Amy R. Anguish's Blog, page 37

Another Story, Another Contract

Have you been wondering what's up with me in the world of writing lately? Well, a couple of things have happened this summer.
At the writers' retreat back in June, we were all encouraged to bring an idea with us for a new story. I wanted to rebel because I'm pretty happy with saving most of my writing for November when I participate in Nanowrimo every year. However, the more I thought about it, the more I could see the characters and plot developing in my head. You see, I had read a blog even earlier in the summer about someone who went on a road trip with her sister. And it got me thinking: what would it look like to write a road trip romance? Enter three girlfriends, Katie, Skye and Bree, who are fresh out of college and just want to spend a week soaking up some fun in a couple different places before they go their separate ways to "grow up." For the last month and half, my muse has been relentless, encouraging me to get the story hammered out. One day I wrote almost 4000 words. But I tied up all the loose ends yesterday and am warning my muse to leave me alone for a few months so I can edit something else. Of course, having very little control over the ways of my muse, it has put another idea in my head--to turn my road trip romance into a series, one for each girl. It might happen. But not yet. I need a few days to just BE. Writing takes a lot of emotional energy.
My other news is even more exciting! I have been offered a contract for my book, Saving Grace. Saving Grace unfolds with Michelle Wilson moving back home to Cedar Springs, AR after a life-changing wreck. She plans to be a top reporter at her hometown newspaper, but she has added a complication: she hopes to adopt the baby left behind by the other couple in the accident. When confusing feelings toward her lifelong best friend, Greg Marshall surface, it adds yet another level of confusion to her world. But what if her desire to adopt Grace isn’t what God had in mind for her life after all? This story wilk release April 2021.
What do you think? Are you as excited as I am?

Author Interview: Michele Chynoweth

Today, I have the pleasure of introducing you to Michele Chynoweth. She's a northern girl with a heart for writing modern re-tellings of Bible stories. Her latest is based off Cain and Abel. Without further ado, let's chat with her!

​Michele, I know you said you were a newspaper reporter before you were a novel writer. Was it hard to transition from one style to the other? Or did it help in any way to have that writing experience?

 I believe it helped a great deal to have the experience of being a news reporter for several newspapers (and on air at a local TV station!) because it kept me on my toes when it came to my writing; as a journalist you have to be concise and to the point, do your homework (research), and meet deadlines – all of which helps me in my writing as an author today. It wasn’t really hard to make the transition because good writing is good writing.

I know you said you have always wanted to be a writer. Can you tell us what your motivation was in that? What made you as a ten-year-old sit down and write a book in your spiral notebook?

I guess being an author is what God placed on my heart all along. The dream was just delayed by life (college, jobs, marriage, kids, etc.) but was never really buried. I have always been an over-achiever (first born and driven to succeed by my parents – a bank president and realtor). I remember that first “novel” as clear as anything about a girl and her dog, the cover was light blue, and I drew the cover design! When I talk about following your purpose in some of my inspirational speaking, I often encourage people to look back on what they really wanted to be when they were ten years old.

It's often hard to balance life and writing. On your website, you also mention that you coach other authors, too. Do you have a secret to staying organized and on top of things?

 Wow, tough one. Sometimes I get so driven (and passionate about the books I’m coaching/editing) that I do get overwhelmed and have to remember God is steering the ship and I have to just “be still and know” that He will work all things for good according to his purpose (Romans 8:28) - and I just need to take a break once in a while! I make lots of lists and use lots of sticky notes to remind me of the day’s, week’s and month’s goals and plans. I also suggest reading Jack Canfield’s book, “The Success Principles.” I met him at a conference – he’s great! But if you are truly doing what you love to do – for me it’s writing and helping other writers become authors – you don’t mind the long hours and hard work.

Writing re-tellings of Bible stories is becoming more and more popular, right up there with re-tellings of fairy tales. What gave you the idea to take Bible stories and re-imagine them as novels set in modern times?

