Alexis A. Goring | Author Chat

Grab some coffee and join me as I chat with author and blogger Alexis A. Goring!

Alexis A. Goring is a college graduate with a degree in print journalism from Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Maryland. Writing is her passion. She hopes that her stories will touch hearts, bring smiles to faces, and inspire minds to seek God whose love for humanity is unfailing.

What’s one thing you would like to impart to your readers about your books and being an author?
I’d like to impart to my readers that the God I write about in my books is not fictional, He’s REAL and He loves them unconditionally with all of His heart.

If you were forced to do karaoke what song would you pick?
“Who I Am” by Blanca! She’s one of my favorite female soloists in the Christian music world.

If your book became a movie, who would you cast for your main characters?
Now that’s a tough question. I think I’d like to cast new actors who are insanely talented but not yet famous A-list celebrities. But since I don’t have that luxury, let me do some research and choose current A-list celebrities who I think would be perfect for acting out A Second Chance…

Amanda Detmer as Traci (the heroine)

Zac Efron as Marc (the hero)

Tamera Mowry-Housley as Carla (Traci’s best friend and colleague)

Mandy Moore (pictured left) OR Alexis Bledel (pictured right) as Gina (Marc’s sister)

Elias Hargar as Regan (Gina’s son) and Mia Talerico as Samantha (Gina’s daughter)

Name three places you’d like to travel to & why
#1: Paris, France because it is the City of Love and I write love stories. So it’s the most romantic destination that for me as an author could turn into a research trip filled with story material and inspiration. I’d love to stroll on the cobblestone streets, dine in the restaurant inside the Eiffel Tower and sample authentic French bread in a lovely French cafe!

#2: Los Angeles, California because, Hollywood. Need I say more? ;) I also want to spend time along the coast in San Diego and San Francisco. I’d love to visit Napa Valley before I return.

#3: London, England because I want to visit The Goring Hotel and discover if there’s a connection between my family and theirs (we have the same last name with English origin).

Favorite dessert?
Brownie a’la Mode

Which of your characters do you secretly have a crush on?
Eric Hazelton from “The Best Gift” which is story number two in my first published book, Hope in My Heart: A Collection of Heartwarming Stories because he is smart, swoon-worthy and a true gentleman.

Two truths and a lie...
I found my dream wedding dress when lost in Italy.
I love baking banana bread with nuts.
I used to not like spinach until I tried fixing it with onions.

A Second Chance
by Alexis A. Goring

Newly single food critic and newspaper reporter Traci Hightower is done with dating. After the man of her dreams left her at the altar on their wedding day and ran off with the woman she thought was her best friend, Traci resolves to focus on work and resigns herself to being a bachelorette for life. Marc Roberts is a political reporter who is known as Mr. Nice Guy, the one who always finishes last. However, Marc’s compassion and kindness are of invaluable help to his newly widowed sister Gina Braxton who is trying to raise her two kids in the wake of her firefighter husband’s death. Traci and Marc may be the perfect match, but they don’t know it yet. With God’s guidance and the help of Gina’s matchmaking skills honed by her career as a bestselling romance novelist, there is hope for a happily ever after for these two broken hearts.
Purchase: A Second Chance






*The lie is that “I love baking banana bread with nuts.”

Alexis Goring {Writer Wednesday}

A little bit about Alexis...

Alexis A. Goring is a writer at heart and a journalist by profession. She loves the art of storytelling and is especially delighted to have released her first book, an inspirational romance novella called Hope in My Heart: A Collection of Heartwarming Stories, in Sept. 2013. When Alexis is not working on her next book or chasing down the next big story for the newspaper where she works as a freelance reporter, she can be found listening to songs by her most admired musicians, enjoying the food in cafes/restaurants, shopping at her favorite malls and spending quality time with loved ones (family and friends).

Connect with Alexis...

Author page on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAlexisAGoring
Blog, “God is Love” - http://capturingtheidea.blogspot.com
Twitter handle, @pennedbyalex
Purchase:
--> Amazon.com, http://amzn.to/1PGpOZl
BarnesandNoble.com, http://bit.ly/1Tm5T4P
 

Get to know Alexis...

