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

RBC Book Club interview with Mesu Andrews ~ Part 2

 Enjoy Part 2 of my book club's Q&A with Mesu Andrews but be sure to have read Part 1 first.

*Beware spoilers below*

 Mesu talks more about her debut novel, Love Amid the Ashes

RBC:  Has it been a long-term dream to be a writer, or is this something that came about unexpectedly for you?

Mesu:  I had hoped to be a speaker, a Bible teacher, who wrote books that supplemented the retreats, conferences, etc. My speaking schedule was growing, and then one day...I couldn’t get out of bed. Six months in bed, a year+ of wrestling with God—and WALLAH—I’m writing devotionals instead of speaking. The Solomon manuscript came from a weekend retreat I had been presenting since 1999, and the weekly devotionals began so that I didn’t lose my mind while chained to a bed. Nope, writing was never really high on my priority list. Now, it’s one of the greatest gifts the Lord has ever given me.

What does a 'normal' day look like for you, when in the middle of writing a book, considering the impact of your illness on your life?

Whoa! Normal? Yikes! You’ve got it exactly right! With chronic illness, normal is fleeting! But I will say that I try very hard to keep a schedule. I try to put all my appointments and errands on a single day. It makes for a whopper migraine that night, but the other days are a little more bearable if I stick to that. I try to catch up on e-mail by noon and actually start writing soon after. But all that gets blown out of the water with a writing deadline—or if one of my daughters calls and wants Mommy’s attention! Ha!

Is this a one-off, or are there plans to treat us to another novel in the future?

I mentioned Love’s Sacred Song as the next contracted work, but my passion is the Old Testament, and I hope to write many more novels about God’s love. So many folks see God as a God of wrath in the Old Testament and a God of love in the New Testament. That makes me sad. He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I’m passionate about revealing God’s love in Old Testament tales.

I hope to begin writing about the Women of Prophets and Kings. We’ll see which one comes first, but I’ve got two under consideration right now. I’ll keep you posted!

I enjoyed Love Amid the Ashes and found it a fascinating read. I am marveled by the research that goes into this.  Do you enjoy this part of the process?

I LOVE RESEARCH!!! It would be easy for me to get caught up in the research and forget to start writing! I’m fascinated when the pieces of a plot begin to fit together. I’m amazed when the Lord begins to quicken my heart, showing me cross-referenced Scriptures and historical data that emphasize seemingly insignificant Bible passages.


Who was your favourite character and why?

I adore Nogahla. She wasn’t even on my original character chart. Maybe that’s why I love her. She just kept stealing the scenes! Ha! I enjoyed the simple wisdom she brought to the confusion around her. She saw INTO people, loved completely, forgave easily. Oh, how I admire that little character!


What inspired you to start writing in the first place?

Preservation of sanity. God created me to study and teach His Word. It’s life-giving to me. When I couldn’t speak to groups (teach Bible studies) anymore, I had to have some reason to study, a purpose for knowledge. The weekly devotionals are my meat and potatoes. Biblical fiction is dessert!

What is your favourite thing to do in your spare time?

Movies! I love movies. We watch lots of movies in our household. I also love water – the ocean, lakes, etc. Though chronic illness makes it difficult to be extremely active, I love to be near water and just listen to the sound.

What aspect of writing do you enjoy the most?

I feel like I’m still ministering to folks. My husband was a pastor when my struggles with chronic illness began. I was a VERY busy pastor’s wife, and then suddenly I had no people interaction whatsoever. Writing, and the many avenues of ministry associated with it, gives me the opportunity to sit quietly in front of my computer and minister to thousands of folks—and still get the rest my body needs to live a relatively normal life. God is SO good!

Can you tell us a little about yourself please?(favourite food, way to spend a day off)

Hmmm. Favorite food. That’s a tough one. I like pizza, lobster, pasta and just about anything sweet. I hate raw onions and peppers. Love fruit and almost any cooked veggie (yes, even Brussels sprouts).

