Meet Bible study author Debbie W. Wilson
Drawing from her walk with Christ and decades as a Christian counselor and Bible teacher, Debbie W. Wilson mixes insight and encouragement to inspire readers to trust Christ with their lives. Her books include Little Faith, Big God; Give Yourself a Break; and Little Women, Big God. She and her husband Larry founded and run Lighthouse Ministries, a nonprofit biblical counseling, coaching, and Bible study ministry. Find free resources to refresh your faith at debbieWwilson.com.
Tell us about your newest book.
Little Faith, Big God digs into the lives of those in Hebrews 11. God commended these people for their faith—not their striving. They grew just like we do, three steps forward and two back. Those who tend to be hard on themselves will especially appreciate seeing God’s grace at work in the lives of these biblical characters.
What inspired you to write Little Faith, Big God?
Because I tend to be critical of myself, I noticed how gracious God was to His children in Hebrews 11 when they stumbled. From working with women, especially over-achievers, I know others live with that inner-critic too. I wanted them to see firsthand how self-condemning thoughts don’t come from God. Instead, He amazes us by showing up after we’ve failed—with amazing grace. He passed the blessing of Abraham to Jacob, the deceiver, right after he tricked his father and cheated his brother. That’s grace!
How would you describe this book to someone in a 30-second blurb?
You know how some of us can be hard on ourselves? By digging into the backstories of those named in Hebrews 11, Little Faith, Big God shows believers how to give themselves a break and grow strong in God’s grace. These imperfect lives show how God remembers our faith, not our flops.
What genre do you focus on and why?
Christian Living/Bible Study: I was a biblical counselor for 24 years and have taught the Bible much longer than that. I like to help people connect to the heart of God and see how understanding and applying the Scriptures empower our everyday lives.
What is the hardest part of being an author?
For me, it is marketing the book. I’m always looking forward to the next project and am a teacher—not a promoter.
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
I love that learning and sharing what I learn is my job. Writing helps me process my thoughts and think more deeply on a topic.
What’s one unusual fact about you?
I have two standard poodles that make me smile or laugh every day.
How have you changed or grown as a writer?
I think my writing has become cleaner and tighter. When I read some older blogs, I wince. Some are too wordy.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
Little Women, Big God looks at the women in Jesus’ genealogy. These women faced big problems but discovered a bigger God. They show us quality of life isn’t based on the size of our problems but on the size of our God.
Give Yourself a Break addresses ten areas that tend to rob many of us of biblical rest and shows us how to experience God in those areas.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on a follow-up to Little Faith, Big God that explores the lives and lessons of those in Hebrews 11 that didn’t fit into my last book. Hebrews 11:34 speaks of those who “from weakness were made strong.” What were their weaknesses? What transformed them? And what can we learn from them? At this stage in life, I need the reminder God is enough when I’m weak.
Website: debbieWwilson.com
Link to book: https://debbiewwilson.com/little-faith-big-god/
Social media links:
https://www.facebook.com/DebbieWwilsonauthor/
https://www.pinterest.com/djwwilson/
twitter: @debbieWwilson
https://www.instagram.com/debbiewwilson/
Meet author Carol Grace Stratton
Carol Straton is a novelist, reporter and freelancer. She’s written hundreds of articles and four books—Changing Zip Codes, The Littlest Bell Ringer, her award-winning debut novel, Lake Surrender, and her newest, Deep End of the Lake.
An avid hiker and baker, Carol also speaks to women’s groups such as Mothers of Preschoolers. Married to her literary muse, John, they have four children and nine grandchildren and reside in Clemmons, North Carolina. I love to encourage new writers and readers who have moved.
Tell us about your newest book.
Deep End of the Lake is the sequel to Lake Surrender. It’s the continued story of Ally Cervantes, a Californian who has moved to Lake Surrender, Michigan, with her two children to start life over again. Newly engaged to camp director Will Grainger, she still thinks she can do it all. But with an autistic son, rebellious teenage daughter, a crazy work schedule, and a shaky engagement, she finds herself back in the rat race she left. As a new believer she learns to trust God, not her plan B.
What inspired you to write Deep End of the Lake?
Readers loved Ally and Will and I wanted to continue their story to show how Ally grows in her faith. (She’s a new Christian).
