We have Juliette Duncan in for Coffee with Paula all the way from Australia today! Thank you, Juliette; this is a real treat for me, I so appreciate you taking the time out to be with me!

I was looking at your bio…and was tickled to see about your large family! What a blessing that must be for you! Tell me; are your children and grandchildren book lovers as well?

That’s a very interesting question. I’d love to say that they all are, but sadly, I can’t. However, one of my daughters-in-law is also a Christian fiction author and she loves reading, and one of her daughters (one of my granddaughters) is an avid reader. My three adult daughters read, but I don’t think I’d call them book lovers. And the boys?? Well… maybe one day they’ll discover the joy of reading!    

How wonderful is that! What is your daughter-in-law’s name?

My daughter-in-law is Kristen M. Fraser. She also writes stories from Australia.

I have always wanted to visit Australia; the photos I have seen are stunning! What is your favorite part about living there?

I think that in general we lead quite a relaxed lifestyle, and as the majority of the population lives on the coastal fringe, we’re never far from the ocean and our lovely beaches, but Australia is such a diverse country. We have mountain ranges where you can hike and camp, we have the beautiful Great Barrier Reef, we have the ‘outback’ which has a special beauty of its own, and we also have snow in some places. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to many places over the years, and I have so many favourite places, it’s impossible to choose just one, but I have to say that the Kimberley region in the north of Western Australia is absolutely stunning.       

Have you ever lived in the US? I only ask because your writing is very good with American mannerisms and terminology!

No – I’ve not even been fortunate enough to visit – yet! I do a lot of research when I set a story in the US, but I also have an American editor who sets me straight if I’ve used a confusing word or phrase. Saying that, most of my books are set in Australia.

I see you have so many books published; I am ashamed to admit I have only read The Homecoming so far, but I look forward to reading more of yours! Which would you say was the hardest to write, in your own opinion and why?

I think that The Shadows Series books were the most challenging to write. My first husband was an alcoholic, and as I wrote Lizzy and Daniel’s story, I relived a lot of the emotion I felt during those years. Readers often tell me that out of all my books, this series is the one that grips them the most.

I am definitely going to look into that series, Juliette, as my first husband was also an alcoholic, I can relate 100%!

The Homecoming had some sensitive issues regarding lifestyles of non-believers…did you have a difficult time portraying Kayla’s lack of faith?

Unfortunately, no! I’ve seen enough in real life to know what happens, which is why I have such a passion for sharing the gospel message in my stories, and why the “hope, redemption and second chances” theme of The Potter’s House Books series is so special to me.

When is your favorite time of the day to write?

I’m usually more productive in the afternoon after all of my other jobs are out of the way, but I’m happy writing at any time of day or night!

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

The best way is by joining my newsletter. I send out weekly updates, and I also offer a free short story for new readers.  https://www.julietteduncan.com/subscribe/

Finally – Coffee or tea? Cream? Sugar?

Coffee with milk – that’s how we say it in Oz! I gave up sugar recently.

So many people are getting healthy and giving up sugar <sigh> I am not one of them, lol! Thank you again for taking the time out of your busy schedule to give us a chance to get to know you a little better! I look forward to reading more of your books!!