Welcome Back, Julie Arduini

Welcome Back, Julie Arduini!

Linda: Welcome back! It’s great to chat with you again, and I look forward to hearing about your latest book, Anchored Hearts. What was your inspiration for the story? 

Julie: I’m a fan of the TV show, This is Us. I was so impressed by the magnitude it took to create a series involving multiples and how an event from the past affected everyone for decades. I thought it was a good challenge to explore a unique birth story. My sister pitched to me donor families, but I’m not ready for that yet. I decided on a family of sextuplets with the challenge---what would happen if a family with a unique birth story stayed in the national spotlight because of tragedy? 

LM: What sort of research did you have to do for this book? 

Julie: I read a lot on the McCaughey septuplets for starters. I researched morning shows and various aspects of a news station. The series is set in the Finger Lakes Region of Upstate NY, specifically, the Elmira-Corning area. That’s my hometown, so I didn’t need too much research there. I did change some things for fiction, though. 

LM: How do you choose character names and places for your stories? 

Photo: Pixabay/
Oliver Cardall

Julie: I remember Jerry Jenkins talking about the name process, and I tend to follow it. I try not to get too complicated, and will use common names or objects. In future books it will be revealed that sextuplets #4 and #5 were names patriarch Paul Hart chose, and they were named James and Kelly in honor of his favorite Buffalo Bills quarterback, Jim Kelly. As for places, I use Upstate NY settings for my romances. I spent 34 years in Upstate NY and there are so many small towns and areas that few know about. When I wrote the YA/Women’s series with my daughter, Surrendering Stinkin’ Thinkin’, I used Ohio as a setting since we have lived in NE Ohio for 18 years. 

LM: As a female, what is the most difficult thing about writing male characters? 

Julie: I have wonderful critique partners who catch a mannerism I use or phrasing, and they know it’s a feminine trait. I’m thankful for them. 

LM: What books are on your TBR pile? 

Julie:. So many. I tend to read by author. I find one I enjoy and I’ll go through everything they have. Late last year I discovered Jess Mastorakos. She writes sweet and inspirational military romances, and I love that. 

LM: What would you tell your younger writing self? 

Photo: Pixabay/Stock Snaps

Julie: Stop overthinking it and just do it. My weakness is grammar and I let that hold me back for decades. Now I have a solid team of critique partners, editors, proofreaders, and Beta readers to help me. 

LM: What’s next for you? 

Julie: Surrendering Hearts is a six-book series featuring each Hart sextuplet. Ryan is the second-born, so he’s next with Repairing Hearts. I am SO excited. 

Linda: Where can folks connect with you? 

Julie: The easiest way is to find me on Link Tree at http://linktr.ee/JulieArduini. All my links are included there. I love to connect, so please reach out! 

About Anchored Hearts: 

Can two go-getters surrender their need to control and find a happily-ever-after? 

Jordyn Bell Hart succeeds in everything she does. Her promotion to morning show co-anchor blossoms her career in the same way her mother’s work had. Jordyn keeps tabs on her family and enjoys helping them grow. When life around her starts to change, can she surrender her desire to control? 

Spencer Collins knows how to balance a busy life. He has his work as a reporter, his time caregiving for his grieving father, and looking out for his little brother. When he learns he’s the new co-anchor of a morning show with Jordyn Hart, can he handle working with a celebrity who brings a lot of challenges to life on and off the set?

Pre-order Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XH1KVXD

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back, Julie Arduini

Surrendering Control by Julie Arduini 

My tagline is “Encouraging you to find freedom in Christ by surrendering the good, the bad, and---maybe one day---the chocolate.” When I write, there is always a surrender issue and a chocolate mention. As I grow in the craft, I’m learning that the surrender starts with me. 

Three years ago, I had an idea to write a series about sextuplets who stay in the national spotlight after tragedy. I researched. I took notes. I started to write. Then a Christmas project came along that I had always wanted to be a part of. 

Two years ago. I returned to the series. I started over. I revised. Then our daughter and I started a new series for young teen girls and women of all ages. I tried to return to the sextuplets, but we wrote two books of three for Surrendering Stinkin’ Thinkin’. 

