Colleen Coble Interview

Best-selling writer Colleen Coble is passionate about conveying the compelling truth of God's love and grace through her fiction. A prolific author, Colleen has garnered a strong following in the Christian marketplace and appears frequently on the CBA Bestseller List. Colleen and her husband reside in Indiana, where they are currently knee-deep in paint and wallpaper chips as they restore their Victorian home. Visit her website at www.colleencoble.com.

Colleen had eighteen romance books out before she switched to writing romantic suspense. Her first romantic suspense, WITHOUT A TRACE, was a 2004 RITA finalist. The Aloha Reef series with WestBow debuted in May 2005. Her most recent release, Alaska Twilight, is her first Women of Faith novel.

She has graciously accepted my request for an interview and I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did. Please leave me a comment if you'd like to be entered into the drawing for a copy of Alaska Twilight. If you don't win and you purchase a copy of the book by clicking the link below I'll enter you in a second drawing for something from my own library of books! It's a win-win situation!



Colleen, I've read Alaska Twilight, what a beautiful story. Can you tell us where the idea for the setting and the characters came from?

Oh good question! I had an idea for a suspense set in Alaska YEARS ago with a photographer as the protagonist. My agent hated it, and I couldn’t figure out why because the opening bear scene scared me to death. When Ami asked for something for Women of Faith, I thought of that story and went back and looked it over. Oh yeah, THEN I could see why my agent hated it. It was LOUSY. But the idea was still good, so I brainstormed it with my girls and came up with a much stronger story. I’ve always been fascinated with bears and with Alaska. I just couldn’t let go of that story until I wrote it.

I know it's important to you to be as accurate and true to setting as possible, was it a challenge to capture the ruggedness and beauty of Alaska?

It was because Alaska is so diverse. There are so many different types of land and climate there. I thought long and hard before I decided just where to set it. And two ACFW friends who grew up in Alaska, Kristen Blincoe and Amy Bang, read it for me to make sure I had it right.

Writing a Women of Faith book is an honor. Are you given guidelines for what the book should be about or what should be included in the book, and how excited were you to be asked to do the book?

I was THRILLED to be asked to do a Women of Faith book. It’s a huge honor. Ami just told me that most of their books are about overcoming something. Haley has a lot to overcome.

Something that I continually see in your books are real characters with real flaws. Whether it be emotional or even physical disabilities. No cookie cutter characters here... was that something you consciously set out to do, or do these characters just evolve as you write?

I’m sure not perfect so it’s impossible for me to write perfect characters. I do consciously try to figure out the flaws. Sometimes that’s hard because we want people to like the characters and don’t like to reveal their faults. Just like we hate to reveal our own. LOL

You're very prolific, which as a fan I love, can you tell us how long a book generally takes you? From concept to final draft. How much do you write daily and do you write a certain amount of days?

I write eight hours a day. I’m obsessed about writing. LOL I can bang out a rough draft in about 4-6 weeks when I know exactly where I’m going with a story. If I’m stymied a bit, it may take a little longer. And I have a busy publicity schedule which sometimes interferes.

Do you have a goal of how many books you'd like to write each year and do you schedule breaks?

My last few years have been busy. I’ve had at least three books a year and it’s been hard with the way I’ve been doing so much publicity. So we’re cutting back to two a year. I know, you hate to hear that, but I don’t want to get burned out. I love writing and I want to keep it that way.


How thrilling is it--even now, to see that book in your hands?

I always cry. The cover for Alaska Twilight was so beautiful though that I called it a “three hanky” book. LOL

Share one of your biggest, most exciting moments in your writing career?

The day I heard WestBow was picking me up. I adored Ami McConnell from the first minute I met her. Working with her is a dream come true. When my agent called, I was at work. I said, “Oh my goodness,” in a hushed voice. I was too overcome to even scream. LOL

How did you celebrate that first book sale?