I was driving along in a very dark place in my life when I heard that still, small voice say “Michele, you should write a modern-day novel based on the Book of Job.” I look back now and see God was tapping me on the shoulder to help me through my own “Job” like stuff. At the time I was losing my marriage through a bitter divorce, my ad agency business through the recession of the 90’s, my kids who were becoming teenagers, and my health through the disease of alcoholism. I’m happy to report that like Job, God helped me through – and today I’m remarried to a great guy, I’m living the dream of being an author, speaker and book coach, we have a great relationship with our kids, and I recently celebrate 15 years in recovery. That book became The Faithful One and I now see God had a plan for me to help others through my books as well. I originally self-published then went with a traditional Christian publisher who was looking for books in this genre and The Jealous Son is now my fourth of my “Modern Day Bible Stories” or contemporary suspense that re-imagines Old Testament stories. 

Is it hard to research and balance the Bible stories you use, staying true to the story and meanings behind it, as you transition it to present day? Or does it give it even more meaning to you?

 Yes and Yes! It is hard but I do a lot of research and authentication by theologians and clergy and believe I stay very true to the Bible stories. Writing my novels really does make me dive deeper into the Bible stories themselves and really try to realize and impart God’s messages to my readers. For example, The Runaway Prophet, based on the Book of Jonah, is a story about so much more than a guy being swallowed by a whale! It’s about how we can try to run from God’s call but we can’t really hide, and sometimes when we rescue other people, God rescues us in the process.

I always end an interview with this question. Can you tell us one thing about you that very few people know?

 I’ve been called “Mrs. Brady” before (remember Carol Brady of the TV show “The Brady Bunch?”) I was giving a Toastmasters speech in a contest and it was about my husband having a blended family of five kids and a dog (three girls, three boys) and all of the challenges that brings To this day a lot of people remember that speech and call me Mrs. Brady!

That is so fun! Thanks so much for stopping by and chatting with us!
If you'd like to learn more about Michele and her most recent book, keep reading.
​Banned from their home in the Navajo Nation as a result of their disobedience, Eliza and Alex Trellis build a new life for themselves and their two sons. Although life is a daily struggle, the boys grow up happy and healthy—until the oldest son Cameron starts to become envious of his younger brother and bandmate Austin, who gets everything he wants—fame, fortune and everything that goes with it. Jealous that his brother seems to unfairly gain the attention of their parents, the accolades of the world and the love of his girl, Cameron seeks to find justice and get rid of his brother once and for all. 
A modern-day murder mystery based on the Bible story of Cain and Abel, The Jealous Son portrays how envy can go too far and begs the questions: What happens when a mother loses both of her sons? How can a family so broken piece itself back together again? And where is God in the midst of it all?

Amazon Kindle version for sale now: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07S7FKL8P/ref ​Michele Chynoweth is the best-selling and award-winning author of The Faithful One, The Peace Maker, The Runaway Prophet and The Jealous Son, contemporary suspense novels that re-imagine Bible stories. Michele is also an inspirational speaker who has addressed a variety of writers’ conferences and other organizations across the country, a book coach/editor and a college writing instructor, a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, and lives with her husband in North East, Maryland.
​Check out her website here or follow her on facebook.