My best buddy is our four-year-old Rottweiler-Pitbull named, Bouzer. He’s a love and sits next to me every moment I write.

My hubby is my biggest cheerleader and best friend. Our two grown daughters are the joy of my life. One got married last summer and the second will be married Aug. 12th this year (18 days!). I’ve waited a long time to get sons, and I’ve acquired the best ones a mother could ask for...BTW getting them this way didn’t hurt nearly as much. My newest son comes with two precious little girls, so I get to be “GramMesu” right away! Woohoo!

I love Jesus but still struggle to get alone-time with Him. I was a pastor’s wife for fourteen years, but I still wake up some Sunday mornings and don’t want to go to church. I try to be nice to the idiot car that cuts me off in the passing lane, but I still say mean things sometimes. Other than that, I’m perfect. J

How did your illness influence your writing of this book?

I’m not sure if I can blame my slow writing on chronic illness (though I might try that! Good idea!), but I do notice when “the fog rolls in.” I’ve been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, POTS, and I’ve had daily migraines since 2005. In all of the first three conditions, symptoms include a sort of neurologic “fog” that causes confused thinking. I can testify to it! I can literally read a sentence (or write one) three or four times, and it makes no sense whatsoever. At that point, it’s time to stop. I think most writers hit a certain point where their creativity goes dead. Some can pull an “all-nighter,” some can’t. I’m in the “can’t” category. My writing window is whatever amount of time that my brain cooperates.

What has been the most rewarding/most difficult part of your writing journey?

Finishing. I’m a great starter and lousy finisher. To actually complete a whole novel was both the most difficult and most rewarding journey of my life. And then to sign a contract, promising to finish a second novel before I’d even written the first word—that was the most terrifying moment of my life!

Why Biblical fiction?

Because I’m a Bible teacher, but no one wanted to publish anything a no-body pastor’s wife had to say! Ha! So I teach through parables, and suddenly the lessons come to life on a page. Cool, eh? It’s why biblical fiction CAN be a very powerful tool. But it’s also why prayer is so crucial to the writing. Reading biblical fiction is just the beginning of the journey. If it doesn’t send a reader to the Author of Truth, it’s not good writing.

Do you plan to write in other genres as well?

Okay, don’t laugh. I know everybody is writing Amish fiction nowadays but... Before my husband and I moved to the West Coast, we pastored a church in a small Amish community, and many of those in our congregation left the Amish culture to attend our church. We lived out a few extremely intense “thriller/suspense” kinds of stories with some folks, and I’ve considered asking permission to write about them. But for now, my heart and mind is totally consumed with God’s love in the Old Testament. We’ll have to wait and see what the very distant future holds. :)

Please share something of your faith journey

Well, I’m a spiritual mutt. My family has a rich and varied theological heritage, and I was thoroughly confused by the time my teen years rolled around. I rebelled against my parents and God and was an alcoholic by age nineteen. The Lord got my attention through a broken relationship, and when an old high school friend showed me proof of a changed life, I finally believed God was real. As a young wife and mom, I formed my early theology from my kids’ Bible story books. When my hunger for Truth grew, I attended Bible Study Fellowship and studied God’s Word on my own. When my husband’s coaching career ended, he said he was called into ministry. I said, “Call me when you’re done.” But I went along—under protest. Pastoral ministry was the best of times and the worst of times. My heart loved people in ways I never imagined possible, but my heart was also broken into a million pieces. Through it all, God was faithful and drew me closer than I’d ever been, and He helps me love His people through the power of the Cross. Today, I minister as a broken vessel, a cracked pot, certain of God’s goodness and convinced of His love.

Thanks Mesu ~ Rel on behalf of RBC Book Club

Thanks to you, Rel! This has been so fun!

Relz Reviewz Extras
RBC Book Club interview with Mesu ~ Part 1
Q&A with Mesu
Visit Mesu's website
Buy Mesu's books at Amazon or Koorong

RBC Book Club interview with Mesu Andrews ~ Part 1

Mesu Andrews' take on Job, Love Amid the Ashes, was our July selection and we had a fabulous discussion on our thoughts and responses to the story.  Mesu graciously answered our many and varied questions which I am delighted to share with you.

