Character Spotlight ~ Tricia Goyer's Marianna Sommer

To celebrate the final Big Sky novel, Beyond Hope's Valley, I'm reposting the spotlight on Tricia Goyer's leading Amish lady, Marianna Sommer.

Synopsis

After an extended stay in Montana, where Amish traditions are different than in her home state, Marianna Sommer returns to Indiana for two reasons, first to help her brother and his girlfriend prepare for a baby and their wedding. Second, to plan her own wedding to Aaron Zook -- a marriage she’s been dreaming about ever since childhood. And yet, although she had missed the idyllic farms and families of her upbringing, Marianna is surprised that Indiana is somehow making her long now for Montana.

As months pass, secrets that were hidden in winter’s frozen grasp thaw and take on a life of their own. The truths about a child, about a past relationship, and about God’s plans are being revealed. Walking through a valley of questions, Marianna must hold on to hope as she decides where and with whom her heart truly belongs.

Enjoy meeting Marianna!

Brief physical description 

 

Marianna Sommer is a petite Amish young woman with light brown hair and grey eyes.

Actor/famous person 

Rachel McAdams.

Strengths and weaknesses 

Strengths: She's dedicated to her family and the Amish way of life. She has a loving a caring heart. She's great in the kitchen and she has a fun sense of humor and quick wit—which many “Englischers” don't expect.

Weaknesses: She cares about what others think more than she should. She also battles between how she's been raised and what her heart it telling her to be true about God and others.

Your inspiration for the character
 

Marianna was inspired by Amish friends of mine. Spending time with them I found them fun, surprising and yet thoughtful, too. Sometimes we think that simple people are boring, but that's not the case with my friends or Marianna either.

Background to the story

Every great novel starts with a bit of fact. This story started with more than that.

A few years ago I was asked if I'd ever consider writing an Amish novel. The truth is, I hadn't. But the first seed of an idea was planted and my mind started to feed and water it. That's how novels usually start.

Later that day, I remembered that my daughter had a friend, Saretta, whose parents were raised Amish. They moved from an Amish community in Indiana to Montana, and that is how we met. I also remember my daughter telling me Ora Jay and Irene lost two daughters in a buggy accident.

Hmmm, I thought. I'd love to hear their story. Maybe someday, if I see them again, I'll ask. The next day, my daughter Leslie and I went out for some mom and daughter time. We went to a bookstore to browse and get coffee. As we looked over the bargain rack guessed who walked in … Saretta. We hadn't seen her for six months at least and there she was. “Saretta,” I told her. “I think I'm supposed to talk to your parents—hear their story.” “Sure, I'm sure they'd love to talk to you!”

Less than a week later Ora Jay and Irene sat in my living room. They told me about being Amish, about losing their daughters, about their move. They also talked about their faith. They shared what the meant to be Amish. They shared how their faith had grown after moving to Montana. They shared many ways God had changed their lives and their hearts. I listened amazed. Their story added more water—the Living Water—and sunshine to the seed of a novel planted in my hearts. After talking to Ora Jay and Irene, I met many other Amish women from the West Kootenai Community. I was honored as they shared their lives with me.

 

While this story is still a work of fiction, I've tried to be as true to the lifestyle and faith of this Amish community. As you may know, each Amish community is different, depending on the place and rules of the church. While I may not have gotten everything right, I've tried hard that my words reflect truth. I trust they do.

Relz Reviewz Extras
Review of Love Finds You in Lonesome Prairie, Montana

Character spotlight on Julia Cavanaugh

Visit Tricia's website and blog
Buy Tricia's books at Amazon or Koorong

The Chair by James L Rubart with giveaways

Synopsis:~

If someone gave you a chair and said it was made by Jesus Christ, would you believe them? 

When an elderly lady shows up in Corin Roscoe's antiques store and gives him a chair she claims was crafted by Jesus, he scoffs. But when a young boy is miraculously healed two days after sitting in the chair, he stops laughing and starts wondering . . . could this chair heal the person whose life Corin destroyed twelve years ago? 

As word spreads of the boy's healing, a mega-church pastor is determined to manipulate Corin into turning over the chair. And that mysterious woman who gave him the piece flits in and out of his life like a shadow, insinuating it's Corin's destiny to guard the chair above everything else. But why?

My take:~

I really enjoy Jim Rubart's novels and have no excuse for the lengthy delay in reading his 2011 release, The Chair!  It is another character driven novel with supernatural elements that will stimulate and challenge your thinking.  Corin is an intriguing character, driven by blinding fears yet unafraid to push his body and mind to the edge of all things sane.  Corin's struggle with his past and present reflects what most of us battle, underlying fears, regret and guilt warring with our desire to hope for healing and wholeness.  Jim uses the chair itself to underscore his spiritual message and thankfully resists the pull to tie up all the loose ends.  While ROOMS remains my favourite of Jim's books The Chair is a worthy addition to any book collection.

With thanks to B&H Publishing for my review copy

Relz Reviewz Extras
View the trailer
Review of ROOMS
Character spotlight on Micah Taylor
Interview with Jim
Visit Jim's website and blog
Buy Rooms at Amazon or Koorong

Injustice for All by Robin Caroll with giveaways

Synopsis:~

A federal judge lies bleeding on his office floor, betrayed by a most unlikely source—people who helped him bring criminals to justice. Now, why would someone working for the FBI need to disappear after witnessing this crime?

