Author Behind the Story Blog Series - Beth Westcott

Summers fly by. When you're an educator.

Some people cringe when educators makes statements like that. They say, "Must be nice to have summers off. Holidays off. Weekends off."

I always respond, "I'll trade you." Then I go on to explain what I do every day, and somehow, I'm the one who ends up "being crazy."

Funny how that works. 

Parents, deep down, love school. It's six-to-seven hours of respite from whiny kindergartners, emotional preteens, and know-it-all teenagers. Yet, they'd never trade that respite for summers off, holidays off, and weekends off, knowing they'd have to deal with anywhere from 18-200 (As an educator, you get more as they get older!) carbon copies of their own children, all the while being held responsible for their capability to learn.

So, if you know a teacher of administrator, pray for them in the upcoming weeks and months. Especially with the looming aftermath of a "global pandemic" that doesn't seem to want to go away.  

Enough with the infomercial. :-)

Let's get to the heart of why we're here.

Let's welcome an author you may or may not know. She's got a new novel out, and I've invited her to be part of our Summer Extravaganza as being the second author we have featured this month. You, the reader, are the beneficiary of a scheduling blunder we have turned around and made into our Summer Extravaganza. :-)

Welcome, fellow Mantle Rock Publishing-turned-Scrivenings Press author, Beth Westcott!

Beth, pull up a chair on the Florida Front Porch (sorry about the heatwave!) and give us a quick bio about yourself. In fifty words or less, who is Beth Westcott? 

Born on Long Island and raised on a farm in New York State, I’m the youngest of seven siblings. After graduating from high school and completing my B.A. at Hartwick College, I married Frank. We parented three children and worked together in Christian ministry for 38 years.

Before you ever got a notion of becoming a writer/author, how old were you, and what were you doing in that time of your life? 

For the first six years of my life, I lived 30 miles from New York City (never visited it) on Long Island. When we moved to rural New York, I learned that milk came from cows. I loved school, belonged to 4-H, and became active in church. My life was never boring because I always had something to do.

I wanted to be a nurse. I changed my mind in third grade and decided to become a schoolteacher. Although I lived on a farm, and I enjoyed the outdoors, nature, and animals, I never wanted to become a farmer. I left that to my two older sisters.

My father loved animals, especially sheep, and we kept a variety of animals. I had market lambs and Jersey heifers as 4-H projects and exhibited them at the county fair each summer. One year my heifer qualified to be shown at the New York State Fair.

In school I sang to the elementary and high school choruses and played clarinet in the band.

As a preschooler, I loved having books and stories read to me, and I loved reading from the time I learned how to read. A poem I wrote in second grade was published in the school newspaper. I liked writing assignments and literature throughout high school and became an English major at Hartwick College. As a college English major, I had the privilege of spending a term abroad in England. At some point during college, I decided not to become a teacher. Then I married Frank.

Are you married? Single? Have kids? 

Frank and I have been married for 48 years. We have three married children, two girls and a boy, and five granddaughters. Our grandson passed away in 2017 at the age of five and a half.

Congratulations on 48 years! Yet, I am so sorry to hear about your grandson. That's a loaded paragraph, to be sure. 

What makes you cringe? 

Snakes, cats on food surfaces, leaking sky lights, out-of-tune pianos, strong thunderstorms.

Based on the different personality profiles out there (Meyers-Briggs, etc.), what profile was the latest one you took, and what were the results? 

It has been a long time since I last filled out a personality profile, and I don’t remember which one(s) I completed. I’m melancholic, an introvert, with perfectionist tendencies. This knowledge helps me understand who I am and how I react to life.

Besides the usual things authors face, has there been an unusual event that changed your perspective about being an author? 

Cancer: an ugly word. In 1984 my husband was diagnosed with cancer. We had three young children, and he had just resigned from his job with CEF. The radiation treatments made Frank sick and weak, but the Lord chose to cure him. Along with our own families, we had the support of our church family and fellow-believers. Their prayers and love gave us a better understanding of Christian community.

