Suzanne Hartmann: Guest Blogging Today Here!
Welcome, Suzanne. I'm thrilled you're here for another visit. Friends, check out her debut novel. Sounds like a fun read! Now, may I present . . . Suzanne:

AUTHOR BIO

Suzanne Hartmann is a homeschool mom and lives in the St. Louis area with her husband and three children. When not homeschooling or writing, she enjoys scrapbooking, reading, and Bible study. PERIL: Fast Track Thriller Bk. #1 is her debut novel.

On the editorial side, Suzanne is a contributing editor with Port Yonder Press and operates the Write This Way Critique Service. She has also written an e-book on the craft of writing, Write This Way: Take Your Writing to a New Level


A Novel with a Twist of NASCAR

Writers get their ideas many ways. In the case of my first novel, PERIL: A Fast Track Thriller, boredom motivated me to create stories to entertain myself while I sat through my kids' violin and piano lessons and baseball and soccer practice. Over a couple of years, what started with a simple question— "What if I could..."—eventually became a set of detailed stories revolving around one main character: they mysterious Lady Anne.
The idea for a twist of NASCAR came after my daughter decided she liked watching stock car races and one day announced that she had chosen a favorite driver. I knew nothing about NASCAR at that point, so I had no idea if this driver was someone we should encourage her to root for. I decided I’d better educate myself and started paying more attention when my husband watched a race (instead of taking a nap).

After a few months of watching the races and pestering my husband with questions. I realized that stock car racing was more interesting than I thought. Eventually, I couldn't resist placing some of the stories I had created at a racetrack. And that naturally led to the addition of a main character who was a NASCAR driver.

At the time I did all of this, I never intended to write a novel. I just had fun thinking about my stories, tweaking them, and adding to them. It wasn’t until I was thinking about one of the stories while taking a walk in our neighborhood one day that a thought popped into my head, “Why don’t you make these stories into a novel?” I fought the idea for a week or so, thinking maybe I was having a premature mid-life crisis or something, but after much prayer, I realized God was nudging me. So in spite of the fact that I had very little experience writing fiction, I set out to weave my stories into a novel.

Although I didn’t do it intentionally, the twist of NASCAR made my novel unique. Not many books incorporate NASCAR into their stories, and most of those that do are romances, not suspense novels. So the blend of NASCAR excitement with the thrills and mystery of the suspense genre that originated with my daughter’s interest in stock car racing shaped my novel into something special. I may not have known what I was doing, but God knew exactly where He was leading me, and it’s something I give Him thanks for daily.



Here’s a little about the book God led me to write. It is my debut novel and published by OakTara.

PERIL: A Fast Track Thriller:

A top-secret agent.
A high-profile assignment.
Danger at a NASCAR track.

A top secret agent with enhanced strength must use her extraordinary abilities during several high-profile assignments, from the White House to NASCAR tracks, while escorting the first Muslim king to convert to Christianity. When unwanted publicity and the attention of a NASCAR champion threatens to expose her secrets, she becomes a terrorist target with danger surrounding her on all sides.

“Plenty of action and unexpected twists.”

Foreword by Jimmy Makar, GM of Joe Gibbs Racing

BOOK TRAILER (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-G_LzhD4zE)



Thank you for hosting me here today. Before I go, I would like to invite your readers to enter the KINDLE give-away I’m hosting to celebrate the release of PERIL: A Fast Track Thriller. Entries will be accepted through 12/16. To enter, click here: WIN A KINDLE (http://fasttrackthrillers.blogspot.com/2007/01/kindle-give-away_01.html)



Where can people find your book on-line?

Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Peril-Suzanne-Hartmann/dp/1602903069/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321304203&sr=8-1)

Christian Book Distributor (http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=903067&item_code=WW&netp_id=965251&event=ESRCG&view=details)

At my website: Fast Track Thrillers (http://fasttrackthrillers.blogspot.com/)


Where can people find you on-line?

My Website – FastTrackThrillers (http://fasttrackthrillers.blogspot.com/)

My Blog - Write This Way (http://suzanne-hartmann2.blogspot.com/)

Facebook – Suzanne Hartmann – Author http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Suzanne-Hartmann-Author/45955180933

Twitter - @SuzInIL (http://twitter.com/#!/SuzInIL)


Hope you enjoyed getting a glimpse into Suzanne's life.
Blessings!

Welcome, Eileen Rife. We're Happy You're Visiting This Week!

She's giving away a copy of her book, Chosen Ones! Leave a comment and email address for a chance to win it!

How long have you known that you were a writer? Did you receive a clear “call?” Or have you just loved writing all your life?


When I was a child, I used to walk to school. To fill the time, I created characters who talked to one another, creating conflict and developing a story line. Later, I delved into drama, acting on stage and writing plays. Since I received good feedback, I began to try my hand at other writing projects. However, I didn’t pursue publication until 11 years ago.

What fun imaginations are! What is the genre you write in? Would you explain what it is?