When Remington Wyatt sees her godfather’s murder, she recognizes the killers and knows it’s only a matter of time before they come to silence her. She must do the only thing possible to stay alive . . . run.
 
FBI agent Rafe Baxter is serious about his career, and solving a cold case involving a federal judge’s death puts him in line for the promotion he so desires. But the case leads him to the small town of Hopewell, Louisiana, where some secrets seem inextricably hidden deep within the bayou.

Injustice for All explores what happens when everything a person believes in is utterly destroyed. Who can you trust?

My take:~

A new suspense series from Robin Caroll is always something to look forward to and Injustice for All begins with a bang.  Suspense and intrigue imprint this novel against a backdrop of corruption and death as Remington struggles to survive.  I enjoyed the characters of Remington and Rafe, although it was Hopewell's Police Commissioner, Hayden Simpson, that stole the show.  While I wondered at his dominance in the story where he isn't wasn't the leading man, his strength of character and faithfulness to his family and friends adds a great deal to the story.  Robin gives her characters plenty of angst in their lives from startling family secrets to deeply held guilt enabling her to weave faith and forgiveness in a realistic way.  Injustice for All will appeal to readers looking for an intriguing story with a smattering of romance.  Needless to say, I'm looking forward to Hayden's story releasing in September, To Write A Wrong.

With thanks to B&H and PR by the Book for my review copy

Relz Reviewz Extras

View the trailer

Reviews of Fear No Evil, Deliver Us From Evil & In The Shadow of Evil

Character spotlights on Roark & Brannon, Lincoln & Jade and Layla & Maddox

Visit Robin's website and blog

Buy Robin's books at Amazon or Koorong

Coming in late 2012 from B&H Fiction

Here's some late 2012 releases from B&H Publishing for you to ponder!  Historical, suspense, Amish and more.

Any catch your eye?

A Duke's Promise by Jamie Carie

Award-winning writer Jamie Caries concludes her most epic storyline with a wonderful twist in A Duke’s Promise, the final Forgotten Castles novel.

From the Land of Fire and Ice back to England’s shores, Alexandria Featherstone finds herself the new Duchess of St. Easton. Her husband has promised a wedding trip to take them to the place where her imperiled parents were last seen -- Italy and the marble caves of Carrara -- but a powerful Italian duke plots against Alex and her treasure-hunting parents.

Hoping to save them, Alex and Gabriel travel to Italy by balloon. Fraught with danger on all sides and pressured by Gabriel’s affliction to the breaking point, they must learn to work and fight together. The mysterious key is within their grasp, but they have yet to recognize it. This journey will require steadfast faith in God and each other -- a risk that will win them everything they want or lose them everything they have.

September, 2012 

To Write A Wrong by Robin Caroll

In Angola State Penitentiary, a man is serving time for a crime he didn’t commit. Riley Baxter is an eager reporter desperate for a story to make a name for herself. When she stumbles upon the daughter of the incarcerated man, Riley sees a little too much of herself in the teen, and vows to help prove her father’s innocence.

At the same time, Hayden Simpson has his hands full with keeping his little sister in line, worrying about his job as Police Commissioner, and dealing with his past emotional baggage. The last thing he needs is someone blowing the lid off his emotional bucket. But when Riley Baxter storms into his life, struggling to understand why God would let bad things happen to good people, Hayden has no choice but to follow his heart.

Now, Riley and Hayden must work together to uncover the truth of the past . . . before someone shuts Riley up for good.

September, 2012 

Saving Gideon by Amy Lillard

Gideon Fisher wants one thing out of life -- to be left alone. This is not the Amish way, but he’s devastated after the death of his wife and son to the point of losing his faith. He buys a farm on the outskirts of the district and pulls away from his community. But when a freak spring snowstorm brings a beautiful Englisher to his farm, what choice does Gideon have but to let her in?

Dallas socialite Avery Ann Hamilton is intrigued by the Amish farmer who pulls her out of the snow and into his austere lifestyle. Poor little rich girl, Avery has just gone through (yet another) bad breakup. Every man she meets only wants her for her father’s money. All she has ever wanted is to be loved for herself. Avery soon discovers the Oklahoma Amish country is the perfect place to hide out and heal her broken heart.

But she finds a peace in those back roads that she’s never felt before. Now her life has purpose and meaning as she connects with God and those around her. And there’s something more as she begins to care for this man who needs both love and forgiveness.

Gideon never wanted to live again much less fall in love, but Avery finds her way into his heart, showing him the beauty of life and God’s greatness. Yet as the feelings between Avery and Gideon grow, can they overcome their dissimilar lifestyles, or will their sheer differences pull them apart?

October, 2012 

Double Blind  by Brandilyn Collins

Twenty-nine-year-old Lisa Newberry can barely make it through the day. Suddenly widowed and a survivor of a near-fatal attack, she is wracked with grief and despair. Then she hears of a medical trial for a tiny brain chip that emits electrical pulses to heal severe depression. At rope’s end, Lisa offers herself as a candidate.

When she receives her letter of acceptance for the trial, Lisa is at first hopeful. But—brain surgery. Can she really go through with that? What if she receives only the placebo?

What if something far worse goes wrong?

Written in the relentless style for which Brandilyn Collins is known, Double Blind is a psychological thriller with mind-bending twists. Lisa faces choices that drive her to the brink, and one wrong move could cost the lives of many.

