary had chosen… and discovering how we can choose that way as well.

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Part of living the better way–God’s way–is gratitude and praise. Check out Marcia Laycock’s excellent post, “Maybe it’s Time we Pay Attention,” on Grace Fox’s Growing with Grace blog.

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The Barn Door Book Loft spotlights and interviews 3-6 Christian authors each week and hosts book giveaways.

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I’ve been captured recently by the music of Geoff Moore, specifically his new album, “Saying Grace,” which is not yet widely available (you can get it at any of the stops on his cross-Canada tour with Steven Curtis Chapman). I wish I could share my favourite tracks with you: “I Believe,” “Saying Grace” and “The Long Way.” You can hear some of his other music on the Geoff Moore facebook page. Or searching YouTube will bring up older material including a duet with the legendary Larry Norman: “Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?”

Friday Friends: Catherine West

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Catherine West’s debut novel, Yesterday’s Tomorrow, an inspirational contemporary romance, releases in March 2011 from Oak Tara Publishing.

I had the privilege of meeting Cathy a few years ago in her beautiful home country of Bermuda, when she kindly took time to have tea with a fellow member of American Christian Fiction Writers (despite neither of us being American…)

Janet: Welcome, Cathy, and congratulations on your upcoming novel! Let’s start by getting to know you.

Cathy: Hi Janet, thanks for having me! Well, like Janet says, I live in Bermuda, which is a small island about 700 miles off the coast of North Carolina, so we’re pretty close to the States, but we’re actually a British colony. I was born and raised here.

Janet: What got you started writing?

Cathy: I’d have to say I’ve always loved to write. English was my best subject in school. I started to read at an early age, and read pretty much whatever I could get my hands on. I had a vivid imagination and spent a lot of time daydreaming, which got me into lots of trouble at school. I think getting into writing fiction was just a natural progression of who I am and the abilities I’d been given.

Janet: Tell us a bit about Yesterday’s Tomorrow.

Cathy: Yesterday’s Tomorrow is one of those ‘book-of-the-heart’ stories for me. The idea came completely out of the blue – a female journalist goes to Vietnam to cover the war. I was told several things. 1. It’s been done. Maybe not the exact same story, but similar ones about Vietnam can be found, and also a ton of movies. 2. I’d be getting in way over my head. Too much research. No way to keep it authentic. 3. It would never fly. Nobody wants to discuss the Vietnam War let alone read about it. Certainly not in CBA.

I didn’t really care. While the story does take place during a war, it is a love story. And it’s character driven, so I didn’t really think the war thing would be a major drawback. I knew this was the story I had to write, so I went for it. I also knew it was a story that needed to be told with a Christian worldview in mind, and I didn’t want to settle for taking out the spiritual message and trying to sell it in ABA. So I wrote it, but I wasn’t really sure what would happen with it.

Truthfully, it was a tough sell. The naysayers were right, and I began to wonder why I’d just spent a year and a half writing and re-writing something that would never get past the files in my Mac. We actually put it on the shelf for a year. During that time, I just couldn’t let it go. Somehow I just knew it wasn’t over. So this past year we tried again with some smaller publishers that were more open to different topics, and Oak Tara jumped on it.

Janet: Where did the story idea come from?

Cathy: Honestly, I don’t really know. Years ago, I wrote a very similar story, very badly I might add. I kept the idea on file in my head I suppose, and when the time was right, it came back to me.

Janet: How did you research conditions in the Vietnam War? And did you pick up any odd bits of trivia that you’d like to share?

Cathy: I knew that if I was going to write authentically, I’d have to know what I was talking about. I began by purchasing every book on The Vietnam War that I could find. One in particular was brilliantly helpful – War Torn – Stories of War by the Women Who Reported the Vietnam War – a compilation of stories from nine female journalists that covered the war. (Random House, 2002).

I spent months scouring the Internet, reading Veteran blogs and websites. One thing I found interesting was that there weren’t too many people who were willing to talk about it. I was extremely blessed to be connected with the husband of a fellow ACFW member who served in Vietnam. His initial help with my early draft, wise counsel and sharing of information was instrumental in getting me off in the right direction. At one point in my researching, I remember writing to him and saying something along the lines of, “I don’t really understand it, but I feel like I’m stepping on holy ground.” His response, “You are.”

I picked up a ton of slang from that era as well as Army talk, none of which I can repeat here! It’s not really trivia, but in one scene, Kristin has to learn how to drive an Army Jeep. That was fun. I didn’t actually drive one myself, but I did receive some very helpful instructions from guys who had. I kind of wonder if I’d be able to!