You and Writing
 
How did you start writing? 
I started writing at age 9 after an impromptu storytelling activity between my grandfather, my brother and I. My grandfather created the activity to entertain us while he and my grandma were babysitting us. I do not think that he knew it would spark my dreams to be a writer.

What has kept you writing? 
My desire to write is as strong as my need to breathe.

What or who is the biggest influence in your writing? 
My faith in God. He keeps me creative and diligent.

Why do you write? 
Writing is like breathing for me. I love it that much. I want to create and publish stories that bring hope to people’s hearts and point them to Jesus Christ.

Your Writing

Why did you write it? 
I wrote my first book because I wanted to infuse hope into people’s hearts and let them know that no matter how dire a situation looks, there is always hope when God is in the picture…and God is ALWAYS in the picture!

What was a challenge you faced while writing it? 
Honestly, I didn’t have any challenges while writing it because it just flowed. However the challenge was to apply all of the content edits that my editor advised. The red marks on my manuscript (track changes on Microsoft Word) were so overwhelming that I did not even try to edit my manuscript for months. But when I finally decided to tackle it, I finished the edits in only three days. I have to admit that my editor knew what she was talking about because after the content edits were applied, my story read much better!

Were your characters easy to pin down or did you discover them along the way as you wrote the book?
My characters were easy to pin down. The story just flowed. There were no surprises this time though I have written stories before that turned out differently (and better) than I envisioned as digging deep into the Goals/Motivation/Conflict (GMC) of my characters created quite the unexpected adventure for me as the author.

What made you choose the setting for the book? 
I wanted to write a book with a local setting so I chose the DMV (Washington, D.C./Maryland/Virginia) area that I love.

What's the most random thing you had to Google for the story? 
Apart from baby names (for my characters)? Maybe language translations for the Italian restaurant scene in “Love Unexpected” which is the first story in my novella.

What’s your favorite snack while writing? 
Chocolate, black cake (it’s a Caribbean dessert), ginger ale and fried chicken.

Writing

Let’s talk about your writing life...

What’s your encouragement for younger writers aside from “keep writing”? 
It helps to study writing. I joined the Newspaper and Yearbook staff when I was a high school student. I majored in Print Journalism as a college student. Currently, I’m pursuing my MFA in Creative Writing. Studying the craft of writing has helped me to grow by leaps and bounds as a professional writer. I’d also tell young writers to apply for a mentorship with a seasoned book editor. I recently did that and have learned so much from my editor! She’s taught me the value of knowing the GMC of your main characters before you start to write the fictional story and she’s taught me so much more such as building tension with every scene. The lessons I’ve learned over the years of studying writing and learning new skills from my mentor are priceless and key to my success.

Are you a Panster or Plotter? 
I’m a little bit of both but partial to the pantser process. It’s much more fun. I feel bogged down after I plot a story out from start to finish. Plotting out every detail tends to drain me and deter me from wanting to go back and actually write the story using all of those details.

What does your writing process look like? 
I start with creating character sketches (profiles) that detail their name, age, ethnicity, background, family history, flaws, strengths and other details. Next, I fill out a GMC chart for each character. Then I turn on my favorite music playlist via Pandora or YouTube and start writing!

What is your favorite and least favorite part of the writing process?
My favorite part is writing the story. My least favorite part is applying content edits.

What did you learn along the path to publishing that you’d care to share as encouragement? 
I learned to not rush the process. It’s important to make sure that your final product is a good, solid story with no flaws and achieving that goal takes time.

Where do you find inspiration for your story/characters? 
Everywhere! Music, movies, restaurants, the mall, family, friends, books and my imagination.

