Author Interview - Lynette Eason

Hi, there. Come on in. I hope you're as excited to meet this week's guest as I am. There's some lemonade and strawberry shortcake on the table, so fix yourself a plate, and I'll meet you in the den.

Since 2007, best-selling author, Lynette Eason has written/contracted nineteen novels, including Too Close to Home, which was #13 on CBA’s bestseller list for December 2010. Lynette writes for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line and Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Lynette has been teaching in some form or fashion since graduating from Converse College with a Masters in Education in 1993. Lynette is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Romance Writers of America (RWA). She and her husband and their two children make their home in South Carolina.

Lynette, I am simply tickled to have you with us, so let's get right to it. When did you first know you were called to write?

I knew I liked to write back in middle school. I found out I was pretty good at it in college. Then when I was first published in 2007, I felt like God was calling me into this career. A very tough career, but one that I love.

How/where do you come up with ideas for your stories?

I watch television very rarely, but if I find the need for outside influences for ideas, I turn on Lifetime Movie network and generally by the time the movie is over, I have a glimmer of an idea for a book.

Do you have a system for your research? How do you get all the material you need to back up the facts for your story?

I don’t really have a system. I tend to write until I come to a place where I need to know something. I stop and go find the answers I need, come back to the story and insert that. Then I keep writing until the process repeats itself.

How do you create conversations to go along with the story lines?

I see the story unfolding in my head like a movie. I tend to “hear” and “see” my characters conversations and simply transcribe what they’re saying, their body language, etc.

Have any of your characters been based on family or friends?

No way. LOL.

Who was your most fun character to write?

I don’t know that any of my characters are actually FUN to write. They’re all pretty intense.

Out of all the books you’ve written, do you have a favorite?

I enjoyed writing Don’t Look Back more than any other book simply because it practically wrote itself. It was a true gift. I simply put the words of the pages. It was a surreal experience and one I hope to repeat one day!

Do you think you’ll ever run out of stories?

Nope, never.

What is your daily routine like? Tell us about the glamorous life of a writer.

Well, for example, today I took my daughter to school, homeschooled my son, talked to my editor, agent and marketing director and then did four loads of laundry, ate lunch at Zaxbys, watched three episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger with my son, picked up my daughter and took her to her Physical Therapy appointment and skyped with my husband who has been gone for a week. I wrote four hundred words on my work in progress then deleted them all because it was the wrong place to open the book. Generally, I write more than four hundred words a day, but just couldn’t fit them in today. Tomorrow will be better. Now, I have to go get the last load of laundry from the dryer, fold them and put them away. And then go scrub the toilets.

Wow. You do like to live on the edge :-)

If you could have any three people join your family for dinner, who would you invite and why?

Justin Bieber because my daughter would kill me if I had the chance and didn’t. And I suppose I would invite two of my best friends because we make each other laugh til we cry!

Tell us about your current release.

A Killer Among Us is the third and last book in the Women of Justice series. Here is the back cover blurb:

Kit Kenyon is a first-rate hostage negotiator. Noah Lambert is a good detective with excellent instincts. The new partners have hardly had time to get used to each other when they are thrown into a grisly murder case. As evidence mounts up and more victims are found, Kit and Noah realize they are on the hunt for a serial killer. The problem is, he's hunting one of them too.

With nail-biting suspense, clever plot twists, and a hint of sweet romance, A Killer Among Us is the latest thriller from Lynette Eason. It will keep readers up late as they race to discover the killer--and whether Kit and Noah will live to tell about it.

Oooo, you've hooked me.
Readers can contact me at lynetteeason@lynetteeason.com or visit my website at www.lynetteeason.com. I’m also on Facebook and Twitter.


Excellent.
 
Lynette, thank you for spending some time with us here at Divine Imagination. It was truly a pleasure.
 
If you'd like a chance to win your own copy of A Killer Among Us, leave a comment, making sure to include your email address. A winner will be drawn Sunday, May 8.

Author Interview - Missy Tippens

Come on in, y'all. Boy are we going to have fun this week. We're hosting our first repeat guest. That's right. She liked us so much she couldn't wait to join us again. Of course, I had to throw in her fave, a Starbucks skinny hazelnut latte, to sweeten the deal. So grab your Starbucks and meet me in the den.

