Getting to know you Thursdays with Virginia Carmichael with giveaway.

Please welcome Virginia Carmichael to my blog today. I have gotten to know Virginia on seekerville and also more recently at facebook. I was so excited when she sold her first book to Love Inspired and I look forward to reading it at some stage. 

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

 I was born in Colorado but raised in Oregon. I spent some time in France, California, and South Carolina while in high school. I went to the University of Oregon and have dual degrees in theoretical linguistics and religious studies. I came back to my home town for 'just a little while' and met my husband here. We have six young kids, who are home-schooled and fairly lovely when they've had enough sleep. Which isn't often enough. :)

2. When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books?

I was one of those kids that thought older was better. At twelve, my favorite book was a collected works of the Bronte sisters. Then I got into poetry, mostly Browning and Pope and other long-winded people. My dad used to take me to Portland (6 hours from my home) so we could troll book shops. Good memories of some beautiful finds! My all-time favorite book when I was a kid was 'The Story of San Michele', about a doctor who moves to a little island off the coast of Italy. Lots of humor, neat facts, and interesting bits about the ruins on San Michele.

3. Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and right write?

Well, I read just about everything. Looking to my left, on my desk: The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott (about the Titanic, a historical, was okay, kept moving along), 'A Fistful of Collars' by Spencer Quinn (hilarious, the language was a bit rough - or RUFF, since it's from the dog's POV the whole way), 'Calling Invisible Women' by Jeanne Ray (incredible, can't say it enough times, you must read it), Sophie Kinsella 'I've got Yout Number' (hilarious and touching, the language was tiresome, but if you can ignore the f word, it's pretty good), 'The Butterfly Cabinet' by Bernie McGill  (historical, very depressing, lots of family secrets, including infidelity, secret babies, death, etc., flipped through it), 'Happier at Home' by Gretchen Rubin (a sequel to her 'Happiness Project', both very, very good books), 'Atlantis Complex' by Eion Colfer (read it before but it's been a few years and picked it up again, MG/YA fantasy).... And more on the floor but I won't go there. Whatever it is, it has to have some humor, somewhere.

  When I write, I tend to veer toward the YA urban fantasy or romantic contemporary genres. But I read whatever is good. Thank goodness for libraries!

 4. Did you have favourite authors growing up who have influenced you?

Definitely. Austen, Anna Sewell (wrote Black Beauty), Milne (wrote Winnie the Pooh, very funny stuff!), Frances hodgson Burnett (wrote The Secret Garden), Zenna Henderson (short stories), Madeleine L'engle... And later on I found Laura Whitcomb, Holly Black, Jonothan Stroud, Haven Kimmel, Adam Rex, to name a few. They all have a really wonderful way of expressing  the ordinary in fresh, unique ways. And there's a lot of humor.

5. When did you know you wanted to be an author?

I got an idea for a book in 2009, sort of a clean 'Bridget Jones Diary' set in academia. I still love that book but it probably won't ever find a home. (Jenny here, never say never)

6. How did you go about becoming an author?

 I sat down and started writing. And then when I thought it was good enough, I entered contests, realized it wasn't very good and started over. Then I entered more contests and got a critique. Then I read a lot of books on craft and chose some things to work on, until I thought it was better. I wish I could say I never queried during that time, but I always thought I was a great author, when actually, I probably shouldn't have been allowed to e-mail any agent on this planet until 2011. Maybe not even then.

7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be?

 A kind and gentle human being who follows Jesus. Oh wait, I think I can be both. :) If you mean a career... I loved working as a librarian. I've worked in 6 libraries- academic, law, and public over fifteen years. If I had unlimited hours in the day I would love to hang out in a library.

8. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do?

 Paint. Wood crafts. I discovered buttons recently and now am trying to figure out how to make fun button art. I love everything vintage, quirky, unique, hand crafted. I really admire people who can make something out of nothing.

9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit?