Last year the quarantine hit. It felt like the perfect time to return to what I was calling Surrendering

Opinions. Then my daughter reminded me we still had You’re Brilliant to write to wrap up our series. Once that was finished, we had home repairs to tackle. A family reunion. Then my mom became ill and I left home to care for her. When I came back home to catch up, I still had to return for her appointments. Then came the holidays. 

And a week later, Mom passed away. 

That series is now Surrendering Hearts featuring the Hart sextuplets. Although I’m halfway done, my plan was to release Book 1, Anchored Hearts by now. Those were my plans. God’s plans were different. I don’t know exactly what they are, but I had to let go of so much these three years. For someone that likes to think they are in control, that hasn’t been easy. 

That’s what has made writing the heroine of Anchored Hearts, Jordyn Bell Hart, so fun. The first sextuplet, she’s put it on herself to take care of everyone around her. Now that the sextuplets are in their twenties, they are grown and finding their own identities. Jordyn’s not quite ready to let them go. When Spencer Collins enters the pictures, he relates to her. They share grief and loyalty to family. Yet he has an issue he can’t control. And it’s the one thing keeping Jordyn away. 

Although Anchored Hearts isn’t quite ready, I didn’t want to keep readers waiting. I have a series prologue and the first chapter of Anchored Hearts ready as a free preview. I’d love for you to grab a copy and enjoy it. If you do, please follow me across social media so you’ll be the first to know when it’s released. 

ABOUT ANCHORED HEARTS 

Can two go-getters surrender their need to control and find a happily-ever-after? 

Jordyn Bell Hart succeeds in everything she does. Her promotion to morning show co-anchor blossoms her career in the same way her mother’s work did. Jordyn keeps tabs on her family and enjoys helping them grow. When life around Jordyn starts to change, can she surrender her desire to control? 

Spencer Collins knows how to balance a busy life. He has his work as a reporter, his time caregiving for his grieving father, and looking out for his little brother. When he learns he’s the new co-anchor of a morning show with Jordyn Hart, can he handle working with a celebrity who brings a lot of challenges to life on and off the set? 

Read a FREE preview of Anchored Hearts by clicking HERE. Book 1 in Surrendering Hearts, a series about nationally celebrated sextuplets who each discover their own identity and find that special true love like their parents shared.  

Anchored Hearts coming soon.

Follow Julie on Social Media:

Facebook Author Page: http://facebook.com/JulieArduiniAuthor

MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/juliearduini

Twitter: http://twitter.com/JulieArduini

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/julie-arduini

Julie Arduini Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/321e32f02e17/juliearduininewsletter

Welcome back, Julie Arduini!

Welcome back, Julie Arduini!

Linda:  Thanks for stopping by. Congratulations on your newest release, You’re Brilliant (Book 3, Surrendering Stinkin’ Thinkin’). What was your inspiration for the story? Is this an ongoing series you plan to continue for the foreseeable future?

Julie: Thank you, Linda! The series is the brainchild of our teen daughter, Hannah. She has some health issues that make life a little more challenging than for most, and when she finished middle school, we were both drained from the experience. She was processing it by sharing how she wished there was a way to encourage girls younger than her before things start that make girls believe lies about themselves. As she shared, I realized she was sharing a story. It was good. I told her if she continued, I’d work with her and get it published. You’re Brilliant is the last book in the series. We started with You’re Beautiful, and there was also You’re Amazing. I’m really proud of the series, and of Hannah.

LM: How long does it take you to write a book? Do you write lots of drafts or does the manuscript just need some “tweaking” and editing to be ready?

Julie: It depends on the book. For You’re Brilliant, it took a few months. The quarantine really helped us as we were both home to work on it. When I write romance, that definitely takes me drafts and drafts.

LM: Does your writing energize or exhaust you?

Julie: Yes. Seriously, when I am in that zone where I know where the story is going and I’m deep in the character world, it energizes me. That doesn’t happen as often as I wish. Typically I’m drained because I’m in that gap between plot points and I need to fill it, and the characters aren’t talking to me!

LM: You co-author young adult books with your daughter and write contemporary romance for adults. How do you balance the two careers, and how is writing in the two genres different? The same?