July 4th Scene

Happy Fourth of July! I hope you get to see some fireworks this week. I love watching the amazing colors and patterns burst up in the sky. Maybe that's why I've written several romantic scenes that include them.
To celebrate a little more with you, I wanted to share this excerpt from my latest novel, Faith & Hope​. It seemed ideal for the day. Enjoy! The Fourth of July dawned beautiful and clear. Sam, Faith, and Hope joined Maysie and her husband, Gavin, and Kendra, Maria, and Joe and headed to a local park that evening. Hope ended up crammed in the back seat of Maysie’s Suburban between Maria and Joe. Every time his knee brushed hers, she had to refocus on the conversation going on around her. It was the one day of the summer that camp was
closed, but she didn’t mind getting to spend it with Joe anyway. Once again, this week she had been paired with him and the first-grade boys. Did he bribe Steve to make that happen over and over again?
Since so many people were at the park for the fireworks show that evening, they parked quite a way from the actual entrance and had to walk. Kendra latched on to Maria. Sam and Faith strolled ahead with the blankets and some lawn chairs. Maysie and Gavin pulled the cooler full of waters and sodas. Joe and Hope ended up at the end of their train with a couple more chairs.
Somehow despite the crowd, they managed to find a spot big enough for all of them close enough to the stage to hear the music, but also near enough to the water to have a good view of the fireworks
later that evening. Hope helped Faith spread out the blankets on the ground while the guys set up the chairs around the edge for those who didn’t think the grass was soft enough. Hope found a corner of the blanket and some water. Joe sat in a chair right behind her.
“It’s so hot.” Hope fanned herself with the flyer.
“But at least it’s dry heat instead of that humid heat back east.” Faith held a bottle so that Kendra could take a swig. “I swear you walk out of the house at Mama’s and it feels like you’re walking through a hot tub, it’s so humid.”
“It’s not that bad. I miss the humidity. Here, I feel like I can’t keep my skin from drying out.” Hope pointed to her arms, which didn’t look as dry as she claimed, considering the sheen of perspiration
covering them.
“I sweat so much I don’t think my skin can dry out.” Maysie laughed. “I didn’t realize there was such a difference in climate between here and Mississippi.”
“Not that extreme. Just different.” Hope shrugged. “The temperatures don’t get quite as high back home.”
“But the 90 percent humidity makes up for the five- to ten-degree difference.” Faith scrunched up her face.
“So, you’re both happy where you normally live.” Joe broke in. “Sounds good. How about that baseball team?”
Hope refused to look over her shoulder at him. She knew exactly what he was trying to do. He had changed the subject to keep her and Faith from beginning one of their sister squabbles. She quit fanning and looked around. 
Some band on the stage was playing their version of a patriotic medley. Hope turned her view in their direction to avoid having to continue the conversation. The sky darkened little by little and several kids in the area waved glow sticks. Occasionally there would be a “pop, pop, pop” of firecrackers going off from various boys’ hands around the park. Multiple ice cream vendors walked their carts through the throng of people, hawking fudge bars and rocket pops.
Joe followed one and came back with the red, white, and blue popsicles for everyone. Hope took hers gladly. A gentle breeze lifted her ponytail off her neck and cooled her for a minute before moving
on to the next person. The wind down here took some getting used to. Sometimes it was like that breeze, playful and calm. Other times it almost knocked a person over. Sort of like her relationship
with Joe.
“Here, Mama, you take this chair.” Joe stood and offered his hand to Maria where she had been shifting next to Hope. He pulled her up as if she weighed no more than one of their second-grade boys
and helped her settle in the canvas seat. His tall frame slid down next to Hope as the streaks of pink
turned a shade hotter in the sky. She pretended she didn’t notice, but every inch of her body was aware of just how close his was to her. She slapped at a mosquito and rubbed some more repellent on her legs and arms. The darkening evening brought not only the fireworks show, but also unwanted pests.
After a dramatic musical introduction, the first few rockets shot up in the sky. The crowd grew quieter as all listened to the songs and the explosions. Shivers ran down Hope’s arms as the theatrical lights
display lit up the night.
“Sort of reminds me of the way I felt when I kissed you the other night,” Joe whispered in her ear.
Bigger tremors traversed her spine. Had he really just said that? A quick glance showed him watching her instead of the pyrotechnics. She hurried to turn her attention back to the sky. Why did he have to
play with her heart like that?
He shifted so that his shoulder was slightly behind her and she could lean back against him for a better angle. Her stubbornness made her wait until the next song started before she gave in and took advantage of that. Why did he have to feel so strong and safe and secure? Why did something so good have to have such lousy timing?
Faith leaned against Sam in a similar fashion. Maysie and Gavin had Kendra between them, the toddler vacillating between jumping up and down and covering her eyes. The music crescendoed and moved into the “1812 Overture.” Fireworks larger than before started exploding one right after another, hardly giving their eyes time to adjust to the dark before lighting up the sky again. As the song ended, one final blast made it almost as bright as day, and then all was quiet and dark.
People all over the park cheered. Kids waved their glow sticks and sparklers around. Smoke hovered over the area like a blanket. Slowly, Hope sat up and away from Joe’s arms. She helped the others gather their belongings and then started the trek back to the car. Maria walked right beside Hope and gave her a hug from the side.
“I see the way he looks at you. He’s smitten.” Her voice was quiet, as if she were sharing a secret.
Hope looked at the petite woman. “It doesn’t matter. Our paths will part ways at the end of the summer.”
“Only if you let them,” Maria said.
Hope didn’t even try to pay attention to the conversation going on around her as they drove back to the church building, where everyone had met. She relished the feel of Joe being pressed against her side. And she thought about what Maria had said.

