Love Inspired Historicals discussion
Monthly Author Q&A
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Q&A With February 2014 Authors!
Congratulations on your first book, Milinda! Your story sounds intriguing. Can't wait to read it. :)I've made one quilt-a log-cabin design-for my niece's graduation. I don't have time anymore, but I'd love to do it again someday. What do you like to sew?
Well, Milinda, I have kids, work with kids and love to sew. But one of my passions is history. So I love your book because it gives me my history fix along with a heartwarming story of love and compassion for children. Can't wait to see what else LIH buys from you. I will read every one! Congratulations!
Thank you, Linda! I love your books! What are you work..."Thanks, Malinda. I just finished revisions on the third book in a new series Montana Marriages which starts in Oct. 2014 and am back to working on an editor-generated continuity--a wagon train series. It's been a lot of fun researching.
Oh, wow, Karen! I admire quilters! I don't have the patience for quilting, though I love doing quilting on my embroidery machine as it does all the work for me:) I like to sew small projects-- I write for Creative Machine Embroidery and Sew News magazines, and I love coming up with projects I think people will like to sew! Usually, it is something that a daughter or friend has suggested--most recently, mugrugs, bookmarks and key fobs. Small things!
I thought your comment would be in italics. Sigh. I am so not good at this!
Tanya wrote: "Well, Milinda, I have kids, work with kids and love to sew. But one of my passions is history. So I love your book because it gives me my history fix along with a heartwarming story of love and com..."Hi, Tanya!
I love history, too, and I feel a "scholarly duty" to get it right. I want my readers to know the time period as if they themselves have lived there! I am so glad you love history!
"Getting it right" has always been important to me in historical novels. I know certain license can be taken but when too much is taken it just ruins the whole story for me. I guess if I didn't know so much about history it wouldn't matter, but once you've crossed the line so-to-speak, you can never go back. So I'm always looking for a good read with historical accuracy. Thanks so much for doing your research. It makes for a much more enjoyable read as I can truly put myself into the story.
Mod
I had planned to go back to work once my youngest started school, but when they (twins) turned four they were diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. I sold my first book right around that time, which allowed me to work while still being at home for them.
I love the freedom of being able to work from home. What a blessing! And I found that as my children hit high school, they needed me even more--I needed to be available when the were ready to talk which was all about their timing, and not mine :)Bless you with your twins. I have a niece and nephew who are twins, aged 5. They are a handful! The autism spectrum adds a completely other dimension. How blessed your children are to have a mother like you!
Tanya wrote: ""Getting it right" has always been important to me in historical novels. I know certain license can be taken but when too much is taken it just ruins the whole story for me. I guess if I didn't kno..."Thank you for your kind words, Tanya. Readers like you keep me on my toes :)
Linda wrote: "Thank you, Linda! I love your books! What are you work..."Thanks, Malinda. I just finished revisions on the third book in a new series Montana Marriages which starts in Oct. 2014 and am back to wo..."
I love the wagon train stories!! Can't wait to read! Is it with LIH?
Linda wrote: "I thought your comment would be in italics. Sigh. I am so not good at this!"lol! Thank heavens for Deb who explained how the forum works!!
Milinda Jay's book sounds very exciting. I like learning of Roman history a lot.
Thank you, Rebecca! I see you crochet! My grandmothers both crocheted absolutely gorgeous tablecloths and bedspreads. I would love to see pictures of some of the things you make! Do you have a website?
Milinda wrote: "Thank you so much, Deb, for that sweet introduction!I've been writing since I was young enough to hold a pencil in my hand! I wrote my first play when I was 9 (my sweet fourth grade teacher, Mrs. ..."
Hi Melinda! Great cover! Was it one of your suggestions?
I'm curious about those previous three books. Are they linked in any way to this one? Will we be seeing them in the future? Or have you another book under contract now?