Mesu's debut release gave us much to think about as we reflected on the Biblical accounts of Job and Dinah, the horrific experience Job struggled through and his faithfulness to God.

*some spoilers ahead*

RBC:  How long did the writing process of this book take you and what was your 'plan of attack' in writing it?

Mesu:  I began researching the book in October 2008 and found the first tid-bit of info on Job’s wife—I saw the possibility of Dinah mentioned in a commentary and was hooked. With biblical fiction, research continues throughout the writing of the manuscript. It seems I never know enough to write a full scene without digging for more information! My first rough draft was submitted to Revell in March 2010, one year before release.

My “plan of attack” (love that) is always the same with any biblical story. I look to Scripture first for all the unalterable FACTS. That includes looking for any small reference that might be tied to the story in other books of Scripture. It also means viewing Scripture as one story on a single timeline—not looking at it in separate books. Such a view generally ties me into ancient history, which is my second step in research—historical documentation. Ancient texts, archaeological findings, and geographical information about the specific land I’m describing are crucial elements to pull readers into the story. My third step is good ol’ fashioned imagination. That’s when we get to hang the tinsel on the leaves and branches of the tree.

How did you choose the characters names and did the characters remind you of people you know?

Oooh, great question! Many character names were given in Scripture or historical texts. When I must name a character, I use several websites (Biblical Baby Names, Muslim Baby Names) to find something that fits the personality of the person I’m portraying; however, I also must choose names that a reader won’t stumble over. For instance, Sayyid seemed relatively simple to read and means “master.”

While writing, I didn’t portray the characters with certain people in my life in mind. But as the book progressed, I saw similarities in my characters and my family and friends. No one is exactly like any of my characters, but I think there’s specific resemblance of several family members in the characters. My husband is Job to me. He led me to the Lord and helped me overcome some of the shame that plagued my B.C. days. My daughters are Dinah and Nogahla, and my son-in-love is Aban. Not totally, but close. :)

With all the editing work done on a book, has your book changed much from your initial conception of what the story line was going to be?

ABSOLUTELY! Here’s the pitch sentence my editor thought she was getting: When their possessions were lost and their children killed, Job’s wife stood strong beside her husband. But where was God when the man she loved more than life drew near to death? Join the powerful journey of a woman wooed by God toward personal, intimate faith. The book is a little different, eh? But I have THE MOST WONDERFUL editor in the whole world! And evidently, she liked the final story better.

The picture of the lady on the front cover is a fair haired blue eyed woman. I suspect that that wouldn't have been common in Israel - usually darker hair & eye's. Who made the decision to use that picture? Do authors get to have a say about a front cover or is this decision left entirely to
the publishing house?

It’s so funny that you ask that. One blogger’s review really fussed about the model, but I actually wanted this fair-haired, blue-eyed model! I didn’t do a very good job of it in the book, but my conclusions after researching Jacob/Leah’s heritage is that Leah’s eyes may have been called “weak” (Gen. 29:17) because they were light in color. Crazy, huh? When you think about Esau’s red hair, we also can imagine fair coloring. Though it’s not what we picture when we think of today’s typical Middle Eastern tones, the research I did showed it was not only possible, but even likely that some of Leah’s children might have inherited her gene for lighter coloring.

Authors, from what I’ve heard, don’t usually get a lot of say on their covers. This was actually the second cover for LAtA. Revell had even gone so far as to publicize another cover but pulled it and reshot this one when their sales team felt the first one fell short! Amazing people to work with, they’ve included me on lots of decisions. I love Revell’s team!

I too have a chronic illness - what advice can you share from your journey?

Embrace it, and then release it. I fought fibromyalgia for years. And then I fought POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome). Then I fought migraines. I tried every new cure, every possible answer. I recently ordered a new book on fibromyalgia. It’s the first thing I’ve read about fibro in almost 6 years. Why? Because the more I read about it, thought about it, tried to get rid of it—the more mastery it had over me. Granted, there are some days, when the pain is undeniable, and I can’t concentrate on anything else. But most days, I find something else to bury myself in—a new project, a good book, more research. Hours go by without a single thought of my discomfort.

