Author Intrusion: A Guest Post by Ruth Wuwong

Author Intrusion

Guest Post by Ruth Wuwong

Author intrusion (also called authorial intrusion) happens when the author’s own voice, opinions, or presence breaks through the fictional “fourth wall” and reminds readers that they’re reading a story—pulling them out of the immersive experience.

In fiction, readers want to experience the story through the characters and world you’ve created and don’t want to feel like the author is stepping in to explain, comment, or judge.

Why is author intrusion a problem in fiction writing?

• It breaks immersion—the illusion that the reader is “inside” the story world.
• It reduces emotional impact—instead of feeling, readers are told what to feel.
• It weakens character voice—characters stop sounding authentic when the author takes over.

Some Examples:

With my editor’s help, I’ve been able to avoid some obvious author intrusion moments, such as

addressing the reader directly and injecting personal opinions or judgments. However, I have to admit that even after publishing ten fiction books and being named a 2025 Featured Author by Minnesota’s Anoka County Library, I still sometimes wrestle with subtle issues. The following are some examples from my newest book, Fires Between Two Skies.

Over-explaining emotions.

Original text: Xin crouched, tugged open his satchel, and drew out the small parcel. Dread and hope pulled at him. He crept aft, where the oil lamp was caged in a paper hood. 

Revised version: Xin crouched, tugged open his satchel, and drew out the small parcel. His chest now tight, he crept aft, where the oil lamp was caged in a paper hood.

Deep point of view (POV).

In a deep POV, filter verbs like “he saw,” “he thought,” “he felt,” and “he realized” create authorial distance. Let readers experience the character’s perceptions directly, without explaining what the character is perceiving or thinking. Wherever possible, present the sensory detail or the thought itself, rather than the fact of noticing it.

Original text: His attention fell on the impeccable embroidery on her sleeve and the expensive watch with its understated black leather band. Was it a Patick Phillipe Grand?” 

Revised text: The gesture showed off the impeccable embroidery on her sleeve and the expensive watch with its understated black leather band. Was it a Patek Philippe Grand?

Show. Don’t Tell.

Convey meaning through actions, dialogue, and subtext rather than commentary.
Original text: The mention of his name caught Xin’s attention.
Revised text: At the mention of his name, Xin’s shoulder twitched

From the examples, do you think my editor’s changes improve the writing?

Author bio:
Dr. Ruth Wuwong (PhD in biochemistry, MBA in finance) has published 120+ scientific books and papers (under her legal name) and a few Christian fiction books under R. F. Whong. She lives in the Midwest with her husband, a retired pastor. They served together at three churches from 1987 to 2020. Her grown son works in a nearby city.

She currently runs a small biotech company (www.vidasym.com) and has raised more than twenty million US dollars during the past few years for Vidasym.

In addition to her weekly newsletter and the platform (www.ruthforchrist.com), she’s active in several writers’ groups, including ACFW, Word Weavers, Facebook, and Goodreads. Through these connections, she plans newsletter/promotion swaps with others and has writers endorse her books, write forewords, and host her on guest blogs.

The Minnesota Anoka County Library has chosen her as a 2025 Featured Author. One of her books, Echoes over Stormy Sea, won several awards, including being chosen by readers as a winner in the HOLT Medallion Contest.

Genre: Action/Adventure.
Fire Between Two Skies (Action/Adventure; Dual-time Odyssey Book 3): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G33N9DBT
Series Page: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F4LKXS2W
By R. F. Whong, named a 2025 Featured Author by the Minnesota Anoka County Library.

About Fires Between Two Skies

Two eras. One relentless quest for truth amid desires and temptation. Across the centuries, two men are bound by parallel destinies that echo through time. Book 3 of this dual-time odyssey delves deep into the passions and struggles that connect their worlds.