October, 2012

Take the Trophy and Run by Gail Sattler

Like Mitford and Lake Wobegon before that, Bloomfield is a place we could all call home. Here, the residents enjoy a splash fountain in the town square, dine at the “Fancy Schmantsy” on tree-lined Main Street, and dream of reaching the 10,000 population mark -- only 22 more folks to go!

The Bloomfield Garden Club, an all-ages group of lovable oddballs that will stop at nothing to make everything beautiful, maintains this piece of heaven on earth. But even such idyllic places as this have their share of dramatic characters and stories to be told.

Take, for instance, craft store owner Amber Weathersby. She wants to be a member of the garden club but has never received the blessing of a green thumb. Her friend, Stan the mechanic, has helped as much as he can -- even adding a timed sprinkler system to Amber’s garden -- but the results never live up to the club’s expectations.

Her only claim to fame with that gang is her semi-famous garden gnome, Gnorman, who gets to hold the prized trophy each year in the Bloomfield Spring Fling contest’s winning garden.

But this year, instead of being the life of the party, her little star is gnomegnapped, and worse, the club’s irreplaceable trophy has gone missing with him. While Amber is chasing the gnome around town trying to win the trophy, Stan is chasing Amber, trying to win her heart.

November, 2012

Character Spotlight ~ Ginny Yttrup's Jenna and Andee

Ginny Yttrup's second novel, Lost and Found, is garnering rave reviews

and is available now from B&H Publishing

Synopsis

It appears Jenna Bouvier is losing everything: beauty, family, and wealth. When her controlling and emotionally abusive mother-in-law accuses Jenna of an affair with her spiritual director and threatens to expose them, Jenna also risks losing her reputation as a woman of faith. Will she capitulate to her mother-in-law’s wishes again or fight for what she holds dear? As Jenna loses her life, will she find it?

Andee Bell has found exactly what she wanted: fame, fortune, and respect. There’s also a special man in her life—Jenna’s brother. Despite her success, a secret quells Andee’s contentment. As memories torment, will she find peace in a relationship with God, or will she sabotage herself while also taking down the only person she cares about? As Andee finds her life, will she lose it?

Moving between San Francisco and the Napa Valley, Jenna and Andee form an unlikely relationship that leads them to a crossroad. They can follow familiar inclinations, or risk it all and walk in faith.

Enjoy meeting Jenna and Andee!

Brief physical description

Jenna Bouvier is a petite, slender, brunette, with sapphire blue eyes. She is beautiful, but suffers the shame of a jagged scar on her chin--something she see's as ugly and debilitating and claims as her own responsibility.

stock.xchang

Andee is a tall, slender, blonde, with chocolate brown eyes. She is aware of her beauty and uses it to manipulate others.

Actor/famous person

I am not one of those authors who looks for a picture and then assigns it to a character. I usually have such a strong visual in my mind, that when I look at a picture I think, that's not my character. In fact, when my fabulous cover designer from B&H, Diana Lawrence, put a picture of a person on the cover for Lost and Found, I recoiled. I couldn't embrace that picture as being Jenna. However, I sat with the picture for a day or two and finally concurred that she'd done a great job based on my descriptions of Jenna in the book.

Strengths and weaknesses

When the story begins, Jenna is just beginning to break out of her passive, people pleasing ways. But she's struggling. She's sought the approval of people and has put them in the place of God in her life. But her strength is self-awareness and a burning desire for intimacy with her Creator. Ultimately, she is willing to give up her life, all she's known, to follow Him.

Andee is ferocious. Deeply wounded and in denial, she has sought the life she thought she wanted and succeeded. She controls her own destiny--she's beautiful, successful, and wealthy. But when those things don't satisfy, she's at a loss, and sabotages herself and those closest to her. She is in danger of losing the life she's fought so hard for.

Quirk (if any)

Andee is obsessive about her espresso.

Wikipedia

Your inspiration for the character

My inspiration for Jenna, my main protagonist, was Madame Jeanne Guyon, known as one of the most important women in Christian history. While I was going through a painful time in my own life, a friend quoted Jeanne Guyon. The quote sent me on a journey of discovery and after reading Jeanne Guyon's autobiography, I began wondering what a contemporary Jeanne Guyon might look like--what would her life look like, what choices would she make, how would she handle some of the struggles that Jeanne Guyon encountered. Thus, Jenna Bouvier came to being.

For the most part, I am a seat of the pants writer, so I developed Andee Bell as I wrote. Her personality needed to be the opposite of Jenna Bouvier's for the story to work. While writing, I began thinking about modern-day women who are familiar with the world of business and finances. I actually took the model for the book Andee writes from one of Suze Orman's books. I created her based on high-power women I've seen in the media and read about--women who base their security on themselves rather than depending on God.

Background to the story

In my personal life, I was learning what it meant to lose my life for Christ's sake (Matthew 10:39). When I read Jeanne Guyon's autobiography, much of her teaching was about picking up our cross and following Christ, and dying to self. Her life experiences and lessons seemed to mirror my own, although we lived hundreds of years apart. I wanted to create a story that would show what it looks like today, to lose one's life for the sake of Christ. To perhaps even show what it would look like to walk away from those who hinder a relationship with Christ.