What is a Writers' Retreat?

As many of you already know, I was at a writers' retreat last week. Are you wondering exactly what that means? If you're thinking it means we sat around writing the whole time ... you're wrong. That's not what happened at this one, although I think I could totally enjoy one like that, too!

We were sequestered away at a little state park in Tennessee called Montgomery Bell State park. It's beautiful and quiet and peaceful. See? As I drove in, the trees were tall, meeting at the top, with the sunlight filtering through. It sort of felt like I was driving through a giant outdoor cathedral. Or a fairy tale. The first evening, we had a fun picnic dinner down in a pavilion that was right next to a creek and just down from a beautiful little old-fashioned chapel complete with stained glass windows. Beyond that was a replica of a log cabin from the 1800s. It was fun to greet friends I made at the retreat last year as well as make a few new ones. It's always a pleasure to meet someone face-to-face who I had only chatted online with before this. The barbecue was pretty good, too. The inn we stayed at is right by the lake, so we all had a lake-side view from our balconies. We would wake up in the mornings to fog and the calls of ducks. We'd go to sleep to the serenade of frogs and insects. One morning I even got productive and did some edits between sips of tea and watching the chipmunk just down from our room. The rest of the days were filled with classes to help us improve our skills, gain motivation, strengthen our ideas, and build stronger relationships with the other authors around us. There's something amazing about being surrounded by people who talk about how to murder someone in one sentence and the horrible wreck her characters had to have in order to allow the sister and brother-in-law to fall in love in the next. Authors talk about scary things sometimes. We also played some games, got a little silly, and decided we have a love/hate relationship with trivia. Because we got these crazy brains together, watch in the future for a few more fun things coming from some of us. After all, what's the point of spending three days together if you don't commiserate and collaborate on a few things, including maybe a novella collection by some of us further down the road? It's hard to focus on writing when this view keeps distracting and fun people are nearby to talk with. But I came home with tons of ideas and plans. I'm so glad I got to go again this year and I'm already looking forward to being back next year.

Retreat Time!

I have been looking forward to this since this time last year. KenTen Writers' Retreat starts this evening. It's a time to hang out with other authors, learn a few things, and work on writing. And a time to just be away from normal life, staying in a room with a view like THIS! I will tell you more about it next week, but just know, that this is one of my favorite times of year, and I'm so excited to get to go again. We'll just pretend like the fact that my fifteenth wedding anniversary is tomorrow and my husband is home with the kids by himself doesn't put a slightly guilty tint to it. I'll make it up to him. :-) He's the best!

Author Interview: Amy C Blake

Today, I have the privilege to introduce you to another one of my Mantle Rock Publishing sister authors. I personally feel anyone with the name Amy is worth getting to know, don't you? Ha! Seriously, though, we're in for a fun interview. Amy Blake writes in two different genres, but today she's talking fantasy with us. 

Amy B, I'm so impressed. You're homeschooling four children. How on earth do you have time to be an author, too?

Thanks, Amy! It’s a juggling act, just as it is for every author with work and family responsibilities. When my kids were little I had to schedule writing time during the kids’ nap/quiet time. In the chauffer-mom stage, I’ve learned to take my laptop or notebook to their various lessons, practices, and classes. It’s a matter of intentionally integrating writing time into my family’s schedule. It doesn’t work flawlessly, but I certainly accomplish more by carving out the time than I would by waiting for those perfect writing moments that so rarely come.

I am in the nap/quiet time stage now, so I can understand that completely.
Have you always wanted to be an author or is that something that came in recent years?

I’ve always loved to read, but I never imagined myself as someone who could be an author until after I graduated from college. Then I immersed myself in learning how to write and just kept plugging away until I achieved my dreams of publication.

I've read the first book in your On the Brink series. Whitewashed wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it definitely kept me turning the pages the whole time and wanting to know more. What gave you the idea to set the mystery at a college? 