Julie: I thought when I started the series with Hannah I could write both genres, but that did not work. I pushed the current romance series I’m working on, Surrendering Opinions, out until I finished the series with Hannah. I don’t have what it takes to juggle more than one book at a time, or different genres. I think what’s the same about writing in two genres is the process---creating characters, plot, writing, revising, editing, publishing, and marketing. What’s different is the story world. With You’re Brilliant, I observed the teens in my life and was intentional about knowing their world. What triggered them. What issues come up for them that my age might not notice. When I write romance, I’m still in a story world, but the characters are older and their goals are different.

LM: If you could tell your younger writing-self one thing, what would it be?

Julie:. Don’t let the fear of what others think hold you back. That fear kept me from writing for decades. God healed me from that, and a wise mentor encouraged me to have the “skin of a rhino and heart of a dove.” It has helped me overcome and move forward.

LM: Here are some quickies:

Julie:

Walk, bicycle, or drive: Drive. The other two aren’t bad options, but my favorite moments are when I visit my mom and have 300 miles to drive alone.

Cookies, pie, or cake: That’s hard! That answer could change by the minute. Overall, I’ll never turn down a good piece of cake.

Favorite shoe style: Flat and comfortable. I have bad knees and have never worn heels. Shoes aren’t my thing, I’m pretty low-key about footwear.

LM: Can you tell us what writing projects are on your plate right now?

Julie: I am writing a new contemporary romance series called Surrendering Opinions about a group of sextuplets who stay in the national spotlight because of tragedy. Now that they are adults, they are each trying to find a love that was as strong as what their mom and dad shared. Each sibling will have their own book, and it starts with the oldest, Jordyn Collins, and the title is Anchored. My hope is for a winter release.

Linda: Where can folks connect with you?

Julie: I love when readers connect!

Facebook: http://facebook.com/JulieArduini

Twitter: http://twitter.com/JulieArduini

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/JulieArduini

Instagram: http://instagram.com/JulieArduini

Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/JulieArduini

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/JulieArduini

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Julie-Arduini/e/B00PBKDRSQ/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/julie-arduini

Monthly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/321e32f02e17/juliearduininewsletter

________________________

About You're Brilliant:

Amazing things happen when a group of high school students and women discover they are more than competent.

Bethany's not excited to start high school in a new community where she doesn't know anyone. She quickly befriends KJ, a popular sophomore, and it looks like the transition will go well until Bethany discovers KJ's boyfriend is a bully. With a strong sense of justice, Bethany challenges Brent Sullivan, and he's determined to make her suffer.

Cheri takes on an additional job in a school to help pay for Sabrina's wedding. It's a different atmosphere than at the church where she feels more comfortable as the pastor's wife and mentor with the Linked ministry. After several mishaps, Cheri feels like she's found an assignment where she can make a different until a teacher belittles her work.

Can Bethany and Cheri resist the lies about their competency and hold on to the fact they're brilliant?

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0874Y5B4C

Talkshow Thursday: A Guest Post by Julie Arduini

Talkshow Thursday: A Guest Post by Julie Arduini

Restoring Christmas by Julie Arduini

Highlighting the Misunderstood World of Special Needs Students

One of the most exciting aspects of this time of year is the release of Christmas romances. Hallmark knows their popularity; they are now showing movies outside of December. I love losing myself in a love story surrounded by snow and sleigh bells. 

Last year I was honored to participate in a Christmas box set. Although it is no longer available, my novella, Restoring Christmas, has been re-released in both print and Kindle format. I had so much fun writing this story using another Upstate NY area and characters who need to surrender their issues and come together to save a beloved tourist attraction in fictional Geneseo Valley.

One element I used in Restoring Christmas was having the hero, Kevin Holt, bring his students with special needs to help at the failing Christmas mansion. These young teens wanted to make a difference, and Holly Christmas had to decide if she would let go of her pride and allow the community to come in for help. What I enjoyed about Holly was she approached the special needs class with love and a little anxiety, and I think that’s normal.

