Author Carol Cox - A BRIDE SO FAIR - Free Books

We're back today with Carol Cox with her third book about the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. She had me at the cover, and the book lived up to it. I did a review of the book on my blog on my Shoutlife space: www.shoutlife.com/lenanelsondooley When I post my June Newsletter on my website, the review will be in it: www.lenanelsondooley.com

Welcome, Carol, God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

I feel so blessed by everything He has brought about in the ten years since my first book came out! I’m looking at several new ideas at the moment, but I’m trying not to rush the process. My goal is to take the time I need to develop them into stories that have real depth and meaning.

Tell us a little about your family.

My family is one of my favorite topics, and another way God has blessed me. Dave and I have been married nearly 34 years. He’s a master at multi-tasking, pastoring two churches and operating a saddle shop in what we laughingly call his spare time. Our daughter just turned 12 and is getting ready to pass me in height any day now. Considering that I’m only 5’1”, that isn’t a huge milestone, but I don’t have the heart to point that out to her. The three of us enjoy doing things together, especially if it means spending time outdoors. We also love to travel and learn about the history of the places we’ll be visiting.

We have a grown son who married the daughter-in-law of our dreams, and they have an adorable little girl who is almost a year old. They recently moved to Texas. Having that much distance between us is hard, but it does give us an excuse to visit one of my favorite states more often!

You should contact me when you come to Texas. Maybe we can get together. Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

I don’t have nearly as much time to read for pleasure as I used to. That’s frustrating in a way, but it means I have to be more selective about what I do read these days. I enjoy a wide variety of fiction as well as books on the craft of writing.

What are you working on right now?

I just finished a contemporary cozy mystery for a Guideposts series called Mystery and the Minister’s Wife. I’ve turned in the manuscript, and now I’m waiting for the revision letter. I’m also working on developing those story ideas I mentioned earlier!

What outside interests do you have?

I’ve always enjoyed handcrafts. My favorite is crocheting, something I learned from my grandmother. And through the research I’ve done for my historicals, I’ve become interested in 19th-century dressmaking. I’ve found replicas of some patterns put out during the 1880s and 1890s, as well as books from that period on dressmaking techniques. I’m not an expert on the subject by any means, but the topic fascinates me.

It fascinates me, too. How do you choose your settings for each book?

Sometimes I think it’s more a matter of the settings choosing me than the other way around. Often, a place I read about or see on my travels will catch my attention, and I’ll find myself wondering who would have been in that place and what would have happened to them there. Pretty soon my imagination starts adding characters to the setting. When they start interacting with the place and with each other, I’m off and running!

If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?

Can I switch the question around a bit and make that a historical place instead of a person? If I could step into a time machine and choose one place to spend an evening, I’d visit the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. I spent so much time poring over maps, floor plans, and old photos in researching my current series that I feel like I could navigate the grounds as easily as I move around my home town. It was an amazing moment in our history, filled with a sense of wonder and excitement. If I could go there, I’d buy a bag of Cracker Jacks and munch on that brand-new snack food while strolling along the edge of the lagoon. One evening wouldn’t give me nearly the time I’d need to see all the exhibits, but I could at least enjoy the beauty of the marvelous buildings that housed them and experience the thrill of seeing the grounds lit up by thousands of tiny incandescent lights. And of course, I would have to take a ride on the very first Ferris wheel!

(And, dear readers, all those things are in this books.) What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

The writing life is a journey, not a destination. Publication does not mean a writer has “arrived.” There is always room for growth, and that’s a wonderful thing!

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

The Lord has been bringing a number of verses to my attention lately that are centered around the theme of learning to wait on Him. When our lives are focused on Him, we’re eager to do things that are useful to His kingdom. But sometimes we get so caught up in “working for the Lord” that we don’t have time for the One we claim to serve. And I have to remind myself that my level of activity isn’t always a reflection of my usefulness to Him. It’s all about relationship, not busy work.

That is so true. What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

Be patient. Like any career, writing requires preparation and training. The learning process takes time, so gear yourself mentally for a marathon rather than a sprint.

Be teachable. No matter how much you learn, there are always more ways to build on your skills and improve them.

Be willing. If we’re called to write for the Lord, we need to do this for His glory and not our own. Place your writing in God’s hands and be willing to give Him control as to what happens with it. He’s the one who sees the big picture and knows what’s best—both for us and for His plan.