Whitewashed is very loosely based on an embezzlement incident that occurred at my own alma mater. I exaggerated events and ramped up the danger for Patience at Verity College, but my own school’s experience with embezzlement was the inspiration for the book. The other two novels in this suspense trilogy, Colorblind and Tie-Dyed, follow Patience’s friends Christy and Nat on their own perilous college and internship adventures. 

I know you also write a YA fantasy series. Can you tell us a little more about that? Is it set in the real world or a completely fictional one?

My Levi Prince YA Christian fantasy series is about a homeschooled pastor’s son who goes to summer camp at Camp Classic on Castle Island, a fictional island in the middle of Lake Superior. Unknown to most of the campers, the far northern cliff of Castle Island is the connecting point with Terracaelum, a realm populated with mythical creatures that is invisible except when the drawbridge is lowered. The Trojan Horse Traitor, The Fall of Thor’s Hammer, and my newest release The Fay’s Apprentice follow Levi on consecutive summers beginning when he’s thirteen. Each novel plays off of a story from ancient civilizations—Greek, Norse, British, and Roman (in the fourth book that I’m currently writing).  

That sounds fascinating. I'll have to check them out.
Since you write two different genres, I'm curious. Do you have a favorite genre? Which do you find easier to write?

That’s a tough question. When I’m reading or writing suspense, I’ll probably tell you that it’s my favorite genre. But when I’m reading or writing YA fantasy, I’ll probably tell you YA fantasy is.

One last question. Can you leave us with a fun fact that very few people know about you?

Lots of people don’t know that I met my husband in Argumentation class at college. We debated against each other, and the class said I won while the teacher said he won. To this day we still disagree on who was the winner of that argument.

It's not everyone who says they got together by arguing! That's so neat. Thanks for sharing such neat tidbits, and spending time with us today, Amy B.

If you'd like to know more about Amy Blake or her books, keep reading.
The Fay's Apprentice (Levi Prince, book 3)

On Levi’s third summer at Camp Classic, he’s torn between two responsibilities. On the one hand, his parents expect him to watch over his little sister Abby, who has no clue their summer camp is a haven for mythical creatures. On the other hand, Mr. Dominic wants him to train at Fort Terra, a full day’s hike away from his sister, because of Levi’s previous encounters with the demon sorcerer Deceptor. Although he enjoys training with his friends, Levi finds life at Fort Terra difficult thanks to the ongoing tension between him and Hunter and the stress of having his former kidnapper Regin as his chaperone. When the woman Regin claims to be the evil sorceress Anna appears, Levi faces a whole new challenge. Award-winning author Amy C. Blake is a pastor’s wife and homeschooling mother of four. She has an M.A. in English from Mississippi College and has written articles, devotionals, and short stories for a number of publications. She’s also writing two series for the Christian market, her Levi Prince YA fantasy series and her On the Brink Christian suspense trilogy. Whitewashed, Colorblind, and Tie-Dyed , featuring three homeschooled girls on the brink of adulthood…and danger, are available in paperback and Kindle. The Trojan Horse Traitor, The Fall of Thor’s Hammer , and The Fay’s Apprentice, about homeschooled pastor’s kid Levi Prince and his adventures in Terracaelum, are also available in paperback and Kindle. She’d love for you to visit her website at amycblake.com.

Author Interview: David Anguish

If you've been following me very long, you know I usually only do one author interview per month, but y'all, this month something exciting happened--my father-in-law's new book released! When I fell in love with my husband, I had no idea the amazing family I was getting along with him, but I love them all so much. Today, I'm going to introduce you to my second dad, the one who is always good to bounce ideas off of and is an amazing Grandpa to my children. He's just published a book that will be an awesome resource for new Christians or anyone not familiar with the Bible already. But I'll let him tell you more as we chat.

David, have you always liked to write or is that something that has developed through the other occupations you've held over the years (preaching and teaching)?

As I advanced in school, I don’t recall ever being put off by writing assignments. I liked to read, and was encouraged to do so. My “wiring” was such as that, as I got older, I began to just naturally notice the way authors write, turn a phrase, etc., even as I learned their content. In college and grad school, I took on courses, even independent studies, that let me learn through research and writing. So, writing was first and probably influenced my career interests. 

What would you say your biggest learning curve has been in becoming a published writer?