Distraction doesn’t take away the pain, nor does it remove the need for my Umpteen-bajillion medications. But it replaces my angst with peace. I still pray for healing, and then I leave the timing and details up to the Lord.

Reading your book made me want to go straight back and read Job again. What character / story will feature in your next book?

First of all—THANK YOU! That is the greatest compliment I get. If the book sends you back to Scripture, the Lord has answered my prayer! Woohoo! Okay...now...you asked about the next project...

Love’s Sacred Song is scheduled to release March 2012. It’s the story of Solomon’s Song of Songs – a young king’s royal passion refined by a shepherd girl’s sacred love. But that doesn’t tell you what you REALLY want to know, does it? Here’s the inside scoop:

This one nearly killed me...but it’s the one that gave me wings. Love’s Sacred Song was the original manuscript that I submitted to Revell with my proposal in 2008, but because the story involved King Solomon, they asked if I would wait to publish it until Jill Eileen Smith’s Wives of King David Trilogy was complete. They offered a second book in the interim (story of Job), and I accepted. Sounds simple, right? Wrong. I originally wrote the Solomon manuscript back in 2000, my first-ever attempt at fiction. So, when it came time to blow off the dust and prepare the rough draft for submission...it was ugly. I’ll describe the process with a question. Which is easier—to remodel an old house or build a new one? Well, my Solomon “old house” was a mess! Thus, the reason it almost killed me.

The reason it gave me wings...obviously, because it was the ms that earned my first contract. But the story itself changed my relationship with Jesus—and therefore my life forever. I not only understand God’s love in a whole new way, I actually feel it—both in receiving it and giving it back to Him. I adore Him and truly know his relentless love.

What was it about Job's story that made you want to delve further into it, for the purposes of writing a novel?

Curiosity and stubbornness. J I’d always wondered who Job’s wife was, and I began a quest into historical literature to discover if anyone dared name her. Sure enough, they did. Sitis was the name given to his Arabic wife in the Testament of Job.

Stubborn...yep, stubborn. I can’t stand to read God’s Word and not understand it! I heard Jill Briscoe say once, “It’s important to read Scripture until God speaks to you in word or concept.” Well, I trudged through a lot of Job without understanding it, so I decided to read it, study it, research it, and write about it—until I understood what God wanted me to hear from it! See. Stubborn.

I have been wondering about the slight twist in Dinah's story. The Bible clearly states that she was defiled, which conjured up quite a different scenario than the one you describe in Love Amid the Ashes. How did you come up with the scenario in the book?

A few things worked together to create that twist. First, I love Anita Diamant’s Red Tent. In her story, Dinah was not raped; however, I wasn’t willing to go completely away from the Scriptural context (remember my action plan—step #1 = Scripture is unalterable Truth). My second reason wanders a little, so follow me...I promise I’ll land the plane eventually.

While reading commentaries on 1 and 2 Chronicles and 1 and 2 Kings, the scholars often talk about the way the Chronicler (for example) has left out part of the story in Kings because he didn’t want to present a certain Judean king in less than glowing terms. Keep this in mind as I go to reason three...

When I was sixteen, I allowed myself to be taken into the private home of a twenty-something-year-old man. Had I reported what happened in his home to the authorities, he would have been arrested for (statutory) rape. I was young and confused. I didn’t consider it rape at the time, but my father would have.

Now, imagine the writer of Genesis (probably Moses), recording the lasting record of God’s Chosen People—Jacob’s clan. Was his daughter raped by Shechem? Yes, she was in a city, alone, where she shouldn’t have been, with a young man she shouldn’t have been with. Scripture declares it as truth. But the absolute revulsion with which Jacob treats his sons after their vindictive slaughter makes me wonder if there might have been more to Dinah’s relationship with Shechem than Scripture’s details revealed. Because my story is FICTION, I can raise the question, cause the reader to ponder, without asserting that it is truth. And HOPEFULLY, it will cause the reader to go back to Scripture and re-read the story of Dinah, Shechem, Levi, Simeon, Jacob, etc...

