Author Behind the Story Blog Series - Cynthia Roemer

Signing a contract for a new book never gets old. Having just done so for what will be my 10th book by the time of the October 2022 release date, I can honestly say I never thought my writer's life would turn out like it has. Trying to predict how such a journey will transpire is about as fruitless as trying to predict the weather.

Instead, I have learned how to sit on the front porch and enjoy the sound of the raindrops falling from the sky. Listen to the thunder off in the distance. Be amazed by the lightning show and the awesomeness of the power it wields. 

And more importantly, be in awe of the One who created it all. For I know this world as we see it now was not what He intended. The wonder and majesty of what we experience with our senses in nothing like the antediluvian world of Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel. Yet, even that Masterful creation pales by comparison to what's coming (Revelation 21-22). The Law of Entropy doesn't exist there. And for that, I'll be eternally grateful.

This month, I'm wondering if our next guest on our Author Behind the Story blog series feels similarly. For each author has a journey.

Welcome to the Florida Front Porch, where it is raining right now as I "pen" this missive. It's summertime. Humid. And raining. The consequences of invading a swamp, I suppose.

And welcome to the front porch fellow Scrivenings Press author, Cynthia Roemer!

Cynthia, in classic ABTS tradition, give us a quick bio. In fifty words or less, who is Cynthia Roemer?

I am a country girl who loves the Lord. I enjoy reading, hiking, biking, gardening, and riding side-saddle with my husband in the combine or motorcycle. I consider writing my main ministry and pray the Lord will use it to for His glory.

You mentioned that you were married. Tell us about your family? 

My husband and I have been married twenty-seven years. He is a grain farmer, and farms our small, three-hundred-acre farm the old-fashioned way rotating crops of wheat, soybeans, and corn. We have two grown sons. Our older son recently married (so I have a daughter now too 😀). Our younger son is currently still at home. Both work in Ag related jobs.

When the words aren’t flowing, what is your favorite comfort food and why?

I would have to say my favorite go-to comfort food is chocolate chips smothered in peanut butter. (This is a little-known confession! LOL!)

Little-known? Not anymore.

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

We have one outdoor cat named Chad. I say “outdoor,” but he pretty much gets the royal treatment come cold weather. We often let him in our mudroom on cold wintry days to sleep in a cozy pet bed. He gets milk every morning and likes to go on walks with us.

My aunt and uncle had a farm in Virginia. They had cats infinitum. She would take the leftovers from dinner and put them in a large pan. Then she'd add milk and other things to it before taking it to the barn. The feline woodwork would come alive. Apparently, they never had any mouse of mole issues.

Has your writing crossed over into other areas? If so, how? If not, will it?

I’ve always wanted to write novels, and did write a rough draft of my first book while in college. Then life hit—I married and had kids! So, my novel aspirations sat on the shelf for quite a few years while I raised my boys. But I never stopped writing. I wrote Christian articles and short-stories, gaining a few publications a year until I topped one hundred in print. I also tried my hand at writing church plays and had three of those published. I also wrote Book Reviews for Christian Retailing Magazine. But now that my boys are grown, the Lord has closed some of those doors and opened the door to novel writing. He knew I would need something worthwhile and time-consuming to occupy me as I settle into the “empty nest” years of life. 😀 I do continue to utilize my non-fiction inspirational writing on my Sowing Seeds of Hope Blog.

How do you come up with the names for your characters?

Since I write historical novels, I usually refer to an on-line list of popular names from the time period—census names. Other times, names just come to me that suit the character and I go with them.

As a writer, what is “success” to you? And has that “definition” changed over time as you have traveled down the writer’s path? 

Like all writers, I dreamed of being signed by a large publishing house and selling thousands if not millions of copies. But now, having signed with a small publishing house where we are like family, I know I’m where the Lord wants me to be. To me, success is being obedient to God’s plan and allowing Him to do whatever He chooses with my writing. Whether He touches the hearts of few or many, the outcome is in His hands.

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? 

Boy, that’s a toughy. There are so many. But the first one that came to mind was Mary, sister of Lazarus. Jesus told Martha that Mary had chosen what was best, and it would not be taken from her. I tend toward being a diligent, hard-working Martha that has a hard time sitting still. LOL! I’d love to spend time with Mary and learn what it is to really seek quality time with Jesus and get to know Him deeper.   

