Meet Wendy H. Jones, Author of Killer's Countdown

by Sidney W. Frost

Today we are pleased to interview Wendy H. Jones, author of Killer's Countdown. I met Wendy on the Internet when I was finishing up The Vengeance Squad Goes to England and looking for help making my English character more authentic.  Wendy was writing Killer's Countdown at the time. We have stayed in contact since then, promoting each other's books and working on a joint blog, Around the World of Inspired Fiction, with writers from Australia, Canada, Scotland, and the United States.

SWF: Tell the readers where you are from.

WHJ: I am from Dundee, which is the North East of Scotland. The City is famous for Jam, Jute and Journalism. The journalism is because we are the home of The Beano comic which brings the world, Desperate Dan, Dennis the Menace and Gnasher the Dog

SWF: Most authors I've met have held other jobs, either before starting to write seriously, or while writing. How about you?

WHJ: I was in both the Royal Navy and the British Army as a nurse. I have also worked in academia teaching both nursing and education.

SWF: Tell us a little about yourself.

WHJ: I write crime books which are set in Dundee. I have travelled the world with the services and returned to Dundee three years ago to write books. My first book, Killer's Countdown, was released in November 2014. It stars DI Shona McKenzie of what was then Tayside Police, but is now Police Scotland.

SWF: Can you tell us a little about Killer's Countdown without spoiling it for those who haven't read it yet?

WHJ: Shona has moved back to Dundee from Oxford. She was born in the city but moved away as a child when her father took up a post at the University in Oxford. This is her first big case since taking up the post heading up CID. Women are being murdered and Shona and her team are trying to solve the case whilst getting to know each other as a team.

SWF: As a reader, I liked the dual story lines and the way you handled it. How did you come up with the idea?

WHJ: I am not entirely sure why I thought about looking at it from both the killer's and the detective's viewpoint. The killer is such a large part of the storyline that it seemed natural to do it like this. I also wanted a book that was unique and would pull readers in to the story in a different way.

SWF: You've subtitled your book "Di Shona McKenzie Mysteries Book 1". When will book 2 be available?

WHJ: Book 2 will be released on 20th July 2015.

SWF: Is Di Shona McKenzie patterned after a real person?

WHJ: No she is completely made up and a figment of my very active imagination.

SWF: What inspired you to write this book?

WHJ: I am an avid reader and love crime and thriller books. I have always loved words and wrote when I could. Although I had never written a novel up until Killer's Countdown, I had been published in academic books and journals. I had an idea for a book and thought I would write it. The idea just grew and the story took shape so I kept going until I was finished.

SWF: Is there a message in your book that you want your readers to grasp?

WHJ: Not really. There is one major theme running through the book but I can't say too much here without giving too much away.

SWF: Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

WHJ: Write all the time. Whatever you are doing, or wherever you are, write. Carry a notebook everywhere you go and jot things down as they come to you. Observe everything and listen to those around you. Follow your dream and never give up.

SWF: What hobbies do you have that don't pertain to books?

WHJ: Technology and travel, in no particular order. I have every technological gadget known to man and love computers. I also love travel and have visited nearly every continent in the world.

SWF: How can we learn more about you and your books?

Wendy H. Jones

WHJ: By clicking on the following links.

Website: http://www.wendyhjones.com

Amazon US: www.amazon.com/Killers-Countdown-Shona-McKenzie-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B00O55H2NY/

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wendy-H.-Jones/e/B00OABSKH0/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1429469539&sr=1-1

Blog: http://wendyhjones-bookaholic.blogspot.co.uk

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WendyHJones

Meet Emma Right, Author of Keeper of Reign

Today we are interviewing Emma Right, author of Keeper of Reign.

Tell us something about the book.

Keeper of Reign is an allegorical fantasy about the fall of man and the redemption story in a fantasy setting that's filled with danger and adventure. Something young readers eleven and up can enjoy even though the story still has a Christian message.

