Interview with Dani Pettrey! {Giveaway!}

Hey everyone! I am very happy to bring to you this lovely interview with Dani! Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter at the bottom, kay? ;)

Welcome, Dani, to Writings of Rosie! Could you give us a little bio please?
I’m a wife, homeschooling mom, and author. I feel blessed to write inspirational romantic suspense because it incorporates so many things I love--the thrill of adventure, nail-biting suspense, the deepening of my characters' faith, and plenty of romance. My husband and I reside in Maryland with our two daughters.

Oh, me too. Nail-biting suspense is my favorite to read. How hard was it writing Piper and Landon’s story? Did you have everything planned out from the beginning?
Each story is unique and different in approach, but I’m not a plotter. I typically begin with an idea of who my characters are, what crime has been committed and an overarching idea or premise for the story. Then I sit down and start writing. I really enjoy seeing the characters come to life in the first draft. In Piper and Landon’s case I already knew quite a bit about them since they were both secondary characters in my debut novel, Submerged. It was a lot of fun getting to spend time with them again.

I'm sure it was! :-) Is there anything unique or quirky that you do while you write? I always write out my first drafts long hand. I know it takes extra time having to then go back and type the entire draft in, but it’s the only way the words flow at the beginning of a story. Put me in front of a blank screen and I freeze.

Wow, I applaud you for that. My hand cramps if I write by hand for too long. Do you have a favorite place to write? I’ve turned the sunroom off my kitchen into my office. I love it because it’s in the center of our home and the entire back wall is made of windows. I’ve got a great view of the trees and neighborhood pond. And, I’m really close to the coffee pot and espresso machine. :)

Sounds gorgeous! How did you decide Alaska would be your main setting for the series? Once I knew the McKenna family owned and operated an adventure outfit company, I searched for the perfect location. I wanted someplace that offered a wide variety of adventures along with an inherent element of risk. I think Alaska fits perfectly. It’s a gorgeous state!

Can you share anything about Gage and Darcy’s story Stranded?
When her friend vanishes from a cruise ship, reporter Darcy St. James isn't satisfied with their explanation that she simply left her job of her own accord. Something isn't lining up, and Darcy believes the only way to find the truth is to put herself in Abby's position. Within days, Darcy learns her friend wasn't the only person to disappear mysteriously. Last summer, a woman vanished under almost identical circumstances.

Gage McKenna has taken a summer-long stint leading adventure excursions for the passengers of various cruise lines that dock for a few days of sightseeing. He's surprised to find Darcy working aboard one of the ships, investigating a troubling report. Something sinister is going on and the deeper they dig the more Gage fears they've only discovered the tip of the iceberg.

Eek! I'm so excited for it to come out! Lastly, where can readers find you on the Internet?
 On my website www.danipettrey.com, Facebook Page www.facebook.com/danipettrey, and Twitter www.twitter.com/danipettrey

Thank you so much for stopping by, Dani! I’ve loved interviewing you.
Thank you so much for having me, Rosie. It was a pleasure.

All right, readers, here's your chance to win a copy of Shattered! And, because this week is all about celebrating Writings of Rosie's first birthday I'm not giving away one copy, but two! :D

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway not open internationally, sorry!!  

Interview with Mesu Andrews!

Hey all! Today I got the chance to interview Mesu Andrews, author of Love Amid the Ashes, Love's Sacred Song, and Love in a Broken Vessel! :-D

Welcome, Mesu, to Writings of Rosie! Tell us about yourself, for those who don’t know.

