Meet Anne Greene
My name is Anne Greene and my home is in McKinney, Texas, just a few miles north of Dallas. My husband is a retired Colonel, Army Special Forces. My little brown and white Shih Tzu, Lily Valentine, shares my writing space, curled at my feet. I have four beautiful, talented children. Besides my first love, writing, I enjoy travel, art, reading, sailing, and way too many other things to mention. Life is good. Jesus said, “I am come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly.” Whether writing contemporary or historical, my books celebrate the abundant life Jesus gives.
Tell us about your newest book.
My latest book, Avoiding The Mistletoe, is set in 1865. Desperate Widow Olivia Rose Baker abandons her dying hometown in Massachusetts to become a mail-order bride in male-dominated Seattle, Washington. Her abusive husband died in the Civil War and left Olivia wary of marriage, so she hopes to take a teaching position rather than become a bride. But the man who purchased her ticket to Seattle insists she fulfill her contract and marry.
Stark Macaulay, former Confederate soldier and now Sheriff of Seattle, is smitten with Olivia. Stark, unlike all the rich men in Seattle, has nothing to offer Olivia but his love. But Olivia hates everything to do with the Confederacy. Both struggle with demons from the past. Will these strong-willed people gain a second chance at love?
What genre do you focus on and why?
I normally prefer to write historical romance because I love to share little known events from the past and unveil them in an intriguing way through fiction. Avoiding The Mistletoe relates the true story of The Mercer Girls, mail-order brides who left their dying hometown (due to the aftermath of the Civil War) to find happy marriages in the untouched-by-war northeast and become pillars of Seattle, Washington society.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
Olivia Rose Baker is the main character. I chose the name because it was popular in the 1860s. She could easily have been one of the one hundred and fifty Mercer Girls who sailed from Massachusetts to the State of Washington.
What does a day in your writing world look like?
A day in my writing world starts with breakfast, a quiet time with the Lord, a two-mile walk or a visit to my health club for cardio and strength training, then running what errands need to be taken care of. I usually head for my office directly after lunch and work on either a story or some publicity until five or six o’clock. If I’m on a deadline, I work until nine or ten o’clock at night. But if I have a family or friend event, that takes precedence. Jesus first, family and friends next, then finally work is my schedule.
What is the hardest part of being an author? Why?
The hardest part of being an author for me is to take time from writing my stories to publicize them. I find it difficult to ring my own bell, to tell everyone how great my stories are. I would prefer to leave that up to my publishers, but that doesn’t happen anymore. I never have a problem writing. I’ve never hit so-called “writer’s block.”
What’s the best part of your author’s life? Why?
The best part of my writing life is the process of writing. I love to write. I’m a seat-of-the-pants writer, so writing for me is like sitting down to watch a movie. Only the movie runs inside my brain. I know my characters and some of my obstacles, and I let my characters loose to see how they will handle their situations. I never know how the story will end—until the characters reach the end. It’s quite exciting.
What is the craziest thing you’ve experienced as an author?
Probably the craziest thing I’ve ever experienced as an author was the Sunday morning at church when I met my husband-to-be. In the single’s class I was surrounded by men, but one man grew up in the vicinity of and knew the story of my first book, The Trail of Tears. He impressed me as one of the few people in the United States who knew what happened on that infamous trail, and I guess I impressed him.
What is your favorite pastime?
These days my favorite pastime is ballroom dancing. Since Dancing With The Stars is such a hit, ballroom dancing has made a come-back. We go on Tuesday nights to the recreation center where they have a large ballroom and a live band. One week we dance Country Western (which is always popular here in Texas), and the alternate week we dance ballroom. My dear husband performs a wicked Tango.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
To date I have fourteen published books on Amazon. The first of the year my publisher will release three more, and I’m contracted to write six more in 2018. You can find all my books on https://www.amazon.com/Anne-Greene/e/B004ECUWMG. I write historical, historical romance, and contemporary mystery.
What are you working on now?
I’m finishing a contemporary mystery/romance, Mystery At Dead Broke Ranch, set here in my own town, McKinney, Texas. The book will release in January.
You can find all my books listed on my website and other social media:
https://www.amazon.com/Anne-reene/e/B004ECUWMG/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk
http://www.facebook.com/AnneWGreeneAuthor
http://www.AnneGreeneAuthor.com
https://twitter.com/TheAnneGreene
Meet Kate Breslin
Kate Breslin enjoys life in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and family. A writer of travel articles and award-winning poetry, Kate received the 2015 Christian Retailing Award for First Time Author, and her debut novel, For Such A Time, won the 2015 Carol award. Kate’s third novel, High As The Heavens released in June 2017. When she’s not writing inspirational fiction, Kate enjoys reading, enjoying Washington’s beautiful woodlands, and traveling to new places.
