Spotlight on Tricia Goyer -- WWII author

Here it is, Tuesday again. I've been swamped and buried under writing crunches and other life-established deadlines, so I haven't been able to get back here to post anything else. But, I didn't want to miss the author spotlight. Blogger is also causing some problems with images, so I'll get those added later. For now, here is this week's spotlight.

Don't forget to post a comment for a chance to win a FREE autographed book. I'll announce last week's winner later tonight below this interview.

I am delighted to have Tricia Goyer visit with me this week. Not only is she a partner with me and four other historical fiction authors on our new blog, but she has written some fantastic stories about the gripping experiences of World War II as seen through the eyes of her true-to-life characters. A period in our history which is sometimes too recent and gets overlooked, Tricia tells the stories with compelling skill.

If stories of redemption and healing from war-torn lives appeals to you, don't miss her books! And now, let's chat with Tricia:

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1. This is the fourth (4th) and final novel in this series depicting men and women who were swept into the horrors and action of World War II. What was the hardest part to write compared with the other three (3)? Your favorite?

The hardest part for me was definately the theme of "worth." You see, some very personal stuff came up in this book. For example, one of my main characters, Mary, was born to a single mom. So was I. Even after she met her biological father, she was always trying to make him notice her. She weighed her value according to his approval. Me too. Another one of my characters faces an unplanned pregnancy. Yup, I did that. Of course, fiction CAN have a happy ending, and I truly hope readers walk away from this book understanding that each person is "chosen" by God, even if they are born into unidealistic circumstances.

Also, trying to pick a favorite book would be like trying to pick a favorite child. They are each so unique! BUT . . . if I had to pick, I'd say Night Song really touches my heart. The main character is a fifteen-year-old Jewish boy--the same age as my oldest son at the time. I cried more as I wrote that book than any other. It was a very emotional experience with me because it dealt with children in the midst of war. Readers must approve too because in won ACFW's Book of the Year for Long Historical Romance. Of course, I love all the others too and think they are fantastic reads :-)

2. What themes exist in in Arms of Deliverance that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the story progressed?

Of course, the themes I mentioned above are very clear within the book. There are more subtle themes too, such as trusting in God and understanding what true friendship is all about. Oh yes, and then there's the theme of finding love in unexpected places.

3. You've received a lot of support and assistance from WWII veterans for research and details in your books. How did the inspiration strike to write stories set during WWII and what do you hope to achieve with the stories in your books?

When I started out writing fiction in 1996, I wanted to write contemporary romance. There's nothing wrong with that, but that was MY plan, thus I got NO contracts. Then, in 2000 I was in Europe with two writing friends. I met a historian in Austria who started telling the true stories behind the liberation of two concentration camps. Her stories became the bases for my first two novels From Dust and Ashes and Night Song.

The idea for Dawn of a Thousand Nights came when I was researching at a WWII reunion and a veteran told me he had been part of the Bataan Death March. Then he said, "Would you ever consider writing our story?" I couldn't say no!

And, finally, the idea for Arms of Deliverance came when I was researching women of WWII. In Dawn of a Thousand Nights, I have a female pilot. But I also read about female war correspondents. They fascinated me and urged me to give them their own book.

The main thing I hope to achieve is to make history come alive. I want to make these books so gripping that the reader CAN'T put them down. In doing this, I honor the men and women who served. Some of the veterans I interviewed have since passed away, yet I'm thrilled to know that their stories live on.

4. Describe your writing space and schedule. How many words per day do you write and do you have a minimum goal you hope to reach before you push away your keyboard?

Ha! I have to laugh at this because I have no set schedule! Since I have a full-time job outside of writing--raising and homeschooling three kids--basically I try to squeeze in any time I can. During the school year, I write while my kids work on their homework. We have ONE long desk that wrapped around the room and we all work side-by-side. During summer it's a free-for-all.

When it comes to writing novels, I spend WAY too much time researching. I want to know every little detail--to make sure I get it right--or I'm not satisfied. Then, about two months before the book is due I go into panic mode and pounding out the book. Of course, by then the story is so well-developed in my mind, that it's really just relating on paper the story in my head...for the most part. There are always those surprising scenes that I hadn't planned on. After coming up with one of those, I just lean back in my computer chair, point up to heaven and say, "YOU are too cool!"

5. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

My next BOOK coming out is Generation NeXt Parenting. It's a parenting book for Gen Xers (those born between 1964-1981). It has a lot of cool 80s flavor mixed with a sound Biblical foundation. It works, it really does!

My next NOVEL is A Valley of Betrayal. It's also with Moody Publishing. It is my first in a three book series about The Spanish Civil War. Few people know much about this war beyond Hemingway's novel For Whom the Bell Tolls. Basically, it's a civil war that took place in Spain just prior to WWII. On one side the fascists: Hitler, Mussoloni, and Franco face off against the Spanish elected government, Russia, and International volunteers from all over the world. It's a fascinating time in history and one I'm excited to explore with three novels! The first one will be out in February 2007.

Thank you, Tricia, for joining me in the spotlight. Come back and visit again soon!

Into the Deep -- FREE book winner!

As promised, here is the winner from last week's spotlight contest. We only had 4 comments, so the names that went into the hat weren't many. The one that was pulled was Anne of Germany. Wow! An international visitor and winner.

Congratulations, Anne! I have your email, so you'll be hearing from me shortly...probably before you read this post.

Thank you to everyone who visited and/or posted comments. I appreciate your support. Take a look at this week's spotlight for another historical author--a little closer to present day. :)

Greetings from Lauralee Bliss

Hello! I'm Lauralee Bliss and it's great to be a guest here on Amber's wonderful blog, especially to introduce my first historical – Into The Deep.