I've never forgotten how magical the city of Prague was the short time I stayed there. I lived in Warsaw, Poland attending the Warsaw School of Ecnomics after I graduated from UO, so it wasn't very far. It seems millions of miles away now... I wish we had a teleporter because I would love to walk my children across the Charles Bridge at dawn. Pure magic.

10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why?

Flannery O'Connor: the great short story author. She was a very faithful woman and half her stories make no sense to me. I have a lot of questions.

Louisa May Alcott: --- of wait! Living people??

Let me start over. Uhhh.

Julie Hilton Steele.

Mary Curry

Christina Rich

(and you're hosting, Jenny!)

 (I think Stephen Colbert would be a good addition to that group. And I'm requesting a really cute waiter, just FYI.)

 facebook friends that I would love to be able to just enjoy a meal with and shoot the breeze.

(Jenny here, I hope this is catered for as I am not that good at cooking but I can cook a lamb roast now.  It would be a fun night.)

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've already finished the sequel to 'Season of Joy'  and it's called  'Season of Hope'. Keep your fingers crossed to see if they like this one. :) (I know, I'm terrible at titles.) My November WIP is the third in the series, set a little further out from Denver, in one of the smaller towns. It's called 'Patchwork Hearts'. I wrote a YA series, an urban fantasy that won some awards (indlucing 'best of the best and the YA in the Emily) but it's just not the right time for that right now. I have a historical set right after the San Fran quake but that hasn't been ;picked up. Also two more modern, longer length romantic comedies. I'll let you know if they ever reach the publishing world. :) One of my favorite projects was a middle grade series I wrote for my 9 year old son, all about a super smart hamster and his boy. That was a hoot!

You can find me on Wednesday at Yankee Belle Cafe where I usually make a mess of whatever recipe I'm trying.

Giveaway

Virginia has kindly offered one commenter a copy of her book. To enter you need to leave a comment with either a question for Virginia or a comment on something from the post. You will have til Monday 26 November to comment. (comments saying good post please enter me or words to that effect will be discarded). Also leave a way to be contacted ie myemail at myemail dot com.

Getting to know you Thursdays with Lisa Richardson

Please join me in welcoming Lisa Richardson a new author who story is in the Colonial Courtships Novella by Barbour. Love the cover and hope to get a copy at some stage.

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself? 
I'm a mom of two young kids, 7 and 8 years old. My husband and I are former missionaries to the Seychelles and Gabon. Now we are working on establishing a daughter work in a town in Ohio called New Albany. We both work full-time as well and that has made for some hectic scheduling of late! But I figure life is an adventure and I ought to participate in some adventure if I'm going to put my characters through it!

 2. When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books? 
 This is a subject I could talk about all day! I loved The Secret Garden and The Little Princess. I also read all the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books. I read The Boxcar Children and Anne of Green Gables, and pretty much everything I could get my hands on.

3. Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and right write? 
I love mysteries. Most of my stories have some element of mystery, though Impressed by Love 

 4. Did you have favourite authors growing up who have influenced you?
 I love the Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. Devoured Agatha Christie's books, and Brock and Bodie Thoene's books are perennial favorites.  

 5. When did you know you wanted to be an author?
It was a dream as a kid, but I really settled down and got serious about 6 1/2 years ago.

6. How did you go about becoming an author? 
All wrong! Seriously, I had the idea that you either had it or you didn't. In my mind workshops and books on craft were kind of cheesy. Of course, I couldn't have been more wrong. I joined ACFW in 2006 mostly in order to get the price break on conference where I intended to wow editors and agents with my recently completed first novel. I learned a whole lot in the months leading up to the conference starting with the idea that there were all these "rules." Had I known about the rules before finishing my first novel I don't think I could have done it. The last few years have definitely seen a maturing process in my writing.

