 It’s my pleasure to welcome one of prism Book Group authors-Kevin Smith. Kevin Mark Smith is an attorney in Wichita, Kansas, where he writes and practices law. He is married with three daughters, all aspiring writers. You can find out more about Kevin and pending writing projects on his law firm web page, www.acelaw.net, his author page, www.kevinmarksmith.com, and the Flashback launch page, www.flashbacksuspense.com. Please tell the readers about your novel. Who or what was your inspiration behind it. The idea for Flashback came to me while I ate a steakburger and spoke to my agent at Freddy's Steakburgers & Frozen Custard in Derby, Kansas. David had been pitching another novel of mine with no success and we discussed the challenges. He told me that Christian publishers were only looking for (1) romance novels, and (2) novels with unexpected plot twists. I told him about my own meditations on money and success and pitched the idea for Flashback, the alternate reality part of it, that is. I started writing it that day, with the addition of the romance element, and finished the first draft within 3 months.  Many main characters are a reflection of the author or somebody the author knows. Are there any tidbits that you've put into you characters that mimic people around you?
Much of Ken's meditations on his childhood challenges, as well as his relationships with his father and grandfather, are autobiographical. I even lived in Littleton, Colorado, for a time, and grew up in Texas! How did you decide on the setting? Did you need to do research? I chose the setting based on childhood memories. The street names are fictional. However, I grew up in the Dallas/Fort Worth area so knew much about those cities. How long did it take to write the book, including preliminary work? Three months from start to completion of the first draft. There was lots of rewriting and editing afterwards. The current version is the result of several months of content and line editing with Prism. Thanks to Marcy and Joan at Prism for their help. Yes Kevin, as a Prism author myself I can really say the Joan and Marcy are tops. Prism Book Group is wonderful at helping authors reach their potential. Many authors say the novel has a voice all its own. Did the plot change once your characters started forming the story? Yes. I don't want to reveal any spoilers. Suffice to say that the end and what led to it was totally unexpected for me, too. Looking back I can't see how it could have ended any other way given the underlying spiritual message. What was the hardest part to write this novel? Peeling away the scabs from my childhood and looking within myself for what led me to where I am today. As I stated earlier, a large part of the first few chapters is autobiographical. When I first started writing those scenes, I was concerned I might regret my life choice despite how blessed I've been by a loving wife and three darling children. The good news is that I'm more grateful now with how God has blessed us than I was before. Introspection is a good thing. When an author can reach a revelation such as yours, it adds a great depth to the novel. I’m sure during your edits some of the insight showed. Kevin thanks so much for being on my blog. Flashback is a great novel. Readers if you want to purchase a copy please visit: http://goo.gl/FN6Qts
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 Lisa Lickel is a Wisconsin writer who lives with her husband in a hundred and sixty-year-old house built by a Great Lakes ship captain. Surrounded by books and dragons, she writes inspiring fiction. A complete list of her novels can be found on her website. She writes feature newspaper stories, short stories, magazine articles and radio theater, and is the editor in chief of Creative Wisconsin magazine. Lickel loves to encourage new authors and is an avid book reviewer and blogger, a freelance editor, and a writing mentor. She is married to a high school biology teacher, and they have two grown and married sons. Find her and all her connections at http://www.LisaLickel.com.  Please tell the readers about your novel. Who or what was your inspiration behind it?