Tell us about your newest book.
High As The Heavens is my second novel set during the Great War and takes place in 1917 German-occupied Brussels. My heroine, British nurse Evelyn Marche, works at a Red Cross hospital by day, waitresses at her family’s café by night, and carries out secret missions for a Belgian resistance group while living among the enemy. In constant danger of being betrayed, Eve is as clever as she is daring and thwarts the Germans while working to save her mother’s Belgian people. She is also a woman haunted by the past. A war widow grieving the loss of her husband, and her missing brother and sister who were taken at the onset of the invasion, she lives with her nightmares and carries a dark secret, an awful burden for which she struggles to find absolution.
When a plane crashes one night as she’s en route to a rendezvous, Eve is the first to arrive on the scene and is shocked to recognize the badly injured pilot as British RFC Captain Simon Forrester. While she risks her life to conceal him from the Germans and tries to get him out of Belgium, she unwittingly begins her journey toward redemption, and the discovery of God’s unfailing love and mercy through those she cares about most.
What genre do you focus on and why?
I write historical fiction because I love history and the research involved, and I write stories about war, both the Great War and WWII because I am inspired when I read about ordinary people who rise above themselves to do the extraordinary; even sacrificing their lives for others.
Why do you write? What drives you?
I simply cannot not write. I’ve been working at novel writing for twenty-five years and it’s been a love story with words. I think I have always written, be it a diary, poetry, song lyrics, and of course stories. I may not churn out a book each year, but I work at my craft constantly.
What does a day in your writing world look like?
I have a spiral staircase leading up to a library loft that also serves as my office. My writing sanctuary overlooks our small bay and has two large windows that afford me plenty of light. I have ancient Celtic weapons and old maps of England hanging on my walls and a floor-to-ceiling bookcase filled with books that take up the entire end of the loft. I enjoy instrumental music playing softly in the background while I write, usually in the mornings 5-6 days a week. My cat sleeps in the chair beside my desk. It just doesn’t get any better than that.
What is the hardest part of being an author? Why?
I think trying to juggle writing deadlines, marketing, social media, and staying connected to my family and community are the most challenging. There is a lot more involved to being a published author than I’d ever imagined. Learning time management and being more organized are constants with me, and I hope one day to achieve those goals.
What’s the best part of your author’s life? Why?
I love hearing from readers. Knowing that my stories have made a difference in someone’s life, whether it’s simple enjoyment, helping them through a difficult time, or offering the strength of God’s message makes all of the time and hard work worthwhile.
What is your favorite pastime?
Spending time with my grandson is way at the top! I do love working in my garden though, and I make my own herbal vinegars and oils, usually for friends around the holidays. The recipes are easy and fun and they taste pretty good, too!
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
I have two other published novels with Bethany House, For Such A Time, a retelling of the Book of Esther set during WWII, and Not By Sight, my first Great War novel set in Britain.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on my fourth novel for Bethany House, another story set in Europe during the Great War. It’s spring of 1918 and my handsome lieutenant and his unconventional sidekick are on the hunt in France for something precious. Spies lurk around every corner however, and they soon find themselves caught in a web of intrigue. Can love and a leap of faith set them free to finish their quest? This new adventure, scheduled for release in spring of 2019, involves a character from Not By Sight, so readers may want to read that book first. I don’t want to spoil anything!
Website: www.katebreslin.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KateBreslinAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kate_Breslin
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/katelbreslin/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorkatebreslin/?hl=en
Purchase links: http://katebreslin.com/books-2-2/
Meet Kathi Macias
Kathi Macias is an award-winning author of more than 50 books, including Golden Scrolls 2011 Novel of the Year, Red Ink. A wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, as well as a popular Bible teacher and conference speaker, Kathi lives in Southern California with her husband, Al.
Tell us about your newest book.
To the Moon and Back is a journey through the heartache of Alzheimer’s, told primarily from the viewpoint of a woman in the early- to mid-stages of the disease. It is also a story of her husband’s and grown daughter’s part in the journey.
What genre do you focus on and why?
It is a contemporary novel. I wanted to tell it through the medium of fiction, as it can then become “everyone’s story.” And, of course, it is contemporary because Alzheimer’s has only recently become widely recognized and discussed. Contemporary fiction, usually centered around a current “hot-button”/social issue topic, is my primary writing genre because they are topics I care about deeply.
Why do you write? What drives you?
I have loved to read/write since I was a child and have never wanted to be anything but a writer. Marrying my love of writing to my passion for social issues gives me every incentive I need to continue producing this sort of book.
