Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Interview with Jarm Del Boccio & Spotlight of The Heart Changer...


We're happy to have Jarm Del Boccio with us today talking about her book The Heart Changer.  To learn more about Jarm and her book, read on!


Cover blurb
Can an Israelite captive, wrenched from all she loves, serve the very man who destroyed her village?

Miriam is asked to do the impossible: serve the wife of Naaman, commander of the Syrian army. Clinging to treasured memories of home and faith, Miriam faces captivity with worry and bitterness. Little does she know the Heart Changer is wooing and preparing her for a greater mission—far beyond what she could imagine.

This middle-grade historical novel reflects the heartache and angst of a young refugee in a foreign land where all hope seems lost.


Please tell us five random things we might not know about you.
1. I love to travel, and am passionate about visiting new places. My motto is: never visit the same location twice. Well — I’ve disregarded my own rule a few times, but otherwise, I stick to it as best I can. I’m slowly checking off destinations on my bucket list, and have journeyed to six of seven continents. I’ll let you decide which one I have yet to step foot on . . .

2. I was accidentally hit in the head with a baseball bat and sported black and blue eyes for eight grade graduation. A well-meaning elderly man thought I had applied my makeup incorrectly. The ironic thing is — I am not a sports fan!

3. When I was a junior in high school my first job was — no joke — in a Chinese laundromat.

4. My secret desire? To get caught up in a flash mob singing a tune from a favorite musical.

5. When I was in elementary school, I begged my Mom for a baby alligator from Florida, trying to convince her we could keep it in our bathtub. She gently asked me what I would do once it grew to full-size. I pondered the question for a minute or two, and reluctantly backed down.

Why did you choose to write this book?
I have a soft spot for kids in the Bible who have no name and backstory, but have made a huge impact on the people around them. So, I chose the story of Naaman’s wife’s servant girl from 2 Kings 5. I gave Miriam a name AND a feasible backstory! I try to stay as close to the historical account as possible.

What one thing about writing do you wish non-writers would understand? 
Authors are not passionate about writing for financial gain, but because we have a story to tell the world that can’t be squelched. We want to impact lives!

What is the toughest test you've faced as a writer?
Hmmmm. I guess I have to say receiving one manuscript rejection after another. One year, I submitted to agents and editors twice a month. That’s over 24 submissions which ended up as a ‘no’ or ignored, as I watched other kid lit authors sign contracts and find agents after only a few tries. It will happen when the time is right. My career is in God’s hands.
What do you hope readers to take away from your novel?
There’s always hope when God is allowed to write our story. He has conceived it, so He will bring it to pass in the best way possible.

What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of, writing-related or not?
I wouldn’t consider this an accomplishment, per se, but I have the ability to fit into whichever culture or country I am visiting at the time. Often, while traveling, folks can’t tell by my speech that I’m American. They say I have more of a cosmopolitan accent. And I love to eat, speak and live as they do. From ‘85 to ‘87 I taught missionary children in an isolated village of Papua New Guinea. Even there I tried to fit in by carrying a load in a woven bag on my back with most of the weight resting on the strap across my forehead, just like the local women.

Please give us the first page of the book.

C H A P T E R  O N E

“RUN! RUN, MY DAUGHTER! DON’T let them see you!” Miriam’s mother cried in alarm, shielding baby Zacchaeus in her long robes. She watched, helpless, as her precious child ran to escape the oncoming invasion.

      Picking up her skirts, the young girl fled down the center of the Shunem town market, following the frantic path of others, terror- stricken by the billowing clouds of dust gathering in the distance. As the villagers ran for their lives, baskets of fruits and vegetables, nuts and spices were carelessly scattered on the parched ground. Carts of fish and goat’s cheese were upset, the sound of splintering and cracking adding to the mayhem as striped awnings ripped from their door frames. Goats and sheep scattered, and those who could not be freed from their leads bleated in fear. Shouts of the Syrian army, and the sound of clomping horse’s hooves on the stone pavement signaled the enemy’s advance. Cries and screams escaped from the villagers as they dropped a trail of precious belongings in their flight. A keepsake and a fresh loaf of bread meant nothing. Only their lives mattered now.

     Miriam eyed another overturned cart, its sweets scattered in the dust, and swiftly darted behind it to evade the soldiers’ haunting advances. She covered her face with the cloth from her head covering, tucking it in to hide her maturing face. Heart pounding, she took a deep breath, pressing her head against the rugged wood, praying no one had seen her.

 What do you do for fun when not writing?
I love to take tours and visit museums, especially when they relate to history. Travel is my go to inspiration, so I take advantage of it whenever possible. Next on my bucket list is a cruise through Scandinavia or a stay in a Mongolian yurt! And I have to admit, I love to be pampered with a facial or massage, but it’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed one.

What are you working on now? 
I have three other middle-grade novels, set in England, Spain, and the 1893 World Columbian Exposition. The latter novel I’ve been submitting to publishers and agents, so I would be blessed if it was in God’s plan for it to be snatched up in 2019!


Jarm (‘J’ pronounced as a 'Y') Del Boccio finds her inspiration in everyday life, but in particular, when she travels the globe, observing the quirky things that happen along the way. Focusing on lives of characters from the past, Jarm is devoted to breathing new life into the pages of history.

Jarm has a background in elementary and high school education, and served for seven years as a school librarian. Grateful for the opportunity, she taught three missionary kids in an isolated area of Papua New Guinea. She is part of SCBWI and American Christian Fiction Writers, and has published articles in "The Old Schoolhouse" magazine.

“The Heart Changer,” her debut MG historical/biblical fiction, releases with Ambassador International April 26th 2019. Jarm is content with the journey God has placed her on, and lives with her husband, adult daughter and son (when he lands at home) in a tree-lined suburb of Chicago. You can connect on her author’s website/blog at: https://www.jarmdelboccio.com/

"My Passion is to Make Scripture and History Come Alive for my Readers: Illuminating the Past. Making Sense of the Present. Offering Hope for the Future.”


Where else can readers find you online?   
My author’s website/blog: https://www.jarmdelboccio.com/
            Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/JarmDelBoccio/
            Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jarmdelboccio/
           Twitter: www.twitter.com/JarmVee
            Instagram: @JarmDelBoccio

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