 
In 2022 Hong Kong, Jason Guan, after losing his job as an assistant supervisor for wetland conservation, joins his uncle’s real-estate business. A chance meeting with his high school classmate, Vivian Jiang, draws him into a web of secrecy, seduction, and moral compromise. Amid the chaos, he and his wife, Debra, read an unpublished manuscript by her father, a celebrated writer, about the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (1851–1864) and a man’s futile pursuit of justice and peace on earth.

In nineteenth-century China, Zhang Xin, an orphan saved from the streets by Missionary Issachar Jacox Roberts, is swept into the fiery rebellion of the Taiping movement. Torn between the dream of a just kingdom, his forbidden love for Miao Lan, and his loyalty to his ruthless brother, Xin reckons with doubt, conscience, and the cost of faith.

When greed and exploitation eclipse justice, both men must navigate their respective perils. Will they prevail or be consumed?

Social Media Links:
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/ruth.wuwong
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWuwong
Website: www.ruthforchrist.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-wu-wong
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthwuwong/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/love.respect.grace
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/42632055.R_F_Whong
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/r-f-whong

Wartime Wednesday: Resistance During World War II

Wartime Wednesday: 

Resistance During World War II

With the onset of World War II, resistance groups formed all over Europe and throughout Asia as citizens rose up against invaders and occupiers. According to Wikipedia, the most notable organizations were located in Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, the Netherlands, France, Greece, Italy, Norway, and Poland in addition to the Jewish Resistance located in multiple German-occupied countries, and the multitude of groups within Germany. In Asia, the Chinese and Korean resistance organizations were quite effective.

Resistance took many forms from non-cooperation and propaganda to sabotage, assassinations, and outright warfare. Other activities included intelligence gathering, organize uprisings, and leading refugees, escapees, and downed airmen out of their countries. Alone, the organizations would not have been full successful, but fortunately, government organizations such as America’s Office of Strategic Services and Britain’s Special Operations Executive provided personnel, weapons, and equipment as well as training.

United in a cause, resistance members came from all walks of life: political activists, academics, 

civilians, soldiers, and clergy. Stories abound about the very young and the very old doing their part.

In 1944, inhabitants in Warsaw initiated an uprising that lasted an astonishing sixty-three days as combatants tried to liberate their city from the Germans. Interestingly, initial plans for “Operation Tempest” didn’t include Warsaw, however with the anticipated arrival of the Soviet army, the decision was reversed. The organization managed to pull together more than 45,000 fighters to take on 25,000 Germans, which seemed like an easy victory except for the fact that only twenty-five percent of the resistance members had weapons. Unfortunately, the uprising was unsuccessful, and the Germans destroyed over eighty-five percent of the city which led to high civilian casualties.

Most resistance organizations were small with even smaller “cells” within the group. Most scholars agree that the effectiveness of resistance movements were limited; that they are measured “more by their political and moral impact than their decisive military contribution to the Allied victory.” (Wikipedia) Does that make them any less important? I don’t believe so.

_______________________

Coming Spring 2026: The Resistance Chronicles

Book 1: Shetland Sunset: Bonded by a cause but an ocean apart, will their love survive a world war?
https://books2read.com/u/4AWqJk

Book 2: Norwegian Nights: Can their marriage endure a debilitating injury, a devastating loss, and a world war?
https://books2read.com/u/bwl5qv

Book 3: Dutch Dawn: Will they survive the 500-mile journey to freedom?

Photo Credits:

Bellorussia Jewish Resistance Group: By Unknown author - http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/belarus/bel427.html, Public Domain.

Civilians at the Warsaw Uprising: Courtesy National WW2 Museum

Italian Partisan: By Tanner (Capt), War Office official photographer: from the collections of the Imperial War Museum, Public Domain.

Talkshow Thursday: A Guest Post by Priscilla Bettis

Talkshow Thursday: 

A Guest Post by Priscilla Bettis

A few seasons ago, I traveled to Anchorage, Alaska, to help my mother.

