Thursday, October 12, 2017

Talkshow Thursday: Meet Author Julie Arduini

Talkshow Thursday: Meet Author Julie Arduini

Linda:  Thanks for joining me today. You recently published book three in your Surrendering Time series. Where did you get your inspiration, and did you set out to write a series, or did that idea come later?

Julie: Thanks for having me, Linda. The inspiration came in the early 1990’s when I first visited the real village of Speculator in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate NY. As I walked around, I kept thinking about characters and asking, “What if...?” Those first questions transformed from an outline, to a few lousy drafts, so sitting on a shelf while I married and had kids, and then in 2010, I became serious and started learning the craft. I never thought this would become a series, let alone publish at all. When I pitched to a small publisher, they asked and I had ideas for a series. I never thought I’d see it through. I am an indie author now, and I’m so glad it evolved the way it did.

LM: How do you come up with your characters? Are they based on any real people in your life?

Julie: Most of them are very loosely based. I watch people and situations and think though various plots. Often characters have a similarity to me or someone I know.

LM: You have published both fiction and non-fiction books. How is the writing process different for them?

Julie: That’s a great question. Both involve a great deal of thinking, but I find the non-fiction is more emotional. One of the books is an infertility book I co authored with five other authors who experienced infertility. I had to return to a very hard season in my life and recall it. That was quite draining. Fiction writing often puts me in a zone where I block out what’s around me and enter story world, and sometimes it’s difficult to enter the real world because I get so involved. However, it isn’t as emotional.

LM: What do you do to prepare yourself for writing? For example do you listen to music or set up in a specific place?

Julie: I make sure to read through my devotionals and pray, I really want to stay Christ centered and make sure the words I type are truly His. I tend to write in the bedroom as both my husband and our son work from home.

LM: If money were no object, what is your idea of the ultimate vacation?

Julie: I’d love to take our entire family on a Disney Cruise. We did one with just the four of us, but it would be fun to take the older children, their kids, my sister and nephew.

LM: What is the quirkiest thing you’ve ever done?

Julie: There are so many things! I was the original wedding crasher and it ended up being at my dentist’s wedding, and I was his patient that Monday and he asked me about it while I was trapped in the chair!

LM: LOL! What is your next project?

Julie: I am finishing up You’re Beautiful, a middle grade book in the Surrendering Stinkin’ Thinkin’ series. The idea and the plot/characterization comes from our teen daughter who has slight special needs and has experienced things she wants girls to recognize and give it to God. The first book is about a mentoring ministry where a teen girl and a college aged mentor both struggle separately with feeling ugly. I am so proud of her on this. This fall I return to contemporary romance with my 6 book series on Surrendering Opinions with Anchored. Readers can find the series prologue at the end of ENGAGED.

LM: Where can folks find you on the web?


Julie:

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