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

It is really hard for me to break away from reading historical/historical romance. I just love the genre. I do, however, enjoy reading a variety of time periods—Biblical, Regency, Prairie, Civil War, WWI & II. What draws me is a great cover along with an intriguing back cover blurb. It’s also a plus to read a sample of the writing. If those don’t grab me, I’ll likely pass it by. I also have my favorite authors and pay attention to the “buzz” and what others say about a novel for my TBR list.

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

There are so many, but Jeremiah 29:11 is one of the top: “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.” This was the theme verse for my first novel, Under This Same Sky.

Having recently dealt with cancer and treatments, I’ve had to cling to this verse as well as others. Through it all, the Lord has never left my side, and in the worst of times, this verse reminds me He is in control and has a plan for my life.

Just know that we are (still) praying for you and your family.

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

I love connecting with readers! The most gratifying aspect of writing to me is positive feedback and gaining a relationship and trust with readers. When I sense the Lord has touched the heart of a reader through something He’s enabled me to write, that brings me joy.

If there is one thing this world needs more of right now it’s kindness. The hero and heroine in my new Civil War novel, Beyond These War-Torn Lands, both face challenges in which they must choose between harboring bitterness or responding with Christ-like love—a challenge each of us face in our daily lives.

Thanks so much for hosting me!

Cynthia, thank you for taking time to share with our readers!

Readers, if you wish to get in touch with Cynthia or find out more about her writing, you can catch up to her in the following locations on the web:

Website:  https://cynthiaroemer.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCynthiaRoemer/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16785237.Cynthia_Roemer

Author Newsletter Sign-up: https://mailchi.mp/2a0d03dfaa50/newslettersignup

BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cynthia-roemer

Twitter:  https://twitter.com@cynthiaroemer 

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

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Cynthia-Roemer/e/B06Y1CJ588?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1627407220&sr=1-1

Fiction Finder: https://www.fictionfinder.com/author/detail/1405

 

Until next time, Bless God.

Kevin 

 

 

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. :-)  

 

 

 

The Author Behind the Story Blog Series - Christine Dillon

Greetings from a swamp. A hot, humid swamp. We invaded one, you know. We call it Florida. But it's really a swamp that is being transformed into overpriced housing. I don't know about your neck of the woods, but here in FLA, we are experiencing some of the largest population growth in the state's history. If you want a cheap U-Haul, drive down her and drive it back to wherever, and U-Haul will probably pay you for doing it. Houses can't be built fast enough, and they're being built in some of the strangest places. Old ones are being snapped up too. Houses that need a lot of work are selling at prices over their appraised value in two weeks or less. Some as little as three days. If you're moving here, just wait until you get here, because if you find one online, by the time you drive down to see it, it will probably already have five or more offers. Most of them cash offers. We're just waiting for FLA to break off from all the weight and become an island. That's when we sell, move, and retire. Ha!

In retirement, there's one place I'd love to visit, and that's Australia. I like it so much I made one of my main characters in my Blake Meyer thriller series hail from the "Land Downunder." And that's where our next guest calls her homeland on earth, even though she's hardly ever there.

Please welcome to the Florida Front Porch, where the ceiling fan is running on high, but the sweat still beads up anyway, Australian-born author, Christine Dillon!

Christine, glad you could stop by! We have a tradition here on ABTS. In fifty words or less, give
us a quick bio. Who is Christine Dillon?

I am an Australian raised in Asia. I had the privilege of attending schools in Malaysia and the Philippines. Most importantly, I’m a child of God and follow him. I studied physiotherapy and worked several years before attending Bible College and returning to Taiwan as a missionary.

I love the great outdoors - hiking, photography, and swimming.

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? 

I was in my thirties when I started writing non-fiction and it came out of my experience in mission. Writing fiction didn’t happen until into my forties, and it is still very much a part-time occupation. I am still telling Bible stories in Chinese (and English) to anyone who will listen and having the joy of seeing lives transformed.

Chinese, eh? I have to admit, I don't think I know anyone who speaks Chinese. Personally, anyway. 

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: Many of the songs by Keith Getty/Stuart Townend e.g. In Christ Alone, How Deep the Father’s Love for Us (We used to sing those back in the day when we attended a Calvary Chapel.)

Favorite Non-Fiction Book (other than your own & besides the Bible): Mountain Rain, the biography of James O Fraser of Lisuland (China). A wonderful stimulus to pray for things that will last to eternity.

Favorite Bible Verse: 1 Corinthians 1: 27-29  God chooses the weak … so that no one can boast before him. This verse is true of me and is a great encouragement when I feel weak (which is often).