I have volunteered with ministries that involve families with special needs and in Restoring Christmas, I was intentional in not giving specific diagnoses because sometimes an issue isn’t visible, and people are misunderstood. Sometimes touch is very important, and in other cases, even a pat on the shoulder can be scary. Changes to schedules are a big deal sometimes, and so are different noises we might take for granted. For Holly, she wants to be understanding, but the mansion her parents worked on for years as the premiere Christmas stop each year holds a lot of valuable items. Will the students break things? Will there be tantrums that interrupt her deadlines? How will Holly handle it all and how involved will Kevin be in the process?

Answering those questions truly were a delight. There is so much I love about Restoring Christmas, and one was that I was able to bring awareness to the special needs community. I also gave a nod to my hometown, Corning, with the mention of glass ornaments. More than anything, I believe there’s a sweet romance readers can escape with.

Do you have a connection with the special needs community? If so, you are in the presence of the most amazing group God created. 

Connect with Julie:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/JulieArduini

Twitter: http://twitter.com/JulieArduini

G+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JulieArduini/posts

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/JulieArduini

Instagram: http://instagram.com/JulieArduini

Snapchat:  https://www.snapchat.com/add/JulieArduini

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/JulieArduini

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Julie-Arduini/e/B00PBKDRSQ/

Monthly Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dCFG

About Restoring Christmas: 

Filled with grief and regret, Holly Christmas returns to Geneseo Valley and the family business, The Christmas Mansion. Can Kevin Holt restore her love for the season and the memories she left behind?

***

Holly Christmas left Geneseo Valley and her family’s holiday tourist attraction, The Christmas Mansion, as soon as she graduated.  Now both her parents have passed, and Holly returns when her uncle needs her help running the mansion. On Holly’s first day back, a blunt middle-schooler proclaims Holly hates Christmas. His comment forces her to reconcile the past while planning for the mansion’s future.

Kevin Holt is invested in offering hope to students with challenges. His best friend’s son is in Kevin’s class, and Nathan needs guidance. Their community project placement at The Christmas Mansion is an opportunity to make a positive difference. When Nathan blurts out his thoughts to the beautiful co-owner, Kevin wonders if he has what it takes to help restore the mansion to its former glory, mentor Nathan, and convince Holly Christmas she’s exactly where she needs to be.

Purchase Links:

Ebook: https://www.amazon.com/Restoring-Christmas-Novella-Julie-Arduini-ebook/dp/B07ZDHX954

Softcover Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1733687629

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back, Julie Arduini!

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back, Julie Arduini!

Linda:  Thanks for stopping by. Congratulations on your newest release, Match Made in Heaven. I love the premise for the story. Where did you get your idea?

Julie: Thanks for having me! Match Made in Heaven started as my desire as a new Christian to write something I could share with friends that would be quality content to pass on. I’d written lots of little stories over the years that weren’t Christian that my friends loved. I wanted to write for God. The matchmaking element was based on my job at the time that I thought would be a fun premise.

LM: Did you always want to be a writer or did that desire come later, and if so, how?

Julie: I think that desire was always there, but I struggled with confidence. I didn’t have the best teachers, and grammar remains a weakness for me. I feared rejection. It took until my mid-thirties before I finally surrendered the fears and promised God I would write what He wanted, when He wanted.

LM: You are one busy lady. What does a “normal” week look like for you?

Julie: It truly depends on the week. This time of year is extra busy with school wrapping up and my husband is traveling quite a bit for work. When that happens, I tend to be busier with household and school activities. I make a point to read devotionals and spend time in my prayer journal. I try to get some bike riding and yoga in a few days a week. I help out with our youth group. Every morning I spend time on the laptop marketing my books and answering emails. Writing sadly doesn’t happen as often as I want with a season like this. Either late at night or when our daughter is home from school and watching her shows, I’ll sit in the same room and work, while interacting with her.

LM: If your story was going to be made into a movie, who would you like to see play the main characters?

Julie: I think Sandra Bullock could pull off the comedy that often is my life. A lot of people think my husband looks like Richard Dreyfuss, so that’s a possibility.

LM: How have you dealt with writer’s block or is that something you haven’t suffered?

Julie: I don’t know if it was writer’s block or if I worked myself into worry with the second book syndrome. Entrusted was my first book and was so easy to write. Readers loved it and were clamoring for the next, Entangled. I struggled hard writing that second book. I had to put the fears down and give them to God once and for all. I have a prayer team that prays for me, and I asked them to be intentional in helping me finish the book. It was all God in how Entangled came to be, and how readers still say it was their favorite in the series.