Our sweet grandson Rylen was born with hydrocephalus in 2011. Although the doctors predicted he wouldn’t survive outside the womb, we were gifted with him for five-and-one-half years before he succumbed to a virus that attacked his brain. Rylen loved people and enjoyed life. He had physical and mental challenges that slowed his learning, but his contagious laugh echoes in our memories.

As an author of Christian romance, and I like happy endings, I realize that not everything in life is sweet and lovely. But God is with us though the painful times, still loving, still caring, still supporting us.

Of all the stories/books you have written, which one is your favorite? And what compelled you to write this story? 

Meadow Song was republished by Scrivenings Press in 2020, and I have other, unpublished novels. However, because Heart’s Desire has just been released, I’ll call that my favorite for now. In elementary school I had a best friend with whom I shared many interests, and she and I spent a lot of time together outside of school. As time passed, our interests began to diverge, and I discovered that she had a new best friend. Our relationship distanced. I decided to write a story about why friendships change as we grow up. I learned about the Iroquois “Three Sisters” garden, which included corn, beans, and squash growing together, mutually benefitting each other. Aubrey White, Katie Mann, and Haleigh Abbott became the Three Sisters, “best friends forever” until middle school, when their less than cordial split -up occurred. Originally intending to write one book for teens, I instead developed a series of three romance novels, a romance for each of the friends, and over the course of the three novels, the three friends reunite. Heart’s Desire is Aubrey’s story, the first in the series.

Tell us about what project you are currently working on. 

I intended Meadow Song to be a stand-alone novel, but readers asked for a sequel. I’m currently working on the proposal for the sequel, Melody of Life, which begins about six months after Meadow Song ends and focuses on two secondary characters from the first novel.

Knowing what you know now about writing, publishing, etc., what piece of advice would you give to the person thinking about writing that novel they have always wanted to pursue since they were young, or the person who believes they have a non-fiction book in them that would be helpful to others?  

Don’t just think about it--start writing. Many authors keep journals, or they write short stories or articles which they submit first. And don’t think you’re a failure when you receive a rejection letter or your novel doesn’t become a best-seller. Attend writers’ conferences to learn the craft and connect with other writers, editors, publishers, agents, and anyone else in the industry. Take advantage of on-line classes and join groups of like-minded people. Colleges offer classes. You can also use and improve your writing skills writing for church newsletters, sending editorials to your local newspaper, or volunteering to write on behalf of a non-profit. Send a thoughtful, caring letter to someone shut-in, ill, or experiencing another difficulty. Learn how to write well. Expect to invest effort, time, and money as you would in training for any job or career. And don’t give up.

Looking back, have you ever wondered if choosing a different genre would have worked better for you, as a writer? Have you ever thought about switching genres, or writing in different genres? 

I’m satisfied with contemporary romance, but I sometimes think I’d like to try romantic suspense or historical romance. I also desire to be a devotional writer, to encourage readers in their walk with God.

If you had one person you could meet (think ONLY Bible characters here) and could spend as much time as you wanted with that individual, who would it be besides Jesus, and why?

I’d like to meet and spend time with Daniel because he knew who he was and to Whom he belonged. He “purposed in his heart” to stay true to God when torn from his home and everything familiar and taken captive to Babylon. They changed his name, immersed him in their culture, and threatened his life if he didn’t give in to their religious practices, but he remained firm in his stand for the Lord God and His Word. With God’s help, he performed his given responsibilities well and earned the respect of the king.

Why do you live where you live?  

I’m back where I came from, in a manner of speaking. I’ve lived in New York State for most of my life. I grew up in the rural town of Otego, and I attended school in the village of Otego. I moved away when I married Frank because of his work. We lived in other places, mostly small towns, for over forty years, including six years in Pennsylvania. We returned to our home area when Frank was called to pastor a church here and to help care for our aging mothers. When Frank retired, we moved to Otego and now reside about five miles from where I grew up.

What Bible scripture has impacted your life the most, and why?

Provers 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (NKJV)

Is my faith in God strong enough to believe that He will do what He says He will do? Can I trust Him to keep His promises? My knowledge and understanding are limited, but God's knowledge and wisdom are limitless. He loves me and wants me to depend on Him. So often I’ve had to turn back to these verses to be reminded that the wisest choice is to believe, obey, and acknowledge Him in every aspect of my life, even when circumstances try to convince me to respond otherwise. I can trust Him to direct me the right way.