How did you come up with the title?

I came up with over a dozen names: Elfie Epic, Kingdom of Keepers, Kingdom of Reign, The Overcomers, …but finally, I decided that it really was about just one Keeper: Jules Blaze, a boy who minimized his heritage, and didn't realize he could make an impact in his world, and that his family needed him.

What is your favorite scene in the book? Which scene or characters were the most difficult for you to write and why?

(Spoiler Alert)

The last scene when Jules has nothing but the pouch of stones (to represent Jesus, the Rock) to overcome Whisperer and his evil ways--the pouch of stones Jules has had all along and which, time and again, the enemies tried to take away from him. It is sort of like how it is with us. Our enemies will always try to take away everything that could empower us so we could not defeat a bad situation, but if we dig deep, we will see we already have it in us to triumph over evil.

Tell us about some of the biblical imageries in Keeper of Reign.

The name of "Gehzurolle", the evil Lord, is German, for Confounder, which essentially is what Satan is. Elfies are a cross between Elves (the physical and carnal part of Man) and fairies (the more ethereal, spirit side of humans.) And Whisperer represents the evil whisperings or rumors that tend to take us down, or fill us with fear--one of the tactics that the Devil uses to try to crush us. I made Mosche, the Keeper, live behind a waterfall, because when we are soaked with the water of His Word, the Bible says, the enemy cannot touch us. And why "Roaring Falls"? Because when we are so filled with the hearing and hearing of the Word, our faith is built. There're a lot more biblical imageries in the story. I tried to make it subtle so only Christians can pick these images up, as I am marketing the book as a secular fantasy, and hope that it would open doors for non-believing kids reading it.

Tell us a little bit about your cover art. Who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image/artwork?

Lisa Hainline designed it for me. I told her some of the elements in the story, and that the dragonfly lantern was an important component, and that I wanted it to have a magical, fairytale like feel, for that's what Keeper of Reign is--something of a fairytale. And, it's Elfies, not elves. The Elfies are a cross between elves, (the more robust, physical beings) and fairies (think ethereal, flighty.)

What would you like Keeper of Reign to accomplish?

I hope my readers can see that with the power of the gospel, we can overcome our problems and difficulties. I want to empower young readers with this message, that if they seek the truth (the Ancient Books, in Keeper of Reign) they will find wisdom and answers to life's problems. It doesn't mean the answers are going to come easily, but persistence will pay off, and the Bible has the answers.

Do you have a quote you live by?

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I would love to see Mt. Ararat. I'd be curious to see if I could spot Noah's Ark.

Is there anything else you’d like to say?

Please visit my blog and sign up for my newsletter at http://www.emmaright.com. I promise not to bog you down with emails. Only a few to announce no purchase needed contests, and when my next book with its promotional price will be available. I am currently editing Dead Dreams, and it should be ready Dec 2014. And I hope to have Keeper of Reign Book 2 out early 2014.

Emma Right

Emma Right is a happy wife and homeschool mother of five living in the Pacific West Coast of the USA. Besides running a busy home, and looking after their five pets, which includes two cats, two bunnies and a long-haired dachshund, she also writes stories for her children. She loves the Lord and His Word deeply, and when she doesn't have her nose in a book, she is telling her kids to get theirs in one.

Right worked as a copywriter for two major advertising agencies and won several awards, including the prestigious Clio Award for her ads, before she settled down to have children.

Connect with Emma Right:

Website: http://www.emmaright.com/Home.aspx

Blog: http://www.emmaright.com/Blog.aspx
https://www.facebook.com/emma.right.author
https://plus.google.com/u/0/111644513292318573575/posts
http://pinterest.com/emmaright/
https://twitter.com/emmbeliever

 

Matthew Horn Interview

Please welcome Matthew Horn aboard the Christian Bookmobile.