How would you describe this book to someone in a 30-second blurb?
Parenting a rebellious teen and autistic son, satisfying a demanding boss, and learning to love again, single mom Ally Cervantes learns when you’re in the deep end of the lake you’d better know how to swim.
What genre do you focus on?
Women’s Contemporary fiction. I love helping women navigate their world through my stories. The modern woman faces so many choices and so many pitfalls and often feels alone. I’m hoping my stories might resonate with many who face difficult decisions. Life can kick you in the butt and if I can mirror life situations and solutions, as well as entertain readers, I’ve done my job.
Why do you write?
I’m fascinated with human personalities and why some choose certain paths in their life’s journey.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
Ally Cervantes is my protagonist. I love the name Ally because it has a fun-loving vibe. Her last name, Cervantes comes from the Spanish word for servant. In the first book Ally starts out as a hard-driving career woman whose family is second place. In both books she learns through humiliation and failure that “success” isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. Instead, she realizes how serving others gives her true satisfaction. As with all of us, she is a work in progress.
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing a book?
I’m not a morning person, so I use the early part of my day to do less creative work like answer emails and work on marketing books. My most productive time is afternoon and evening.
What is the hardest part of being an author?
The solitude, and the constantly wondering if I am writing a book anyone will buy.
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
It’s satisfying to know you’ve touched others with your story and maybe changed their outlook towards life.
What’s one thing your readers should know about you?
I’ve lived in two countries. I was an exchange student in Mexico City in my teens and I studied at Capernwray, New Zealand, for a semester in my mid-twenties.
Navigating a huge city like Mexico City was a bit overwhelming, but my Mexican sister and I learned how to take buses everywhere. Even still, I ran into some dicey situations that weren’t safe for young girls. I love the Mexican people. The phrase, “My house is your house,” epitomizes the hospitable Mexican culture.
I love New Zealand, chocked with beautiful scenery, from the majestic beaches on the North Island to the fjords on the South Island. I could have stayed longer but my boyfriend was back in California and I missed him. Yep, I ended up marrying him.
How have you changed or grown as a writer?
I’ve learned to be more disciplined, although I still struggle with time management. Half of writing is getting into the groove. I can do that a lot faster now because of my years having to be on deadline as a newspaper reporter helped this.
What is your favorite pastime?
Trying out new recipes and eating them. I come from a family that loves exotic recipes so I come by it naturally.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
Yes, Changing Zip Codes (a devotional) Lake Surrender (the first book in the Lake Surrender series), and The Littlest Bell Ringer (a Christmas middle grade novel).
What are you working on now?
I’ve sketched out a possible novel about a dysfunctional family and an inheritance.
Website: Carolgstratton.com
Link to book: https://tinyurl.com/128jsv85
Social media links: FB: Carol Grace Stratton
Twitter: Carolgstratton
Pinterest: @carolgstratton
Instagram Carol.Stratton.73
Meet author Sarah Sundin
Sarah Sundin is a bestselling author of World War II novels, including When Twilight Breaks and the Sunrise at Normandy series. The Land Beneath Us was a 2020 Christy Award finalist, The Sky Above Us received the 2020 Carol Award, and The Sea Before Us received the 2019 Reader’s Choice Award from Faith, Hope, and Love. A mother of three adult children, Sarah lives in California and enjoys speaking for church, community, and writers’ groups.
Tell us about your newest book.
Munich, 1938. American foreign correspondent Evelyn Brand is determined to prove herself in her male-dominated profession—and to spotlight the growing tyranny in Nazi Germany. Working on his PhD in German, fellow American Peter Lang is impressed by Germany’s prosperity and order. But when the Reich’s brutality hits close, he decides to use his connections in the Nazi Party to feed information to Evelyn, pulling them deeper into danger as the world marches toward war.
What inspired you to write When Twilight Breaks?
When my family visited Ellis Island a while back, I fed family names into their computer and found my grandfather’s return trip from Hamburg, Germany to New York in 1936. I knew he’d studied in Germany—he was a professor of German—but I hadn’t realized he’d studied in Hitler’s Germany. I wondered what it would have been like to have been an American student in Nazi Germany. I decided to set my novel in 1938, which was a momentous year, and to have a female foreign correspondent as the foil—and love interest—for my doctoral student.