Carol, tell us about the featured book.

A Bride So Fair is the third book in the series A Fair to Remember. Knowing it would also be the last title in the series made it hard to say goodbye to the setting and characters I’ve grown to love. At the same time, I enjoyed being able to tie up loose ends that had been left dangling and finishing the series in a way that I hope will satisfy my readers.

In A Bride So Fair, Emily Ralston is delighted when she lands a job at the Children’s Building at the Chicago World’s Fair. When she meets Stephen Bridger, a handsome Columbian Guard, sparks of attraction singe the air. When Stephen finds a lost boy, he delivers him to the Children’s Building to be cared for until his mother is located. But when a dead body believed to be little Adam’s mother is found, the intrigue deepens and danger grows.

Stephen Bridger has appeared in all the books in the series. Once he appeared in the first book, Ticket to Tomorrow, I knew I wanted to meet him again. Then I realized he needed to star in a story of his own instead of staying in the background as a secondary character. And then there’s Mrs. Purvis, the boardinghouse owner, one of my very favorite characters. That quirky little woman has won a permanent place in my heart . . . and in the hearts of readers, judging from the letters and e-mails I’ve received. Throughout the series, she’s been looking for the treasure her late husband left her. Many have written to ask if she’ll ever find it, and that question is finally answered in this book.

I loved the way that question was answered. How can readers find you on the Internet?

They can visit my website at www.CarolCoxBooks.com to learn more about me and my books. By the way, I’m currently in the process of redesigning the site to give it a fresh, new look. I’m not certain of the official launch date for the new design, but I hope you and your readers will keep watching for it. I’d love to hear what you all think!

Thanks, Lena, for letting me spend time with you here. It’s always fun to chat with a friend!

And thank you, Carol.

Readers, I've read each of these books and loved them. You will, too.

You can leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of this one, but please find the other two and read them first. Each story is a stand alone story, but I believe you'll enjoy them more if you read them in order.

Holiday Weekend Winners!!!

Charlotte Schofield is the winner of Day Omega by Craig Harm.

Ausjenny's entry will move to the main drawing for the Tricia Goyer special g0lden prize basket for A Whisper of Freedom.

Christyjan is the winner of Soar Unafraid by Jo Franz.

Please email me your mailing address. There's a link in my profile.

There'll be another interview posted tomorrow.

Author Tina Forkner - RUBY AMONG US - Free Book

There's a lot of buzz going around about the new book by Tina Forkner - Ruby Among Us. I'm glad to host her on this blog.

Welcome, Tina. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

Probably quite a lot, but the final result is purely fictional. In the case of Ruby Among Us, several characters were inspired by experiences I have had or observed in others. For example, the mother-daughter concept was inspired by my own experiences.

It’s not that I have had every experience of the mothers and daughters in the book, but I can relate because of where I was at in my life when the book was first conceived. I was a single mom for awhile and so are Ruby and Kitty. How I got there was different than my characters, but I know what it’s like to be alone and feel solely responsible for another person’s life.

So, there are many aspects of my characters that are born out of reality, but once the big picture of the story opens up for me, everything is fictionalized. It has to be since my life just isn’t all that interesting.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Some of my friends think that my being a writer is quirky. I do like putting potato chips on my sandwich. Does that count?

Sounds interesting. When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I have always known as far back as I can remember that I am a writer. I was a little kid when I told my parents I wanted to be a writer and they said, “Okay.” Much of that early writing was really bad, but my parents’ tendency to brag only encouraged me.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

I love a variety of authors, including Elizabeth Berg, Sue Monk Kidd, Jane Kirkpatrick, Amy Tan, Lisa Samson, Kim Vogel Sawyer, Colleen Coble, and others, but I am more of a favorite book person than a favorite author person. Some of my books are The Mark of the Lion series, as well as Redeeming Love, by Francine Rivers, Open House by Elizabeth Berg, The Hundred Secret Senses and Saving Fish From Drowning by Amy Tan, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Watching the Tree Limbs by Mary DeMuth, The Trophy Wives Club by Kristin Billerbeck, and Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. On occasion I like to read a good fantasy. My recent favorite is Auralia’s Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet.

What other books have you written, whether published or not?

My next book, Rose House, is due from Waterbrook Press in 2009, and I am working on three other books right now.

I'd love to feature an interview with Rose House. How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

Pray desperately. Really! Sometimes it helps to just take a walk and get away from everything.