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
Rachel is my main character. It is a name I have always loved, and it seemed to fit my main character.
What does a day in your writing world look like?
No two are ever the same. With a retired husband, I need to stay flexible. For that reason, I now write only part-time (as opposed to the full-time I used to write before he retired). Because I am also active in my church, I try to limit my writing hours to about 20 a week, spaced out as best that particular week dictates/allows.
What is the hardest part of being an author? Why?
There’s an old saying, that “Writing is simple; you just sit down at your computer and open a vein.” There’s a lot of truth in that. Writing is a difficult and lonely profession, and the biggest challenge is to make yourself sit down and do it.
What’s the best part of your author’s life? Why?
The best part for me is being able to do what I love (writing) and, in the process, hopefully change lives for the better.
What is the craziest thing you’ve experienced as an author?
Writing two books with Rosey Grier as my co-author was both challenging and fun. At times he would introduce me as his “body guard” (if you can imagine the disparity in our sizes, you’ve got to know how hilarious that is), and some people actually believed it.
What are you most proud of?
I was at a book signing for my newest release, No Greater Love (set in South Africa in 1989), when a young man (high school age) came in and told me his mom had urged him to read that particular book. He did, and he said he wanted to tell me how much the book had impacted him. “It made me want to lead a more noble life,” he said. I will forever carry those words in my heart.
What is your favorite pastime?
Reading or traveling with my husband. And, of course, spending time with our grown children, our grandchildren, and even our great-grandchildren.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
I have more than 50 other books, many of which are featured on my website (www.kathimacias.com). Most are fiction, but there are a few nonfiction as well.
What are you working on now?
I’m in the early stages of deciding between writing a nonfiction Bible-study-type book or a humorous novel about life in a retirement community (loosely based on where my husband and I now live).
Website: www.kathimacias.com
Social media links: Facebook: Kathi Macias and Kathi Macias Author; Twitter: @alandkathi
Meet Melanie Dobson
Writing fiction is Melanie Dobson’s excuse to explore abandoned houses, travel to unique places, and spend hours reading old books and journals. She enjoys weaving together time-slip stories, and her novels have won awards for historical romance, romantic suspense, and historical fiction. Melanie and her family live in the Pacific Northwest.
Tell us about Catching the Wind.
Several years ago, as I sat down to brainstorm a new novel, I looked out the window in my favorite coffee shop at a marvelous old tree with its sturdy branches and dangling leaves that ballooned like a giant umbrella over the people drinking coffee and tea below. In my mind’s eye, I saw two German children—the best of friends—playing high among those branches. In a tree house. They were in danger though at the time I didn’t know what threatened them. I just knew the boy and girl had to run. And the girl would be lost along the way.
As I sipped on my tea, the story of Dietmar and Brigitte began unfolding, coming alive on my computer screen. The rest of Catching the Wind is about what happened to these friends after they ran away, and Dietmar’s seventy-year search to find his friend.
What genre do you focus on and why?
I’ve written romantic suspense, historical romance, general historical, mystery, and contemporary fiction. I’ve enjoyed all of these genres and am, in a sense, combining them now as I weave together historical and contemporary plots in my time-slip novels.
Why do you write? What drives you?
I’ve enjoyed dreaming up story ideas and keeping a journal since I was a child. When I was nine, I typed out my “autobiography” (it was only a few paragraphs) and eventually went to college for journalism. After a few years working in public relations and writing newspaper articles, I felt as if God was prompting me to pursue my dream of writing fiction. It took seven years—and multiple manuscripts—before my first novel was published. Each time I think about returning to public relations now, another idea sparks in my heart and mind and I begin writing another story….
Who is your main character, and how did you choose that name?
The main character in my contemporary plot is Quenby Vaughn. I have a friend whose sister-in-law is named Quenby, and the first time I heard her name, I knew I wanted to use it for a character. In the past story, my male protagonist’s name changes from Dietmar Roth to Daniel Knight. This was very intentional, but I’d give away the storyline if I told you why.
What does a day in your writing world look like?
It depends on where I am in the process, but usually I’m at the coffee shop writing chapters, creating new characters, and editing my draft. I start my morning by editing my previous day’s work and then add about 2,000 more words to the manuscript. My favorite days are the ones when I’m immersed in mounds of research books or exploring a new setting as I dream about my next story.
What is the hardest part of being an author? Why?
Receiving harsh reviews is no fun, especially after I’ve poured myself into researching and writing a novel. And some days, editing is really hard for me. I can be rather averse to change.
What’s the best part of your author’s life? Why?