LM: Here are some quickies:

Julie:

Mountains or ocean? Mountains

Sweet or salty treats? Sweet

Coffee or Tea? Coffee

LM: Can you tell us what writing projects are on your plate right now?

Julie: I’m still working on my new contemporary romance series, Surrendering Opinions. The first book, Anchored, I’ve started three times now. It’s a six book series about sextuplets who stay in the national spotlight after tragedy, and now that they are grown, each sibling is trying to find their identity and love like their parents had. In a couple weeks, our daughter is out of school and she will help me write the final book in the Surrendering Stinkin’ Thinkin’ series, You’re Brilliant.

Linda: Where can folks connect with you?

Julie: Facebook: http://facebook.com/JulieArduini

Twitter: http://twitter.com/JulieArduini

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/JulieArduini

Instagram: http://instagram.com/JulieArduini

Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/JulieArduini

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/JulieArduini

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Julie-Arduini/e/B00PBKDRSQ/

Monthly Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dCFG

Match Made in Heaven: 

Beth Prescott wants to make a difference with the senior citizens she serves as a volunteer coordinator but their matchmaking efforts leave her guarded. She's experienced too much pain to make that leap again. Dean Kellerman returns to the Finger Lakes area to help his grandfather and heal his own broken heart. He's recommitted his life to Christ, and doesn't want any distractions. When his grandfather needs assistance with a senior program, it places Dean right in Beth's path. Can these two surrender their pasts to Christ and have faith in each other and their future?

Purchase Link: http://amazon.com/dp/B07QR29X51

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome back Julie Arduini!

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome back Julie Arduini!

Linda:  Welcome back. I can’t wait to hear about your latest release, You’re Amazing, the second in the Surrendering Stinkin’ Thinkin’ series. As with the first book, you co-authored the story with your daughter. How was this experience different than the first time?

Julie: Hi, Linda! Thanks for having me back! The biggest change for You’re Amazing is that Hannah created a plot around dance, something I have zero experience or knowledge about. The whole concept of the book for Jazmin’s story was having her struggle in dance for the first time, so I could relate! I have to thank our dancing friend, Alanis, who went over the dance aspects and edited me for accuracy.

LM: It’s obvious you have a heart for young people, and this series seems geared to help them deal with the issues of growing up. What do you think is the biggest challenge for teens today?

Julie: My passion is for young people, girls especially, to embrace the truth that as Stasi Eldredge wrote, that they are “Captivating, the masterpiece in creation.” If that truth doesn’t reach them, they will go find a way to be captivating in ways that will scar them. Young people have so much stress and little encouragement. That was Hannah’s heart for the series, to encourage girls younger than her so they wouldn’t struggle as much.

LM: You’ve written both fiction and non-fiction. How is the process different?

Julie: I think the research for fiction is harder. In the Surrendering Time series, it was important to get the setting right because I love the Adirondacks so much I wanted to honor the people and place. The non fiction writing I have done has been about my infertility experience, so that was something I knew very well, too well.

LM: You are a self-professed chocolate lover. What is your favorite chocolate treat?

Julie: Pretty much anything milk chocolate with almonds. I received Cadbury bars for Christmas and they didn’t last long!

LM: How do you prepare yourself for writing? (e.g. set up in a certain place, listen to music)

Julie: Great question! I have found I’m in a better frame of mind if I workout first, doing a walking workout on YouTube followed by a quick yoga program. Then, I spend time in Bible study. I turn on my candle warmer, usually with a Christmas tree scent, and have Alexa play instrumental music. I tend to write in the bedroom because my husband is often in the office and our college aged son also has online classes he takes downstairs.

LM: Here are some quickies:

Julie: Favorite Actor or Actress: Ryan Reynolds

Favorite Season: Fall

Favorite Biblical character: Esther

LM: What is your next project?

Julie: This fall I will release Restoring Christmas. It was part of the A Christmas to Remember boxed set, but now that novella will also be available in print form.

I’m also finally writing the first book in my next Christian romance series, Surrendering Opinions. I’ve tried Anchored three times and put it down. I finally feel like everything in my head will finally make it to paper. For those that enjoy the show, This is Us, Surrendering Opinions will be a series I think they will enjoy.