If you had life to do all over again, would there be any changes? If so, what would they be?

If I had it to do over, I wouldn’t be afraid to ask questions and to ask other people for help, and I’d be more open and vulnerable. I’d step out to help others more often as well.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about you, or anything we didn’t cover? 

In Heart’s Desire, Aubrey is motivated to “make her life count” in part by the death of a close friend while they’re in high school. I believe that every person desires to be significant in some way, to make their life count. Writing gives me an avenue to honor God and touch readers’ lives as I put words together in a meaningful way, to share God’s truths by using story. Authors and readers form an essential team to encourage and support one another.

How true. Authors love it when readers makes comments, leave reviews, telling them how they liked a book, what it meant to them, etc. It's definitely a two-way street.

Beth, we appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to allow our readers to take a glimpse into your life.

Readers, if you wish to find out more about Beth and her writing, you can look her up in the following locations on the web:

Website: www.bethewestcott.com

FB author page: https://www.facebook.com/bethewestcott

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/beth-e-westcott

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/29201094-beth-westcott

Twitter: Beth E. Westcott (@BethWAuthor) / Twitter 

See you in August!

Kevin

Author Behind the Story Blog Series - Donna Mumma

Almost three weeks of vacation this close to retirement is quite the self-imposed form of torture. You get a taste of what retirement can be, but alas, it's over. The sweet taste of lazy mornings and the ability to go see whatever you want when you want turns to ash. Three and a half years seems like a long time to wait. Yet, I know it will be here before I can say, "Snap out of it, old man." Life tends to fly by that way. We long for what's ahead, missing what's passing by at that very moment. And will we ever really get to that "dream-like" existence? I know of many who had dreams. They made their plans. They saved their fortunes or spent them, depending on the dreams they had, only to never truly see the full realization because of a life cut short. A tragic end that wasn't in the plans. Was never part of any dream.

It makes you realize how fortunate we are to be here. Period. At this very moment. Breathing in and out. Beggars on the verge of life in the spiritual realm tend to think that way (cf. Matthew 5:3). "Rich" people, not so much. That's why I sit here, torn between the life of a beggar and a life that can only made possible if God wills it, learning how to savor the ash and understand that the taste is of your own making. It doesn't have to be that way. The lazy mornings and the ability to jump in a car and see some of God's handiwork were gifts. Ones we will treasure for good. They were glorious because of "who" we were with, not just what we saw. Had my wife not been with me, I would not have even trekked to the mountains. Neither would she have. But together, the trip will be one we talk about for the rest of our lives. And this is where the "ash" turns to honey. Even sweeter than honey, straight from the comb.

Okay, enough with the devotional. :-)

We're here to introduce new authors (or at least ones who may be new to our readers). this next guest is brand new! Her debut novel just released, but she's been a friend for years. Cheering me on when I had writing successes, and now, I get to return the favor.

Please welcome to the Florida Front Porch no stranger to Florida, Donna Mumma!

Donna, it's so cool having you as part of this blog series. For our readers out there who don't know you, we have a tradition here at ABTS that always kicks off our interviews. Give us a quick bio. Fifty words or less. Who is Donna Mumma? 

I am a native Floridian and a former farm kid. I grew up in the country and now live in a large, metropolitan area on Florida’s west coast. Even though I live near the gulf, I don’t eat seafood. I think alligators are the coolest animal on the planet, and I’m no fan of snakes. Being around trees and water brings me peace. My favorite type of music is movie soundtracks, especially anything written by John Williams. I love books but to be honest, I love movies a little more.  For as long as I can remember, I’ve had vivid stories and characters roaming around in my head. With some encouragement from my husband, I decided to write them down. And now I’m a published author.

I love John Williams. Have his "Best of" CD set. I, too, listen to movie soundtracks when I'm writing. Helps to block out the noise, both outside and inside my head. Must be a writer thing.

Before you ever got a notion of becoming a writer/author, how old were you, and what were you doing in that time of your life?