Janet: Okay, I’m going to ask a question I personally hate answering. Feel free to pass. What’s the novel’s theme? Or what one key thing do you want readers to take away when they’re done?

Cathy: For this book, the question is easy. It’s multi-layered, but I believe that my characters learn about redemption, forgiveness and restoration. When you live through a war, that changes you. I’m not sure anyone can walk out of a war zone and be the same. You have to learn how to put things in perspective again. You may have done things you’re not proud of, but you’re redeemable. Things may have been done to you, and somehow you have to forgive your transgressors.

Ultimately, in time, restoration will happen. It won’t happen overnight, but if you believe that God works all things together for good, then on some level, you can begin to find your way back to wholeness. This is something I struggled with a great deal while writing this story – I’ve never been in a war zone. I haven’t experienced the horrific things my characters did. But I know what it is to suffer emotionally, and I know that you don’t get through that without faith, a knowledge that eventually God will step in and things will change. I didn’t want to come across as sounding trite or preachy, but ultimately, I have to believe this is true.

Janet: Is there another novel in the works?

Cathy: Yes. My agent is shopping a manuscript called Hidden in the Heart, which is a women’s fiction novel, loosely based on my own experience of searching for and finding my birth family. I’m also working on a family-saga type novel called Reprisal, and a contemporary romance called First Harvest.

Janet: You’re busy! But that’s good. Is there a particular song or Scripture verse that’s made a big difference for you?

Cathy: My family has gone through a few major things in the past few years. Some struggles we did not expect. Challenges and unexpected trials, and the loss of my two-month old great niece a couple of years ago. Several songs got me through some hard days, “Cry to Jesus” by Third Day, “Faithful One” by Brian Doerksen, and “Blessed Be Your Name” by Matt Redman. My life verse is probably cliché, but it’s Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”

Janet: “Blessed Be Your Name” has helped me through some rough places too. I think music takes us back to what you said earlier about suffering and waiting for God to bring wholeness.

What do you like best about the writing life?

Cathy: I love that I can stay home and do this! It’s a blast to just lose myself in another world for a few hours at a time – when I’m really into a story and things are going well, there’s nothing like it!

Janet: What do you like least?

Cathy: Getting through the first draft. I’m a seat-of-the-pantster, so I find it really difficult to plot beforehand. I may work from a rough outline, but I really have no idea where the story is going until I’m finished. I’m plagued by self-doubt the whole time, and I think I’ll get to the end and have to trash the whole thing because nothing makes sense! That’s not usually true, but I do a lot of revisions from that point on.

Janet: What do you do to get away from it all? Or on a lovely island like Bermuda, is that as simple as heading for the beach or the nearest garden?

Cathy: No. Familiarity breeds contempt. J I have to get on a plane to get away from it all! We have a summer home in Northern Ontario, on a beautiful quiet lake. That’s definitely a great retreat for me. Other fun trips are going to the US to spend time with my sister, which always involves shopping, or going to Toronto for a few days to catch up with my college-aged daughter, and that definitely involves shopping too!

Janet: What’s the most surprising/fun/zany/scary thing you’ve ever done?

Cathy: The scariest thing I’ve ever done is deciding to get serious about publication. That’s probably not the answer you were looking for, but really, putting myself out there, sending off query letters and sample chapters to agents and editors was WAY out of my comfort zone. And then there was attending my first writers conference, alone. THAT was scary. But after about ten minutes, I knew I’d come home. 🙂

Janet: That wasn’t what I was expecting, but I certainly relate. The sending out of our work is scary enough, but then there’s the opening of the reply when/if it comes… that’s terrifying. I’m glad you persevered to get a “yes” response for Yesterday’s Tomorrow, and I hope there are plenty more acceptances in your future. Thanks so much for taking time to let us get to know you a bit, Cathy. May the LORD continue to bless you and make you a blessing to others—in every area of your life.

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About Yesterday’s Tomorrow:

It’s 1967 and Kristin Taylor wants to go to Vietnam to report on the war, and honor her father’s memory by becoming an award-winning journalist like he was. But no editor will send her. So she strikes out on her own and steps into a world more terrifying than she’d imagined.

As she encounters the horrors of war, Kristin struggles to report the truth while desperately trying to keep tabs on her only brother who enlisted some time ago, but both tasks seem impossible.

When she meets photographer Luke Maddox, Kristin knows she’s found a story. The mystery beneath his brooding eyes triggers her curiosity. She’s convinced he’s hiding something and determines to discover his secrets. The only trouble is, he won’t let her within three feet of him.