In addition to reading Jeanne Guyon's autobiography, I'd also read Leslie Vernick's book, The Emotionally Destructive Relationship, and was identifying a destructive/abusive relationship in my own life and was seeking God on how to handle it. An emotionally abusive relationship was also part of Jeanne Guyon's life. I contacted Leslie Vernick and asked if she'd be interested in consulting on the novel I was writing. She agreed. With Leslie's insight, and all I'd learned from her book, I was able to create the destructive relationship between Jenna and her mother-in-law, Brigitte.

My hope is that any of my readers who might be bound by such a relationship in their own lives will see themselves in this story and learn from Jenna's commitment to seek God and her willingness to make changes as she follows Him.

Relz Reviewz Extras
View the trailer
Review of Words
Character spotlight on Kaylee & Sierra
Visit Ginny's website and blog
Buy Ginny's books at Amazon or Koorong

Coming mid 2012 from B&H Publishing

Check out these new titles releasing from B&H Fiction, mid next year.
Love the cover of Hide and Seek and can't wait to read it!  Jamie and Pamela are favourite authors of mine, too.  Not keen on Kim and Mindy's cover unfortunately :(
How about you?

Beauty to Die For by Kim Alexis & Mindy Starns Clark

Juliette Taylor walked away from her career as a supermodel twenty-five years ago. Now approaching fifty – an emotionally complex milestone -- she co-owns a beauty supply company that makes skincare products for salons and spas. Her niche is pampering Christian women who usually spend more time caring for others than for themselves under the slogan:

Isn’t it time someone took care of YOU for a change?

When Juliette arrives at the Palm Grotto Spa to host a spiritual retreat, she runs into an old modeling colleague, Raven, who had always been disliked in the industry for many reasons. She isn’t there for the retreat; in fact, her presence at the spa is somewhat mysterious.

Not long after Raven makes a cryptic threat to Juliette, the unsympathetic back-then beauty is found dead, poisoned by something in the green clay of a chai soy wrap. The following morning, a banner for the retreat has been unceremoniously altered:

It’s your turn to be nurtured, to be restored . . . to be murdered.

Suspicion is directed at Juliette who has history with Raven and certainly knows how to use beauty products. But for murder?! Now she must find the real killer before the police really take care of her.

May, 2012

The River Rose by Gilbert Morris

Life hasn’t been easy for Jeanne Bettencourt, a widow approaching thirty and struggling to provide for her eight-year-old daughter. But hope arrives in the form of the Helena Rose, a steamboat she unexpectedly inherits from a distant, departed relative. Jeanne’s father had captained a similar vessel and taught her how to pilot a steamer along the banks of Memphis. She’s looking forward to a renewed livelihood on the mighty Mississippi.

However, as plans are made, news comes of another heir to the Helena Rose -- a tough man named Clint Hardin -- and a clause in the will that says claimants of the estate must live aboard the boat. Jeanne, a Christian woman, makes it clear she won’t stay with a man who is not her husband. But both are desperate for work, so they agree to keep their distance as Clint occupies the lower deck and Jeanne takes the captain’s quarters.

As they restore the Helena Rose, the slowly softening Clint becomes attracted to Jeanne -- who is now being courted by a wealthy plantation owner. With her family and future at stake, the desires of Jeanne’s heart are duly complex. Only her simple faith can navigate her through what’s about to happen.

June, 2012

A Plain Death by Amanda Flower

Welcome to Appleseed Creek, the heart of Ohio’s Amish Country, where life is not as serene as it seems.

While her Cleveland friends relocated to Southern California and Italy, 24-year-old computer whiz Chloe Humphrey moves with some uncertainty to Appleseed Creek to direct technology services at a nearby college. Her first acquaintance is Becky, an ex-Amish teenager looking for a new home.

While driving Chloe’s car, Becky collides with a buggy, killing an Amish elder. But what looks like an accident is soon labeled murder when police discover the car’s cut brake line. Now, Chloe must take on the role of amateur sleuth to discover who the real intended victim was before the murderer makes a second attempt. Becky’s handsome Amish-turned-Mennonite brother, Timothy, a local carpenter, comes in handy along the way. With God’s help, they’ll solve the mystery that’s rocking this small community.

July, 2012

Hide and Seek by Maj. (Ret) Jeff Struecker & Alton Gansky

Amelia Lennon no longer wears a uniform or carries a weapon. An Army trained Foreign Affairs Officer, she’s negotiating a dispute with the Kyrgyzstan government that threatens to leave the U.S. without an airbase in that region. She traded her gun for the power of words, but now she needs both.

While following her government contact—Jildiz Oskonbaeva, the lawyer daughter of Kyrgyzstan’s president—Amelia witnesses an attempt to abduct her. She manages to prevent the kidnapping, but now the two women are on the run in a city that’s erupting into chaos.

Master Sergeant J.J. Bartley is the Special Operations team leader tasked to rescue Amelia and Jildiz. With two new members in his unit—one with a secret that could endanger everyone’s life—J.J. must soldier his unit through crazed mobs intent on overthrowing the government. Back home, his pregnant wife is misinformed that her husband and the team have been killed. But before this is over, Bartley will find out that’s the least of his problems.

July, 2012

The Forgiven Duke by Jamie Carie

Tethered by her impulsive promise to marry Lord John Lemon—the path of least resistance—Alexandria Featherstone sets off toward Iceland in search of her parents with a leaden heart. A glimpse of her guardian, the Duke of St. Easton—the path less traveled by—on Dublin’s shore still haunts her.

