The Author Behind the Story Blog Series - Lynnette Bonner

As we near the end of 2019, I am reminded that it wasn't too long ago when we were worried about the dreaded Y2K. Remember that? The world's computer systems were going to crash because some programmers at Microsoft apparently went to sleep at the wheel and didn't think their product (the most widely used computer operating system on the planet at the time) wasn't going to sell or be used in the new millennium.

Now, here we are, holding tiny computers in our hands called smartphones, which have more computing power than both of the Voyager satellites.

Chew on that one for a few.

As time moves on, things definitely change, and that brings us to our next guest on the Florida front porch, Lynnette Bonner! Lynnette and I go way back. We both have the distinction of having our debut novels published by the same, now defunct, publisher. Good times. However, one thing I have learned through it all is this: If that publisher had one thing going for it, they could find good talent from the pool of new authors. :-)

Welcome, Lynnette! As it is the ABTS tradition, we start of by asking the guest to give us a quick bio. In fifty words or less, who is Lynnette Bonner? 

I was born and raised in the country of Malawi, Africa, just south of the equator. I spent my early years running through crisp savannah grasses with my native friends, and then at the age of eight went off to a boarding school three thousand miles from home. When I graduated from that school, I traded the serenade of cicadas and sunshine for that of traffic and rain in the Seattle area where I still live. (Today was sunny! Whoop! Whoop!) 

Have you ever been sleepless in Seattle? :-)

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?

Growing up overseas as I did, we didn’t have TV—or even electricity in some of the places we lived. So I spent a lot of time reading. I credit this foundation to the love of story that eventually led me to write my own books.

Are you married? Single? Have kids?

I met my husband in Bible college. He is a pastor. We have four children, all but one of whom have flown our crazy coop. 

I’m going to give you a shotgun list of favorites. List your favorite in each category and then tell us in one sentence why it is your favorite.

Favorite Song of All-Time: Right now it’s probably "Chain Breaker" by Zach Williams

Favorite Non-Fiction Book (other than your own & besides the Bible): Dare I confess that I rarely read non-fiction? Um… the Power of a Praying ___ series was good. I read Wife a few years back.

Favorite Bible Verse: I could list several, but I’m not sure I’d quantify them as “favorite." I feel all the Bible is equally important. I do love the book of James. (Maybe because after trying to follow some of Paul’s sentences, the book of James is so easy to understand. ;)

Favorite Movie: The Last of the Mohicans – Daniel Day Lewis version.

Favorite Actor or Actress: Maybe I’m just not a person who easily chooses favorites. I admire a lot of actors and actresses for different reasons. Too many to list here.

Favorite TV Show: Any police procedural with a little romance.

Favorite Novel (other than your own): Silk by Linda Chaikin

Favorite Author (other than you): Again, too many to list. No one really stands above the rest.

Favorite Sport: Do people really have favorites of all these things? ;) I like all kinds. I’ll say, any sport my kid is playing in. But I love football, basketball, soccer. Just not baseball. I’d almost rather watch paint dry than watch baseball.

Favorite Team (Can be any sport, any level): Seattle Seahawks. Seattle Sounders. Golden State Warriors

Favorite Subject in School Growing Up: PE :)

Favorite Subject Now: Art

Favorite Teacher in School: I loved many of my teachers. Mr. Bannister, my Junior English teacher was awesome.

Favorite Time of the Year: Summer

Favorite Place to Vacation: What’s a vacation? ;) Um… San Juan Islands, WA.

Favorite Drink: Vanilla Coke

Favorite Food: Steak and tortellini with Alfredo sauce all over it. Lima beans on the side.

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

This one is pretty easy for me to answer, actually. While I love all my characters, I think RyAnne from my Sonnets of the Spice Isle series, holds a special place in my heart. That story takes place in Africa, where I grew up. The historical research into that era was heartbreaking. And I was blessed to be able to shine light on such a tragic time in the world’s history. Readers can learn more about that series here: https://www.lynnettebonner.com/books/historical-fiction/sonnets-of-the-spice-isle/

Do you ever receive negative reviews from readers? If so, how do you respond when you see them?