LM: Where can folks find you on the web?

Julie: My site is at http://juliearduini.com, where they can also receive my first romance, Entrusted, as a gift when they subscribe to my newsletter. I’m everywhere on social media between Facebook and Snapchat as @JulieArduini. I’d love readers to follow me on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00PBKDRSQ and Goodreads, https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9819114.Julie_Arduini.  Don’t be shy to reach out. I enjoy connecting with readers.

Thank you, Linda!

Book Blurb: 

Jazmin’s a natural at dance until a series of changes make her wonder if she should even keep up with her favorite hobby.

Lena’s a mom with young children overwhelmed with her schedule when a woman remarks that what Lena does isn’t even important.

Both Jazmin and Lena belong to Linked, a mentoring ministry where all ages encourage each other and build friendships. Can these two surrender the lies they are believing and realize they are amazing?

            

A novella for tweens, teens, and women of all ages by mother and daughter team Julie Arduini and Hannah Arduini.

Purchase Link:  https://www.amazon.com/Youre-Amazing-Surrendering-Stinkin-Thinkin-ebook/dp/B07M7D6HSV

Talkshow Thursday: Julie Arduini and Daughter Hannah

Talkshow Thursday: Julie Arduini and Daughter Hannah

Linda:  Welcome back and thanks for joining me today. You’ve got a new book out which is always exciting. The first in the Surrendering Stinkin’ Thinkin’ series, it’s called You’re Beautiful. You co-authored the story with your daughter. How did this come about and what was it like to write with someone else?

Julie: This was a complete God idea. I was ready to start Book 1 in my new contemporary romance series, Surrendering Opinions. However, both our children were going through the worst adversity I’ve seen them experience. Circumstances beyond their control that I knew God was allowing for His greater purpose. It didn’t mean that we didn’t hurt, because their pain was heartbreaking. For Hannah, she was transitioning to junior high. There were bullying issues and instances where in her daily circle of influence, people were tearing down with words instead of building up. At the end of the year, we thought about what went well with our responses, and what we could have improved on. One thing she said was she wished she could do something to help encourage other girls so they would never feel like she did. She started sharing, and a story formed. I told her if she kept up, I’d write it. She plotted out a three book series!

LM: Research is an important part of writing any book. How do you go about doing research for

your stories?

Julie: My writing is character-driven, so I am an observer of people. That was a big part of You’re Beautiful, making sure I captured the heart of a tween girl and a young adult who served as a mentor in that story. In general, I try to use settings I am familiar with that I want to pay tribute to. I talk to people, and I go online. It is true what authors say that they hope “Big Brother” isn’t watching our Google Search. It would show interesting things that are for the sake of our story.

LM: How do you choose your character’s names?

Julie: That was all Hannah. She chose Hayley Atkinson because it was her own initials, and was a name she thought girls her age would like. She really thought about the names and personalities.

LM: What is your favorite childhood book?

Julie: Little House on the Prairie series.

LM: What is something you have always wanted to learn how to do?

Julie: Learn new languages. I’d love to speak Italian.

LM: Here are some quickies:

Favorite Color: Purple

Favorite Movie: Return to Me

Favorite place to visit: Speculator, NY, Adirondack Mountains. This is where Surrendering Time was set.

LM: What is your next project?

Julie: Anchored, Book 1 in Surrendering Opinions. I’m also working on a Christmas novella collection with nine other authors. This summer Hannah and I start Book 2 in Surrendering Stinkin’ Thinkin’ with You’re Amazing.

LM: Where can folks find you on the web?

Julie: 

Website: http://juliearduini.com

As well as across social media @JulieArduini, including Snapchat, Amazon, and Goodreads. I love to connect, so please do! Thank you, Linda!

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B078VK3JJB

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:

Website: http://juliearduini.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/JulieArduini

Twitter: http://twitter.com/JulieArduini

GooglePlus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JulieArduini/posts

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/JulieArduini

Instagram: http://instagram.com/JulieArduini

Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/JulieArduini

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/JulieArduini

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Julie-Arduini/e/B00PBKDRSQ/

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dCFG