Will he come after her? Will he drag her back to London, quelling her mission to rescue her treasure-seeking parents, or might he decide to throw caution to the wind and choose Foy Pour Devoir: “Faith for Duty,” the St. Easton motto. The Featherstone motto Valens et Volens: “Willing and Able,” beats in her heart and thrums through her veins. She will find her parents and find their love, no matter the cost.

The powerful yet wing-clipped Duke of St. Easton has never known the challenge that has become his life since hearing his ward’s name. Alexandria Featherstone will be the life or the death of him. Only time and God’s plan will reveal just how much this man can endure for the prize of love.

July, 2012

Chasing the Wind by Pamela Binnings Ewen

At 8:47 A.M. on Wednesday, October 12, 1977, new-to-town businessman Bingham Murdock flew his small plane into New Orleans, banking it in such a way that a ray of sunshine shot through the city at light speed.

Amalise Catoir saw the flash from her sixteenth floor law office window. Finally feeling alive after the death of her abusive husband, she imagined seeing the plane was a fate for her eyes only; a special connection between the unknown giver and she, the recipient of light.But someone else saw it, a six-year-old Cambodian refugee in foster care for whom a sudden burst of brightness reminds him of artillery fire.

Destined to cross paths with the man and the child, Amalise doesn’t yet know the deeper spiritual lesson she will learn: that we are responsible not only for the things we do, but also for the things that we don’t.

August, 2012

RBC Book Club Interview with Pamela Binnings Ewen

Our October selection, Pamela Binnings Ewen's heartbreaking and hope filled tale, Dancing on Glass, made for an excellent discussion and time of reflection.  Pamela generously shared of her time, answering our varied questions below.

Pamela's story delves into the difficult topics of spousal abuse and codependency against the backdrop of 1970's New Orleans and a young woman forging a legal career yet finding herself lost in a marriage that should have never been.

**Please note spoilers below**

 Pamela:~ Hello everyone! I really enjoyed your questions. I’ve combined them where they were similar. Hope that works! Put on your reading glasses—Here goes! 

S and J: You’ve asked what my motivation was for writing this story. 

I've thought about writing it for years. Several ideas coalesced in my mind around the same time a few years ago and I knew it was the right time. One point had to do with my previous book, The Moon in the Mango Tree, and the role women played in the world at that time, the1920's. That was the story of my grandmother's life—I was close to her, loved her dearly. She was a suffragette and a wonderful singer. In 1918 she married my grandfather, a medical doctor, and immediately he went off to war—WWI. While he was on the battlefields in France, she continued studying music. One day she was given the opportunity to begin a career with the Chicago Opera. She was thrilled. Couldn't wait for my grandfather to return to discuss this—he could practice medicine in Chicago. She could sing. When he returned from the war however, he was a changed man. He'd seen such misery on the battlefields that he couldn't see returning to life as a society doctor in Philadelphia. He told her that he was accepting a position as a medical missionary in Siam (now Thailand) and expected her to be thrilled. 

Now. In the United States women finally won the right to vote in 1920. The door of opportunity opened enough to let in a sliver of light. But the idea of a woman having a career on stage was still new and very controversial in my grandmother's world. My grandmother was devastated, but she felt she had no choice other than to accept her husband's decision. As her mother advised, the husband is the one with a career. Her job as his wife was to create a home for him in the mission. And she loved him, of course. So, instead of singing on the stage, she found herself in the jungles of north Siam as a missionary wife. Throughout that dazzling decade—the jazz age—but the longing to sing never left her. Through the years she wondered what life would have been if she'd chosen to continue singing. In the end, she was faced with a choice between two things she loves, and that's the essence of the story.

That choice. Because at least, and at last, the choice was hers to make. 

This is a long way of getting to your answer, but notice that Dancing on Glass is set in 1974, about half-way between my grandmother's time and today. Amalise has chosen a career in law. She has opportunities my grandmother never had, but still she's chosen to work in what was then a man's world. That's also close to the time when I was going to law school, and then practicing law. So the timing of the story isn't coincidental. I thought it would be interesting to compare and contrast the issues that my grandmother faced in the  1920's, and some of my own in the 1970's; not only the woman's role in the world and how society views that, but also in their relationships with men. 
      
And that brings me to the second reason for writing the story. Over the years we women have come to a point where we can really reach for the stars. Whether that means working inside the home or outside, today we have a strong support network to make our choices, unlike my grandmother's time. Women in your country and mine are now accomplished, educated, strong, and often financially independent. And yet still we find some of these same strong women seemingly trapped in abusive relationships.  I've known some. I've also experienced some aspects of Amalise's relationship with Phillip. We read about in the headlines all the time. Often it's a secret until something outside our control lets it out. Media love to ask the question when they find out: Why did she stand by her man? 
      
This is an important question. I believe there are many more women in Amalise's predicament than we know, women living two lives...compartmentalizing. Keeping secrets. But understanding is the key. Knowledge is power, and the key to prevention. The standard answers to the question—low self-esteem, unhappy childhoods, etc., don't stand up when you look at these relationships today. However, although we've become stronger over the years, we've also retained our softer sides, our nurturing instincts.  I think of this as the double-bind.  And in the case of predatory relationships, perhaps that's the lure.

What do you think about that? 