Most of my negative reviews have to do with that fact that there’s “too much Christianity / religion in this book.” And I’m okay with that. :)

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

In addition to being a writer, I’m a graphic designer. I mostly do book covers for others. You can find my site here: www.indiecoverdesign.com. So many days I’m working on a project for a client. But that works well for me because I’m more of an evening writer. At the very least, a late afternoon writer. So I do graphics in the morning and writing in the afternoon and evenings, around my daughters sports schedule. Both my husband and I try to make it to every game she’s in.

If you had one person you could meet (think outside the Bible here) and could spend as much time as you wanted with that individual, who would it be? 

I think I would pick author Francine Rivers. I think she could teach me a lot about how to be a better storyteller.

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? 

Difficult question… I think I’d love to get to know Mary the mother of Jesus. She was willing to be used by God in an amazing way that changed the course of the world, but made her seem like a crazy liar to those around her. What a sacrifice. She had to watch her firstborn son die a horrific death. At one point she became a widow. She had a hard life. Yet, I’m sure she would say it was worth it. I’m sure she could teach me a lot.

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

A great cover. Interesting story with a good dose of realism but humor is always welcome. I’m a big fiction reader.

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

If readers would like to try out my writing, they can sign up for my newsletter and get a free contemporary romance novella. It is about a short-term mission trip to Malawi, Africa, the country I was born and raised in. www.lynnettebonner.com/newsletter.

Awesome, Lynnette. Are there any other places readers can go to get to know you better and check out your writing? 

Website: www.lynnettebonner.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorlynnettebonner

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/lynnette-bonner

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3016386.Lynnette_Bonner

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lynnettebonner/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorlynnettebonner/

Lynnette, it's been a pleasure having you on our blog as a guest author! May God bless your writing ministry and book design business.

Dear reader, thanks for stopping by! From our home to yours, may God richly bless you and yours this Christmas season.


Until next time,

Kevin

Author Behind the Series - Dawn Kinzer

Greetings from Hurricane Irma-torn Florida! As I write this, Irma is bearing down on our state with winds of 130 mph. As the eye wall goes directly over Key West (there won't be much left when it's over), the outer bands are already striking central Florida. Other storms, influenced by Irma, are covering the rest of the peninsula, stirring up tornadic activity. I can only imagine what things will look like on Wednesday when this post actually goes live. It's been a chaotic week with gasoline shortages, food shortages, roads clogged due to five million people evacuating north.

Well, enough of the doom and gloom. We'll survive. We'll rebuild. We'll move on. Such is life in FLA. Like I always say, "What did you think you were going to get by invading a swamp and building house after house?" :-) 

I'm excited, though, to have as my guest one of my writing friends and fellow authors, Dawn Kinzer. We have never met face-to-face, but because of the wonderful world of the internet, we have gotten to know each other as I write blog posts for a serious writing blog called Seriously Write. Dawn is one of the five people who started it and have watched it grow over the years. Please welcome, Dawn!

Dawn, give us a quick bio. In fifty words or less, who is Dawn Kinzer?

I’m a freelance editor and author who believes the written word can change lives, and I’m doing everything in my power to prove it. I’m also a wife, mother, and grandmother. Favorite things include dark chocolate, cinnamon, popcorn, strong coffee, good wine, the mountains, family time, and Masterpiece Theatre.

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?

Prior to focusing on writing, I raised two girls and worked at a variety of jobs. Four years were spent with the sexual assault services in my county (advocate, support counselor, support group leader, community ed speaker, and assistant to the director). Following several years as a church secretary, I worked in administration for a large car dealership.

I didn’t get serious about writing until I was forty-seven (I’m now sixty) because I didn’t believe enough in myself. I later figured out that talent is part of being a successful writer, but most achievements in publishing come from having tenacity and the willingness to work hard.

For years, I’d sought God on what he wanted me to do with my life. I had a hunger to make a difference, and although various ministries and charities offered opportunities, I just couldn’t find the “thing” that felt right long-term.

