American Christian Fiction Writers


Katie Ganshert writes inspirational contemporary romance and women’s fiction, which she hopes will “touch hearts, soothe souls and renew faith.” She’s completed three stories and is working on a fourth. Two of her short stories have appeared in recent issues of the Christian Fiction Online Magazine.

A Midwest gal, Katie was born and raised in Iowa where she lives with her fantasy-football crazed husband, her one-year-old redheaded son and their purebred black lab, Bubba. In addition to being a busy wife, mother and writer, Katie is a fifth grade teacher instilling the joy of words into her students.

When Katie isn’t involved with her family, students or characters, she likes to curl up on the sofa with a hot tea and a great book, watch really good romantic movies and go to Panera for girl talk and bagels. One of her favorite indulgences is ice cream, her favorite flavor being chocolate fudge brownie, which she tops with Hershey’s syrup and sometimes caramel too.

11/11/09 Update: Katie accepted representation from Rachelle Gardner. Read her blog post to experience the excitement and hear the story behind that important phone call.

Join me as we learn more about Katie and her writing journey.

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Katie Ganshert

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Katie Embarks on Her Journey

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•You wrote your first story before your son was born. As High as the Heavens came about because of a special trip you took. Please tell us about that experience and how it led you to begin writing.

I’ve always had a heart for Africa and the AIDS crisis going on over there, especially for the growing population of orphans, many of which have HIV themselves. When I heard my church (I lived in Madison, WI at the time) was going to embark on their second trip to Kenya, I knew I had to get involved.

So, I traveled halfway around the globe and did HIV/AIDS outreach in one of the poorest places in the world – Kibera, the largest slum in sub Sahara Africa. Most of the people I met there had no reason to smile or laugh and definitely no reason to praise God. Yet they had a light shining in their eyes that shook me to my core. While I’d gone to offer hope to my African brothers and sisters, I was the one who left encouraged. Riddled with sickness and hunger, those people have nothing, yet so many live and worship as if they have everything.

When I came home, I just knew I had to write that story. So, Ellie Pearson and Ian Porter were born, my hero and heroine who meet in the slums of Kibera.

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•After your son was born, you began your next book. The timing amazes me. I can’t imagine writing while mothering a wee one and teaching fulltime. Why did you decide to take such a plunge now? And how did you manage to write two books in one year along with everything else you’re doing? Do you have super powers we don’t know about or the ability to survive on two hours’ sleep? :-)

I actually finished my second book while pregnant with Brogan (although it went through several more revisions after he entered the world). I often ask myself what took me so long to get serious about writing. I had so much free time before my son came along. He’s the coolest little guy, but as every mother can testify, he’s a lot of work!

I think I took the plunge because having Brogan inspired me to re-evaluate my life and how I want to live it. I know God’s given me a passion and a gift in storytelling. I want to set an example for my children by being a faithful steward with the talent God’s given me. Ever since taking the plunge, my love for writing and crafting stories has grown.

While I’d love to boast a super power (especially the power to not need sleep…how cool would that be?), the two things that got me to where I am today on my writing journey are prayer and an alarm clock that goes off at 4 a.m. That way I get my quiet time with God and a solid hour of writing in before I have to get ready for work.

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•You’ve completed three manuscripts. Two of your stories are romances, whereas the third is women’s fiction with romantic elements. What is it about each genre you like? Do you prefer one to the other?

I prefer romance and would brand myself a romance writer, although I have an idea for another women’s fiction floating around in my head. There’s something about a man and a woman falling in love that just gives me that giddy feeling inside. I love reading good romances, and I love writing them.

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Katie’s Passions

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•You describe yourself as a person of passion. It’s clear you’re passionate about your writing. What people, places or things feed that passion?

Hands down, God. He feeds my passion on a daily basis. I have only to listen to a worship song on the radio or hear a sermon in church or read a verse from the Bible for my passion to ignite.

Small, simple things feed my passion as well. People watching. Song lyrics. Conversations with my husband. Honing in on my emotions as I watch my son grow older. Reading. Too many things to count!

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•What types of stories are you passionate about writing?

Emotional stories. Stories about flawed, troubled characters who fall in love and discover God’s grace in the process. Stories that speak to the human condition and touch my readers’ hearts in a way that only fiction can.