I’ve always called myself a “spiritual mutt” because of my variegated theological background. My mom is Charismatic; Dad was Quaker; grandparents Pilgrim Holiness turned Nazarene and then Wesleyan. Whew! Heated dinner debates all my life! I turned my back on that confusing God and was an alcoholic by age nineteen, when an old high school friend introduced me to a personal relationship with Jesus. I married that friend, and we’ve raised two daughters, who are now married and have given us four adorable grandchildren. As a teenager, all I ever wanted to be was a wife and mom. My teachers were appalled that their 4.0 valedictorian would “settle” for such a mundane dream, but I’ve worked part-time jobs—mostly as an optometric or ophthalmic technician—while our girls were growing up. My passion became studying God’s Word and teaching Bible studies and women’s groups. When my health limited my travel, I began writing. That seems to be where the Lord has opened doors, so I’m walking through them! It’s a joy and privilege—and a new adventure with each new book I research and write. My hubby is a college professor, and we’re entering those “old fart” years, when we get to sit in front of a fire together with our Rottweiler-pitbull, Bouzer, and enjoy quiet evenings—when I’m not on deadline, that is.

Wow, what a testimony! It's amazing what God has done and is doing in your life. How were you inspired to write Hosea and Gomer’s story?

Francine Rivers’ book, Redeeming Love, was the first Christian fiction I ever read, and it’s still my favorite. For those of your readers not familiar with her novel, it’s the story of Hosea and Gomer, but it’s set in the 1850’s Gold Rush. I wanted to tell the story of Hosea and Gomer in the true biblical setting. So much fascinated me about the circumstances surrounding their relationship. Neither Gomer, nor her father Diblaim, is mentioned elsewhere in Scripture, so why did God choose her for Hosea? The prophets have always confused me. I read some of those Old Testament prophecies and scratch my head, thinking…huh? I can’t stand it! I NEED to understand God’s Word! It’s a compulsion. So, I dig in and find out which other prophets were alive at the same time. What nations were warring with Israel? What was trade like, and what other challenges nudged Israel toward idolatry? The people in Scripture were flesh and blood like you and me. They made choices based on fear, jealousy, joy, pride, etc. When I discover the context of the folks that wrote the Scripture, that lived in that time period, I find the Bible much more relevant in my own life. When I did the research on Hosea and Gomer, I was inspired to write their story because I AM A BROKEN VESSEL.

Well let me just say, I really appreciate your books. You bring the Bible to life and bring up questions in me that I eagerly study in the Word. :-) Is there anything unique or quirky that you do while you write?

I drink a whole lot of coffee with creamer! Is that quirky? Actually, I don’t know if this is quirky, but it’s a technique I learned from expert, Jeff Gerke, at a writers’ conference. I try to give all my main characters a personality type, a primary love language, an annoying habit, etc. before I begin writing the manuscript. I search for a picture (gettyimages.com or google images) that closely resembles how my character looks in my imagination, and then I refer to that photo/character qualities throughout the book as I write their descriptions and dialogue. It helps keep the characters sharp, distinct, and unique.


I do that for my own stories, it really is helpful! Where is your favorite place to write?

Don’t tell my chiropractor, but I love to write in my “pac-man” chair. My son-in-love gave the chair that name because the pattern of the upholstery looks like the path of the pac-man video game. I know I’m supposed to sit in an ergonomically correct office chair with my shoulders back and feet flat on the floor—but seriously… I sometimes write 12-18 hours a day. I want to sit in front of my nice, warm fireplace with my dog beside me. I want to sit in my recliner, laptop in one hand, coffee in the other, listening to the rain pitter-patter on the sliding glass door. Doesn’t that sound like a little slice of heaven? Ahhhhhh… It is for me.

It does! Oh, and don't worry, your secret's safe with me! Lastly, where can readers find you on the web?

Please stop by my website and order free bookmarks, or download group discussion or Bible study questions for all three of my books: http://www.mesuandrews.com/

Or visit me on Facebook: Mesu Andrews

Twitter: MesuAndrews

Pinterest: MesuAndrews

Blog posts on Fridays (inside scoop on characters, plots, and new releases!): http://www.mesuandrews.com/blog/

Thanks again for stopping by! :-)

Interview with Melanie Dickerson! {Giveaway!}

Today I have a special treat! An interview with Melanie Dickerson! :-D If you recall, I reviewed her latest The Fairest Beauty a few weeks ago. Enjoy the interview, because I have another surprise at the end!

