There it is, a shiny new book, or perhaps an old, crusty one. You crack it open to the first page of chapter one and read: "Who is John Galt?" You know, the minute you read those words, that something about it is important, but you can't possibly know what. So you're left wondering. And that Continue Reading
A Chat with Adric
One of my favorite things to do is to revisit my previous books and see if I still enjoy the characters as much as I did. So, in preparation for Ashley's promo this week, I decided to have a chat with Adric and see what I can learn. Chautona: Okay, Adric. Let's start off with the most often Continue Reading
Seeking Inspiration: A Christian Writer’s Toolbox
One of the most common questions I get in emails from readers is, "Where do you get your inspiration?" Now it isn't always phrased like that. Sometimes they ask if my characters are based on me, my family, friends, acquaintances, or from history. But the idea remains the same. What inspires me Continue Reading
Speaking Scripture into Our Hearts
As a Christian fiction author, one of the most important things to me is that the entire content of what I write reflect the influence of the Word in my novels. While I don't want my fiction to be that dreaded word, "preachy," I do have a goal for my fiction--to encourage fellow Christians in their Continue Reading
Amelia’s Interview: Deepest Roots of the Heart
One of the ways I try to get to "know" my characters is to try to type up an "organic" question/answer session. I'll try to let each question spark the following one--really working to get into the character's head. I did that with Avelino, but for this release party, I thought it might be fun to Continue Reading
Juana Briones: a California Heroine (Deepest Roots of the Heart)
Another research gem that I unearthed while writing Deepest Roots of the Heart was an amazing Californio woman, Juana Briones. I do not remember Briones from my study of California history. I don't know if she simply wasn't included or if somehow I missed her (I suspect the former), but this is Continue Reading
Historical Surprises: Deepest Roots of the Heart
Historical fiction requires a completely different writing process from contemporary fiction that takes place in completely fictional locales. My research for the Rockland Chronicles is usually limited to ensuring that I have the right style of phone for the era, seeing how to make candles from Continue Reading
Inspiration for Legacy of the Vines
(note: links in this post may be affiliate links, and I may receive a commission at no cost to you) When I was fifteen, we moved out to the middle of the Mojave desert (in Mojave, California, no less) and lived there in an eighteen foot travel trailer--no electricity or running water. I was in Continue Reading
Book Trailer (Deepest Roots of the Heart)
When I first started to work on the trailer for Deepest Roots of the Heart, the title was still Casa de Sueños, and I was still trying to remember to hit Alt+164 to get the ñ in the word. I found the grapes right away--perfect. But finding other videos proved difficult. They were either too Continue Reading
Release of Deepest Roots of the Heart
Today's the day! Deepest Roots of the Heart has been released! I am so excited! After being certain I would never consider publishing traditionally, Waterfall Press changed my mind last April. Nine months later (the analogy of giving birth to a book just took on a whole new meaning), here we Continue Reading
Mix-It-Up Interviews: Christy Barritt
Well, it's our final Mix-It-Up Interview for this series. I'll try to do this again in the future, but I wanted these four interviews of the other Waterfall Press authors as we lead up to the release of Deepest Roots of the Heart. Christy Barritt's release was on Tuesday! I've been chomping at Continue Reading
Mix-It-Up Interview: Nicole Deese
Next in our interviews is Nicole Deese, author of A Cliché Christmas. Nicole and I started off talking about planners and personality tests, writing and “colorful” language. So I edited most of that out, because I really don’t think everyone is dying to “hear” us laughing about our Meyers-Briggs Continue Reading