Dorothy
Mod
I so agree about children needing even more time when they get older -- especially if they get into a lot of sports and activities! My twins are doing well -- they're very smart and verbal but have trouble with social skills and can be quite rigid in their thinking sometimes.
Dorothy wrote: "Milinda wrote: "Thank you so much, Deb, for that sweet introduction!I've been writing since I was young enough to hold a pencil in my hand! I wrote my first play when I was 9 (my sweet fourth grad..."
Hi, Dorothy:
I loved Falling for the Teacher!!!
As for contracts, none as of yet, but fingers crossed! My editor has one on her desk right now that I hope she will like. If not, I have plenty more to send her :)
Mod
Deborah wrote: "I thought of a couple of other questions I wanted to ask. Were all your previous books set during Roman times? Did you have a special interest or background in Roman history that made you chose th..."So glad they are doing well! And yes to the sports and activities--a full time job for sure.
I have three books set in Roman times--I set out to write a three book series after completing Her Roman Protector and was able to do so. As for my interest in Roman times, I love history of any sort, and am keenly interested in what the Roman Empire was like before, during and shortly after the life of Christ. So, all of my most recent research is trying to imagine what it must have been like to be alive during that time as well as what it must have felt like to be a believer in a sort of brand new religion that went against the current traditions. Thank you for asking!
Carla wrote: "Milinds, huge congrsts on your first LIH! I'm so glad we're going to have more Roman-era books. It's such a great time period. What's your favorite aspect and why did you choose it for your firs..."Really good questions, Carla! I have to say, I was heavily influenced by the first book I read of yours, The Gladiator. I loved it! I was also influenced by Francine Rivers' Mark of the Lion series.
I chose the time period for this novel because I was intrigued and horrified by the notion of infant exposure, whereby a father could determine whether an infant could be allowed to live or not. I knew from reading Roman history for my dissertation that Roman women were strong willed and incredibly independent, and I wondered how they might feel and what they might really do if placed in a situation where they had to choose between the favor of their husband and the life of their child.
I had a pretty strong feeling about what they might choose :)
Congratulations Milinda! My mother wants to know which website might be selling your book in e-book form.I love the combination of historical accuracy mixed in with your imagination. It makes for a great story and also sheds light on a part of history that some may not be aware of.
It's definitely a love story with a bit of Roman James Bond thrown in. Brilliant!
Wow, Renee! What great questions, and what a moment of epiphany for all working moms! Middle school really is the pivotal moment, isn't it!?Thank you for your kind words!!
Thank you, Aubrey! such kind words fromy favorite former student and now fabulous teacher! The book is available on the harlequin website as well as amazon:)
Hi, Milinda! And congrats on a wonderful, FINALLY, release! Has anyone asked about NaNoWriMo yet? I know you've led groups on NaNo(it's how we met!) but how about a little advice on how you take a NaNo draft and revise it?
Hi Milinda! I am a regular around here, so I look forward to getting to know you and your work! I love the Roman era, most especially because of Carla, so I am very excited to read this!I am a sucker for kids, I watch my two nephews and niece every week while my sis goes to work. Love it so much, and each day is certainly an adventure! Even if the hours can be long it is worth it.
I have kept a journal for years, and I wrote a bunch of short stories to read to my brothers when I was about 8-11. I have about a dozen ideas that I write down as it comes to me, but have yet to finish a novel. My goal someday. ;)
I do not sew and admire anyone who does! Had a ripped seam in a shirt of mine that took me two years to fix, because I hate it so much! Took all of ten minutes to fix too... lol
Been fun reading through posts and getting to know you! :)
Kathy wrote: "Hi, Milinda! And congrats on a wonderful, FINALLY, release! Has anyone asked about NaNoWriMo yet? I know you've led groups on NaNo(it's how we met!) but how about a little advice on how you take a ..."Hi, Kathy!
So good to hear from you. And yes, I would love to talk about Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month) because I wrote the first draft of Her Roman Protector for Nanowrimo!
