Introducing... Erynn Mangum!!!

Ok, here it is, the interview with Christian Author, Erynn Mangum! The questions are in purple, and her answers are in pink. Hope you guys enjoy reading this interview as much as I did making it How did you become a Christian? I was raised in a Christian home and accepted Christ when I was very small. Growing up, I always felt a little self-conscious about my "boring" testimony. But now that's what I pray for for my son! Ha! What is your favorite Bible verse? Oh goodness - this changes on a daily basis! My all-time favorite chapter will always be Psalm 121. Tell us about your family. How do they play a part in your career, and your life? My family plays a HUGE part in my life and so they are definitely a huge part of my career! My mom and my husband are by far my biggest encouragers (aka enforcers!) to get me to write. My mom watches Nathan (my eight-month-old son) once a week so I can get some work done. I'm so thankful for that! Did you take anything in College that helped you become an author? I didn't actually go to college. Starting my senior year of high school, I began taking courses through the Christian Writers Guild and took those for three years. I went to many, many, MANY writer's conferences and learned as much as I could! How did you decide to write the kind of books that you do? Ha! It was actually an accident! I was working on a suspense story when one day I just sat down and started writing the opening lines to Miss Match. I had so much fun writing about Lauren that I eventually stopped working on the suspense so I'd have more time to write her story. If you could say one thing that everyone would hear, what would it be? Love Christ. If you love Him first and foremost, everything else will fall into place. How do you get inspiration for your books? Just by living my life. I hang out with friends, I go get coffee, I read. I get inspired by things God is teaching me. I get about 756 ideas a week, so ideas are NEVER my problem! How do your two series, the Maya Davis series and the Lauren Hollbrooke series, differ and how are they the same? They are the same in that they are both about girls who love God and love coffee. They are different in that they have two very unique personalities, friends and situations. Lauren is very much a people person and anyone can be a best friend. Maya tends to be more of a loner and has a select group of people she confides to and that's it. What's your favorite way to spend a Saturday? Well, before my son was born, I would have said to go shopping and to a movie and then dinner out. Now that Nathan is here, I think I'd pick a day in my pajamas and takeout. Ha! :) Who is your hero? My grandmother. She took care of my grandfather for ten long years while he suffered with Alzheimer's. She set the biggest example of what a real marriage looks like to me! If you could do one thing and not fail, what would it be? Skydiving. :) If you could write a book that everyone would read, what would it be? Of ones that have been written already? I think I wish I would have written Go, Dog, Go! :) Are you writing any books right now? If so, can you give us a hint to what they will be about? I'm ALWAYS working on something new! I've got a new young adult series coming out in September that I'm so excited for! What are your plans for the future? I'm praying that God has me still writing, still being a mom and still just LOVING my life!

Thanks for answering these questions, Erynn. I am a HUGE fan of your books, and really enjoyed getting this interview. It was an honor having you on my blog!

Latte Daze

"What?" I protest. "You can't threaten me with no dessert now." He growls and chomps on the popcorn. I watch him for a minute. "It's got a goofy saying on it, huh?" More chomping. "Yes." I grin. "What's it say?" "I'm not going to tell you. You'll mock me." "Then I'll just come Monday to see it." I gesture to him with a kernel of popcorn. "Want to be mocked in private at the table here or in public next to the sea otter exibit?" "I don't work with sea otters." "Jack." He sighs and throws another popcorn kernel at my head. "It says, Save the Animals- We can Zoo it." He ducks his head and winces. "Well, that's not too bad," I say. He lifts his head and squints at me. "What?" "I mean, it's not like We're just zooing out job or We Zoo this so you can Zoo that or Zoo days are better then One." He's laughing now. "Nutkin." "Saving the animals is a very noble cause, and I think you can zoo it," I say, keeping my expression very serious. He snorts. "Nutkin." "I mean, if you guys weren't going to zoo it, who would?" "Maya!" I start giggling. "Or if you-" "Hey!" Jen yells from the living room. "We are trying to watch a very romantic scene where Ike and Maggie are finally falling in love and you are ruining it!" "Sorry Jen." "Sorry Jenny." She's still frustrated. "I mean it. Keep it down in there!" "We will, Jen," Jack says, his voice all pacifying. "We'll zoo our best," I holler back. Jack loses it. He snorts loudly and bursts into gut-wrenching laughter. He's trying to hold it in, but it's spilling out as he leans back in the kitchen chair. "Hey!" Jen yells again. "Sorry Jen," I say nicely, "Jack's being loud." Travis rubs Jen's arm. "He does work in a zoo." I have to bite my thumb to keep from laughing

So that's a quote from the novel Latte Daze by Erynn Mangum. And yes, she is going to be out next featured author. I sent out the questions today and she'll send them back ASAP. She has definatly made it onto my favorites list. I love this girl! I hope you guys will love her to. Her books are definatly classified as CAN'T PUT DOWN!!!!!!

Here it is...

