There are two things I have learned in all this Coronavirus madness. First thing: Don't trust the experts. Isn't that sad? Men and women who are supposed to be the leading experts in this and that, with more PhDs than we cars in the driveway, have been so far off on model predictions, recommendations, and precautions. Oh, as even the proverbial blind squirrel can find a nut now and then, these "experts" were right on some things. However, one thing they have done that is detrimental to future pandemics is hurt their credibility. Now, when a REAL pandemic hits us, one that has an incredibly high mortality rate and no known cure across all age levels - a pandemic that even current drugs cannot touch - we won't believe the experts because they got this one so wrong. Now, with the labor report news that came out last week, it seems even those fears of a recession and possibly an economic depression sending us off a monetary cliff have been misleading as well. Makes you wonder what's really going on, doesn't it?
The second thing I've learned in all this is God didn't lose any credibility. In fact, during this pandemic, He showed just how fragile everything mankind has built and put stock in is. He also used a man-made tragedy to draw His people back to Him. I know I'm one of them. I'm seeing "the words in red" in an entirely new light. I'm being called to a depth of relationship I've never experienced before. The Sermon on the Mount has become such a focal point for me. And with all this pandemic talk and subsequent aftermath, I'm seeing God at work in the midst of the lies, the misinformation, and the lost souls searching for answers. Then, when you add the divides that exist racially, ethnically, and religiously around the world (they don't just exist here in America, folks!), you see how far away from God we really are.
Thank you, God, for never giving up on us. Thank you, Jesus, for making this all possible. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for counseling us on the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Speaking of this Way, Truth, and Life, our next guest on the Florida Front Porch talks about such things in her books as well. Without further delay, let's welcome to a humid, sticky, summer-like pattern in late spring, our next Author Behind the Story guest, Heather Greer! Heather is a fellow, former Mantle Rock Publishing author. I say "former" because MRP was just purchased and renamed Scrivenings Press. So, we are both now Scrivenings Press authors, along with all the other authors who make up this new family.
Heather, in ABTS tradition, we ask the writer to give us a quick bio. We tell the author to imagine being on a elevator with Jimmy Fallon (not sure he's the best choice, but we'll run with it), and he's looking for average Joes & Janes with not-so-average lives to interview for his next new show segment. He then looks at you and says, "And you’re name is?" Ding! The door just shut. You have twelve floors until you reach the lobby. Go! In fifty words or less, who is Heather Greer?
I’m the girl you walked past in school because I was
too introverted to notice. But if you’re one of my closest friends, you’ll see
a different me. I like baking, reading, sci-fi, Hallmark, comic books, and
crafting. No sports. I’m a klutz. But I do like watching wrestling.
That's an eclectic grouping, for sure. Kind of Rosie from the Jetsons meets Rosie Greer (no relation, right?). And I have to ask, real wrestling (NCAA, Olympic type) of fake wrestling (WWE)?
Ok, moving on, what educational background do you have?
I went to the same
grade school and high school that my brothers and my parents went to in
Carbondale, Illinois. I spent my first year in college at SIU-C because I had a
scholarship and then transferred to John A. Logan Community College. It’s a good
two-year school, and a lot less expensive. I was one semester away from a
certificate in early childhood education when I switched majors and got my
associates in psychology the month before my first child was born. I’ve taken a
few classes since then, but I’ve not really felt like going back to school is
what God would have me do.
Are you married? Single? Have kids?
I met my husband
twenty-six years ago at Hallmark. Yes, we have a real life Hallmark story! We
have four wonderful children, but only one still lives at home. And I have the
most adorable, precocious six year old grandson who adds tons of laughter and
fun to all our lives.
You need to tell our fans more about this Hallmark story in the comment section below. Were you both looking for cards as patrons? Did one or both of you work there? Did one of you knock over a display and catch the attention of the other? Was it a slip and fall accident? Inquiring minds are going to want to know. :-)
Do you have a
favorite line from a movie or book? If so, what is it and explain why it is
special to you?
“Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently
is selling something.” From The Princess Bride. This quote reminds me we all
face hard times. Maybe my hard times are different from yours, but they all
bring pain. It may seem a little pessimistic to look at life that way, but even
scripture promises hard times and pain. As a believer, I can know pain is part
of life while holding onto the hope of God’s promises to work in me through the
pain. I think that makes it less pessimistic and more realistic, don’t you?
Of all the
stories/books you have written, which one is your favorite? And what compelled
you to write this story?
This is incredibly difficult. I love Faith’s Journey
because it’s my first book. But Grasping Hope and Relentless Love really
touched issues that are close to my heart. One I’ve not published yet called
Cake That was the most fun to write and let me develop a couple characters I
really fell in love with while I explored a lighter tone throughout the story.
I’d say it’s between Grasping Hope and Cake That. Grasping Hope came from a
desire to share the hope I found in a really dark time in my life so that
others might have encouragement as they walk through their dark valley. Cake
That was my way to loosen up and have fun after writing a series dealing with
the serious side of life. I wanted it to encourage readers with truth while
providing a really lighthearted story.