[Click here to read an excerpt from Yesterday’s Tomorrow, or here to visit Catherine West’s website.]

Friday Friends: Elaine Ingalls Hogg

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Elaine Ingalls Hogg is the author of Meditations from Heaven and Earth, Historic Sussex, Historic Grand Manan, When Canada Joined Cape Breton, and editor of the first Christmas in the Maritimes anthology.

For the past seven years she wrote an inspirational column for the Kings County Record and has had stories included in nearly two dozen anthologies, as well as in various magazines and newspapers, and on CBC radio. Elaine’s most recent awards include recognition in the 2009 New Brunswick Literary Competition and the Barnabas Fellowship Award from InScribe Christian Writers in 2008. Elaine and her husband, Hugh, live in New Brunswick, Canada, and share their home with two adopted rag-doll cats, Angus and Alex.

Janet: Welcome, Elaine, and thanks for taking time to join us. That’s an impressive list of accomplishments! Tell us a bit about how you got started writing.

Elaine: During my early adult years I often thought about my childhood dream—to be an author. At night, alone with my thoughts, I’d think about the kind of story I’d write someday but when morning came, the duties of the day pushed aside those thoughts and nothing appeared on paper.

One morning I was visiting a friend who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. As we talked, she shared that the hardest thing for her to face when she learned her diagnosis was the thought of dying without ever being able to tell her grandchildren that she loved them. That day, I wrote a love letter to my grandchildren, Grandma Loves You, which I later self-published.

When my friend heard it, she asked me to share it with her family. That was probably the first story I wrote after more than thirty years of a writer’s block.

Janet: And once you got started, it just kept coming! You write for all ages, both mainstream and Christian material, from newspaper columns to online devotionals to full-length books. I’m sure you enjoy aspects of each, but is there one in particular that’s most rewarding?

Elaine: It is difficult for me to pick which project is most rewarding. However, If I had to pick just one, I think Remembering Honey, the award winning children’s picture book, will always hold a special place in my heart.

When I wrote that story (Nimbus Publishing, 2000) I wasn’t planning on becoming an author, I was a homemaker, a music teacher and a volunteer at our local hospital. While speaking at a Palliative Care Workshop to train new volunteers, I shared the story of how I wrote Grandma Loves You for my grandchildren.

A woman I had never met before came up to me after the workshop and said, “You should write a story to help children understand death!” I thanked her but added that I didn’t think I was the right person for the task for I didn’t know how to undertake such a project.

“Oh, but I think you are just the one who should do it,” she said. “And I’m going to pray for you every night until you do.”

I wasn’t able to win the argument against a sweet little old lady and God, so I wrote Remembering Honey and I’ve been writing ever since. A valuable lesson came out of that encounter, no project is worth doing unless it has prayer behind it.

Janet: Amen! Except for Remembering Honey, most of your projects have been nonfiction. I know you’ve been working at fiction for a while now—and you won an award for one of your children’s novels in the 2009 New Brunswick Literary Competition. Now this year your manuscript, The Exile, was short-listed in the Word Alive Press 2010 publishing contest. Congratulations!

Elaine: Thank you! A couple of years ago, author Connie Brummel Crook, read a chapter or two of my children’s novel, Willa, the Diary of a Maritime Girl, 1914, and she encouraged me to continue.

That fall I finished the manuscript and sent it in to the New Brunswick Literary Competition. Last May I was pleased to learn that the judge, Glenn Murray, author of Walter the Farting Dog, felt my work merited second place.

Now this year I submitted portions of my first adult novel to a contest hosted by Word Alive Press and it was shortlisted. These two events have encouraged me to continue writing fiction. Perhaps one day I’ll have a fiction book to add to my nonfiction collection.

Janet: I certainly hope so! What are you working on now, or are you between projects?

Elaine: Lately, I’ve had little time to write on a regular basis due to vacations, speaking engagements and family commitments. However, this week I’m back at my desk and presently I’m working on adding colour to my adult novel, The Exile. Once that is finished, I’ll probably go back to writing another nonfiction book as I’ve had three or four people approach me with some interesting ideas for future projects.

Janet: Let’s talk a bit about some of your nonfiction books. Historic Grand Manan introduces readers to the island where you grew up. I think that’s a great privilege and tribute, to document your own home town’s history. Was it harder writing Historic Sussex without the personal connections and family memories?