Thank you, Mary, for hosting me today. I appreciate the opportunity to share about my novel, Healing Grace. Grace Runyon could fix anyone -- until her husband developed cancer and died. Believing no one would forgive her, Grace runs from the life she knew, hoping even God wouldn’t find her in a little out-of-the-way town in Michigan. It takes a very sick man and his little boy to help Grace face her past, accept who she is and battle her way back to redemption. Just when Ted and Grace begin to hope for the future, Ted relapses. Grace faces the ultimate choice once again: Trusting God to work through her precious gift, or letting a terminally ill man die. What if the price is more than she can pay? My inspiration: I’m a Trekkie. The story of Gemma, an empath, has always stuck with me. She can touch others and take on their physical illnesses. There are documented cases in real life, but I wanted to explore the biblical gifts of the spirit, one of which is healing. What would they look like today? Grace can heal with a touch, but when she met her worst fears and failed, she ran, I suppose, trying to get away from God. I didn’t want to write a story in which everything turned out great just because you have faith. While I was writing this story, my brother came down with a horrible illness, which went undiagnosed for a long time. I didn’t draw from my brother’s case directly, but while keeping up with his symptoms and eventual diagnosis, the research, which gave me the foundation for Ted’s illness. My brother eventually recovered most of his faculties, though still suffers pain and from numbness in his fingers, not quite the miraculous recovery that Ted underwent. How did you decide on the setting? Did you need to do research? My brother and his family live in Michigan. He took me up to visit the Grand Traverse area and Petoskey, and my sister-in-law told me the story about the fossils. My nephews talked about picking fruit and other things, like the sand lions. I live on the other side of Lake Michigan, in Wisconsin, but it’s like a completely different part of the country. Lots of fun. What was the hardest part to write this novel? It was hard to write about Ted going downhill again after making it seem like he might recover. Of course, you set the reader up for the great miracle, but it’s difficult to be your character who expects to die, who has lost all hope when the medical professionals cannot do anything else. Which did you create first the plot of the characters? Healing Grace was the second book I ever wrote, back in 2005. I don’t think I even understood the different between plot-driven and character-driven at that point. I don’t think I can claim that I created the plot or the characters first. I just knew these people and what they were going through; I knew there was a miracle; I knew Grace had to break before she could become whole, and I knew Ted had to suffer not just for himself, but for Grace as well. If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you would change? I wouldn’t have gone with the first publisher, back in 2007, and publication in 2009. Things didn’t go very well, and it was not a great experience. I leaned things, though, about the publication world. The book wasn’t ready, and when I got my rights back, I was able to repackage, basically rewrite the story, delve better into the characters and fix most of the problems. The MuseItUp team did quite well, and I’m glad they were honest and helpful about making the story better. I’d love one more edit…yes, I’m one of “those” who just can’t get enough tweaking. What genre is you favorite to write and why? The question presumes that one writes more than one genre—and yes, I do. I’ve been all through that branding, platform, marketing, choose-your-genre-and-stick-with-it business for the last decade. Honestly, there’s commercial market and an artistic/literary market. I love writing stories that delve into “issues” that are controversial and solve all the problems of the world if they can be overcome. But romance and mystery are what readers recognize and buy more often. Sigh. I’m excited to share Healing Grace with all the readers. The novel has certainly captured my attention. Below are some links to find this wonderful book. Publisher: http://tinyurl.com/mw4fapk Barnes and Noble: http://tinyurl.com/c4pddbh Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/mry3kf8  It’s my pleasure to introduce Bruce Judisch this week. Bruce will you tell us a bit about yourself. I’m a husband of one, father of three, and grandfather of fourteen. And if you don’t think *that* keeps me busy! J Born and raised in Canton, Ohio, I served 21 years in the US Air Force, living in California, Alaska (child #1), Texas (child #2), England (child #3), Crete (nope, all done), Germany, and Maryland. My fiction includes a novelization of the minor prophet Jonah’s story, “A Prophet’s Tale” (currently in two parts; a third is planned), Katia and For Maria, both described below. All have been published through a small traditional publisher, OakTara. I’ve also written several Bible studies (one of which is currently under edit for eBook), topical studies, and am published in a professional journal. Please tell the readers about your novel. Who or what was your inspiration behind it? First of all, thanks so much, Mary, for hosting me. I hope I’ll have something of value—and fun—to leave with your readers.  At the risk of appearing to double-dip on your kind offer share my work, I’d like to involve two novels in my responses--Katia and For Maria—so closely are they tied together. By all means Bruce I'm sure we would enjoy learning about both of these books.  Both books are hybrid contemporary/historical works, in that they have a modern-day storyline and a parallel mid-20th-century storyline. Katia centers on post-WWII and the Cold War in East Berlin, Germany, and For Maria deals with the “Kindertransport,” 1934-1945, during which thousands of children were saved from concentration camps and fostered overseas to await reunion with their families. The contemporary storylines in both novels feature Madeline “Maddy” McAllister, an exchange student in Katia and young journalist in For Maria. She is the prime driver of the crux events in both stories.