7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be? 
I'm one of those lucky people who actually enjoys their day job. I manage medical malpractice litigation for a large hospital system. Not everyone's cuppa perhaps, but I appreciate my company's philosophy which is to do the right thing. If we believe we've made a mistake we try to make things right. If we don't then we will defend our physicians and nurses to the hilt. It's the kind of approach that makes it easy to sleep at night. I am in the unique position of being able to make a real difference for people, either claimants or our own staff, when they are at a very difficult and vulnerable time in their lives. It's a privilege I don't take lightly.

8. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do? 
Watch old movies. Oh, and I have become a Pinterest addict. I swear that site is like crack!

 9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit? I've been blessed to be able to travel pretty extensively. I've always wanted to go to Venice though and haven't made it yet. I need to get in gear before it sinks beneath the lagoon.

10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why? 
I have the privilege of eating regularly with the people I love the most. I can't imagine I'd have anymore fun or gain anymore insight than I do when I'm with my family. Although, if I could expand the list to about 12, I would love, love, love to have a meal with all my blog mates!

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. Impressed by Love is part of the Colonial Courtships collection from Barbour. It is available now.
Following her parents’ deaths,  Phoebe Carlisle  is traveling with her uncle, captain of the H.M.S. Aries, to live with cousins. An attack by a French ship-of-the-line forces them to seek refuge along the Connecticut River.
Doctor Alden Ingersoll prefers to be in control of any situation, but his fate is ripped from his grasp when he’s pressed into the Royal Navy to tend an injured captain. In Phoebe’s company, Alden finds his desire to escape the ship fading. But pursuing her means abandoning hope of returning to his medical practice and his family. You can generally find me hanging out at inkwellinspirations.com or my website: lisakaronrichardson.com

Getting to know you Thursdays with Dana Mentink

Please welcome Dana Mentink to my blog today. Dana writes suspense for Love Inspired and also has a book coming out in June with Moody. Welcome Dana

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

A little about myself…I’m California baby, born and raised here (mostly.) We’re talking Northern California where we do have seasons and winter frost and no sandy beaches. I’ve been married for 17 years to a retired firefighter type and we have two girls who are entering the dreaded teen years. Prayers appreciated!

2. When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books?

As a child, I was a huge L. Frank Baum fan. I read all the Oz books (still have the set) and relished the imaginative details which got me started writing stories (and daydreaming in class during math lessons!)

3. Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and right write?

I love anything mystery/suspense related, some thrillers if they aren’t too gory and literary fiction. About the only genre I don’t really enjoy is paranormal stuff. Can’t get into vampires and werewolves.

4. Did you have favourite authors growing up who have influenced you?

I was influenced by Agatha Christie, of course, and later Jan Karon. Can that woman write or what? Harlan Coben is the best for those twisty plots. (Jenny here I loved Agatha Christie and still remember some of the books I read.)

5. When did you know you wanted to be an author?

I’ve always written stories, but I didn’t approach it professionally until about 14 years ago when I decided to leave teaching for a while and stay home with my babies. Finally I had the time and my husband gave me the gentle shove of encouragement. Once I got that first book published (the first Finny mystery) I was hooked.

6. How did you go about becoming an author?

I sort of fell into writing professionally. I was part of the American Christian Fiction Writer’s loop and I posted something about Christian cozies. Susan Downs (then from Barbour) saw my message and asked me to send along Trouble Up Finny’s Nose. That really got the ball rolling and after that three book series wrapped I was picked up by Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense. That was 12 or so books ago and I’m still writing for them.

7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be?

I have two work related passions, writing and teaching. I write part of the week and teach third grade the other part, so really I am blessed to be able to have my cake and eat it too.

8. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do?

I’m a huge reader (no surprise) and I love antiquing, the theater, walking and cooking. (Just not all at the same time. Ha!)

9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit?
I dearly love our own little Half Moon Bay here on the California coast. It’s the type of beach community the Finny series is modeled after. Usually I write books about places I’d love to go. So far I’ve “fictionally” explored the Badlands, Alaska, Guatemala (in a new book which releases in June from Moody) and I’m working on one in American Samoa.