The purpose of Nanowrimo is to complete a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. That is fast and furious writing with no time to look back and edit! I love the discipline of that-it allows me to free-float create without my internal editor saying, "that could be better." Of course it could be better, but the first draft is probably not the place to make it better. After writing the complete first draft, I know where my novel is going, and I can look back at the whole work and fix it.
IN the case of Her Roman Protector, I actually rewrote the entire novel from scratch. I knew the story because I had written it, but I didn't use any of my original material. It worked well for me--the story was streamlined and clean.
Thank you for that reminder, Kathy! I'm looking forward to a brand new NANOWRIMO workshop at the FSU/PC Writer's Workshop in November, 2014! Hope you can come!!
Melody wrote: "Hi Milinda! I am a regular around here, so I look forward to getting to know you and your work! I love the Roman era, most especially because of Carla, so I am very excited to read this!I am a su..."
Thank you so much, Melody! What a kind aunt you are! And how lucky the children are to have you taking care of them. It sounds like you are on the road to becoming a writer yourself. Great readers make great writers :) And, I am so happy to know you write down the wonderful ideas as they occur. That journal will be a treasure trove for you in later years. I didn't complete my first novel until I was 40! You have plenty of time :)
Milinda, Yes, I do have a website. Here is the link: http://rebeccascreations.blogspot.com/ . I hope you like the pictures up on my website of the stuff I make.
Rebecca, I looked at your website, and the work is absolutely beautiful! Do you do it all yourself?
Hi Milinda! Welcome! Your book sounds great! I love books set in Roman times, but it doesn't seem to be a very popular time period. What inspired your to choose it?
I can't sew, though I've only tried it once. If I had someone to teach me and a project to work on, I think I would really enjoy it. :)
I've always enjoyed writing. It's art for me. Some people love painting, or drawing, or music, but I love writing. Watching the words flow across the pages . . . if I was a poet, I'm sure I could describe it, but that's not where my talents lay. I haven't quite figured out what God has for me to do with this gift He's blessed me with, but I know He'll show me in time. :)
What is your favorite part of writing a book?
Blessings,
Sarah
Yes, I do it all myself. I started my little business back in Fall of 2006 with just dishcloths but branched out to doilies and other things since then.
Rebecca wrote: "Yes, I do it all myself. I started my little business back in Fall of 2006 with just dishcloths but branched out to doilies and other things since then."Well you are a true artist. They are gorgeous. I plan to order placemats soon!
Sarah wrote: "Hi Milinda! Welcome! Your book sounds great! I love books set in Roman times, but it doesn't seem to be a very popular time period. What inspired your to choose it?
I can't sew, though I've only..."
So many good questions, Sarah! You are right about Roman times not being a very popular time period for readers, but, as you probably know as a writer yourself, you don't always get to pick the subject of your book, usually it picks you! Her Roman Protector was just the book that came to me, and it was the book I needed to write. It happened to be set in 49 A.D., a time when Christianity was a brand new religion in Rome. I loved trying to figure out what it felt like to be alive then!
My favorite part of writing a book? That's a tough question. I get up early every morning and try to write at least 1000 words. I've been doing this for many years. Why do I do it? I guess it's because I love the feeling of sitting at my desk, my dog asleep beside me, a candle burning , the dawn just beginning to lighten the black night, and my characters coming alive as my fingers fly across my computer keyboard. There is no other feeling in the world like it!
Milinda, congratulations on your debut! Tell me about the research you had to do for this book--I can only imagine!
Hi Milinda!Loved hearing about your journey to publication. And I can't wait to read Her Roman Protector--it sounds really good!
Patty wrote: "Milinda, congratulations on your debut! Tell me about the research you had to do for this book--I can only imagine!"Hi, Patty:
I'm excited about our Love Inspired Bundle! I am honored to be placed in a collection with you, Lyn Cote and Sheri Shackelford!