What genre do you focus on?
All of my published novels have been historical fiction set during World War II. When Twilight Breaks is actually set right before the war, which was new and fun for me. Historical fiction suits my writing voice, and I’ve found I love research. And World War II has been a good fit for me. It’s a time full of drama, daring, and romance—plenty of material for a novelist!
Why do you write?
I know every writer says this, but I can’t not write. The characters won’t let me stop. Their stories have to be told. So I write.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
The main characters in When Twilight Breaks are Evelyn Brand and Peter Lang. I like to choose names that were popular in the era. Evelyn just had the right sound for my spitfire reporter—and I had fun with her last name when Peter meets her and accidentally calls her Miss Firebrand instead of Miss Brand. As for Peter, his name was something completely different when I wrote my proposal, but it just didn’t fit. He kept telling me his name was Peter. I told him it couldn’t be because I had a Pete as a hero in a novella I wrote. Then he said he wasn’t a Pete and never had been a Pete, but he was most definitely Peter. He won that argument. Yes, novelists are strange people.
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing a book?
I’m not a morning person, and my brain doesn’t kick in until afternoon. So I fill my mornings with emails and social media and the business part of writing. Over lunch, I read research books. Then my afternoons are free for outlining, writing, and editing.
How have you changed or grown as a writer?
I try to challenge myself with each new book or series, because I want to grow as a writer, and I don’t want to write the same book over and over. For my current three-book contract, I’m writing standalone novels rather than a series, the novels are set in Nazi-occupied Europe rather than the US Home Front, and I’m exploring some deep ethical dilemmas. I don’t know if I’ve seen the growth myself, but my readers say they’ve seen it. But then, it kind of feels like when you’ve lost weight and people say, “Wow! You look great now!” And you say to yourself, “How bad did I look before?”
What is your favorite pastime?
Before COVID, my favorite pastime was taking my barre class at the gym. But my gym is closed. I’ve been walking a lot and found I love the combination of vigorous exercise, fresh air, and fresh sights and sounds. Plus, we adopted a new dog this fall, and he loves long walks at a brisk pace. It certainly helps counteract the effects of the sedentary writing life.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
When Twilight Breaks is my thirteenth novel. My most recent series is Sunrise at Normandy, which follows three estranged brothers who fight on D-day from the sea, in the air, and on the ground. The titles are The Sea Before Us, The Sky Above Us, and The Land Beneath Us.
What are you working on now?
I just finished my next novel which follows two Americans living in Nazi-occupied Paris in 1941, when the United States was still neutral. It features a charming bookstore, aid to the resistance, and an opposites-attract love story. It was an exciting and romantic story to write!
Website: www.sarahsundin.com
Link to book: Book page on my website: http://www.sarahsundin.com/books/when-twilight-breaks/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0800736362/
Social media links:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SarahSundinAuthor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/sarahsundin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahsundinauthor/
Meet author Sally Jo Pitts
Sally Jo Pitts writes what she likes to read–faith-based stories steeped in the mysteries of life and love that will inspire and encourage the reader. Her careers have included: private investigator, lie detection examiner, high school guidance counselor, and teacher with over twenty years’ experience in the field of marriage and family living. She enjoys bringing her professional experience in affairs of the heart and detective work to the fiction page.
Tell us about your newest book.
Winter Deception is about Private Investigators Robert Grey and Jane Carson who intend to combine business with pleasure when they arrive at Topazus, their client’s South Carolina antebellum estate. But a murder gets in the way.
What inspired you to write Winter Deception?
I have worked as a private investigator for years in my lawman husband’s investigations agency. The ideas for character conflict in this story grew out of real issues we dealt with in some of our cases.
What genre do you focus on?
My focus is on two genres right now—romance and mystery/detective. Since I am a private investigator, the mystery genre was a natural. And as for romance, years of working with young people and teaching marriage and family living gave me lots of information about the search for “true love.”
Why do you write?
To share clean, stories that not only provide entertainment but exemplify practical ways to approach conflict from a Christian viewpoint.
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing a book?
It is like a pandemic stay-at-home quarantine! My waking moments are submerged in story.
How have you changed or grown as a writer?