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•What kinds of characters are you passionate about creating?

Flawed, wounded characters. They crop up in my stories all the time!

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Katie’s Bright Spots

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•You’ve had two short stories published in the Christian Fiction Online Magazine, “Waiting for Sunset” in the August 2009 issue and “Goodbye Gavin” last month. How did this come about, and what was your reaction to the news that your pieces were to be published?

I hardly ever write short stories. I honestly find it more challenging to sit down and write a short story than it is to write a full-length novel. However, I saw an email from Michelle Sutton, editor of CFOM, one day on the American Christian Fiction Writers loop calling for short story submissions. That night I wrote “Waiting for Sunset.” I started typing and that’s the story that came out. I submitted it to Michelle and she got back to me that same night informing me that she really liked the story and was going to publish it.

I was super excited. Even though it’s only a short story, “Waiting for Sunset” was my very first piece of published writing. Shortly after, I wrote “Goodbye Gavin.” I plan to turn this story into the third book in the current series I’m writing. I sent it to Michelle and she was so encouraging in her email. At that point, I was more excited and uplifted by her encouraging words than knowing I was going to be published for a second time. God provided such affirmation through her email during a time when I really needed it.

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•What have been the greatest successes so far regarding your stories?

Placing in the very first contest I entered. My short stories getting published. Meeting my critique partner. Getting an email from a writer (who is now a very close friend) who offered to mentor me because she saw potential in my writing. Going to the ACFW conference and meeting so many wonderful writers face-to-face. The feedback I received from the Genesis judges. One judge said I had the potential to be a power-house author. That made me blush all the way down to my toes. A little encouragement can go such a long way!

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Katie’s Journey Continues

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You’ve completed three stories. What are you working on now?

I’m currently writing the rough draft of Wishing on Willows, which is a romance about a devoted widow who is determined to keep her struggling café afloat. Only this ridiculously handsome, charming entrepreneur comes to town with his sights set on her café. He wants to buy her out so he can build condominiums along the town’s riverfront. The story is about my heroine letting go of the familiar and embracing the new. It’s about her finding love again, and it’s about my hero realizing that he can’t earn grace, no matter how successful he is.

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Five Sources of Inspiration for Katie’s Stories

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~ Reading really great books (both craft books and fictional)

~ The Bible

~ Powerful song lyrics

~ Sitting in the corner of a crowded room and people-watching/eavesdropping

~ Experiencing life and the full spectrum of emotion that comes with it

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Five Interesting Character Traits Katie Possesses

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~ I’m the opposite of a procrastinator. I’m sort of anal about getting things done right away so I don’t have to worry about them later. I was that annoying student in college who got my papers done way before they were due.

~  People-pleaser. I don’t like when people dislike me. I care way too much about what other people think, and I loathe making people feel uncomfortable.

~ I’m a softy for any sort of animal, so long as it doesn’t have eight legs. Although once I killed a spider in my bathroom and spent the next ten minutes wondering if the spider had a family waiting at home. My husband gets angry when I swerve into oncoming traffic or slam on my breaks for a squirrel crossing the road.

~ I’m a sugar-addict. The amount of sugar I consume on a daily basis is really quite ridiculous.

~ I’m not very sentimental. I’m not big on keepsakes. I didn’t keep any sort of baby book for Brogan. Don’t most mothers do that, at least for their first child?

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Katie’s Question for You

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•I’ve enjoyed having you as my guest, Katie. Thanks for your great answers to my questions. Now it’s your turn to ask a question of your visitors, so have at it.

What’s one thing you’ve learned about yourself recently?

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Learn More About Katie

Visit her Web site ~ www.katieganshert.com

Visit her personal blog ~ www.katieganshert.blogspot.com

Friend her on Facebook ~ Katie Ganshert

Follow her on Twitter ~ KatieGanshert

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Leave a Comment for Two Chances to Win

To leave a comment, click on “Comments” below the date in the title at the top of the post.

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My Regular Drawing

My next drawing will take place November 10th. I’m giving away a copy of Amazing Grace, the DVD starring Ioan Gruffudd as William Wilberforce.

To enter the drawing, just leave a comment on any blog post by November 10th and enter your email address when prompted. (I don’t share your information or add it to any mailing lists.) On November 11th, I’ll post the winner’s name in the Welcome post at the top of the blog.