Pressing folks back to Scripture is ALWAYS my goal. I won’t ever (purposely or knowingly) write anything that contradicts God’s Word; but if I feel the context of Scripture as a whole supports a little twist, I will shadow long-held beliefs to stir your curiosity.

What was the most difficult part of this book for you to write?

Job’s despair after Sitis’ death was without a doubt the most difficult part of the book to write. When the man of faith finally questions God, questions everything... I get teary just thinking about it. My critique partners are ruthless. :) I had to rewrite that section several times because I just couldn’t get real. I wrote it with too much control, too much of a “it will all turn out” philosophical viewpoint. It was as if I had to revisit the days of my own dark illness, the days I MYSELF questioned God...which is what I had to do before I could write Job’s true despair. I’m glad I wrote it, but I’m thankful I don’t have to write it again. :)

Thanks Mesu :)  Look for Part 2 of our interview, coming soon!

Relz Reviewz Extras
Q&A with Mesu
Visit Mesu's website
Buy Mesu's books at Amazon or Koorong

RBC Book Club interview with Leanna Ellis

Our last book club selection was Leanna Ellis' Facelift ~ humourous, meaningful and thought provoking.


Leanna was gracious in sharing her time with us by answering our many and varied questions! I hope you enjoy reading our Q&A.

RBC: What is the most fulfilling part of being an author?

Leanna: Hi, y’all! Thanks for having me here today. Hearing from readers is probably the most fulfilling part of being an author. Knowing that my characters have touched a readers’ heart or moved them to laughter and tears or changed them in some way is very heart-warming. It was heartbreaking and encouraging when I received letters from young widows who had read Elvis Takes a Back Seat. Reading their stories broke my heart. But also, hearing that my little story often read like their personal diary in what it felt like to lose their husband and that they’d learned they needed to let go of whatever they were clinging to in the past and reach for the future was a testament to God and how he’d inspired me to write that story. The same is true of my other books, and I simply praise God because I could not do this on my own.

You blend heartache and humour in perfect balance. Is this something that comes naturally, or is it a skill that you have had to intentionally develop?

Thank you. That is really nice to hear. I love blending both but it’s not always easy. Sometimes it simply takes a little time for a story to marinate and for me to stir around in it to find the humor. Angst and heartache is usually easy to find. But turning a situation into humor is not easy. Usually that balance is not there in my first few drafts, so I do have to work at it.

The psyche of authors fascinates me. Do your characters pop into your life unexpectedly and demand their story be told, or do you plan your writing in a more academic process?

For me, characters usually appear in my head and aggravate me until I finally get to their story. Some, of course, speak louder than others. Some are shy, and I have to draw them out. Some don’t want to reveal that vulnerable area of their heart and it takes patience to understand them.

What is it you most hope to accomplish as you send each of your works off into the hands of readers?

First, I hope to entertain the reader, moving them to laughter and tears, inspiring them in some small way, even if it’s just to hang on a little longer or to let go and live. Sometimes I hope to provoke thought and questions for the sake of discussion. Sometimes I like to shine the light on an area and reveal something new and interesting to a reader. I try not to get in the way and preach at a reader. If a character experiences something and that prompts the reader to hear the Holy Spirit in their own lives then that is incredible, but also between them and God.

What is your favourite way to relax and unwind?

I love to spend time with my husband and children. We really like to travel. Sometimes that’s relaxing, sometimes not. I enjoy walking my crazy Hilo Monster dog, playing with our cat and dogs. We have a new kitten coming into our family in a few weeks and that should be a lot of fun. Of course, I also love to read.

Do you have anything 'in the works' at the moment?