Since becoming a Christian writer, it has made me more discerning of spiritual takeaways that abound all around us that I overlooked before.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
I have a Hamilton Harbor Legacy romance series of three books, And Then Blooms Love, Stumbling Upon Romance and Designed for Love. Winter Deception is book #2 in my Seasons of Mystery series. Book #1 is Autumn Vindication.
What are you working on now?
I have just completed book #3, Spring Betrayal, that will come out spring 2021, and I’m beginning the #4 summer book that is yet to be named!
Website: https://sallyjopitts.com
Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/Winter-Deception-Whodunit-Seasons-Mystery-ebook/dp/B08KTHD9Z8/ref
Social media links:
https://www.facebook.com/sallyjopitts
https://twitter.com/SallyJoPitts
https://www.pinterest.com/pitts00890482/boards/
https://www.amazon.com/author/sallyjopitts
Meet suspense author Andrew Huff
Andrew Huff is an accomplished novelist and screenwriter who works in the church media and entertainment industry after spending 10 years as both a youth and creative leader in local church ministry. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Liberty University and a Master of Arts from Dallas Theological Seminary. He currently calls North Texas home where he and his wife Jae raise their two boys and rescue dog.
Tell us about your newest book.
A Cross to Kill was my debut novel back in October of 2019 and the first in a suspense series that continued with the release of my second novel, Cross Shadow, in May of 2020. A Cross to Kill is an action thriller featuring a former CIA assassin turned evangelical pastor named John Cross who is faced with questions of his past after a vengeful terrorist visits his church. Caught in the crossfire are the congregants of the small country church in Central Virginia that John serves as well as a foreign correspondent named Christine Lewis who is rescued from execution by John on his last mission with the CIA as the story begins.
I wrote A Cross to Kill to appeal to fans of novels, films, and TV series such as The Bourne Identity, Mission Impossible, and 24that feature non-stop action and suspenseful twists and turns. At the same time, I wanted the moments between the action to be rich in theology and Christian values. There’s violence in the book, but not of a gruesome nature. There’s romance, but without obscenity. Anger, but nothing profane.
What inspired you to write A Cross to Kill?
I was inspired to write the novel on one of the frequent visits I would make to local hospitals as a pastoral member of the staff of a church. I was already in the habit of dreaming up characters, situations, and storylines, and on one particular trip to a hospital I imagined what it would be like for a pastor’s secret, dark past to surface in the middle of him trying to care for his flock. One of my favorite scenes in the novel then came to life in my imagination, and from there I really wanted to see how this story would unfold.
I was also inspired by real life, high profile events such as the rescue of American diplomats by the CIA from Iran in 1979 (fictionalized in the movie Argo) as well as the abduction and execution of journalist James Foley by Syrian terrorists in 2012. While many elements of my story are “heightened reality” (the action often takes a sensationalized turn), I also wanted to ground the plot in situations that aren’t that far from what has or might generate news headlines.
What genre do you focus on?
I write suspense thrillers because those are the kinds of books that I love to read. My favorite authors include James Rollins, Clive Cussler, Matthew Reilly, Robert Ludlum, and even Dan Brown. As I consumed their stories, the problem I kept experiencing (especially when it came to Mr. Brown’s novels) was that while the stories were thrilling and adventurous, there were sometimes values and worldviews antithetical to my Christian beliefs. I decided I would try my hand at writing the kind of novel that I wanted to read, one high on thrills but also deep in theology.
I also focus on this genre because of my love for action and suspense blockbuster movies. I’m greatly inspired by the thrills of franchises such as Mission: Impossible, Jason Bourne, and James Bond. I want my novels to take the Bible and the Church seriously while offering the same kind of jaw-dropping action those novels and films excel at.
Why do you write?
I would also say I write because I love the work of storytelling. It’s so much fun to create a cast of characters, put them in life-threatening situations, and then see what happens as a result. While I’m always ultimately in charge of how the story plays out, I’ve been amazed at how often the characters take on a life of their own and surprise me with how they influence the direction of the plot.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
The main character in the Shepherd Suspense series is former CIA assassin turned evangelical pastor John Cross. In A Cross to Kill, we’re introduced to John early in his career in ministry when he’s still struggling with forgiving himself for his past deeds. Coming up with his name was a rather boring process. I wanted his first name to begin with the letter J and both his first and last names to be single syllables. I eventually arrived at John Cross by process of elimination!
