Author Interviews

AUTHOR INTERVIEWS WILL BE LISTED HERE, BUT SHOWN ON THE BLOG PAGE

Thanks to all the authors who have agreed to be interviewed on my blog.

 

 

 

 

December 2, 2013-- Rosemary Hines, a new author who has written a 3-book series with subjects such as the New Age Movement, infertility, suicide, and family issues.

November18, 2013-- Lisa Bergren, author of fiction for women. Her latest book is The Bridge.

November 4, 2013--Angela Hunt, author of historical fiction and Biblical fiction.

October 21, 2013--Susan Sleeman, author of inspirational romantic suspense and mystery. New book, No Way Out, available May, 2013

October 7, 2013 -- Miralee Ferrell, author of fiction for women, and western fiction. Her new book is Blowing on Dandelions.

September 15, 2013--Meg Moseley, author of When Sparrows Fall.
Gone South, her new book, available May 7, 2013.

September 2, 2013--Ann Gabhart, author of many Christian books since her first one in 1978.  New book Scent of Lilacs, available now.

August 5, 2013--Cindy Woodsmall, author of Amish fiction.
New book The Winnowing Season,  published April, 2013

July 29, 2013--Becky Povich, new author
Her memoir From Pigtails to Chin Hairs will be out soon.

July 15, 2013--Ann Tatlock, Promises to Keep, Things we Once Held Dear, A Room of my own, and others. Her new book Sweet Mercy, is out in April, 2013

July 1, 2013--MaryBeth Whalen, author of several novels, including She Makes it Look Easy, reviewed on this blog.
New book. The Wishing Tree, debuted in June, 2013

June 24, 2013 --Miralee Ferrell, author of women's contemporary fiction, and historical and western fiction. Her seventh novel, Blowing on Dandelions, available June 1, 2013, is the first in a three-part series.

June 17, 2013--Dan Walsh, writer of historical fiction, is often compared to Nicholas Sparks and Richard Evans. New book, The Dance, co-authored with Gary Smalley, available April 1, is the first in a series.

June 3, 2013--Karen Witemeyer, author of western historical fiction. She has written four books and has a new one, Stealing the Preacher,  available June 1.

May 20, 2013--Janice Thompson, author of more than 80 books for the Christian market. New book, Picture Perfect, now available.

May 6, 2013-- Julie Lessman, author of historical Christian fiction
The Daughters of Boston (the O'Connor family) series
Winds of Change Series
Heart of San Francisco Series
New book, Love at Any Cost, available April 15

April 29, 2013--Fifth Monday Special -- Bette Lee Crosby, author of books that make you smile.
Spare Change, Cupid's Christmas, and others
New book, What Matter Most, available April 15

April 15, 2013--Denise Hildreth Jones, author and Bible Study Teacher
She manages the "Reclaiming Hearts" ministry
The First Gardener, Savanna Series, Flies on the Butter, and others
New book, Secrets Over Sweet Tea, available February 2013

April 1, 2013--Mona Hodgson, author of western historical fiction:
The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek  (for adults)
 Princess series for children (I Can Read)
 Desert Critters series for children (stories of desert animals)
 Faithgirlz -- Devotional series for girls
 Many other books for children
New book  Hearts Seeking Home, first in a new series for adults,
debuts August 2013

March 18, 2013--Margo Dill, author of Finding My Place with two other children's books to be published soon. She is a speaker and a blogger, and teaches courses on writing.
Winner of Margo's book is Elizabeth Pagel-Hogan

March 4, 2013-- Sally Jadlow, author of God's Little Miracle Books I, II, and III, and of The Late Sooner. Sally's interview will remain on this page, but the others will be on my blog every first and third Monday.
Many will offer a free book for comments on the blog page.
Winner of free copy of God's Little Miracle Book -- Margo Dill

Author Interview with Sally Jadlow:

Hello, Sally. I haven’t seen you in a while, so I’ll enjoy this visit with you today as we talk about books, writing, and publishing.

First, tell us about your salvation experience and why you write Christian books.

I was brought up in church, but when I was 30, the Lord tapped me on the shoulder with a real hunger to read the Bible . . . all of it. As I read, I discovered many passages I’d not heard preached in my sleepy little Presbyterian church. My heart hungered to see God move in the here and now as He did in the book of Acts. I prayed, “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.” He heard and answered that prayer. Along with many others in the church, I began to see Him move in everyday instances. Children with crossed eyes were healed, cancer patients recovered, and marriages were restored. Jesus was no longer a historical figure to us. He became our best friend and daily companion.

How long have you been writing?

It was at this time I felt the Lord telling me to pick up a pen and write what I heard Him say to me. I began to write poetry, which I had never done in my life. Later, I moved out into other genres. That all began over 40 years ago.

