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5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Michelle Stimpson, author of Trouble In My Way

June 8, 2009 Joey Pinkney 5 Comments

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Michelle Stimpson, author of Trouble In My Way
(Pocket Books/Simon & Schuster)

It’s all Karis’ mom’s fault. If she hadn’t snooped into Karis’s diary, she never would have known about Karis’s unauthorized activies. Now, Karis is grounded indefinitely with no modem, no iPod…and no cell phone.

There’s just no way Karis can survive being cut off from the world. Add a “shiesty” potential stepmother, a dangerous relationship with a self-proclaimed bad boy and the constant pressure to cover her sneaky tracks – the combination makes a perfect recipe for high drama.

Will faith in God help Karis get through, or has she pushed grace, and her mother, too far?

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration for Trouble In My Way?

Michelle Stimpson: I was sitting in a Florida restaurant with ReShonda Tate-Billingsley discussing the release of her new young adult book, talking about what a ministry God has opened up through young adult fiction. She encouraged me to write a book for young adults, so I did.

When I write Christian fiction for adults, I know that I’m often trying to “undo” some of the damage that we’ve endured in our lives. When I write for young adults, it’s more proactive. I like that aspect. I wanted to write a book about a young lady who learns some things the hard way so that my readers hopefully won’t have to.

JP: What sets Trouble In My Way apart from your other releases?

MS: This is a short, fun read with a serious message. Since it’s for a different genre, it’s being promoted, shelved and received differently. I hope to be able to capture a whole new audience with this one.

JP: What have you learned from getting your previous book published that will help Trouble In My Way be better than the rest?

MS: Hmmm…this is a tough one because I don’t know that Trouble In My Way is necessarily “better.” All of my books are like my children, so I can’t say which one is better. I can, however, say that Trouble In My Way took me way back as a writer and made me think/reason in teenage terms. In that sense, it has a voice all its own.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish Trouble In My Way?

MS: I wrote this book mostly over the Christmas Break of 2006. It took me about 6 weeks to write, and I enjoyed every single minute of it. I had a pretty detailed outline and went from there. Since I was pretty much able to write from sun up to sundown (no school, no work), it went fairly quickly.

JP: What’s next for Michelle Stimpson?

MS: I just signed another 3-book deal (adult Christian fiction), and I’m working on a follow-up to my first novel, Boaz Brown. Aside from that, I’m releasing short stories, and I’ll probably do a little teaching at the college level this fall. I’m also working to earn my ministry license.

http://www.michellestimpson.com/
http://www.womengrowinginchrist.com/
http://www.wegottaread.com/

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5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Vanessa Miller, author of Through the Storm

June 4, 2009 Joey Pinkney 6 Comments

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Vanessa Miller, author of Through the Storm
(Urban Christian/Kensington )

Isaac Walker was once a heavy-handed drug lord, who was proud of the fact that everybody feared him. But after dedicating his life to Christ, Isaac begins snatching wayward souls out of darkness and into God’s marvelous light. That is, until the day the people Isaac ministered to start coming up missing and someone begins terrorizing him and his family.

Before giving his life over to the Lord, Isaac would have handled this situation with a Glock. Now that his only weapons are his Bible and prayer, he is counting on God to send His angels to help him fight this battle.

Iona Walker is successful, beautiful and every bit as cold-blooded as her father, Isaac Walker once was. As a lawyer, she represents some of the most unsavory criminals in her city. Guilt or innocence doesn’t matter to Iona; cash is what counts.

Iona is on her way to achieving wealth, and she doesn’t care that she had to turn her back on God to get it. When both her parents are put in life threatening situations, Iona discovers that all the money in the world won’t help her get a prayer through to God.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write Through the Storm?

Vanessa Miller: Through the Storm is the fifth book in the Rain series. I already had the characters in mind for this book, and I knew I wanted it to be suspenseful. To me, suspense is at is best when people are getting knocked off and others are trying to stay out of the way. The premise for Through the Storm was born from that concept.

Then I attend this thing called a Prayer Journey at my church. It was such an awesome experience that I knew I wanted to share it with my readers. And that’s why the book also deals with the power of prayer.

JP: What sets Through the Storm apart from your other releases?

VM: The suspense is non-stop, and the reader will have a hard time figuring out who the villain is. It’s a definite thrill ride.

JP: What have you learned from getting your previous book published that will help Through the Storm be better than the rest?

VM: One thing I’ve learned is that at promotion is key. You can’t simply write a good book. If you want people to know about it, you have to get out there and promote it.

JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take for you to start and finish Through the Storm?

VM: I treat my writing just like a job that I would go to outside the home. I begin my work day at about nine in the morning. I write until about 4pm.

Because I work from home, it’s harder to turn work off than if I worked somewhere else. So I usually check emails and work on marketing ideas in the evening. I write about ten pages a day.

I do not stop to edit my work while I’m writing. Once I’ve finished the book, I print it out and then cut it up. I then sit back in front of my computer and do my re-writes.

Through the Storm took about three month from beginning to end.

JP: What’s next for Vanessa Miller?

VM: My new book released in October. The title is Forsaken. It is the story of a fallen preacher’s journey back to God. I really believe this book is going to speak to the hearts of its readers.

http://www.vanessamiller.com/
http://www.myspace.com/vmiller1

Former Rain & Rain Storm have been Essence Bestsellers. I can also be found on Facebook. Just search Vanessa Miller.

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5 Minutes, 5 Questions With… Tia McCollors, author of The Last Woman Standing

June 2, 2009 Joey Pinkney 8 Comments

JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Tia McCollors, author of The Last Woman Standing
(Moody Publishers)

The man. His woman. His ex-wife. After being married to their careers instead of each other for ten years, “Ace” and Lynette Bowers ended their marriage. But four years later, it seems their love never ended – to both of their surprises and denial.

Sheila Rushmore is Ace’s current girlfriend and a woman who is used to getting what she wants – except Ace’s commitment to marriage. When Sheila realizes Lynette may be the cause, she launches a plan to play the hand of God, instead of allowing Him to bring the love all three of them desire.

Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the idea and inspiration to write The Last Woman Standing?

Tia McCollors: I can’t remember the exact moment when the idea for this book came to mind. One day, I was thinking about what would happen if a divorced couple fell in love again – or actually realized that they hadn’t fallen out of love in the first place! One of my girlfriends is a divorcee, but balked at the idea of reuniting with her ex-husband – even though her parents were previously divorced and are very happily remarried!

A match was tossed into the flames of the idea after the dance ministry at my church performed a liturgical piece that told a story about a husband and wife being restored after an adulterous affair. Although that’s not what happens in The Last Woman Standing, it still dealt with the concept of the possibility of restoring a marriage. Throw a girlfriend into the life of the ex-husband, and there is sure to be a little drama.

JP: What sets The Last Woman Standing apart from other novels featuring a torrid love triangle?

TM: Torrid love triangle?! Well I wouldn’t exactly call it that! LOL! I think it’s a love triangle but not in the traditional sense of the phrase. The attractions are beyond the physical…that’s what makes it different.

Both women in the book (Sheila, the current girlfriend and Lynette, the ex-wife) love Ace (the man in the middle) in their own way. They’ve both built memories with him at separate times in his life, and Ace has sincere respect and love for each of the women.

JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that lead to The Last Woman Standing getting out to the public?

TM: Getting your books in the hands of the readers is what I call a brick-by-brick process. Authors must capitalize on their networks, existing relationships and the social rings that the Internet now provides. Authors need to do things like the blog tours, e-newsletters/blasts, radio shows, etc.

Since The Last Woman Standing is my fourth novel, I’m adding new bricks on top of my current readership. My faithful readers are my biggest resource because they spread the word faster than any other viral marketing tactic! Those are just two quick suggestions from the sea of marketing and promo ideas.

JP: What did you learn from The Truth About Love and A Heart of Devotion that made The Last Woman Standing a better book?

TM: As far as it relates to the writing process, I believe I learned how to move a story along faster and keep the reader involved. It’s my goal to become a strong writer with each book, and I believe that I’ve achieved that so far. Of course on the marketing end, I’ve learned how to touch base with new readers and keep relationships with my established readers.

JP: What’s next for Tia McCollors?

TM: Another book of course! The question hanging over my head that needs to be answered is, “What’s the next book going to be about?” In the meantime, I’ll be brushing up on my writing skills, devouring craft books, and catching up on the to-be-read stack of books that I’m going to read purely for entertainment.

Also, I hope to connect with readers who enjoy inspirational reads at the Faith and Fiction Conference 2009 in Orlando, Florida, July 16-19. I’m one of this year’s featured authors and I can’t wait to get there!

http://www.tiamccollors.com/
http://www.myspace.com/TiaWrites
http://www.shoutlife.com/tiawrites/
http://www.tiaspen.blogspot.com/

Tia@TiaMcCollors.com

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