Since I was around six years old, I’ve always had a taste for monster movies and watched as many as I could. We had a local channel that showed the old, campy horror and monster movies on Saturday afternoons, and I would sit with my dad and enjoy those or the old Star Trek series. When I was eight, I started taking piano lessons and continued until I was a sophomore in high school. I also learned to play alto saxophone and was a very busy band geek though middle and high school.

My parents owned a dairy farm in central Florida, and that kept me, my four older brothers and my sister busy. I loved living in the country, going fishing, climbing our giant oaks and swinging from their boughs in a swing my dad made from a burlap feed bag. I swam in lakes and natural springs as well as a local pool club. The tiny town where I grew up was filled with wonderful storytellers, and I listened to tales about flipped airboats, alligators, hunting, and wild things that always happened after midnight on Saturday nights when the local bar closed down. I grew up in a tiny Baptist church, dressed as an angel for the outdoor Christmas pageants, and sang in the choir with my mother. When I was older, I played piano for the choir when our usual pianist was out of town.

I never liked school until I reached college. I started out studying medical technology with hopes of working in a hospital lab. God had other plans and in his own way he steered me to elementary education. I became a teacher in 1989 and taught for eight years. I also homeschooled our two boys for eight years.

I remember WTOG Channel 44! The Saturday afternoon Creature Feature with Dr. Paul Bearer...The Master of Scaremonies. 

What educational background do you have?

I went to Wildwood High School, in Wildwood, Florida.

After graduating from there, I attended Lake Sumter Community College (now Lake Sumter State College) in Leesburg, Florida and received my AA. I went on to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in elementary education from the University of Florida (Go Gators!) and am now officially a Florida Gator. My oldest brother attended UF, and when I went with my mother to drop him off, we walked around the campus. I fell in love and vowed at age nine that I was going to go there when I was grown. And I did!

Go Gators!

Are you married? Single? Have kids?

I have been married to my husband and best buddy for thirty-one years. We have two adult sons.

For all the pet lovers out there, answer this question: Do you have any? 

We have a collie, named Duke. Duke is mostly white, with a sable head and a sable spot on each side of his body. He is striking, and when we’re out walking him in our neighborhood folks often stop their car to pet him or gush over his looks. He is the sweetest dog we’ve ever owned, but he is also the most angsty thing I’ve ever met. Thunderstorms terrify him, which makes life complicated since we live on the coast in an area many deem as the lightning capitol of North America. He’s not fond of the tropical weather either. But, as long as he can sit with a human on either the couch or a bed, he will hunker down and shiver his way through the storm. I’m hoping someday he learns to cope a bit better, but until then we will snuggle up close and weather the storm together.

We know what makes Duke cringe. What makes you cringe? 

Heavy metal music, especially when it’s played at a volume that allows it to seep into your skin, vibrate through your bones or rattle your dental work.

If you had one person you could meet (think ONLY Bible characters here) and could spend as much time as you wanted with that individual, who would it be besides Jesus, and why? 

I would love to sit and talk with John the Baptist. His story always fascinated me. He wore camel’s hair garments and lived like a wild-man, but yet spoke with such authority that he intimidated a king and queen. And yet, he understood true humility and what serving God was all about. I’m sure when he entered a space the entire atmosphere changed and probably felt electrified. I think he would be interesting to talk with, and I’d be very certain to get straight, no-holds-barred type answers from him. First question would be, what was it like and what went through his head when the heavens opened up and God spoke after Jesus was baptized? Once I got him talking, I’d just sit back and take in everything he said.

What Bible scripture has impacted your life the most, and why? 

My favorite Bible verse, and the one I base my life on is Hebrews 12:1-3. I’ve faced many challenges along the way, and this verse reminds me to keep going so I can finish this race set before me. Good words for life and my writing.

Why do you live where you live? 

I live in St. Petersburg because I met a city boy in college. When we married, he had a job here so I followed him to this area. He is a native to this part of Florida, and his family was here. Coming from rural Florida, it took me a while to become accustomed to the traffic, huge highways, and all the people. But being in love makes you take on new adventures and I adjusted to seeing palm trees, lots of cars, and sandy beaches instead of grassy pastures filled with cows. Now, both of our boys are in college here, and I’ve expanded my roots from rural Florida to the coast. To me, home is where the heart is, and since these three are my forever favorites, I’m right where I need to be.