Was it hard for you to break into the writing market? How did you do it? Tell us some of the hard things you did to get started.

After writing poetry for two years, I heard of a publishing house in Kansas City,  close to where I lived. I took the stack 373 poems I had typed, put them in a box, and sent them off. A couple of weeks later, the box appeared on the front porch. Inside was a note from the publisher. They told me they didn’t accept unsolicited manuscripts, to only send two to three poems next time, and always include an SASE. At the time, I didn’t understand what all that meant. All I knew was they didn’t want my work. For the next 18 years, I wrote and shoved the poems under the bed. Then I noticed an invitation in our church bulletin for writers to gather for regular meetings. I went and learned our group leader was Dan Quisenberry, a pitcher for the Kansas City Royals, and a poet. He connected me with other groups of writers in the area. Through them, I learned the things a writer who wants to publish needs to know. I attended conferences and took copious notes. Some of the writers formed small critique groups in order to learn the craft. In writers meetings and in the monthly newsletters, I learned of possible markets and began to submit things . . .  in the proper format. Surprise! Editors liked my work!

What do write, mostly?

Some of the easiest markets to place your work are in denominational Sunday school papers. Each denomination publishes about 104 stories a year. Devotionals are also good, although it sometimes takes a year or more before they’re published. A writer who wants to get his or her name out there should contribute to anthologies, guest blogs, or start your own blog. Contests that don’t cost much are also a way to expand your influence. I would recommend poets stay away from poetry.com. It’s a way for poetry.com to make money selling you a book with your poem in it. Then they want to put your poem on a plaque and charge you $20. Anytime someone wants you to pay them to publish your work, run the other direction. Writer’s Digest has an online Poem a Day challenge in April and November. You can post a poem online each day to a prompt they send out. You don’t have to post online if you don’t choose to. At the end of the month, participants can select ten to twelve of their best poems and send them to http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/poetic-asides . This last month the editor sent me a notice that I placed in the top 14 finalists for the November challenge. He also puts out a prompt every week on Wednesday. This doesn’t cost anything and it gets your name out there for the world to see.

Tell us the story of how you began to write your book, The Late Sooner, and why you gave it that title.

Glad you enjoyed the book, Juanita. As my mother lay dying of cancer, I began to clean out her home. In an upstairs cabinet, I found an old journal written by my great-grandfather. He wrote one line a day in this journal all his adult life and participated in the first land run in Oklahoma in 1889. When he announced his plan to be there the day of the opening, his wife objected because she was very pregnant with their third child. He waited for a few months and then traveled alone to claim land west of Mulhall, OK for himself, his brother-in-law, and his father-in-law. Contrary to Hollywood’s depiction, there was still land available. The next month, they all moved there, loading their possessions in a boxcar. I took his diary as a story line and wrote The Late Sooner because I felt the story was worthy of sharing with others.

Tell us about God’s Little Miracle Book. You have written three of them. Where do you get all your stories for these books?

In the first book I told stories from my own first-hand experience. In God’s Little Miracle Book II and III, I shared stories from my friends. Some came to me from others sharing their story after they heard I enjoyed writing the mighty acts of our Almighty God.

How important is it for a new writer to get into a writing group? What will that experience do for new writers?

A lot of writing requires solitude. But no one can exist in a vacuum. When a group of writers get together, the creative ideas spark like hedge wood in a campfire. Hearing another’s work read aloud also helps your ear to hear each individual’s unique voice, and so establish your own. You also begin to discern what works and what doesn’t. These are lessons you can’t learn from a book. I find writers in general to be a most encouraging lot . If you don’t know where to send a piece, someone usually has a suggestion.

What are you doing now? What is next for you?

In a couple of weeks I’ll begin to teach the writing class for Kansas City Writers Group, our local community of professional writers. I’m also teaching a class of memoir writers at Matt Ross Community Center here in Overland Park. I write a blog each week at http://godslittlemiraclebook.wordpress.com. I’m currently in a holding pattern, waiting for the Lord to give me my marching orders for what else He has in store.

Thank you for visiting with us today, Sally. I hope readers will check out some of the neat things you have written. I can attest to how good they are, since I’ve read some of them.

Thank you, Juanita, for the opportunity to chat with your readers. To you all I say, if writing is your heart, never give up. Keep on keepin’ on, for you will reap in due time if you don’t grow weary.

 Now it's your turn. If you comment on this blog, you will be entered in a drawing to win one of Sally's God's Little Miracles book. Identify yourself and tell where we can reach you by email, along with your comment. If your name is chosen, you will be contacted for a physical address and the book will be mailed to you. Winner will be announced on this blog.

Contest goes until March 30 so you have plenty of time to tell others about this blog and how they can enter to win a book!