Just leave a comment below to enter to win.
{I will be posting the winner on Tuesday, July 15.}
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A little bit about Beth...
Beth K. Vogt believes God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.” A nonfiction writer and editor who said she'd never write fiction, Beth is now a novelist with Howard Books, with her third novel, Somebody Like You, releasing May 2014. She enjoys writing inspirational contemporary romance because she believes there’s more to happily-ever-after than the fairy tales tell us. Beth is also the Skills Coach for My Book Therapy writing community. Connect with Beth on her website or check out her blog on quotes, In Others’ Words.
How to connect with Beth...
Website: http://www.bethvogt.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5042181.Beth_K_VogtFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorBethKVogt?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bethvogt
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/beth_vogt/
Purchase Somebody Like You
Author Interview | Beth K. Vogt
You and Writing Tell us a little bit about yourself: How did you start writing?
...There were never enough books around the house to read, even with frequent trips to the library, and so I started writing stories to keep boredom at bay. When I went to college, I asked myself this question: What one thing do I love doing that I could imagine doing it every day for the rest of my life? The answer: writing.
What has kept you writing?
...I’m stubborn, I guess. And I have a wonderful community of writing friends and mentors who encourage me and pray for me – that makes all the difference.
Do you have a favorite book or work that you’ve written?
...I don’t play favorites. Each book is special for different reasons.
What was the hardest thing about publishing?
...The hardest thing about publishing was – and still is – keeping my head screwed on straight. This business will mess with your sense of self on a daily basis if you don’t know who you are before you sign a contract and after you sign a contract. I have to stay strong in my faith to do that.
...Hmmmm. The easiest part? Spending time with other writers and sharing the love of story.
Your Writing Tell us a little bit about your book. Why did you write it?
...I wrote Somebody Like You because I’ve always wanted to write about twins – I have a fraternal twin sister – and because I wanted to explore the often difficult relationships within families. Just because we love one another doesn’t mean our relationships are easy.
Do you have a favorite character in this work?
...I love my heroine, Haley. In Somebody Like You, Haley discovers who she really is – and lets go of who she thinks she has to be. That’s true freedom.
What is one take-away from your book that you hope readers identify with?
...One takeaway: That relationships are messy … and they are worth fighting for.
Writing
Where do you find inspiration for your story/characters? Are they based on real life or pure imagination or both?
...My stories are always based on real life. I like to write “real,” even though I am writing novels. My characters are fictional, although I might give them quirks that I’m familiar with because they’re mine – or maybe someone I know does or say something similar. And I like to write about true-to-life issues that we all struggle with.
When you write, what is your overall intention with your stories? ...I am an encourager at heart, so yes, I want people to be encouraged. I also try to weave humor into my stories. But I also want people to pause and think about relationships and the choices we make … and maybe even think about who God is and who he says we are.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors for writing and/or publishing?
...Persevere. Connect with other writers and encourage one another, share advice with one another. If this is your dream, don’t let anyone – including yourself – talk you out of it.
You
How did you like to celebrate the 4th of July?
...July 4th is a favorite holiday because my husband served in the military, so we have a strong patriotic streak. We like to get together with family and friends and grill outside. Our family motto is “There’s always room for one more!” All of us like to cook, so we’re always trying new recipes, which make it lots of fun. If we can end the day watching fireworks, all the better – but that’s not always possible in Colorado because of the fire bans the last few years.
How are you making the most of your time this summer for writing and relaxing? Do you do anything different in the summer months?
...I am on back-to-back book deadlines right now, so it’s a working summer for me. My family knows this and we adjust and make the best of it. We make time for fun and for the deadline.
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Thank you so much for a great interview Beth! I love that you mention the community of friends you have praying for you and how you mention knowing who you are before and after a book contract. Reminds me to always be giving my writing to the Lord and not to try and do any of it on my own! It's great that having a twin played a part in Somebody Like You! Fun fact: my mom's a twin.
Lastly, I absolutely love this line: "If this is your dream, don’t let anyone – including yourself – talk you out of it." Sometimes we can be our harshest critics and convince ourselves of all kinds of things. Our focus should be on what God has for us despite our weakness - kind of like God choosing David to be king when he was the forgotten brother.
>>Readers, don't forget to leave a comment to enter to win a copy of Somebody Like You. I'd love to hear your favorite part of this interview or possibly what you did for the 4th!
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