While going into a sporting goods store, I saw a thin man huddled in the alcove of the entrance. I didn’t think he was hungry because it wasn’t a grocery store or a fast-food place. He must have simply looked for a spot that was out of the chilly wind. He was so motionless and crumpled-looking that I stepped closer just to make sure he was still alive. His eyes moved. He breathed. He was alive.

He also looked miserable.

Why didn’t I offer to pray with him? I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men (1 Tim 2:1 KJV).

Because I was a coward. I was embarrassed. I looked away.

Let me say here that I am a runner who logs several miles everyday. This man was not agitated. We were in a public area. Even if he suddenly got upset, I don’t think he could have leapt up in his obviously-weakened state and chase after me before I had run into the store or the crowded parking lot for help. It didn’t feel like a dangerous situation, so I can’t use that as an excuse.

Because I am a writer, I wrote about the incident when I returned home. I wanted to clarify my feelings.

After prayers and rewrites, my initial thoughts on paper morphed into a story, “Prayers Heavy with Smoke.” I moved the story to the South (where I live), and the man in the alcove became a teen, and “I” became a grandmother with an addiction. It’s one of the stories in my Christian short-story and poetry collection, Whispers of a Southern Moon. I can’t say how the story ends (spoilers), but my fictional ending is better than the way it ended in real life, and hopefully readers will like it.

By the time I finished my story, I had decided to work on being braver with my Christian beliefs. I’m now talking more about my faith. I’m observing my surroundings, too, and maybe there will come another opportunity to pray with a stranger … if I don’t look away.

ABOUT WHISPERS OF A SOUTHERN MOON:

An artistic, new collection of inspirational fiction and poetry by Priscilla Bettis.

Includes the award-winning story “Fix Your Face,” a “wonderful Southern Gothic piece akin to the work of Flannery O'Conner!”—Brooke Dreger, Editor, Solid Food Press

A simple man in rural Alabama risks his sanity to keep his sister alive. Lines of poetry celebrate the symphony of a Southern night. A sentient house deep in Virginia’s Great Dismal Swamp lures those it seeks to protect.

In Whispers of a Southern Moon, Priscilla Bettis intertwines short stories and poetry to create an inspirational collection of literary fiction and verse. Bettis explores questions about faith, love, and our perceptions of reality, and she does so with an elegant but fierce grip on the reader. This collection spans everything from Southern Gothic prose to Biblically inspired haiku. By the end of the collection, readers will be encouraged that even in the most twisted circumstances, God is present, and we are loved.

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4aWoXYe

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Priscilla Bettis is an avid reader and a joyful writer who lives in small-town Texas with her two-legged and four-legged family members. She enjoys writing fiction and poetry inspired by her awe of God and love for fellow human beings. Priscilla is the author of Whispers of a Southern Moon, a short-story and poetry collection.

Priscilla is a reviewer at The Well Read Fish, a Christian fiction review blog: https://thewellreadfish.com.
She chats about life and writing on X: https://x.com/PriscillaBettis.

Photo Credits:

Author photo and book image: Courtesy of Priscilla Bettis

Writing Hand: Pixabay/Pexels

Books on Tour: The Silver Lode

 About the Book

Book: The Silver Lode

Author: Suzanne J. Bratcher

Genre: Mystery

Release Date: 2020

JEROME, ARIZONA:

Billion-dollar copper camp alive with rags-to-riches tales

Beneath the ghost town that clings to the side of Cleopatra Hill, a maze of abandoned mine tunnels conceals a vein of silver ore mixed with pure gold. Seventy years ago, the discovery of that silver lode caused a murder. Are more coming?

Historian Paul Russell is about to lose his job and the woman he loves. He doesn’t have time to search for the legendary silver lode. But when a student drops a seventy-year-old unsolved cold case on his desk, a murder connected to the silver lode, the mystery offers Paul the perfect opportunity to work with Marty Greenlaw and win her back.