Trying to master the many details of the process. Preachers and teachers are always moving on to the next sermon or unit. I was writing all along, but typically didn’t have time to focus on the details of publishing which, like every profession, has its rules and details. Mastering them has been a challenge, not least because the details take me away from my study and writing!

If you had all the time and money in the world to do whatever you wanted, what is the biggest thing you'd love to achieve?

Well, the likelihood of that makes it a tough question! I’d set up my library and work area to maximize the writing I still want to do. But I’d also like to visit more of the historic sites I’ve read about, perhaps combining that with attending at least one game in every major-league baseball park. But I don’t want to be gone so much I can’t enjoy watching my grandkids grow!

This book you've just released is based on a Bible class you taught, correct? Who would you say the ideal audience would be for reading this material?

It’s actually more than one. Chapters on the makeup of the Bible and summaries of the different divisions of Bible history were originally notes developed in the mid-1980s for a Christian school course I was teaching to junior high students. The Intertestamental History chapter was a unit I taught in other school and church courses. The summary of the entire story came into focus about a year ago when I was asked to teach it as part of an adult Bible class series at church. 

The book is a primer and will help both Bible study beginners and church-goers who have never heard or need a review of the big picture. Bible classes and sermons tend to zero in on small parts of a Bible book or topics. That’s not a bad thing, and I love those detailed studies. But as I’ve grown older, I’ve come to a greater appreciation of always keeping the big picture in view for study of both the whole story and individual Bible books. I find that the details often come alive when we see them in the larger context. 

High school readers should be able to handle the material. But it doesn’t talk down to those readers, and I don’t think older readers will find its style to be juvenile in nature. My goal was articulated in a podcast interview with Eric Metaxes I heard a few weeks ago. To paraphrase, he said his aim when writing on subjects like Dietrich Bonhoeffer was to accurately tell the story in a way an academic would appreciate, but will help general readers learn what the academic knows. That was a “wish I had said that” moment for me.

Are you working on any other books right now? Can you tell us a little about them?

I have multiple projects laid out in outline form. Currently, I’m working on a study of the Gospel of Mark to learn from the way Jesus trained his first followers as they struggled with the challenges they faced as they struggled to learn to be committed disciples. 

I know you also keep a website with various articles and lessons. Can you tell us more about what we could find there?

From about 2002 until 2015, my sermon notes, bulletin articles, and several class outlines were posted on the website of the church where I was pulpit minister. When the site was discontinued in 2015, I created my website (www.davidanguish.com) to keep some of that material available. I’ve added newer materials too. There are also links to Christian universities and sites I think people will benefit from exploring—including archaeology, church growth, and leadership.

I’m working on developing a new section where I plan to post writings on some of the subjects relating to Christian apologetics (or evidences).  

Last but not least, I always ask my authors to give me one fun fact about themselves that hardly anyone knows. :-)

Having moved to Atlanta when I was 11 and to Memphis in my 40s, I’ve lived most of my life as a suburbanite. But before moving to Atlanta, we lived several years on one of two farms my grandfather owned in southeastern Ohio. He didn’t get his first tractor until I was 9. So, I’ve driven a team of horses—and at least been introduced to the task of milking a cow. Not things most suburban and city kids  do.

I know a little boy who probably wishes his Grandpa still had a tractor to drive. He loves everything with wheels. Thanks so much for sharing with us today.

To read more about David and his book, keep reading. The Bible can be a puzzle for first time readers. Why is it so different? Why study it? What is the nature of its different writings? What is its story, its plot? How do the individual books and parts fit in that story?
Getting Acquainted with the Bible is a primer that aims to introduce the Bible’s big picture, purpose, and parts. The book also presents an overview of the Bible’s complete story along with summaries of that story’s different parts.
Both first-time Bible readers and those who would like a review will find it useful.


Print available: http://amazon.com/author/davidanguish - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/getting-acquainted-with-the-bible-david-anguish/1131474020?ean=2940156558933​

Ebook available at several sites-list is available here: http://books2read.com/u/mdLVJ5
David Anguish has worked as a minister, educator, and author. He has also taught in lecture programs, Bible teacher workshops, and retreats. He holds degrees in Bible from Freed-Hardeman and Lipscomb Universities. He and his late wife Carlynn were married for just under forty years. Their family includes two sons, a daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren. ​

Author Interview: Pam Harris

I met Pam Harris almost a year ago, at the KenTen Writer's Retreat. Since then, I've gotten to read one of her books, and get to know her even better through social media. She's an interesting person, and has a variety of books to choose from. It's my privilege to help you get to know her a little better today, too.