Missy Tippens is a pastor’s wife and mom of three who lives near Atlanta. After ten years of pursuing her dream, she made her first sale of a full-length novel to Love Inspired in 2007. She still pinches herself to see if it really happened! Her novels have been finalists in the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year Contest, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence and the Bookseller's Best Award. Visit Missy at www.missytippens.com.

Welcome back, Missy. It's great to see you again. Wow. You pursued your dream for ten years. When did you really start to believe that you were meant to be a writer?

This is actually a tough question! I began to think I was meant to be a writer as I started to do well in writing contests. But I don’t think I really believed it until well after my first sale, once the book came out, and I started getting reader letters. Reading those wonderful letters telling me how my book had touched them in some way was the affirmation I needed to confirm my calling. It’s such a blessing to be able to do this for my career!

How does your family feel about your writing?

They love it and are very supportive. My husband reads all my books. My kids even helped me recently at a book signing. And they all celebrate with each new book contract and the delivery of boxes of newly-released books.

That is so sweet. Do they read your work?

My husband does! He reads the first drafts and then reads the printed books. Unfortunately, two of my children aren’t big readers. And one of my sons, who is, prefers science fiction. :)

How do you determine which Biblical principles/theme to incorporate into each story?

I’ve found that I have themes that keep repeating because they have a lot to do with my own faith journey and life experiences. But for each book, I work on finding a premise for the main characters—the journey they’ll make from, for example, self-protection to loving generously (like in A Family for Faith). And then I start searching for Bible verses that speak to that journey. Sometimes the verse comes to me later in the writing. Other times, I know it from the beginning.

What kind of stories do you like to read?

I read mostly romance and women’s fiction. I love contemporary and historical. I love funny and emotional stories. I love romantic suspense. I love just about anything with a happy ending!

Do you have a favorite author?

I couldn’t possibly pick one!

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Watch shows I’ve DVR’d like American Idol, House, Private Practice, Grey’s Anatomy, Parenthood, Castle. I love to shop—especially with my daughter. I love to attend my kids’ sporting events. Love to have date night with my husband. Love to go to movies with friends and have girls’ night out. Oh, I guess I forgot to say I love to read! :)

What’s your favorite way to connect with your readers?

I love the emails and snail mail letters! I have a Missy Tippens Readers page on Facebook now and like to connect there, as well as on Twitter and my website and blogs.

Tell us about A Family for Faith.

It’s my favorite so far! The story was inspired by a single dad across the aisle on a flight from D.C. to Atlanta. I watched as he tried desperately to put a hair bow in his little daughter’s hair and just couldn’t get it in right. I knew I wanted to write a story about a single man with a young daughter. :) Here’s the back cover blurb:

When Faith Hagin sees widower cop Gabe Reynolds every day in her coffee shop, she can’t help but feel for the struggling single dad. She’s raised a teenager of her own—and sadly, knows what not to do. But thanks to his matchmaking preteen daughter, Chelsea, the whole town’s praying for Gabe to find a wife!

Even though Faith thinks she’s content being just friends, spending time with him and Chelsea starts to feel like a fresh start at having a family. And their love may be the answer to everyone’s prayers.

Oooohhhh. That sounds like a good one. And now we all know a bit of the story behind the story.

Thank you so much for joining us this week, Missy.

Mindy, thanks for having me on your blog!

If you'd like a chance to win a copy of Missy's latest release, A Family for Faith, leave a comment, making sure to include your email address. Drawing will be held Sunday, May 1.

Author Interview - Lindi Peterson

Welcome! You are in for such a treat this week. And I can't wait to introduce you to one of my dear friends. Since she hails from Georgia, I thought we do it up southern style today. We've got some sweet tea, peach cobbler, and lemon bars. And since it's our guests fave, and also hails from GA, there's some Coke too.

Lindi Peterson is an author of contemporary Christian romance novels focusing on the amazing love of Jesus Christ and how His love influences our ability to love one another. Lindi is the mother of two children, two step-children and the grandmother of two. She lives near Atlanta with her hubby, though they are far from being empty nesters. They share their lives with a dog, two cats, and two birds who are often times way louder than the kids used to be!

