I am so excited to have a new to me author joining us today for coffee! Please grab a cup of your favorite beverage and help me welcome Jan Elder to Fiction Full of Faith!

PM: Good morning, Jan! I see you have quite an interesting line of books set in Maine, and you live in Maryland. I am originally from NJ, but visited Maine several times and absolutely loved it! Is Maine a favored vacation spot for your family?

JE: Maine is indeed “Vacationland” and I have visited many times. My mother’s family is from Maine and I still have many relatives up north, especially around Lake Sebago—where my parents honeymooned. Growing up, I remember my grandmother still clung tightly to her slight Maine accent despite have moved to Maryland in 1923! My mother also has a lot of Maine in her—the stoic attitude, the reserved manner, the pragmatic way of looking at life. Want to know what our family motto is? I’m so glad you asked. “Strength through adversity.” That right there should tell you a great deal about the philosophy I grew up modeling. Gracious! We’re ready for anything. Throw in the proud, majestic moose and we’re good to go!

PM: Do you have any family pets that currently own you?

JE: I am so glad you phrased your question as you did. I am definitely “owned” by two cats, a svelte sixteen-year-old tortoiseshell named Shu-Shu, and a ten-year-old tuxedo beauty named Jamie Lynn. All of my books feature an animal or two (usually cats/and or dogs). Adding fabulous felines, or curious canines to a story livens up the action and makes the non-animal characters more human. I don’t how I would get along without my girls, and my husband is finally on board in that department (he thinks Jamie Lynn is his, but she’s really my girl, and sweet Shu-Shu is my lap cat and follows me around like a puppy).

PM: Do you write stories more from your own experiences, or do you spend a lot time doing research on the type of characters your creating?

JE: A bit of both, I think. All of my female lead characters seem to have a bit of me in them, but I definitely research the situations I put them in. In my latest, Moosed The Boat, a Christian contemporary romance, sixty-something Clare Evans was raised in Maine and has that stoic, sensible attitude. It’s hard to keep her down for long. She resembles my own mother in many ways so she was a lot of fun to dream up.

Clare is a recurring character in the four book Moose Creek series. Moosed The Boat will be released at the end of September and is part of a five-book boxed set called Somewhere Beyond The Blue along with Marion Ueckermann, Clare Revell, Mary Manners, and Cecelia Dowdy.

Here’s that all-important blurb:

Moosed The Boat

Clare Evans, church secretary, Malamute breeder, and single lady of a certain age, resides in Moose Creek, Maine, where men are men and moose are enormoose. Her life is full to the brim, or almost. There’s only one thing missing—one of those manly men with a desire to love, honor, and protect her.

Travis Gibbs, forest ranger and recent widower, is grieving a broken heart. With his son off to college, he’s tired of being alone and ready to rejoin the living. When Clare invites him to a dinner dance and follows up by sending him home with a puppy, his interest is piqued.

Next, the two senior citizens win a cruise in a bowling tournament. But will they make it to the ship on time? Or, moose the boat and their chance at true love?

PM: What was your most beloved book to read as a child?

JE: One of first books I remember reading was Island of the Blue Dolphins—an early sci-fi about dolphins that learned to talk. My husband found a copy online and gave it to me as a Christmas present a couple of years back. How cool is that? I also remember one of my best gifts ever. My parents bought me the entire set of Narnia books by C.S. Lewis. I reread them every few years. Makes my heart happy.

PM: What’s your favorite color? Any reason why?

JE: Great question. I’m going to have to go with one of characters favorite colors, Didi O’Brien, in Love, Lies, and Fireflies. It’s called twilight blue—that moment when the sky vibrates with the last ray of sunshine shooting out a golden glow behind the azure sky. Glorious!

PM: What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite gender?

JE: Since I’m not a male, sometimes it’s really hard to think like a guy. If I have an iffy passage, I run it by my husband. He is definitely from Mars and makes my men sound like men!

PM: Tell us what you enjoy doing the most when you are not writing or reading?

JE: Right now, I’m spending the vast majority of my time with my mother in a nursing home. She is a writer too and I read to her (she’s written several books—one about how her parents met in Maine with actual letters!) and we watch a lot of cat videos and sermons by her favorite preachers. Just imagine. There is internet in her room at the care facility! While she is sleeping, I am able to write and that’s where I have conjured up my last two books.

PM: Who was your greatest influence when you decided to become an author?

JE: Probably Jan Karon. I love that she created the village of Mitford and it helped me think up my own little town of Moose Creek, Maine.

PM: How can readers keep up with you and your new releases?