Katia was motivated by a scene I witnessed living in Berlin in 1989 at the fall of the Berlin Wall. For Maria follows the story of twin infant girls, briefly introduced in Katia, as they transit Europe in the Kinder transport. Bruce, how did you decide on the setting? Did you need to do research? Both the contemporary and historical settings for Katia were driven by the circumstances surrounding the Berlin Wall, which, of course, dictated placement in Berlin. There was some academic research involved; however, I was eyewitness to many of the events in the story—which made it easier and a lot of fun to write. The historical setting of For Maria is wide ranging, covering Poland, Austria, France, Spain, Portugal, and the United States. The contemporary setting takes place in Madeline’s hometown: Saginaw, Michigan, and my hometown, San Antonio, Texas. I have no idea why I chose Saginaw, other than it stuck with me after hearing it many years ago in the Paul Simon song, America. Deep, huh? Research on For Maria was time intensive and emotionally exhausting. The greatest joy was befriending some of the alumni of the Kindertransport, now in their 80s, whom I interviewed. It’s largely their story I tell. How long did it take to write the book, including preliminary work? Amazingly, I wrote the first draft of Katia in 30 days (76.5K words). The story just flowed from the pen...er, the keyboard. Of course, editing it into readability took a year, but that’s not too bad for a part-time author. The story was a joy to write and is still my wife, Jeannie’s, favorite. For Maria was a different story, literally. It took about a year and a half to complete a satisfactory first draft. The research time and emotional investment I alluded to earlier contributed to that. A few times I had to step away from the manuscript for a couple of weeks, just to clear my head. I understand that. Often writing drains us. Many authors say the novel has a voice all its own. Did the plot change once your characters started forming the story? Oh, yes! I’m mostly a seat-of-the-pants writer. If the characters don’t chime in, the story doesn’t get written. I love the first (and last) lines from the movie Miss Potter, in which Rene Zellweger, as the title character Beatrix Potter utters, “There's something delicious about writing those first few words of a story. You can never quite tell where they will take you.” How true! If you haven’t seen Miss Potter, oh my, you must! Tell us how you choose the names of your characters? Okay, confession time. I managed to get 13 of my grandchildren’s names into Katia, and some in the carry-over to For Maria. Little Gwendolyn, alas, #14, didn’t make her appearance until after publication. Watch for her in the next one. The title character in Katia was determined for me by the scene that inspired it (check the Katia page on my website). Maria, in For Maria, is a carry-over from Katia. Neither of those are grandchildren’s names, though. What genre is you favorite to write and why? I love the hybrid contemporary/historical, with a little heavier preference for the historical. I believe foremost that a novel should entertain, but running a close second is that the reader should learn something, gain something of value to take away from a story above just a cozy feeling. Perhaps to be better for having read it. I hope my books do both of those things—entertain and educate. Perhaps some of your readers will tell me how well I succeeded. I'm sure many readers are interested in learning more about you. Do you have a homepage where they can do so? My books—and a really cool quote by Sir Winston Churchill—can be found at www.brucejudisch.com. Just click a cover on the homepage and it’ll take you to a page devoted to that book. On the Katia page, there’s a link to an interview our local CBS affiliate did with me when the book was released. Folks might enjoy seeing that for some nice insight into the story. Bruce it’s great to have you on my blog this week. I know many readers will look forward to learning more about you and your books. Thanks, Mary. This has been fun. I hope to chat with some of your readers in the Comments section. In fact, to help that along, why don’t I offer a set of Katia and For Maria in a giveaway drawing of folks who comment on the questions, “What is the most important thing you expect of a novel? How about the second most important thing?” That’s always a great topic. A give-away sounds like a wonderful Idea. I’ll spread the word. Readers’ do you want a chance to win? What are your thoughts to the questions?  June Foster is a retired teacher with a BA in Education and a MA in counseling. She writes full time and travels in her RV with her husband Joe. June has written four novels for Desert Breeze Publishing. The Bellewood Series, Give Us This Day – February 1, 2012, As We Forgive – September 1, 2012, and Deliver Us – April 1, 2013, and Hometown Fourth of July – July 1, 2012. June's book, Ryan's Father, will be available from WhiteFire Publishing January 2014. For All Eternity, Red and the Wolf, and Misty Hollow, God willing, will be published in the near future. June loves to write stories about characters who overcome the issues in their lives by the power of God and His Word. June uses her training in counseling and her Christian beliefs in creating characters who find freedom to live godly lives. June, please tell the readers about your novel. Who or what was your inspiration behind it? Though Jess Colton gave his life to the Lord, he held onto an old habit. Fueled by alcohol, he spent a night with a girl from his past, defying his Christian principles. When he quit drinking to honor God, he discovered another addiction. Now he can't manage his own life as his weight soars and diabetes threatens to claim him. Jess is baffled when the beautiful Holly Harrison declares her love. Holly Harrison lived to please herself. But everything caught up with her in one moment of time when a destructive motorcycle accident altered her life forever. Nowhere else to turn, she looked to God for answers. Now, she's convinced no Christian man would be attracted to her. She doesn’t plan on falling in love with the handsome Jess Colton seeing past his bulk to the godly, tender man within. When Jess drives a wedge between them, she loses hope of a future together. Can Holly overcome her handicap? Does Jess find control over his eating and his life? Only God can provide the answers. I believe some Christians experience problems similar to Jess Colton's. Drinking alcohol isn't an acceptable practice at church potlucks. I say that with tongue in cheek. Many precious people who've given their lives to the Lord are still plagued with addictive tendencies, so they look to an "acceptable" habit—over eating. That could've been my own story.  How did you decide on the setting? Did you need to do research?