I enjoy creating stories and learning new things. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to do both of these things as a writer.
What are you most proud of?
My daughters, Karlyn and Kiki. As of this summer, they are both teenagers, and it’s such a treat to watch them grow in their faith and confidence and love of story.
What is your favorite pastime?
My imagination is fueled by exploring ghost towns, abandoned houses, old chapels, and forgotten cemetery. My family thinks I’m weird, but the wondering about those who once lived and/or were buried in these places inspires me.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
Thanks for asking! I’ve written about twenty novels now—some of my most recent ones are Chateau of Secrets, Enchanted Isle, and Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor. Readers can find a complete list of my books here: http://melaniedobson.com/books/
What are you working on now?
I’m writing a time-slip novel about treasure that was hidden in Austria’s lake country during World War II. In the contemporary story, my protagonist discovers a list in an old book that connects her with an Austrian woman who lived during the war, and she determines to find out what happened long ago.
Website: www.melaniedobson.com
Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/Catching-Wind-Melanie-Dobson/dp/1496417283/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Social media links: www.facebook.com/MelanieDobsonFiction and @MelBDobson
Meet Ann-Margret Hovsepian
Ann-Margret Hovsepian is a freelance writer and illustrator in Montreal, Canada, and the author of several books. She specializes in devotional and coloring books but has written on a broad range of topics for dozens of periodicals over the last 25 years.
Tell us about your newest book.
Scheduled for release in early October is Inkspirations for Breast Cancer Survivors, a coloring book featuring 32 original illustrations by me. My latest written book is Restore My Soul, which has 40 devotions, each with an accompanying coloring page I drew.
What genre do you focus on and why?
Everything I write is non-fiction, although I’m a big fan of reading fiction. I love to share real-life stories about exciting things people are doing all over the world as well as inspire people through my own experiences and life lessons.
Why do you write? What drives you?
I’ve always struggled a little bit with calling myself a writer because, unlike many writers, I see writing as something I do, not who I am. I write because I want to share good news with people and that’s one of the tools I’m skilled at using. For me, writing is the means to an end, not the end itself.
What does a day in your writing world look like?
Because I also illustrate and work on smaller freelance projects on an unpredictable schedule, I don’t have a typical writing day. I’m also quite involved in my church, in a women’s ministry and with other projects so one day, week or month never looks quite like another.
What is the hardest part of being an author? Why?
Wondering how much of an impact your book has on those who picked up a copy, and whether you should keep doing what you do.
What’s the best part of your author’s life? Why?
The flip side of my previous answer: hearing from people (especially young girls) who have been blessed by my books. It reminds me that God does a lot of work behind the scenes that I have no clue about.
What is the craziest thing you’ve experienced as an author?
This isn’t crazy as much as it is cool: The same day I picked up a copy of Lettie Cowman’s famous Streams in the Desert devotional book, I received an email from her great-great-niece saying she had a copy of one of my devotionals for preteen girls and loved it. That blew me away!
What are you most proud of?
Launching my freelance business at the age of 24 with no university education or formal training, just four years of experience working at trade magazine, and sticking to it these past 21 years. I love that I can now teach others about writing and freelancing.
What is your favorite pastime?
Anything creative: drawing, sewing, calligraphy, cooking, gardening, decorating. I love to make things come to life with my hands.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
Besides my two coloring books, I have three devotional books for preteen girls.
What are you working on now?
I am currently working on a couple of freelance projects and trying to flesh out ideas for a few more books.
Website: www.annhovsepian.com
Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1496414063/
Social media links: https://www.facebook.com/ann.hovsepian.author/, https://www.instagram.com/annhovsepian/
Meet Angela Breidenbach
Angela Breidenbach is a best-selling author of romance through the ages and host of Lit Up Talk Radio. She’s been writing prayers for writers for over three years as the Weekly Prayer Warrior of the Romance Writers of America/Faith, Hope, and Love Chapter. Angela is the Christian Author Network’s president. And yes, she’s half of the fun fe-lion comedy duo, Muse and Writer. Always family-friendly — Always good for your heart.
Tell us about your newest book.
Worthy to Write! Blank page tying your stomach in knots? 30 prayers to tackle that fear!
Worthy to Write! The book that tackles those fears that holds you back from putting words on the page and submitting your work as a professional. Fears like—I can’t let anyone read my stories. Who cares about what I have to say? Who would read anything I wrote anyway? I’m not special or original enough. Do those fears fly through your mind like a plague of locusts, eating up your confidence each time you sit down to write? All those fears, and more, boil down to one problem—feeling unworthy. But you are worthy! God gave you a voice and all those ideas swirling in your head for a reason: to write them so that you can make a difference in the world.
