Writer Angela Breidenbach On Reading

Angela, welcome to Writers on Reading! Congratulations on your release, Eleven Pipers Piping—a Christmas book with a touch of July worked in. This Christmas series looks like you just have to unwrap it first! (But I’m gonna have to pause to mention how I love one of your previous titles, Snowflake Tiara—it’s just a perfect fit for that book’s theme! Anyone curious? Click here.) 

Thank you so much for inviting me to be here, Deirdre. What a great place to talk books!

I love these interviews and look forward to learning about your reading habits! So, as a historical/romance writer, can you tell us what speaks to you as you pick your next reading experience?

First, I love reading across a lot of genres. If the book has a significant spot in history, is time travel, or fascinates me with setting I'm all over it. :) I love traveling places in my mind with books.

What was the most out-of-character book you’ve recently read, and what led to your choice?

I'm actually a professional book judge. So I'm reading a lot of different self-published books right now. One that surprised me (and that I'm not usually drawn to) was a medical drama. It's great twist caught me by surprise and yet the author did it very well. (I can't tell you the title because it's still in the contest.)

Well, I hope you’ll drop by after the contest, if the author allows, and share! As a writer, you should know better, but as a reader, you know we all do it…so, when did you last “judge a book by the cover”? How did it work out?

 

Lol, I actually judge book covers professionally as part of contest criteria. It is so very important to market the internal content of a book with a spectacular cover. A poor cover does set a precedent in the reader's mind. I'm rarely surprised. But when I am, I definitely give specific pointers to those authors to help their marketing efforts. It's tough to change a print book. But it's not tough to change an e-book.

Well, I wouldn’t want you changing the cover on your upcoming release. Do you find time to read during the months you’re writing? If so, what did you read while working on Eleven Pipers Piping? If not, did you treat yourself to a good book, when you sent it off to your publisher?

I do take time to read while writing to give myself a break and because I get so fascinated by research. I can get lost for hours in both online and hard copy for research. I'm super driven. So the very first thing I'm doing is learning about podcasting for my debut on iTunes July 28, 2015 Grace Under Pressure Radio with Angela Breidenbach. The show is about becoming women of Courage, Confidence, and Candor. I'm listening to podcasts about podcasts and watching tutorials. Oh, and I'm starting a screenplay so I actually downloaded Final Draft software before I listened to a podcast. So I'm also listening to podcasts about writing screenplays. I did tell you I was eclectic in my "reading"… ;)

You most certainly did. So with such variety, did a book recently make you laugh/cry/sigh/shiver?

Remember I told you I read across genres? I really do. I think it helps me grow as a person, a writer, and a leader. So…a book that made me laugh out loud a self-pub I recently judged. The author did so much right, but still had a lot to learn. But the flashes of great humor were noteworthy. That author has talent! A book that made me cry was For Time And Eternity by Allison Pittman. That book still reverberates in my memory. Books that made me shiver are by Tosca Lee, Demon: A Memoir (because it really made me consider my own life choices) and Havah: The Story of Eve (because it made me consider my affect generationally for my children's children's children, and so on.) I truly want to leave a godly legacy. That's a massive goal. But God says he'll bless us up to 1,000 generations, and I want that so badly I can taste it, smell it, and I dream it. So I pray it, and I write books/screenplays and will be doing the podcast to be intentional about that goal.

A beautiful goal, a legacy it seems you’ve already started, and some really great reads all wrapped together! What was the last book you absolutely couldn't put down? Why?

I love Tracie Peterson. She inspires me as a writer because of the depth of her research (done with her hubby, Jim) and the story worlds she creates. I have a vast collection of Tracie Peterson books just to study her technique and series skills. When I grow up I want to be like her ;)

When you grow up, hah! (You're both Montana girls, too, aren't you?) Were you the kind of kid/teen who loved reading?

Um, YES! I will admit this now…I often was late to school because I stayed up reading all night. Shh, don't tell. Yes, it's true.

Laughing. I hope your secret’s safe here. Folks, what do you think? Yep, we won’t tell. So, which novel do you first remember reading?

I don't remember because I began reading at four years old. I was reading novels from the 1930s by the time I was eight. The first novel that really affected me deeply though was Island Of The Blue Dolphin. Another was Heidi. I thought it was so cool to dress up as Heidi in the fifth grade for our school Halloween party. Let's just say no one in my class had any clue who Heidi was but my teacher.