Matthew Horn

As a young boy in small town Indiana, Matthew Horn grew up loving storied heroes of all kinds. After graduating from Purdue in 2002, he returned to Rochester to work as a financial manager for his family's small company. His love of heroic tales never diminished and his first work, The Good Fight, was published by Brighton Publishing in 2011. The sequel, Nothing Good is Free, was released in December 2012 and Matthew has his eyes firmly set on continuing to create heroes beloved by all.

When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?

I can remember moments through high school and college where I would try to put some random idea to paper, but the concepts always died out when I discovered the amount of time and effort that would be required.  It really wasn’t until 2009, about six years after I graduated from college, when I finally found the drive to follow-through on a book idea.  I surprised most of my friends and family when I told them I wanted them to read sample chapters.  I had always loved to read, but had never expressed a desire to write.  It was a fun time.

Do you have formal education in writing? If so, please describe. If not, how did you learn?

The most I can claim regarding an education in writing is the summer classes my mother forced me to take during high school.  She has her Master’s in English and was always very unhappy with the public education system in that area.  She worked on my sisters and me relentlessly, or so it seemed to me.  My educational background is actually in Management.  I put my Mother’s lessons to good use however, writing papers and business plans to get my degree from Purdue.

Please tell the readers about your latest book.

My latest book is titled Nothing Good is Free and is the sequel to my first published novel, The Good Fight.   This book continues to follow my hero, Jeff, after the death of his vigilante mentor, Jim.  The entire Good Fight series is intended to be symbolic of a Christian’s struggle to do what is right all of the time.  Jeff, as a vigilante in Chicago, is trying to walk a very tight line yet not stray as his predecessor did.  The first book was very centered on Jeff and Jim.   In this new installment, I expand on the roles of Jeff’s girlfriend, Brooke, and the hardened detective, Martell, that Jeff was always trying to avoid in the first book.

What was your inspiration for writing this book?

In 2010, my wife and I had taken our youth group to the Indiana Christian Youth Convention.  We were listening to a speaker one night talking about the difficulties in loving God all day, all the time.  I suddenly thought of an idea to have a young hero coming of age with a wise mentor to show him the way.  I ran the idea by my wife who thought adding some conflict with the mentor would be a good idea.  Leave it to my wife to shoot holes in my ideas.  This idea eventually became The Good Fight.  After completion of the first book I knew immediately that I wanted a second and third installment. 

What do you want the reader to feel/learn/experience while reading this book?

First and foremost I want my readers to enjoy a good, wholesome, adventure story.  I think it’s getting harder and harder to find a story today that is considered real, but doesn’t have incredibly foul language and crude scenes.  I also want my readers to be able to see ways that God works in the characters lives and decision making.  I hope they enjoy the story and I hope they can feel the deeper meaning. 

Please summarize other books you have published.

My only other book is the first book in this series, The Good Fight.  In that story, Jeff is just graduating from college when he has the opportunity to help Chicago’s famous vigilante, the same man that saved his life when he was nine.  Jeff learns the heroes identity and eventually becomes his reluctant protégé.  As the story progresses, Jeff begins to see the ways that his once hero is straying from what’s right.  Jeff wants to pull away, but the more he does the more he gets pulled in.  Jeff ultimately must choose what life he wants, and what life he has been given.

What would you tell someone who wants to write a novel?

Always ask questions and never, ever give up.  For someone like myself that doesn’t usually deal well with personal failures (and I sure have a few of them), publishing can be one of the most brutal industries out there.  It’s hard to be told your work isn’t publishable.  However, if you ask questions and never stop learning you can eventually push past barriers that keep others from succeeding.  It takes a lot of perseverance, but it most certainly can be done.

What would you tell a new author about marketing his or her book?

The best tip I could give is to find a group of people who have been where you want to be, or are trying to get to same place.  No matter what we think, we aren’t alone.  Thanks to the internet it’s easier than ever to find help and I promise, no matter what you write, there’s a group out there doing the same thing.  Find them, learn from them, and ask questions until your blue in the face.