Do you listen to music when you write? If so, have a favorite artist or playlist to share? 
I do have several playlists. My favorite songs on YouTube include (but are not limited to): “St. Elmo’s Fire LOVE Theme Instrumental” from the movie St. Elmo’s Fire, “Through the Eyes of Love” performed by Britt Nicole from the movie Ice Castles (2010), “What A Feeling” by Irene Cara from the movie Flashdance and “Up Where We Belong” by Joe Crocker and Jennifer Warnes. I listen to a wide variety of artists on Pandora and have several playlists, too many to mention.

Are there any books or resources you could recommend to younger writers looking to grow in their craft? 
Yes! I have quite the list! Are you ready? Here is it is:

• ROMANCE-ology 101: Writing Romantic Tension for the Inspirational and Sweets Markets by Julie Lessman
• Plot & Structure: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Plot That Grips Readers from Start to Finish by James Scott Bell
• Idea Sparking: How to Brainstorm Conflict in Your Novel by Michelle Lim and Susan May Warren
• The Character Therapist, http://charactertherapist.com/
• Visit Michael Hyatt’s website (http://michaelhyatt.com/welcome/) and buy his book, Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World

You

What is one thing you like to do to relax when you aren’t writing?
I like to read. I have a stack of books from my favorite authors that I received for free in exchange for my honest review on Amazon.com so that keeps me busy! I love it.

What are you currently reading?
The Woman Code: 20 Powerful Keys to Unlock Your Life by Sophia A. Nelson. We’re reading it for the women’s book club that I co-lead with friends from my church. It’s a great read! Sophia is one of my favorite authors.

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Alexis A. Goring | Spread the Christmas Joy

The Blessings Bag

There’s a song by Christian contemporary recording artist Amy Grant called “Count Your Blessings.” It’s about times when you are weary and cannot sleep. The solution, Amy sings, is to count your blessings instead of sheep and one Christmas, my parents, brother and I did just that! Only we were not asleep. We were gathered in the living room by the Christmas tree where we always start every Christmas morning. But instead of opening boxes filled with gifts from our individual wish lists, we opened up a bag and counted our blessings.

Let me explain: All of us were on a very tight budget that year so we could not afford to buy gifts or cards. So instead of boxes covered with holiday gift wrapping paper and Hallmark greeting cards, one simple but beautiful brown paper gift bag with the word “Blessings” inscribed on the front, sat underneath our Christmas tree.

Since December 1 that year, each of us would record our blessings on pieces of paper and quietly slip it into the gift bag. It was an action done whenever we had time from Dec. 1 through Dec. 24. When Dec. 25 arrived, our bag was brimming with paper with words expressing our gratitude. So that Christmas morning, we gathered in the living room and took turns retrieving the pieces of paper from inside the bag. We then read the words on the paper aloud, reciting our blessings.

It was one of my favorite Christmas memories because it reminded me that true gratitude is when you’re thankful to God for your blessings even when you cannot afford to buy material things. God’s blessings include more than things that money can buy—they include time, love, joy, happiness, peace, true friends and quality time with your family. All of which cannot be bought. So that Christmas morning, I looked around at all of my non-material blessings: My Mom, Dad and brother. Gratitude filled my heart because having family present in my life, a built-in support system of people who care and are there for me, was the sweetest blessing and a priceless gift.
The Holy Bible reads in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV), “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” We didn’t have material gifts to give that Christmas morning, but we had each other as family and we continue to be thankful for that great blessing.

So this Christmas, if you find yourself short on money for material gifts, I suggest that you try this blessings bag idea and see how you like it. You may discover that the heart of the holiday season is not in what you can get on your wish list but in the company of people who care and are there for you not just on Christmas but all through the year.

And if you don’t have family or friends, I’d like for you to remember that you’re not alone because the best gift is Jesus Christ who has promised to be with you always, even until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). He created you and loves you with His life (John 3:16)! Jesus Christ is there for you when no one else is and only He can give you the greatest joy that comes with knowing and loving Him as your Lord, Savior, Redeemer and Friend.

I’m praying that your Christmas is bright, beautiful and blessed. I’m hoping that even if you have tons of presents to give and to share, you will count your blessings too and remember that God loves you!