Hah, how fun. You’re the second gal who’s remember the Island Of The Blue Dolphin as you favorite childhood book. I missed out on it, think I might have to read it now. Grin. So, when did you know you wanted to write?

From my earliest memory. I wrote poems, songs, and stories starting in Kindergarten. I had full notebooks. I so wish I'd have been able to keep them. I'd probably write better child characters because I'd go back in my kid head, lol.

What an excellent point! So, did any or multiple books influence this desire to write?

Heidi, Boxcar Kids series, Island Of The Blue Dolphin, and yes…Gone With The Wind. I read that book in the sixth grade and again in high school. Craft and marketing books can get me fired up too! Yeah, that's maybe a different answer but it's true.

We’re interested in these interviews for the different answers. Has any book stuck with you recently? What created the lasting impressions?

A book that made me sigh, cry, and shiver is Leota's Garden by Francine Rivers. It's an older book now that's been rereleased recently. This book has a lot of parallels in my life as a mother who had to work long hours to provide for my children. But then I actually was with both my mom and my dad when it was their time to pass. Being with them, watching them struggle in those last days brought parts of that book back. I'm so grateful I had those last hours with each of my parents. So very grateful.

Oh my…Angie, you’re not supposed to make us cry, just tell us what books made you cry! I read Leota’s Garden when it first released---before this millennium. I agree I remember it as a great book. What is on your to-read list?

Fiction—TraciePeterson's latest Brides of Seattle book, Refining Fire. Craft–ProofreadingSecrets of Best-selling Authors by Kathy Ide. Marketing/how-to—Podcasting for Dummies (for a second time because it's been too long from reading to implementation). Screenwriting craft—Story by Robert McKee (because I've already read How to Succeed in Hollywood by Dr. Ted Baehr). My list is actually a lot longer…

Is there a book you are looking forward to rereading?

(See Podcasting for Dummies). But in fiction, I'd love to reread Allison Pittman's Sister Wife series #1 to set me up to read the second one.

And with summer in full bloom, what is your ideal summer reading experience?

I have a wonderful yard swing my husband gave me last summer. I adore sitting out there and reading with the deer munching on my lawn. (Shh, don't tell hubby or he'll chase them away.) The breeze gently blows. I have my favorite energy drink on a dinner tray beside my yard swing. Muse, my fe-lion, chatters at me through the screen door (when he's not climbing it with his claws.) My miniature horses whicker at me across the fence. So sometimes I get up and give them a handful of grass and go back to reading. That's a perfect afternoon! I hope I get a few of those this summer. I did get several last year. Maybe I can do that while judging contest books? Yes, I'll try that this weekend.

Ooooh, it's a fawn! Well, that is an ideal summer reading experience! And it really lets us see you as a reader, Angie. One last question before I let you prepare your swing for tomorrow. If Maila Holmes from Bridal Whispers (The Lassoed by Marriage Romance Collection due out Jan. 2016 from Barbour Publishing) were to pick a book from today’s shelves, what do you think it would be?

Maila is the most recent heroine on my mind because I just turned in Bridal Whispers, a novella in the Barbour Publishing The Lassoed by Marriage Romance Collection, and finished the edits last week. She's also very loosely based on my grandma, a first-born Swedish-American who was raised speaking only Swedish. She became a nurse. So I think she would want to read medical romances like my friend Sandra Orchard writes. I've read a few of her books, and they're very good Love Inspired short romances. I think she'd also pour over medical journals because of the advances in medicine since 1899-1900, lol.

Oh, that’s a perfect answer! Bet she’d wanna read that medical drama you couldn’t tell us the title of. Definitely makes me want to read more about Maila—see why I love these interviews? Thank you for your reading habits with us, Angie. Folks, you can continue to connect with Angie—and find out more about her books—at the links below, but first a her bio.

Angela Breidenbach is a captivating speaker, radio personality, and an award-winning author. She serves as the Christian Author Network's president and executive assistant for the Montana-based Jadyn Fred Foundation. A professional judge of close to 1000 books, Angela has also authored:

SnowflakeTiara: The Debutante Queen, historical romance (audio version soon)

Eleven Pipers Piping, sequel to The Debutante Queen, releasing end of July 2015

A HealingHeart, contemporary romance, also on audio

Gems ofWisdom: For a treasure-filled Life, nonfiction

Grace Under Pressure, Fall 2015, nonfiction partner to the iTunes Grace Under Pressure Radio: Becoming a woman of courage, confidence, and candor—debuting July 28, 2015!