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You could also win a First Sale Scrapbook

If you’d like to have a chance at winning a First Sale Scrapbook created by me, your blog hostess Keli Gwyn, leave a comment on any post between now and November 30th. Be sure to include your name and email address when prompted if you want to be entered in the drawing. (Your information will not be shared.) Click red link above to see samples of covers and pages.

On December 1st, I will choose one person who will have her/his choice of covers on an 8×8 inch, twenty-page scrapbook in which s/he can document that long-awaited first sale. The pages will cover various milestones including The Call, signing the contract, receiving the first advance payment and holding your debut novel in your hands.

(No scrapbooking skills required. You just add your photos and journaling.)

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Note: Offers void where prohibited.

Prizes will be mailed to US addresses only.

Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

Terri Tiffany is known for “writing stories that leave a fingerprint on the heart.” A contributor to twelve anthologies, her pieces have appeared in a number of books, including five Chicken Soup titles. She’s published over thirty articles and is a writer for Blue Mountain’s greeting card line.

After working in counseling for nearly twenty years, Terri embarked on a new venture. For five years, she and a friend ran a Christian bookstore ministry. Upon moving to Florida with her husband eight years ago, Terri worked as a social worker and sold real estate as well. They are the proud parents of one grown daughter and one adorable grandchild.

When Terri isn’t busy writing verses, articles or novel-length stories, she likes to help other writers with their work, read some relaxing fiction and talk on the phone to her daughter who lives across the country. Her dream vacation spot would be Australia where she’d have fun meeting some of her blogger friends plus seeing the fabulous sights.

Join me as we learn about more about Terri and her writing journey.

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Terri Tiffany

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Terri’s Journey Begins

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•You began writing when a dear friend encouraged you to follow your dream. This friendship played an important part in your life and led to your first published piece. Please tell us about this experience.

Years ago, I joined an online group of stay-at-home mothers who soon became very close. One of the ladies, Lori, continually prayed for and encouraged all of us in our dreams—mine being writing. A few years into our friendship, she died of a fast-moving cancer. But during that year of her illness, she exhibited amazing faith and continued to motivate and care for all of us.

After an emotional weekend where many of us flew in from all over the country to say good-bye to her, I knew I needed to write Lori’s story. When she died a few weeks later, I sent it to a mother’s magazine, not understanding the protocol but knowing her story needed to be shared. I was surprised and pleased when they accepted it. That experience gave me the motivation I needed to continue to share stories about the heart.

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•You received your first pass on a manuscript ten years ago, so you’ve obviously been writing for some time. What led you to answer the call to be a writer and begin that first story?

I wrote Chances of the Heart while I owned a Christian bookstore. I’d always kept journals and diaries my entire life. I even had a few pieces published in my high school newspaper. When I attended CBA conferences as a bookstore owner and had the opportunity to meet so many writers first-hand, I found they were people just like me.

So I typed my romance story, mailed the entire manuscript off to Barbour and waited. Of course it was rejected. I knew nothing of writing fiction then. But what did happen is I received the nicest rejection letter with tips on how to improve my writing. I still have it.

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•You’ve completed three manuscripts. Your first two stories are romances, whereas your most recent is women’s fiction with romantic elements. What is it about each genre you like? And why did you switch from one to the other?

I love romances and still can’t write a story without some of those elements. I’ve always been a romantic at heart about everything in life—ask my husband. But with women’s fiction, I get to step deeper into a person’s emotions and explore much more than I did with just a straight romance.

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Terri’s Horizons Expand

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•You’re a multi-published writer with pieces in several anthologies. Hooray for you! That’s quite an accomplishment. How did you come to be a contributor to the popular Chicken Soup books?

I remember trying several times, and then I sent in a story for Chicken Soup for the Beach Lover’s Soul about the fear a mother experiences if she loses sight of her child in a crowd. After the editor accepted it, I finally understood how she wanted me to show the story, not tell it. There needs to be a moment when the reader either laughs or cries or says “ahh.” My husband reads my stories before I submit, and if he cries, I know I have a winner.

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•You have a growing number of published articles to your credit as well, which is impressive. What is the focus of your articles? Since you’re such an encourager, I have a feeling that aspect of your personality comes through in your pieces.