Sincerely,
Alexis

Alexis is graciously offering to give away a copy of Hope in My Heart: A Collection of Heartwarming Stories. 

Leave a comment below!

Alexis loves to write. She knew since the age of 9 when she wrote her first “book” that she wanted to be a writer when she grew up. Alexis is grateful that God allowed that dream of her heart dream to come true when she released her first real book, Hope in My Heart: A Collection of Heartwarming Stories, in Sept. 2013 through Crossbooks which is an imprint of B&H Publishing Group.

Alexis works as a Social Media and Web Editor, freelance writer/photographer and proofreader. Every day Alexis learns that the joy in life is in the journey. The older she gets, the more she knows the importance of counting your blessings because it makes your journey through life not only worthwhile but breathtakingly beautiful.

Connect with Alexis:
Visit her official website, www.alexisagoring.com
“Like” her Author page, https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAlexisAGoring
Follow her book’s Twitter handle, @pennedbyalex
Subscribe to her blog “God is Love” http://capturingtheidea.blogspot.com/

Winner and Quick DC Update

Last week I had the pleasure of interviewing Alexis A. Goring (find her interview here) and she offered up a copy of her novel! Well, we have a WINNER! Say congratulations to....

>>ROBIN D<<

You've won a copy of Hope in my Heart :) Feel free to email me [HERE] so I can get you in contact with Alexis for your book. Congrats and I'm sure you'll enjoy it!






In other news...

I've arrived in Washington, D.C. Woohoo!!! Unfortunately...my stuff hasn't arrived but that's a whole different story (insert rolling of eyes here).

Off to the right here you can see our cute row house>>>

Yeah, I know. There are multiple coffee cups on the porch but hey, we had just driven across the country in 7 days. We needed that coffee.

I'm composing a longer update and will be filling you in on life here in DC, sight seeing pictures, and more about my involvement with Redeemer DC (the church I'll be working for). But, for now, all I can say is that it's extremely difficult having no furniture and no internet. Though I am extremely thankful we got temporary parking passes. The terror of DMV and vehicle registration will have to come later this week.

So, enough about that. How are YOU all doing this week???

Alexis A. Goring {Writer Wednesday} + GIVEAWAY

>>>Comment below for a chance to win a copy of Hope In My Heart from Alexis!!!

A little bit about Alexis...


-->Alexis A. Goring is a college graduate with a degree in print journalism from Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Maryland. Writing is her passion. She hopes that her stories will touch hearts, bring smiles to faces, and inspire minds to seek God whose love for humanity is unfailing.
How to connect with Alexis...


-->Website: http://www.alexisagoring.com/ Blog: http://capturingtheidea.blogspot.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/capturingidea
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAlexisAGoring
Twitter: @pennedbyalex
Author Interview | Alexis A. Goring

--> You and Writing

Tell us a little bit about yourself: How did you start writing? What has kept you writing?
...My name is Alexis and I love to write! I started writing fictional stories for fun at the age of 9 after a creative storytelling activity for me and my brother led by my grandpa one day at my grandma and grandpa’s house (they were our babysitters when we were children). My grandpa said, “Let’s create a story” and he gave us five minutes to think of one then we each shared it verbally. After returning home that evening, I started typing and elaborating my story into the family computer’s word processor and it became my summer project. By the end of summer, I’d finished my story, printed it out on paper, bound it like a real book using staples and then illustrated it from cover to cover. I’ve kept writing ever since because to me, my need to write is as important and necessary as my need to breathe.

Do you have a favorite book or work that you’ve written? If so, why?
...I’ve only written one book thus far and it is one of my favorites because the stories remind me to keep hope alive. But if I may add, one of my favorite books I’ve recently read is Meant to Be Mine by Becky Wade because I relate to the leading lady Celia Park. We share similar insecurities, dreams and a passion for baking!