10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why?
If I could have a meal with three people I’d choose my husband, because he’s my best friend, Bill Cosby for the comic entertainment and Billy Graham because I admire him tremendously. How’s that for an interesting dinner party?

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.

As far as current works go, my next Love Inspired Suspense releases on November 1st.  Entitled Dangerous Melody, it’s the second in the Treasure Seekers Series and this time the prize is a priceless violin, lost for decades. In May, the third in that series will come out, entitled Last Resort. You won’t believe the treasure in that one! 

A new venture for me is Jungle Fire, a romantic suspense that releases in June with Moody, about a missionary who is being hunted in the Petén jungle. Bring your bug spray along for that one! If you need any more info or you just want to “cyber chat,” you can find me at www.danamentink.com or on Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks very much for hosting me today. God bless!

Getting to know you with Charlotte Carter

Please join me in welcoming Charlotte Carter to my blog. I am a little late partly due to the fact I am still so tired and having a few bad days. I love Charlotte's book and will review as soon as I am up to it. I have enjoyed getting to know Charlotte better.

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?
A native Californian, I live in Southern California with my husband of 50 years. We have two married daughters and five grandchildren. Our oldest daughter lives quite near us so we get to see her three boys, ages 17, 12 and 7, fairly often. Our younger daughter lives in Northern California, so we see her 2-3 times a year. Her daughter attends Central Connecticut State University on a full-ride volleyball scholarship. (Yay!) Her 12-year-old son already runs 5K races and wins in his age group.

 2. When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books?
I remember the original Doctor Doolittle series and a book titled White Witch Doctor. The latter was about a woman missionary in Africa. When she found a huge spider in her boot, I decided I had no interest in becoming a missionary. As a teenager I devoured books by Lloyd Douglas such as The Robe. (Jenny here I have The big Fisherman by Lloyd Douglas and read it one easter.)

 3. Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and right write?
I write contemporary romance but read more broadly including suspense, legal thrillers and adventure.

 4. Did you have favourite authors growing up who have influenced you?
Not so much as authors influencing me as my eleventh grade English teacher. I had written a short story on my own and I showed it to Mr. Murphy. He was quite encouraging and told me took turn it into a novel. It was many more years before I wrote my first novel. I so wish I could thank him for his support.

 5. When did you know you wanted to be an author?
Although I had told myself stories since about age 6, it never occurred to me that I could write and sell my (somewhat more sophisticated)stories. I majored in Business and avoided Literature classes. But I read romance! In about 1988 my husband gave me a stocking stuffer gift at Christmas, a book about how to write romance. Poor guy hasn't seen me since. However, he does really like taking my royalty checks to the bank.

6. How did you go about becoming an author?
I started to write. That sounds so basic, but some wannabe authors forget to put themselves in a chair and their fingers on a keyboard and write. I took some classes. I found the Orange County Chapter of Romance Writers of America; I'm convinced I never would have sold without the help of friends and colleagues in the chapter. I wrote 12 full manuscripts, half of them historical romance novels, before I sold my first book in 1991. I'm currently working on my 57th novel. And I still take classes to improve my craft. 

 7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be? 
It's hard to imagine being anything other than a writer at this point in my life. Now days there are so many more opportunities for women I might have dreamed of being a political commentator/reporter or even a football commentator. (There is something really tempting about all those hunky football players.) 

 8. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do? 
Let's see, I don't do crafts; my hands perspire when I knit. I enjoy a relaxing day in the mountains sitting under a pine tree reading a book. I like fresh-water fishing. And yes, I watch those hunky football players on TV. 

 9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit? 
Over the years my husband and I have been fortunate to travel to England, Ireland, Scotland, Austria, New Zealand, much of Canada and virtually all of the national parks in the United States. I'd love to visit Africa to see the wild animals, but the thought of being something like 24-hour en route is daunting. 