But while co-directing a teen drama group at my church, I was challenged to write an original play with a friend. We ended up writing three full-length plays, and I knew then that writing fulfilled a creative need that nothing else matched.

A very varied life you have had. And with some similarities to mine (starting writing late in life, for example). Makes you wonder what would have happened if we started writing sooner, huh? What educational background do you have? 

I grew up in a small, farming town in Wisconsin called Prairie Farm. It was established in 1848, and the population has never gone over five hundred. The high school is the center of much of the town’s activities. My elementary school days were spent in the same building where my parents attended high school. Their high school band director was my high school English teacher—and she was amazing!

I graduated with a BS from the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire. I majored in biology and minored in chemistry. I loved science and thought I’d go into some field of medicine or research, but that never happened—long story.

Well, then, may I interest you in a book that could be right up your alley of biology? It's called The Serpent's Grasp, and it has received awards and many great reviews, and it has a bibliography! (Sorry for the shameless plug.) Okay, enough with the commercial, back to our regularly scheduled programming. 

You already mentioned you are married, have children, and have grandchildren (aren't they wonderful?). Do you mind sharing a little about this?

I experienced divorce after many years of marriage. But God carried me through that season, and I’ve been married to a wonderful man for fifteen years. I have two grown daughters and one grown stepdaughter. My oldest daughter has a little girl (18 months). My youngest daughter has a boy (3 ½) and a little girl (8 months). I LOVE being a nana, and I spend a lot of time with the two grandchildren who live in our area. My other granddaughter lives out-of-state, and time away from her is difficult. I’m so grateful for Facebook and Facetime because I receive photos and videos throughout the week.

I know you mentioned a few favorites already, but I’m going to give you a shotgun list of several favorites. List your favorite in each category and then tell us in one sentence why it is your favorite.

Favorite Food: Popcorn – I could eat it every day. I never get tired of it.

Favorite Drink: Don’t judge me – red wine. I like the taste—seriously. (I always say, if it was good enough for Jesus at the Wedding in Cana, why not for us? My wife would agree, too. Moderation, moderation, moderation...)

Favorite Song: Currently it’s “Do It Again” by Elevation Worship because I know so many people who feel like they’re trying to move mountains in their lives.

Favorite Non-Fiction Book (other than your own & besides the Bible): The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman because it helped me better understand my husband and children.

Favorite Bible Verse: “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 hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV). This has become my life verse because I have clung to it many times during difficult seasons of my life.

Favorite Movie: It changes all the time because I watch a lot of movies, but one of my recent favorites is Hacksaw Ridge because it’s a powerful and inspiring story of one man’s faith and determination to help others while standing on his principles.

Favorite Actor or Actress: Sandra Bullock takes on both serious and comedic roles, and I’ve never been disappointed in her movies.

Favorite Novel (other than your own): Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers changed my life. It made me realize that Christian fiction could be rich without being sweet and sappy.

Favorite Novelist (other than you): Really? You’re making me answer this? LOL! It’s like picking a number one best friend out of a group of best friends. Okay, because of my previous answer, I’ll say Francine Rivers.

Favorite Sport: Martial arts. Years ago, I trained in Tae Kwon Do and got my red belt (the one below black belt).

Favorite Team (Can be any sport, any level): Hey, I live in the Seattle area, so of course my favorite team is the Seahawks! (What about the Ducks? Is it hard to root for Oregon coming from the Badger state? Oregon is a fun team to watch.)

Favorite Subject in School Growing Up: My favorite subject was English because I was an avid reader and enjoyed discussing literature.

Favorite Subject Now: Creative writing is my favorite subject because it’s a part of my daily life, and it’s still important to learn and grow in my craft.

Favorite Teacher in School: My English teacher, Mrs. Peters, challenged me and opened my world to the some of the classics I wouldn’t have read without her requiring it.

Favorite Time of the Year: Fall is the best time of year! I enjoy cooler weather (that we can still enjoy while spending time outside), the changing color of leaves, and having a fire roaring in the fireplace. (Amen.)