Elaine: Yes, it was easy to find the passion and interest I needed to keep me writing while I worked on Historic Grand Manan. The island was the place of my birth and long before I was asked to write the book, I’d been collecting stories to share with my children and nephews. However, by the time I was approached to write Historic Sussex I was ready for a new project and seeing I enjoy research and history, I had little trouble getting interested in the story of my adopted town.

Janet: In researching your historical writing, what’s the weirdest bit of trivia you’ve picked up?

Elaine: When I wrote When Canada Joined Cape Breton, I learned a ship sailed right into the causeway just weeks before it was opened. Apparently the captain was using old navigational charts and was unaware that the causeway was nearing completion.

When I wrote Historic Grand Manan, I learned of one of the most unusual grubstakes in Canadian history. A Dr. Faxon moved to Grand Manan in the early 1800s and sold lots to interested Americans who came to the Island to settle. He used one of the most interesting bonuses to entice Jacob Lavenseller, a farmer born to German parents in 1773, to stay.

Lavenseller came to the Island in the fall of 1804 and shortly after his arrival he made an agreement with Dr. Faxon to settle Bradford’s Cove. The agreement stated that Faxon would give Jacob and his neighbour, John Hall, one barrel of pork, one barrel of rum and two barrels of flour and help build a house as his grubstake.

While writing Historic Sussex, I learned the annual slave auction at Sussex continued to take place until December 31, 1898. Eleven years prior to this date, in 1887 an American, George Francis Train was in New Brunswick on business. When he heard Sussex held public pauper auctions, he made an arrangement to join the staff of the local newspaper, The Weekly Record.

Train used his position to expose the injustices of this system that to him differed little from how slaves were treated in the southern United States. After only a few months, Train found public opinion had reached such a fever pitch that he was forced out of New Brunswick. Finally, in 1899, Kings County opened a municipal home for its poor in the nearby community of Norton and the auctions stopped.

Janet: Those could all be fodder for more writing! Along with book-length projects, you have regular deadlines for your column and devotionals. What do you do when the muse is uncooperative?

Elaine: I keep a ‘pigpen’ a little notebook where I jot down ideas, character descriptions, favourite sayings, quotes and scripture verses. So far, when I’m struggling with the writer’s muse, I’ve been able to find a suitable topic by poring over past notes and ideas.

Janet: You’re also a speaker, to women through Stonecroft Ministries, and to children through Writers in the Schools. How is it to see your listeners’ reaction to your talk, instead of sending your written words out to be read at a distance?

Elaine: True, having the listener right in front of me can be scary, but so far, I’ve had great audiences so I’ve really enjoyed seeing their reaction when I speak. Perhaps this comes from the fact I was a storyteller long before I decided to write things down. I can remember telling my brother stories as we walked back and forth to school. When I was twelve years old I had a Sunday School class of children from a less privileged section of town and for the most part they listened to my stories.

Later, when I was in high school, it was not unusual for several neighbourhood children to be waiting for me when I arrived home after school. On a number of occasions they insisted I tell them a story before they would let me go inside.

Janet: Sounds like you have a lifelong gift with words. Is there a particular song or Scripture verse that’s made a big difference for you?

Elaine: When you are working on your own as most writers are, it is easy to get discouraged or wonder if this is the best way to spend your time. A few years ago I wasn’t sure if I should continue writing and I made my decision a matter of prayer for several weeks.

One day I was flipping through my Bible when the words “The Lord’s Answer” caught my attention. I stopped to read what the Lord was answering and imagine my surprise when I read: Then the LORD replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.” (Habakkuk 2:2 NIV)

Since reading this I’ve continued writing as I feel the verse was confirmation of what God would have me do. (Recently I re-read this verse and couldn’t help but smile over the word ‘tablet’. It started me wondering if I now had the perfect reason to buy a tablet computer. LOL)

Janet: Tablet… or an iPad…. Good luck with that! Faith is clearly a vital part of your life, whether you’re writing for the Christian or for the mainstream market. One of your editing projects was Christmas in the Maritimes, and you have a Christmas miracle story concerning the book that’s included in the new Chicken Soup for the Soul: Christmas Magic book that released this October. Can you give us the super-short version of what happened?

Elaine: “Just Tell Us You Love Us” p. 183 in Chicken Soup for the Soul Christmas Magic is a story of how God answered prayer and supplied funds at a precise deadline that enabled me to show 140 Canadian soldiers that they were remembered at Christmas four years ago.

Janet: Writers are told to read widely and voraciously. I think that’s one of the perks of the deal. What are you reading these days?