 10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why? 
Hilary Clinton and Madelyn Albright come to mind; Hilary can bring her husband along. Condalisa Rice would make a good contribution to the conversation as well. (See note above about becoming a political reporter.) I love to be around really smart people because they have such broad knowledge of the world. 

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. 

My October 2012 Love Inspired is Montana Love Letter, the first of a series of books that are set in Bear Lake, MT, south of Glacier National Park. Home to Montana, also set in Bear Lake, is a March 2013 release. Visit me at www.CharlotteCarter.com

Getting to know you Thursdays with Valerie Hansen

Please join me in welcoming Valerie Hansen to my blog today. Valerie has been patient with me as she was scheduled for a couple of weeks back. 

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I'm a southern-fried Yankee; born in Ohio, married in CA and finally came to live on an old farm in  AR (where I've always belonged) in 1995. My husband and I both feel as if this is where we are happiest and most content.

2. When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books?
I loved them all. Read voraciously - everything from comic books to Black Beauty and Gone With the Wind to Agatha Christie and thousands in between.

3. Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and right write?

I love mystery and suspense. When I'm relaxing I like to read the short stories in Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock magazines. As I wrote book after book for Love Inspired, the editors noticed my tendency toward mystery so when they launched the suspense line I was right there, ready and waiting!

4. Did you have favourite authors growing up who have influenced you?
I never followed authors then the way I do now. If a book intrigued me I read it. Period. Sometimes under the bed covers at night with a flashlight! Yes, I was a bit naughty. 

5. When did you know you wanted to be an author?
I was turning 40 and looking for something to do that would be fun. Something I had never really tried before. I'd already dabbled in commercial art and raising lots of animals so writing a book sounded like a nice challenge. NOBODY TOLD ME IT WAS GOING TO BE SO HARD. Or something that would grow into a whole new career.

6. How did you go about becoming an author?
I took a college extension class that I thought was just about writing. It wasn't. It turned out to be a lot of info about marketing and selling, too. Those teachers said I had potential and I was too "green" and naive to know how much work was going to be involved.

7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be?
I will always be a writer at heart. It's more than a job, it's a calling. A compulsion, if you will. In addition to this I have lots of other interests, especially art and animals.

8. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do?
Ah, here we go. Good stuff to share. I love to garden. Hike with my dogs in the woods. Fish in the farm ponds for the catfish we stocked there. And both my husband and I love to travel, although with all the books I'm contracted to write we don't get away as often as we'd like.

9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit?
We went to Norway, the country of my father's birth, a few years ago. Since we've seen most all of the USA over the years I might like to go back to Europe. Then again, there's no place like home.

10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why?
This is a hard question. My husband would have to be included so then we're down to 2. Hmmm. I'm sitting here staring at the computer screen and thinking of people I've admired over the years but many are gone now. I did meet and was impressed by Ray Bradbury and Lawrence Block, but Ray died recently. I'd like to shake Billy Graham's hand and tell him that his longevity amazes and blesses me. So does that of the Queen of England. Beyond that I really can't say. I guess my philosophy is to be content where I am and in the company of close friends and family. It's not a cop-out. I just don't feel as if I'm missing anything.

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.

Gladly. I'm always at www.ValerieHansen.com and post info as well as book covers and excerpts. If I wasn't trying to write up to 4 books a year I might also have a blog but I just don't dare take that much time away from my work. 

 My final book for 2012 is STANDING GUARD, part of my "Defenders" series, set in rural Arkansas and dealing with CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates for children.

Then, in 2013, I have 2 scheduled already and will hopefully have more. EXPLOSIVE SECRETS, April 2013, is book #4 in a K-9 cop series and I wrote about the sweetest black lab while my new rescued lab, Lucy, slept under my desk at my feet. Then there should be a historical about the Cherokees in 1830, followed by book #6 in a new, as yet unnamed Love Inspired series with my contribution coming in Dec. 2013.  All I have to do is write it!!!