I like to write real-life moments that trigger an opportunity to grow. I’m not afraid to share pieces of my life where I’ve messed up or learned a valuable lesson. I think people need to see that it’s okay to be open about particularly vulnerable moments because hopefully others can learn from our mistakes.

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•I love to give greeting cards and look for just the right words on those I choose. On occasion, I’ve wondered about the men and women who craft those heartfelt, humorous or healing verses. How did you get started writing for Blue Mountain? What have been the biggest rewards from this endeavor?

I’m still in the beginning process of it all. I was shocked when a few months ago an editor contacted me through my blog. She shared that she thought I could write nice heartfelt cards. I’d never considered that venture but saw it as a God-given opportunity. So far they have contracted seven for market review. I can’t wait for the day to hold one of the cards in my hands and mail it to the person I thought about as I wrote it.

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Terri’s Peaks

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•You’ve been writing for several years. I noticed some contest wins on your Web site. Congratulations! Of those I saw, which came as the biggest surprise, and how did you react to the news?

Probably my biggest surprise was when I won honorable mention for Writer’s Digest with “God’s Valentine.” It happened early in my writing career. I was so excited, I framed the certificate to hang in my office.

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What have been your greatest successes so far regarding your stories? Great feedback from contest judges? Encouraging words from other writers?

Recently, I dredged up the nerve to send in my first paragraph of my third novel to multi-published writer Mary DeMuth who offers online critiques. I’ve read her blog for ages and decided if I’m going to ever get good at writing, I need to put myself out there and see where I need to improve. I was shocked when she posted it with her comments. She blew me away with her positive feedback, finding nothing at all wrong with it. Trust me; I printed that baby off fast!

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Terri’s Writing Partners

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•You’re a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the Florida Writers Association. What have been the biggest blessings of belonging to these groups?

I joined the FWA to meet fellow Floridian writers and have had the opportunity to converse with many on the boards. I was slower to join ACFW because I’d written so little fiction. The biggest blessing of joining them though is their yearly contest. I entered last year and received some great critiques. It is really worth the entry fee as talented authors take their time and give detailed feedback to your work.

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Terri’s Journey Continues

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You recently completed your third story. What are you working on now? Another work of women’s fiction, or do you have another romance planned?

I’m working on Miracle at Coulter Creek. Again, it is women’s fiction but is still early in the planning stages. I’m sure romance will be a big part of it as always, but I also want it to be about capturing the American dream. So many people have lost their hope with the current recession and need to find it again.

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Five People Who Have Greatly Influenced Terri’s Writing

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~ My husband, first of all. He told me one night while sitting on our patio to find my passion. I have!

~ Lori, my online friend and basis for my first published article, who motivated me with her unending courage, faith and encouragement.

~ Kelly, my best friend from back home. She has cheered me on from the very beginning. I think she still has the original of my first book. Burn it please!

~ My daughter, Shelly, as she has graciously allowed herself to be written about in most all my non-fiction stories. The good, the bad and the ugly!

~ Peggy. When I took the plunge a few years ago and quit my job to write full-time, she stood next to me as my biggest cheerleader and fan. Still is!

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Five Things That Bring Terri Joy

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~ My husband of thirty-two years.

~ My two-year-old grandson and of course his mom and dad!

~ Good friendships, the kind you keep forever.

~ My blogger friends!

~ Knowing I’ve written something that might make a difference in a life.

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Terri’s Question for You

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•I’ve enjoyed having you as my guest, Terri. Thanks for your great answers to my questions. Now it’s your turn to ask a question of your visitors, so go for it.

Thank you, Keli. This was my first interview and you made it so easy!

My question for my visitors: What is your greatest passion, and are you pursuing it today?

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Learn More About Terri

Visit her Web site ~ http://territiffany.wordpress.com

Visit her blog ~ http://terri-treasures.blogspot.com

Follow her on Twitter ~ territiffany1

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Leave a Comment for Two Chances to Win

To leave a comment, click on “Comments” below the date in the title at the top of the post.

.

My Regular Drawing

My next drawing will take place November 10th. I’m giving away a copy of Amazing Grace, the DVD starring Ioan Gruffudd as William Wilberforce.