To answer your question, the research was intense. I'm sure I spent far more researching than I did writing. I was so worried about getting everything exactly right, and even with all the research I did, I'm sure there are going to be things that I didn't get right. In many ways, it was like writing my dissertation, except for that it was a lot more fun! Thank you for asking!
Janet wrote: "Hi Milinda!Loved hearing about your journey to publication. And I can't wait to read Her Roman Protector--it sounds really good!"
Thank you, Janet. I've been a fan of yours for many years, and am thrilled to be here!
Milinda, congrats! Isn't this exciting? I've been reading the other commenters' questions, and I'm not sure I can ask anything intelligent after all of them. But knowing your love of history, how do you hit the "pause" button on research and stick to the writing? (I find myself chasing all sorts of rabbits when I start looking up historical details.) Also, have you ever found that all the historical info gets in the way of your plotting/character building?
Tony wrote: "Milinda, congrats! Isn't this exciting? I've been reading the other commenters' questions, and I'm not sure I can ask anything intelligent after all of them. But knowing your love of history, how d..."Thank you, Tony! And, yes, you are right. Sometimes the research can be chasing rabbits to avoid writing, because sometimes writing can be really hard. But sometimes, even when the information I've found is not the information I was looking for, I find that at some point in the novel I need that information, too. It helps me to layer the historical bits.
I admire this about your writing. You are able to make your scenes historically accurate without losing the story thread. You have a gift for painting only the necessary in beautifully wrought detail. I aspire to that :)
Congrats Malinda on your debut novel and I hope it does well!
Jennifer wrote: "Congrats Malinda on your debut novel and I hope it does well!"Thank you, Jennifer, for your kind wishes. So do I!
Milinda wrote: "Oh, wow, Karen! I admire quilters! I don't have the patience for quilting, though I love doing quilting on my embroidery machine as it does all the work for me:) I like to sew small projects-- I wr..."Milinda,
I once checked out a book from the library on how to sew purses. There were some really cute projects in there. I was too chicken to try. lol Have you ever made a purse?
Karen wrote: "Milinda wrote: "Oh, wow, Karen! I admire quilters! I don't have the patience for quilting, though I love doing quilting on my embroidery machine as it does all the work for me:) I like to sew small..."Yes! I've made many purses, in many different sizes. I love making computer sized bags; however, my dog loves loves them, too. She has chewed as many bags as I have made!
Mod
Welcome to LIH! Your book sounds really interesting and reminded me of one of Francine Rivers' Mark of the Lion series. Good company to be in!
I loved Carla Capshaw's books set in this time period and this looks just as good.About what time is it set in? Did you find any interesting tibits in research.
Congrats on the debut book Milinda and will there be more.
Hi Milinda!I love your debut novel and just love your characters--especially Annia. Congratulations! Will you be writing more about her? Or this particular time in history? I find it so interesting!
Hi Milinda, How long have you been an author before you were able to get published? How exciting for you to be making your debut!
Milinda wrote: "Karen wrote: "Milinda wrote: "Oh, wow, Karen! I admire quilters! I don't have the patience for quilting, though I love doing quilting on my embroidery machine as it does all the work for me:) I lik..."Oh no! All that hard work down the drain. Well, I hope you find time to sew and write. Enjoy your debut!
For any author: What has been the turning point in your writing carriers? As far as determining whether or not you were committed to writing as an author.
Love Inspired Historicals
Books mentioned in this topic
The Marshal's Ready-Made Family (other topics)Her Roman Protector (other topics)
Hearts Rekindled (other topics)
Her Roman Protector (other topics)
Her Roman Protector (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Dorothy Clark (other topics)Naomi Rawlings (other topics)
Patty Smith Hall (other topics)
Karen Kirst (other topics)
J.R. Griffith (other topics)
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Congratulations on your LIH debut...and the many more to come. I adore your cover. It is stunning. And I am not a very proficient sewer, although I wish I could sew up ..."
I loved your book, Reunited with the Sheriff, Belle! What are you working on now?