Please describe your hobbies and interests other than writing.

My wife gave birth to our first child, a littler girl named Ella, January 31, 2012.  My number one hobby right now is playing with her on the living room floor.  She is very active and loves to laugh so we have a great time.  My wife and I are also pretty active people so we love to get out and play on the lake we live on, go for a run, play some tennis, etc.  I think my pastime is reading.  I always have a good book.  Currently I’m reading through Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan books. 

What's the best way to reach you and buy your books?

If you go to my website www.matthewrhorn.com there are links to not only buy my books on Amazon or Barnes and Noble, but there’s also a link to email the author.  You can also email me directly at matthew_horn@hotmail.com.  I can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Goodreads, and LinkedIn. 

Thanks for allowing me this interview.  I very much appreciate the chance to answer you questions and be hosted for your fans. 

The Good Fight Trailer

Part 3: Q & A with William Sirls, Author of The Reason

Win an Autographed Copy of this Book

Enter the drawing for an autographed copy of The Reason by William Sirls. Here's how:

Leave a comment here with your email address – up to 4 entries (one for the review and one each for the three days of author interviews.)

Be a friend  of William Sirls on Facebook -- 1 entry

Be a follower of the Christian Bookmobile -- 1 entry

Share this review on Facebook -- 1 entry

Share this review on Twitter -- 1 entry

Be sure to leave comment here to let me know how many entries you are eligible for. Drawing will be held October 15 and winners will be announced here.

Q & A with William Sirls – Part 3

Including a Kenneth character in the book made me uncomfortable at times, but by the end I felt it worked. Did you have any reservations about telling the story the way you did?

I have had readers tell me Kenneth is an angel, a prophet, Jesus, and even God himself. In rewriting the manuscript, transitioning this character from magical to spiritual was the most rewarding writing experience of my life. Kenneth was the ideal character to help me share personal lessons I learned in prison involving patience, forgiveness, grace, and most importantly faith.

I think many people are uncomfortable initiating conversations about their faith with non-believers. It is my desire that people who have read The Reason will pass their copy on to a friend that may be “on the fence” … and then ask them who Kenneth is. I think this will remove some of that awkwardness from the topic and then hopefully spark dialogue that could lead someone in God’s direction.

There are so many interesting characters in this book. And, unlike many books, there wasn't a main one. Did that make the book easier or harder to write? Did any of the characters try to take over as you wrote?

There are many characters in The Reason, and they come from different walks of life. Not having a main character made the book easier to write from the standpoint that I could split the focus on all of the characters and freely describe their different problems and unique needs for both love and healing. At the same time, it also made it more difficult, because it’s risky to write without a main character. Still, I decided to do it this way, hoping that readers would latch on to different characters … perhaps with the one that closely resembles the reader. With God’s help, I think I may have gotten away with it.

Did any of characters try to take over as I wrote? That’s a great question. Once the characters all made it to the church to work on the cross, they all started telling me what to do, particularly Zach Norman. He’s a recovering control freak, much like the guy that created him.

What was your favorite scene to write? Why?

The chapel scene at the end of the story. This was actually the part of the book that I had written first. Once I had a target to hit, I then went back to the beginning and the characters guided me to the end.

What was the most difficult scene to write? Why?

Forgiveness is something that I have received more of than I truly deserve. Forgiveness plays a huge role in all of our lives on earth, whether it be giving it to someone or receiving it from someone. With that said, the most difficult scenes for me to write were Zach Norman in the cemetery and Carla under the bridge. These scenes reminded me of the only real forgiveness any of us ever need, and I found myself wiping tears off my cheeks while writing both of these scenes.

How has publishing The Reason changed your life?