Right now, I’m working on book #2 of the Plain Fear series. Book #1, Forsaken, will be out in August. It’s a story about good and evil. An Amish woman grieving her first love must make a choice between two brothers that could decide the fate of her soul. You might have heard about this story because it’s been getting quite a lot of buzz. It’s an Amish/vampire story, and I’m pretty excited about this new series. It is a bit more serious, more suspenseful, but not scary, yet I still managed to get a little humor in there. It’s also not being published by a CBA publisher but by a secular publisher. The irony is that it’s probably my most spiritual book.

How did the introduction of “once upon a time come about”

It was not in my first draft. I can’t remember now how I originally began the story but sometime through my first draft when I felt I had a strong handle on the story that beginning just came to me probably while I was scrubbing toilets or something. When I first begin a book, of course I want it to be perfect first time out, but experience has taught me it rarely is. I try not to put pressure on myself that it has to be right the first time because I always rewrite the beginning a few times, especially once I get to the end. I tend to write in layers, and just yesterday while I was putting my contacts in, a line or two for the prologue of the book I’m working on came to me. So I guess that’s just how my brain works.

Who was your favourite character and why?

Cousin It was probably my favorite because I based the dog on my crazy labradoodle, who was just a puppy at the time. She originally wasn’t in the story. When I began writing Facelift, my father had just passed away and I was having a difficult time writing. But I was under deadline and I had to get busy. I tried to be patient with myself and tried not to stress when I would only write two words a day: Chapter Five. So I realized I was writing a lot about our labradoodle’s crazy antics on my blog or Facebook page. Her name is Hilo, from the town in Hawaii that we so enjoyed, but we had begun to call her the Hilo Monster. Anyway, she made me laugh. She also made my dad laugh toward the end of his life when there was nothing much to laugh at anymore. I thought a crazy puppy would be just one more thing that could aggravate Kaye and push her closer to the edge. So Cousin It was born, so to speak, and I was then able to write. So through writing Facelift, just as Kaye receives her own emotional facelift, I too experienced something similar.

Could you tell us a little about your faith journey regarding this book and what inspired you write this story?

Where I live, I see a lot of women who have obviously had some work done to enhance their looks. Sometimes, I must say, the results are not that great. However, one day I thought what if a character had a botched facelift. Of course, that character would have to be a perfectionist and how would that affect them, how would they cope? So Facelift was born from that idea. I didn’t have much more than that when I pitched the story and went to contract. It really wasn’t until I turned in Once in a Blue Moon that I had to start writing Facelift and had to figure out what the story was ultimately about. I knew I wanted one character to have a botched facelift and another to experience an emotional facelift. This was also right after my father died, and so as I said before I experienced my own emotional facelift as I wrote this book. I had to walk through grief and depression myself, much as Kaye does. That’s one reason I got her out running and walking because I discovered that when you’re depressed if you get out and enjoy the sunshine and walk it can really help lift that cloud of depression. I have not been through a divorce, but I have heard people describe divorce like grieving a death. And so I was really able to relate to Kaye in that regard.

After reading that you went to England and Scotland on your honeymoon, I was curious to know where you went and where you would like to go if you went back. (I was born in England and have spent approximately half my life there and half my life in Australia.)

I’m jealous! We love England and we are anxious to visit Australia some day! It’s funny that you ask this question because we did just go back! We took the kids to England for the first time over spring break. What an amazing trip! Of course, we had to do all the usual things like the Tower of London, Natural History Museum, and Harrod’s. We had to eat fish and chips, have a spot of tea, and sample the cheese sandwiches from Burrough Market. We walked down Portobello Road, across the Millennium Bridge and rode the London Eye. One of the highlights of the trip was taking my daughter to see Les Miserables, because she is a budding singer/actress, and I love going to the Westend. I also loved taking my son to the Imperial War Museum, which he loved. We saw the Rosetta Stone and the Magna Carta and so much more. I had never been to Bath or to Stonehenge, and we so enjoyed going to those places. We also flew up for one day to Edinburgh, and not only saw Princess Anne and Edinburgh Castle but tasted fried Mars bars. As you can see, I can go on and on.