To enter the drawing, just leave a comment on any blog post by November 10th and enter your email address when prompted. (I don’t share your information or add it to any mailing lists.) On November 11th, I’ll post the winner’s name in the Welcome post at the top of the blog.

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You could also win a First Sale Scrapbook

If you’d like to have a chance at winning a First Sale Scrapbook created by me, your blog hostess Keli Gwyn, leave a comment on any post between now and November 30th. Be sure to include your name and email address when prompted if you want to be entered in the drawing. (Your information will not be shared.) Click red link above to see samples of covers and pages.

On December 1st, I will choose one person who will have her/his choice of covers on an 8×8 inch, twenty-page scrapbook in which s/he can document that long-awaited first sale. The pages will cover various milestones including The Call, signing the contract, receiving the first advance payment and holding your debut novel in your hands.

(No scrapbooking skills required. You just add your photos and journaling.)

.

Note: Offers void where prohibited.

Prizes will be mailed to US addresses only.

Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

Jeannie Campbell writes romantic suspense and women’s fiction rich in character development. The set of impressive initials following her name, LMFT, gives her an edge. As a licensed marriage and family therapist, she’s able to create heroes and heroines of depth whose stories reflect the intricacies inherent in each of us.

Eager to share her experience with her cyber pals, Jeannie runs two popular blogs. At The Character Therapist, she takes an in-depth look at various aspects of psychology and how writers can use the knowledge she imparts to craft more believable, realistic characters. Where Romance Meets Therapy is the place Jeannie shares her thoughts as she journeys into the land of publishing and her experiences writing inspirational romance from a Christian counselor’s point of view.

Jeannie graduated from the University of Mississippi with a double major in psychology and journalism before attending New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary for her masters in psychology and counseling. Following a number of years spent in Louisiana and California, Jeannie and her former US Coast Guardsman husband moved to Mississippi where they live with their precious twenty-month-old daughter, Madelyn, and their cat Cookie (affectionately called BooBoo). When Jeannie isn’t busy as a wife, mother, counselor or writer, she enjoys serving as a church pianist, singing, playing racquetball, working out with weights and biking.

Join me as we learn about more about Jeannie and her writing.

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Jeannie Campbell

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Jeannie’s Journey Begins

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•You’ve completed three manuscripts. When did you begin the first, and what led you to do so?

I started my first manuscript as a spiritual quest for forgiveness and internal healing. I wrote about the year in between my bachelor and master degrees when I did an internship as a college minister. I made some stupid mistakes, and really hurt some people as a result. It was therapeutic for me to write about that time and face what I had done. Consequently, my heroine makes better choices than I did. :-)

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•Your third manuscript, Blessed Beyond the Curse, is out on submission. What was the catalyst for this story, and how did you know it was the one ready to go out in the world?

One of my positions in counseling started out as a foster care social worker position instead of a therapist. I had no experience with social work, no educational background, and really didn’t want to do the job. But I wondered what it would be like to actually want to be a social worker…and my heroine was born.

As to how I knew it was ready to go out in the world, I compared it to my first two manuscripts and new it was light years ahead of them in terms of craft. My crit partner and a few others beta read through it and the story got a great response.

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•You began writing women’s fiction, or chick lit, shifted to romance and from there narrowed your focus to romantic suspense. How did the transformation from one genre to the next take place?

My natural voice is first person. I knew this after reading Allie Pleiter’s The Perfect Blend. It was my first contemporary romance to read in first person. Chick lit lends itself to this voice, so I started there. I’ve been told I have a quick wit and often use sarcasm in a funny way in conversations, so it works well for chick lit. But when I found out that chick lit was passé right now, I revamped my first person point of view to a deep third. When I did that, I really felt I needed to add the hero’s POV. So I did, giving him his own backstory and character arc, and the story became a romantic suspense. So I didn’t set out to write romantic suspense, but it found me.

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Jeannie’s Milestone Moments

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•You were privileged to attend the American Christian Fiction Writer’s conference last month. Your pitch sessions went well, and you left smiling. What took place, and how did your preparation play a role in the positive outcome?

I met with an editor from Bethany House and an agent from Hartline Literary. Both requested partials from me after I explained what my book was about. I think my being a therapist and writing from that perspective gave me a little edge, maybe?