Favorite Movie: Lord of the Rings. I waited a good while to watch the movies because the books are such favourites of mine.

Favorite TV Show: Antiques Roadshow - I love the history and stories behind the items people are getting valued.

Favorite Novel (other than your own): Narnia series. I’ve read them every year since I was a teenager and still glean wisdom from them.

Favorite Sport: Too many: volleyball, cycling, swimming … I prefer participating to watching.

Favorite Subject in School Growing Up: science or social studies.

Favorite Time of the Year: Spring or summer (love the slow, hot Australian days)

Favorite Place to Vacation: UK - for hiking and the history.

Favorite Food: anything Thai.

 

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

Grace in the Shadows (Book 2). The ending of this story is the one that God gave me when he suggested I write a novel during a day of prayer (an idea that horrified me, and he had to ease me into the idea over the subsequent six years). The ending (which I’m not going to tell you :) is deeply significant to me because it demonstrates much of the heart of what it means to be a Christian.

Tell us about what project you are currently working on.

I am about to start the planning for the sixth novel in my series. I think this is the last in the ‘Grace’ series. It is a spin-off story from the main family who feature in books 1-4. One of the themes will be an issue I struggled with until I was 26 - low self-esteem and comparing myself with others.

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

My brain works much better in the morning. I only write one novel a year (since I am a full-time missionary), and it has worked out that I write in the last third of each year. I block out Saturdays as my main writing time but during the writing months, I also aim to write 500 words a day on at least four other days of the week and then at least three thousand on the Saturday. If the words are flowing, usually the per day count increases.

Kind of a NanoWriMos...instead of NanoWriMo. See, you writers out there? You can spread November out into more than one month. You can even make your National Novel Writing Month happen in a different month. Whatever works for you. 

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?

Being a Christian adds a completely different dimension to writing. Take the time to really pray about whether God wants you to write. The world is cluttered up with books and as a believer, I think we should only write for a bigger audience if it is an important and (in the case of non-fiction) a unique contribution.

Also, take time to consider your motivations. If you are writing for the wrong reasons you will have a tough time. Writing is difficult and involves being able to take lots of criticism both in getting a book published (editing, early readers …) and from readers who write reviews. If you’re someone who is sensitive or easily hurt, work on dealing with the underlying reasons for those things before you put yourself in the firing line.

And take your time! Rushing produces poor results and especially for a first book, it will likely take far longer than you could imagine and that is a good thing. There is a lot for most people to learn about the craft of writing. We don’t want to release a book that we’re later ashamed of.

How true. Good advice!

Has your writing crossed over into other areas? If so, how? If not, will it?

For me it was my training ministry that led to writing non-fiction (rather than vice versa). I wrote a book on 1-to-1 discipleship (Christian Focus, 2009) and also one on Bible storytelling (Telling the Gospel Through Story, IVP, 2012). I run many seminars on evangelism, storytelling, and discipleship.

The fiction was a surprise and as a result of a prayer day in which two titles/ideas for novel were placed in my mind. I didn’t think I could ever learn to write fiction but left it in God’s hands. Six years later he pushed me forward and now I have five novels released. My latest non-fiction, Sword Fighting: Applying God’s word to win the battle for our mind, was released as a companion to my fourth novel as it fleshes out ideas that are touched on in the novel but couldn’t be expanded on there.

I have also had various Chinese translations of my non-fiction, and we’re working on a German translation for the Sword Fighting book and have a Dutch translation of the first novel. Following Jesus is certainly an adventure, and I am constantly having to learn new skills like project manage translations, even in languages I don’t speak.

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? 

Probably Daniel or Paul. I’d just have so many questions about their faith journey and their struggles. Also, how they lived as ‘salt and light’ in their era. I’d also ask Paul about missionary strategy because this is something that is my daily life and he could teach me so much.

Why do you live where you live?

I live wherever God has led me. For the past 22 years that has been Taiwan but now I’m returning to Australia to be a better support to my ageing parents. I trust that God knows exactly what he is doing and has plans for me here.

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

I read several kinds of books. Some are just for mental relaxation like thrillers/mystery/detective novels and my only requirement is that they’re well-written.

I also like historical fiction and particularly enjoy learning new things and more about history.

If I’m reading Christian fiction, I want the story to not only be well-written but to inspire me to follow Jesus ever more closely. It is much harder for a CF book to gain a 5-star review as I only give 5-stars for books that I rate as excellent and also eternity-impacting.