How do you choose your characters’ names?
Honestly, I just pick names I like. As the story unfolds, names change. I misnamed one of my characters in Ruby Among Us and my editor and I worked hard to rename her. I ended up consulting some Latino friends who helped me come up with a name (Maria Lucero DiCamillo) that reflected the character’s heritage and the feelings of her mother when she named her. She eventually became Lucy.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Besides being a mom? It would have to be finishing my first novel and having it published.

Yes, that is a special accomplishment. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

My daughter and step-sons play this game too and they are always things like monkeys, raccoons, and puppies. The last time they played it, my daughter told me I was a fawn deer. I don’t know why, but I hope it’s because I’m her mommy and I’m nice.

What is your favorite food?

I love Italian and Chinese, but I think my favorite has to be Mexican. My sister and I love to find the closest Mexican restaurant and have chips and queso any time when we are together. And when my sister-in-law and mom are there, it’s even better.

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

I have to admit that as far as the act of writing itself, I have not had any big roadblocks, but I think time is the biggest challenge for me when it comes to writing as a career. I am only in my thirties, but I have been writing my whole life, so it seemed like I would never be able to even finish a novel, let alone have it published. I’d already had so many other things rejected, that I just expected to continue to be rejected forevermore. Maybe that’s why when I wrote Ruby Among Us, I told myself I would just write it and not worry about publishing at all.

What advice would you give to an author just starting out?

Not to ever lose site of the act of writing. Blogs, conferences, writing loops, etc., etc. are great networking tools, but can take a great deal of time away from writing. Doing too much of it before you are published seems to me a little like putting the horse before the cart. Work on your craft first. The only way to get better at it is to write as much as possible.

What would you like to tell us about the featured book?

Ruby Among Us is about grace and the redemptive power of faith and mother-daughter love.

I hope readers will enjoy this first novel of mine and I would love if Ruby Among Us challenges some and brings hope to others. It’s a story from my heart and while I keep saying I didn’t have an agenda when I wrote it, sometimes the heart of a writer is a funny thing and manages to say things we didn’t know would surface in the story. But mostly I just wanted to tell a good story.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

www.tinaannforkner.com or email me at atforkner@yahoo.com

Tina, thank you for spending this time with us. I just love your cover.

Readers, as always, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book.

Tomorrow I'll choose winners of three other books, so come back or sign up for FeedBlitz under my profile so you won't miss a single post.

BLOG TOUR - Rachel Hauck - SWEET CAROLINE - Special Prize

About Rachel:
I'm a forty-something, a child of the '60's, '70's, '80's, '90's and '00's.


I roller skated through the '70's into the '80's with Farrah Fawcet hair and a three-speed orange Camero.


Born in Ohio, I lived several years in Oklahoma and Kentucky before my parents moved the family to Florida.


I graduated from Ohio State University (Go Buckeyes!) with a degree in Journalism. As a member of Phi Mu sorority, I partied my way though the last few years of college.


But, the truth is, and always will be, I belong to Jesus. At the age of six, I knelt at the altar of a Tulsa Methodist church and gave my life to the One who loves me.


After graduation, hired on at Harris Publishing as a software trainer, determined to see the world. And I did it without a laptop, a cell phone, an IPod or portable DVD player. Those were hard times.


But, I traveled to Ireland, Spain, Venezuela, Mexico, Australia, Canada and the U.S. from California to Maine. But, life on the road is difficult. Working twelve to fourteen hour days, one doesn't get to see many of the sites. In Ireland, our company's distributor drove me around at night so I could see something of Dublin.


I met Tony, my husband, in '87, at church, of all places. We got married in '92. Tony has been a pastor for twenty years. I've worked with him in eighteen of those twenty. Our heart is to see teens and adults passionate, radical and whole hearted for Jesus.


Tony and I don't have any children of our own, lots of kids-in-the-Lord and we love them all. However, we do have a very spoiled dog, and an even more spoiled cat.


I've always wanted to be a writer. My dad used to tell me, "You're a writer." I have letters he wrote me post college, exhorting me to write. In this, I believe he had the heart of God.


In '93, I started an epic WW2 novel with two plots. It was well rejected. After that ordeal, I took a break and put efforts into my job as a software project manager. But, I missed writing and in late ' 99, I took up the craft again.


With a little help from my friends, my first book was published in ' 04, Lambert's Pride, a romance novel. I love writing chick lit and romance. I love writing. What an honor.