When I originally rewrote The Reason, my primary goal was to challenge readers to be open to the possibility that God manifests himself in front of each and every one of us every single day. If they look, they will recognize and see what can only be Him. When we first began transitioning the story from a self-published reader copy to a traditionally published book, one of my first conversations with Thomas Nelson was with Natalie Hanemann. I’ll never forget her telling me that our two primary goals were to entertain readers and help bring them closer to God. Something about that second goal flitted around in my head for quite a while. It almost seemed absurd to me that a convicted felon would even be considered for such a task. Now, a year later, I’m reading emails, reviews, and having conversations with people that are beyond anything I ever imagined, and there is no better feeling knowing that with God’s help, we just may be doing what we set out to do.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love to hear from readers, and they can find me at WilliamSirls.com, on Facebook (William Sirls) and on Twitter @williamsirls.

Read part 1 of the interview here: http://christianbookmobile.blogspot.com/2012/10/part-1-q-with-william-sirls-author-of.html
Read part 2 of the interview here: http://christianbookmobile.blogspot.com/2012/10/part-2-q-with-william-sirls-author-of.html
Read review here: http://christianbookmobile.blogspot.com/2012/10/book-review-reason-by-william-sirls.html

Part 2: Q & A with William Sirls, Author of The Reason

Win an Autographed Copy of this Book

Enter the drawing for an autographed copy of The Reason by William Sirls. Here's how:

Leave a comment here with your email address – up to 4 entries (one for the review and one each for the three days of author interviews.)

Be a friend  of William Sirls on Facebook -- 1 entry

Be a follower of the Christian Bookmobile -- 1 entry

Share this review on Facebook -- 1 entry

Share this review on Twitter -- 1 entry

Be sure to leave comment here to let me know how many entries you are eligible for. Drawing will be held October 15 and winners will be announced here.

Q & A with William Sirls – Part 2

I read that you went to WestBow before being published by Thomas Nelson. Does that mean there were many rejections first? Did you have an agent at that time? Why did you pick WestBow?

Whenever I think about this, I shake my head. God has been too good to me. I’m fortunate to have missed any rejection. Looking back, it’s funny, because I don’t think I ever had any intention of publishing the original story. When I was released from prison in 2010, I was given the opportunity by some family members to work on the book and hone it so that it was presentable to readers. I loved the creative control one has with self-publishing, so we started looking around with our three biggest goals being expanded editing, a good product, and distribution. I really didn't care about the book ending up on a shelf at a store … I wanted people to go online and get it if they wanted to read it … which brought us to WestBow.

I have a niece that loves doing research. She knew what we wanted, and she sent me a link with WestBow’s information and handful of pretty good reviews, so I gave them a call, and ultimately nobody compared to them. Since Thomas Nelson is the driving force behind WestBow, it was a pretty easy decision.

A few months before the self-published version of the book was going to be released, WestBow’s publisher and director of channel sales, Alan Bower, had me testing different titles and different covers with my group of trusted readers. Before long, we were comfortable with what we had and decided to print 100 advance copies to create a little buzz.

WestBow took some copies, I took some, and the rest went to friends and family.  I had also decided to call some of the biggest churches in the country and asked if they had any avid readers who would be interested in reading advanced copies of the book and maybe provide me with feedback.  Once I had permission, I included a letter with each copy. I introduced myself, provided my phone number and email address, and mentioned I would greatly appreciate it if the reader would let me know what they thought. 

I didn't hear anything for a month or so, and was expecting, at tops, maybe a half a dozen responses. I wanted to identify recurring themes or concerns readers had so that I could make revisions before the final version of the book was released.

Then I received my first email from a woman out west that said she enjoyed the book and couldn't wait for it to come out.  It was an awesome feeling. Then I received a phone call from a woman that ran a church bookstore, wanting to know how they could buy it.  Before I knew it, we had well over 200 responses from men, women, teenagers, and ministers, sharing how the book affected them in ways that I couldn't believe. Their responses have changed the reason I want to continue to write. Fortunately, one of those advance copies ended up on the desk of a receptionist at Thomas Nelson, and it was her response to the book that resulted in it being passed on to their fiction team. Just before we were to release the self-published version of The Reason, Thomas Nelson picked up the title along with a request for me to write two additional titles. Once again, God has been quite good to me, and I couldn't be more thankful.