I write both Christian fiction (romance, contemporary issues, women’s fiction, general) and Christian nonfiction on topics that deal with marriage, spiritual growth, and contemporary issues the Church faces in our culture today.

How do you spend your writing days? Do you set goals to reach a certain number of words per day? Can you give us a general idea of how long it takes you to write a novel?

Someone once asked a mother of five, “Which child is your favorite?” The mother said, “The child who is sick or needy.”

In some ways, that’s true of my work day. Typically, I devote equal amounts of time to several pursuits: researching, writing, marketing, teaching, and speaking. However, if one of those babies is in critical need, as in a deadline to meet or my creative juices are particularly flowing in that area on a given day, I will devote more attention to that baby.

If I’m able to devote at least four hours a day, three – four days a week to writing, I can complete a first draft in around two to three months. Of course, then comes the rewriting and critiquing by others. All told, a novel might stay in my hands as long as a couple years before editing and publication are complete, and that’s if the novel has already been contracted by a publishing company. And even after publication, I still find errors and areas that need further work. Writing is an art form which requires continual study and growth.

You recently had a book published. Would you take this time to describe it to us? How and where can readers buy your books?

CHOSEN ONES profiles a missionary couple in crisis who unexpectedly meet a child taken captive.

Here is the back cover blurb:

Life in Chennai, India is complicated. While Maggie and Gavin Munsfield adjust to a new baby, missionary friends Dan and Yvonne Pratt experience the heartbreak of infertility and miscarriage. When their lives intersect with a young girl caught up in the horrors of sex trafficking, each of them will receive a precious gift. But will they find it in their hearts to accept an outcome so different than what they expected and hoped for?

Oh, my, it sounds fantastic! What is the spiritual message in your book? What can readers expect to get from reading it?

I want readers to come away with two things:

1. A greater awareness of the horrific crime of the sex industry.
2. A determination to help stop human trafficking in our lifetime.

Good goals. Do you ever feel like giving up? Most people don’t understand the stress, the work, and the joy of being a writer. How tenuous becoming a writer is. Do you care to share how it feels, what discouraging/encouraging times you’ve gone through?

Do I ever feel like giving up? Oh, just every other day, sometimes more, sometimes less. Whenever I feel especially discouraged, I ask the Lord, “Is writing really what You want me to do, or is there something else I’m supposed to devote my time and energy to for Your Kingdom?”

Invariably, I receive a book order, an email, letter, or phone call from a reader sharing how much my writing has encouraged her/him. Here’s a note that accompanied a book order the other day:

“You keep writing! God has given you a special gift.”

The best inspiration to keep writing, definitely. Who’s inspired you the most?

In the writing realm, I would have to say Francine Rivers and Angela Hunt, my two favorite Christian authors.

Would you explain how you “chose” (or were chosen by) a publisher? Do you just go “inny, minny, miny, moe?” Now, that you’re published, can you sit back and relax from the success you’ve experienced?

OakTara picked up my first novel, Journey to Judah, Book one in the Born for India trilogy, after Writers Edge accepted the proposal. The agency posted the proposal along with chapter one on their website and in their print magazine which goes out to around 75 Christian publishers.

After waiting a year and a half, I received an email from the editors at OakTara saying they liked the book idea and wanted to see the full manuscript. A year later the novel was released with two other books in the series contracted by the same company.

Another stand-alone title, Second Chance, has also been contracted by OakTara.

Since I have only worked with this one publishing company, my experience is limited. I still very much consider myself a novice in the writing journey. I know that I must continue to hone my skills, seek the Lord’s direction, and listen for His still small voice every day to know the next step He has for me.

Do you mind telling us some of your likes and dislikes? Hobbies, interests? Where would you like to travel if you could?

• Screw bugs in my popcorn—definitely a dislike! In fact, this little shield-backed fellow winds up in my next novel, as my protagonist crunches into one by accident while eating, yep, popcorn!
• I sing and play the piano, both for my own pleasure and in ministry.
• I design my own cards and bookmarks under the name, “Artistic Expressions by Grandma Eileen.”
• But my biggest interest these days is playing with my six grandchildren, ages four and under. When they’re around, you can find me under a homemade tent in the living room reading stories with a penlight, racing matchbox cars across the kitchen linoleum, or playing dress up.
• While I’ve been to Canada, several parts of India, and Uganda, I have yet to tour Europe. I’ve endured several layovers in Europe on route to other places, but never any extended trips there. That’s where I would go, especially Ireland, Greece, and Switzerland.

Would you give us your blog or webpage so everyone can check it out? Anything else you’d like to share? Promotional information?

http://www.eileenrife.com/

http://www.eileen-rife.blogspot.com/

http://www.amazon.com/

http://www.christianbook.com/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/

Available in paperback, Kindle and Nook formats.

A portion of proceeds from CHOSEN ONES supports a girl through Destiny Rescue who has been placed in a Safe House for counseling, education, and a gospel witness.


We wish you the best and many more published books.
Thank you, Eileen, for your wonderful, inspiring comments!
Blessings, Readers! Don't forget to leave your comments and email addresses for a chance to win her book.