Favorite Place to Vacation: Even though I live in Washington State, I still like to vacation here. We have it all—the ocean, the mountains, and the desert.

  

If you had one person you could meet (think outside the Bible here) and could spend as much time as you wanted with that individual, who would it be?

I would choose Mother Teresa so I could learn more about having a true servant’s heart.

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? 

I would spend time with Mary, mother of Jesus. Years ago, I read the book Two from Galilee by Marjorie Holmes. It helped me see and understand that Mary was very human—just like me. I think it’s easy for us to forget what a difficult position she was put in when she became pregnant. As a mother, I’d love to know what she felt and experienced as she brought Jesus into the world, helped him grow, and then had to watch him hang on the cross. I’d want to hear how her faith carried her through all those years.

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

After my first novel released, I was contacted by a woman who wanted to read it and write a review. It’s something she does on a regular basis for authors. But when I responded to her message, I didn’t hear from her. After a week had gone by, I tried to reach her again. She apologized for her lack of communication. She’d been going through a rough time, still grieving over the death of a young grandchild she was close to.

That unexpected admission opened the door to us having more conversation, and it gave me the opportunity to offer empathy, genuine care, and encouragement. The original connection was about a book review, but it turned into a greater purpose.

Connecting with readers isn’t just about books—it’s about building relationships with people themselves. Books can serve as a bridge to help make that happen. Unplanned opportunities to minister to people’s needs may come along, and I want to be open to them.

We know “Readers are leaders, and leaders are readers.” Is there a book you’ve read in the past five years or so that has helped you become a better you? If so, which one was it, and how did it affect your life?

To be honest, I read very little nonfiction that isn’t related to writing or publishing. But one book that has impacted my life is If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat by John Ortberg. The book challenged me to face my fears, step out in faith, and face challenges, but to also accept that failure isn’t necessarily the end—it can be an opportunity to grow.

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

I read a variety of genres, so I don’t zero in on a specific one. But, I’m a visual person, so covers are extremely important to me. If I don’t like the cover, I usually won’t look further unless I see a large number of positive reviews listed or someone I know has recommended the book. Then if the back cover copy piques my interest, I’ll read some of the reviews before purchasing.

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

The Bible verse is the same one that I listed as my favorite: “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 hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).

This verse helped me keep going when I didn’t know what the future would hold.

Like many people, I’ve experienced some pretty rough seasons in life. I went through a divorce after twenty years of marriage. Because of it, I lost some friends, and some relatives were so angry with my decision (because they couldn’t understand at the time) that they didn’t speak to me for over a year. Friendships and family relationships were later healed, but it was very painful at the time. I was also trying to take care of two daughters who were hurting.

Several years later, I married my now husband who also had two daughters about the same age. We thought life was going to be good. But two months later, we lost his nineteen-year-old daughter in a freak car accident.

Eight months later, he was laid off from work for two years, along with thousands of other Boeing employees. He couldn’t get a job flipping burgers.

After he was called back to work, I thought all would be well, but three months later, he checked into a thirty-day rehab facility, and my world turned upside down again. He’s been sober for twelve years.

The first three years of marriage were difficult, and we’re very open about those experiences, but the following years have been filled with many blessings.

Other people have gone through far worse than what I have, but I know what is feels like to cling to hope.

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

I write fiction because I truly believe in the power of story to comfort, challenge, and inspire. And because I’ve seen so many people struggle with finding purpose in different seasons of their lives—or have been afraid to pursue their dreams—those themes find their way into my writing. I understand, because I’ve struggled with them too, and I want to offer encouragement and hope through entertainment.

Dawn, I want to thank you for spending some time with us. And to all my readers, thank you for stopping by. If you'd like to get to know Dawn more, you can find her at these locations:

Dawn's Author Website

As well as Goodreads, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and her Amazon Author Page.

Until next time, May God bless you, and may you Bless God!

Kevin

You can find Kevin @ www.ckevinthompson.com.