Presented by the Pencildancers: Angela Breidenbach, Diana Lesire Brandmeyer, Liz Tolsma, and Jennifer Vander Klipp because we’ve also experienced those fears and worked through them to become best-selling, award-winning authors. We want that for you, too! First in the new Worthy series, Worthy to Write is written for the author on the journey to use God-given talent for His glory!
What genre do you focus on and why?
I actually enjoy writing in several genres including historical and contemporary romance, non-fiction inspirational (devotions and life enhancement which is often called Christian Living in bookstores and libraries), cat comedy, and educational that includes genealogy and technology. I love sharing what I learn in both story form and to help others grow personally. I also like to make people smile with silly or poignant cat comedy social media posts.
Who is your main character?
In this case, the main character is You, the Writer. In Worthy to Write, the four authors came together to help other writers overcome the fears we’d all experienced…and often still do. We felt called to lift up others in order to encourage talented writers to express themselves the way God meant them to and do it in spite of fear. So you, dear hopeful writer, are the main character of this book.
What does a day in your writing world look like?
Do I dare admit it has way too much email time??? Because I volunteer as the president of the Christian Authors Network, I spend a lot of time on email helping manage the organization and helping other writers learn more about technology. I’m also in college for genealogy. So that means my writing time is a lot less than it was in the past few years. I also write a lot of journalistic articles and/or blog posts for larger websites. Since this year started getting crammed I decided to learn how to dictate my books. I’m on a learning curve and discovering how this all might work for me with 1-2 hours of dictation time that rotates with editing that dictation. And a lot of late night college reading…
What is the hardest part of being an author? Why?
I think the hardest part of being an author right now is the crazy rate of speed that things keep changing in the industry. There’s no comfort zone—ever! There’s a constant deluge of learning a new social media platform or figuring out how the new algorithm works or learning a new way to format for a new sales platform… Oh, and don’t forget the amount of new programs and tech and the costs of all of those things… I think you get the picture. It used to be whether a writer could learn to type and then switch to a computer, but then those authors had a tough time finding ways to reach their readers. This new age of technology allows us to reach out in new ways.
What’s the best part of your author’s life? Why?
Getting to be me. When I worked for employers I had to meet their goals. Being an author and radio host, I get to meet my own goals. That’s incredibly freeing both emotionally and physically. I don’t have to work 8-5 p.m. I love setting my own based on the time of day I do the best work for that particular kind of work. So I tend to do radio and business items between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Then I enjoy getting creative later in the day. I’ve often found myself working late into the night completely unaware of passing time.
What is the craziest thing you’ve experienced as an author?
The shock that people think I’m funny with cat comedy! I posted a photo of Muse shortly after he came home from the local pound. (I believe in pet rescue.) I’d posted a short, silly conversation between Writer and Muse. It took off in a way I never expected. Now I’m working on a calendar, gift book, and other ideas. This is one arena—that Muse and Writer are continuing to gain readers—still shocks me four years later! But the private notes I get from readers, that the humorous conversations help them, telling me how, really drives me to figure out this opportunity to share Muse’s amusing quips. This is the hardest learning curve for me because there’s a lot of techie hurdles with photography and publishing software that I have to leap. I did not see cat comedy coming! I certainly had no idea it would be a constant in my writing life. But it’s so much fun!
What are you most proud of?
Taking the chance on my dreams. I changed from standard business, chasing someone else’s dream for them, to this crazy business of public creativity. I was terrified. I went through a lot of challenges. Challenges happen in every stage. But, I thank God for being there with me through it all and giving me the courage to leap.
What is your favorite pastime? Right now, and it changes, I really love my college classes in English/Scottish genealogical studies. The classes are fascinating and often lead me off on wild tangents of curiosity.
Do you have other books? We’d love to know.
Yes, thanks for asking. I’m working on book #17. But here are a few current titles:
Historical Romance
The Captive Brides Collection
Second Chance Brides Collection
The Debutante Queen (1st in the Montana Beginnings series)
Non-Fiction
Gems of Wisdom: The Treasure of Experience
Contemporary Romance:
Out of Their Element (releasing Feb. 1st, 2018 with authors Robin Lee Hatcher, Vickie McDonough, and Deborah Raney). Full length novels exploring four couples that find romance in totally unexpected ways.
What are you working on now?
We have another “Worthy” devotion in the works for this series.
Website: http://www.AngelaBreidenbach.com
Book Link (avail Kindle or Paperback): http://amzn.to/2gFTe1c
Social media links:
https://Toginet.com/shows/litup/
Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest/Instagram: @AngBreidenbach