Going out to dinner of course. LOL The day the call came in I ran around the house screaming. The cat hid under the bed and wouldn’t come out for hours.

How does your real life reflect in your writing? Do you ever use real life events and adapt them for your stories?

I think every writer uses elements of their own life in their books. Not necessarily the actual events but the way they make us FEEL. It’s that opening a vein thing. LOL

At the 2005 ACFW Conference I leaned over and asked you, “Can you remember how exciting this is for a newbie like myself?” You assured me that you could. What has it been like for you to not only be able to realize your dream of being a great writer, but form friendships with some of today’s best writers?

I wake up every morning and thank God that he’s allowed me this life. I love every part of the writing life—from the rough draft, the editing and the publicity. I learn so much from my fellow writers, and the excitement has never dimmed. It’s still as fresh as that first year.


How has your great relationship with those at WestBow helped your writing career?

I can’t even begin to describe how important they have been. Ami McConnell has an amazing wisdom, a laser like quality that hones in on the important elements of a story. I learn something from her with every story. The freelance editor they hired for my books, Erin Healy, is amazing too. She teaches me something new with very book. Publisher Allen Arnold is a powerhouse that changed the direction for WestBow. He’s so committed to fiction and to building his authors. I just signed on for another six books after the Fire Jumper series, something that’s rather rare for them, but they love me as much as I love them. My marketing and publicity friends at Thomas Nelson are super as well and are always thinking of new ways to get the word out about my books. All the staff there from Lisa Young, Allen’s assistant, to the other editor Amanda Bostic to the assistant who took her place, Natalie Hanemann, are such supporters. And they have the best cover designers in the industry. Mark Ross is head of that department, and his team comes up with fabulous ideas—as you can see with the cover for Alaska Twilight! I’m very blessed.


I've heard you say that those first few years were like wandering alone in the desert. Is that why you've made such an effort mentoring new writers? And is that why your friendships with your crit partners, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, and Denise Hunter are so important to you?

Oh yes! Kristin and I learned to write together. We came together first. Then I met Denise and she and I began to exchange chapters. Diann was the last to join us. I met her at a writing class she was taking of Dr. Hensley's at Taylor University in Fort Wayne, and we just clicked. We all started out at Heartsong. Emails and calls from them brighten every day. I never feel alone now.


Can you ever see yourself writing Non Fiction? Maybe a book on the writing craft? I'd buy it. =)

That would be the only thing I might write non fiction. My mind runs to the imaginary world!

What do you think is the biggest misconception for new writers? And the hardest obstacle?

The biggest misconception is that life changes after you’re published. LOL I still clean toilets, do dishes and cook (ick). I think the biggest obstacle is believing you ever arrive. I’m still learning with every book. The day you quit trying to improve your craft is the day your readers start to go elsewhere.


Is there anything you know now that you wish you had known back in the beginning of your career? Any profound advice for unpublished writers. No pressure. LOL.

That I wasn’t Austen. LOL I thought the first time someone read my work they would rave about it. Um no.

Can you tell us anything about your future projects? Or even something that you'd love to work on. Once you move to Arizona is it likely to see a series set there?

There’s a new series coming out in October that’s set in Arizona. The first book is done. It’s called Fire Dancer and I’ve really enjoyed working on it. I’m developing my villains MUCH more in the new series and my editors say it’s a quantum leap forward for me.

Thank you so much for being here with us, Colleen. I truly appreciate you taking time to do this interview. Now get back to work, lady! =) Check out Colleen's blog with fellow authors Kristin Billerbeck, Denise Hunter, and Diann Hunt. www.girlswriteout.blogspot.com.

Don't forget to leave me a comment for the drawing for Alaska Twilight! Feel free to mention your favorite character from any of Colleen's books.

Colleen's Interview

I am so sorry that I haven't posted my interview with Colleen yet. I promise it is forthcoming. Between rewriting chapter three of my current wip and all the books in my tbr pile, I'm very behind. I'm hoping to have it up this week sometime.