JE: My website is https://janelderauthor.com/ and my author page on Amazon is https://amzn.to/2xHG9fZ

PM: Finally, coffee or tea? Cream, sugar?

JE: Depends on the day and the time of day. I like both, but I tend to drink flavored coffee with cream in the morning, and tea with sugar anytime! Current favorite coffee is salted caramel, favorite tea of the week, Plantation Mint.

Thank you for having me on your blog today. I truly enjoyed it!

About Jan Elder:

JAN ELDER is an inspirational romance writer with a passion for telling stories other women can relate to on a deep level. She strives to write the kind of book that will strengthen the reader’s faith, introducing the reader to a loving and forgiving Lord who walks beside us in our daily lives, while also providing an entertaining and engrossing love story.

Happily married for fifteen years to loving (and supportive) husband, Steve, the two live in central Maryland along with Jamie (a chubby black and white tuxedo cat), and Shu-Shu (a willowy tortoiseshell cat). On the weekends, Jan and Steve comb the nearby countryside in search of the perfect ice cream flavor.

Ginger Solomon has graciously offered to spend time with me while we get to know her better! Thank you, Ginger!!

PM: I am so excited to get to know a “new to me” author! Thank you for taking a chance on me, lol! I’d love to know how you decided to become an author?

GS: I had a dream. <chuckle> I know that sounds weird, but I did. It kept nagging me. I thought about the dream for days, and I finally decided to write it down, and *bang* I caught the writing bug.

PM: I see you write both contemporary and historical fiction – do you have a preference of the two? I think I’d get lost trying to be an author of both…hahaha…oh, wait there are no cell phones in the 1700’s? LOL

GS: Many of my contemporary characters have “old-fashioned” morals that I’ve been told don’t fit into the 21^st Century lifestyle. I enjoy both, but I think I prefer historical. Life was far less complicated, though not easy, back then.

And to add more confusion to the mix, I plan to release a non-fiction devotional next year, and I have a fantasy romance in progress (no release date on that one).

PM: Who was your greatest influence when you decided to become an author?

GS: <biting lip> I sent the first story I wrote to a number of agents, publishers. I received a number of rejections, though not all responded. Now that I look back on it, I realize just how bad that story probably was—it has since been lost due to computer issues. I then took to searching the internet for help. ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) was the most helpful in guiding me on my writing journey. The authors who taught the monthly courses available to members taught me more than they understood.

As for the answer to your question, no particular person influenced me more than another.

PM: What would be the first book you would want a new reader to start with of yours, and why?

GS: Hmm… I’m sort of biased toward my debut novel, One Choice. Even after all this time, I love the story—the series, really. I enjoyed writing it.

The story that has touched me the most, however, is Broken Freedom. It is the third novella in my Broken Holidays Series, but they are all stand-alone stories. God helped me heal from some things in my past through that story, though my circumstances weren’t as severe as my heroine’s.

And Christmas Reflections. Another novella that helped me take the next step in faith walk. I guess I love all of my books.

A new reader could probably start with any of them; though, Second Choice and Love’s Choice would be harder to follow. They are stand alone novels, but the series is about a family, so certain information is carried from one to the next.

PM: If you had the chance to go back in time, historically, what era would you like to visit?

GS: Victorian, I think, though I really do like my modern conveniences. 😀

PM: What’s your favorite flower?

GS: Roses – tea roses, specifically. They have to smell nice. Sadly, most roses sold these days have no fragrance.  

PM: What was your favorite subject in school? 

GS: I didn’t have one. I hated school. I preferred reading to anything, and I wasn’t much of a writer back then. I remember staying up WAY later than I should have to finish a book.

PM: What was the first book you read that had you thinking “I can do this!”?

GS: I’m not sure I’ve gotten to that point yet. LOL I still wonder regularly if I can do this.

PM: How can readers keep up with you and your new releases?

GS: Depends on their preferences. I’m an equal-opportunity author. LOL

www.gingersolomon.com is my website. From there you can receive my blog posts or sign-up for my newsletter, which I’d love to say comes out on a regular basis, but it does not.

I can also be found at the following places:

Inspy Romance Blog

Facebook Author Page

Twitter @GingerS219

Pinterest

Amazon Author Page

PM: Finally – Coffee or tea? Cream? Sugar?

GS: Tea, cold or hot. Hot I can handle plain (it was a hard transition when I quit adding sugar). Cold needs sugar (before it’s cooled). I am a Southerner, after all. 

Ginger is so kind to offer a free ebook of her Can’t Live Without You to one commenter on this post! Just tell us what your favorite subject in school was to enter! Contest will run for one week and winner will be notified via emai!