Elaine: I was at a book fair recently and brought home about twenty books for my winter reading.

My most recent reading for pleasure was two novels, one by Maeve Binchy and another by Michael Crummey. Presently I’m reading Clipper Ship Captain: Daniel McLaughlin and the Glory of the Seas (Pacific Maritime History Series) by Michael Jay Mielde and The Master Mariner, Running Proud by Nicholas Monsarrat to help me understand some of the nautical terms and experiences I want to use when adding colour to my novel, The Exile.

Janet: About Angus and Alex (good Scottish names!) the adopted rag-doll cats: is there a story here? And can you share a photo? I have this picture of a cat with Raggedy-Ann hair and I know it’s out of line.

Elaine: Oh how I wish they had Raggedy Ann hair! Instead, in the months they have lived with me they’ve shed enough fur to make me a winter coat! Angus and Alex , formerly Smith and Wesson, came to our house to stay for a few weeks while our daughter moved. Their stay has been extended and now, nearly two years later, they consider my office and more particularly my desk their permanent home.
(][[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[) I was called away from my computer so Angus [the brown one] took the opportunity to add his two cents worth!

Janet: I’m guessing Angus and Alex are more peaceful now that they’ve laid down their weapons☺. And they’re gorgeous! Well worth cleaning up the stray hair. Thanks so much for taking time to let us get to know you a bit, Elaine. May the LORD continue to bless you and make you a blessing to others—in every area of your life.

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You can visit the Elaine Ingalls Hogg website for more about her writing as well as upcoming speaking engagements (and to see a photo of Elaine with Clifford the Big Red Dog). Check out her “Did You Know” page to learn more about Elaine.

Friday Friends: Cynthia d’Entremont

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Cynthia d’Entremont is the author of the young adult speculative novel, Unlocked, winner of the 2009 Word Alive Writing contest for fiction. The prize was a full publishing package from Word Alive, and Unlocked was released in April, 2010.

Janet: Welcome, Cynthia, and thanks for taking time to join us. You have a family, a job, you’re working on a Masters’ degree… and it sounds like there are multiple story plots jostling in your mind. How do you do it?

Cynthia: This past year has been unusually busy for me. Generally I can juggle two major commitments such as teaching and writing, but the addition of taking another university degree has been challenging. I have a good support system and continually remind myself that the university commitment is only for two years. At the moment I am halfway through! I try to find stolen moments to work on stories but I have to admit that it’s not as much as I would like.

Janet: What got you started writing?

Cynthia: I have always loved reading. However, a passion for writing has developed over the last ten to twelve years. I began taking courses and participating in writing groups…I was hooked! I believe that it’s never too late to try something new.

Janet: Tell us a bit about Unlocked.

Cynthia: The moment I finished the first draft for Unlocked I felt as if I had experienced the birth of another child. I printed off the manuscript, tucked in a binder and carried it around in my arms—and there might have been a few tears!

The reader first meets the protagonist, Jaron, scratching out an existence in the dystopian world of Leviathon. As I often say, “Jaron starts out living in a garbage dump and it goes downhill for him from there!”

Janet: Where did the story idea come from?

Cynthia: It literally hit in 2005 while staring at a figurine that I had bought in Old Warsaw, Poland fourteen years earlier. This father and child statue compelled me to write about characters that were homeless and desperate. I started out with the intent that the story would be a picture book. Boy, was I wrong!

Janet: How would you define the age range for readers? I suspect there may not be an upper limit, as long as the adult in question likes fantasy and speculative fiction.

Cynthia: I wrote the story with a young adult audience (15+) in mind. I kept the dialogue and action fast-paced and tried to keep the tension high throughout the story. Even so, there have been many adult reader they tell me that they can’t stop thinking about the characters once the book has been read.

Janet: And although the novel comes from a Christian publisher, the faith element is low-key and allegorical enough that readers from another faith—or from none at all—should enjoy it too, right?

Cynthia: Definitely! I think that because I am a person of faith, my storytelling reflects who I am. That said, individual readers may have their own interpretations of the story according to their world view.

Janet: Okay, I’m going to ask a question I personally hate answering. Feel free to pass. What’s the novel’s theme? Or what one key thing do you want readers to take away when they’re done?

Cynthia: I don’t know if there is one thing that I would like the reader to take away, per say. However, when I look at the totality of the novel I am struck with the power of making choices even in the midst of feeling that one has no choice. Living with hope might also be another theme.