Lindi, girl, I am so excited to have you here join us at Divine Imagination. First thing, when did you know you were called to write?

I wrote my first story in the 5th grade. The Anchor Mystery. I did my own cover art. I still have it. But I’m not sure I knew back then I was ‘called.’ That came to pass around the year 2000 when I started writing Christian romances.

How/where do you come up with ideas for your stories?

Anywhere and everywhere. The other night watching TV there was a Victoria’s Secret commercial on and I got an idea for a book. I already wrote the first paragraph.

Do you have a system for your research? How do you get all the material you need to back up the facts for your story?

So far I haven’t done too much research since my stories don’t call for it. My son told me the trade deadlines for baseball players was at the end of July, so I guess you could say I used my son for research in that capacity.

How do you create conversations to go along with the story lines?

Dialogue is my very favorite thing to write. I always have skeleton first drafts with a ton of dialogue. The most important thing about dialogue is every line has to count. Every line has to relate to the story some information that is very important. I can’t tell you how much ‘filler’ dialogue I have in the first novels I wrote. Now I understand the importance of conversation. Move something forward. Emotion, plot, romance, something. Do not write filler dialogue.

Have any of your characters been based on family or friends?

Um, yes. Grandma Fola in Her Best Catch was inspired by my mother-in-law, whom I love dearly. Fola was my grandma’s name on my dad’s side. She passed away, but I still love her so much.

Who was your most fun character to write?

I wrote a book a while back which won’t see the light of day, but I had a character named Loxley. She was fun, probably because I had learned some writing craft and had a blast putting it all to use. And she was feisty.

Out of all the books you’ve written, do you have a favorite?

I will say my favorite so far is the manuscript I’m revising now. I’ve been working on it a long time, have struggled with it, but God wouldn’t let me put it away. I tried to leave it unfinished but God said no. I think there must be a purpose in it, and I’m excited at how it turned out. A couple people have critiqued it and they really like it as well. I’m hoping it will be the next book I sell. :-)

Do you think you’ll ever run out of stories?

I have so many right now that I want to write. As long as my passion for writing stays I think something will always inspire me.

What is your daily routine like? Tell us about the glamorous life of a writer.

I have a day job as an accountant. So I get up early to write before I leave for work. If I don’t write then, it usually doesn’t happen for the day. I use the evenings to judge contests, work on blogs or critique. Sometimes I revise at night, but usually only if I’m revising from a critique.

If you could have any three people join your family for dinner, who would you invite and why?

Well, you know my number one choice would be David Crowder. He’s married so I would invite his wife. And I’d invite the woman who wiped Jesus’ feet with her tears. I would love that kind of faith. Maybe she could clue me in.

Tell us about your debut release.

Her Best Catch is available at amazon.com.

Allison Doll’s mother is rebelliously turning fifty, her two best friends have started dating and a gorgeous injured relief pitcher, Ashton Boyd, has joined her Sunday school class rocking her world into confusion, heartache and temptation, places she hasn’t visited in a long time, much less all at once.


But with the help of family, old friends she really hasn’t lost, a new friend she really can count on, and God, she finds herself no longer a girl waiting for life to happen, but a girl who’s ready to commit to her best catch!

Lindi, I love that cover. And the story sounds fantastic, too :-)

Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by. As always, it's a pleasure to see you.

If you'd like a chance to win your own copy of Lindi's debut novel, Her Best Catch, leave a comment, making sure to include your email address. Drawing will be held Sunday, April 10.

Winner of Yesterday's Tomorrow

Congratulations going out to Splashes of Joy! She won Cathy West's debut novel, Yesterday's Tomorrow.

Author Interview - Catherine West

Our guest this week hails from the gorgeous island of Bermuda. So, in her honor, we're going to have a funtastic tea time. I've brought out the china and there are trays filled with all sorts of sweets and savories. So grab a plate and a "spot of tea," and we'll all meet in the den.