What was the hardest thing about publishing? The easiest?
...My first book is an inspirational romance novella called Hope in My Heart: A Collection of Heartwarming Stories. It was released in Sept. 2013 through Crossbooks Publishing which is an imprint of B&H Publishing Group. The hardest thing about publishing was financing my book project from start to finish. Since Crossbooks is a self-publishing company, I had to pay for my book to be produced by their services and as a person living on a freelance writer income that was not easy, at all. But it was worth it!

Your Writing

Tell us a little bit about your book. Why did you write it?
...My novella is about hope because all of my main characters are hoping for a dream of their heart to come true. When people ask me, “What’s your book about?” I give them a synopsis of “Peace and Love” which is the third and final story in my novella.

“Peace and Love” is set at Christmastime and the story revolves around the lives of three main characters: Elle, Kristine and Eric. Elle is a starving artist from Michigan and she drove down to the D.C. metropolitan area during the holiday season because she has interviews for jobs in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Elle is hoping one of those interviews will turn into her first full-time job with a steady paycheck. Kristine is adopted and though she loves her adoptive parents, she hopes to find and build a relationship with her birth mom before she marries her college sweetheart on Valentine’s Day in the New Year. So in order to achieve her dream, Kristine hires a private investigator whom she hopes will locate her birth mom. Finally, there’s Eric. He’s a family law attorney who specializes in divorce cases and since he’s still reeling from his own parents’ divorce which happened at Christmastime when Eric was growing up, Eric can be a real Scrooge for the entire month of December. Eric realizes his issues with his parents’ divorce are eating him alive so he decides to deal with it and reach out to his dad. The process of reconciliation and forgiveness is not easy but Eric hopes it will work.

What is one take-away from your book that you hope readers identify with?
...I hope my readers will take away one main theme in my book and that is HOPE. My goal in writing the book was to infuse real-life situations with hope which in turn, should give my readers hope that any situation, especially the ones that seem impossible, can work out for the good of those who love the Lord (Romans 8:28).

Writing

Where do you find inspiration for your story/characters? Are they based on real life or pure imagination or both?
...My characters are based on pure imagination with inspiration from real life situations.

When you write, what is your overall intention with your stories?
...When I write, my overall intention with my stories is to encourage, inspire and uplift my readers. I want to show my readers that with God in the picture, no situation is entirely hopeless.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors for writing and/or publishing?
...I would tell aspiring authors to keep writing and pursuing your passion and pray about it because God can take you where you need to be, according to His will. So if God wants you to be a creative professional/writer and you’re walking in His purpose for you, your dream will come true! I would also say to get involved on social media—start a blog, Twitter feed and Facebook page about yourself as an aspiring writer. It helps people to get to know you as a creative and once you start publishing your work, you will find it to be a vital part of your book’s success. Meanwhile, I would say go to join writer organizations such as American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and attend writers’ conferences where you can pitch your manuscript to literary agents. Self-publishing is wonderful and I do recommend it if you’re with a great company like Crossbooks (or another reputable imprint). But I do think that traditional publishing still has more benefits such as having costs covered for publishing your book. Ultimately it depends on who you are as a writer and what you want. If you want to be traditionally published, you should attend and participate in writers’ conferences where you can pitch your book to the agents and find a good editor. You also need to start the query letter process which is what you do to submit your work to agents before or even after attending the writers conference(s).

You
How are you making the most of your time this summer for writing and relaxing? Do you do anything different in the summer months?
...As a freelance writer who writes for several clients, I work throughout the year so my work schedule does not change too drastically in the summertime. I spend my free time working on my (new) collection of creative stories and every now and then, I relax at the spa.

Do you enjoy hot weather or cold better?
...Neither. I love cool, breezy weather with warm sunshine and vibrant foliage which is why my favorite season is Autumn!

_____________________________

Thank you so much for stopping by the blog Alexis! I can relate with you seeing as I stayed with my grandparents when I was growing up as well! My grandpa always shared such great stories - I'm sure it helped my creativity! "Peace and Love" sounds great and I love that you like relaxing at the spa - best way to unwind, right?

So, dear readers, don't forget to comment below for a chance to win a copy of Hope In My Heart - I'll be announcing the winner next Tuesday!