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing a book?
As much as I would like it to be the case, I unfortunately do not make a living just as a fiction writer (I think that’s true for a lot of us!). So, I need to be disciplined in weaving my writing into my weekly schedule to make sure that there’s an appropriate balance between it, my full-time job, and my responsibility to my family and church. Every week I have nights designated specifically to writing and I try to keep all of my writing to those scheduled times.
When working on a specific book, I spend an unspecified amount of time researching and outlining a book before I ever write a chapter. I like knowing exactly how a chapter will play out before jumping in. That being said, I also leave plenty of flexibility to my stories and characters to change things up should I be struck by creativity in the middle of writing. Once I feel confident in the outline, it only takes me about six months to arrive at the draft I will submit to my editor.
How have you changed or grown as a writer?
First off, I want to encourage your readers that if they aspire to write anything it is so important to remember that you always have something to learn. Keeping open eyes and ears to ways in which I can improve as a writer has served me well over the years, and I honestly cannot recommend conferences and workshops enough. Get around other writers, take classes, and practice, practice, practice!
One of the ways I’ve personally grown as a writer is recognizing my weaknesses as I write. In the beginning, I would make the same mistakes over and over again, but over time I’ve been able to catch the mistakes prior to editing. Passive writing is especially a weak spot for me (and it can be a big hurdle to get over), but fortunately I’ve gotten better at recognizing it when I fall into it and correcting course on the fly. That isn’t to say I don’t still have work to do to make sure my writing is the best it can be!
What is your favorite pastime?
Spending time with family is a priority, and we love a variety of shared activities such as taking walks, having NERF gun battles, competing in Mario Kart competitions, and playing board and card games. But my all-time favorite pastime is visiting as many of the local coffee shops in the area as many times as possible with my wife Jae. I’m also very into football in the fall, having even coached my sons’ flag football teams in the past.
I am also very involved in church. I teach an elementary age boys’ small group, lead teach for all age groups in the children’s ministry, and co-lead a home group of adults. Throw in the 9-5 job, and my week gets filled pretty quick!
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
I do! A Cross to Kill was the first in a trilogy of books called the Shepherd Suspense Series. The series follows the main characters of John Cross and Christine Lewis. The second book in the series, Cross Shadow, released in May of 2020. The story picks up one year following their initial meeting in A Cross to Kill. Christine is new to a relationship with Christ, and both she and John are new to the challenges of navigating a romantic relationship as professing Christians. Both are faced with embracing aspects of their former lives when Christine’s stepbrother is accused of murder in Texas and Christine gets herself involved in the mystery to John’s disapproval.
The third book is coming in March of this next year (2021). Titled Right Cross, it’s more of a global thriller as John Cross and Christine Lewis face their most difficult challenge yet. The novel opens with John appearing to have fallen away from his faith. A determined Christine seeks to answer why, only to find herself at the center of a cyberterrorist plot to alter the balance of power in the world. From the English coastline to the Rocky Mountains, it’s a race against the clock to stop the threat of nuclear war.
What are you working on now?
I’m really excited to share two big projects with you that I’m working on right now. First, I recently signed a contract with Kregel Publications to write a brand new three book series tentatively titled Task Force Phantom. This new set of stories is a spinoff of the Shepherd Suspense series and will follow both familiar and new characters on action-packed missions in a more global setting. You can visit my author website for a special sneak peek at the series and to get updates on when the books will release!
The second project I’m working on isn’t a novel but a web series that I’ve written and directed for a brand-new Christian streaming service called Igniter TV. Igniter TV is set to launch this fall and is committed to providing content that both equips and entertains. My series is called Dot Conner: Webtective and is uniquely designed for elementary age kids. Each episode follows amateur internet detective Dot Conner as she investigates questions and mysteries of the Bible alongside her two best friends. The first season is currently heading into production, but the pilot episode of the series is available to screen now at www.ignitertv.com.