What type of dogs do you have and what are their names?

We have a white Labrador named Liberty because we got her right after 9/11. And we have the crazy labradoodle named Hilo. We also have a black cat. We rescued her mother off the highway. She had a concussion and injured leg. She was also pregnant and delivered three kittens ten days early. The other two did not survive but we dropper fed the one surviving kitten and she thrived. We named her Miracle, not only because she survived but also because I’m not allergic to her. My father in law just passed away last week, and he had several cats, including 5 four-week-old kittens. So one of the kittens is coming to live with us in a few weeks. You’ll have to watch my Facebook page for the name this little cutie gets. My daughter wanted to name her Annie, because she was recently in the musical Annie. However, not all minds think alike in our family. So we’ve batted around a few names: Hula, Harper, Beatrix, Paddington. If you have any suggestions, please post them on my blog because I’m running a contest. J

I was completely lost in your novel after the first couple of chapters until I finished (fortunately I have a tolerant hubby)! However we have had some interesting discussions around divorce and its implications for remarriage for Christian couples (we have a solid loving long marriage!). I would be interested in your thoughts and how you approached this topic and your referencing.

You are very welcome. And I’m so glad it prompted discussions! And I’m delighted you have a happy marriage! Divorce can be a challenging topic in the Christian community. I don’t think God likes divorce. I don’t think it’s His first choice for any of us. But it happens. We certainly can’t deny that. I read a statistic that said Christians have the same divorce rate (50%) as non-Christians. Honestly, that makes me sad. But I also don’t believe divorce is the end. Life goes on. And I believe we have a God of second chances.

I enjoyed your book, Are any of the characters known to you? (Especially liked the ex mother-in-law.)

Are you trying to get me in trouble? I can definitely say that the mother-in-law in the book is not my actual mother-in-law. The character in Facelift really is a figment of my imagination. But I do draw from experiences and people I meet or know and utilize characteristics when drawing characters. However, that’s probably all subconscious.

What type of films do you enjoy?

I enjoy a variety from romantic comedies to action adventure to epics. I like old moves and new ones. I loved The King’s Speech and The Young Victoria. Again, more British stuff! I watched To Kill a Mockingbird with my kids a couple of weeks ago. And I also enjoy movies like Enchanted and Tangled. I love musicals like Singing in the Rain and even modern ones like Chicago. I love movies like The Patriot. And I love Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice. Full circle back to the British again.

Do you enjoy writing humourous novels?

I do! First, I love the angst and need that because that’s what makes us empathize with the character and feel his/her pain. But I love to utilize humor. I just simply love to laugh.

Please share a little of your faith journey

I was saved when I was twelve. But God used an experience when I was pregnant with my son, my first born, to really get my attention. My son was born with a hole in his heart. There is nothing like sitting in a pediatric cardiologist’s office with your two-week-old newborn to put you on your knees. God healed my son’s heart and used that experience to really change mine. During that time, God had been teaching me a lot, changing my heart. I’d been a Christian for a long time, but had never really given my writing to God. So I did. The first thing I prayed about was whether God even wanted me to write. A scary request, especially for an already published writer. What if God asked me to give up writing? Frankly, my life would have been easier if I quit. I had two small children who needed my attention. Besides, who needed the pain of pouring out my heart on paper and then having it rejected again and again? Even so, I prayed. For three years, I prayed and watched for signs or some kind of an answer. During that time, I did continue to write, but I wasn’t sending out any proposals. I was trying to grow my writing. Believe it or not, I kept hearing messages at church or in other places and felt God wanted me to write. Me! So, I finally said, “Okay.”

You have said to me your next book, Forsaken, an Amish Vampire story, is your most spiritual yet. What makes it so?