About the book:
Caroline Sweeney has always done the right thing--the responsible, dependable thing--unlike her mother who abandoned her family. But when her best friend challenges her to accept an exciting job adventure in Barcelona, Spain, Caroline says "yes" to destiny.


Then, without warning, ownership of the run-down cafe where she's been waitressing falls right into Caroline's lap. While she's trying to determine the cafe's future, handsome Deputy Sherriff J.D. Rand captures Caroline's heart.


But when her first love, Mitch O'Neal, comes back to town, fresh from the heat of his newly-found fame as a country music singer in Nashville, Caroline must make some hard choices about love and the pursuit of the sweet life.


Contest:

The Sweet Life contest! Enter to win a Scrumptious Baking Basket from Rachel. The basket contains a Super Cool Apron, a Low country cook book signed by PAT CONROY, rolling pin, and a pie plate! All you have to do to enter is sign up for Rachel's newsletter here: http://rachelhauck.com/newsletter.htm
Picture of apron: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41pm2sSmf7L._SL160_AA160_.jpg


And BONUS here's a recipe for Bubba's Buttery Biscuits!
3 cups self-rising flour

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled, plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted for brushing the tops

1 1/4 cups buttermilk


Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.


Place the flour and chilled butter in a medium mixing bowl. Work the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingertips until the butter pieces are a little larger than an English pea, but not larger than a lima bean. If you are using your fingers, work quickly so that the heat of your hands won't melt the butter.


Pour in all of the buttermilk and, using light pressure, fold the mixture a few times with a plastic spatula until it holds together. Do not over mix. In order to make light biscuits, it is important to work the dough as little as possible.


Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead it quickly and gently 6 to 10 times or until it begins to be almost homogenized. There will be large pieces of butter throughout. Sprinkle a little flour under the dough so that it won't stick to the board and lightly dust the top of the dough so that it won't stick to the board and lightly dust the top of the dough so that it won't stick to the rolling pin. Roll the dough out to about 1/2-inch thickness.


Cut the dough into 2-inch rounds, place on an ungreased baking sheet, and bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes. I like the biscuits to be crispy and brown on the top and bottom, but not dry in the middle. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and brush the tops of the biscuits with the melted butter. Serve right away. (recipe from Louis Osteen)

Links:
Rachel's website: www.rachelhauck.com

Buy the book here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1595543376?&camp=212361&creative=383841&linkCode=wss&tag=sprightly-20

Rachel's My Book Therapy ( a writing craft blog for writers): www.mybooktherapy.com

Sounds like fun, doesn't it?

Leave a comment for a chance to win the prize from Rachel.

Author Rick Barry - GUNNER'S RUN - Free Book

Rick Barry writes Young Adult novels aimed at young men.

Welcome, Rick. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

Just as with actors on stage or on screen, I think various aspects of myself emerge and help to flesh out the primary characters that I create for my stories. When I write about a child, I recall back to when I was a child. What interested me then? What was I afraid of? And with adult characters, I don’t recreate myself on paper, but I notice that some degree of my own emotions, interests or personality usually overflows into the protagonist that I’ve created. That might include my interest in foreign languages and international travel. Or it might be an interest in history. But as a Christian writer, I always include my Biblical worldview there somewhere.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

Well, it may not be quirky, but in my novel Gunner’s Run, the main character tumbles through the open bomb bay doors of a B-24 over Nazi Germany. I suppose I could have used my imagination, but I decided it would be more fun to experience the sensation. I signed up for a sky-diving class and jumped out of a perfectly good plane—twice!

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

In high school I noticed that writing assignments never sparked in me the moans and agony that they generated in my classmates. But not until I entered a writing contest in my sophomore year of college and had my first article printed did I stop and realize, “Hey, I can write. People will actually give me money for stuff I make up!”

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

The kind books I enjoy is probably a bizarre spectrum. Depending on my mood at the moment I can enjoy biographies of famous figures from history, or a non-fiction WW II story as told through the eyes of a man who was in the thick of the action. In fiction, I can pick up children’s novels, works by John Steinbeck, Robin Cook, Edgar Allen Poe, John Grisham, Edgar Rice Burroughs, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Brandt Dodson… I can chuckle through Nancy McArthur’s The Plant That Ate Dirty Socks or read a thriller by John Clancy or something by Michael Crichton. Just for fun, I read a woman’s novel, Sophie’s Heart by Lori Wick, to get a feel for her style. Occasionally I might leaf through a book of poems by Robert Frost and reread selected ones.