To keep my blog from disowning me, I felt the need to publish something this week. So is anyone reading anything good right now? Or recently...I recently read Colleen's Alaska Twilight and Brandilyn's Web of Lies. Both great books.

LEAVE IT TO THE PROFESSIONALS

Okay, so I'm a little behind on the blogging thing. LOL. Anyway, I wanted to post about something that I've been struggling with lately. Asking a professional for help with your WIP when you are a virtual nobody. How do you call up a coroner and ask "Uh, would you know a way I could kill a person without being caught?" Hmm, not a good idea.

In my current book my character is a dispatcher for the sheriff's department. I want it to seem real, but again, how do I walk into the municipal building and say, "Hey would someone have time to talk to me about what it's like to work here? I mean, you're not busy are you?"

Fortunately, we have the internet and that's a great help, but there's something about talking to a real person. Now having said all this, I did find someone to ask about the sheriff's department, but I was just wondering if any of you struggle with this or have any funny stories to share about times you did ask for help. Like when I asked my nurse cousin how much of a certain drug would I have to put in someone's food to kill them. That was an interesting dinner conversation stopper. LOL.

p.s. I'm going to be interviewing Colleen Coble next week about the release of Alaska Twilight. I'll be giving away a copy of the new book. So tell your friends. =)

When is enough, enough?

I'm currently doing rewrites on my first book, Prescription for Murder. As I bang my head against my computer keyboard, I ponder when is enough, enough? I started this story years ago. I knew NOTHING. I didn't even know about the page settings. All I had was an idea and that was it. I would write for a couple weeks and then put it away for months at a time.

This last year I determined to learn the craft. At least to the best of my current ability. I've read books, taken workshops, joined a Mentor group, etc. Now I look at this book with disdain. I look at it and am overwhelmed with it's lackluster appearance. It's dry and boring and I can't fix it. It's broke. Without the ability to be repaired. Okay, I know I'm probably being a little dramatic, but you get the picture. I'm stuck. When do I decide to chuck it all, and when do I say this is a great story it's worth salvaging? No, really, when? I'm hoping you can tell me. =)

Seriously, I'd like to hear some of your woes. Since I have maybe three people who read this blog, I'll take what I can get.

ROUND ROBIN SHORT STORY-- PART THREE

A few friends and I are doing a round robin short story through our blogs. I hope you'll join in. Here is the original post from Jennifer Tiszai's blog.

It’s a new year and some of us (me, Sabrina and Jenny) are starting on new wips. Through various IM and e-mail conversations the topic has come up about whether or not blogging helps or hurts our writing and creativity. Personally, I’ve come to the conclusion that it can be helpful as long as it doesn’t cut into writing time on my wip. It can help stoke the creative fires—and things can get pretty creative around here.

I don’t know if I can blame him for starting this chain of thought, but Mike Snyder (who always seems to be the source of, um, “creative writing” on this blog) left a comment last week about brainstorming a story. Then Malia mentioned the idea of a round robin story on her blog. So she and I brainstormed and came up with the idea of doing a round robin short story through our various blogs. The more the merrier so feel free to kick start your creative juices in the new year and jump on in.

Here’s what we came up with:

Anyone who wants to join in will write a 300-500 word segment of a short story. Hopefully we’ll end up with about ten segments but that’s not set in cement.

Each segment should include at least one of the following:
A tire iron
Nail polish
A map
A dead body (for us suspense writers)
A kiss (for the romance writers)
The ocean
The desert (because it’s my blog)
A visit to a salon
A writer who gets her book trashed to her face (knowingly or unknowingly)
A rainbow
A clairvoyant basset hound

Use your imagination. These things don’t have to be used in the way you would normally think of them. Feel free to steal each other’s characters or use your own.

What I’m thinking is that as you write your section, post here in the comments what part you’ve written (part two, part three, etc), then we can go read it on your blog. Then when it’s all done, (if ever) I’ll post the whole thing all put together either here or on my website.