As Paul and Marty search for the silver lode, suspicious deaths begin to happen. When Paul’s son disappears, the stakes become personal.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Suzanne J. Bratcher, Ph.D., delights in writing contemporary mysteries sprinkled with history. Her award-winning novels are set in the very real ghost town of Jerome, Arizona as well as the Four Corners states: New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. Bratcher lives in Phoenix, Arizona. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading with her granddaughter, laughing at her rescue cat, and piecing colorful quilt scraps.

 

 

 

 

More from Suzanne

When readers ask me where I get my ideas, I sometimes wonder if they expect me to reveal a secret process for starting a book. I only wish I could. But far from proceeding along the steps of a process, each of my books begins with nothing more than a spark that catches my imagination like a match catches a piece of kindling. I pile ideas on the spark and when I have enough for a blaze, I start to write. The spark for The Silver Lode was a 3-D display of the myriad abandoned mining tunnels that crisscross the hill beneath the ghost town of Jerome, Arizona.

The idea for The Silver Lode came to me while I was still an English teacher. So, what was I doing studying a model of a long defunct copper mine when I should have been reading William Faulkner or e.e.  cummings? The reality was-at the time, I had no idea I was studying a copper mine. I thought I was visiting an old house.

The first time I turned off Arizona Highway 89A to visit Jerome State Historic Park, I wanted to tour to the Douglas mansion, the park headquarters. I love old houses. I’ve visited Thomas Jefferson’s home, George Washington’s, numerous antebellum mansions scattered throughout the South, and the family homes of many famous American writers. The Douglas Mansion, then, was a natural stop. But besides old houses, I also love research-learning simply for the sake of learning. I don’t have to have a specific goal in mind to enjoy adding bits of information to my hodgepodge of knowledge.

So…as I strolled through the high-ceilinged rooms in the Douglas mansion, I found myself drawn into the history of copper mining in Jerome. In addition to the three-dimensional display of the mine tunnels, I saw shelves of rocks and minerals bathed in ultraviolet light, a wall of photographs of the Douglas family that included one of Winston Churchill’s sisters, and a video that told the story of the ghosts of Cleopatra Hill. My interest piqued, I plunged more deeply into research. I bought books and read firsthand accounts of life in the billion-dollar copper camp. I visited the Jerome Historical Society and read yellowing newspapers. I ventured into the Mining Museum and wandered through a reconstructed mineshaft. I searched the internet for information about mining in the late 1800s and early 1900s, whether for copper, silver, or gold.

By now I was actively working on a plot that would revolve around mining for silver in Jerome. Because The Silver Lode was the second book in my trilogy of Jerome mysteries, I already had the main characters for the story. In my head I could see Scott, a young teenager, exploring those interlocking tunnels under the town. But I didn’t know what he was looking for. I needed another spark to start that fire.

 

I ran across it quite accidentally as I was reading about a large deposit of silver mixed with gold discovered in Virginia City, Nevada in 1859. Dubbed a silver lode, it was one of the richest deposits of its kind ever discovered. Of course, the Comstock Lode had nothing to do with mining in Jerome between the two World Wars. Nor did the history of Nevada influence the history of Arizona in the 1920s. Still, as I read about a large deposit of silver mixed with gold called a silver lode, I knew I had found both the treasure and the title for the story I was working on.

 

The next big story question was “Who else is looking for the silver lode?”  In other words, “Who is the villain?” It was clear I needed secondary characters to drive the search for my imaginary silver lode buried deep in Cleopatra Hill. These characters came from my research into the families who built the town of Jerome and spread down the hill to build Clarkdale. I had my ideas.

 

Now…back to the question my readers sometimes ask: where do I get the ideas for my mysteries? The answer is as simple as it is complicated: I get my ideas from research. As I write, I use these ideas as a springboard so that they appear in camouflage. When you read The Silver Lode, I hope you find these nuggets of fact buried deep in the imaginary story of the long ago murder of a college student’s grandfather, a contemporary search for a legendary silver lode, and a desperate rush to save a child’s life.

An Interview with Suzanne

What is your favorite thing about being a writer?