Pam, I know you used to teach and were a middle school principal for a while. As the wife of a high school teacher, I know neither of those is an easy job. How do you think they helped prepare you for being an author?
My experiences as a teacher impact all of my writing in some way, either in character development, plot, or incident ideas. My first two books were mysteries targeted to girls ages eight to 12, and I relied upon my interactions with the middle school students to guide the behaviors and attitudes of my young characters in those books. Aimee, the heroine of my third book, was a teacher in a one-room school house in the 1895 wilderness of Arizona. And even in my novella that was part of Smoky Mountain Brides, the hero was a high school math teacher and coach. My fifth book has teachers, too, so you can see how my mind operates! Interactions with teenagers over the years (I was a Spanish, French, journalism, and theater arts teacher) gave me insights I wouldn’t have had otherwise. You haven’t lived until you’ve taken a group of teenagers on a long trip and into Mexico! Also, as a licensed high school English teacher, my knowledge of English grammar and writing structure has been a huge help.
 
You've written several books aimed at middle grades as well as several for adults. Which do you find easier, and why?
I enjoy writing for middle grades the most. It’s easier for me because adult books often have a romance element that, even though very innocent in Christian fiction, makes me a little uncomfortable to write. I live in a town of just over 10,000, and I think I have seen myself for so many years as a role model to middle and high school students and tried to be a role model in my church and community, I feel awkward showing that side of me. Also, because of my passion for education, I love to write books for older kids that entertain and educate at the same time. For example, in The Ghosts of Graceland, readers will learn things about Memphis that are educational in nature, and in Music City Mayhem, the sequel, they learn about Andrew Jackson and the Parthenon in Nashville.
 
I've read your book, The Ghosts of Graceland, and enjoyed it. Even though I lived in the Memphis area for a couple of years, I never ventured much into the part around Graceland. What made you decide to set your book there? Where did you get the idea?
I’m glad you liked it! When my youngest son, who is now 30, was ten years old, he and I went to Graceland while visiting my husband’s relatives in nearby Olive Branch, Mississippi. That visit turned my son into a huge Elvis fan. He was used to Elvis music because of me, but he had an early interest in history, and Graceland is like stepping back in time. After that, he wanted to go to Graceland every year for his birthday until he was a senior in high school. On one of those trips, he and I drove around the neighborhood behind Graceland, and I wondered if the residents there could hear the activity on the other side of that tall, white fence. And that’s how the idea was born. My son and I were even interviewed once on Sirius Elvis Radio by Elvis’s closest friend, so I had to incorporate that experience into the story!
 
I know you've also written a historical book and a contemporary book aimed for adults. Do you have a preference between historical or contemporary? Which is easier for you to write?
The historical required more research. I read all I could about the time period and the place, and I researched online and with phone calls to make sure I was as accurate as possible. The idea for that book came to me while visiting my niece and her family at their vacation home in the mountains in Strawberry, Arizona, so I took pictures and video to use as a reference. It was fun researching and learning, but it was definitely more work. A contemporary book is much easier to write, although you still have to do some research with those books as well.
 
What do you have in the works right now, writing-wise?
I am doing a rewrite of a romantic suspense set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. My publisher hasn’t given me a date yet because they are waiting for me to get the finished product to them. I am also working on a more literary piece that deals with a young woman’s life and tragedy and how she overcomes it. Last year I received the Sandra Robbins Inspirational Award for it based upon the synopsis and sample chapters, so I guess I need to get busy and finish it!
 
Can you leave us with one fun little-known fact about you?
Wow, that’s a tough one! I don’t know if this is fun or not, and it is well known to my friends, but on
Dec. 1, 2018, at the age of 62, I completed my first (and probably last) half-marathon, the St. Jude Marathon in Memphis. I jogged/walked 13.1 miles in three hours and seventeen minutes. St. Jude is my favorite charity (my daughter-in-law works there), and I had wanted to do the half-marathon for years, so it was a bucket list sort of thing. I retired in May, 2018, but that half-marathon was the highlight of my year!