To see part one go to Jen's blog. Part Two is on Malia's blog, and here is part three:


It wasn't that she didn't like Ryan. She just could't stand how he controled every situation. He was constantly making plans without her consent and taking it for granted that she felt the same way he did. She could hear Ryan approaching. She turned. If she wasn't so irritated at him, his expression would make her feel bad.

“Oh, hi Ryan.” She put her arm around Russell's waist. Ryan looked so out of place in his Dockers and loafers. He looked good, just out of place.

“Hey. What's going on?” He looked from her to Russell.

“Haven't you met Russell?” She feigned innocence.

“No, I think I'd remember.” He reached out a hand. “Ryan Taylor, and you are?”

“Russell Fink. I'm a friend of Sarah's.” He looked at her, probably making sure he got the name right.

She nodded.

“Friend?” Ryan crosses his arms. He looked directly at Sarah.

“I'm sorry Ryan, I should have told you sooner. We've been seeing each other for a while now.”

Ryan didn't say anything. She saw him swallow hard. He looked at the sand. “I guess that's it then. I'm happy for you Sarah.” He turned and started to walk away.

She felt ashamed. Not to mention a little disappointed that he didn't even try and make a play for her. Still, she knew she had to tell him the truth. “Ryan wait.” She reached out and put her hand on his shirt. “I'm sorry. Russell's not my boyfriend.” She looked back. Russell raised his eyebrows. He probably thinks I'm crazy.

“I didn't like how you cornered me at the restaurant tonight. Declaring your feelings in front of everyone." She sighed. "I felt trapped. I don't like everyone knowing my business.”

“You could have just told me. I'm not some ogre, Sarah.” He shook his head. “I still don't get it. Who's Russell?” He turned around to look at Russell and he wasn't there. “Hey where'd he go?”

Sarah assumed he must have gotten tired of her game and left. Then she heard it. Sonny. He was growling and barking like crazy.

“Hang on, Ryan.” She walked around the boat rental building and she saw him. There stood Russell, tire iron in hand. He was standing over what looked like a body. She gasped. "Oh dear God!”

MY FIRST PEDICURE

After recently poking around on some other blog that was talking about nail polish, I realized I've never shared my first pedicure story. I'm sure you're all dying to know how it went.

This fall I decided to go in and get a pedicure. I love to wear sandals and have always wanted a French Pedicure. It took me a few months to get up the nerve. So I go in. I'm greeted by someone I can't understand. To this day I don't know what she asked me. I just pointed to my feet. She takes me over to sit in one of their chairs. For anyone who's not had a pedicure, the base of the chair has a basin for them to wash your feet. How humbling, I might add. Anyway, I sit down, she turns on the chair and walks away. Ah. It feels like someone is running small cans of corn into my back.

It's getting faster and faster. Now I'm barely sitting on the seat. My behind is hovering over the basin and the little Vietnamese woman is pointing at me and saying something. I know she's probably saying "look at that fool woman" So this man comes over. I'm assuming Vietnamese. He's cute. I'm feeling a little modest and not so sure I want a man taking care of me. I realize he has no interest in even speaking to me so we'll be fine. Might I add that it's hard not to feel disgusting as he literally shaves the dead skin from my heels. Blah. I thought I had a crummy job. I would like to buy that tool he used though.

Finally, the chair is starting to slow down, I'm feeling less like Lucy Ricardo, life is good. I feel cold lotion hitting my bare legs. I'm wearing capri's. I sit up. "No, no, no!" He looks up at me. Frightened. "I'm sorry, the only man that rubs my legs is my husband." He's confused. Not sure what to do. Now I forgot to tell you that another man is massaging my hands. He's a small man. Very feminine. He laughs. "Let him do it. He like." He's cracking up. The lady that had me sit down in the executioners chair is looking at me. Her eyes narrow. The man at my feet is sitting there. He just gets up and walks away. Not even bothering to wipe off the lotion. Okay, it's at this point that I realize I'm way to high maintenance for any kind of girly relaxation.

