author interview

Inspiring Adventures with An Edge: An Interview with Author Glenn Haggerty

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Your author tagline is “Inspiring Adventures with an Edge.” Elaborate on what that means pertaining to your novels for teens.

I aim to write adventures that will grab the interest of young readers and provide hours of exciting entertainment. Life is edgy, so keeping the story is real as possible without crossing the line is the key to entertainment. Entertainment first, then it isn’t difficult to write from the perspective of hope. I want to give kids hope that they, too, can conquer this difficult period of life and walk away from this story feeling good about life and themselves.

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Mining a Rich History, An Interview with Author Carmela Martino

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Your historical novel Playing by Heart is based on the real lives of the talented and accomplished Agnesi sisters from 18th-century Milan. How did you first learn of them, and what inspired you to make them the subject of your novel?

I came to know about the Agnesi sisters in a rather roundabout way. Even though I have a B.S. in Math and Computer Science, I’d never heard of mathematician Maria Gaetana Agnesi until I came across her name in an article about forgotten women of history. I was appalled that there’d been no mention of her in any of my math classes or textbooks. Continue reading →

Interview with Author Corinna Turner: Creativity, Culture, and What’s Next

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I’m impressed with your imagination more than that of any author I follow. What do you do to feed that imagination, to create such original characters and stories?

Drive!This is a bit of a hard one, because I don’t particularly feel like I do anything special.  I read (though less than I used to due to time, and I’m getting much pickier), I also like films, though again, I’m getting much pickier. I don’t really watch TV at all. I probably get maybe a third to half my book ideas in dreams, so those I cannot take even the illusion of credit for! The other ideas are split between the ones that come very rapidly to the ones that grow more slowly, but they all develop without any interference from me, at least until I reach the stage of serious plotting, so I think all the credit lies with the Holy Spirit for these as well! Continue reading →

Guest Posts: Blog and Radio Interviews, a Recipe, and More

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Things Visible & Invisible

Sweetest Romances for Sweetest Day (October 20, 2018)

“I read heavily in the non-Catholic Christian genres and enjoy those novels very much. But there’s something to be said for seeing your own experience reflected in novels from time-to-time. So, when my characters pray, they’re more likely to bring out the rosary beads. If they’re practicing their faith, they’re at Mass on Sunday. They have the benefit of the sacraments and the grace that they offer. They’re more likely to be open to large families.”

Catholic365.com

How My Mom Changed Lives One Chocolate Chip at a Time (September 11, 2018)

“Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you must do something big, or be someone important to make a difference. You can live your life in obscurity being ‘only’ a mother or a housewife or whatever role it is you are called to. You don’t need money, fame, or education to do what matters most.” Continue reading →

Inside the Minds of Authors: An Author Interview Index

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Since I began blogging at the beginning  of 2015, I’ve been interviewing authors, asking them about their new books, the themes about which they write, and their writing process. About half of the interviews are with Catholic authors, and the remainder are mostly (but not all) Christian authors, writing in a variety of genres.

It’s been my privilege know and associate with these authors, whose work I so enjoy reading and who inspire me in my own writing.

typewriter
Photo by KoalaParkLaundromat
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Author Interview with Georgiana Daniels

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Shadows of HopeIn 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. Continue reading →

Interview with YA Fantasy Author Katy Huth Jones

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What appeals to you about the fantasy genre, particularly as a facet (an under-represented facet) of Christian fiction?

What appeals to me about the fantasy genre, and Christian fantasy in particular (both to read and to write) is the way spiritual truths can be woven into a story with fantastical and/or supernatural elements in a way that often has a greater impact than reading a contemporary or straight historical story. As Aslan the lion, the Christ figure in the Chronicles of Narnia tells Lucy at the end of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, “This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.” Even though there is no Christ figure in my Mercy series, sacrificial love is a huge theme.

The Mercy series appears to have all of the necessary elements that make readers fall in love with a fantasy tale: an honorable hero, danger, love, and fearsome enemies. How would you summarize the series?

Mercy's PrinceThe initial idea for He Who Finds Mercy came from my frustration with “strong” fantasy heroines who were totally unrealistic and poor role models for teens. I wanted to create a brave young woman who did not have to resort to violence. I did not expect the story to grow to epic proportions, but it spans fifteen years of Mercy the Healer’s life, from age 14 to 29. Through wars, betrayals, and great personal loss, Mercy and her loved ones grow in their faith in the Most High God. Though based on twelfth century British Isles, the world grew organically from the situation, and there are dragons of all sizes, castles, knights, and a gifted royal family. The first book, Mercy’s Prince, can stand alone; the first three can be read as a trilogy; and the last two can be read without reading the first three, since they take place eleven years after book three. Continue reading →

Interview with Catholic Teen Author T.M. Gaouette

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Of all the genres, why write fiction for Catholic teens? How were you personally drawn to sharing your faith in this way?

Because there isn’t enough good Catholic fiction available for a demographic that needs God the most. Teenagers face so many confusing issues, not just the usual coming-of-age struggles that every teenager has to contend with, such as puberty, friendships, relationships, parents, and peer pressures, but also cultural issues that, as a result of the world we currently live in, present excruciating pressures. And in a world where God is literally pushed out, it’s become a crisis. Social media and this ever-growing device culture has significantly increased the anxiety of our teens, leading to more bullying, more depression, more suicide, more addiction, more teen pregnancy. I don’t envy teens in this society. The world is topsy-turvy and they need a balance. They need a light. And since we are all called to be lights in this dark world,  I strive to provide this light in my fiction. Continue reading →