Coming Jan. 2016, Bridal Whispers historical romance novella in Barbour Publishing's The Lassoed by Marriage Romance Collection

Feb. 2016, Taking the Plunge, historical Montana romance in the Sporting Chance collection.

PURCHASE AND CONNECTION LINKS:

http://www.AngelaBreidenbach.com

Twitter/Pinterest: @AngBreidenbach

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AngelaBreidenbach

Grace Under Pressure Radio link: http://angelabreidenbach.com/category/grace-under-pressure-radio/ (watch here for the first show information!)

Eleven Pipers Piping doesn't have a sales link yet, so Angie created a preview page on her website for us. http://AngelaBreidenbach.com/Eleven-Pipers-Piping/

Writer Mary L. Hamiliton On Reading

Mary, welcome to Writers on Reading! Your Rustic Knoll Bible Camp books look like a hoot. But they don’t narrow down your reading habits for me. So…what kind of books do you read around a campfire? Dark, shivery mysteries to make you want to add another log to the fire? Something full of fish stories to make you laugh? Or something else entirely? When browsing for a new book, what elements do you most often seek?

Thank you so much for letting me join you! 
I like to mix things up so I vary the genres I read from one book to the next. I’ll read a suspense thriller, then go to one that deals with women’s relationships, then an adventure novel. When I’m looking for a new book, I usually look for authors I’m familiar with, and my favorite authors generally write about relationships, often with a little humor thrown in. I love a book that can make me laugh and cry.

Sounds like your reading life never gets stale. Do you find time to read during the months you spend writing a book? If so, what did you read while working on your last book?

I try not to read fiction while writing my own books so it doesn’t influence my story. But I often use that time to read non-fiction. I enjoy an occasional book about history or a memoir or most often, a spiritual growth book. The last book I read was Speaking of Jesus by Carl Medearis. It was quite thought-provoking and forced me to look at my own faith in new ways.

What was the last book you absolutely couldn't put down? Why?

Lisa Wingate’s The Tidewater Sisters: Postlude to The Prayer Box was very hard forme to put down. It continues the story of Tandi Reese and her manipulative sister, Gina from The Prayer Box. I don’t want to give anything away but near the end, I wanted to stand up and cheer for Tandi. I loved that story.

Are you—ahem, were you—the kind of kid/teen who loved reading? Which novel do you first remember reading? (And do you still have a copy?)

As a kid, I loved reading so much, I’d set up cereal boxes all around me at the breakfast table and read every single word on every box while munching away on my bowl of cereal! I can’t remember the first novel I ever read, but I was a big fan of Nancy Drew. My parents taught us to use the library for most of our reading, so sad to say, I don’t have any of those Nancy Drew books. But I do have an old copy of The Mystery of the Velvet Box by Margaret Scherf. If I remember right, I misplaced it long enough that we had to pay the library for it.

Oh, that's great! So with a love of reading like that, when did you know you wanted to write? Did any or multiple books influence this desire?

I remember telling a family friend I wanted to be a writer when I was probably in junior high. But I didn’t get serious about it until I was around thirty, when I became a stay-at-home mom. Christian fiction was just getting off the ground at the time. I can’t remember any specific books that influenced me, but I wanted to build stories around minor figures in Bible stories.

With summer in full bloom, what is on your to-read list? And what is your ideal summer reading experience?

My ideal summer reading experience would be an enclosed porch with a view of a lake, with maybe even a storm blowing in across the lake. Somewhere nearby would be the soft tinkle of a wind chime and I’d be on a chaise lounge with a light blanket

over my legs. The stack of books beside me would include Charles Martin’s Water From My Heart, Lisa Wingate’s The Story Keeper, Robert Whitlow’s A House Divided, and Cynthia Ruchti’s All My Belongings.

Now that is an ideal summer reading experience! Thanks for visiting and letting us get to know you better as a reader. Folks, you can continue to connect with Mary L. Hamilton, and discover more about her books and upcoming releases, at the following links.

Bio: Mary L. Hamilton grew up at a youth camp in southern Wisconsin, much like the setting for her Rustic Knoll Bible Camp series. While raising her own three children, she was active in her church’s youth ministry, including serving as a camp counselor for a week. She decided once was enough.

When not writing, Mary enjoys knitting, reading and being outdoors. She and her husband make their home in Texas with a rescued Golden Retriever.

