Welcome to "Writer's Life," my new interview series! Every Wednesday will feature a romance writer of inspirational or sweet romance novels. I'm excited to share some of my favorite authors and hope you'll find new books for your to-be-read pile!
We're kicking things off with Katie Ganshert! Katie is an inspiration to me. She's beautiful inside and out, an amazing writer, a Christy Award finalist, a Carol Award winner, and a tireless advocate for international adoption. Her new inspirational romance novel,
A Broken Kind of Beautiful, is already gaining terrific reviews!
Let's get to it!
1. What about writing makes your heart sing?
Oh, lots of things! When I get into that euphoric “zone” where
the words are flowing and the story is coming together and God reveals
something extra special about a character or a scene or the theme that adds an
extra layer of depth to the story. I also love the spark of a new idea. And of
course, writing “the end” is always a magical, heart-singing moment.
2. What is the biggest hurdle you're facing right now as a writer?
Oh, man—that’s hard to pin down. I feel like it changes daily. J I think obscurity is
always a hurdle authors will face, at least those authors who haven’t yet
reached the “best seller” status. I also feel like, on this side of heaven, I
will always struggle with comparison—which is a particularly strong temptation
among writerly circles. Another hurdle is myself. Insecurity, doubt,
discontent….those sorts of things that most of us deal with on a daily basis
(or is that just me?).
3. What do you do to fill your creative well?
The biggest thing that fills my creative well is spending time
in worship—whether that’s digging into the Word, or getting on my knees in
prayer, or listening to worship music. That usually does the trick. I also love
going on walks, reading a great book, and spending time away from the computer
with my family.
4. What are you working on now?
Right now I just finished my fourth novel, which isn’t currently
titled (releasing February, 2015). I turned it into my editor and will be
receiving edits soon-ish. I’ve been busy with marketing and publicity type
stuff for the release of A Broken Kind of Beautiful. Releases are super fun,
but they are always a bit of a whirlwind. As soon as things calm down, I hope
to do a lot of reading and playing around with a young adult trilogy I’m working
on.
Katie, there's nothing quite like finishing a story, is there? You are definitely not alone on the doubt, insecurity hurdle--what writer doesn't struggle with all those feelings? I know I do! Your spring is busy, busy, but I hope you'll be able to dive back into the YA trilogy soon!
A BROKEN KIND OF BEAUTIFUL ~
Sometimes everything you
ever learned about yourself is wrong.
Fashion
is a fickle industry, a frightening fact for twenty-four year old model Ivy
Clark. Ten years in and she’s learned a sacred truth—appearance is everything.
Nobody cares about her broken past as long as she looks beautiful for the
camera. This is the only life Ivy knows—so when it starts to unravel,
she’ll do anything to hold on. Even if that means moving to the quaint island
town of Greenbrier, South Carolina, to be the new face of her stepmother’s
bridal wear line—an irony too rich for words, since Ivy is far from the pure
bride in white.
If only her tenuous future didn’t rest in the hands of Davis Knight, her
mysterious new photographer. Not only did he walk away from the kind
of success Ivy longs for to work maintenance at a local church, he treats
her differently than any man ever has. Somehow, Davis sees through the façade
she works so hard to maintain. He, along with a cast of other characters,
challenges everything Ivy has come to believe about beauty and worth. Is it
possible that God sees her—a woman stained and broken by the world—yet wants
her still?
Christy Award finalist
and Carol Award winner, Katie Ganshert, graduated from the University of
Wisconsin in Madison with a degree in education, and worked as a fifth grade
teacher for several years before staying home to write full-time. She was born
and raised in the Midwest, where she lives with her husband, their young son,
and their goofy black lab, Bubba. When she’s not busy writing or playing or
reading or snuggling, she is obsessing over the paperwork and the waiting that
comes with adoption. You can learn more about Katie and her books by visiting
her website or
author Facebook page.
Do you have any questions for Katie?
(Thank you, Katie, for being my guest today!!)
Have a lovely day!