Read part 3 of the interview tomorrow.
Read part 1 of the interview here: http://christianbookmobile.blogspot.com/2012/10/part-1-q-with-william-sirls-author-of.html
Read review here: http://christianbookmobile.blogspot.com/2012/10/book-review-reason-by-william-sirls.html

Part 1: Q & A with William Sirls, Author of The Reason

Win an Autographed Copy of this Book

Enter the drawing for an autographed copy of The Reason by William Sirls. Here's how:

Leave a comment here with your email address – up to 4 entries (one for the review and one each for the three days of author interviews.)

Be a friend  of William Sirls on Facebook -- 1 entry

Be a follower of the Christian Bookmobile -- 1 entry

Share this post on Facebook -- 1 entry

Share this post on Twitter -- 1 entry

Be sure to leave comment here to let me know how many entries you are eligible for. Drawing will be held October 15 and winners will be announced here.

Q & A with William Sirls – Part 1

I understand that The Reason is your first novel. Would you mind telling us when and how you got the idea for the story and how it was developed over time?

I was inspired to write this story in early 2004, which on the surface was a pretty difficult time in my life. I had just gone through a divorce and was in the middle of activities that were hurting a lot of good people. Those activities would ultimately lead me to federal prison. 

I clearly remember walking down a hallway at a hospital in Detroit, to visit my oldest daughter who had just been diagnosed with type one diabetes. It is safe to say that I was drowning in my own pity party when I came across a young couple, probably in their late twenties, pulling their son in a little red wagon.  The little boy was probably around three years old, hairless, frail, and he had a gray and ashen look that suggested the end was probably near.  For me, it was one of those rare moments in life when you realize that your problems aren’t as bad as you think, and while I was trying to fathom the amount of stress this family was going through, this little boy looked up and smiled at his parents and they smiled back. It was one of the most beautiful exchanges I had ever seen, and something inside of me wanted to find a way to make those smiles last, because in so many cases, particularly in cases like that, they don’t.

Over the next couple of years, as I continued to head down the wrong road in life, and continued to hurt everyone around me, I somehow, in the middle of all that destruction, wrote a manuscript about a magical character who appeared at a hospital and made smiles last. 

At the end of 2007, I entered federal prison and the story got scrapped.  Prison is one of those experiences I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy, but at the same time, there are few things for which I would trade the experience, because from a spiritual standpoint, it gave me the opportunity to slow down and realize what is important. As my faith grew, I became increasingly anxious to share some of the things I learned. I then rewrote my manuscript in a way that was a lot less magical and a lot more spiritual.

Being your first book, how did you get started? Did you take writing classes? Join a writers group? Use critique partners? Go to writers' conferences?

I haven’t taken any writing classes, gone to conferences or worked with writers groups,  but I do have a group of reader friends I show my work to that I trust to tell me what I need to hear, instead of what I want to hear. I’m sure most writers have heard this several times, but I believe the greatest thing you can do to improve your writing is to read a lot, and I will read two to four books a week. Beyond that, I have been blessed to have The Reason edited by Natalie Hanemann and Lisa Bergren, two very talented ladies.

Read part 2 to the interview tomorrow.

Read the Review here: http://christianbookmobile.blogspot.com/2012/10/book-review-reason-by-william-sirls.html

Meet the Author of Still Life in Shadows: Alice J. Wisler

About Alice J. Wisler

Our guest today is Alice Wisler, author of Still Life in Shadows, released this month by River North Fiction. Alice is also the author of these four Bethany novels: Rain Song, How Sweet It Is, Hatteras Girl and A Wedding Invitation, which she labels as "truly Southern and fun."

Alice was born in Osaka, Japan, where her parents were Presbyterian missionaries. She is married and lives in Durham, North Carolina.

