Ode To Joy

Once again, I have persuaded a fabulous author to do a blog interview with me!!  So excited!!

This time, she is a wonderful friend and inspiration (to me as a writer); and she is also a Christian, home-schooled gal.. just like me!! She writes speculative fiction, works part-time at a restaurant we Canadians may have a hard time finding, and… I’ll let Hope Ann introduce herself to you guys. 🙂

Enjoy!!

How and when did you start to write? What (or who) influenced you to go down this road? 

I’ve always loved reading. As I got older, I got ideas in my head that I wanted to share with people, so I started writing. Part of it was because, when I was younger, there were so few Christian books that were both inspiring and exciting – most got very preachy and it was annoying. But, in general, I just needed to write. Even when I didn’t enjoy it, it was something I did because I liked my stories enough I wanted others to read them.

 What held you on to writing and publishing through all the obstacles and trials toward being a published writer/author—before and after you first got published?

Stubbornness, mainly. There were times I didn’t care for writing or for my WIP but I refuse to give things up and I kept writing and eventually, as I learned more about it, I came to love the process, not just the idea of the finished product.

 Tell us about yourself in one sentence.

A dragon-riding, dagger-wielding, Christian fantasy author who also loves chocolate and Lord of the Rings.

 It’s so nice to know another home-schooled Christian author!! What aspects of learning and thriving at home helped with how you write, why you write, and what you write?

I was able to focus on writing and had time to write, not hours upon hours of school I’d never use. I was able to read, both fiction for ideas and nonfiction on whatever topic I was trying to reseach (currently it is weather and geography).

 Do you have a mentor(s) who walked beside you as you developed your voice and techniques?

Not really, at least not until the past year or two. I was pretty much alone as a writer the first years and taught myself. Then I discovered Kingdom Pen, got to know other crazy writers, and found a best friend. My learning exploded in leaps and bounds after that.

 How do you use your free time—if you have any? What do you do for a living besides writing?

Free… time? What even? Between two part time jobs, mentoring, writing, and marketing, I keep pretty busy. I read when I have time. And sometimes I have photo-shoots with cloaks and daggers, go roller blading, or tinker with all the random skills I’d love to learn.

 What do you wish you’d known about writing (and life in general) as a newbie in the writing world–before you got published?

Probably the value of building a platform and an email list. And just general marketing techniques in general. I keep updating things as I learn new stuff.

 What inspired you to work with Speculative fiction/ Christian fantasy, and story retelling?

Because that is what I love to read. The fairy tale retellings happened by accident, because I had a random idea to match them to fruits of the Spirit as novellas and it’s gone from there. 😉

 How many drafts do you usually write before you reach the final draft?

Depends on the project. I’ve a novel I’ve been working on since 2012 (I may have mentioned I don’t like giving up). I don’t know how many drafts I’ve gone through with that. With my novellas it is shorter. Perhaps six or seven drafts?

 Do you have a writing schedule? If so, can you share a little about it?

I get up early, so I try to get an hour of writing done before breakfast every day. After that it depends on my schedules with various jobs, but I like to get another hour or so done through the day. After dinner, I am able to settle down again, so I try to get an hour or two of work done between 8-10 when possible as well. 😉

 Do you have a favorite quote about writing?

Life is too short for reading inferior books. – James Bryce

Thanks so  much, Hope!! I hope you get to eat all the chocolate you want, be able to wield that dagger of yours for God’s Kingdom, and ride as many fire-breathers as your heart desires!! 🙂 You deserve it.

To my readers; I hope you all enjoyed this interview!! Sooner or later, I’ll be back with another author in tow…I’m not sure who yet. We’ll see.

God bless you all, and thanks for reading!!

Ah.. wait. I forgot something. ):

Hope was so very kind as to let each of you have a chance to read  her Rose of the Night novelette..for free!!  Just click on the link below.

Rose of the Night – free novelette