I can't lay in a tanning bed. It bores me. I will never have a body massage, remember my modesty issues. A day at the spa is definitely out. Sigh. No, I guess I'm just a paint my own toes kinda girl.

BEHIND EVERY GOOD WRITER

You know that saying "Behind every good man is a woman" I think the same could be said about a good writer. Now I'm not saying I'm a good writer. Heck, before last week I hardly considered myself a writer. Anyway, I have been fortunate in my journey to have the help of a few good women. I thought it would be nice to thank them right here in front of the tens of people who might see. =)

I had a story. It was a good concept. Now how do you start writing. I knew nothing. Absolutely nothing. I did have the good fortune to have Colleen Coble as my young married SS teacher. (I know) This was before Colleen was published and I got to witness a little bit of her struggle. I used to lean over and whisper to my husband. "If she gets published, maybe I can" Okay, so I'm not very realistic. Anyway, I kept watching her put out one book after another and finally had the nerve to send her something I was working on. She was very kind, but told me to keep working.

I kept working. Little by little. I didn't feel like I was making much progress. Colleen told me to join ACFW. Maybe if I got a crit partner I'd progress a little. So I did. I joined a Mentor group knowing that I needed mentoring. Jennifer Tiszai was to be my new mentor along with writing buddy Malia Spencer. Jennifer has guided us in every aspect of writing. She's helped with formatting, chapter spacing, plotting and character development. Reading her current work, Witness, has given me a new measure to judge my own writing. It's a well written romantic suspense. I can only hope when I grow up, I can write like Jen. =)

Malia is an English major. She's so good at picking up on all my grammar problems. That's a big job. Believe me. She writes College Lit. It's unique, funny and a little sarcastic. That really appeals to me. I love sarcasm. I can honestly say that the three of us have become friends. I am eagerly awaiting the day one of my friends has their book published. It's coming, I'm sure of it.

I finished the rough draft of my first book a week or two ago. It was a very good feeling. Now I just need to rewrite all that crap that I wrote. I've just started a new lit book titled Rock Bottom. I'm enjoying this story much better. I think in this learning process I'm learning to be true to who I am. I'm not Colleen Coble or Jennifer Tiszai. I may never write a great romantic suspense. I will definitely never write a great college lit. I will write something, and it will definitely be better for having been critiqued by these ladies.

A published author, awesome mentor, English major student, and the support of a great writing community. Am I blessed or what?

Are you a writer? No. Well kinda.

Hi my name is Sabrina Fox. Some of my ACFW friends know me as Sabrina Butcher. While I'm sure there are only four people in the world that have any interest in hearing me ramble, I'm going to give this blogging thing a shot.

If you write you're a writer. Period. Words spoken by Karen Ball at the 2005 ACFW writers' conference in Nashville. Karen said that one of her pet peeves is when someone asks if you're a writer and she hears "Who me? No. I mean I write, but I'm not published." I had to laugh. Not an hour earlier I had a staff member of the hotel ask me this question. I think my answer was something like "Oh no. Well kinda. But I'm not published."

Why as writers do we need publication to validate our writing? My Grandma Bonnie used to write poetry and then later she wrote her life story. I asked my grandma once if she ever tried to get published. She told me that she didn't have time for such things. She was the mother of nine children (can you even imagine) she worked outside the home once the kids were older. I'm sure she didn't have time for such things.

She wrote for the fun of it. To have a creative outlet. Seeing her words on paper brought her joy. Why can't I be that content? Why do I feel like I need to have someone tell me my words are golden and need to be published before I feel like an actual writer? I don't know the answer to that question, but I've come to realize that even if I never get published I'll always write. Editorials, church bulletins, love notes to my husband. Anything. Why? It's simple. I'll write because I'm a writer. It's what I do.

If I don't post before next week have a very Merry Christmas!