I went into the pitch session prepared with my hook and a one-sheet (which I must say looked totally professional) and, more importantly, a finished manuscript ready to go. I think that made me feel confident about what I was doing, and that translated well in my demeanor.

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•Requests are rewarding. Congratulations on yours. What are some other highs you’ve experienced on your journey thus far?

I entered the ACFW Genesis contest and got two really high scores (and one really low…writing is so subjective!) and was pleased with the feedback. Another highlight was getting to join ACFW, taking their online writing courses, and then meeting my crit partner through them. Each of these has taken my writing to the next level.

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Jeannie’s Process

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•Since you’re a counselor, I’m eager to hear how you go about creating your cast of characters. Do you produce lengthy character sketches before you begin a story, carefully analyzing your hero and heroine’s strengths and weaknesses?

You’ll probably be surprised at this answer. Typically, I write out my character’s backstory first. I want to know exactly where they’ve come from so I can know what hardships I’m going to put them through (that typically will arise out of where they’ve been, of course). But after I write out a few things about their physical description, job, quirks and the like, I just begin writing. I’ve seen the 100-question worksheet to get to know your characters, but I feel like I know my characters so well without that. They’re my friends. They’ve taken up residence in my head—or me in theirs?—for months before I ever put my fingers to the keyboard to type anything about them.

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•Do you enjoy reading stories that tackle tough issues such as those you encounter as a counselor? Do you work various disorders into your own?

My books have the tagline, “A Therapeutic Romance.” Each book I’ve written thus far features a different mental disorder or emotional problem. I don’t hold back, either. They are what they are, and I don’t sugarcoat the disorders. One out of every four adults has a mental disorder, and I got to thinking that that statistic can never show up in Christian fiction enough. My reason for writing was to help those who aren’t afflicted with disorders understand those who are.

I definitely love to read books that tackle tough issues…when it’s done well. I read a book recently about a character who had bipolar I disorder (alternating between depression and mania) and she cycled from depressed on page 115 to manic on page 116. NOT believable or feasible. So I set out to write realistic stories.

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•What are your strengths and weaknesses as a writer? Are you a stereotypical introverted writer, a bold and adventurous panster, a recovering perfectionist with OCD tendencies?

I’ve been told I write dialogue particularly well. I have several great scenes where the heroine and hero quip back and forth with each other, saying things we only wish we could say in real life. I love writing them, too. I think writing about tough issues in a way that is appealing to the reader is hard to do well, but I think I can do this.

I started out as a panster. After honing in on my craft, though, I’m leaning the other direction. But I allow room for the panster in me to take off if needed. I am a tad bit obsessive-compulsive about editing. I’m not one of these edit-at-the-end people. I usually go back over the last 5-10 pages of what I wrote the day before and edit through them to get back into the flow of the story and then continue on from there.

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•And I just gotta know. Do you ever deal with doubt, discouragement and depression, as do so many of us who have undertaken the challenge of writing with the goal of publication? What advice would you offer those of us who do?

I have! Just because I’m a therapist doesn’t mean I don’t struggle with the same emotions everyone else does. It’s daunting, everything I still have to learn. I wonder if it’ll ever be me, waiting for my first box of reader copies to come in the mail so I can send them out to bloggers across the world to review.

I use self-talk a lot when I feel down about the journey. I tell myself that writing was never about publication for me. It was about getting these folks out of my head. They had a story to tell, and if only my mom and crit partner read that story in its entirety, I still did what I needed to do.

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Partners on Jeannie’s Journey

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•You’ve been blessed with an awesome critique partner. How did you meet, and what makes your relationship work so well?

Katie and I met through the ACFW main email loop. We both wanted to share the expense of a room at the conference. One thing led to another, and we eventually submitted our manuscripts to each other. We definitely clicked, and it was a God thing.

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•You’ve met many wonderful writers and readers through your two blogs. You launched Where Romance Meets Therapy a mere nine months ago and already have over 150 followers. What have been the greatest benefits of connecting with so many cyber pals?

The feeling of being so connected! There are so many of us writer-types out there, and we’re all in different places with our writing. I’m learning from people further along than me and I’m hopefully helping those not as far along as I am. Writers think differently (and are inordinately involved in our characters’ lives—I mean, we think they’re real and talk about them as such!) and not everyone “gets” us. But other writers do, and it’s so affirming.