I do check out covers/blurbs/first page but I also take word of mouth recommendations from people whose recommendations I’ve learned to trust. In the CF world, I also look for undervalued books that may be excellent and seek to encourage those authors.

Oh, really...may I interest you in an undervalued book by an author I know very well? It's called The Letters. Full of mystery, suspense, and has a great "eternity-impacting" ending. And it must be written pretty well. It just won a Selah Award. :-)

(I should have warned everyone that a shameless - shameful? - plug was coming.)

Christine, it's been great having you on our blog. Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about you, or anything we didn’t cover?

Following Jesus should be an adventure. If we’ve submitted our lives to him, then he will lead us in many different, and often surprising, directions. Part of my journey has been writing, but yours is likely to be completely different. The key is being ready and willing to obey. I look forward to where he leads after I finish the final novel in the Grace series and what he does with the books over the coming years. My responsibility is to keep my eyes on him. May you also be greatly used to bring God glory in whatever he puts in front of you.

Challenging and encouraging words, for sure.

Readers, if you are wanting to learn more about Christine and her ministries, you can find her here:

Author website: https://www.storytellerchristine.com/

Subscribe to Christine’s newsletter and download Christine’s first novel: https://storyoriginapp.com/giveaways/6a009aee-fe2b-11ea-8278-0f7e76fa853d

Until next time, 

Kevin

www.ckevinthompson.com 

PS - As mentioned above, Kevin's latest novel, The Letters, won the 2021 Selah Award at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference in the Speculative Category!

The Author Behind the Blog Series - Peyton H. Roberts

As the school year winds down, and the mask mandates wind down (or wind up, depending on your perspective), and as summer looms on the horizon, it is good to see 2020 farther and farther away in the rearview mirror. A relative of mine recently stated how depressing it was that we were actually living out the script to the movie Idiocracy. "I didn't realize that movie was a prophecy," he said. Ha! 

If you haven't seen that movie, IMDB describes it this way:

Private Joe Bauers, a decisively average American, is selected as a guinea pig for a top-secret hibernation program but is forgotten, awakening to a future so incredibly moronic, he's easily the most intelligent person alive.

You laugh, but it's unfortunately a "way-too-realistic" comedic commentary on our present situation. Evil is viewed as good. Good is evil. Right is wrong. Wrong is right. Very Old Testament, Isaiah chapter 5-ish, if you ask me.

That's why it's always a treat to invite a new author to the Author Behind the Story Blog Series and bring to the world a sense of normalcy, where we can talk about writing and life as it pertains to sane folks.

This month, we welcome a brand new author and her debut novel to the Florida front porch, where the summer heat has arrived, the love bugs are in love, and afternoon thunderstorms are in the forecast for later this week. Please welcome, Peyton H. Roberts!

Peyton, kick us off by giving us a quick bio. In fifty words or less, who is Peyton H. Roberts? 

I believe you can learn a lot about a person based on what they love. I love my husband Nick who I met in high school. I love our two adventurous kids, Sadie (7) and Nate (4). I love sailing and going to the beach. I love keeping in touch with friends all over the world. I love writing letters and heartfelt notes, and I enjoy receiving them too.

I love planning travel and going on trips, especially to tropical places and national parks. It always feels like a getaway exploring places where you can’t see any manmade structures. We are new travel trailer owners, and that’s affording our family all kinds of new opportunities to explore this stunning country.

As for my professional life, being a military spouse has led me to change jobs frequently, which has led to all sorts of unexpected on-the-job experiences. I’ve traveled across the country for magazine stories, interviewed a Presidential Cabinet member, washed trash cans, done live TV interviews during disaster responses, led mission trips to the Philippines, flown across the ocean in an Air Force cargo plane, taught public speaking classes, and filed police reports.

Turns out, this huge variety of experiences add up to great material for storytelling. It’s as if I was preparing to write novels all along and just didn’t realize it.

That's a long 50 words. :-) Just kidding.

You've already mentioned your family. Is there anything else you want to tell our readers about them? 

I met my husband Nick at a church youth group event during high school. We started dating the week we graduated, which was almost 20 years ago to the day. The timing couldn’t have been worse. We had only five weeks together before he left town to start basic training with the Navy.

Three months later, 9/11 shook up the world and intensified his military career path. We’ve spent much of the two decades separated by long distances. In fact, 2020 was the first year we spent every single day together. It only took a global pandemic and a military travel ban to make it happen.