I love, imagining stories that take me and my reader on an adventure. I love to follow a character as she (or sometimes he) faces down a personal problem while battling an outside force that is trying to kill her. When I was a kid, I used to lie in bed and tell myself stories. I love being able to continue that process with my writing.

Can you share a real-life event that inspired your writing?

My grandfather went blind when he was 55 and I was three. So for all of my conscious life, he couldn't see. When I was little, he used to take me on his lap and make up stories for me. I remember a continuing series about an alligator that could fly. As I grew older, the stories got more complex. By the time I was 10 or 11, I would sit with him and listen to audio books that came on 33 1/3 vinyl records from the Talking Books program sponsored by the Library of Congress. I think my grandfather showed me how much fun it is to imagine stories. Then he opened the world of reading by introducing me to books that were above my reading level. Somewhere along the way, I realized I wanted to use my imagination to make up new stories. I started to write.

What was the best money you spent as a writer?

Attending writing conferences. At first, I attended small conferences near where I lived. Those didn't cost too much because the fee was usually low, and I could stay at home and avoid travel expenses. Later, as I got more serious about my writing, I invested quite a bit of money in national conference fees, travel expenses, and motel costs. But I learned an amazing amount by attending workshops and listening to successful writers teach their craft. I also eventually made the contacts that led to the publication of my first novel. It took investment to learn the craft and meet people who were more skilled at writing than I was.

How do you come up with storylines/book topic?

My mysteries start with a setting that has caught my imagination. Kokopelli's Song started from an unscheduled visit to Chaco Culture National Monument. I hiked through the amazing ruins. I bought a book about the people who built those structures, and I was hooked. I got my idea after reading two or three more books. My Jerome Mysteries come from settings in and around Jerome, Arizona. The Copper Box came out of numerous visits and research into the ghost town of Jerome, Arizona. I got the idea for that book walking up a steep hill with ruined houses on both sides of the road. I saw one inhabited house, and I thought about who might live there. “The Silver Lode” grew out of the mining history of Jerome. I got interested in the mining tunnels that crisscross the hill that Jerome is built on. The Gold Dubloons was inspired by a score of visits to Montezuma's Castle National Monument. The ideas for my stories usually come to me as I wander around some place that fascinates me. I imagine characters in that setting and interesting conflicts they might encounter.

Why do you write in your particular genre?

I write mysteries because it has been my favorite genre to read since I was very young. I was a Nancy Drew fan. When I was in junior high I had two friends I played complicated Nancy Drew games with. Later I started reading the library books my mother brought home: Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, and Ngaio Marsh. I listened to Nero Wolfe stories with my grandfather. Along the way, I discovered Christian mystery writers: Colleen Coble, Dee Henderson, and Teri Blackstock. It was natural for me to write what I loved to read.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 8

Simple Harvest Reads, January 9 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol , January 9

Bizwings Blog, January 10

Artistic Nobody, January 11 (Author Interview)

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 12

Guild Master, January 13 (Author Interview)

Lily’s Corner, January 14

Fiction Book Lover, January 15 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 16

A Reader’s Brain , January 17 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, January 18

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, January 19 (Author Interview)

Books Less Travelled, January 20 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 20

History, Hope & Happily Ever After, January 21 (Author Interview

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Suzanne is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Certificate, a print copy of the book, and a bookmark!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/n6moC/the-silver-lode-celebration-tour-giveaway

Teatime Tuesday: It's Not Easy Being Green

Teatime Tuesday: 

It’s Not Easy Being Green

As the beverage of choice in America, coffee is consumed by 60-70% of the population, with tea a distant second. However, according to several studies, tea is gaining popularity for its health benefits and lower caffeine content. Black tea tends to be the most popular with robust, spicy chai tea gaining traction.

Green and white teas seem to be viewed as “relaxing” drinks, although some varieties of each have as much if not more caffeine than some black teas. Made from the same leaves as black tea: Camellia sinensis, green tea has not been subjected to withering and the oxidation process. No chemical changes occur during its manufacture.