For more information about Alice, see: http://www.alicewisler.com/

Q & A With Alice Wisler

Tell us how you came to your faith in Jesus.

I grew up as missionary kid in Japan and always knew the Gospel. But I didn't really see Jesus as a personal friend until I was sixteen and in Alabama at a youth group. The kids there were singing and excited about Jesus.  That was so refreshing to me. I wanted the peace I experienced there and asked Jesus to basically, stay with me and not leave.  And all these years later, He has been faithful.

How old were you when you wrote your first real story and what was it about?

I was seven and it was called "Susie Has the Chicken Pops." Okay, so that might not be deemed as a real story, but I remember the impact it had on me when my first grade teacher asked me to read it in front of the class and then in front of the third and fourth grades!

Where did you get the idea for your latest book, Still Life in Shadows?

I saw a program on TV about dissatisfied Amish leaving their communities (Mose Gingerich was my inspiration) and thought, I have to write a novel about this! Gideon Miller is based on Mose—he helps Amish leave their Old Order lifestyles and relocate to North Carolina.

What do you want readers to take away from your writing and this book in particular?

Forgiveness is a big theme. Also, to see another side of the Amish. They aren't perfect and need God's saving grace. Just like the rest of us. I think they have been too glorified and my ex-Amish friends would agree.

What part of this book did you enjoy writing the most and why?

I enjoyed writing from Kiki, a 13-year-old autistic girl's point of view. She is a fun character for me----very lively, and she has a keen perspective on life and God.

What is your favorite comfort food?

Sushi!  What can I say?  I grew up in Japan!

What are your hobbies other than writing?

Cooking and I get along well.  That's why all my novels have recipes in the back.

How does your faith play into your writing?

All my novels have grief and loss in them because those are evident within the world we live. I like to incorporate God's love and compassion into my stories. God certainly comforts me in my frail and broken state.

For more information about writing Still Life in Shadows, see: http://www.alicewisler.blogspot.com/2012/04/still-life-in-shadows-novel-without.html. 

To order a copy: http://www.amazon.com/Still-Life-Shadows-Alice-Wisler/dp/0802406262/. 

INTERVIEW: The River Rose: A Water Wheel Novel by Gilbert Morris

Click here to enter drawing 

for free copy of The River Rose

About The River Rose     

Life hasn’t been easy for Jeanne Bettencourt, a widow approaching thirty and struggling to provide for her eight-year-old daughter. But hope arrives in the form of the Helena Rose, a steamboat she unexpectedly inherits from a distant, departed relative. Jeanne’s father had captained a similar vessel and taught her how to pilot a steamer along the banks of Memphis. She’s looking forward to a renewed livelihood on the mighty Mississippi.

However, as plans are made, news comes of another heir to the Helena Rose -- a tough man named Clint Hardin -- and a clause in the will that says claimants of the estate must live aboard the boat. Jeanne, a Christian woman, makes it clear she won’t stay with a man who is not her husband. But both are desperate for work, so they agree to keep their distance as Clint occupies the lower deck and Jeanne takes the captain’s quarters.

As they restore the Helena Rose, the slowly softening Clint becomes attracted to Jeanne -- who is now being courted by a wealthy plantation owner. With her family and future at stake, the desires of Jeanne’s heart are duly complex. Only her simple faith can navigate her through what’s about to happen.

About Gilbert Morris       

Gilbert Morris is among today's most popular Christian writers, his books having sold over seven million copies worldwide. A former pastor and English professor, he specializes in historical fiction and won a 2001 Christy Award for the Civil War drama Edge of Honor. Morris lives with his wife in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Q and A with Gilbert Morris

                           

What is your writing method? Do you write in the morning? At night? All day? How long do you write in a single session?

I have no set schedule for writing a novel. While I am working on it, sometimes it goes easily, and I just pour on the coal. If it goes badly, I have to spend more time on the text. Naturally, I love it when the words seem to flow!