Our daughter Sadie is 7 and a total adventure seeker (like her dad) and a writer (like me). Our son Nate is 4. He is strong and athletic (like his dad) and has a good ear for music (like me). It’s neat to see the ways they’re wired to enjoy certain things.

We all love getting outside and exploring nature together, especially at the beach. We’re a boogie boarding, paddle boarding, body surfing kind of family.

That's awesome. And it is cool to see your kids grow up and develop such different interests when they came from the same two people.

Everybody seems to have a bucket list. Do you? If so, what’s on it? If not, why not? 

When my husband retires from the Navy in four years, we would like to "roadschool" the kids for a year and explore as many national parks as we can. To prepare for that bucket list trip, we bought a travel trailer and will camp our way across the country this summer. Crater Lake, Yellowstone, and Grand Tetons, here we come! 

During our year-long hiatus, we also want to take Sadie and Nate out to Guam. Nick and I were stationed on this tropical island in the Pacific for two of the best years of our lives. We want our kids to experience snorkeling reefs, exploring caves, and hiking to waterfalls. For us, Guam is a truly magical place, and the ultimate destination to create some epic family memories.

You don't hear people mention Guam as a vacation destination that much around here. Hawaii? Yes. Fiji Islands? Yes. Caribbean? Definitely. Guam? My guess is two out of five people couldn't even find it on a map. Just sayin'... 

Besides storytelling, what talents do you have?

One thing I’m proud that I’m really good at is sewing. In middle school, I grew about six inches one year, and none of the store-bought clothes fit me anymore. Thankfully, my mom had taught me how to sew. I started making my own pajama pants, sundresses, and eventually, formal gowns.

At the time, I was motivated by saving money and having the right clothes to fit in with what all my friends were wearing. Through all that practice, I became really good at sewing. Now I can follow along most patterns, and I can design my own dresses and quilts.

The main character in Beneath the Seams, Shelby Lawrence, operates a sewing business from her house. Because of my expertise in this area, I was able to weave plenty of sewing metaphors into the narrative (see what I did there?).

I definitely see a thread...or is it a pattern? Either way, it was seamless...and no doubt will keep some of our readers in stitches. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.) 

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

As far as personality types go, I’m an ENTJ, an enneagram 3 - Achiever, and my Strength Finder strengths are Strategic, Maximizer, Learner, Achiever, and Ideation.

Growing up, my mom was very interested in personality and preference tests, which is why I have no problem speaking in the language of assessments. I find them very useful tools for understanding myself better, along with how the people around me are wired.

Tying in writing, the enneagram proved to be an extremely useful tool for creating characters based on their motivations. Shelby, the main character of Beneath the Seams is an enneagram 3, Achiever (like me, but very much not me). Her husband Bryan is a 6, Loyalist. Maye, their neighbor, is an enneagram 2, Helper.

When trying to figure out what characters might do or say next, I often drew from their enneagram type. What might a Three do to cover up her faults in this situation? What might a Six be worried about in this scene? When the characters were new to me, the enneagram gave me a place to draw consistent characteristics that helped the characters come alive.

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

The most dramatic event that changed me as a writer was when my husband deployed to a combat zone for several months after our second child was born. At that time, our daughter was a busy three-year-old, and our son was just 12 weeks old. My hands were full. My nights were sleepless. And even with the help of loving grandparents, I was overwhelmed by the responsibility of caring for them on my own. During that season, I completely stopped writing and set a goal to simply get through those long months, one meal, one bedtime routine at a time.

When my husband returned, I was a shell of myself. I didn’t know who I was aside from someone who kept tiny humans alive. Through prayer, meditation, and yoga, I clawed my way back to who I was. The Holy Spirit reminded me that before I was a military spouse or a mother, I was a writer. I felt the nudges to write my way out of the dark hole.

I made a commitment to myself to spend the first 20 minutes of our son’s daily naptime writing. I set a goal to write at least 500 words—any words—during that time. After nine months of keeping this promise to myself, I began craving a bigger project. The Lord led me again to the next step. I committed to writing my first full-length novel, Beneath the Seams, which I can hardly believe is out this week!

The novel is a huge accomplishment, no question. But what I celebrate today is that I honored my identity as a writer. Over the course of three years, I kept the promise to myself to write every day. Carving out a daily writing practice truly is the secret sauce of becoming an author.

Carving out time to write is so important. If you don't, it won't happen. 

And thank you for you and your husband's service, by the way!

Tell us about what project you are currently working on. 