Give Us This Day is set in the fictitious city of Bellewood, Washington. I lived in Washington state for ten years and love the green forests, towering volcanic mountains, and sparkling blue lakes. This backdrop seemed a natural location to place my characters. I didn't have to do as much research as I do now with my current WIP set in the Appalachians of Tennessee. How did you choose the names of your characters? Generally, I give my characters names I've always loved. I'd often wished I'd had more kids so I could assign them my favorites, but now I can bestow my names on my characters. For Jess's last name, Colton, my husband and I were in Kentucky when I was writing the book, and we went to a great steak house called Coltons. So I decided that might be a good last name for Jess. Which did you create first, the plot or the characters? The plot and the characters are so much a part of each other, it's hard to say. I started with a general story idea and then did a character study through interviews and brainstorming. Too, I did research to discover why a person grows up with an addictive personality. This told me more about Jess. What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why? My favorite chapter is when Jess talks about how imperfect his body is because he tops the scales at 300 pounds. Holly risks her dignity by showing him her prosthetic which she's disguised since they first met. Since she's skilled at wearing the device on her left leg under her knee, no one knows about her handicap. I love this scene because of the emotional impact it makes on readers. Is there anything else you'd like to share with the readers about your books, or you personally? I love to write stories about Christian characters who overcome seemingly impossible issues by the power of God and His word. So far I have four inspirational romances published, a contract for another, and three more for which I'm seeking publication. A few of the difficult life situations I write about are obesity, anger, unforgiveness, homosexuality, illiteracy, and abortion. Amazon purchase link. http://www.amazon.com/Bellewood-Book-One-Give-This/dp/1612529313/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1375822313&sr=1-1  Paula Mowery is a pastor’s wife and former homeschool mom. She has always been an avid reader of Christian fiction. She began writing in the area of nonfiction creating three Bible studies which were self-published. However, she crafted fiction stories which she shared with friends and family. When one of her readers encouraged her to pursue publication, she joined American Christian Fiction Writers, learning more about the world of fiction. Her debut work of fiction is a novella published by Harbourlight, a division of Pelican Book Group – THE BLESSING SEER. She is also an acquiring editor for Prism Book Group.  BE THE BLESSING is a sequel to my debut novella, THE BLESSING SEER. The sequel picks up with the main character and pastor’s wife, Addy Townsend, five years after the ending of the first novella. During the final edits for THE BLESSING SEER my editor asked if there would be a second book to continue the story. That was all I needed to get my mind whirring, and the story of Addy and her pursuit to do something significant for God was extended. Many main characters are a reflection of the author or somebody the author knows. Are there any tidbits that you've put into your characters that mimic people around you? The main character and I share the role of pastor’s wife, though I’m much more outspoken and outgoing than Addy. Some of the situations faced by Addy have occurred in real life and some are completely fictitious. Many of the lessons Addy learns through striving to become more like Jesus are ones I’ve had to wrestle with. Just like her, I desire to do something of significance for God. How did you decide on the setting? Did you need to do research? The setting is based on my small East Tennessee town with its local eatery hangouts and good ol’ Southern Baptist Churches. The only research required was staying observant. How long did it take to write the book, including preliminary work? The sequel took much less time to write – more like six months or so. Both of these books came to me like an instant download from God. Much of my other work has taken longer to create. Paula I like that phrase “instant download form God.” He indeed helps his children is the most unique ways. Tell us the hardest part to write this novel. The hardest part about writing this book was dealing with the lessons God had for me to learn along with Addy. Also, there are some gut-wrenching scenes that brought back memories of the true situations the scenes were based upon. How did you choose the names of your characters? Since this was a sequel, I didn’t have to create many new names. The character names in the first book were chosen by utilizing a baby name book. Each character’s name embodies the meaning of his or her name as found in that name book. For example, Addy’s name means My witness or chosen. If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you would change? I can’t think of anything I would change. God was so evident in every aspect of getting these two books published. First, as I pressed send to submit the first novella, I prayed if this was the right place for the book that someone would be touched by the story. When my editor sent back an email to me, the first line read: I was so touched by this story. Confirmation. And, my editor and I have worked so well together – she has been a blessing to me. Reviewers have written to me explaining how THE BLESSING SEER boosted their faith. In three words describe your style of writing. One reviewer described my style this way: Thunders with emotion.  What genre is you favorite to write and why?
Though these two books would be considered women’s fiction, I actually prefer Christian romance. What can I say? I just love a good “chick flick” and the happily ever after. I'm sure many readers are interested in learning more about you. Do you have a homepage where they can do so? You can find me on Facebook pages under Paula Mowery and at my blog www.paulamowery.blogspot.com Below is the purchase link for Blessing Seer http://www.amazon.com/The-Blessing-Seer-ebook/dp/B008HVM1WO/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375270148&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=The+blesssing+seer Read more of her writing in her monthly columns on www.christianonlinemagazine.com. |
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