Here's the interview with MaryLu Tyndall. Hope you guys like it. I'll put my questions in light blue and her answers in dark blue.
How did you become a Christian?
It's a really long story so I'll give you the short version. I wasn't a Christian most of my life. In fact, I was running from God. I believed I could find my own way, find my own happiness. But after I tried everything the world says will make you happy, I was miserable and empty. My life was in shambles. My marrige was failing, my kids were rebelling and I hated my job. So I picked up my old Bible and started reading, thinking maybe I could find some answers within it's pages. About halfway through Ezekial, I was reading about the prophecy about the Jews returning to their home land, and it struck me that the prophecy had come true in my lifetime. But Ezekial was written thousands of years ago! I didn't know exactly what happened, but it was like my mind was flooded with light and I remember thinking 'God is real.' Then I felt His precence envelop me and I've never been the same since!
What's your favorite Bible verse?
I have so many, but I have to say Romans 8:28. "All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose!" That about covers it, doesn't it?
Do you have any pets, or did you have any growing up?
I had aquariams when I was growing up. I love them! And still have one. My mother wouldn't allow me to have any other pets, but I have 3 cats now.
Do you have any siblings?
Yes, One brother who is on the SWAT team in South Florida and one sister who lives in Tennessee.
Do you have any kids?
Yes, I have 6 children ranging in ages from 20 to 29!
What's your favorite way to spend a Saturday?
Relaxing with family or going to the movies.
Did you take anything in College that helped you become an author?
No! I was a math major. Isn't that wierd? It just goes to show that God can do anything, right? But if you're thinking of becoming an author, take English or Creative Writing classes.
How did you decide to write 'sea fiction?'
I've always loved the sea and the tropics. And I've always had a fasination with ships. So I guess it was just a natural thing for me to focus my stories around sea farring tales.
If you could say one thing that everyone would hear, what would it be?
Nothing in this world fufills except knowing God.
Where did you get your inspiration for the Legacy of the Kings Pirates series?
From the Pirates of the Carribean movies! After I saw the first movie several times, God put it on my heart to write about a Christian Pirate. At first I thought I'd heard Him wrong! But I guess I didn't because that book got published as soon as I finished it and my publisher wanted two more books in that series.
Where did you get your inspiration for the Charles Town Bellese Series?
From the Parable of the seed and the sower in Matthew 13. I wanted to show examples of all 3 seeds in the life of women who lived in colonial Charles Town. The Red Siren represents the seed that fell on rocky ground. She heard the word of God but the problems and struggles of life choked it out from her. In the story, instead of relying on God, she becomes a pirate to solve her problems! Hope, in the Blue Enchantress, represents the seed that fell amoung thorns where the word of God was strangled by the pleasures of this world. Her quest for the wrong kind of love causes her to be sold as a slave on a Carribean Island! And finally, in The Raven Saint, Grace represents the seed that fell on good soil. From all appearances, she seems to be a sweet, godly, perfect woman, but when she is kidnapped by a French mercernary, Grace discovers her darker side.
Can you tell us anything about the Book series you're writing now, the Surrender to Destiny series?
Yes, It's about finding God's destiny for your life. Each book follows the adventures of three different women that live in Baltimore, Maryland, during the war of 1812. Each of these women has something that is keeping them from God's destiny for their lives, insecurity, fear and unbelief. And as they overcome these struggles, they each get caught up in the war and play a huge part in changing the course of history forever.
What would you say to someone who wants to be an author?
Work hard. Take a lot of writing classes. Join ACFW ( it's an online group of writers) , ask for help and direction from God and never give up until He tells you to!
Who is your hero?
Glenn Beck
If you could do one thing and not fail, what would it be?
Bring everyone in my family to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
If you could write one book that everyone would read, what would the theme of that book be?
God's unfailing love for you.

Thanks again for doing this MaryLu.

And it's closed

I sent the questions into MaryLu Tyndall today, and I should be getting the answers back sometime soon.
I'll let you know what She says once I get the answers

It's time

It's time for another author spotlight! This time, the author is going to be MaryLu Tyndall! She is the author of The Legacy of the King's pirates series (One of my personal favorite series), The CharlesTown Belles Series (Another one of my favorites), The Falcon and the Sparrow, and the Surrender to Destiny series, in which the second book will be released next March. MaryLu is one of my favorite authors. Her stories are real and believeable, with some daring sword fights and cannon blasts, with love and passion, faith and really good story telling. I always find myself in love with the characters she creates. You can get more information at
www.mltyndall.com
You can submit any questions you might have here, through a comment. The cut off date is October 21, which is a Thurday is the internet is correct :)
Then I'll email the questions to her and we'll get some answers.
I'm really excited about doing this feature and am honored that MaryLu has agreed to do this.

FIRST EVER AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT!!!

Ok, I'm going to try something new here on the blog. We are going to have an author spotlight, and the first author is tween,teen and the taller types (adults) Nancy Rue! Now I know most of you probably have no idea who Nancy is so let me give you a quick bio. As I said before, Nancy is a tween, teen and adult writer and has 3 blogs, one for tweens, teens and adults. She lives in Tenesse with her husband, and her two puppies Guiness and Genevive. Feel free to check out her tween site at www.faithgirlz.com (maybe some of you have read her tween series about Lily, Sophie or Lucy) and then her teen blog link is http://tweenyouandme.typepad.com/in_real_life/
So go ahead and check out Nancy's sites and post your questions by TUESDAY MAY 5Th and I'll email them to Nancy (including some of my own questions) and once Nancy reply's I'll post them to my blog. Can't wait to find out what you questions Nancy to answer. You can ask her anything about faith, family, friends, her writing career, her life, Anything. Can't wait for your questions
And remember, THEY NEED TO BE IN BY TUESDAY, MAY 5