Getting to know you interview with Melanie Carter Winkler

Please welcome Melanie Carter Winkler to my blog this week. Melanie is an Aussie author who has a new book out. 

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself? I am a wife, and have been married for over 10 years. I grew up in NSW then as an adult with my now husband moved to Victoria and Western Australia which is where I live. My husband is a teacher and we are both heavily involved in children’s ministries at our church.

2. When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books? I remember reading the little golden books, but as a young child I wasn’t much a reader.

3. Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and right write? I mainly read and write Inspirational Romance, but I don’t mind the odd mystery. There might be a slight bit of mystery but not much, I focus more on the romance.

4. Did you have favourite authors growing up who have influenced you? I think the first author that I really read was Janette Oke, and the Theones as they were the books in my library at school. As i have grown i have enjoyed Dee Henderson and Lori Wick, but i have to be careful what i read if i am deep in writing as they can influence me. Kristen Heiztmann is another favourite that i have come to enjoy.

5. When did you know you wanted to be an author? I know for a lot of people they author journey started in school. Mine was quite a few years later. I had a few story ideas but knew they probably wouldn’t go anywhere, they would be just for me. Then I got reading a writer’s site, and got seriously thinking about writing. The site explained what queries, synopsis and proposals are. So i guess that would have been about 7 years ago.  Then two or three years ago I got a devotional article published and i kind of knew then I NOW was a writer.

6. How did you go about becoming an author? First was just writing and wondering where and if it was going to go anywhere. i researched some writing sites that had other writers on them. I learnt more about the craft of writing. I met someone who helped me learn more and we wrote a book together. Someone suggested I submit a devotional and it was exciting when the letter came of acceptance. I think it was learning things on different sites and reading books on writing. It all together helped me become an author that people might want to read.

7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be? I guess in a perfect world a singer. I do have an all right voice, and i do sing solos at times. Though i watched these talent shows and know i am no where close to them. I am waiting patiently to be a mum.

8. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do? I do some knitting and card making. But also have choir obligations and things at church. I love singing and listening to music, but sometimes that is while writing.

9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit?I would love to visit various places in the United States, as I have many writer friends i want to meet. I am sure Europe would be amazing to see, especially the old castles. The places I have visited is New Zealand and Tasmania, which have a similar feel and writing there is so easy when you are not busy touring.

10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why? This is hard one. I would like to touch base with some authors i admire. But these are authors who like me are self-published. Tommie Lyn (...And Night Falls), Samantha Fury (Charlie’s Angel) and maybe a more famous author. Just choosing one would be hard.

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.

Rosewood was realised in July 2012. It is on Smashwords and Amazon. It is a true romance, and the issues that the couple must face in their relationship. There is a blurb on both sites. and really good review on the Amazon Kindle version.  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/181138

 

Still in process of writing book 2 and 3 in the series. They titles are still in production so, can’t let you know yet.

I have a website that has some short stories and blogs on it.

Getting to know you Thursday with Valerie Comer

Please welcome Valerie Comer to my blog today. I met Valerie on the Love Inspired chat and on different forums. I am so excited her book is out and I loved it. 

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Valerie Comer's life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie grows much of her own food and is active in the local food movement as well as her church. She only hopes her imaginary friends enjoy their happily ever afters as much as she does hers, gardening and geocaching with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters. Check out her website and blog at http://valeriecomer.com.

 2. When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books?

I lived in a remote area with no library, so my reading choices were limited. Some books I remember fondly from my childhood are Heidi, The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew, and The Borrowers.

3. Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and write?

My favorite is contemporary romance with a side of humor. Some authors who pull this off really well are Janice Thompson and Sandra Bricker. I'm not as funny as they are, but I'm trying!