Welcome, Melanie, to Writings of Rosie! Tell us about yourself, for those who don’t know. :-)
Hi, Rosie! Thanks so much for having me on your blog! I am a mom, wife, and writer living in north Alabama. I love chocolate and hanging out with my family. I was once a special education teacher with a degree in special ed. of the hearing impaired from The University of Alabama. I have taught in Georgia and Tennessee, as well as Ukraine and Germany. Now I make paper beads and necklaces with said beads in my spare time, when I’m not writing. And my husband and two daughters keep me grounded and busy.

 
How were you inspired for The Fairest Beauty?
I knew I wanted to write a Snow White story, and I started coming up with the idea about 4 or 5 years ago. While I was working out the plot details a couple of years ago, I would listen to Taylor Swift’s songs, “Love Story” and “Enchanted,” which inspired me a lot.

Will we get to see Duke Wilhelm’s family again?
Yes! You will see Duke Wilhelm and Rose and their children in The Fairest Beauty and in my next book, a Cinderella story called The Captive Maiden. Their second son, Gabe, is the hero in The Fairest Beauty, and their oldest son, Valten, gets his own story when he rescues Cinderella. :)

What movie/TV actors or actresses would you choose to play Sophie and Gabe, if there were to be a movie?
The person who looks the most like Gabe, and of whom I am a big fan, is Dez Duron, who was on the most recent season of The Voice. Dez would be a perfect Gabe! As for Sophie, I really couldn’t find anyone who fit her perfectly, but I guess the closest is Zooey Deschanel.

Gabe (via)

Is there anything unique or quirky that you do while you write?
When I write, I like to listen to Andrea Bocelli. His songs and his voice sound so romantic, and he sings in Italian, so it doesn’t distract me.
Where is your favorite place to write?
I like to write on my couch at home, but when I’m having a hard time getting the words down, I like to go to a public place like a restaurant or coffee house (even though I don’t drink coffee, only hot tea). For some reason, going to a public place with my laptop forces me to get the words down.


And lastly, where can readers find you on the web?
You can keep up with all my book news on my facebook author page https://www.facebook.com/MelanieDickersonBooks and on my website, www.MelanieDickerson.com
 

Sophie (via)

Thank you so much for stopping by, Melanie! I’ve loved interviewing you.
Thanks so much for having me on your blog! :)

And now for the second big surprise! I am giving away a copy of The Fairest Beauty! 


a Rafflecopter giveaway  
*   Copy is provided by DJC Communications, thanks!

An Interview with the lovely Jill Williamson! :)

Surprise! Hehehe...I am very happy to say that Jill has stopped by for an interview! Enjoy!

Jill Williamson

Tell us about yourself, for those who don’t know.

I write books for teens—fantasy, science fiction, dystopian, supernatural—anything weird or out of the ordinary. I didn't always want to write books. When I was growing up in Alaska, I had wanted to be a fashion designer someday, and I chased that dream all the way to New York City and then Los Angeles. But after a few years of The Devil Wears Prada-type experiences, I discovered that the fashion industry wasn't what I’d hoped it would be. So I tried something different and found out that I loved writing books. It took many more years before I was ready to be published, though.

 How were you inspired for The New Recruit? 

This was the first book I wrote. I was trying to write a story about teens going out into the world like missionaries, but since teen fiction books about missionaries weren't getting the attention of agents and editors, I tweaked the story and turned them into undercover agents. I was also trying to copy the format of Harry Potter. My goal was to get some teens away from their parents where they could receive some kind of training. At the time, I thought this was sneaky and brilliant, but it created so many problems! I've never written a book that way since. It’s not a good idea to copy what’s already successful—because the world already has that book. And human were created unique for a reason. There’s already one J. K. Rowling. And I need to be Jill Williamson. All that to say, even though I've rewritten The New Recruit from that first, horrible, draft, this book is not my strongest, but it’s still a whole lot of fun.