When you are looking for a book to read, what are the things that are important to you? 

The most important thing for me when choosing a book is how quickly it pulls me in. A good cover always catches my interest, and I read back covers. I also read the first page, and if I’m not intrigued and wanting to know more when it’s time to turn the page, I usually pass and put the book back on the shelf. My attention span rivals a mosquito’s, and if a book hasn’t engaged me after the first few chapters, I’ll stop reading and move on to another. My to-be-read pile is always tall, and I’m forever buying and adding new titles based on friend’s recommendations or new releases.

My favorite genre is psychological suspense and crime thrillers, but I love a good historical that explores the human condition. Always up for exciting science fiction and action/adventure too.  

Of all the stories/books you have written, which one is your favorite? And what compelled you to write this story? 

The very first book I ever wrote was a sci-fi/action/adventure story called Eripio. I had so much fun writing it because I threw reality to the wind and let my mind create this world where I combined modern day tech with whatever my imagination came up with. I love a good quest story, and this one included all the elements that make that genre interesting to me. There were no boundaries, and I kept making up things as I went along like I did when playing pretend as a child. The male lead is probably one of my favorite characters I’ve created. Can’t really say what compelled me to write it other than a love of the classic adventure stories like Robinson Crusoe and movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark. It never found a publishing home, but I promised my family I would pull it out someday and try again.

Tell us about what project you are currently working on. 

I am currently working on a book meant to be a follow-up to my debut novel. It tells the story of a family pariah who was wrongly blamed for an event that shattered her large, close knit family, causing a rift that tore the family apart. She is now middle-aged and discovers that her dead sister, who was really the one responsible for the break-up, had proof of my main character’s innocence in this event. She goes on a sort of scavenger hunt to find it, planning to present it to her family at her sister’s funeral. It explores the concept of being right vs. doing the right thing.

Sounds interesting. What surprised you the most during the research for the book you are currently working on?

The characters in this story are from Louisiana, many of them are Cajun. I’ve had a lot of fun learning about their history and culture, especially the ways they made a living off the land and water. I’ve also discovered some very interesting parts of Louisiana history in the fifties and sixties that I never knew, such as many of the residents gaining jobs in the space program when it started expanding in Texas.

Tell us about your writing day. How do you go about writing?

I’m probably the worst person to ask this. I don’t have a specific routine. My real life is very busy, and my writing gets tucked in among all of my other jobs. Our youngest has a physical handicap, is also in college, so I’m his chauffer, scribe, typist, and aid whenever the need arises. On a good day I’ll complete all my regular life chores in the morning then work on writing from 1-5pm. I do sometimes stay up late to write, as I’m a night owl who also gets up early in the morning. And I do take off periodically and run away from home to a place where I can write without distraction for a few days.

Donna, it's been a pleasure having you on ABTS, and congratulations on your first book! There never is another debut novel. You only get one. That's why I always tell writers to try and make it the best one you have. :-)

Before we wrap things up, is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about you, or anything we didn’t cover?  

I write about flawed people who have challenges but keep pressing on. My parents taught us that it’s not important how many times you got knocked down but how many times you got back up. I strive for my stories to show that life is often hard, but we can survive and thrive if we keep our faith, look to God for help, and just run that race to the end. Limping, crawling, and dragging ourselves across the finish line count, and are often the only way we make it. And that’s okay.

Good words to conclude our interview!

Readers, if you are wishing to get to know more about Donna and her writing, you can find her in these cyber locations:

On her website: https://donnamumma.me

On her blog: https://donnamumma.me/category/blog

On Twitter: @DonnaMumma1

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/donnamummawriter

On Instagram: dmumma748

Thanks, again, Donna, for being a part of ABTS! 

Until next time, 

Kevin

https://ckevinthompson.com/

And did you know, Kevin's latest novel, The Letters, won First Place in the Speculative Category in the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference's 2021 Selah Awards? You can click HERE to find out more! When wondering about the story itself, think: A Christmas Carol Meets Frank Peretti. :-)