PURCHASE AND CONNECTION LINKS:

Website/blog: http://www.maryhamiltonbooks.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/maryhamiltonbooks

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mhamiltonbooks

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MHamiltonAuthor

Purchase link: http://amzn.to/1B6hrPL

Writer Danica Favorite On Reading

Danica, welcome to Writers on Reading! Your most recent book, The Lawman’s Redemption---luuuv the title, BTW---released days ago and looks like ideal reading for this Fourth of July. So, I’m gonna have to start out asking if reading fits into your plans during the Fourth?

Thanks so much for having me! I’m glad to be here! Plans for the Fourth… ugh!! We keep having things come up and fall through, so it’s hard to say WHAT we’ll be doing, but I’m sure at some point, I will pick up a book.

Your book covers give anyone a clear idea of what you write. Do your tastes as a reader conflict with your tastes as a historical romance writer? Other than genre when you’re browsing for a book, does something in particular draw you? Can you tell us what speaks to you most as you pick your next reading experience?
I’d like to think my tastes as a reader and tastes as a historical romance writer are pretty similar. I hate reading books without happy endings, and I only write books with happy endings, so there you go! I tend to write the kind of books I’d like to read, so my tastes are pretty well in line, although my very favorite thing to read is Regency with a bit of mystery. I don’t want to write it, though!

What draws me as a reader… hmm… good question. I am a big back cover blurb reader, and I want the copy to be really intriguing. If there’s mention of mystery or secret, I am sure to pick it up!

                  

Picking my next reading experience is all about my current mood. Or, if I’m judging a contest, when the deadline is! If I’m really tired or cranky, I want something light and fluffy. If I’m more pensive, I’ll pick something with a lot of meat to it. Otherwise, I pick whatever is speaking to me at the time.

Oh, how fun to hear your have reading "moods"! That is soooo fun. And I agree secrets to expose...they're the best. So, now that we know what you look for, what was the most out-of-character book you’ve recently read, and what led to your choice?

I’ve been reading a lot of YA books, and some of them really stretch me in terms of what I’d like to be reading. I have a teenage daughter, so I like to read some of the books she reads. She tends to like darker stuff, and books that don’t necessarily end happily.

Laughing. I can see how that is out-of-character for you. They say 85 percent of YA readers are adults. Now I wonder how many of them are reluctant mom's thrust out of their element. As a writer, you should know better, but as a reader, you know we all do it…so, when did you last “judge a book by the cover”? How did it work out?

Most of the time, when I judge a book by its cover, I do so in a negative way. If I see a bad cover, I won’t read the book. I probably miss out on a lot of good reads that way. That said, if I’m deciding between two books I already own, I do sometimes pick up the book with the prettiest cover.

Guilty. I've many a book sitting on my shelf because the cover is pretty. Do you read while you’re working on a book or do you find deadlines interfere? If not, did you treat yourself to a book after you typed The End?

 

I do read while working. For me, reading is a really important way to relax. If I’m really stressed or in a bad mood, I need to read a book to turn my mood around. I am a firm believer that there is nothing that a bath, a book, and a cup of tea can’t cure! So if I waited until I finished writing to read, I’d never read, and I’d be a really grouchy person.

Yes, I agree! (As long as you don't ruin your pretty books in the bathtub!) Did a book recently make you laugh/cry/sigh/shiver?

Book that recently made me laugh: I really liked WagonTrain Proposal by Renee Ryan. She’s such a great author and always has a few moments that bring a smile to my face.

Book that made me cry: I don’t read books that make me cry! I only read happy books!

Book that made me sigh/shiver: I really loved Under a Turquoise Sky by LisaCarter, which is a Carol Award finalist. She had such a wonderful blend of suspense and poignant moments, and I very much enjoyed it. I was so glad to see it become a finalist.

What was the last book you absolutely couldn't put down? Why?

I hope it’s okay to mention a non-Christian book here… At least I don’t think it was Christian, but I don’t think there was anything in it that would be offensive to fellow Christians. It’s called UnEnchanted (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale book 1) by Chanda Hahn, and it was so good, I ended up buying the rest of the series and devouring it. I really loved how the characters related, and how a lot of the people weren’t entirely who you thought they were. There was so much character growth, and I found myself falling in love with each of them.

I can see why you recommend it. Sounds like you've read a lot of great books---which brings me to my next question: Were you the kind of kid/teen who loved reading? Which novel do you first remember reading?