For R and J too: Faith on Trial led me to Christianity. I think of that book as my own faith journey. Here’s what happened. I was raised in a Christian home, but as a young adult I began questioning some of the fundamental principles of Christian faith, the dark questions that some of us are faced with in the night. Is it really true? This was the nineteen sixties. There were many strong and rational writers at that time arguing in books and media and universities and songs that this life is all there is—you'd better make the most of it. 

These writers and philosophers made compelling arguments against religion. So I went to my pastor and asked the question: How do you know the Gospel stories are true? I asked the question that way, because Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are the witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the keystone for Christianity. But the answer I got was this: There's no way to prove it. You just have to have faith. 
      
My mind could not accept that answer no matter how much I wanted to believe. (Perhaps that trait is what made me a lawyer!) At any rate, as I said in Faith On Trial, unfortunately, you cannot just make yourself believe. My heart wouldn't accept what my mind rejected. So I walked away in the sixties an agnostic and I got on that treadmill and started to run. Went to law school. Became a lawyer. And for the next fifteen or so years, I was agnostic, although always, always…I wanted to believe. After many years of searching for answers, one day it occurred to me that lawyers examine the validity of past events all the time, proving whether or not they really occurred. We do that by examining the credibility of the evidence and witnesses. Balancing things, coming to conclusions based upon this standard: After looking at all the evidence, is the event more likely than not to be true. This is called a “reasonableness” standard.  
      
So I put the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John on trial. It took almost 15 years to research the evidence and put it together, using the most original sources that I could find. Piece by piece I strung the evidence I found into a chain of proof, as you would in a trial. And as I did this, I began to realize that the actual evidence I was finding–archeological, scientific, medical, forensic, historical contemporaneous writings, studies in linguistics, papyrology, history—all, combined, provided an extremely powerful case. A case that would clearly hold up in court. By the time I’d finished researching and writing Faith on Trial, I was a committed Christian. This changed my life. Soon after I resigned my partnership at my firm to write, because I had ideas that I longed to discuss with readers like you!! 
      
Here's a strange thing though. While researching my Grandmother's story for Mango Tree, I came across her letters home, and her family's letters to her throughout the 1920's. In the letters I discovered that my grandmother had had the same questions about faith that I'd had. She came to Christianity by a different route, but the similarity was very strange. 

A – Did I answer the first part of your question about how I conceived the story? It was really just a step from there to the process of developing the actual story itself because most writers write what they know. So Amalise became a lawyer, and the setting was New Orleans, because that's my home. New Orleans is a magical city and I thought of it almost as another character in the story. 
      

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The actual process of writing, for me, is really fun. I start with a stream-of-consciousness draft that NOBODY ever sees. I don't worry about sentence structure or character arcs or anything at this point. Just get the story and people down on paper. After that, I begin what I think of as the real craft that is, shaping the story. That involves creating chapters, getting inside the characters, doing lots of research. For example, the mid-nineteen-seventies were one of my favorite periods of time in New Orleans. But I still had to go into old newspapers to recall exactly what was going on in the news, what movies were popular, what songs, etc. 
      
But once I get to this stage, I'm creating a world in my mind. When I write, it's as if I've shifted into this other world. I put myself in the character's place when I'm writing, as if I've become that person, and the story takes over. Rewriting is amazing, and with each rewrite of the book I find something new that strikes me as critical to the character's choices, or go deeper into the psychology of relationships. 
      
You are perceptive. And C – this is also for your last question. Getting inside a character, and his or her point of view, can be very emotional. For example, when I was writing Mango Tree, I'd put Liebestraum on 'replay' for hours and just get lost in that world and the emotions. That was particularly true because I loved my grandmother so, and yet she was a very complex person and I knew that I had to show her flaws as well as the wonderful parts. So it is emotional, but also exhilarating because you feel that you are creating something that will last, and something that will touch the lives of many other people.  
      
With Amalise and Phillip, some of the situations did come from my own experience and so yes, it was sometimes difficult to write. Not always, because I hope that readers find the happy side of Amalise as well. And I think the city of New Orleans adds some whimsy to lighten things up a bit. Still, some parts of the book were hard going. Not only because I'd been there to some extent, but also because I knew that many other women reading this book would see themselves, and as I was writing my prayer was to get things right. To be able to tell someone else's story to a reader who'd thought she was alone. And to warn the ones who recognize themselves but haven't been completely lured into the trap just yet.  Here's the thing I mentioned earlier about 'secrets'. When you are in an abusive relationship, whether it's emotional or physical, keeping this a secret is often a top priority. Amalise doesn't want to put the burden on her parents, doesn't want to hurt them. She also doesn't want them to jump into things and force choices on her. She wants to make decisions herself, from her own perspective. Also, at one point she reflects that if anyone at the firm knew what a mess her home life was, they'd have less respect for her. That need to keep one side her life a secret forces her to compartmentalize, to focus on one thing at a time and force the other problems away until their turn comes along. Which means in a way that she lives in the moment. Remember? She picks her battles. 
      
How did I deal with this emotional situation? Well, I do tend to compartmentalize. And I’ve left those years behind. I'm now married to a wonderful man, my oldest, best friend. (Sound familiar?) 
      