A few years ago, I transcribed the love letters my grandfather wrote my grandmother aboard the USS Midway. He deployed just six weeks after their wedding in 1951 when the Korean War was underway. They were madly in love, and his letters are overflowing with affection and longing. On top of that, he was a trumpet player in the Navy Band. The letters offer insight into what the military music scene was like during that era.

The collection of love letters is called My Dearest Bea, and I hope to publish it around their anniversary next April. Together my grandparents operated a school in Pensacola, Fla., for 40 years, and I know their former students and anyone with a connection to the Navy will enjoy sitting down in a cozy chair and reading these sweet letters.

As a writer, what is “success” to you? And has that “definition” changed over time as you have traveled down the writer’s path? 

As a young writer, success sounded like seeing my name on a book cover. But after this first publishing experience, I would absolutely measure success differently.

Last week I finished reading Beneath the Seams one more time. After all the revisions, all the rounds of edits, all the tweaking details and scenes, I still teared up reading the ending. To be moved by my own words when I know story by heart feels so rewarding.

To hear from readers that the same stirring is happening in their hearts is my new definition of success.

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 and why?

I would love to spend the day with my great grandfather, who was a U.S. Vice Consulate working out of the U.S. Embassy in Czechoslovakia and Switzerland during the 1930s. He passed away in 1941, leaving behind his widow and my grandmother. For my next novel, I would like to fictionalize their mother-daughter journey to America during WWII.

In planning to write this story, I would love to know more about my great grandfather’s personality and how he swept my great grandmother off her feet and whisked her away to a new life beyond the streets of Prague. I think their story will make for an exciting and meaningful historical romance. It sure would be nice to meet him, to capture his features and personality traits just as they were.

Sounds interesting.

Why do you live where you live?  

It’s cliché, but it’s true: Home is where the Navy sends us. We are currently living in the San Francisco Bay Area while my husband finishes his graduate program at Stanford University. Our family of four are living in a tiny apartment on campus in family housing, which has been a weird and wild place to wait out a pandemic.

But as the Navy goes, we won’t be here long. This summer, we will move to Virginia Beach. That sounds so simple, doesn’t it? But what it really amounts to is unscrewing everything we own from the walls, boxing it all up, shipping a car, watching our kids say goodbye to their best friends, eating last meals at favorite restaurants, waving farewell to familiar Pacific vistas, and then finally, driving away, closing out a chapter of our lives spent here.

Then we have to start writing the next chapter, finding a new address in this ridiculous housing market, enrolling the kids in new schools, helping them get plugged in to new social circles, identifying every kind of doctor’s office, dentist, after school activity. Moving is exhausting, and we’re, once again, just getting started.

We just moved after being in the same place for over 24 years, although we had moved a lot before settling into that location. However, this move was just "across town," so I identify and don't, all at the same time.

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? 

I love the collection of essays called Fearless Writing by William Kenower. It’s a lesser-known writing craft book that I stumbled upon one rainy morning browsing the library’s shelves while the kids were occupied in the children’s area. The book reads like a love letter to writing.

At the time I found the book, I was just settling into my commitment to write Beneath the Seams. In reading his words, I felt at home as writer. And the advice in the book applies as much to life as to writing. I am certain anyone can read this craft book and walk away inspired.

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

It’s strange to say this the week my book releases, but I never set out to become an author. At various points in my life, I’d find myself writing a story, not knowing why I was writing it, but sensing that I was doing the right thing.

It was like watching a baby roll over or pull up to standing for the first time, and you think, how did they know to do that? Writing has always been that way for me. It’s as if I have this internal clock pushing me toward the next milestone.

And now a novel with my name on it is out in the world, which is a wild feeling. Because that means the story isn’t mine anymore. It now belongs to readers. I look forward to hearing how the story will land in their hearts and what magic might result. It’s an exciting part of the journey!

Peyton, we thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer some questions and allow our readers to get to know you and your family.

Readers, if you wish to get to know Peyton even more, you can find her at the following locations on the web:

Beneath the Seams (Scrivenings Press) is available on Amazon, Kindle, Barnes & Noble, and at indie bookstores.

Visit my website // Subscribe to my emailnewsletter // Book Club Kit

Twitter // Facebook // Instagram // LinkedIn // Goodreads

BookBub

Until next time,

Kevin 

https://ckevinthompson.com/

PS - We also have a special announcement! Kevin's latest novel, The Letters, was recently announced as a finalist in the 2021 BRMCWC Selah Awards in the Speculative Fiction category!