Website: www.andrewhuffbooks.com
Link to book: www.andrewhuffbooks.com/cross-shadow
Social media links:
www.facebook.com/huffwrites
www.twitter.com/andrewjohnhuff
www.instagram.com/andyhuff
Meet author Julie Lessman & a giveaway
Julie Lessman writes Irish family sagas with great passion, both spiritually and romantically. Winner of American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Book of the Year, Julie’s garnered twenty one Romance Writers of America as well as Family Fiction magazine’s #1 Romance Author in 2012, 2011 Readers Choice Awards, Best of 2014 and 2015, and “Essential Christian Romance Authors 2017-20,” Booklist’s 2010 Top 10 Inspirational Fiction and Borders Best Fiction.
Tell us about your newest book.
A street orphan abused and abandoned by an alcoholic father at age five, Gabriella (Gabe) O’Connor has never let a man stand in her way yet. So, when a handsome flight officer thwarts her plans to become a Women Airforce Service Pilot, she’s determined to join the war effort anyway she can. Her chance comes when she “borrows” foreign correspondent credentials from the Boston Herald—where her father is the editor—to stow away on a medical ship to the front.
Lieutenant Reece Kincaid pegs Gabe O’Connor as trouble the moment she steps foot on Avenger Field as a WASP cadet. As the eldest brother of a boy whose jaw Gabe broke in grade school, Reece is familiar with her reputation as both a charismatic ringleader and a headstrong hooligan who’s challenged every male and nun from grade school to college. As her WASP flight instructor, Reece eventually expels Gabe when she pulls a dangerous stunt. But when he is an evacuation pilot in France eight months later, their lives intertwine once again, exposing them to a danger as perilous as the German tanks roaming the Reichswald Forest: a love that neither expects.
What inspired you to write A Wing and a Prayer?
As an author of Irish family sagas and a lover of family in general, I longed to continue the story of the O’Connors, the close-knit Irish family I created in A Passion Most Pure, book 1 in the Daughters of Boston series. Through this first series and the subsequent Winds of Change series, I follow this passionate family through WWI beginning in 1916 all the way through The Great Depression in 1933. And now with A Wing and a Prayer, book 1 in The Cousins O’Connor series, the O’Connor’s family legacy continues with the first three O’Connor cousins during and after WW2.
How would you describe this book to someone in a 30-second blurb?
From WASP to war correspondent, a charismatic troublemaker flies high in the war effort of WWII until a no-nonsense flight officer clips both her wings and her heart.
What genre do you focus on and why?
You might say I’m a jack of all trades because although I began my writing career as a historical romance author with ten O’Connor books, I transitioned into contemporary romance with my award-winning Isle of Hope novel and series. This series is loosely based on my own dysfunctional relationship with my estranged father and how God taught me to heal it. Next, I tossed my hat into the historical Western romance ring with my Silver Lining Ranch Series, and now I just finished writing a contemporary romantic suspense, which I am really excited about.
Why do you write romance?
Well, as number twelve of thirteen children, I suppose you could say I was starved for love. I read Gone with the Wind as a little girl, and when Scarlett seared Rhett with a look on the winding staircase of Twelve Oaks, I was a goner. That novel so inspired me that I immediately embarked on my romance-writing career at the age of twelve, penning a 300-page manuscript that forty years later became the basis for my debut novel, A Passion Most Pure, which I am blessed to say won American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Book of the Year.
So you might say I do it for myself and for women like me who crave a great love story with lots of romantic tension, but without the gratuitous sex. According to the American Religious Identification Survey conducted by the Barna Group, “nine out of ten women nationwide consider themselves to be Christian,” and yet the majority of these women wouldn’t read an Inspy romance to save their souls, and neither would I at one time because there wasn’t enough romantic passion in them for me.
I happen to believe that passion is important. Not just to romance readers, but to everyone on the planet. We were created that way by a passionate God who analogizes His own depth of love for each of us in a very passionate love letter called “Song of Solomon.” And what happens? The world uses this beautiful, God-given gift to shove sin down peoples’ throats, and I, for one, am really sick of it. I want to use passion the way it was intended—to teach people God’s precepts and therein, His love. It’s the cry of my heart, and I hope and pray that for my readers, my stories of romantic passion translate into passion for God.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
The main character in A Wing and a Prayer is Gabriella (Gabe) O’Connor, and it’s a very interesting story how I chose her name. Way back before Amazon issued strict rules about reviews, I used to hold review-posting contests among my readers in which the one who posted the most reviews (all around the world on every site imaginable) would have a character named after them in my next book. Well, a reader friend by the name of Gabriella Dawn Smith actually won by posting over 300 reviews. But her nickname was Gabe, so I had to go with it. Turned out it worked pretty well because that tough and masculine name for a girl worked well for a tiny street orphan who was short on stature but big on brass. She was a rough-and-tumble tomboy who had been abused until she was five, when her father beat her and dumped her into a trash heap, leaving her for dead. Gabe ended up in an orphanage until the O’Connors adopted her, a young girl with a big heart for the underdog and an even bigger chip on her shoulder against men.