Tell us about what
project you are currently working on.
Right now, I’m completely demolishing my writing
comfort zone by branching out into historical fiction. I’m not a history lover,
though I enjoy historical fiction. I wouldn’t even attempt it, but two author
friends and I decided to do a series of stand-alone novels that intersect each
other through a family and a stained glass window. Erin is a fantasy author.
So, she got to write the dystopian romance novel. That left a contemporary and
a historical romance to complete the set. Amy and I both write contemporary.
After much discussion, I volunteered to take the historical. It’s set in the
1920s in Harrisburg, Illinois. Getting to include gangsters and bootlegging is
a lot of fun. But the research to get the tone, setting, and activities right
for the time period is a never-ending chore. As much as I’m enjoying the story,
I’ll have to think long and hard before tackling historical fiction again. I’ve
gained a lot of respect for those authors who do it well.
More power to ya. You definitely should get the bigger royalty. Ha!
How do you come up
with the names for your characters?
I’m not sure I have a process. As I think about who
the character is as a person, that helps direct the name. Sometimes, I run
potential names by friends for their input. Nathan, a character in Grasping
Hope and Relentless Love got his name that way. For the historical book I’m
writing, I did have to put in some research. I needed names that were popular
in the 1920s. And for my male lead character, I needed an Irish name that was
popular then. The secondary characters needed names too, and I had to repeat
the process with them. Even choosing common names from a time period, I still
had to give thought to the people behind the names. Beulah may have been
popular (I don’t know. I’m making that up for the sake of the example.), but it
would be hard to sell her as the main character I want my readers to relate to
and fall in love with. I needed a 1920s name that would sit well with a 2020
reader. In case you’re wondering, her name is Evangeline Grace.
Names are so important. Some characters become memorable because of that alone. Others not so much because their name was so mundane. In my humble opinion, Charles Dickens was a master at naming characters. When your characters' names become adjectives to describe people, you have succeeded.
Next question. What’s the craziest thing you have ever done?
I’m not a risk taker.
Crazy is not in my vocabulary. I’m afraid the extent of my adventures is pretty
childish, but to me, it was petrifying. While on a mission trip with a group of
teens including my children, we stopped for a side trip at an indoor amusement
park. It had an indoor ropes course. My children went through it like they were
born to be dangling above the ground. Even my oldest son, who is scared of
heights, went across. He may have moved a little slower, but he went. I’m not
exactly scared of heights, but I like security. The course did not look solid
enough for my liking. But I wanted to be a good example for my kids. Face your
fears and all that. I got to the final three sections and froze completely. I’m
embarrassed to admit, I actually had tears on my cheeks by the time the poor
guy running the course met me and guided me through those last three parts of
the course and back to the safety of the ground. Next time, I’ll let someone
else be the example. I will keep my feet firmly on the ground!
When you are looking for a book to read, what are the
things that are important to you?
I’m a sucker for a
great cover. There’s this one author, who will remain nameless, that writes
first person and every little detail is told to the reader. There’s way too
much telling without showing. I know this, and I’ve still read two of her books
and have to convince myself not to get another. I love her covers! But other
than that, I’m drawn in by the back cover copy. I read a little bit of
everything in the Christian fiction genres, except horror. Right now, I’m
reading more contemporary romance. I’m especially happy with fun, quirky, or
lighthearted stories. There’s enough heaviness in real life right now, that I
want what I read to serve as a pick-me-up. But even with these types of
stories, I want spiritual, scriptural truths woven into the stories. My faith
is who I am all the time, and I want to see that in the lives of the characters
I read about.
Hmmm...I wonder if this is the place for an unofficially official, shameful shameless plug for my latest novel, The Letters? Eh, maybe not.
Heather, is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers
about you, or anything we didn’t cover before we wrap things up?
I love what I do. But if it’s
only about writing something, then I’ve missed the point. Writing is my
ministry, and it’s one I feel blessed to enjoy. Ministry is about people, and I
have a heart to help encourage and challenge people in their faith. That’s why
I write. Because I feel that’s the way God would have me share His message with
others. Because of that, I love to hear from readers. If they need prayer, I’ll
pray. If they have a question, I’ll try to answer it. If they took another step
in their walk of faith, I’ll celebrate with them. I don’t say that as one who
has it all together. I’m a mess like everyone else. I say it as one who is
right there beside them, trying, failing, learning, and growing every single day.
We're all a mess, aren't we?
Heather, it's been great having you on our Author Behind the Story series!
Readers, if you are looking for a new author to check out, or if you've already known about Heather and are wishing to stay up to date on new releases, etc., here's where you can find her!
http://heathergreer.com
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorHeatherGreer
https://www.twitter.com/Heather_Greer1
https://www.instagram.com/1heather.greer
Until next time, may God bless America, and more importantly, may America bless God, in a "words in red" way,
Kevin
www.ckevinthompon.com
