A little bit about Connie...
Connie Mann loves stories of suspense, adventure and second chances. She offers encouragement to busy women on her blog: www.BusyWomenBigDreams.com and is an active member of Romance Writers of America and American Christian Fiction Writers. She’s also a USCG-licensed boat captain, so when she’s not writing, she’s usually on Central Florida’s waterways with local school children or her fabulous family. Please visit her online at: www.conniemann.com.
How to connect with Connie...
Blog: www.BusyWomenBigDreams.com
Website: www.conniemann.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ConnieMannAuthor?ref=hl#!/ConnieMannAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CaptConnieMann
Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II8IWqaxakI
Purchase her book on Amazon
Author Interview | Connie Mann
You & Writing
Tell us a little bit about yourself: How did you start writing? What has kept you writing?
...I fell in love with books as a child and started writing as a teen, when the idea took hold that I could not only step into magical worlds others had created, but that I could create my own stories, too. What an amazing, tantalizing prospect! That magical, “What if” regularly taps me on the shoulder, whispering an idea for another character, another place to set a story. Then all the possibilities start niggling at the back of my imagination.
Do you have a favorite book or work that you’ve written? If so, why?
...I’ve written quite a few stories, but only three of them are published so far. But hands down, Angel Falls, the story published this year by Abingdon Press has always been my favorite. Somehow, Brooks and Regina grabbed my heart and wouldn’t let go until I shared their story.
If published, what was the hardest thing about publishing? The easiest?
...Writing the story is always the easiest and most fun part. Selling it? That’s a horse of a different color, as a friend of mine says. It took TEN years from the time I wrote Angel Falls until I first held a copy in my hands. I’ve learned that though I may not understand, God’s timing is always, always perfect. My job is to do my best and trust His timing.
Your Writing Tell us a little bit about your book? Why did you write it?
...Angel Falls began on a trip to Brazil, my father’s birthplace. For a long time, they had a terrible problem with street children in Porto Alegre. Parents couldn’t feed them, so they were abandoned to the streets to fend for themselves. I started wondering, what if you’d been one of those children? How would you survive? Who would you grow up to be? That’s where the story idea was born.
Do you have a favorite character in this work? If so, why?
...Regina is one tough lady, but she has a tender heart, a longing to be loved and have a family of her own. She is fiercely protective of the children in her care, but doesn’t think she deserves the same for herself. Watching her heal, emotionally, is the heart of the story.
What is one take-away from your book that you hope readers identify with?
...Both Regina and Brooks have lots of baggage and deep hurts. They don’t think their pasts can be redeemed, but they find healing, and love, and forgiveness, and a fresh start, too. That’s something the Great Creator offers to each one of us, if we trust Him enough to accept the gift He offers. I want readers to finish the story knowing a second chance is available for them, too. There is hope. Always.
When you write, what is your overall intention with your stories?
...All of my stories carry the same theme, in one form or another. They are all about second chances. Life can be so hard, and sometimes, we think it’ll never get better, but that’s not true. God is always willing to reach down and lift us up, dust us off, and give us another chance. As long as there is life, there is the opportunity for a fresh start. I love watching my characters get past the yuck, and finally step out into the sunshine.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors for writing and/or publishing?
...Get the rough draft written as quickly as possible. That’s when you’re most excited about the story, and that will show in the writing. Go from start to “the end” and THEN go back and edit.
You
What will you/did you do for Thanksgiving?
...My hope is always to have a big crowd of family and friends around the table. Some years the crowd is smaller, but it’s always a wonderful time.
What is your favorite food of the Thanksgiving dinner?
In our family, it’s not Thanksgiving if there isn’t Corn Casserole on the table. And red cabbage—which is a totally German food, but we love it, so it’s there, too.
What are three things you’re thankful for?
...I am so thankful for my family, my friends and for a God who offers second chances—every single day.
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Thank you for such a great interview Connie! I love how you describe the inspiration to write as a "what if" tapping you on the shoulder. I love those moments when inspiration is so strong you just have to get it out - for me that's in the form of some random, jumbled mess of an idea in Evernote, but other times I even start the book just to get it to stop bugging me.
And fantastic advice for getting the rough draft out. I'm experiencing that right now with NaNaNoWiMo - thinking about all of the things I should change but knowing if I stopped now, maybe I'd never get it finished.
Once again, thank you for your interview and being my guest on Thinking Thoughts today! I'm excited to see who will win a copy of Angel Falls. Remember readers, you have until next Tuesday to leave a comment to be entered in to win a copy of this wonderful novel!
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