What is the hardest part of being an author?
Oh, without question, promotion and research, in that order. As you know, most writers would rather write than promote, but unfortunately, promotion is a necessary evil for an author. But research was never my thing either, which doesn’t bode well for a historical author. In fact, it was the biggest hurdle I faced with A Wing and a Prayer because it’s a WW2 story where the heroine is both a WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) and a foreign war correspondent, and then the hero is an aeromedical evac pilot, making the story a real bear to write. I literally had to research on almost every page of this book, and sometimes every paragraph, no joke!
I’m not only talkin’ medical terms, military terms, WASP terms, pilot/airplane/Jeep terms and parts, 1940s terminology/hairstyles/fashion/etc., I also had to have my history down cold. As a result, I am happy to say that I now know more about WWII than I ever dreamed possible. Which, I have to admit, was pretty cool given the fact that I released the book in the same year as the 75th Anniversary of V-Day and VE-Day.
What’s the best part of your author’s life?
Oh, hands-down, the reader friends I’ve made, some of which have become dear friends. And then, of course, writing dramatic, breathless and compelling love stories is certainly no snoozer.
What’s one thing your readers should know about you?
I call myself a CDQ (caffeinated drama queen) because I love, Love, love drama and angst in my books with lots of laughter, tears, and drama, which in the end is a good thing because it sure saves wear and tear on my marriage.
What is your favorite pastime?
I love to watch old movies, read Christian romance, and host elaborate dinner parties a la Martha Stewart. I often joke I suffer from MSD (Martha Stewart syndrome) because I’ve been known to pipe guest’s initials into their twice-baked potatoes, cut napkin rings out of real lemons to hold lemon green beans, and sketch a layout for how the food would be placed on the plate. Which … was fine when I was younger and had the energy to do it, but these days, sitting at my computer with a candle burning and a cup of hazelnut cinnamon coffee is my pastime of choice. Although I do enjoy trail-bike riding with my hubby, chatting with friends and family around the fire pit on our lower deck, playing Mexican train dominoes, or just dinner out with people I love.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
Oh, you bet! In fact I just finished writing my very first romantic mystery/suspense, which is book # 26! If anyone is interested in checking them out (along with some very cool trailer/videos), here’s the link: https://julielessman.com/books/
What are you working on now?
As mentioned above, I just finished my very first romantic suspense, which was actually a lot more fun (and challenging) to write than I expected. It’s called The Secret of Emerald Cottage.
Thank you, Susan, for this wonderful opportunity to speak with your readers. If anyone is interested in downloading a free prequel teaser novella for my award-winning book Isle of Hope: Unfailing Love, they can find it here: A Glimmer of Hope.
Website: https://julielessman.com/
Link to book: https://amzn.to/2RR0Cud
Social media links: https://julielessman.com/about/
GIVEAWAY! Thank you, Susan, for this wonderful opportunity to speak with your readers—it’s been fun! And to thank your readers for coming by, I am giving away winner’s choice of any one of my indie e-books to three different winners, so just leave a comment below, and you’re in the draw.
Also, I have the following freebies/sale currently going on:
l 99-CENT SALE (90% discount) on my 5-star novel, A Wing and a Prayer for a limited time only HERE.
l FREE E-COPY of my award-winning novel, Isle of Hope (listed on Family Fiction magazine’s Top 15 Novels of 2015), and other giveaways at Mysti’s Book Nook Facebook Book Club. Details can be found on my Journal Jots blog.
l FREE DOWNLOAD of the prequel novella to Isle of Hope, which is called A Glimmer of Hope, so take advantage of this free e-book HERE!