4. Did you have favourite authors growing up who have influenced you?

I think my answer is no. It didn't occur to me that books had authors, if that makes sense. I just dived into the stories and let them take me away without any thought of how they got to me.

5. When did you know you wanted to be an author?

This was a slow process for me. I enjoyed creative writing classes in Bible School and even had a short story published in a children's magazine. After marriage and children, I occasionally thought it would be cool to write books. I'd go down to the local library and take out all their books on writing (we moved a lot so the selection changed). I'd read them, daydream a little, take the books back, and carry on with daily life. In the early 90s I took a correspondence course from Institute of Children's Literature, but even that didn't really provide any significant forward motion.

6. How did you go about becoming an author?

In 2001, after yet another move, I landed a job in a small-town flooring shop. Just me in the building and two boss guys who handled everything else. And though I love interior decorating and helping folks put the finishing touches on their dream homes, there were lots of hours every day with little to do.

I'm embarrassed to say it took me several months before I realized if I was ever going to get serious about learning to write, this was the golden opportunity! Once again I went down to the library and took out all the how-to-write books. I realized that the best ones were put out by Writer's Digest.

But now I had a new tool: the Internet. I looked up Writer's Digest, found their 101 best sites, and started going through them until I found Forward Motion for Writers, a forum that was then run by multi-published mainstream speculative fiction author Holly Lisle. Finally practical advice and a place to learn alongside other wannabe writers. I learned so much there, and several of my critique partners and close writing friends remain from those days while I wrote and learned from several novels.

In 2007 I discovered ACFW and entered the Genesis contest with a fantasy novel. I finaled. Again in '08 and '09. By this time I thought my writing was getting pretty good and I began seeking an agent, but it was tough, especially with speculative. I did some soul-searching and praying about a genre jump to contemporary romance, which I took in 2009.

In December 2010 Barbour put out a call for proposals for their Romancing America line which consist of 4 linked novellas, usually by 4 different authors, in one volume.  Some friends and I put a proposal together and we received "the call" via email on January 31, 2011.

This helped me get an agent, and we're both working hard to sell one or more of the novel series we've been proposing to various publishers since then. Having a foot in the door isn't the same thing as a door wide open.

7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be?

I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up, other than a wife and mom. Now I'm loving being a grandmother to three delightful little girls. At one time I would have liked to pursue interior decorating in a more professional way than flooring sales. Now, however, I'd say working on value-added products for our family farm, especially our apiary. We just went from 10 beehives to 75 this year--thankfully with our son and daughter-in-law--and it's keeping all of us hopping. (Jenny here wow that would be interesting having an apiary)

8. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do?

We're an outdoors and foodie type family. Besides camping, hiking, and geocaching in our very beautiful area of BC, Canada, we also have a farm, apiary, and large garden, from which we 'put up' a lot of food for winter. We're into the local food movement in a big way! But the best thing ever is hanging out with my little granddaughters. What a treasure they are.

9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit?

Sometime I'd like to do more traveling. I'd love to see England and Australia and, well, nearly anyplace someone might give me tickets for. But on an ongoing basis, I love weekends where we can tow our small holiday trailer up a mountain road, park beside a creek, and just immerse ourselves in God's handiwork. (Jenny again being given tickets sure would be a benefit going away for a weekend is one thing I would love to do but is one drawback of not driving.)

10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why?

My three granddaughters? Though only the 2.5 year old gets to enjoy all the big people food. Her little sister, at six months, is just starting to experiment with food, and their littler cousin only gets breast milk for a long time yet.

Maybe I'll put off the meal with them until they're a bit bigger--at least without their parents!

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.

Rainbow's End is a collection of 4 novellas written by me, Annalisa Daughety, Cara Putman, and  Nicole O'Dell. It released from Barbour in May 2012 as part of the Romancing America series.

Here's the premise of the collection:

It's an interesting group of strangers who show up for the first annual Rainbow's End geocache hunt, and the spectacular scenery along the bluffs of the Lake of the Ozarks is just one reason.