Green teas are “initially processed by soaking in an alcohol solution, which may be further concentrated

to various levels.” (Wikipedia). Next comes a series of rollings and firings to shape and dry the leaves. Sometimes, the leaf is alternately rolled or shaped by hand, giving each tea its own characteristic appearance, and rolling and shaping often differs by country.” (The New Tea Companion; Jane Pettigrew).

A number of studies have been done to determine the health benefits, if any, of green tea and include:

• An increase of one cup per day has been correlated with a slightly lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
• Green tea consumption is has been noted to lower fasting blood sugars as well as decrease the blood concentration of total cholesterol.
• A study by the National Institute of Health showed a decrease in body weight, body mass index, and systolic blood pressure.

An interesting feature to tea (black, green, white, or other) is that the caffeine is metabolized slower and more “evenly” than coffee, providing a sort of “time-release” effect thought to last 4-6 hours rather than the “jolt” one gets from coffee.

________________

Love Under Construction

Can two stubborn people tear down the walls of independence to find love?

Nadine Krause took in boarders to help her family climb out of debt after her father’s death. Business has gone well, and she’s earned enough to expand the house. When her brother’s friend agrees to take the job - the only man in town willing to work for a woman - sparks fly. But not the good kind. Or are they?

Looking for something different, Leo Albrecht takes a project working for Nadine Krause, the spunky owner of Cocoaville’s favorite boarding house. An easy job. Then he manages to injure himself and needs her help to finish making it nearly impossible to ignore his growing attraction. Should he break his rule of not mixing work and his personal life?

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/47Gn0q

Photo credits:

Green Tea: Pixabay/Apple_Deng

Tea Drying: Courtesy tea101.com

Tea Leaves: Pixabay/Silke

Blog Tour: Increase Your Bloom

About the Book

Book: Increase Your Bloom Ability: Devotions for Unleashing Your Most Flourishing Self

Author: Cheri Strange

Genre: Christian Living / Devotional for Women / Prayer Books

Release Date: May 7, 2025

ARE YOU READY TO BLOOM?

Do you feel stuck in your spiritual growth, unsure if God can truly bring beauty and purpose to your life? You’re not alone. Cheri Strange knows the ache of feeling spiritually barren, but she’s discovered the secret to living a profoundly fruitful life—and she’s ready to share it with you.

In Increase Your Bloom Ability, Cheri blends biblical truth with practical encouragement to help you:

• Embrace God’s call to flourish, even in hard seasons
• Stay rooted in Christ to live abundantly
• Trust God’s plan to cultivate spiritual fruit in you
• Take simple steps to grow your faith and accelerate your bloom

Your life was meant to thrive. Step into the vibrant, fruit life Gd created you for—starting today.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Cheri Strange is an award-winning author, speaker, and digital creator. She is passionate about helping women grow spiritually and flourish in their faith. With a Ph.D. and twenty years of ministry experience, she shares practical wisdom and biblical truth that meets women right where they are. Through her books, resources, YouVersion Bible plans, and digital art, Cheri inspires thousands to desire more of God in everyday life. She and her husband, Chad, live in Houston, Texas, with their eight children, and one bonus son.

 

 

 

More from Cheri

Have you ever wondered why, even as devoted followers of Jesus, your spiritual growth sometimes feels stalled? Why the abundant, fruit-filled life God promises can feel just out of reach? I’ve asked these questions of my own heart—and what I discovered in Scripture inspired me to write Increase Your Bloom Ability.

The Bible makes it clear: spiritual fruitfulness isn’t reserved for the gifted or the theologically trained—it’s for every believer (John 15:8). Yet many of us feel stuck, questioning whether we’re doing enough or if real growth is even possible. I dug into Scripture to uncover truths that can help unlock a life that truly bears fruit.

This devotional is the culmination of years of teaching, study, and personal reflection. I wanted to create something that equips you to experience more of God’s promises for your life. Inspired by Andrew Peterson’s words in Adorning the Dark, where he describes his ministry as “telling the truth as beautifully as he can,” I sought to do the same in this book.