Thanks so much for joining us today, Pam. 
To read more about one of Pam's books and her, keep scrolling.
When twelve-year-old Mandi Ferguson and her twin sister are sent across the country to stay with a great-aunt they barely know while their mother and her new husband go on an extended honeymoon, she has no idea of how her life will change. Aunt Trina lives on a street directly behind Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley and a tourist destination in Memphis. Mysterious voices in the middle of the night, a stranger lurking around them, a cute, homeless teenage
boy, and family secrets over future detective Mandi plenty of opportunities to use her sleuth skills. What she discovers, however, impacts her life in a way she never could have imagined. Pam Harris, also published as Pam Watts Harris, is a retired educator who writes fiction for females of all ages. A native Tennessean and former Arizona resident, she writes stories drawn from her own experiences, always being sure to use locales with which she is most familiar. Her desire to write began as a child, leading her to begin her college studies as an English major. She and her husband of thirty-eight years live in a small town in Tennessee, and they have two grown sons, a daughter-in-law, and two “grand-dogs.” In addition to writing fiction for females of all ages, she works as an editor for Mantle Rock Publishing and as a freelance editor. Her hobbies include listening to audio books, fitness walking, gardening, and traveling.

Tomorrow! Release day 2

It's finally here! It's finally here!
Well, it will be tomorrow, anyway. Faith & Hope has been a long time coming, but I have a copy in my hand, and soon you can have on in yours, too.
If you were able to pre-order, I know Amazon is going to be zipping copies to your home this week. I can't wait to hear what you think about my new book.
To help celebrate the release, here's what all I have going on over the next few weeks, if you'd like to keep up. I will be on various blogs of other authors and groups for the rest of the month, and will post those links each day on my Facebook author page here. On Thursday night, April 18th, I'm having an online Facebook party to celebrate the release. I wanted to do a real life one, but this being Easter week, it was just too much to add to an already full schedule, so we'll have to party from the comfort of our homes instead. I'll be giving out prizes and even going live to read a couple of pages to you guys, so be sure to drop by and "bring" a friend or two. On Wednesday, May 8th, I'll be doing a book signing at the Linebaugh Library in Murfreesboro, TN from 10 to 1. I will have copies of both of my books available for buying just in case you haven't already gotten one. I'd love to see any of you local fans there. Stay tuned as I will continue to try and add even more.
Are you as excited as I am? Who is ready?

Behind the Story: Sam, Joe, and others

We're less than two weeks out from the release date for Faith & Hope. ​You've met the main characters, the sisters, in previous posts. Now, let's bring in a few more. After all, it would be pretty boring to only have two characters in a story, right? SAM is Faith's husband. He works at a Christian academy in Austin, Texas and helps coach basketball. He also volunteers to help with youth group events. And he loves Faith like crazy--to the point of maybe being a bit overprotective at times.

JOE is probably one of my favorite characters in this book. He's a grown-up boy, one of Faith's best friends, and Hope's co-counselor at camp. He loves working with the first-grade boys. He's also an associate minister at church with a heart for missions. He goes out of his way to be a friend to all. He's the one I think of when I see the picture above. Notice there's no head? I couldn't find one that made me think exactly of him. If I were to cast a movie, maybe the same actor who played Jacob in the Twilight movies?

MARIA is Joe's mama. She, too, works at camp. She's a hugger, an adviser, and a fierce protector when it comes to those she loves. She still has a bit of a Mexican lilt to her speech from when she lived there as a little girl.

CASSIDY is Hope's roommate in Mississippi. She tells it like it is, but is also great to have around when you need someone to commiserate with. And she's always good to share a tub of ice cream.

MAYSIE is Faith's best friend. She's been a listener and prayer warrior for Faith through most of her infertility struggle, and is super excited to be able to plan a baby shower.

HANNAH, aka MOM, is Faith and Hope's mother. She wants the absolute best for her girls, although they don't always approve of her methods of getting there. They both love her, but they also know she's going to push for her way, no matter what.

Any of those characters sound like someone you could relate to or be friends with? I hope so! I can't wait to hear if you love Joe as much as I do, or if you have your own favorite. It won't be long now before you can join them on their journey!