Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Interview with Jan Cline & spotlight of The Pruning...

We're happy to have Jan Cline with us today talking about her book, The Pruning. To learn more about Jan and her inspirational historical fiction book, read on!

Back cover blurb
Clarissa Wilding can’t run away from her past. Moving from the drought-ridden Kansas plains to the green hills of the Pacific Northwest has only drawn her secrets to the surface, threatening the new life she has built with her husband, Frank, and their boys. When Frank introduces her to his brother, everything changes, and Clarissa must deal with new revelations that test their family bond and may forever alter their happiness.

The first page of the book:
Chapter One
Pasco, Washington, June 1935
After three long days and two nights sitting on a lumpy seat, Clarissa had looked forward to getting off this train, but now all she wanted was to slither into the safety of the grimy locomotive and go back where she’d come from. Despite a promise of a new beginning, her life was about to fall into an abyss deeper than the sand dunes she had just escaped.
Her throat tightened as she tried to pull in some air. Like the dust storms around their homestead on the Kansas plains, the sight of her husband, Frank, hugging his estranged brother, robbed her of breath. If her first impression was correct, another kind of storm brewed before her eyes.
It can’t be him. Her gut told her this wasn’t her imagination, but indeed a cruel twist in her plans for a brighter future for what was left of her family. One more long look at his face, his stature, and any lingering doubt faded.                                  
She turned from the scene and scanned the yard around the clapboard station house. The sheer beauty of the clear skies and rolling hills in the distance should have been her welcome. The sight of blooming flowers and tall leafy trees might have excited her but for the shock of seeing him again.

Please tell us five random things we might not know about you.
1)    I’m a craft-a-holic.
2)    I have been singing since I was 6 years old – sometimes professionally.
3)    I founded and directed a writers conference for 5 years.
4)    In my family I’m known as the cheesecake queen.
5)    I was first published when I was in the 3rd grade. Been writing ever since.
Why did you choose to write this book?
This book is the 2nd in a series on a topic I became fascinated with while watching some documentaries. The depression/dust bowl era has so many stories left untold. I believe in keeping history alive, and the characters in my book make that happen for me, and I hope for my readers. Once I developed my make-believe family in book 1, I had to continue their journey through all the tough years Americans endured. 

What one thing about writing do you wish non-writers would understand? 
How much hard work it takes to organize and write a good story. That most talented authors have to study the craft and learn what makes a good read. The majority of authors don’t earn a living just from writing books. I’d like non-writers to know that while it’s great to get a book for free, authors work very hard to get that story to them. Please thank your favorite authors with reviews on Amazon.

What is the toughest test you've faced as a writer?
Writing the next book, and making it better than the last. Book 3 of my series is based on the life of my mother. As I finish the manuscript, I feel pressured to get the characterization right while still telling a great partially true story. This has been a struggle for me – sort of mixed emotions at times. But I know I’m supposed to write this book. I’ve researched it for years and just want to get it right.

What do you hope readers to take away from your novel?
I hope my readers see that even through the most difficult times, determination and faith can move mountains. The women in my books all find that inner strength to endure impossible situations. It’s a lesson in humility for most of us who have never had to suffer through devastating circumstances like those of the dust bowl, the great depression, and WW2.

What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of, writing-related or not?
Creating and directing my conference was a huge thing for me, and I feel good that so many writers were encouraged and even published through those conferences. The other thing is just finishing a novel, then 2, then 3!

 What do you do for fun when not writing?
Crafts, RV camping, golf. We also have a cabin on a small lake that is a good getaway.

What are you working on now? 
Book 3 of this American Dreams series. As I mentioned, it is based on the life of my mother – and her WW2 bomber pilot husband. Then I have another WW2 story up my sleeve for next year.

Where else can readers find you online?  
Jancline.net
Facebook: Jan Cline Author
Twitter: @Jan_Cline
Anyone can join my monthly newsletter and receive a free short story! Jancline.net/subscribe

Bio
Jan has been writing most of her life, but wasn’t published until later in life. After writing non-fiction for several years, fiction became her focus, with emphasis on the stories from America’s history. Her first novel, Emancipated Heart, was published in 2016. Jan enjoys her life in northern Idaho, living with her newly retired husband and very spoiled dog. She has 9 grandchildren to keep her busy. 

Interview with Barbara M. Britton and spotlight of Lioness...

We're happy to have Barbara M. Britton with us talking about her book Lioness . To learn more about her and Lioness, please read o...