Welcome Deborah Vogts to Getting to know you Thursdays. Its good to have you hear and get to know you more.
6. How did you go about becoming an author? After college, I dabbled with my writing and even completed a couple of books. It wasn’t until 2002, however, that I began taking serious steps to get to the publishing goal. I joined a local writer’s group and ACFW, (an online writing organization), joined a critique group, read writing how-to’s and attended writing conferences. I met my first agent at the ACFW Nashville Conference. We hit it off at our meeting, and she gave me some tips on making my book series “bigger.” I did that and submitted my idea to her and she took me on. We shopped my Seasons of the Tallgrass series for a year and had a few bites (one of them Zondervan) but no sale. In the end, she released me, which was a real heart breaker. I went through a real low spot at that time, even wondering if I should continue writing. We don’t always see the big picture like God does, and as it turned out, six months after my first agent dropped me, I signed with another agent, Rachelle Gardner with WordServe Literary, and we had an offer from Zondervan three months after that.
7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be? – I’d be a stay-at-home mom, which is what I was before I received my publishing contract. I’d spend more time cooking/baking/sewing/gardening…all things I still do, but on a much lower level. Oh, and I’d do more scrapbooking.
Finally can you tell us about your current books and/or any that will be coming out soon? Also where we can find you on the web. - I’m continuing on with the Seasons of the Tallgrass series. I’m waiting for edits of my second book, Seeds of Summer and have started working on my third book, tentatively titled Blades of Autumn. One of the neatest parts of the publishing process is seeing what the creative team comes up with for a cover. I’m thrilled to announce that the cover for Seeds of Summer is really gorgeous. It’s a story about a former Miss Rodeo Kansas queen, and her return to the Flint Hills to care for her deceased father’s ranch and her two younger siblings. Seeds of Summer is set to release April 2010. After the Seasons of the Tallgrass series, I’ll wait for God’s lead to see what happens next.
Your readers may learn more about me and my books at http://www.deborahvogts.com/
Thanks so much for having me on your blog, Jenny. Blessings to you and to your readers!
1. Can you tell us a little about yourself? - I’m a stay-at-home mom and wife to a loving husband. We have three daughters, ages 23, 18, & 13. We live in SE Kansas where we raise and train American Quarter Horses—my husband & daughters train them & I do the bookwork (both financial & fictional.) A few of my hobbies include baking, playing the piano, sewing, gardening, and of course reading. I also enjoy taking walks with our two golden retrievers. We’re involved in 4-H, so summer can get pretty hectic with 4-H projects.
My debut book, Snow Melts in Spring, released this summer from Zondervan. It’s the first book in the Seasons of the Tallgrass Series.
2. When you were a child did you have a favorite book or books? – Little House on the Prairie, The Adventures of Pippi Longstocking, and Misty of Chincoteague. (Jenny Here, I loved the Little house on the Prairie books and Pippi Longstocking)
My debut book, Snow Melts in Spring, released this summer from Zondervan. It’s the first book in the Seasons of the Tallgrass Series.
2. When you were a child did you have a favorite book or books? – Little House on the Prairie, The Adventures of Pippi Longstocking, and Misty of Chincoteague. (Jenny Here, I loved the Little house on the Prairie books and Pippi Longstocking)
3. Do you have a favorite Genre to both read and write? – I read both contemporary and historical fiction, and especially enjoy those that are set in the country or in small towns. One day I may switch to writing historical but for now, I’m content with writing contemporary prairie romance. Strange twist, I know. But it combines the past with the here and now, and I like that.
4. Did you have favorite authors growing up who have influenced you? As stated before, I loved the Little House books, so Laura Ingalls Wilder was a major influence. My main Christian writer influence, however, came when I was an adult and that is Janette Oke. I think I’ve read nearly all of her books—and she has a LOT of them. (It was Janette Oke's Canadian West series which got me back into reading)
5. When did you know you wanted to be an author? - I knew I wanted to be a writer since high school, and in college I studied English and Journalism, all the while knowing that I wanted to write books.
6. How did you go about becoming an author? After college, I dabbled with my writing and even completed a couple of books. It wasn’t until 2002, however, that I began taking serious steps to get to the publishing goal. I joined a local writer’s group and ACFW, (an online writing organization), joined a critique group, read writing how-to’s and attended writing conferences. I met my first agent at the ACFW Nashville Conference. We hit it off at our meeting, and she gave me some tips on making my book series “bigger.” I did that and submitted my idea to her and she took me on. We shopped my Seasons of the Tallgrass series for a year and had a few bites (one of them Zondervan) but no sale. In the end, she released me, which was a real heart breaker. I went through a real low spot at that time, even wondering if I should continue writing. We don’t always see the big picture like God does, and as it turned out, six months after my first agent dropped me, I signed with another agent, Rachelle Gardner with WordServe Literary, and we had an offer from Zondervan three months after that.
7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be? – I’d be a stay-at-home mom, which is what I was before I received my publishing contract. I’d spend more time cooking/baking/sewing/gardening…all things I still do, but on a much lower level. Oh, and I’d do more scrapbooking.
8. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do? - A few of my hobbies include baking, playing the piano, sewing, gardening, and of course reading. I also enjoy taking walks with our two golden retrievers. We’re involved in 4-H, so summer can get pretty hectic with 4-H projects.
9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit? – Yes, the Kansas Flint Hills. This is the setting for my series, and if I could, I’d spend a LOT more time there. I adore that place. My dream is to own land there one day & build a house—far-fetched dream that it is. Or at the very least, ride horses over the open prairie.
10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why? My three daughters. My oldest married and moved to Phoenix, so we don’t see each other very often. I really miss our meals together as a family, so that’s who I would choose.
9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit? – Yes, the Kansas Flint Hills. This is the setting for my series, and if I could, I’d spend a LOT more time there. I adore that place. My dream is to own land there one day & build a house—far-fetched dream that it is. Or at the very least, ride horses over the open prairie.
10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why? My three daughters. My oldest married and moved to Phoenix, so we don’t see each other very often. I really miss our meals together as a family, so that’s who I would choose.
Finally can you tell us about your current books and/or any that will be coming out soon? Also where we can find you on the web. - I’m continuing on with the Seasons of the Tallgrass series. I’m waiting for edits of my second book, Seeds of Summer and have started working on my third book, tentatively titled Blades of Autumn. One of the neatest parts of the publishing process is seeing what the creative team comes up with for a cover. I’m thrilled to announce that the cover for Seeds of Summer is really gorgeous. It’s a story about a former Miss Rodeo Kansas queen, and her return to the Flint Hills to care for her deceased father’s ranch and her two younger siblings. Seeds of Summer is set to release April 2010. After the Seasons of the Tallgrass series, I’ll wait for God’s lead to see what happens next.
Your readers may learn more about me and my books at http://www.deborahvogts.com/
Thanks so much for having me on your blog, Jenny. Blessings to you and to your readers!
My Review:
I enjoyed this book. I enjoy books set in a rural setting which this is. Mattie is a vet who has had a few problems but loves living in Kansas and Gil wants nothing to do with living in a small town in Kansas. This makes for an intersting story. I love how Deborah weaves the story and how we get to see the place and what makes it special to Mattie. Its interesting seeing things from Gil's point of view also. Although this book is set in the present it has a real western feel which is a setting I am really enjoying. This is a great debut book and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
3 comments:
Nice interview, ladies :)
So....what's 4-H??
Great interview! I love the cover and it sounds like a book I need to get for my TBR pile!
Thanks for sharing the interview with your readers, Jenny, and also for the review. Blessings to you!
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