I am sooo pleased to announce.. my sister in law's book is OUT! It sure is! It's been a few year ordeal and I can not be happier for my brother's wife, Natalie. Not only is she a sister but she's one of my best friends. I got the privilege of reading the book a year ago and let me tell ya, it's amazing. I'm not a huge fiction reader just because I lack time but I am sooo ready for her 2nd book to come out! I need to know what happens to Matt and Ava! I have a feeling you'll feel the same way!
Here are so questions and answers about Natalie's new book...
What inspired you to become a writer and what are
you hoping your books will accomplish?
It
really started as a hobby. I was struggling with a lot of hard life issues at
the time (miscarriages and a very sick child) and I needed something else in my
life that was totally different than just being a stay-at-home mom and raising
kids. I needed an outlet. Enter in, writing a book. I love to read and have
always wanted to write and tell a story for others to enjoy. I have a long list of things I hope my books
will accomplish. I want young women to realize they don’t have to settle and
give them a glimpse of how a man should treat a woman. I want women that are
living in an abusive relationship to know that there is help out there and that
they don’t have to be afraid or embarrassed to ask for it. I want people to
know that their past doesn’t have to mark its claim on their future. I want
people that are living a lukewarm life with God to take a leap of faith and
want a deeper relationship with Him. I want this book to be an outlet for the
end of a stressful day.
How did you come up with the concept for your
book?
When I finally decided I wanted to write a
book, I had to figure out what genre and my target audience. For the story, I
knew I wanted the first chapter to be huge, something big that would draw my
readers in immediately. To have it be a
romance-suspense book, I wanted the male character to have a job that could
help bring in the suspense. As I began writing and developing the characters
the story began to change some. I not only wanted my readers to walk alongside
Ava’s journey of realizing the truth in who she is and that she is worthy to be
loved, but to also watch Ava help
another woman work through her bondage issues. I added in the storyline of the
student and her mom. I don’t know much about abuse, but I felt an urging to add
it and give a look into the life of someone being abused. To help myself and
others understand their actions and fears a little more. To raise awareness to the hushed subject that
affects many generations to come.
How long did it take to write the first draft?
The
first draft took me a little over a year. I’ll be honest; it didn’t go well at
first. I had a good portion of the book done when I was introduced to an editor
that took it upon her to bless me by working alongside me and helping me with
the edits. She returned the first draft, saying it needed a lot more work
before she could even edit it. I took a few days to lick my wounds and then had
a little pep-talk with myself. I could either throw in the towel OR I could
research like crazy on how to write a fiction book. I decided right then and
there I wanted to pursue it, give it all I had and if it didn’t work out, then
at least I tried. So for a month I read articles, books, and re-read my
favorite authors books until I couldn’t retain anymore information…and then
started all over. I re-wrote the earlier chapters and then held my breath until
I heard back that the revisions were great and I made a huge improvement in my
writing.
Who are some of your favorite authors or have
inspired you to write?
By far, the top of the list would be Dee
Henderson (she is on my famous list that I would love to meet someday and would
probably just stand there and drool.) I also like Irene Hannon, Lynette Eason,
DiAnn Mills and Ronie Kendig.
Was this a one-time thing, or will you continue to
write? And do you already have more ideas?
Lord
willing, I will continue to write books. In general, I love to write. Whether it is a novel or devotionals I write
for the mom’s group I am involved in, I enjoy expressing life through the
written word. I have a ton more ideas. This is the first book in a series of
four.
Head over to Amazon where you can read the first chapter! I know it will get ya hooked and you can either buy the paper or e-book version of A Rescued Heart. Here's the link:
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