Prayers in italics: I generally like to distinguish the character's 'specific' thoughts (as opposed to general reflection) and one way to do that it to use italics. Amalise's faith is so personal to her that often her specific thoughts are informal dialogue with her Abba, which sometimes also take the form of prayer. As to Amalise's mother's prayers, my original thought was to put all of Mama's those in italics but the publisher thought that was too much. 
      
Why did I set the story in 1974/75? R, this is for you, too. As I mentioned above, one reason was to show the changes in women’s' lives from the time of my grandmother, and also because that was about the time I was in law school. But in addition, I thought it would be fun to strip away the years and show readers what New Orleans circa 1970's was like. The city was smaller, much like a small town. And much less self-aware. There was less glitz then. Physically, also, it was different, particularly in the areas visitors see around the French Quarter. 
      
C - Regarding the 'observer'. The philosopher Descartes described the way we all watch ourselves internally. Have you ever found yourself doing that—a sort of running internal commentary on your actions or decisions or what's going on around you? (Giving yourself a mental high-five, for example?) With me, sometimes that inner voice is my conscience. Other times thoughts pop into my head from nowhere, it seems. And sometimes I think maybe it's God's way of communicating with us—the counselor, or Holy Spirit. The observer is that little voice inside that monitors what we're thinking and doing, and sometimes lifts the veil so that we can see more clearly. 
      

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Yes, as I mentioned above, I have been involved in such a manipulative relationship and it took a long time for me to understand what had happened. Again, R, this answer is for you, too. I think something new is happening in relationships between men and women as a result of that double bind I mentioned earlier, and it's due to our nurturing, maternal instincts, and it's this. Many women today are able to leave a relationship like this. Many are financially independent. Many are strong, self-confident, and educated. So the real question here is why don't women like Amalise caught in predatory, abusive relationships like this leave? Dancing on Glass is not autobiographical, but some of the events are taken from my personal experience, and some of it comes from observing others, and some from extensive reading and research. Television, magazines, newspapers are all full of these stories. In the U.S. Elizabeth Edwards, deceased wife of presidential candidate John Edwards comes to mind. Reporters everywhere asked “Why did she stand by her man?” Dancing on Glass is my attempt to answer that question in a modern way. I hope that readers will find something new in the way they analyze and understand these relationships after reading the book. 
      
As I said above, writing this story was definitely sometimes stressful. It's also sometimes frustrating to read, I know, because as a reader, you had a bird's eye view and wanted to warn her. As the writer, I wanted to do the same, but there’d have been no story if (1) I'd wised her up and she’d walked away from Phillip at the first warning sign, or (2) if you, the reader, weren’t alert to the possibilities and consequences of her flawed choices as you read along.    
      
But, at the end? Hmm… if I were Amalise, I don't know if I'd have handed Phillip the branch. (How about you?)  
      
J – I was at a dinner party one night and a woman at our table talked about her grandmother, named Amalise. Her grandmother was from Louisiana, of French and Creole origin. I thought the name was beautiful and conscripted it! Amalise’s last name, Catoir, was the name of a wonderful friend of mine who passed away recently of an aggressive cancer at the age of 30. Anna Marie Catoir gave me consent to use her last name. She was a little flash of sunshine and readers might think this is strange, given the nature of this story, but I think of Amalise that way, as optimistic, faithful, trusting. As to the use of the name Ama in the prologue being confusing, I hadn't thought of that before. But I can see how that might be so.  
      
When is enough, enough? I find that out in rewrites and have to try to discipline myself. As a writer I want to create a world for my readers, though, so there is a fine line to draw. Editors also help with that. They're ruthless with that red pen! 
      
I can't speak for other publishers, but B&H Publishing Group hasn't set out any censorship rules for me. They are looking for a story that clearly differentiates between good and evil, however, and more specifically that has a Christian view of what that means. I've also found that they've been willing to listen when I'm making a point in a way that might be viewed as traditionally somewhat edgy, so long as that differentiation comes out in the actions of the characters and their inner reflection.  In Dancing on Glass, Amalise makes some bad choices, but her faith is steadfast. God is always there to pick her up. To give her another chance. To guide her one way or another to the right path. And to help her when she suffers those consequences. My own view is that this is the nature of God's grace, and this is one of the points of the book. No matter what, you are never alone. Remember the parable of the 99 sheep safe in the fold, and the question—which one of you would not leave them to go find the one that is lost. 
      
I do think these views differ among publishers, however. But I've been with B&H since I began writing with my first book, Faith on Trial, released in 1999, and so can't make a valid comparison with others. I think if you look at the books published by any house, you can get a pretty good view of how they view this question. 

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J – How do you spot a person like Phillip? Very good question and you're correct that this is difficult because he can be charming, sociable—he's a chameleon. He creates a mirror for our own wants and needs. That's what makes him so frightening. These types of people are adept at appearing to function normally, indeed very successfully sometimes, in society. The point is that predators can be very difficult to spot. 
      
Phillip Sharp is based primarily on a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder in an out-of-control situation where no recognition or help is involved. In the note to readers in the back I recommended a book titled “I Hate You—Don't Leave Me” for those who want to learn more. (Kind of says it all, doesn't it?) The beginning of Amalise and Phillip's relationship was quite intense...too intense, it moved too quickly and that's one warning sign. Emotional blackmail is another. My hope, and prayer, is that readers come to a new understanding of relationships like this and overcome the desire for secrecy to seek help. This is not the usual analysis of abusive relationships—this is not the Burning Bed. (Remember that movie?) In a relationship like this between Phillip and Amalise, it's futile to think you can fix the problem on your own. For readers involved in such relationships, understanding what's happening and that you are not the only one caught like this is critical. Please seek help. 