It was a really fun read too. What’s a quirky thing you do while you write?
I often snack, but that’s merely another form of procrastination.

Where is your favorite place to write?

Jill's Desk

At my desk. Here is a picture:

What movie/TV actors or actresses would you choose to play your main characters in a movie?
There are few boy actors out there young enough and tall enough to pull of Spencer’s character and his red hair. I think Adam Hicks might be able to pull it off.

Spencer

I think so too! Can you spill anything about the next book?
Sure. For now, the title is The Profile Match. Spencer and the other agents-in-training will travel to Okinawa, Japan on the summer training mission. Three new freshmen agents join the team, including one extremely obnoxious—and cute—girl, whose mission in life seems to be making Spencer miserable.

Oooh, can't wait! Lastly, is there anything specific you hope your readers will glean from The New Recruit?
There are no perfect people on this planet—Christians included. There are also a lot of hateful, worried, frightened people out there—Christians included. And hate, worry, and fear tend to be the motivations behind all judgment. But this world already has a judge. So let’s leave the judging to God and focus on loving others unconditionally. Hate the sin, not the sinner. Love the sinner.

Great message! Thank you so much Jill for stopping by!

Author Interview - Rachel Coker

Hey everyone! Welcome to Writings of Rosie's first interview. I'm happy to say the wonderful Rachel Coker has agreed to do an interview despite her busy schedule! Woo hoo! For those who may have missed it, I reviewed her novel Interrupted: Life Beyond Words yesterday. Let's get on with the interview!

Tell us a little about yourself. :-)

Hi, I’m Rachel Coker! I’m sixteen years old and I live in Virginia with my parents and two younger sisters. This past March, my debut novel, Interrupted: Life Beyond Words, was published with Zondervan, and my life has been crazy ever since! I love writing and sharing my journey with others on my blog. I also love photography, piano, and, of course, doing interviews with fabulous people like Rosie. ;)

Aw, thanks! How were you inspired for Interrupted?

I started writing Interrupted right after my fourteenth birthday. It was right after my uncle passed away, and I was going through a difficult time in my life. I was growing up, becoming a teenager, and going through so many different emotions following his death. Confusion, bitterness… I didn’t understand why God would let that happen. But then, as I started developing Allie’s character and working through her story, it helped me with my own story, too. I grew as Allie grew. It was a really great experience.

Who is your favorite character from your novel?

I’ve heard a lot of different people talking about how much they love Charlie and Irene and, of course, Sam, but I’m just going to have to be clichéd and say that I really love Allie! One second she can be so bratty, but the next she’ll just melt you with her sweetness. I love how complex she is. That’s really interesting to me.

What's a quirky thing you do when or while you write?

I like to read the dialog out loud as I’m writing it. Sometimes my sisters will stand outside my door for a long time without me knowing and then burst into laughter, which can be kind of embarrassing, but it works! Reading the dialog aloud makes it flow much more realistically! That way, if something sounds awkward, I know how to change it!

If any fictional character could come to life (excluding your own) who would it be?

I always wanted to meet Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables. When I was younger, she was my imaginary best friend. Even today, I think that I would get along with her just smashingly.

What do you do when you're stuck?
I take a break! Sometimes you just need to get away from writing and do something else. I’ll go days, even weeks, without writing sometimes. It helps clear my mind and get me re-energized. Then, when I get back to work, I’ll be able to see things with a new, fresh perspective!

Ah, yes. Stepping back does wonders for me as well! Lastly, where is your favorite place to write?

I always write in my bedroom. I sit on my bed and write in the evenings. It’s the only place I can think! I’ve tried writing on my couch or at the kitchen table, but I always get distracted by all the other stuff going on. Living in a house full of girls can be very, very distracting. ;)

I live in a house full of girls too. There is never a dull moment here. lol! Thanks for answering my questions!