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•Your other blog, The Character Therapist, has been around fewer months yet, but even so it has over sixty followers. What has been the response to your posts ranging from alcoholism to autism, white lies to womanizing? How do you choose which topics to cover?

I’ve gotten a really good response from those who know about the blog. My regular readers are always commenting how much they are learning, and I generally try to relate the posts to writing in some way so my author friends can benefit.

I occasionally ask my readership what they would like for me to cover, which is why I’m covering personality disorders right now. My posts on Tuesdays simply come from readers writing in with their character sketches or plot overviews for me to do an assessment on. I have an open invitation for these submissions.

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Jeannie’s Journey Continues

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Your third manuscript is complete and out on submission. What are you working on now?

I’ve got this obsessive-compulsive pianist I’m fiddling with right now, as well as a dissociative fashion designer. Fun stuff, huh?

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Five Fun Facts About Jeannie, the Writer

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~ I’m a big fan of the em dash and ellipses.

~ I always speak my dialogue out loud.

~ I write parenting articles in a monthly column for SAGE Girls’ Ministry Online Magazine.

~ I typically run the plots of my novels by someone verbally, just to talk through all the possible nuances.

~ All my novels include children in some capacity.

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Five Fun Facts About Jeannie, the Person

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~ I’ve played the piano since I was seven and had perfect attendance in church choir for 15 years. I sing alto because I love harmony.

~ I’m a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Mississippi and graduated summa cum laude from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

~ I’m addicted to my iPhone. The Kindle for iPhone application has changed my life, as I can eat breakfast or fix my hair and still read. With the DocsToGo application, I can edit an entire novel on my phone from wherever I am and email it to myself.

~ I am obsessed with vampires. I love Twilight, True Blood, Vampire Diaries, Charlaine Harris…if it’s vampires, I’m all over it.

~ I was editor of my high school newspaper, which was the only school paper in Mississippi at the time to be monthly and have the front page and back sports page in color.

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Jeannie’s Question for You

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•I’ve enjoyed having you as my guest, Jeannie. Thanks for your great answers to my questions. Now it’s your turn to ask a question of your visitors, so fire away.

What types of psychology or therapeutically related topics would you like to learn more about?

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Learn More About Jeannie

Visit her Character Therapist blog ~ http://charactertherapist.blogspot.com

Visit her personal writing blog, Where Romance Meets Therapy ~ http://jeanniecampbell.blogspot.com

Friend her on Facebook ~ Jeannie Mood Campbell

Follow her on Twitter ~ jeanniecampbell

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Leave a Comment for Three Chances to Win

To leave a comment, click on “Comments” below the date in the title at the top of the post.

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Jeannie’s Special Drawing

Jeannie is offering a free read-through assessment of the first three chapters of a person’s WIP (using track changes) to one visitor who leaves a comment for her by midnight October 26. She’ll choose her winner, leave a comment on this post on October 27 with the name of the person she picked, and I’ll note it here as well.

Congratulations to Linda Henderson, winner of Jeannie’s drawing.

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My Regular Drawing

My next drawing will take place October 31st. I’m giving away a copy of The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman, a book recommended by many authors as a must-have for a writer’s reference library. (If the winner already owns the book, I reserve the right to substitute an alternative prize of my choosing.)

To enter the drawing, just leave a comment on any blog post by October 31st and enter your email address when prompted. (I don’t share your information or add it to any mailing lists.) On November 1st, I’ll post the winner’s name in the Welcome post at the top of the blog.

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You could also win a First Sale Scrapbook

If you’d like to have a chance at winning a First Sale Scrapbook created by me, your blog hostess Keli Gwyn, leave a comment on any post between now and October 31st. Be sure to include your name and email address when prompted if you want to be entered in the drawing. (Your information will not be shared.) Click red link above to see samples of covers and pages.

On November 1st, I will choose one person who will have her/his choice of covers on an 8×8 inch, twenty-page scrapbook in which s/he can document that long-awaited first sale. The pages will cover various milestones including The Call, signing the contract, receiving the first advance payment and holding your debut novel in your hands.

(No scrapbooking skills required. You just add your photos and journaling.)

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Note: Offers void where prohibited.

Prizes will be mailed to US addresses only.

Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants.

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