Many have asked how I can come up with the setting and storyline for a book such as this that takes place in Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, circa 1840's. The way I do it is through my travels. I visited the cave some years ago, heard of the tuberculosis hospital that once existed there back in the 1840's and immediately saw a possible storyline begin to unfold. You can take various aspects of history and easily come up with a story with your own set of characters and their situations, which is exactly what I did with Into The Deep.

Once I formulated the proposal and had it accepted, then I returned to the cave for more in-depth research. This is where the park staff became my best informers. I had a free personal tour of the cave with a park ranger and saw places most visitors don’t see. I also had a two hour-long interview that I taped with another park ranger who knew the park's history. The combination of these two valuable resources enabled me to write a historical novel based on fact. While the characters and some of the plot are fictionalized, the history presented and the cave is all true to life. And this authenticity I owe to finding out what resources are available and making use of those resources. I also owe a great deal to the park rangers of Mammoth Cave for giving Into The Deep a richness that I could have never done by simple Internet research.

So the next time you are traveling, think – how can I make this place into a story? You'll be surprised what treasure awaits you.

Spotlight on...Lauralee Bliss!

Seems like forever since I've done one of these. Hope y'all haven't forgotten about the Tuesday spotlight feature. And since the other ones got a bit too long, I've shortened them. The contest for the FREE BOOK is still in play though, so don't forget to comment on either this post or the one above to be entered for your chance to win.

Contest ends on Sunday, July 23 at 6pm ET.

And without further ado, allow me to introduce my spotlight author:

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1. You have made your debut into historical fiction with your novel, Into the Deep. With several successful titles published in the contemporary genre, what made you decide to try this one? Switching genres is often a risky step. Will you continue to write in both?

I've always had a special interest in historical fiction. I've written several titles on the side that were not published, getting my feet wet, so to speak, by researching and writing in the genre. When it came time to write Into The Deep, the knowledge was there. For me, history books can be so boring. I want to make history come alive by creating an interesting plot around historical facts so the reader can delve into the story while learning history along the way. And it's been a fun adventure!

2. What was your most difficult part to write? Your favorite?

Actually I found none of this book hard to write. I had an idea what I wanted to do, thanks to the history of the cave, and the characters flowed naturally from that history. But my favorite part of the story to write was the actual cave adventure itself - retracing the steps inside Mammoth Cave with the characters. Since I had visited the cave and could visualize it, this part was fun and interesting to bring to life for the readers.

3. What themes exist in Into the Deep that you hope the reader sees? Are there any themes that weren't overt but developed as the story progressed?

One of the themes brought out in the book is the idea of wealth. Some feel they deserve wealth after going through hard times. But the heroine finds out, even when her family is brought unexpectedly into wealth, that the wealth of the heart, knowing God and caring for others, makes one richer in life and happier. And this is proven when she meets the hero who is not wealthy in possessions but rich in his spiritual life.

On the other hand, the hero himself is caught up in a wave of grief and guilt when his aunt dies in the cave. He comes up with his own ideas on how to cope with it, only to discover through his relationship with the heroine that revenge does not heal. Ultimately in the end, both characters find there is really more to life than meets the eye.

4. Describe your writing space and schedule. How many words per day do you write and do you have a minimum goal you hope to reach before you push away from your keyboard?

I have an office in the basement that has become my abode for writing. I used to write in the bedroom until I had an office, and whenever my family saw the "purple sock" on the door knob, they knew I was on an intense schedule, and I meant business. When I have a book due, I usually try to write a good chapter a night. When it comes to books of the size like a Heartsong, I can figure out how much needs to be accomplished and take it from there. But at times I have a good night of writing and can accomplish a great deal more. The trick is to write and not procrastinate.

5. How important do you believe it is for a new writer or even an established one to join a writing group such as ACFW?

Writing organizations are necessary to the writer's life. Like any job, we need coworkers that we can talk to about our field of business. We also need to be able to expand that business through learning writing techniques, sales, and other avenues. It's vital to belong to a good writing organization that can help you grow and to be there when times are rough and the way seems blocked. Writing is a lonely business. Many times our friends and family members on the home front don't understand all we are going through. I've had many say I should be happy that I have one book published. But a writer understands that there are goals to meet – that one book is not the ultimate goal but to achieve all we can with our writing - and they can sympathize with those goals. Plus, it's rewarding to meet new friends from great distances that share a common bond.

6. When is your next book coming out and what is the story?

My next book, Journey to Love, will be out in 2007, and it's my second historical. This time I turn to Virginia and North Carolina, circa 1650. There a family hopes to discover what happened to loved ones who vanished with the Lost Colony of Roanoke. During the journey love sparks between the guide, John, and a family member, Beth. But if one mystery was not enough to solve, Beth must also discover the shroud of secrecy surrounding John. If you want to keep abreast of this and my other books, feel free to subscribe to my newsletter. Just drop my a line at lrbliss2001[at]yahoo[dot]com.
Website – http://www.lauraleebliss.com

Thanks for having me! God bless.

Redemption Treasure Hunt -- WINNERS!

It's that time! I'm sure many of you have been waiting on pins and needles wanting to know the results of this contest. Well, your wait is over.

*drum roll please*

And the winners are:

Jennifer Y. -- free book and chance to receive 2 free movie tickets tucked inside her book.

Patricia E. -- free *autographed* book from the author of The Redemption, M.L. Tyndall.

Congratulations to you both. Thank you to everyone who visited, commented and participated in any way on this blog. We had just over 25 entries. Fantastic! Please come back and visit again soon.

This coming Tuesday, I'll have author Lauralee Bliss in the spotlight. You won't want to miss her fascinating story about the caves of Virginia.