What other books have you written, whether published or not?

Besides my World War II story Gunner’s Run, I’ve written a fantasy novel for young adults. Just today my editor informed me that a contract for that manuscript is in the mail. Besides those, I’ve written over a couple hundred articles and short stories for magazines, newspapers, etc. Right now I’m working on a third novel that begins in WW II but then comes down to our own time.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

The best anchor for maintaining sanity is a healthy relationship with God through Jesus Christ. When that relationship is Number One in your life, other priorities fall into proper sequence more often than not. A favorite verse is Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness….”

How do you choose your characters’ names?

For Gunner’s Run, I wanted the main character to come from northern Indiana. One of the most typical names there is Yoder, so I named my hero Jim Yoder. He was meant to be a normal, guy-next-door type, and I believe that name helps to capture that image.

For a series of short science fiction stories that I’m writing for Focus on the Family’s teen magazine Breakaway, the main character is Rankin Fithian. In that case, I had the name long before I ever imagined the story. It comes from a sign I once saw on an interstate highway in Illinois. One exit was the way to two local towns—Rankin and Fithian, but without “and” in the middle. As soon as I saw that sign I thought, “What a cool name for a character!” I wrote it down while I was driving but didn’t have a story to go with it until over a year later.

For my current novel, I chose to call my protagonist Roger Greene, because I wanted a name that implies life, vibrancy, and green is traditionally a word that suggests biological life and nature. So I tacked on an “e” and got Greene. But I’ll admit that once in a while I have thumbed through a phone book looking for inspiration!

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Interesting question. They ask the same thing on the application for the reality show Survivor on TV. (I’ve applied multiple times, and so far no one at CBS realizes I’m perfect for the show!) I guess my answer would be learning to read and write and speak Russian even though I have no Russian roots in my family. I’ve traveled there over 25 times.

I'll be looking for you on the show someday. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

Pegasus—a flying horse. I saw a statue of Pegasus once, and it evoked feelings of strength and grace, plus adventure.

What is your favorite food?

Almost anything Chinese, but especially General Tso’s chicken. The spicier, the better.

I like Chinese food, too, but keep mine mild. What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

For me, the time crunch is the major impediment. I’m not a full-time writer. My full-time position is with a Christian ministry that plants churches in Russia and Eastern Europe. So all my writing is done is little blocks of 20 minutes here and half a lunch hour there. Sometimes I write while at an airport waiting for an airplane, or with the last remaining brain cells before I conk out before bed. How do I deal with the time shortage? Simply by NOT succumbing to the paralyzing notion, “I don’t have time to write.” Just one paragraph a day will eventually add up to a short story or, in time, a whole novel. You just have set your sights on the long haul and keep plugging away, day after day.

What advice would you give to an author just starting out?

Learn the craft. Study how good, published authors use dialogue and transitions, and how they describe (or don’t describe) their characters. Know the proper use of all punctuation, and when you’re not sure, find out how to do it. Above all else, use proper spelling and don’t trust your computer’s spell-checker program. It will lead you astray. If you do all of the above, even your first manuscript can look like a decent, polished submission when the editor receives it. Fail to do any of the above, and the editor will say, “Oh. Another amateur wannabe,” before rejecting your story.

What would you like to tell us about the featured book?

Although Gunner’s Run takes place in WW II, it’s not really a story about battles and bloodshed. Rather, it’s two journeys in one: a physical journey as my escaped hero tries to get out of Hitler’s Europe and back to England, and a spiritual journey as he learns to trust in God, from whom he had been running for a long time.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Although you can Google my name, you might have to wade through a page or so of sites about the famous Rick Barry who played basketball for the Golden State Warriors in the 1970s. To save time, go straight to http://www.rick-barry.com/

Thank you for spending this time with us, Rick.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of the book.

Winners!!! Winners!!! Winners!!!

I'm late getting to these today. My husband had outpatient surgery Thursday, and I've been a little off schedule. Hopefully, tomorrow I'll be better.

Kathy at Sumballo is the winner of The Sovereign's Daughter by my friends Susan Downs and Susan May Warren.

Rebecca Yauger is the winner of Where the Truth Lies by Elizabeth Ludwig. I'm reading this one right now, and it's very good.