Educated in Bermuda, England and Canada, Catherine West holds a degree in English from the University of Toronto. When she’s not at the computer working on her next story, you can find her taking her Border Collie for long walks or tending to her roses and orchids. Catherine and her husband live on the beautiful island of Bermuda, with their two college-aged children. Catherine is a member of Romance Writers of America, and American Christian Fiction Writers, and is a founding member of International Christian Fiction Writers. Catherine’s debut novel Yesterday’s Tomorrow, released on March 15th, through OakTara Publishers.

Cathy, I'm so glad you could join us this week. I've been looking for a reason to host a high-tea. So tell us, when did you know you were called to write?

At a pretty young age! I loved writing stories in school and it was about the only thing I was good at. As I got older and enough people started telling me I really should consider being a writer and trying to get published, I began to take it seriously.

How/where do you come up with ideas for your stories?

There’s a little green man that lives under my desk and from time to time he hops onto my shoulder and whispers in my ear. No? Okay, well, sometimes they do literally appear out of nowhere. I’ll be driving along and all of a sudden I have an idea. A lot of times it happens after reading a news story or talking to people.

Do you have a system for your research? How do you get all the material you need to back up the facts for your story?

For Yesterday’s Tomorrow it was mostly through the Internet and I read a ton of books on The Vietnam War as well as about female war correspondents. I never thought I had enough information, but the truth is I probably only needed half of what I compiled. It was a fascinating process!

How do you create conversations to go along with the story lines?

Dialogue is actually my strength. I have no problem coming up with things for my characters to say. I’m a pantser, so the characters generally write their own dialogue. Then I have to go back in and shut them up.

Have any of your characters been based on family or friends?

Ha. Now what fun would it be if I said yes? Leave them guessing!

Who was your most fun character to write?

Luke Maddox. No explanation needed. Read the book. :-)

Out of all the books you’ve written, do you have a favorite?

My books are different. I have to say Yesterday’s Tomorrow is by far the book of my heart, because of all the issues it stands for and the incredibly hard journey we took to get it into print. And it’s probably my favorite because I worked on it so long. After multiple rewrites, if you still love your story, that’s a good thing!

Do you think you’ll ever run out of stories?

I hope not!

What is your daily routine like? Tell us about the glamorous life of a writer.

I wouldn’t call it glamorous, except that I do have a stunning view of the ocean from where I live. I usually get up around seven a.m. and make sure my son gets off to school on time. I check email and read blogs…er…the news…okay, blogs…while I have breakfast. Then it’s playtime outside for Noah, my border collie. I do a bit of training with him, let him run while I water the outdoor plants, and then I head inside to the office, where I park in front of the computer and attempt to write instead of going on Facebook! I try to write at least four good hours a day, but lately I’ve been doing a lot of marketing, so haven’t met my goals.

If you could have any three people join your family for dinner, who would you invite and why?

Wow. Dead or alive? Okay, I’ll go with alive. I’d pick John Piper for my husband because I know he’d love to have dinner with him! I’d have to ask my kids who they’d like to have because I can’t think of anyone for them, but for me…hmm…maybe Ben Affleck. Only because I think he’d love to make Yesterday’s Tomorrow into a movie!!

Tell us about your current release.

Yesterday’s Tomorrow

Vietnam, 1967.

Independent, career-driven journalist Kristin Taylor wants two things: to honor her father's memory by becoming an award-winning overseas correspondent and to keep tabs on her only brother, Teddy, who signed up for the war against their mother's wishes. Brilliant photographer Luke Maddox, silent and brooding, exudes mystery. Kristin is convinced he's hiding something.

Willing to risk it all for what they believe in, Kristin and Luke engage in their own tumultuous battle until, in an unexpected twist, they’re forced to work together. Ambushed by love, they must decide whether or not to set aside their own private agendas for the hope of tomorrow that has captured their hearts.

Very intriguing. I can't wait to read it.

Cathy, thank you so much for making the long journey to be with us here at Divine Imagination. I hope you enjoyed your visit as much as I did.

If you'd like to win your own copy of Cathy's debut novel, Yesterday's Tomorrow, leave a comment, making sure to include your email address. Drawing will be held next Sunday, April 3.