I am so pleased to bring you this Coffee chat today with Mary Manners! Please take a few moments to relax and get to know this lovely author with me!

PM: Thank you so much for joining us today, Mary! So happy to have you here! I see from your bio that you are a Tennessee girl! Have you lived there all your life or are ‘transplanted’ from someplace else?

MM: Thanks so much for hosting me today. I am thrilled to be here! I was born just outside of Chicago, in Elmwood Park, and later moved to Itasca. Following my time at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbad south to the Knoxville, TN area and have loved every minute of my time here. I am a country girl at heart, so the mini farm my husband and I call home is the perfect place for me.

PM: I see you are an author in The Potter’s House series, which I love! How are you enjoying working with everyone on such an amazing journey?

MM: Oh, my…I have been blessed beyond measure by my time with fellow Potter’s House authors. Such a generous group of people, and I have learned so much and grown as a writer while working with them. I am so thankful to be a part of this faith-based journey.

PM: If we were to open you your refrigerator right now, what would we find in it?

MM: Yikes! A pitcher of unsweet tea laced with orange wedges (I know…definitely NOT southern, but I can’t stand all the sugar), a half-eaten breakfast casserole, loads of veggies from my garden, and multi-colored farm-fresh eggs from my flock of chickens. And ice cream…chocolate for me and blueberry for my husband.

PM: If you could be any character in fiction, whom would you be?

MM: I would be Kinsey Millhone, from Patricia Cornwell’s mystery series. I love Kinsey’s spunk and sense of honor, and the fact that she’s always getting herself into fixes, yet remaining honorable to friends and family, as well as clients, while she unravels the mysteries and figures things out. She’s got a great sense of humor, too, which always helps.

PM: If you couldn’t be a writer, what career path do you think you’d choose to be on?

MM: Well, I spent 31 years as a teacher and principal of both special needs and middle school children and absolutely loved my time in the school setting. I retired to full-time writing two years ago. Although I miss the kids, I am thrilled to realize my life-long dream of penning stories for a living.

PM: What is one thing about you that your readers would be shocked to know?

MM:I don’t know if it would shock anyone more than give them a good chuckle, but I sing my chickens a lullaby every night when they return to the coop. They seem to enjoy it, and so do the dog and cats. I also enjoy distance running, and have completed three marathons to date (not while singing, though).

PM: What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite gender?

MM: I grew up with three sisters and only one brother, and I have a daughter, so I haven’t had a whole lot of experience around guys. Sometimes getting their emotions down can be a challenge. But I read a lot and like to people watch, so that helps me figure things out pretty well.

PM: Do you have any family pets that currently own you?

MM: Yes! One of the perks of living on a farm is the ability to have pets that have room to roam. I have a rescue dog named Axel, two rescue cats named Colby and Rascal, six chickens (Pearl, Susie, Honor, Rosie, Cinnamon, and Spice), and twelve fish. They are all precious and full of spunk. I’ve been trying to talk my husband into a pig but so far, no luck.

PM: How can readers keep up with you and your new releases?

MM: I love to chat with readers through my website: http://MaryMannersRomance.com and also love to share tidbits about my family, upcoming books, contests, and free reads through my newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/f6w0j6

PM: Finally, coffee or tea? Cream, sugar?

MM: I love both coffee AND tea, but black coffee is usually my go-to drink. I love the flavored varieties…French vanilla, hazelnut, and mocha. Yum.

Mary has so kindly offered a free copy – PRINT or ebook – winners choice! Of Her newest book to be released 10/02/18! Simply comment on this post and tell us about your family pet (or lack of one) to enter to win! Contest will run for one week from post and winner will be notified via email! Good luck!

Here is the information on Tragedy & Trust:

ONE WRONG TURN AT A FORK IN THE ROAD…

When Chloe Rylin flees New York City and her dream of becoming a Broadway
performer, she returns to her hometown harboring a life-altering secret and the
shame of a shattered past. Best friend Kelsie asks her to help build a house
through the local Shelter the Homeless program, where Chloe meets Zack Coleman and his
mischievous Saint Bernard.

Zack is dealing with a devastating loss of his own, yet his gentleness and patience melt Chloe’s resolve never to trust, much less fall in love, again. But what will Zack think when he discovers the shame of Chloe’s past? Will he reject her, or can their fledgling love heal hurting hearts and blossom into a happily-ever-after?

Brenda Anderson is joining me today for Coffee with Paula! Thank you, Brenda, I am so pleased to have you join me!

Thank you for welcoming me! I’m thrilled to be on your fabulous book blog!