R – How did I research Phillip’s insidious psychological effect on Amalise? As I mentioned above, some of my knowledge comes from personal experience. I also worked with several psychiatrists who specialize in this personality disorder to help me understand. And lots of reading to fill in the blanks. 

T – Yes The Moon in the Mango Tree is very different from Dancing on Glass, but I had no trouble with the transition. Basically they are alike in this way: they both deal with women who are faced with difficult choices that many of us must make during a lifetime. They’re both (in a general way) optimistic about life. In the case of my grandmother in Mango Tree, she was on a faith journey. In the case of Amalise, her faith was well grounded, and even when she took the wrong path, she blamed herself, not God. So faith plays a large part in both books. In Mango Tree it’s more subtle.  
But you’re right, they’re also very different. This drives my publisher crazy since readers come to expect certain consistencies among the books of a writer they like. Secret of the Shroud is different, too.  Dancing on Glass is the first time I’ve written a series, using the same characters and location and extending the story through three books. Chasing the Wind, the sequel to Dancing, will be released next year, August 1, 2012. But even though it continues the saga of Amalise and Jude, it’s still a very different story. (I just get carried away, I guess.) 

T - you asked if I needed to take breaks from writing a character such as Phillip. Yes, yes, and yes!  
How did writing this story impact me personally, and my faith? As I mentioned above, it was very personal to me. Perhaps the book was a catharsis of sorts, a way of understanding. But the character of Phillip didn’t stick around afterwards. As you may know, by the time Dancing on Glass was released, I’d written and turned in the second book, the sequel, which was a lot of fun to write. So, in a way, Phillip is truly gone. 

As to faith—one of the wonderful things about Christianity is God’s grace. Knowing that He understands our weaknesses and flaws, and will forgive and help us up each time we fall, no matter how many times that happens He is always there: That is the gift of faith. 

My favorite way to de-stress is to read. I have a great office where I write, upstairs overlooking a small lake that flows into a beautiful swamp. (In fact that swamp and the great white herons were my muses for the last few scenes in Dancing!) But I have to get away to relax. So I go down the street to a local coffee shop that has a pretty covered patio and I sit out there and read for a while. It’s my ‘time-out’. I also exercise on the treadmill every day, but I read while I’m doing that too.  

A writer’s life is almost the inverse of a lawyers’ life, and I love each one. I feel so blessed to have been given the chance to have two absolutely wonderful careers. During my 25 years as a lawyer I learned so much and met so many great people. I can truly say that I loved that time. Same with writing – I love the creative process itself. It’s like magic—you have a thought, or a question, and you noodle on it for a while. Then you begin researching the question to find out more about it. Finally you sit down (very important!). And begin writing, and then rewriting, rewriting, rewriting…shaping it into something that you hope will survive and get to readers. And best of all, getting to know readers like all of you!! 

Sounds like Pollyanna, I suppose. But I enjoy life. 

Re my bio: I live in Mandeville, Louisiana, which is exactly 23 miles north of New Orleans across Lake Ponchartrain, over the causeway. This area is locally referred to as the Northshore, and it’s in the Greater N.O. Metro Area. Lots of trees and rivers and lakes over here. About 10 degrees cooler. Things are slower, but we have a thriving literary community too. This is Walker Percy country. 
But I think of New Orleans as home. It’s a city that gets into your blood. My favorite part of the city…hmmm. Well, I have to choose two because I love them both, and have wonderful memories over the years in them. First: the French Quarter. I loved stripping away the years in Dancing, going back to the Quarter the way it was when I was a young mother raising my son. I’d take him on the streetcar down to Jackson Square and he’d chase the pigeons there. We’d stop at Café du Monde for beignets, and walk through the narrow streets. Spend the whole afternoon there. Some scenes in Chasing the Wind (next summer) come from many of those memories. Also, there’s such an eclectic literary community in the Quarter. For instance some friends of mine life on Pirate’s Alley in the heart of the French Quarter in a house that William Faulkner owned and wrote in.  

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Second: The university area around Tulane and Loyola Universities. I attended Tulane, undergraduate and 1^st year of law school. It’s a beautiful campus, filled with live oak trees and spreading grass. Lots to love there. And Audubon Park across St. Charles Avenue from the universities was practically my second home when I was younger. It’s just beautiful, a place in those days where you could bring a blanket to the lagoon and feed the ducks, or spend the afternoon playing croquet with friends, or just lazing around. It’s bordered by the Mississippi River. There are lots of good local restaurants around there, and lots of night-music--blues, jazz, funky music. You name it. 

N and R– My journey to writing comes from my journey to faith, so I think your questions are answered above.  

Thanks for the wonderful questions—very thoughtful and perceptive, all. Keep in touch! And don’t forget, Jude and Amalise live on in Chasing the Wind, out next August!  Big hugs - Pamela  

Just wonderful, Pamela ~ thanks so very much for sharing in this way with us :)

Relz Reviewz Extras
Character spotlight on Amalise & Jude
View the trailer
Read Tracy's review of The Moon and the Mango Tree
Interview with Pamela
Visit Pamela's website
Buy Pamela's books at Amazon or Koorong