Janet: These children starting out in a garbage heap certainly don’t seem to have many choices open to them, and readers may feel that way about their own circumstances, but even small choices can make a difference. Your characters prove that. I can see how realizing we have even a bit of power to choose can give hope.

Unlocked is essentially Jaron’s story, right? I’m hoping there’ll be a sequel and perhaps more after that. Would you stick with Jaron or switch to a different character?

Cynthia: The sequel is underway. In the first novel Jaron was the main character but there were also two other characters’ points of view (Devora and Freesia). The second book is mainly Devora’s story—she also started out in the Garbage Heaps with Jaron.

Multiple viewpoints are also included and the identities of these characters might surprise you. Okay, I’ll share one secret…we finally get to know Benjamin’s thoughts.

Janet: Remembering some of the surprises from Unlocked, I suspect knowing Benjamin’s thoughts will change my opinion of him from book one.

What has reader response been like for this book?

Cynthia: The most frequent thing I hear is that once people start reading it’s hard to put the book down. I consider that high praise. The next comment is usually, “When is the sequel coming out?”

Janet: Guilty of making both comments!

You’re a new novelist, so to help people who don’t know your style, fill in the blank: If someone likes__________________, they’ll like Unlocked.

Cynthia: Okay, this is a tough one! I like to think of it as a grittier, darker version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe but that might be thinking too highly of myself and may not fully convey some of the more mature issues found in the book. There is good versus evil, kindness versus deceit, life verses death, and hope versus despair.

Janet: I know you have other plot irons in the fire. Anything else you’d like to tell us about?

Cynthia: First, I have to say that my favourite thing to read is a mystery. For that reason, I never thought I would write one. When I’m working on a genre like fantasy, I often avoid reading other fantasy novels—I want to keep the world in my own story intact.

Well, in 2009, to my surprise, I wrote a mystery that I titled Oak Island Revenge. This young adult novel was recently accepted for publication and will be released next year by Nimbus Publishing. Set in 1958, this story has no shortage of small town scandal, treasure hunting, and a certain kind of justice.

Janet: Sounds intriguing! How can people find out when it releases (and about a sequel to Unlocked)? Do you have a mailing list?

Cynthia: I regularly update my website with news and events. Oak Island Revenge will likely be released late 2011 or early 2012. As well, details for the release date of the sequel to Unlocked will be posted as soon as they become available.

Janet: What do you like best about the writing life?

Cynthia: I love the creative nature of bringing a character to life—someone that has never existed before, now has a voice.

Janet: What do you like least?

Cynthia: Waiting to hear from publishers. Rejection. Self-doubt. Sitting while typing.

Janet: What do your family think of your writing?

Cynthia: They are supportive. I’m sure at times they would like me to pry myself away from the computer and I try to keep that in mind and book regular family time with my children and husband. Sometimes I feel like a hermit, especially with a deadline looming.

Janet: Writers are told to read widely and voraciously. I think that’s one of the perks of the deal. What are you reading these days?

Cynthia: I wish I had something brilliant to say—like I just finished War and Peace. Instead, I’ve been reading a lot of manuscripts from writers in my writing group. Other than that, the last year has mostly been reading textbooks, editing my own work, and reading picture books—I teach grade primary (kindergarten).

Janet: What are you listening to?

Cynthia: I love the song from the Prince Caspian soundtrack “This is Home” by Switchfoot. I’m a little disappointed it was already used in a movie—it would be perfect for Unlocked, the motion picture (a girl can dream, right?)

Janet: Dream big! I can see Unlocked working as a movie. Dark, impossible odds, and a journey with lots of action. Definitely movie material. And in the mean time, I’ve heard of authors recommending selected songs as a soundtrack to their novel. “This is Home” could be Unlocked’s unofficial theme song.

Is there a particular Scripture verse that’s made a big difference for you?

Cynthia: “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed.” Isaiah 54:9 (NIV)

Being a wife, a mother, a writer, a teacher, and a student gives ample opportunity to feel “shaken”. I am blessed and thankful to have a full life but often need to remember God’s unfailing love and covenant of peace when I face challenging days.

Janet: That verse means a lot to me these days, because it’s part of one of my favourite songs on the newsboys’ Born Again CD: “Build Us Back.” There’s a whole lot of shakin’ going on these days!

Cynthia, thanks so much for taking time to let us get to know you a bit. May the LORD continue to strengthen and bless you and make you a blessing to others—in every area of your life.

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Visit Cynthia d’Entremont’s website to learn more about the author and her books. Or follow this link to read my review of Unlocked.