It’s a story of good versus evil, about how alluring evil can be. If evil looked like our caricature of Satan, with horns and a pitchfork then we’d avoid it, right? But evil is appealing. At least at first. It lures. And so, my heroine feels that draw. When I first thought of this crazy idea, it was just a joke and I didn’t intend to write it at all. However, the seed of that story burrowed into my brain. One day, I realized it could be a story similar to Phantom of the Opera, which is one of my all time favorite musicals. Christine is drawn toward the Phantom. There’s a line in one of the last songs where Christine laments, “I gave my mind blindly.” That is the heart of my story: how a young, vulnerable, grieving woman opens herself to evil.

Can you explain the current fascination with vampires?

I think there are all sorts of reasons for that fascination. Originally vampires were an interesting type of villain. They’ve sort of morphed over the years into the ultimate bad boy. It’s a fantasy, the same way that Amish fiction is a fantasy. I don’t think readers who read Amish fiction actually want to give up their cars or electricity. But I think they dream of simpler times, more innocent times. Which is why an Amish girl works so well for my story. I didn’t want to just write an Amish/vampire story because those were two hot genres. There had to be a good reason. In so many ways, the Amish represent an untouched part of our society, untouched by the craziness of our world. They somehow seem like the last bastion of innocence. Which made a visitation by a vampire very interesting.

Is there a challenge for you switching between writing Christian and non Christian books? Do you have challenges writing a non Christian book and making it appealing to a secular audience?

Not really. I would say it probably depends on the publisher, because each is very different. Honestly I was a bit worried that if I put scripture into my Amish/vampire book that my publisher might take it out. Because the spiritual aspect is very rooted in the characters and the story, there was no problem at all. It’s very normal for an Amish character to use scripture. Not so much for my ex-cop from New Orleans. My stories come from deep inside of me, whether the stories are labelled as Christian or not, they are seen through the prism of how I view the world. And that is from a Christian perspective. Finally, readers are readers. They simply like a good story. I try not to worry if I will offend a secular reader with some reference to God or scripture. Frankly, whatever prickly sensation they might be feeling may be a prompting from the Holy Spirit. Also, the same is true of a Christian reader. I had a reader who was quite offended by a reference to a gay couple in San Francisco in my book Ruby’s Slippers. 5 words of that manuscript ruined the entire book for her. Honestly, I would say that’s the Holy Spirit maybe trying to speak to her heart as well. My guide has to be what God lays on my heart to write, not if I use an offensive word or topic.

What restrictions do you for see for writers in the CBA that you wish weren’t there?

Even in the CBA publishers have different restrictions and guidelines. Those will change in some ways and not in others. What once used to be taboo really isn’t as much anymore. Before I came to the CBA, divorce was really not acceptable for a character so there were a lot of widowed characters. When I was pitching Elvis Takes a Back Seat, an editor said, “Could you make your main character divorced rather than widowed?” Unfortunately I could not. The catalyst for that story was that my heroine discovers a letter her husband wrote before he died and asked her to take an Elvis bust back to Memphis. I didn’t think a heroine who was divorced would be as motivated to follow her ex-husband’s request. LOL! Anyway, things do change and will continue to do so. I really think it all depends on what publisher and what editor you work with.

Christian fiction has changed significantly in the last 15 years. Where do you see it going in the next 15?

I honestly don’t know. So much is changing in publishing right now with ebooks really changing the dynamics once again. So it will be fun to see what happens and how that effects fiction in all genres.

Who has influenced you the most in your writing career?

God. I know that sounds like a simple answer and it is and yet it’s also incredibly complex. He started me on this journey and He has led me through the valleys and over the peaks and along the bumps. He has taken me in new directions that I never would have imagined. Believe me, I prayed about my Amish/vampire book even more than my other stories because I did not want to go that path if God was not leading. I don’t know where He will take me next. But I guarantee it’ll be exciting!

Thanks so very much, Leanna :)

Thank you and blessings!

Relz Reviewz Extras

Character spotlight on Cousin It

View the trailer

Character spotlight on Bryn Seymour

Reviews of Elvis Takes a Back Seat, Lookin' Back, Texas and Once in a Blue Moon

Interview with Leanna

Visit Leanna's website and blog

Buy Leanna's books at Amazon and Koorong