I illustrated Increase Your Bloom Ability myself, filling it with over 200 pages of floral artwork—an offering of beauty alongside truth. My hope is that these pages will speak to your soul and draw you into a more vibrant, fruitful walk with Jesus.

My mission is simple: to help you experience a life of profound spiritual growth, one that blooms and flourishes as God intended. Through Scripture, reflection, and the visual beauty of this devotional, I pray you are encouraged, equipped, and inspired to embrace your calling and take intentional steps toward greater fruitfulness.

An Interview with Cheri:

What is your favorite thing about being a writer? I believe I am my truest self on the page. Writing lets me communicate with precision and clarity in a way speaking rarely allows. I’m not destined to be a prosecutor or a politician—but I could absolutely help them craft their written arguments. There’s freedom in writing I’ve grown to love, and the beauty is: you can do it anywhere, in any season, with any hairstyle…or none at all.

Can you share a real-life event that inspired your writing? Much of Increase Your Bloom Ability grew out of my study of John 15—especially Jesus’ teaching on pruning. We all understand trimming back a plant to help it grow, but the kind of pruning Jesus describes can feel more like being cut down to the nubbins, when there’s hardly anything left but a bare stump. That kind of loss is harder to recognize as God’s good work.

A few years ago, I was living on two acres lined with scraggly rose bushes. I tried several different solutions for helping promote more growth and overall flourishing but nothing worked. One bush needed drastic pruning--at a time when my own life felt stripped down. The circumstances were painful and confusing, and I wrestled with whether God could bring anything beautiful out of what looked nearly destroyed.

I don’t remember whether that specific illustration made the final cut of the devotional, but the experience profoundly shaped how I wrote about pruning. I’ve learned that the most meaningful examples God gives me usually touch my life before they touch the page. And those are often the very stories He uses to bring insight, healing, and hope to the women I serve. It’s a privilege to write from a place God has first walked me through.

What was the best money you spent as a writer? Hands down, the most impactful money I’ve spent was attending a Christian writers’ conference. I had a finished manuscript but no idea what to do next. That conference introduced me to editors, publishers, and seasoned writers who were willing to guide a newcomer. It’s where I found my first mentors, connected with my first publishing house, and learned how to craft a real proposal. Whatever it cost, it was worth every penny.

How do you come up with story lines/book topic? Most of my ideas come from three places: Scripture, something I’m reading or hearing outside the Bible, or quite literally while I’m praying. Generating ideas has never been the challenge—I have enough topics outlined to keep me writing for the next fifteen years. The real work is discerning which idea God is asking me to pursue right now. My best practice is to pray for clarity and ask Him to highlight the need or direction. He has been faithful to guide me every time.

What is one thing you wish you could do? I would give my big toe for the ability to make people laugh. My natural demeanor leans toward the serious—melancholy with a side of extra solemn. Yet I have a deep need for humor. I pray regularly for “humor graces,” asking God to bring a little hilarity out of my solemnity. May He see fit to answer.

Blog Stops

Leslie’s Library Escape, January 15

History, Hope & Happily Ever After, January 16 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 17

Simple Harvest Reads, January 18 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, January 19 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 19

Guild Master, January 20 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, January 21

Fiction Book Lover, January 22 (Author Interview)

Because I said so – adventures in parenting , January 23

A Reader’s Brain, January 24 (Author Interview)

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, January 25 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 25

Books Less Travelled, January 26 (Author Interview)

Cover Lover Book Review, January 27

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, January 28 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Cheri is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a hardcover copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/waoaC/increase-your-bloom-ability-celebration-tour-giveaway

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Gail Pallotta!

Talkshow Thursday: 

Welcome Gail Pallotta

I'm excited to welcome Christian Suspense author Gail Pallotta to my blog today.  Grab a cup of your favorite beverage and learn about her writing journey and fantastic books.