I was absolutely that kid! The first novel I read, I was in first grade, and my friend had been given The Secret of the Old Clock, by Carolyn Keene. She let me read it, and I was hooked. I then tried going to the library to get more, but the librarian didn’t believe I could read such a difficult book, so I had to prove to her I could read it. I left the library with an armload of Nancy Drew books, and I haven’t looked back.

When did you know you wanted to write? Did any or multiple books influence this desire?

I’ve always wanted to write. I was the kid, who, if I didn’t have a book in my hand, I had a notebook and a pen. I didn’t think I could be an author, though, until I was older and retired. I’m so glad that being a grey-haired old lady is NOT a prerequisite of being a writer, because I don’t think I could have waited that long!

I don’t think any one book influenced my desire to write. I’ve read so many, and I wanted to touch readers the way other books touched me.

Oh that's lovely insight into your writing path. Has any book stuck with you recently? What created the lasting impressions?

I recently read Undone by MicheleCushatt. Michele is a good friend, and reading her journey through her eyes having lived through the experiences with her left me a little Undone myself. Especially reading all the comments of how her book has touched others---it just shows how living your life in a raw, honest way can help others. That even in the midst of your own suffering and trials, you still have something to give others. I hope I’m living my life that way.

Wow. That book must be something---and the cover is boggling, so I can see why you picked it up. With summer officially started, what is on your to-read list?

We have a summer tradition in my house that summer reading is all about my kids. So we read a series together. This summer, we are reading the Tales of the Frog Princess series by E.D. Baker. We just finished book two, and I have book three ready to go. I didn’t realize there were so many books in the series. Hopefully we’ll get it done by the time school starts!

And what is your ideal summer reading experience?

Ideal summer reading experience… I really love taking a book by a pool or a lake or really any body of water and sitting in the sun reading. When I get hot, I take a quick dip, then go back to my book. Give me a few yummy snacks, a cold drink, and I am in heaven! It’s the best part of summer, in my opinion!

Yep. That is heaven---I think I'll pull up a chair! While you're there, is there a book you are looking forward to rereading?

I never get tired of rereading anything by Jane Austen.

If the heroine from your recently released book were to pick a book from today’s shelves, what do you think it would be?

Wow… I wish I could tell you about the characters in the book I’m writing, because they had a GREAT book discussion. So, instead, I’ll tell you about Mary Stone, the heroine from my current release, The Lawman’s Redemption. I think Mary would probably pick up something practical, like a how-to or homemaking kind of book because she’s so practical. However, I’m pretty sure one of her friends would hand her a romance (because that’s what good friends do!), and she’d be hooked! Mary needs to find some ways to spend more time taking care of herself and I think this is just the thing.

 
No fair! You are not allowed to finish this interview leaving me curious! Well...thanks for visiting, Danica. Even with the nasty teaser, I loved getting to know you as a reader, and I have to say you really let me feel I know your latest heroine and her friends as well. Looks like a book worth visiting. Folks, you can continue to connect with Danica, and find out more about her books---maybe even that one she is working on---at the links below her bio.

BIO: A self-professed crazy chicken lady, Danica Favorite loves the adventure of living a creative life. She and her family recently moved in to their dream home in the mountains above Denver, Colorado.  Danica loves to explore the depths of human nature and follow people on the journey to happily ever after. Though the journey is often bumpy, those bumps are what refine imperfect characters as they live the life God created them for. Oops, that just spoiled the ending of all of Danica’s stories. Then again, getting there is all the fun.

PURCHASE AND CONNECTION LINKS:

You can connect with Danica at the following places:

Website: http://www.danicafavorite.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/danicafavorite
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanicaFavoriteAuthor

Purchase:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0373283202/ref=s9_psimh_gw_p14_d4_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=1MD6815Q90T8F4DAWPMT&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2118394622&pf_rd_i=desktop

Back Cover:

Lawman on a Mission 
Former deputy Will Lawson is fighting to regain his reputation—and Mary Stone is his only lead to the bandit who framed him. Now that he's tracked Mary to Leadville, Colorado, Will needs the proud beauty to reveal her past. Instead, his efforts spark a mighty inconvenient attraction… 
Mary's only real crime is that she once believed an outlaw's lies. Still, she fears disclosing the truth to Will may land her in jail—and leave her young siblings without protection. Now she must choose between honesty and safeguarding her family. And if Will does clear his own name, can he convince the woman he loves to share it?