Carolyn W is the winner of One Holy Night by J. M Hochstetter.

All three of you need to email me your mailing address. There's a link in my profile.

Another interview will come tomorrow. If you don't want to miss any post to this blog, sign up for FeedBlitz under my profile.

Author Jo Franz - SOAR UNAFRAID - Free Book

Today, we're talking to the author of a nonfiction book, Jo Franz.

You are writing nonfiction. Do you also write fiction?

I have never done so, but I’m thinking of trying.

What would you like for our readers to know about you personally?

I am passionate about living by the Spirit’s power—that’s the only way I can do all I do with multiple sclerosis. Having MS has kept me in this place of seeking the Spirit’s strength and wisdom, so I’m grateful for it (though I certainly prayed for miraculous healing and eventually claimed God’s sovereignty over the disease as well as all of life). I love sharing how the Spirit has worked through my weaknesses, and how we can know God as our Abba Daddy! With every difficulty I’ve experienced, I’ve been reminded that God brought me through something before, so I can trust Him again. And because every difficulty has brought me closer to Jesus Christ and my Abba, I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

Tell us about your family.

After my first husband (a pastor) had an affair with an older teenager and divorced me, I was alone for several years. Then I met Ray, who fell head over heels in love with me, but needed to go through a period of struggling with the uncertainty of MS before marrying me in 1987. Then I realized Ray was emotionally and verbally abusive. God had a plan for us, though, and we bonded tightly together as we overcame things together. I became an “instant mom” to his daughters, eight and ten, whom he had raised alone for seven years. We have three granddaughters and a grandson!

Have you written other nonfiction books?

I have stories in 8 compilation books:
The One Year Life Verse Devotional
His Forever
Bounce Back Too
Teatime Stories for Mothers
Heart Stirring Stories of Romance
Stories of God’s Abundance for a More Joyful Life
God’s Vitamin ‘C’ for the Hurting Spirit
I’ve also contributed to the writing of:
The Art of Helping
The Tailor Made Marriage
Love Extravagantly
Come as You Are

Actually, I wrote one of the devotions in the One Year Life Verse Devotional book, too. What other books have you written, and where can the readers of the blog find them?

Soar Unafraid: Learning to Trust No Matter What is my first.

Do you have any other books in the works right now?

I’m at work on several ideas.

Where on the Internet can the readers find you?

www.jofranz.com

book sales: www.soarunafraid.com

What kinds of hobbies and leisure activities do you enjoy?

I love to read, travel, sight-see, view wildlife, jeep in the Rockies, (all while spending time with my husband, Ray!) I only gave up downhill skiing with helps for the disabled and tandem cycling six years ago due to arthritis (from using my crutches for the MS since 1981).

Why did you write the featured book?

Audiences have requested my story in book form since 1984. When they picked up one of the compilation books I sold at speaking events, they would ask, “Is this your story?” and I would have to answer, “It has one of my stories in it along with those of others.” I tried several times through the years to write my memoir, but knew it wasn’t time. Four years ago I heard, "Soar unafraid as you write" and I began reading journal entries from the 1970s up until then, compiling experiences and even conversations I’d actually journaled (in order to make sense of what was happening to me, what my part was, and what, eventually wasn’t mine to claim.) My life has been full of joy and thanks, learning to rejoice in all things and live adventurously, but I’ve also had so many varied difficulties, anyone can relate—it’s not just about living with a chronic, unpredictable illness; infertility, divorce, remarriage, step-parenting—there’s so much more! I have always admitted my mistakes and how I needed God’s grace in order to grow. I’ve been told my story is an inspiration, and I wanted to get it out there to touch hearts, to bring people to Christ, and to a closer walk with Him. The feedback I’ve been getting brings tears to my eyes. Since I am a certified peer counselor and inspirational speaker for the National MS Society, a portion of all sales is being donated to them.

What do you want the reader to take away from the book?

With Christ we can joyfully overcome anything in our lives. That living in fear does not have to be the norm, it can be conquered by living according to the truth—truth we find in God, and the truth we must learn to tell ourselves based on God’s Word. When we make the choice (often through painful growth) to follow him, a heart of thanks and rejoicing in all things gives us wings to soar no matter what happens to us.

Thank you, Jo, for spending this time with us and sharing about your book.

Readers, as always, leave a comment if you want a chance to win a free copy.

Check out the other interviews, too.