When did you know you wanted to become an author?

I’ve enjoyed writing stories for as long as I can remember, but I considered it a hobby until I took a professional writing course in college. Taking the class, I realized I wanted to write books.

How did you learn to write?

While I worked after college writing press releases, editing a magazine and copywriting, I tried to write books on the side. I made some big blunders though. Many years later I heard about American Christian Fiction Writers and joined. At first, I belonged to a critique group then I had a critique partner. I also attended classes with James Scott Bell and Donald Maas.

Do you hear from your readers? What do they say?

I’m always so happy when I hear from readers. Learning a person found enjoyment, encouragement or something worthy in a book I’ve written lifts my spirits and encourages me. I enjoy meeting readers at book signings as well as online and treasure their kind words in reviews. Here are a few excerpts from reviews for the Discipleship Series.

From a Top Author Review about Hidden Danger, the first book the Discipleship Series: It’s a feel-

good book that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you with a smile. For readers looking for a book that combines the thrill of mystery with the warmth of a faith-filled romance, Hidden Danger is a highly recommended read.

From Deana a Celebrate Lit Review re: Dangerous Detour, Book 2: The story takes a turn that gives readers an illustration of God placing you in someone’s path for a reason. The ending is where you will find the beauty of faith, forgiveness and hope…I would love to see this book made into a movie.

From Lesa re: Dangerous Shadows, Book 3: The romance stays clean while still offering plenty of chemistry and emotional pull, and the spiritual thread feels natural, never preachy, as it grows right out of the characters’ journeys.

What does your writing space look like?

At one end of a large utility room there’s a bookcase to the left of my desk and windows overlooking our front yard and the street. On the right wall, I have a picture of Ireland’s writers my neighbor brought to me from her visit to Ireland. With a name like Pallotta, one wouldn’t think I’m Irish, but I am.

If you could write a spin-off book about one of your secondary characters, which one would you choose and why?

I would give Hucklesford a heroine and choose him as the hero. He first appears in Hidden Danger, Book one of the Discipleship Series. Then, he’s in Dangerous Shadows, Book 3. He’s grown quite a bit from book one to book three, so I’d like to see where he might go next.

Why do you write in your particular genre? 

I write Christian fiction with suspense, mystery and romance. Because my Christian faith is a part of me, it seeps into my characters’ everyday lives. I enjoy suspense and mystery and think romance puts a sweet touch to any story.

How did your job prepare you for being a novelist? 

Even though writing press releases and articles isn’t like making up a story, it requires structure and discipline as well as the ability to meet deadlines. I once was asked to compose copy for a radio ad so quickly I had to read it to the DJ as I wrote it, so he could repeat it on the air.

What is your next project? 

Another Christian romantic suspense.

About Dangerous Shadows: 

Shaken from an assault in the library parking lot at Hilltop College in Western North Carolina, crime reporter Emily Hanover contacts her ex-fiancé, private investigator Nick Lancaster. When the college hires Nick to recover quartz and ancient maps stolen from the library, Nick insists there’s a connection between the theft and Emily’s attack.

As Nick and Emily face danger from an elusive stalker, their romance rekindles. Nick’s sidekick, Hucklesford, spots two suspects, so he and Nick go undercover. While Nick’s surveillance points to illegal gambling and murder, Hucklesford’s investigation leads him to the college cross-country team. Can Nick and Hucklesford, along with Emily, connect the stalker, theft, college student, and gambler’s murder to solve this baffling mystery? Will Nick and Emily find true love?

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DZXWGF3P

Social Media links:

Website: http://www.gailpallotta.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorsandMore
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3226220.Gail_Pallotta
BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/profile/gail-pallotta
Pinterest link: https://pinterest.com/Gwrt781/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gail-pallotta-b368b220/

Photo credits:

Author photo and book image: courtesy Gail Pallotta

Woman Reading: Pixabay/Pexels

DJ: Pixabay/Andrez Rembowski