My novella, "Topaz Treasure," is the first in the book:

Lyssa Quinn volunteers at the Rainbow's End geocaching hunt hoping to find the nerve to point folks to the true treasure found in Jesus. She's not expecting her former prof to be there, too. Kirk Kennedy's treasure hunt takes him down a path he hadn't intended when he is captivated by Lyssa's intriguing sparkle. Can he convince Lyssa that there is more than one kind of treasure? Can Lyssa remind him of the greatest prize of all?

As for future books, that's up to God and my agent. Things look good at the moment, but looks aren't everything in this business. I've seen things fall through before, so mum's the word until I hear definitive news.

You and your readers can find me online at:

·         Website: http://valeriecomer.com

·         Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/valeriecomer.author

·         Twitter: http://twitter.com/valeriecomer

·         Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/valeriecomer

·         Blog: http://valeriecomer.com/blog

·         Blog: http://romancingamerica.com

Getting to know you Thursdays with Andrea Grigg

Please join me in welcoming Australian Author Andrea Grigg. I have Andrea's debut book and waiting to read it. I am still not reading as much as I would like but am improving.

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I was born in NZ but moved to Australia when I was 25. I met my husband in Sydney, and we moved to the Gold Coast where we have raised our 3 children, all of whom are in their twenties. Time goes so fast!  Apart from writing and reading, my other passion is music.

2. When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books?

I loved The Famous Five by Enid Blyton. I read them all by the time I was about eight. (Jenny here I also loved Enid Blyton. I loved The Magic Faraway Tree series as well as Mr Gilliano's Circus and also The Famous Five but was older when I read them.)

3. Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and right write?

Women’s fiction, especially romance.

4. Did you have favourite authors growing up who have influenced you?

Apart from Enid Blyton J I enjoyed K.M. Peyton’s Flambards trilogy, and as I grew older, I read Catherine Cookson and Daphne du Maurier. Funnily enough, all these authors are British. I’ve only just realised it now as I’ve answered the question. Something to do with the history in those books, I think.

5. When did you know you wanted to be an author?

I had an inkling when I rewrote the ending to ‘Little Women’ when I was eleven.  I was not happy when Beth died. I didn’t write seriously again until I was almost fifty. Once I’d completed my first chapter of my first draft, I was hooked.

6. How did you go about becoming an author?

I figured that if I’d completed a first draft, I could call myself an author. Becoming a published author was a different thing altogether. To get to that stage, I researched the internet, picked people’s brains and followed the steps as they appeared in front of me – and edited, edited, edited! When I signed a contract, then the editing really started.

7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be?

A backing vocalist for someone famous.

8. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do?

Be with my husband and family; socialise with my friends; watch movies; teach; laugh a lot.

9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit?

I’d love to go to Europe and see some really old places. Australia and New Zealand are so young!

10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why?

Francine Rivers – to talk about writing

Darlene Zschech – to talk about music

Joyce Meyers – to talk about anything!

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.

My first book, ‘A Simple Mistake’ was published in April, by Even Before Publishing. (Big thanks to Rochelle Manners).  Here’s the blurb:

When teenage sweethearts Nick and Lainey meet again after more than a decade, so much has changed. Nick is now a famous celebrity and Lainey is the girl he left behind. As a member of a highly successful band and with an emerging acting career, Nick can have any girl he wants. Now he wants Lainey back.

Despite Nick’s promise to keep in touch when he left to seek fame and fortune, Lainey never heard from him. Now that so much time has passed, she has moved on from what she felt. Or has she?

After discovering what kept them apart for so long, they tentatively rekindle their past romance. The feelings are just as strong as before but can Lainey accept Nick’s lack of faith? And can their new relationship survive Lainey’s secret? 

I’m currently working on three books, one of which is a sequel. I’m not sure which it will be, but the plan is to complete one by the end of the year.

You can find me on the web at www.andreagrigg.com