PM: Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to let me and our readers get to know you better! I see you grew up on a dairy farm, and I find that fascinating. I grew up a city girl, well, a small town really, just outside of New York City, so anything to do with farm life is foreign to me! Can you tell me what you loved most about farm life?

BA: I don’t know that I can narrow it down to one thing as the benefits of growing up on a farm were many! We learned the value and love of family, friends, and faith. We learned how to work hard and play hard. It’s the playing hard part my kids are jealous of.  We had a sledding hill right across the road from our house. We had a pond that was perfect for ice skating and hockey. We had miles of roads for biking. And abundance of lakes for swimming. The hay loft was a perfect place for family games and making forts and giving concerts. And there was so much more! I’m sad that my own children didn’t get that same experience.

PM: Do you write stories more from your own experiences, or do you spend a lot time doing research on the type of characters your creating?

BA: All of my stories have pieces of my own experiences, but most require a good amount of research. My latest release, Place Called Home, was about a young woman who’d lived in an emotional abusive situation. Not having experienced that first hand, I had to do a lot of digging to learn what that looked like, especially on an emotional level.

PM: I enjoy hearing how different authors plan out their books, do you have the entire plot of the story ahead of time, or do you simply sit down in front of the keyboard and let the characters take over and lead you in the direction they are going?

BA: I’m a complete seat-of-the-pantser, though I’ve tried plotting. It never works for me, though it should as I’m an organizer who doesn’t like surprises in my non-fiction life. But being a pantser, I have to tune in to God more. Many days I’ll sit in front of the computer with no clue where I’m going to. I’ll often have a conversation with God, telling him I have no clue what I’m doing, so I need His help, then once I start writing, the story just seems to flow. Once I type The End, the story requires a lot of editing and fattening up, which I enjoy doing.

PM: Out of all your books which would you say was the hardest so far to write, in your opinion and why?

BA: The hardest to write was definitely Planting Hope. That’s the final book in my Where the Heart Is contemporary romance series. Writing romance is not a natural gift—I only wrote the first books because that’s what the market was demanding at that time, and the first in the series, Risking Love, was the first of my books to capture publishing industry attention. Over the span of two – three years, I had several stops and starts on Planting Hope. It was only when I had an opportunity to go on a week-long, writing-only retreat that I was able to push my way through the story. I ended up really liking the book, but it certainly didn’t come easy!

Now I’m back to writing the family drama / women’s fiction stories I have a passion for telling.

PM: I love to know what authors do with their free time when not writing or spending time with family, what are your favorite things to do when not writing or reading?

BA: I love going to movies (Marvel movies are my favorite!) with my family. I love roller coasters and baseball games and hiking along Minnesota’s North Shore of Lake Superior. I love theater and concerts and singing and am blessed to have a gifted daughter who seems to go from one musical production to the next. It’s so much fun watching our children use the gifts God gave them!

PM: As a full-time writer, do you lock yourself away in an office and hang out a “Do not Disturb” sign during your scheduled writing time? Do you prefer total silence, or like to have background music playing while writing?

BA: You nailed it. I lock myself in my office, and I actually have a warning sign on my door. (Not that it helps!) With the exception of nature singing outside my office window, I need silence. No music. No people interruptions.

PM: At my full-time job when we are interviewing for a new employee I always ask them what the last fictional novel is that they have read….so now I will ask you the same thing!

BA: The last one I read was No Less Days by Amanda Stevens. It was a story that really twisted the mind and made you think. Now I’ve just begun Julie Klassen’s latest, The Ladies of Ivy Cottage.

PM: If you could go anywhere in the world you have never been to spend an entire week, where would that be?

BA: I’ve always wanted to go to Israel. Our church has a group that goes every other year, and every time I ask God, “Can I go now?” but so far His answer has been “Wait.” Someday!

PM: How can readers keep up with you and your new releases?

BA: A couple of ways:

They can check out my website at BrendaAndersonBooks.com or they can Subscribe to my newsletter which typically goes out once per month: http://brendaandersonbooks.com/subscribe/. For subscribing, they can download a FREE copy of my Coming Home Series short story, Coming Home.

PM: Finally – Coffee or tea? Cream? Sugar?

BA: None of the above! My parents were coffee drinkers, but I never acquired the taste. I don’t care for tea either. But if you serve hot cocoa in the winter or fruit slushies in the summer, I’m perfectly happy. 

Brenda has been so kind as to offer one commenter a free ebook of her latest in The Potter’s House series – Place Called Home!

Just comment below and tell us where in the world you’d like to spend a week to enter! Contest will run for 7 days after publication, and  winner will be notified via email!