How do you do your historical research?

I think it can be easy to do too much research, just as it can be a mistake to do too little. Some writers are so anxious the give the historical background, that they forget the story. My own problem is to do a good job with research and with the story.

How do you manage to keep your dialogue true to the time period without allowing it to sound stilted?

Reading a great deal of Dickens, for example, will carry over into the writer’s work. There is a danger that all of a writer’s characters will sound alike, which makes for bad fiction. I always try to find some characteristic that will set a character apart, perhaps bad grammar or a pronounced regional accent.

You used to follow the same storytelling technique of the late Sidney Sheldon—told your stories on tape to get the rough draft down, and then had them transcribed to start your writing process. Are you still using this technique for your current books?

Yes, I do dictate all my books. I take the outline and the list of characters, and put each chapter on a cassette. Then I have a lady take the tapes, type them out, and send them to me. Of course, when I get the hard copy, that’s usually when the hard work of revision rears its ugly head! My daughter Lynn, who has written some fine novels, helps me with this stage, for which I am profoundly grateful.

In many of your books, you feature a strong female main character that suffers from flaws and weaknesses. Why do you write about women in this way?

I try to give all characters, both male and female, young and old, flaws and weaknesses. That is human, and if a character is perfect that is totally unbelievable!

Look at the great classic novels by the great novelists. All of them set forth characters, who, in one way or another, are flawed. It is the job of the novelist to dramatize the characters as they attempt to overcome these flaws.

Your novels have a number of female characters with red hair and green eyes. Is that based on a real person?

Got lots of red hair in my family, so I always like redheads! No green eyes. I just get tired of trying, in a book with forty characters, to give them eyes that differ. Blue, brown, green. What other colors can eyes be?

I did say of one shady character, “He had eyes the color of spit.” Now, really, that character had to be evil!

What fascinates you most about 1850s Mississippi?

It was a dramatic time in American history. The Civil War, the rise of modern transportation, the beginning of our industrial growth.

How did you decide to set your story on a steamer?

When I was a boy, I lived for a time in Helena, Arkansas. The river then was still thick with the sternwheelers, and I would sit for hours on the bank of the river and watch them, and riding on one was a thrill.

When you’re writing a series such as the Water Wheel series, how do you decide which characters to carry over into the sequels?

I usually make this decision before I begin the first novel in the series. Some generational sagas lend themselves to stepping from one book to another, others I like to confine to one book.

I have a signed a contract to do a trilogy about San Francisco in the 1850s. That opens up the door for a family to go through (1) the gold rush of 1849, (2) the rise of rich people and how they are brought down, and (3) the earthquake and how the family survives and strengthens.

What book project are you working on next?

I am working on Book #2 of a series called Western Justice. These three westerns are set in Oklahoma Territory shortly after the Civil War. Judge Isaac Parker had 200 marshals to keep order, and many of them were killed in line of duty. The most famous of these is Heck Thomas, but if you’ve seen TRUE GRIT, you get the flavor of the series. Romance, action, Christian doctrine!

What is the one thing that you want to leave readers of The River Rose pondering over?

As in all my books, I want my readers to see how vital it is to serve God no matter how difficult that might be.

Do you have a long-term plan for your novel writing? Are you planning to retire, or can we eagerly anticipate dozens more Gilbert Morris stories?

I am working on three series at the present time. One will deal with the men and women who serve in different branches of the service.

Another is the second novel about a young woman, Jordan Lee, who serves in the military, then in the House of Representatives.

The work I most enjoy is a series of mysteries featuring a man and a woman—and two cats. I’ve written three of these, and have had a blast! They are my favorite novels. The next one will be entitled Desperate Housecats.

And no, I will never retire!

How can readers find you on the Internet?

           My website and blog are at http://www.gilbertmorris.com

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Sign up for my e-newsletter (for subscriber-only giveaways and advance notice of my upcoming novels): http://gilbertmorris.com/news.htm

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