In your most recent novel, Shadows of Hope, the reader knows from the first pages the heartbreaking conflict bound to be revealed: Marissa counsels Kaitlyn throughout her unplanned pregnancy and unbeknownst to both women, Marissa’s husband Colin is the father. You gave not only Marissa and Kaitlyn a voice, but Colin, too. Was it challenging to write from his point of view?
First, thank you so much for inviting me to your corner of cyberspace, Carolyn!
As for Colin, writing from his point of view wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. I tried to dig in and really think like someone who’s created a horrible situation but now wants to do the right thing, only he has no idea what that is.
And that’s the thing, when you’re not walking with God and you’re in an impossible situation, life can be a total mess! I really wanted to bring that complexity to his character—a man who truly doesn’t see how his sin is impacting those around him since he’s trying to do the right thing now.
Who was it that said everyone is a hero in their own story? That’s what I tried to keep in mind as I wrote Colin.
One of the things I enjoyed about Shadows of Hope is that the novel is underpinned by the belief that every human life is precious and valuable. Marissa lived that belief day in and day out at the pregnancy center she ran and Kaitlyn lived it in a very tangible way through her unplanned pregnancy. And yet there’s not a preachy moment in the book. What role do you think fiction can play in building a culture of life?
I think fiction can play a huge role when it comes organically through the story. When I set out to write Shadows of Hope, it wasn’t done intentionally, per se, but the story grew as I considered how Marissa would have to face her worst fears and what would happen to her faith.
The fact that Marissa ran the pregnancy center would make her confront what she really believed. She championed for life every day, so would she be able to do any less in the situation with Kaitlyn? She had to face that as part of her journey.
I really believe fiction can give a voice to all sorts of issues that matter to people, as long as they are woven into the story in a way that speaks to the heart.
I really believe fiction can give a voice to all sorts of issues that matter to people, as long as they are woven into the story in a way that speaks to the heart. Share on X
I just downloaded Table for One, which is a contemporary romance laced with humor. Do you have to work hard at humor or does it flow naturally once you’re inside the story, so to speak?
Humor probably comes more naturally to me than anything else. I’m a hoot at parties, if you can convince my introverted self to come out and play. Well, I’m a hoot in my own mind, at least. I’ve been told I have a really big laugh, the kind that fills a room. That means I have to watch myself out in public. Not everyone gets my warped sense of humor.
The three books I’ve had published are so very different from one another because they were written in completely different seasons of life. In addition to different voices, so to speak, the three novels are different genres: chick lit, romance, and women’s fiction. And my unpublished novels cover an even wider range.
You share writerly advice regularly on your blog. What do you recommend writers do to hone their craft?
You’re going to love this—READ. Seriously, read everything you can in the genre you’re interested writing. Also, reading outside your chosen genre can boost creativity.
And of course you have to just dig in and write. Write a lot, write about anything and everything. That’s the best way to discover your voice, the critical piece that makes your writing distinct.
Every writer also needs a trusted writing partner, maybe two. A writing partner is so much more than someone who critiques your work, although that’s an important part. A true partner can help you improve your craft, but also propel you forward when your own motivation is lacking.
Like so many authors I talk to you, you juggle your duties as mom with your writing. Do you have any tips on integrating your family life and your writing life?
Our two youngest girls probably don’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing, so it’s always been part of life as they know it. For my husband and oldest daughter, it was a little bit of an adjustment when I started and they saw how seriously I was taking it. Carving time out of an existing schedule can be difficult, even under the best of circumstances.
It’s important, I think, to let the family know what’s in it for them—especially younger children. When the family can see the benefits of your writing, such as you being a happier and more well-rounded person, they have more understanding. It’s also healthy for children to see their mom pursuing a goal and how she handles it with learning, doing, trying, failing, and trying again. Modeling how to pursue a goal will imprint more strongly on them than telling them they should pursue a goal ever could.
Then there’s the practical side of how to spin one more plate when you already have so many duties as a mom. The single most important tip on that is to outsource absolutely everything that doesn’t have to be done by you. You do the things that only you can do, like write!
What project(s) are you working on now?
I regret to say that I’ll probably never be one of those writers that has a gazillion contracts lined up. Since I don’t have a book under contract now, I’m working on a few different ideas, one romance and one women’s fiction.
The romance is fun and a little quirky, while the women’s fiction contains another (different) moral dilemma in the way Shadows of Hope did. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what happens!
Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog today. I really enjoyed chatting with you!
Georgiana Daniels resides in the beautiful mountains of Arizona with her super-generous husband and three talented daughters. She graduated from Northern Arizona University with a bachelor’s degree in public relations and now has the privilege of homeschooling by day and wrestling with the keyboard by night. She enjoys sharing God’s love through fiction and is exceedingly thankful for her own happily ever after.
Website: georgianadaniels.com
Great interview! I will definitely be adding these books to my “to read” list. I appreciate that the author likes to write in different genres. I do too. And I read just about everything!
Thank you, Theresa! I hope you enjoy 🙂